Hitting Left

Mar 01 2025 94 ep. 56 mins 1
Hitting Left Podcast artwork

Each week brothers Mike and Fred Klonsky, bloggers and activists engage in conversation, often with in-studio guests. Topics may be local, national or international, but always with a Chicago sensibility and perspective, and always from "the Left side of the plate."

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With Ray Long and Alaina Hampton

Mar 01 2025 57 mins  
Joining Mike this edition of Hitting Left is Chicago Tribune reporter Ray Long and Democratic Party consultant Alaina Hampton to disucuss convicted former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan and Illinois' culture of corruption

With Hilton Obenzinger

Feb 10 2025 58 mins  
Joining Mike and Susan on this edition of Hitting left is author ands poet Hilton Obenzinger. They discuss the Judaism v. Zionism debate, Trump's plan for a Gaza Riviera, and other madman MAGA tactics.

With Ryan Alexander-Tanner and Sandra Castilo.

Jan 25 2025 58 mins  
Joining MIke as cohost this editon of Hitting Left is Susan Klonsky. The guests are the author and cartoon artist Ryan Alexander-Tanner and immigrant rights activist Rev. Sandra Castillo. Ryan Alexander-Tanner has written and illustrated a book about Muhammad Ali. Susan and Mike will get the latest update on President Trump’s threatened assault on our city’s migrants with

With Liz Futrell, Renaldo Hudson and Stanley Howard.

Jan 11 2025 57 mins  
Former death row inmates, now Chicago anti-death-penalty activists Renaldo Hudson and Stanley Howard joined by Liz Futrell, author of "Lessons from Death Row."

With Rus Bradburd and Floyd Webb.

Dec 08 2024 56 mins  
Joining Mike on this edition of Hitting Left is basketball coach turned novelist Rus Bradburd and filmmaker Floyd Webb. Floyd and Mike will be talking about the Black Panthers on the 55th anniversary of the murder of Illinois Black Panther Chairman, Fred Hampton.

With co-host Susan Klonsky and guest Rabbi Brant Rosen.

Dec 01 2024 56 mins  
Joining Mike and co-host Susan Klonsky on this edition of Hitting Left is Rabbi Brant Rosen from Chicago's anti-Zionist Tzedek Congregation. Gaza, Lebanon, and resistance to war and genocide in the Trump era are the topics for discussion.

With Rashid Khalidi.

Nov 22 2024 56 mins  
Joining Hitting Left host Mike Klonsky onthis edition is Rashid Khalidi, a Palestinian-American historian of the Middle East and the Edward Said Professor Emeritus of Modern Arab Studies at Columbia University.

With brother Fred Klonsky and political strategist Joanna Klonsky.

Nov 09 2024 58 mins  
In the wake of the election of Donald Trump Mike is joined by former co-host Fred Klonsky and political strategist Joanna Klonsky to discuss the results and where we go now.

With Juan Gonzalez.

Oct 11 2024 57 mins  
Joining Mike on this edition of Hitting Left is Juan Gonzalez, co-Host of Democracy Now!, Senior Fellow at Great Cities Institute of UIC, founding member of the Young Lords and leader of the '68 protest at Columbia University. Juan Gonzalez is author of a new study of the "Brown Belt" in Chicago.

With Bill Ayers.

Oct 07 2024 59 mins  
Joining Mike on this edition of Hitting Left is author, educator, activist and long-time friend, Bill Ayers. His latest book is called, When Freedom is the Question, Abolition is the Answer: Reflections on Collective Liberation.