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Stu Levitan
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Sunday Journal
with Stu Levitan
Long-form interviews
authors, activists, musicians
September 7: DNC Chair Howard Dean; Harry Shearer; highlights of Fighting BobFest; guitarist Derek Trucks; singer-songwriter Benjamin Taylor.
Did you miss a show? Get the Podcast.
Stu Levitan has been a mainstay of Madison media and politics for more than thirty years, a leader in both politics and the press since 1975. In addition to Sunday Journal, Stu hosts Access: City Hall on the Madison City Channel and serves as chair of the Madison Community Development Authority and on the Madison Landmarks Commission. Since 1987, he has been a mediator/arbitrator for the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission. (more below) |
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About Stu
Stu Levitan was the first local host on Madison's Progressive Talk, The Mic 92.1 when the station was launched in the Fall of 2004. Airing weekdays during the afternoon drive home, Stu was there for Madison during the '04 election and the months following. In 2005, Stu debuted "Sundays With Stu" and focused his attention on authors, artists and musicians. Then, during an exhaustive research and writing process, Stu took a break from The Mic 92.1 before releasing Madison: An Illustrated Sesquicentennial History, Volume I, 1856–1931. On the heels of the book's incredible reviews and record sales Stu returned to The Mic 92.1 with "Sunday Journal," 10am to noon starting on February 4.
Stu began his journalism career in the summer of 1975 as the Washington Correspondent for the Capital Times. In 1977, he moved to Madison as a staff writer under the Newspaper Guild contract. Stu had gone back to Washington when five unions, including the Guild, struck the paper and Madison Newspapers, Inc. on October 1, 1977. Stu immediately quit the Cap Times and joined the fledgling Madison Press Connection, where he remained until it folded in January, 1980. (Stu was on the last front page, with an exclusive -- and unauthorized -- interview with Karl Armstrong inside Waupon Prison. Stu then published his own newsletter, Scoopsheet, for about two years. He also worked as a special investigator and analyst for the legislature's Joint Committee for the Review of Administrative Rules. He also punched that essential Madison ticket of driving a cab, on the weekend graveyard shift with Union Cab Co-Op.
Stu was elected to the Dane County Board of Supervisors, where his accomplishments (1982-1987) included writing a countywide Fair Housing Ordinance, creating the Sensitive Crimes Commission, revising the Affirmative Action ordinance, and creating a newspaper recycling program. As a result of these early efforts, the United Way of Dane County in 1984 honored Stu as "Key Person in the Community." Since then, Stu has held numerous leadership positions on various municipal and non-profit boards, including the Madison Plan Commission, the Zoning Board of Appeals and Madison Development Corporation; he currently serves as chair of the Community Development Authority. Stu is also an award-winning magazine writer for Madison Magazine, frequent political reporter, cultural commentator and essayist for several newspapers, and award-winning host of Access: City Hall on the Madison City Channel. And since 1987 he has even had a day (and sometimes night) job, spreading labor peace and imposing industrial justice as a mediator/arbitrator for the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission.
Stu comes by his penchant for politics and the press naturally. His father David worked for the United Nations, served on the Nassau County (NY) Board of Social Services and had his own public affairs show on ABC-TV, "On Trial." His mother, the late poet/playwright Judith Morley, was active in Democratic Party politics and had her own shows on Voice of America and NBC radio. Sister Barbara is head of the law department for the New York Surrogate's Court. |
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Stu's Links
Here are some websites I frequent:
MEDIA
The Capital Times
Isthmus
The Progressive
Dane 101
Daily Kos
Talking Points Memo
The Nation
Huffington Post
Washington Post
New York Times
WisPolitics
Romenesko
Keith Olbermann
Paul Soglin
Music
Bob Dylan
Expecting Rain
Grateful Dead
The Beatles
Bruce Springsteen
Wolfgang's Vault
You Tube |
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August, 2008
Monday 09-01-2008 10:51am CT
8/31
Just because I'm still high in the Rocky Mountains, no reason not to have a Convention Wrap-Up, with stuff you couldn't hear anywhere else, such as:
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Rev. Jesse Jackson, remarks to Progressive Democrats of America
U.S. Rep. Tammy S.G. Baldwin, interviewed on the floor of the Pepsi Center
Newsweek Investigative Correspondent and author (Hubris) Michael Isikoff
