Best Thom Serafin Podcasts (2024)

1
Crisis Cast Whiteboard – Debating the Biden-Trump Debate(s) 28:03

1d ago28:03

28:03

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 d…

1
Crisis Cast Flashback: Sheila Bedi - Driving Toward Justice 31:40

13h ago31:40

31:40

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 Chicag…

1
The DNC, cicadas & "AI", oh my! 31:27

2h ago31:27

31:27

Here's our May edition of the Chicago Power Poll podcast with Thom Serafin. We'll dive into 5 more thought-provoking questions. Joining Thom, once again, is veteran Chicago political journalist Mike Flannery We also welcome Amanda Vinicky, former statehouse bureau chief for NPR Illinois. Amanda is now co-host and correspondent for Chicago Tonight o…

1
Shia Kapos - What Is A Progressive? 30:31

11d ago30:31

30:31

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…

1
Heroics In The Face Of Terror 36:58

18d ago36:58

36:58

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…

1
Crisis Cast Whiteboard: Are The Bears Bluffing? 23:12

1M ago23:12

23:12

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 – "Ar…

1
Crisis Cast Flashback - War in Ukraine Through Italy's Eyes 23:08

1M ago23:08

23:08

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% …

1
Caitlin Clark Fever, grading Chicago leadership, and the dominant issue for voters 37:16

1M ago37:16

37:16

Here's our April edition of the Chicago Power Poll podcast with Thom Serafin. We'll dive into 5 more thought-provoking questions. Joining Thom is veteran Chicago political journalist Mike Flannery and Carol Marin, Director of DePaul University's Center for Journalistic Integrity & Excellence. This month, we asked our power pollers to answer these q…

1
Mitch Rosen - Scoring The Radio Game 40:25

2M ago40:25

40:25

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 C…

1
Frank Calabrese - The NEW Neighborhood Divide 21:39

2M ago21:39

21:39

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…

1
Crisis Cast Flashback - Youth Mental Health Crisis 26:23

2M ago26:23

26:23

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 Ca…

1
The Bears dome on the lake, banning TikTok, and voter apathy 35:31

2M ago35:31

35:31

Here's our March edition of the Chicago Power Poll podcast with Thom Serafin. We'll dive into 5 more thought-provoking questions. Joining Thom is veteran Chicago political journalist Mike Flannery and WBEZ's Mary Dixon. This month, we asked our power pollers to answer these questions: What do you think about the Chicago Bears building a publicly-ow…

1
David Haugh - Take Me "Where" To The Ballgame 36:52

2M ago36:52

36:52

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 writ…

1
Craig Wall - Fighting For Trust 37:16

2M ago37:16

37:16

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 numbe…

1
Ray Long - Mining The Minds of Madigan 38:28

3M ago38:28

38:28

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 sentencin…

1
Crisis Cast flashback: Carol Moseley Braun 26:06

3M ago26:06

26:06

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 Pre…

1
Shamus Toomey - Defining Journalism's Future 38:10

3M ago38:10

38:10

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 Novemb…

1
David Hochberg - The Credit Utilization Crisis 28:46

3M ago28:46

28:46

In part two of our dialogue with David Hochberg, we confront the reality that is plaguing America. We are reaching 70% capacity on credit utilization. As Hochberg puts it, "We are running out of room to spend on stuff we don't need, with money we don't have." During this episode of the Crisis Cast, Lissa & Thom continue their conversation about the…

1
Chicago's most powerful union, the Sox & the '78', and grading the city's economy 34:11

3M ago34:11

34:11

Here's our February edition of the Chicago Power Poll podcast with Thom Serafin. We'll dive into 5 more thought-provoking questions. Joining Thom is veteran Chicago political journalist Mike Flannery and Chicago media personality Andrea Darlas. This month, we asked our power pollers to answer these questions: Which union do you think is the most po…

1
David Hochberg - A Saver For Life 19:45

4M ago19:45

19:45

Once upon a time David Hochberg's father planted a seed. "Pay yourself first, and you'll never go broke." It led to his first passbook savings account at age seven, and a pre-teen career in scrap metal, turning trash into cash. Along the way, he developed a passion for helping home-buyers protect their financial health. During this episode of The C…

