The Crisis Cast

From retail politics to sitting on the judicial bench, Aurelia Pucinski's life in public service is brimming with wisdom. This Crisis Cast flashback offers a fascinating glimpse into our legal system from a discussion that took place just a week prior to the now infamous 2020 election. Judge Pucinski references her presence on the ballot, and her second term on the Illinois Appellate Court now expires in 2030. During this episode, she underscores the critical requirements of each branch of government, and reveals a true crisis in the justice system. Lissa & Thom also probe the question of 'court-packing' and if she believes Supreme Court justices owe anything to their nominating President. This episode was originally released October 29, 2020.

Allen Lynch spent his childhood in Chicago's south suburbs with fond memories of walks to his grandmother's house in Roseland. Lynch was often bullied, and at age 18, to test his strength he enlisted in the U.S. Army. That was 1964, and one year later the United States had troops on the ground in Vietnam. In 1966, Sgt. Allen Lynch began a tour of service that would earn him the Medal of Honor. During this episode of the Crisis Cast, Lissa & Thom hear the experiences that led Sgt. Lynch to write the book "Zero to Hero" – he also shares wisdom on the future of military action, and what we should do in the present to better care for our veterans. Plus, filmmaker George Bogdanich discusses his new documentary Vietnam Changed My Life.

Two presidential debates between Joe Biden and Donald Trump are on the books. The first will be June 27th at CNN studios in Atlanta. It will have a unique nod to Chicago, because it will take place without an audience on a television set. That was the case in 1960, when WBBM-TV hosted John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon for the first-ever televised debate. During this episode, Lissa Druss & Thom Serafin set the stage for this unique arrangement. Both the CNN debate and a 2nd debate in September on ABC are bypassing the non-partisan Commission on Presidential Debates. What's the strategy in this? Both candidates will be seated, and there will be no crosstalk permitted. Plus, political analyst Andy Shaw contributes to this episode, and weighs in on which candidate holds the advantage in this format.

The timing of this conversation left us pondering pathways to change. It was the spring of 2021, and occurred during the days surrounding the verdict in the killing of George Floyd, and the fatal shooting of 13-year-old Chicagoan Adam Toledo. Renowned civil rights attorney Sheila Bedi joined Lissa and Thom to discuss her work surrounding the Chicago Police consent decree. In this eye-opening episode, Sheila shares her passion for teaching future lawyers and her drive to communicate the need for legal reform. Originally released 4/25/21.

During this episode, a critical look at Illinois' strategic players with reporter Shia Kapos, author of Politico's morning newsletter: the Illinois Playbook. Shia offers up her definition of the city's new brand progressive politics. Lissa & Thom dig in on how she sees the City of Chicago responding to a summer full of global visitors. Plus, we get the scoop on whether Shia ever sleeps.

During this episode, we'll share the story behind a new film that documents the terrorist attack on Israel on October 7th, 2023. The documentary is called #NOVA, and it reveals the massacre of hundreds of psy-trance music enthusiasts at a festival on 10/7. Lissa Druss & Thom Serafin are in our chat room to hear the personal story of first responder Eran Masas. Plus, filmmaker Dan Pe'er and Alison Pure-Slovin, Director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, join the discussion to explain the documentary's creation and impact.

Bears President Kevin Warren and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson gathered us all together for a presser on their "Dome By The Lake" on Wednesday. This struck our Crisis Cast crew as an odd rollout. Why was it shoe-horned into a space just prior to the NFL draft? During this episode of the Crisis Cast, Lissa Druss & Thom Serafin ask the question – "Are the Bears just bluffing their intention to remain in the City of Chicago?" There are just too many details that don't add up, about revenue shares and debt service, and a few dozen other players to be named later.

Just two months into the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we had a fascinating conversation with Lissa's cousin, Daniela. She's a veteran journalist on the economic beat, based in Rome. Daniela gave us an early lesson in how the war reverberates very differently across Europe. At that point, Italians were caught in the middle, particularly because 50% of Italy's natural gas came from Russia. As the debate over military aid reaches a new inflection point -- this Crisis Cast flashback offers a powerful trip back in time. The episode was originally released April 6, 2022.

