December
2003 Shows
Click on
linked books to explore buying them from the wgnradio.com/store
MONDAY,
DECEMBER 1ST
IS FREE SPEECH IN DANGER?
Tonight on Extension 720 we examine the ever-growing threat to
American civil liberties posed by the onslaught of political correctness.
DAVID E. BERNSTEIN, professor at George Mason University’s
School of Law and author of the new book 
You
Can't Say That!: The Growing Threat to Civil Liberties from Antidiscrimination
Laws, will join us to discuss how attempts to make our
society more tolerant are actually shutting people and their views
out.
TUESDAY,
DECEMBER 2ND
GREEK CIVILIZATION AND THE HUMAN RIGHTS WARS
During the first hour of the program, Extension 720 once again
turns its eye towards the Aegean as we take an in-depth look at
the civilization of the Ancient Greeks. Join us as we welcome
THOMAS CAHILL into the studio to discuss—among others—Homer,
Plato, Aristotle, Sophocles and Pythagoras and the legacy of their
literary, philosophical, theatrical and mathematical achievements.
Cahill is a bestselling author whose latest book is entitled 
Sailing
the Wine-Dark Sea: Why the Greeks Matter. Then joining
us for the second hour will be JOHN SHATTUCK, author of the new
book 
Freedom
on Fire: Human Rights Wars and America's Response. Shattuck
was the chief human rights official in the Clinton administration
and currently serves as chief executive officer of the John F.
Kennedy Library Foundation in Boston.
WEDNESDAY,
DECEMBER 3RD
MODERNISM, LITERATURE AND CULTURE
Tonight on Extension 720, we take a close look at the modernist
movement in literature and some of its brightest figures: T.S.
Eliot, James Joyce, Ezra Pound, and Virginia Woolf, just to name
a few. Joining us will be three literary experts, including DAVID
CHINITZ, professor of English at Loyola University Chicago and
author of the new book 
T.
S. Eliot and the Cultural Divide, and CHRISTINE FROULA,
professor of English at Northwestern University.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4TH
A VISIT FROM THE ORIENTAL INSTITUTE
The Oriental Institute on the campus of the University of Chicago
has one of the world’s premier collections of Middle Eastern
artifacts. Tonight we welcome three experts from that museum to
talk about the various projects and exhibits that go on at this
south side landmark. Joining us in-studio will be CLEMENS REICHEL,
archaeologist who specializes in Mesopotamia, THEO VANDENHOUT,
director of dictionary projects and STEPHEN HARVEY, egyptologist.
FRIDAY,
DECEMBER 5TH
RELIGION NEWS REVIEW
The past few months have brought some major news stories
and developments in the world of religion. From the Episcopal
Church's ordination of a gay bishop to the continuing struggles
within the Catholic Church, tonight on Extension 720 we will explore
the latest developments in religion news with CATHLEEN FALSANI,
religion writer for the Chicago Sun-Times, GENEIVE ABDO,
a reporter with the Chicago Tribune, and DAVID HEIM,
executive editor of Christian Century magazine.
MONDAY,
DECEMBER 8TH
BUSH’S FOREIGN POLICY
From Afghanistan to Iraq, President Bush has had an extremely
active foreign policy, particularly after September 11. Tonight
on Extension 720, IVO DAALDER and JAMES LINDSAY, authors of the
new book 
America Unbound: The Bush Revolution in Foreign Policy,
join us to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of George W. Bush's
foreign policy. Joining them will be PATRICK MOORE, a Chicago-area
lawyer and ARTHUR CYR, professor of political science at Carthage
College.
TUESDAY,
DECEMBER 9TH
EXPLORING ELIZABETHAN ENGLAND
“Though God hath raised me high, yet this I count the glory
of my crown: that I have reigned with your loves.” Queen
Elizabeth I spoke these words in 1601, two years before her death.