1
Richard Irvin - The Day That Changed Everything 34:28

4M ago34:28

34:28

As a veteran of Desert Storm and Desert Shield, Richard Irvin confronted a moment with one question, "Is this the day I'm going to die?" During this episode of the Crisis Cast, we'll learn how those seconds have defined every day that has followed. Lissa Druss & Thom Serafin will also explore what drove the Mayor of Aurora to run for governor – and…

1
Venezuela to Chicago – One Migrant Family's Journey 27:28

4M ago27:28

27:28

In this special edition of the Crisis Cast, we'll hear the personal account of a dangerous trek across multiple borders. We invite you to listen in on Thom Serafin's intimate conversation with a couple from Venezuela, who traveled on foot and on top of train cars in search of the American Dream. We'll hear why they left their homeland, what life in…

1
Ben Szalinski - Springfield's Next Generation 28:22

4M ago28:22

28:22

There's a post-Madigan era emerging at Illinois' Capitol building – and beyond. During this episode, we examine which crisis in state government is top mind – and who are the dominant legislators with solutions. Lissa Druss and Thom Serafin are joined by the Daily Line's Ben Szalinski. Ben is covering the next generation of state leaders, while rep…

1
Ilyce Glink - Best Money Moves for 2024 19:53

5M ago19:53

19:53

One download with Ilyce Glink is never enough. We dive into part two of our recent chat with Ilyce. In this episode, all eyes and ears are on the long view of the economy. 2023 was a year of acceleration, and 2024 has a whole new set of speed bumps. Is the Fed on the right path managing inflation? How do you best manage your money in an election ye…

1
The migrant crisis, the Iowa caucus, and the Bears ‘24 draft 30:33

5M ago30:33

30:33

Welcome to the debut of the Chicago Power Poll podcast with Thom Serafin. During this episode we explore the poll results of 5 thought-provoking questions. Joining Thom is veteran Chicago political journalist Mike Flannery and ABC 7 sports reporter Dionne Miller. Our January 2024 poll included the following questions: What's the most important acti…

1
Chicago Power Poll 1:42

5M ago1:42

1:42

Launched in 2020, the Serafin's Chicago Power Poll is an interactive polling platform that surveys business, civic, media, and political insiders about the attitudes and opinions that shape the moves of the Chicago’s most influential leaders. It’s the best way we know, to reveal the attitudes and opinions of the players who essentially run our town…

1
Ilyce Glink - A "Silent" Depression? 28:55

5M ago28:55

28:55

A host of TikTokers have coined a name for the current economy as an economic "silent depression." While the monicker continues to churn in social media, Lissa Druss & Thom Serafin wanted to explore how it started. More importantly -- is it real? During this episode we get into one of our favorite pasttimes: crisis identification. Once again, The C…

1
Garry McCarthy - Public Safety's Critical Year 37:58

5M ago37:58

37:58

In 2024, all eyes will be on the streets of Chicago -- particularly in August, when the city hosts the Democratic National Convention. We open our 5th season of the Crisis Cast with a voice that's been in the trenches when public safety is on the line. Garry McCarthy has led the design and enforcement of public safety during two national political …

1
Fr. Richard Fragomeni - The Search For Christmas 25:35

5M ago25:35

25:35

As the Crisis Cast closes out our fourth season, we enter the winter solstice with an abundance of light. During this episode Lissa & Thom welcome Father Richard Fragomeni, who shares T.S. Eliot's final poem on Christmas. The Cultivation of Christmas Trees is a poem that challenges the reader to rediscover the wonder of a child. During this episode…

1
Brian Bernardoni - An Army of Good 29:13

6M ago29:13

29:13

We are in the midst of a crisis that sends one in seven Chicago children to bed hungry. It's called post-pandemic poverty. The problem is absolutely global and national, too. In the U.S. since 2020, eight million people have fallen into poverty. The Crisis Cast went searching for hope, and action. Lissa Druss and Thom Serafin found that in Brian Be…

