Jack Higgins proves that the pen is mightier than the sword with his often biting and always insightful political cartoons. He joins us to talk about his new book My Kind of Toon. Jack Higgins exhibit at The Beverly Arts Center

The race to replace Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes is packed with plenty of candidates. We hear from the Democrats vying to become Illinois's next chief fiscal officer. Chicago Tribune's Candidates Profiles Chicago Sun-Times Candidate Profiles

We meet two of the three candidates running for Illinois Comptroller on the Republican side.

DuSable to Obama: Chicago's Black Metropolis On this Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the nation remembers the slain civil rights leader's contributions to America. Here in Chicago, there is a long, rich African-American history that stretches back to the city's first resident. We get a preview of WTTW's upcoming documentary DuSable to Obama: Chicago's Black Metropolis, which will premiere this June.

Governor Quinn is promising $15 million to the Brookfield Zoo for infrastructure improvements. But given the state's fiscal crisis, the money is far from a sure thing. Eddie Arruza reports on reasons why the Zoo feels the funds are justified.

Joel and his panel discuss the week's top headlines: The primary election is now less than 3 weeks away; Governor Quinn renews his call for a tax hike in the State of the State address; the Chicago Public Schools will spend $60 million on citizen patrols; lawmakers are demanding major changes at McPier, the agency that runs pricey McCormick Place; the Bears are rebuffed by top coaching candidates; and Sammy Sosa's home run derby buddy, Mark McGwire, admits that he used steroids. Guests:

Incumbent County Board president Todd Stroger faces a fierce primary battle for his position. But could a Republican actually win the seat? We talk to the two GOP candidates for county board president. John Garrido Roger Keats

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

Governor Quinn delivered his first State of the State address this afternoon. Eddie Arruza has some highlights from the speech and tells us what some are saying about his remarks.

Carol Marin and her panel take a look at the primary races that are heating up.

Will there be a health care reform bill on the President's desk this month? Is there another stimulus plan on the horizon? How is the Afghanistan surge working? Elizabeth Brackett asks the man working on the answers to all of those questions -- Senator Dick Durbin.

Heated racial rhetoric has dominated the headlines lately. From Rod Blagojevich's apology for saying that he is "blacker than Barack Obama" to Senator Harry Reid's comments in 2008 about the advantages of the President Obama's light skin and lack of a "Negro dialect," we continue the dialogue on race sparked by recent controversies. "Was it Racism? 2009" -- The Chicago Reporter

We talk to a local filmmaker whose highly acclaimed documentary about the Iraq war debuts on DVD today. Brothers at War

When in trouble, quote poetry. We examine Governor Blagojevich's recent poetic urges at his press conferences. Rudyard Kipling's "If" (1910) Lord Alfred Tennyson's "Ulysses" (1842) Robert Browning's "Waring" (1842) Thomas Chatterton's "The Resignation"

Former governor Rod Blagojevich has been getting some flack for some comments he made in an interview with Esquire magazine. We take a look at the full article. Read Esquire's interview with Rod Blagojevich

Early voting for the February 2 primary kicked off today. Eddie Arruza headed out to some of the early voting sites to see how the first day went. Early voting locations in Chicago Early voting locations in suburban Cook County