She remains one of the most powerful female political figures
ever and made an indelible mark on the politics and culture of
England and the western world. Tonight we explore the reign and
culture of the Virgin Queen with two noted scholars. CAROLE LEVIN
is a professor of history at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln,
chief historical consultant for the Newberry Library’s ongoing
exhibit on Queen Elizabeth and author of 
The
Reign of Elizabeth I. ROBERT BUCHOLZ is professor of
history at Loyola University in Chicago and co-author of the new
book 
Early
Modern England, 1485-1714: A Narrative History.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10TH
FILMS OF THE YEAR
As we look ahead to Oscar nominations and the always-lucrative
holiday film season, we once again take a look back on 2003 to
evaluate the best and worst of cinematic offerings, as well as
preview the upcoming films of 2004. Joining us will be our regular
experts GENE PHILLIPS, PENELOPE MESIC and J.R. JONES, film
critic for the Chicago Reader.
THURSDAY,
DECEMBER 11TH
PUBLIC HOUSING AND THE FUTURE OF THE AMERICAN CITY
Tonight on Extension 720 we take a close look at the great mistakes
made in public housing over much of the last century and how these
changes have influenced the development of the American city.
Our guests tonight are HOWARD HUSOCK, director of public policy
case studies at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government,
JOHN McCARRON, the former urban affairs reporter for the Chicago
Tribune, and ANDREW MOONEY, senior program officer at the
Local Initiatives Support Corporation's Chicago office. Husock
is author of the new book 
America's
Trillion-Dollar Housing Mistake: The Failure of American Housing
Policy.
FRIDAY,
DECEMBER 12TH
COMMUNISM REVISITED
Tonight on Extension 720 we take a close look at American communism
and its relationship to Cold War espionage and the distorted writing
of history. HARVEY KLEHR, an expert on American communism, joins
us to discuss the relationship between revisionist history and
the American Communist Party during the 1950s and 1960s. Klehr
is the co-author of the new book 
In
Denial: Historians, Communism, and Espionage.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 15TH
QUARTERLY BOOK REVIEW
For the last time in 2003, we gather our panel of book experts—ALAN
GITELSON, PENELOPE MESIC and DAN TUCKER—to review some fascinating
recently published books. From novels to histories to biographies,
no genre escapes their scrutiny.
TUESDAY,
DECEMBER 16TH
THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE
Fifty-nine years after one of the the pivotal battles in World
War II, we welcome three veterans of the Bulge to the program.
They are BILL WILKIN, STEWART MCDONNELL and PAUL GRAHAM, all of
whom fought in one of the bloodiest battles ever waged. Join us
tonight to hear their stories of life in combat during the last
great battle of World War II.
WEDNESDAY,
DECEMBER 17TH
THE CASE OF KATHY BOUDIN
On this evening’s program, we take a close look at the Boudin
family and—in particular—Kathy Boudin. She is the
former a member of the Weathermen who was recently paroled from
prison. What got her there was her part in the botched 1981 robbery
of a Brinks truck that killed two policemen and a security guard.
Author SUSAN BRAUDY, whose recently published book is 
Family
Circle: The Boudins and the Aristocracy of the Left,
will join us to discuss this case and the anti-war movement in
general. Joining her will be DAVID HOROWITZ, founder of the Center
for the Study of Popular Culture in Los Angeles, Calif. and author
of the book 
Left
Illusions: An Intellectual Odyssey, about his days as
a radical in the 1960s.
THURSDAY,
DECEMBER 18TH
THE RISE OF EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANITY
The so-called religious right has recently had a profound effect
on American politics and culture. Some may think that Pat Robertson,
the Christian Coalition and the like are a new phenomenon, but
it all started over 100 years ago with a man called D.L. Moody,
the Billy Graham of nineteenth century America. Tonight on Extension
720, we will examine the life and legacy of D.L. Moody and how
it has affected the relationship between the press and religion
today. Our guests will be three experts on the roots and rise
of evangelical Christianity, including BRUCE EVENSEN, professor
of communications at DePaul University and author of the new book
God's
Man for the Gilded Age: D.L. Moody and the Rise of Modern Mass
Evangelism, MARK NOLL, professor of history at Wheaton
College, and GREGG QUIGGLE of the Moody Bible
Institute.