11U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, remarks to Wisconsin delegation breakfast
Ron Kovic (Born on the Fourth of July), remarks to PDA
Former Wisconsin Gov. Marty Schreiber, interviewed on floor of Pepsi Center
U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, remarks to Wisconsin delegation breakfast
8/24 10 Pop's happy, so is Mama -- gonna be Joe Biden runnin' with Obama!I had the pleasure of interviewing Sen. Joe Biden a year ago about his book Promises to Keep: On Life and Politics. Here's a special Convention Eve rebroadcast of a special conversation, taped August 18, 2007. 10:40 I don't know anyone who writes about oil and power in the former Soviet Union better than Business Week's Steve LeVine. Today, Steve discusses the crisis in Georgia. We'll talk about Steve's alarming new book, Putin's Labyrinth: Spies, Murder and the Dark Heart of the New Russia on Sept. 14 11 David Maraniss is Madison's favorite journalistic son (but not the only son of Mary and Elliott Maraniss to win a Pulitzer -- David for national reporting, his brother Jim for composing). We mark the end of XXIX Olympiad with David's remarks about his new book, Rome 1960: The Olympics that Changed the World, taped August 7 at Borders Books West. David will be back for the Wisconsin Book Festival in mid-October, so listen for a new live conversation then. 8/17 10 You know how much the National Poetry Slam Championships in Madison knocked me out. Here hear why. Performances by the teams from Charlotte, Durham, Oakland, Boston, San Diego, New York and, of course, our own Evy, Josh, Ryan, Eric and Danez. 11 Ben Sidran, Madison's Dr. Jazz, has a great new release, Cien Noches, recorded live at the Cafe Central in Madrid. The CD release party isn't until Thursday Aug. 21 at Cafe Montmarte, but you can hear a little now, along with an hour of conversation with a true musical Renaissance man. 8/10 10 Robert Schlesinger has written a great book on presidential speechwriters. It's called White House GhostsL Presidents and their Speechwriters, and we devote the first hour to our conversation about it. 11 Dartmouth College professor Deborah Stone has written an intriguing and provocative book on altruism and democracy called The Samaritan's Dilemman: Should Government Help Your Neighbor.
11:45 I was totally blown away by the National Poetry Slam championship. Here's a taste (more to come next week) 8/3 10 The National Poetry slam comes to Madison this week, so Stu reprised some of the show with local slammers Evy and Ryan Hurley. Then Jeffrey Ernstoff, founder of the Nexus Group, dropped by to talk about art and creativity (and play a little flute).
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John Stauber, founder of the Center for Media and Democracy, called in to talk about his recent take on MoveOn, featured in a recent TalkingPointsMemoCafe discussion ... excerpts from a 1994 interview with Jerry Garcia, who would have marked his 66th birthday on Friday ... and Ledell Zellers, president of Capitol Neighborhoods, called to talk about the the demolition of St. Rafael's, and the future of downtown historic preservation.
July, 2008
7/27
Well, I'm having just way too much fun up at 10,000 Lakes Festival in Detroit Lakes, MN. (Phil and Friends did a Don't Let Me Down > Tears of Rage that just about melted my mind, and a Viola Lee Blues that went on forever). But I left some good stuff for you, too.
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Les Standiford, author of Washington Burning: How a Frenchman's Vision for Our Nation's Capital Survived Congress, the Founding Fathers and the Invading British Army.
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A replay of our conversation with Andro Linklater, author of The Fabric of America: How Our Borders and Boundaries Shaped Our National Identity.
7/20
An alarming two hours with Jeff Sharlet, author of The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power.
7/13
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Susan Quinn, author of Furious Improvisation: How the WPA and a Cast of Thousands Made High Art Out of Desperate Times.
11:15
Anthony Arthur, author of Radical Innocent: Upton Sinclair
7/6
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James Earl Jones reads the classic Frederick Douglas address from July 4, 1852 ... Sen. Barack Obama on Patriotism ... Stan Freeberg on the Fourth of July ... and, of course, a reading of the Declaration of Independence (excerpts).
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Special replays of conversations with Newsweek's Howard Fineman (The 13 Essential American Arguments) and Belief.net's Steven Waldman (Founding Faith).
June, 2008
6/29
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Madison's favorite journalist son, Pulitzer-Prize winner and best-selling author, David Maraniss, joined Stu live in studio to talk bout his new book Rome 1960: The Olympics That Changed The World. (It wasn't until a week later that David was on the Today show).