For more than two decades, veteran radio programmer Mitch Rosen has led Audacy's WSCR. "The Score" is Chicago's leading destination for sports talk. During this episode of the Crisis Cast, Thom Serafin finally gets his job interview to join "The Score" lineup of personalities. Lissa Druss stops Thom from pitching 10 hours of daily Sox talk on the Cubs station. Join us as we go deep with Mitch (Niles West alum), on his adventures in radio – from producing the legendary Eddie Schwartz to brushes with names like Bill Gleason and Jay Mariotti from Chicago's sporting past. Plus, we'll chat about the women who have carved a new path in sports talk, and some predictions on the future of the Bears.

While the March '24 primary revealed a disappointing truth in voter participation – it reinforced a shift in ideology within Chicago's neighborhoods and some collar suburbs. Research and public policy analyst Frank Calabrese returns to the Crisis Cast to share what his maps predict about voter trends. During this episode, Lissa Druss & Thom Serafin start digging for the truths that separate the mayoral elections of 2019 and 2023. Plus, we'll get out Frank's political microscope for a deeper look at the Cook County State's Attorney race.

In the spring of 2021, Lissa & Thom introduced us to a foursome of teens from Naperville Central High School on a mission. They saw their peers suffering through depression, and took action. Through a support group called Beyond Charity – they went on a mission to stop the stigmas associated with mental illness. During this episode of the Crisis Cast, we re-visit the inspiration these teens provided. The youth mental health crisis is far from over, as schools and families still struggle to find and fund critical resources. The four guests from this episode are now making their mark on college campuses. They are studying health system policy, economics, criminal justice, and entrepreneurship. Their leader, Aparna Ramakrishnan will spend this summer working as a Congressional intern in Washington D.C.

As the 2024 major league baseball season opens, Lissa & Thom take a look at the crisis facing the Chicago White Sox. We have one of the coolest heads in the room join us for a conversation about where the South Siders might call home. David Haugh has been the co-host of the morning show on WSCR since 2018. Known for his deep reporting and wise writing for nearly two decades at the Chicago Tribune, Haugh joins the Crisis Cast to talk about public funding for new stadiums. There are also leadership complexities tied to owner Jerry Reinsdorf and his franchise's front office. Plus, Thom Serafin took our microphones to Arizona for feedback from Sox fans themselves at Spring Training.

Once again, we dive into Lissa & Thom's roots in journalism to further explore the challenges of 21st century newsrooms. During this this episode, the Crisis Cast probes a guide to being tenacious, but fair with ABC7's political reporter Craig Wall. With more than 25 years of covering Chicago news and politics, Wall shares how the exponential number of news sources have changed the perception of reporting. Plus, we'll consider whether the real crisis is news consumers' lack of interest in different perspectives. Craig Wall is a native of Milwaukee, a U.S. Navy veteran, and graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a B.A. in journalism.

Chicago Tribune investigative reporter Ray Long makes a return visit to the Crisis Cast to prep Lissa & Thom for the upcoming trial of former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan. During this episode we take a deeper dive into the "minds" that surrounded Madigan, and his unparalleled career in state government. Long also unpacks the recent sentencing of former Madigan aide Tim Mapes, and lays out the remaining legal timelines for former Speaker Madigan. Ray Long is author of The House That Madigan Built: The Record Run of Illinois' Velvet Hammer, and a two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist.

We celebrate the first week of Women's History Month by revisiting a conversation with the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Senate. Carol Moseley Braun was also the first woman to represent Illinois as a U.S. senator. Three years ago, the Chicago native visited with Lissa Druss & Thom Serafin the morning after attending the inauguration of President Joseph R. Biden. The Senator shared the details of her experience as a teen, marching with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through Chicago's Marquette Park. You'll hear why Carol Moseley Braun believes in the resiliency of democracy. Plus, we learn the truths revealed to her as a U.S. Ambassador, about the world's view of racism in America. Recorded: January 21st, 2021

On so many episodes, we've explored and dissected the peril of shrinking local news rooms. This conversation will feel different. Shamus Toomey is among the defining innovators in the growth of journalism. As publisher and co-founder of Block Club Chicago, Shamus has forged the unthinkable – a team of reporters that has tripled in size since November of 2017. During this episode of the Crisis Cast, Lissa & Thom get to the "DNA" of how Block Club found its footing and funding. Plus, Shamus shares the lessons learned as a young reporter for City News and the unlikely story that catapulted Block Club Chicago to being a household name for neighborhood news.