WILL-AM

WILL AM 580 Live Stream

Full Schedule
A man holds an Iranian flag as he looks at the damaged façade of Gandhi Hospital, which was hit Sunday when a strike also struck a state TV communications tower and nearby buildings across the street during the ongoing joint U.S.–Israeli military campaign in Tehran, Iran, Monday, March 2, 2026.
AP Photo/Vahid Salemi

The 21st Show

Why did the U.S. go to war with Iran?

The United States and Israel went to war with Iran in conjunction with Israel early Saturday morning. A panel of political and foreign affairs experts including two Iranian-Americans discuss the possibility of regime change in Iran, the legality and necessity of the military assaults, and the role of Israel in all of this.

Listen
a collage including a man standing in front of a packed display of open food bins, a woman on a silver scooter in front of a line of stopped cars, two women with their hair blowing in the breeze walk past a mural painted on a mint-green backdrop, and three men in suits sitting at a marble table
Vahid Salemi/AP • Foreign Ministry of Oman

The 21st Show

Are we going to war with Iran?

The Trump administration is continuing to ramp up pressure on Iran — with what’s said to be the biggest buildup of American naval power in the region in decades. Last summer, the president claimed a “spectacular military success” after bombing nuclear sites there, but last week, Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, went on Fox News and said the country was “probably a week away from having industrial-grade, bomb-making material.”

What is the truth here? What is happening in Iran? Did the ayatollah really order the killing of more than 36,000 people? And ultimately, are we going to war with Iran?

Listen
Jose Zepeda/Illinois Public Media

The 21st Show

Candidate Forum: Meet the Republicans running in IL-13 congressional race

Two candidates vying for the GOP nomination in the 1L-13 congressional race discuss many issues surrounding domestic policy including the economy, healthcare, ICE agents, and a potential national ban on abortion at the IL-13 Republican Candidate Forum sponsored by Illinois Public Media, the Champaign County NAACP, and the League of Women Voters.


The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk show, connecting Illinois and bringing you the news, culture, and stories that matter to the 21st state. Have thoughts on the show or one of our episodes, or want to share an idea for something we should talk about? Send us an email: talk@21stshow.org. If you'd like to have your say as we're planning conversations, join our texting group! Just send the word "TALK" to (217) 803-0730. Subscribe to our podcast and hear our latest conversations.   

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast 
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PT6pb0 
Find past segments, links to our social media and more at our website: 21stshow.org.

Listen
Courtesy of Steve Botsford

The 21st Show

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Steve Botsford discusses ‘broken system’ in politics, ICE reform, and AI regulation

Steve Botsford is seeking the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate race. He’s worked in the world of finance and in government. Botsford shares his views on reforming ICE, Medicare for All, and how AI should be regulated by the government. 


 

The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk show, connecting Illinois and bringing you the news, culture, and stories that matter to the 21st state. Have thoughts on the show or one of our episodes, or want to share an idea for something we should talk about? Send us an email: talk@21stshow.org. If you'd like to have your say as we're planning conversations, join our texting group! Just send the word "TALK" to (217) 803-0730. Subscribe to our podcast and hear our latest conversations.   

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast 
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PT6pb0 
Find past segments, links to our social media and more at our website: 21stshow.org.

Listen