Wgtd's The Morning Show With Greg Berg

Our guest is Steve Benen,  a Digital Producer for The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC.   His book is titled "The Impostors: How Republicans Quit Governing and Seized American Politics."  It is Benen's contention that the Republican Party, at least at the national level,  no longer functions properly as a major political party, having largely abandoned the process of formulating public policy. 

From 2007 comes this interview with Chip Heath, co-author of "Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Die and Others Survive."  

We live in a world in which the internet is an indispensable part of daily life- and we effortlessly navigate the internet without giving it a second thought.  But this interview from late 1998/early 1999 takes us back to a time when the internet was a very new and intimidating new frontier.  Carol Sabbar, who was (and is still) a staff member for the Carthage College library, was asked to come on the program to explain what the internet was and how one could best explore it.  

Our guest is Dr. John D, Feerick, former dean of the Fordham School of Law - and one of the primary authors of the 25th amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which specifies the line of succession in the event that the president is disabled.   His book is titled "That Farther Shore: A Memoir of Irish Roots and American Promise."  

Part Two:  We speak with Stephen Rebello, author of "Dolls! Dolls! Dolls!  Deep Inside Valley of the Dolls- the Most Beloved Bad Book and Movie of all Time." 

We hear about four virtual performances this weekend of Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" by the Fleeing Artists Theater in Kenosha.  We speak with Alex Metalsky, the director of the production- and with three of the actors:  Kaila Bingen, who is part of the Rose cast (all actors from Southeastern Wisconsin and Northeastern Illinois) and Kayla Ryan Walsh and Gloria Huang from the Globe cast (whose actors are from all over- Kayla is from Bend, Oregon and Gloria is from Vancouver, Canada.)  

Part 3-  This 2012 conversation is with Charles Ogletree, author of "The Presumption of Guilt:  The Arrest of Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Race, Class, and Crime in America."   

Part 2-  Broadcast journalist Soledad O'Brien previews the documentary "Outbreak: the First Response,"  a look at how the city of Seattle tried to cope with COVID-19 as the United States' first hotspot.   O'Brien was already in Seattle making another documentary when the crisis hit.   The film airs tonight on Milwaukee's WISN, channel 12. 

We get an update from Cory Mason, the mayor of Racine- a city which continues to be hard hit by COVID-19.   

Dr. Art Cyr, Clausen Distinguished Professor of Political Economy and World Business, offers his analysis of current events.  

Best-selling author Larry Tye talks about his latest book,  "Demagogue:  The Life and Long Shadow of Senator Joe McCarthy."   Tye was given access to an enormous wealth of documents that have never been available to previous authors and researchers.  This has allowed him to craft an exceptionally vivid and fresh portrait of one of our country's most infamous politicians. 

For Father's Day.  From 2012,  Matt Logelin talks about his book "Two Kisses for Maddy: a Memoir of Loss and Love."  

From 2007-  Phillip Lerman talks about his book "Dadditude:  How a Real Man Became a Real Dad."  

E. Dolores Johnson was born in the mid 1940's to a mother who a white and a father who was black.  This was at a time when inter-racial marriage was illegal in many states in the country- and even in places where it was legally permitted, it was widely frowned up by blacks and whites alike.  Johnson's memoir explores both the experience of her parents as well as her own experiences as a mixed race woman.  

We talk about the current state of the U.S. economy with Dr. Ron Cronovich,  Professor of Economics at Carthage College.  We also talk about one of the primary areas of focus within his academic discipline:  Poverty.  

We talk about one of the most discussed, influential, and honored television programs over the last decade - Modern Family.  Marc Freeman's new book is titled "Modern Family: The Untold Oral History of One of Television's Groundbreaking Sitcoms."  

From 2008 comes this interview with best-selling author Julius Lester, talking about "Let's Talk About Race" - which is intended in part for young readers  but also as an aid to parents and other concerned adults wanting to talk with young people about complicated issues related to race and racial identity.

Siketu Mehta's book is titled "This Land is Our Land: An Immigrant's Manifesto."   The book examines how many of the major Western countries have preyed upon poorer nations in a host of ways, which is why so many of the people of those small and poor nations are now desperate to find better lives elsewhere.  Mehta also examines many ways in which immigrants are vitally important contributors to America's culture and economy.  

Rev. Tim Larson shares his experience of contracting COVID-19 (as did his wife and daughter.) 

From 2004- Milwaukee-based writer Greg Borowski discusses his book "First and Long:  A Black School, A White School, and Their Season of Dreams."  It's an illuminating account of the difficulties that ensue when two football programs -  from dramatically contrasting high schools - are consolidated.