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A special replay of Stu's conversation with David last year about his book, Clemente: The Passion and Grace of Baseball's Last Hero
6/22
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Fred Burton, former deputy chief of the State Department's Diplomatic Security Service, talks to Stu about his book, 'Ghost: Confessions of a Counter Terrorism Agent." Then Newsweek's Mike Isikoff calls in to give the lowdown on his visit to Gitmo for Kalid Sheik Mohammad's arraignment, and to give the inside dope on the recent Senate Intelligence Committee report on pre-war lies
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More with Fred Burton and a partial replay of Stu's controversial conversation with conservative journalist Ronald Kessler, author of "The Terrorist Watch."
6/15
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Jon Mooney, author of "The Short Bus: A Journey Beyond Normal," a cross between "On The Road" and "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest."
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Brian Schultz, author of "Spectacular Things Happen: Lessons From an Urban Classroom."
6/8
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Newsweek's Lisa Miller on Barack Obama's Mobile Ministry, and a reprise of some of Stu's conversation with SDS President-turned-professor, Todd Gitlin about his book, "The Bulldozer and The Big Tent: Blind Republicans, Lame Democrats and the Recovery of American Ideals.
More with Newsweek investigative correspondent Michael Isikoff about his book, Hubris: The Inside Story of Spin, Scandal and the Selling of the Iraq War.More with the grande dame of the avante garde, Laurie Anderson.
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Stu marks the First Lady's surprise visit to Afghanistan with a reply of his conversation with Greg Mortenson, author of "Three Cups of Tea -- One Man's Mission to Promote Peace, One School at a Time. And UW alum Jeffrey Ernstorf drops by to recount his recent music and performance work in India and China.
6/1
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An in-depth conversation with best-selling author Richard Price about his new novel, Lush Life.
May, 2008
25
Everyone knows Bob Dylan is the greatest and most important writer in the English language since Shakespeare. We celebrate Bob's 67th birthday with selections from a music-and-interview special hosted by Patti Smith. Then, to get you in the mood for BobFest out at the General Store in Spring Green, dramatic renditions of Changing of the Guards, Where Are You Tonight? and Mississippi.
May 18
10AM
Howard Fineman, senior Washington correspondent for Newsweek and MSNBC analyst has written a wonderful "memo on the beat" for American politics, The Thirteen American Arguments: Enduring Debates that Define and Inspire Our Country. Howard joined us from Kentucky for an engaging conversation about this perceptive and provocative book.
10:45
Proud Theater Productions Artistic Director Brian Wall calls in to chat about the upcoming "Loud and Clear" performance of the theater's LGBTQ teen troupe.
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Beliefnet.com's Steven Waldman's great book, Founding Faith: Providence, Politics and the Birth of Religious Freedom in America, is an outstanding contribution to our understanding of the personal and political religious beliefs of the Founders. Here's part two (of three) of our conversation, focusing on The First Four (Presidents, that is).
11:30
Everytime I go to a Madison Urban Spoken Word event, I just get knocked out by the intelligence and energy. Hear now two of the home team when Madison hosts the National Slam Poetry Championship this August -- Evy and Ryan Hurley.
May 11
NYTimes reporter Eric Lichtblau won the Pulitzer Prize in 2006 (with James Risen) for the expose of the NSA's secret surveillance program. His new book, Bush's Law: The Remaking of American Justice, is All the President's Men for the 21st Century National Security State ... It's all over but the shouting for Hillary Clinton. Here's a segment from my recent conversation with Sally Bedell Smith, author of For Love of Politics -- Inside the Clinton White House -- ... A Mother's Day Tradition -- a very special rebroadcast of my Mother, Judith Morley, performing her version of the Oresteia by Aeschylus, Blood Feud ... Steven Waldman, editor in chief of Beliefnet.com, has a great new book, Founding Faith: Providence, Politics and the Birth of Religious Freedom. Here's the first part of an in-depth conversation.
MAY 4
I'm down in New Orleans at the Jazz and Heritage Festival, so I've slotted two relevant rebroadcasts -- conversations with the founder of the Jazz and Heritage Festival, and before that the Newport Folk Fesitval, George Wein, author of the captivating memoir, Myself Among Others and with Rick Coleman, author of Blue Monday: Fats Domino and the Lost Dawn of Rock and Roll.
