Politics

Obama Campaign Kicks Off in Chicago

As budget talks draw to a close for now, it will be a busy week for the president as he begins his re-election bid with major fundraising here in Chicago. Carol Marin and her panel will discuss this, and the winners and losers in the budget showdown.

• Fundraising Kickoff in Chicago

The Week in Review

The Week in Review with Joel Weisman

This week on Chicago Tonight: The Week in Review, Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel-backed candidates win big in Tuesday's aldermanic runoff election, and he also responds to emperor claims. Mayor Daley and Emanuel speak out against concealed carry legislation. Meanwhile, Caterpillar, one of the state's largest manufacturer's says it will stay put in Peoria. And in sports, the Cubs and Sox open the baseball season, while the Bulls look to finish strong -- and on top of the Eastern Conference.

Guests:

• Mike Flannery, Fox Chicago News
• Mary Ann Ahern, NBC-5 News
• Greg Burns, Chicago Tribune
• Bruce Levine, ESPN Radio 1000

More on the Story:

• More on the Story: Week in Review
• What to do this weekend
• Video of the Day

Viewer Feedback

Viewer Mail

We hear what you had to say about recent stories when we read some of our viewer mail.

• Send Chicago Tonight your comments

Arts & Entertainment

Reptile Fest

If you were taken with the alligator caught in the Chicago River last summer - this should have you chomping at the bit - so to speak. We preview Reptile Fest - with live animals in the studio!

• Event information
• Chicago Herpetological Society

Ask Geoffrey

Ask Geoffrey

This housing complex takes up several city blocks and bears the name of a very famous Chicagoan. Geoffrey Baer has the history of these Old Town apartments in today's Ask Geoffrey.

• Mary Todd Lincoln's summer in Hyde Park
• History of subsidized housing in Chicago
• Streetwise Chicago
• Mary Todd Lincoln: Her Life and Letters

Cultural Connections

Cultural Connections: Project Cabrini Green

As the last high-rise at Cabrini Green comes down, an ambitious art project is coming down with it. We speak with the local artist who is working with students and former residents to commemorate the building and its legacy.

• More on the Story: Project Cabrini Green
• Project Cabrini Green website

Politics

Kim Barker on ‘The Taliban Shuffle’

ProPublica reporter and former South Asia bureau chief for the Chicago Tribune Kim Barker discusses her new book, “The Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan and Pakistan.” The memoir chronicles her experiences covering conflicts in the two countries.

After 9/11, Barker’s editors at the Chicago Tribune were looking for reporters to send overseas to cover the conflicts in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

“I had very little experience in general in going anywhere,” Barker said. “I grew up in Montana and Wyoming, and I had never even been to Europe before I went to Pakistan and Afghanistan for the first time.

What surprised Barker was how humorous her experiences turned out to be.

“After I got there, I realized really quickly how funny it could be,” Barker said. “And you’re not talking about typical humor. It’s more like dark humor. It’s more like the absurd humor you find in something like ‘M*A*S*H.’”

Barker said after spending significant amounts of time in both Pakistan and Afghanistan, a favorite emerged.

“I think the reason I fell in love with Afghanistan almost immediately was a lot to do with the people, a lot to do with the strangeness of it all,” Barker said. “I fell less in love with Pakistan just because it was frankly much more normal. It just felt like Islamabad could be a capitol anywhere in the world.”

Though it gave her an advantage at times, being a female reporter was not always easy. She said she was often groped or grabbed in crowded settings, but she found her ways to cope.

“I started punching people who grabbed me,” Barker said. “It was effective. I did manage to hit them in the face very well.”

• More on The Taliban Shuffle
• A Q&A with Barker
• Barker's articles at the Chicago Tribune

Politics

Veteran Aldermen

The Chicago City Council will be getting many new members next month but what's on the mind of some veteran aldermen? Eddie Arruza will talk to two of them.

• Alderman Joe Moore: 49th ward
• Alderman Ricardo Munoz: 22nd ward

Arts & Entertainment

Paloma Picasso

She's been an acclaimed designer for Tiffany and Co. for over 30 years. Artist Paloma Picasso is here to talk about her life, her work and her legacy.

• More on the Story: Paloma Picasso Timeline

Arts & Entertainment

Endangered Historic Places

What are the 10 "most threatened" historic sites in Illinois? The head of a group that wants to bring attention to these endangered landmarks tells us why they are at risk.

• More on the Story: Map and info of endangered landmarks
• Landmarks Illinois website