FRIDAY,
DECEMBER 19TH
THE YEAR AT WGN
Tonight on Extension 720, we once again welcome into the studio
three of WGN Radio’s favorite on-air personalities to discuss
the events of the past year as only they can. Joining us will
be the incomparable STEVE COCHRAN, everyone's favorite sports
fan DAVE KAPLAN and ace news reporter ANDREA DARLAS to discuss
the highlights and lowlights of the past year on the radio.
MONDAY,
DECEMBER 22ND
THE YEAR IN REVIEW
Tonight on Extension 720, we take a look back on the most important
news events of the past year. From the war in Iraq to the impending
presidential elections, we will reminisce about domestic and international
affairs with a panel of the Tribune’s best. Joining us live
will be GENERAL DAVID GRANGE, head of the McCormick Tribune Foundation,
JIM O'SHEA, managing editor of the Chicago Tribune, and
GEORGE DE LAMA, deputy managing editor of the World's Greatest
Newspaper.
TUESDAY,
DECEMBER 23RD
FRESH TAPES FROM THE VAULT
Extension 720 tonight features two recently recorded interviews.
First, Milt chats with his old friend P.D. JAMES about her new
mystery 
The
Murder Room. Then in the second hour, we feature Milt's
conversation with food mavens ANDREW DORNENBERG, KAREN PAGE and
DENNIS RAY WHEATON about Dornenberg and Page's new book 
The
New American Chef: Cooking with the Best of Flavors and Techniques
from Around the World.
WEDNESDAY,
DECEMBER 24TH
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 25TH
Extension 720 will not air at its regular time due to WGN's annual
holiday programming that begins on Christmas Eve. But be sure
to listen for Milt's hand-picked Baroque Holiday Music that will
air periodically throughout this special programming.
FRIDAY,
DECMEBER 26TH
THE BEST OF EXTENSION 720 – 2003
Tonight we commemorate another banner year for Extension 720.
Our studios have been graced with political experts such as Senator
Paul Simon, former MP Winston S. Churchill, Victor Davis Hanson
and Gerald Posner; renowned scholars scholars like Paul Cartledge,
Simon Winchester, Robert Dallek, Charles Murray and Elaine Pagels;
journalists including Stephen Brill, Arthur Gelb, and Fareed Zakaria;
and eminent writers such as John Feinstein, Caroline Alexander,
Harry Petrakis and Leon Kass. Tune in tonight as Extension 720's
producer MAGGIE BERNDT reflects on the shows of the past year
and plays short excerpts from some of Extension 720’s finest
moments during 2003.
MONDAY,
DECEMBER 29TH
THE YEAR IN CHICAGO
Extension 720’s look back at the events of 2003 focuses
in on the Windy City and the noteworthy events that happened in
Chicago this year. Joining us to discuss Chicago politics and
more will be WGN Radio’s political analyst PAUL GREEN, as
well as our old friend DICK CICCONE, former managing editor of
the Chicago Tribune, and one other guest.
.
TUESDAY,
DECEMBER 30TH
A NIGHT WITH OUR LISTENERS
On the penultimate program of the year, Extension 720
opens up its lines to listeners to hear their reflections and
anecdotes about the past year and resolutions for the year ahead.
Call early and call often, because tonight, our listeners are
the stars.
WEDNESDAY,
DECEMBER 31ST
Tonight we play tapes as Extension 720 rings in the new year.
Tune in for BRETT FROMSON on the Pequot tribe's casino in Connecticut,
as outlined in his new book 
Hitting
the Jackpot: The Inside Story of the Richest Indian Tribe in History;
LAURENT DE BRUNHOFF on 
Babar's
Museum of Art; and LINDA BABCOK on her new book 
Women
Don't Ask: Negotiation and the Gender Divide.
Archive
of previous show topics:
