Union League Podcasts



Vera Klement, ULC Distinguished Artist 2001


Vera Klement will tell the extraordinary story of her life as an artist: from escaping the Nazis and immigrating with her family to the U.S. during World War II to her days as a young artist in New York in the 1950s and 1960s to finding her artistic voice and her enduring career as one of Chicago's celebrated artists. Klement's signature style blends abstraction and expressive figuration, and she played a major role for both women and abstract artists in Chicago. In addition to her interview with Bob Hiebert, Vera Klement: Blunt Edge, the Academy Award-winning documentary short film by Wonjung Bae, will be screened.

Creating art for more than 60 years, Vera Klement has enjoyed numerous solo exhibitions and her work is included in the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago's Museum of Contemporary Art, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the Smithsonian Museum of American Art in Washington, D.C., among other prestigious museums. She is Professor Emerita at the University of Chicago (1969-1995). Bob Hiebert is co-founder of Printworks Gallery (est. 1980) in Chicago's River North Gallery District.


Listen Here
Major General Joseph Anderson


Union League Club of Chicago member Major General Joseph Anderson is well known to ULCC members. He served as Commanding Officer of the 502nd Regiment/101st Airborne Division (which is supported by our Chicago 502 organization) and led the Regiment during its deployment into Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. As the 502’s Commander, then-Colonel Anderson directed operations in July 2003 that led to the demise of Uday and Qusay Hussein, the sons of the late Iraqi dictator.

Prior to his current assignment at the Pentagon as Director of Operations, Readiness and Mobilization, he served as Chief of Staff, U.S. Forces-Iraq and worked daily with General Raymond Odierno on policy to help shape the future of Iraq. The Union League Club and the Chicago 502 are proud to invite members and their guests to an exclusive luncheon with Major General Anderson and this rare opportunity to hear from one of America’s preeminent military leaders.


Listen Here
Authors Group presents Molly Ringwald
In Getting the Pretty Back, Molly encourages every woman to become "the sexiest, funniest, smartest, best-dressed, and most confident woman that you can be." She shares personal anecdotes and entertaining insights about the struggle to get through the murky milestones and identity issues that crop up long after the prom ends. Whether she's discussing sex and beauty, personal style, travel and entertaining, motherhood, or friendship, Molly embodies the spirit of being fabulous at every age, and reminds us all that prettiness is a state of mind: it's "the part of you that knows what you really want, that takes risks."


Listen Here
U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (D-5th Dist., Illinois)
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (D-5th Dist., Illinois), who will discuss an initiative he is leading - “Reinventing Washington" - to address our nation's fiscal and budgetary challenges.


Listen Here

Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
Wednesday, February 16 2011
On Wednesday, February 16, former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld visited the Club to speak about his new book "Known and Unknown." Rumsfeld spoke to packed audience in the Main Dining Room about his career in public service. Moderated by Bill Kurtis, Rumsfeld explained why the U.S. chose to enter Iraq. He also revealed his biggest regret.


Listen Here
Staff Sergeant Salvatore Giunta
 On Tuesday, December 14, the ULC proudly hosted a luncheon with SSG. Salvatore Giunta, the first living recipient of the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War.


Listen Here
Thursday, Nov. 11, 2010
President George W. Bush “Decision Points"
President George W. Bush visited the Club to discuss his book "Decision Points." Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley also sat on stage with President Bush as he spoke to a SRO audience of members and their guests.

View Video Here
Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2010
"From Harold Washington to Barack Obama: Race in Politics Then and Now"

On Tuesday, Nov. 30, the Public Affairs Subcommittee on Race hosted an afternoon forum entitled "From Harold Washington to Barack Obama: Race in Politics Then and Now" to examine the impact of race in the context of two significant elections involving African-American politicians separated by more than two decades: the racially-charged1983 election of Harold Washington as Chicago’s first black Mayor, and Barack Obama’s election in 2008 as America’s first black President.
Our moderator for this forum was Richard Steele, a host of numerous programs at Chicago Public Radio, WBEZ/91.5 FM. Our panelists included Dr. Donald Haider, Professor of Management at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and past budget director and chief financial officer for the City of Chicago; Alton Miller, Associate Dean, School of Media Arts, Columbia College Chicago, and former press secretary to Mayor Washington; Mary Mitchell, an editorial board member and columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times; and Lee Walker, president of The New Coalition for Economic and Social Change and a senior fellow of The Heartland Institute.


Listen Here
May 19, 2010

A Conversation with General David H. Petraeus
Commander, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM)

The Union League Club of Chicago and its Chicago 502 organization (which supports the soldiers of the 502nd Regiment/101st Airborne Division) proudly welcomed Gen. David Petraeus to the Club on May 19 to discuss ongoing efforts in Iraq, Afghanistan and across his command to promote cooperation, to respond to crises, to deter aggression and to promote security and stability.

A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, General Petraeus has an MPA and Ph.D. in International Relations from Princeton University and completed a Fellowship at Georgetown University. He assumed command of CENTCOM in October 2008 after serving 19 months as the Commanding General, Multi-National Force-Iraq (MNF-I), the most senior U.S. Commander in Iraq. Prior to his service as MNF-I Commander, he commanded the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center and the Multi-National Security Transition Command in Iraq, where he was charged with overseeing efforts to rebuild Iraqi security forces.

Listen Here

Tuesday, March 16, 2010
"Biological Terrorism: Is America's Prepared?"

The March Breakfast@65West program focused on the threat posed to the United States by bioterrorism. A series of biological attacks in major cities could kill tens of thousands, sowing panic of unprecedented proportions. How can cities work with national and international authorities to prepare for bio-attacks? What is being done – or should be done – to prevent such attacks? The forum featured a presentation by Professor Barry Kellman, Director of the International Weapons Control Center at the DePaul University College of Law and a national leader in addressing these vital questions. Prof. Kellman was joined by Major General (Ret.) Charles E. Tucker (USAF), Executive Director of the International Human Rights Law Institute and a respected practitioner of international and humanitarian law.

Listen Here

Tuesday, May 5, 2009
America’s Economy--How Bad Will It Get? When Will It Improve?

The U.S. economy is gripped by its worst recession in recent memory. Unemployment is up, consumer spending is down. The Federal Reserve has flooded the economy with money and the government has engaged in numerous bailouts and interventions. The Obama Administration and Congress have enacted several of the largest spending bills in history, with accompanying increases in our national debt. The Chinese finance minister has raised the possibility of the dollar’s demise as the global reserve currency and the Europeans politely declined to stimulate their economies as we have ours.
Where is this headed? How bad will it get and when will it improve? What will halt the slide? Keynesian spending? Further expansion of the money supply? Tax cuts? Tax hikes? More regulation? Less regulation?
Please join us as we welcome noted economists who will share their insights and answer your questions in a lively format. Our panel includes:

Professor Geoffrey J.D. Hewings, Director of the Regional Economics Applications Laboratory, University of Illinois

Paul K. Hoffmeister, Chief Economist of Bretton Woods Research LLC.


Listen Here