Ryan Burge, assistant professor of political science at Eastern Illinois University, talks about the Catholic vote in the Nov. 3 presidential election. Burge was quoted in several national media stories for his expertise gleaned from the polls he regularly conducts on the interaction between religion and politics. Next, Kent Redfield, retired professor of political science at the University of Illinois Springfield who tracks campaign contributions, discusses the dizzying amount of money spent in the Nov. 3 election on the “fair tax” ballot initiative, the retention bid of an Illinois Supreme Court justice, and targeted legislative races. Then, David Spotanski, chief operating officer of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, talks about the Nov. 28 elevation to cardinal of Archbishop Gregory of Washington, D.C. Spotanski served as Archbishop Gregory’s right-hand man during his time in Belleville and Atlanta and comments on his former boss being named the first Black cardinal in the United States. Finally, Fr. Mike Meany, pastor of St. John Brebeuf parish in Niles, discusses the Archdiocese of Chicago’s new online photo exhibit of war memorabilia collected by his late uncle, WWII chaplain Fr. John Beyenka of Chicago.
