S6E49 Beach Talk: The Streets of Chicago and the Gathering of Generals

I’m joined by my co-host, Betsey Newenhuyse. We take a fresh, thoughtful, and often provocative look at the week’s biggest stories — from politics and power to faith and the future of our democracy.

This week, there’s a storm brewing in Chicago: ICE agents and the National Guard are deployed in full force, and both Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson are saying enough is enough. Meanwhile, over 850 generals gathered to hear Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, but The Wall Street Journal’s Peggy Noonan had a few sharp words — calling his performance “embarrassing,” and the President’s even worse.

We’ll also unpack Russell Vought’s Project 2025 — the ideological blueprint dismantling the federal government in the name of “biblical Christianity” — and Stephen Miller’s aggressive new immigration push that’s turning cities into deportation zones. Add to that Kamala Harris’s new bestseller, 107 Days, Pope Leo’s surprising critique of U.S. immigration policy, and an update on Pete Buttigieg — and we’ve got plenty to talk about.

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