APRIL, 2008
APRIL 27 Capital Times Editor Emeritus Dave Zweifel and Associate Editor John Nichols stopped by to talk about the history and future of Madison's progressive newspaper ... A conversation with Newsweek's great investigative reporter Michael Isikoff, about his explosive book (co-authored with David Corn), Hubris: Spin, Scandal and the Selling of the Iraq War, now out in trade paperback. {Part one} ... Stu sat down with Laurie Anderson when she was in town last week to perform Homeland at the Overture Center. {Part one.} APRIL 20 A special Passover edition, rebroadcasts of two very appropriate conversations. A.J. Jacobs, The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Religiously As Possible. ...John Bowe, Nobodies: Modern American Slave Labor and the Dark Side of the Global Economy. APRIL 13 Stu talks to Sally Bedell Smith about her book For Love of Politics: Inside the Clinton White House ... Mike Konopacki has finished his graphic novel based on Howard Zinn's bestselling grassroots history of the United States, A People's History of American Empire ... Jose Garcia on Up to Our Eyeballs. How Shady Lenders and Failed Economic Policies Are Drowning Americans in Debt. APRIL 6 Ben Karlin, former Onion editor and Daily Show/Colbert Report producer, on his new anthology, Things I've Learned From Women Who've Dumped Me ... Prof. Marnia Lazreg, on her new book, Torture and the Twilight of Empire: From Algiers to Baghdad.
March 2008
Monday 05-19-2008 9:31pm CT
March 30
Donna Jean Godchaux Mackay is coming to Madison with her new band, Donna Jean and the Tricksters. So Stu replayed his recent conversation with the only woman ever in the Grateful Dead. Then he chatted with Esty Dinur, Communications and Marketing Manager for the Wisconsin Union Theater, about WUT's 2008-2009 season.
Newsweek's ace investigative reporter Michael Isikoff gave us the lowdown on yet another outrage out of the Iraq War (turns out Bush 43 was wrong about Saddam trying to kill Bush 41).... then we finish our conversation with Donna Jean ... then Meg Hamel, Director of the Wisconsin Film Festival, dropped by to preview the 10th Anniversary Festival, running Thursday through Sunday
March 23
Richard Price is coming to town to read from his new novel, Lush Life, at a special Wisconsin Book Festival event. Here's a special rebroadcast of our conversation with him the last time he was in town, for the paperback publication of Samaritan.
Robert Creamer, Stand Up StraightL How Progressives Can Win.
March 16
My favorite band comes to Milwaukee, and our Kerouac birthday celebration continues. It's a BeatDog Sunday Journal.
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Guitarist Mark Karan has bounced back from a bout with throat cancer, and he's ready to hit the road with Bob Weir and RatDog. The band will be at the Riverside in Milwaukee on March 22, but we've got Mark this morning.
10:45
No one has given me more musical pleasure than Bob Weir. Here now a special replay of our conversation from last summer (part of our 10,000 Lakes Festival coverage).
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Bob Weir, take two, part two.
11:15
Kerouac would have turned 86 this past Wednesday. Here's more of our conversation with Dennis McNally, author of Desolate Angel: Jack Kerouac, the Beat Generation and America and Long Strange Trip: The Inside History of the Grateful Dead.
11:50
Jack Kerouac his own bad self, reading from On the Road and Visions of Cody (Steve Allen show, 1957)
March 9
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To mark the 86th anniversary of Jack Kerouac's birthday on March 12, a conversation with one of the leading Kerouac scholars, Paul Maher, Jr., about his latest book, Jack Kerouac's American Journey. {Next week, Kerouac biographer and Grateful Dead historian Dennis McNally}
10:45
A rare treat -- hear Jack his own bad self read from On The Road and Visions of Cody.
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Richard Price is my favorite living author, and he's coming to the Overture Center this Thursday for a reading of his great new novel, Lush Life, in conjunction with the Wisconsin Book Festival. Here's a special rebroadcast of our 2004 conversation, focusing on his novel Samaritan, the art of screenwriting, and HBO's The Wire. And tune in next week for a new conversation.
March 2
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More with Ronald Kessler, author of the unabashedly pro-government The Terrorist Watch: Inside the Desperate Race to Stop the Next Attack
10:30
Jeffrey Ernstoff drops by to preview his Exactly One Hour with an Unstable American Musician, in performance at Morphy Hall (455 N. Park St.) on Monday Mar 3, 8:30 pm.
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We finish our conversation with The Philanthropic Initiative's Peter Karoff, author of The World We Want: New Dimensions for Philanthropy and Social Change.
Turns out we were having so much fun talking to Jeffrey Ernstoff that we decided to save the poet laureate of philanthropy for a future show, probably March 16. Sorry for the rescheduling.
11:30
Rick Axsom, Curator of Collections at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, visits for a discussion of MMCOA's spectacular exhibition of Jasper Johns prints, showing until April 13. It's only the third major exhibition of Johns prints ever, so it's a pretty big deal. You better see it.
April 27, 2008
Sunday 05-11-2008 12:33am CT
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© 2008