1
Dagmar Braun Celeste - Women & The Priesthood 42:31

6M ago42:31

42:31

Dagmar Braun Celeste was born in Nazi-occupied Austria, she authored her own Bachelor’s degree in Women’s Studies, which led her to collaborative human rights work with both Rosalyn Carter and Mother Theresa. Dagmar eventually made her home in Ohio, and fed her passion for politics as the state's First Lady. In 2002, she was secretly ordained as a …

1
Dr. Tasha Green Cruzat - Driving Emotional IQ 37:52

6M ago37:52

37:52

This year at Thanksgiving, we are grateful for the dedication of those compelled to change the lives of young people. Dr. Tasha Green Cruzat is leading solutions to our youth mental health crisis. Among the most staggering statistics is 30% of female students nationally reported seriously considering attempting suicide in the past 12 months. Dr. Cr…

1
Ben Bradley - The "New" News Paradigm 24:47

7M ago24:47

24:47

Many of the television newsroom characters have moved on, but there are fresh eyes and ears still holding truth to power. One of them is Emmy Award-winning reporter Ben Bradley of WGN. During this episode, Lissa Druss and Thom Serafin get Ben's take on the shifting tides of news gathering and consumption. Plus, we'll flash back to his job at the 19…

1
Crisis Whiteboard - Migration Task Force 23:49

7M ago23:49

23:49

In a span of just 14 months, more than 20-thousand migrants have arrived in Chicago. Add that to the thousands of residents who are already unhoused and tensions keep rising. During this episode of the Crisis Cast, Lissa Druss & Thom Serafin get out our whiteboard to brainstorm solutions to this crisis. The bus loads of asylum seekers keep coming a…

1
Hanania & Lipinski - The Reagan Democrats 40:47

7M ago40:47

40:47

Lissa Druss and Thom Serafin are back to do more work examining what divides us — and what might bring us together. Their guests are an award-winning columnist, and a 23rd Ward Alderman turned U.S. Congressman. Together, Ray Hanania and Bill Lipinski host the Two Guys on Politics podcast. In this episode, we answer dozens of potent questions. How d…

1
Bob Berlin - Guarding & Guiding Victims' Rights 34:48

8M ago34:48

34:48

Bob Berlin is a career prosecutor. For more than three decades, he's been focused on guarding the rights of crime victims. As DuPage Country State’s Attorney, he’s on the front lines of a new provision of the Safe-T Act. In September of 2023, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled to eliminate cash bail in the state. In this episode, Lissa Druss & Thom S…

1
Greg Hinz - Covering The Rooms Where It Happened 37:52

8M ago37:52

37:52

Crain’s Greg Hinz has been tracking the political scene in Illinois for a half-century. As Greg steps back from his regular column at chicagobusiness.com, Lissa & Thom get a download on his past adventures and his next adventure. For Hinz, politics is the business of getting things done. During this visit to the chat room, Greg weighs in on the pol…

1
Nick Kass - Question Everything 56:24

8M ago56:24

56:24

For more than 30 years Nick Kass was guiding intelligence at the highest levels of U.S. government -- from the Department of State to the CIA, and the White House. Nick's mantra is simple: question everything. Based in Bucharest, this Chicago native is now Senior Fellow for European Affairs at the Center for the National Interest. Thanks to Nick's …

1
Crisis Whiteboard - Full Disclosure 24:41

8M ago24:41

24:41

The topics of full disclosure and conflict of interest leaped center stage mid-month. It was triggered by reporting from the Chicago Tribune and NPR. Their stories revealed some crisis communications assistance provided for then Speaker of the House Michael Madigan, five years ago. The communications firm is SKDK, which is co-owned by Anita Dunn — …

1
Crisis Whiteboard - White Sox Lifering 35:24

9M ago35:24

35:24

In this episode, we contemplate the unthinkable for Chicago sports fans. What if we were a city with just one Major League Baseball team? OUR team won't have it. Lissa Druss and Thom Serafin get out our Crisis Cast "whiteboard" to brainstorm solutions and locations for a White Sox ballpark village. Hint: It isn't at 35th & Shields. The whole debate…

1
Ray Long - The Mapes Tapes 51:40

9M ago51:40

51:40

Time to get back to examining public trust in state government, through the reign of the former Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, Michael Madigan. In this episode, Lissa Druss and Thom Serafin bring Ray Long of the Chicago Tribune back to our chat room. Ray spent nearly three weeks covering the perjury trial of Tim Mapes, who was Sp…

1
Crisis Whiteboard: Grading Northwestern 25:51

9M ago25:51

25:51

When is silence golden? That is perhaps the most nuanced question, when it comes to crisis communications. During this episode, we use our Crisis Cast Whiteboard to grade how Northwestern University has been communicating publicly, during the crises in its athletic department. Lissa Druss & Thom Serafin also interpret who wins and who loses, when y…

1
Parliament of the World's Religions 41:31

10M ago41:31

41:31

The Parliament of the World’s Religions is the world’s premier interfaith convening of civic, spiritual, and grassroots changemakers. It's roots are in Chicago, where it first convened during the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. During this episode of the Crisis Cast, Lissa Druss & Thom Serafin document the return of spiritual leaders representin…

1
Kelly Richmond Pope - Watching The Whistleblowers 33:44

10M ago33:44

33:44

Renowned forensic accounting expert Kelly Richmond Pope shows fraud in action, uncovering what makes perps tick -- and she returns to the Crisis Cast to define the archetypes of the fraudster. Kelly also applauds the bravery of whistleblowers, and explains their peril. With Lissa Druss on assignment, Thom Serafin flies solo with Kelly to dig furthe…

1
Mark Carman - Northwestern In A Haze 25:26

11M ago25:26

25:26

This is a moment of reckoning for Northwestern University. In the wake of a hazing scandal within its football program, players on and off the field are immersed in a crisis. In this episode, Lissa & Thom are joined by sports journalist Mark Carman. Not only has he been studying the evolution of college athletics for decades — he's also reported fr…

1
Mike Flannery - Chicago's Future Shock 21:00

11M ago21:00

21:00

During part two of our send off for political journalist Mike Flannery, we dive into his analysis of Chicago's path forward. Lissa & Thom get to the heart of whether Flannery thinks the Brandon Johnson administration can bring down Chicago's murder rate. Plus, how do the best reporters separate personal opinion from their pursuit of the truth? In t…

1
Mike Flannery - The Ultimate Political Safari 24:21

11M ago24:21

24:21

For half a century, this kid from D.C. has been chasing alders, mayors, and senators. Mike Flannery, has even questioned every president since Richard Nixon. Flannery has been on the Chicago political beat since 1973, and now he's turning the page. In this episode of the Crisis Cast, you'll hear how Mike landed his first gig at the Chicago Sun-Time…

1
Alex English - Changing Your Shot 29:49

12M ago29:49

29:49

Alex English is one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history. But the points he's made as a humanitarian surpass ALL his basketball records. Alex even made a movie with Jamie Lee Curtis that earned two thumbs up from Siskel & Ebert. In this episode, Thom Serafin charts Alex English's journey from the racism of South Carolina to his crusade to st…

1
Larry Doll - EV Speed Bumps 19:50

1y ago19:50

19:50

As more EV's hit the market, the manufacturer vs. auto dealer relationship road is laced with potholes. In this episode, Lissa & Thom dig into the evolution and revolution of electric vehicles. Their guest has been driving this rocky road trip for the past 15 years as legal counsel for the Illinois Automobile Dealers Association. Larry Doll sees de…

1
The Fate of AM Radio 31:32

1y ago31:32

31:32

Has the end of a broadcast era arrived? More EV manufacturers are leaving AM radio out of their electric vehicles -- their motors interfere with AM signal reception. Now, lawmakers on Capitol Hill want to require automakers to keep AM radio in the dash with new legislation. In this episode of The Crisis Cast, Lissa & Thom, debate and reminisce the …

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Thom Serafin Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide