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The Real Story with Jeanne Ives and Amy Jacobson

The Real Story with Jeanne Ives
Illinois
China
Illinois Politics
West Point
Chicago
Fentanyl
Duty Honor Country
Easter
2024 Election
Inflation
Governor Pritzker
Peter Schweizer
Unrestricted Warfare
Covid-19
Election Integrity
Gender Affirming Care
Migrant Crisis
Crime
Israel
Iran

It is time to look at the world of politics from a different perspective. The Real Story with Jeanne Ives and Amy Jacobson asks insightful questions of those influencing government and those impacted by government.

PublishesDailyEpisodes166Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
News CommentaryNewsPolitics

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Recent Guests

Beverly Miles
Commentator and political commentator who debated the gubernatorial race on air
Independent political commentator
Episode: 2026 Illinois Primary Recap - Republican and Democrat, We Discuss It All!
Pamela Denise Long
Candidate for US Senate
Unspecified in transcript
Episode: Illinois Primary Day 2026 - GET OUT AND VOTE!
Don Tracy
Attorney and US Senate candidate, candidate for open Illinois seat
Candidate for US Senate
Episode: Closing Arguments Before Elections, Last Minute Shenanigans. Interview w/ Don Tracy
Darren LaHood
Congressman, Republican, Illinois 16th District
U.S. House of Representatives
Episode: Is the DHS Shutdown Doing Real Harm?; SAVE Act; The Rest of the Fiscal Year
Tiffany Hanyard
Former Dalton township official, running for Fulton County Board of Commissioners
Georgia politics (candidate)
Episode: Brandon Johnson Demands Democracy; Chicago Crazy About Climate Change; She's Back and Running For Office!
Christine Maxwell
Republican candidate for Congress in the Illinois district
Republican candidate for Illinois congressional district
Episode: Inside Rev. Jesse Jackson's Funeral; 2026 IL Governor's Race; An Update on the "Root Beer Bandit"
Paul Vallas
Nationally recognized education and public sector finance expert; former CEO of Chicago Public Schools; adviser and writer with Illinois Policy Institute
Illinois Policy Institute
Episode: Pritzker's Half Truths; Local Referendum on Ballots; Paul Vallas Discusses Education, Safety and More
Mark Rice
Candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in Illinois' 8th District
Campaign for Illinois' 8th District
Episode: The Cover Up is Always Worse Than the Crime: DuPage Co. Candidate in Hot Water and Shaun Thompson Responds; IL 8th Congressional Candidate Mark Rice; FREE FOR ALL FRIDAY
Jennifer Davis
Candidate for Illinois' 8th Congressional District, Republican
Campaign for 8th District
Episode: 8th Congressional Spotlight with Jennifer Davis; Exclusive Interview with West Chicago Teacher Who Wrote "GO ICE" on Social Media

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 30 ratings
  • Two old ladies

    Two old ladies complaining. They dislike everything and everyone.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Southsidewhitesoxfan
    United States2 months ago
  • Excellent show. Thanks!

    Great show by Ives

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dowup
    United Statesa year ago
  • Good series but poor recording/playback quality.

    This podcast series is on point and definitely look at the policies, failures and successes of government bodies in Illinois.

    The only issue I’ve encountered is that the recording quality has gotten poorer with almost each episode in recent weeks.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    My_Opinion_2
    United States3 years ago
  • Facts not Fiction

    Detailed inside info on politics and human stories behind the headlines. Never miss an episode in order to stay informed in your community. Great stuff.

    Detailed, sometimes granular, explanations of state and local policies and actions that are informative and allow people to formulate democratic actions plans to help their communities. This show is the enemy of the political machine and of political slight of hand.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    mzaenger
    United States4 years ago
  • Jeanne is a smart cookie!

    Jeanne is a smart cookie!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    loudes13
    United States4 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Guests range from candidates to watchdogs, offering diverse perspectives.
Audience values accountability and investigative-style political dialogue.
Listeners appreciate deep dives into local governance and policy details.
Shows strong, opinionated take on Illinois politics with on-the-ground interviews.
Some criticisms about audio quality and production consistency.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

8th Congressional Spotlight with Jennifer Davis; Exclusive Interview with West Chicago Teacher Who Wrote "GO ICE" on Social Media
Q: What committees would you want to be on if elected, given your tech background?
Davis suggested committees where tech policy and national security intersect, emphasizing AI, data protection, and safeguarding First Amendment rights while enforcing immigration and trade policies.
8th Congressional Spotlight with Jennifer Davis; Exclusive Interview with West Chicago Teacher Who Wrote "GO ICE" on Social Media
Q: What unique challenges does your district face and how do you plan to address them?
Davis highlighted the need to modernize infrastructure, protect borders, support families, and promote American-first policies, with a focus on using technology and data to inform policy decisions.
8th Congressional Spotlight with Jennifer Davis; Exclusive Interview with West Chicago Teacher Who Wrote "GO ICE" on Social Media
Q: So for those people who don't know about you, just tell us your story.
Jennifer Davis shared that she is an outsider who started a global software company with her husband, built numerous jobs in the district, and is running to bring business experience and tech-focused policy to Congress.
Updated DOGE Report; Reining in Marijuana with Alex Berensen
Q: How is it that you saw this coming as a problem way before anybody else did?
Berenson describes early skepticism about legalization, citing the mismatch between promises of medical benefits and real-world outcomes, particularly the rise of psychosis concerns and the persistence of illegal markets as reasons for caution.
SOTU 2026 Review; Angel Dad Joe Abraham Weighs In; Why is Bailey Pulling a Biden?
Q: What's your response to the commentator's disrespectful remarks about Angel Moms?
They are unserious people discussing their ideology without understanding the real human impact of illegal immigration.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Real Story

What is The Real Story about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show focuses on state and local politics with a strong Illinois lens, blending analysis of election results, policy debates, and governance with caller interactions. Episodes frequently feature interviews with candidates, watchdogs, and policy experts, spanning topics from crime and public safety to education funding and transportation. Notable strengths include a brisk, opinionated dialogue, a willingness to challenge official narratives, and accessibility for listeners who want concrete takeaways on how politics impact daily life. A standout characteristic is the mix of high-profile guests and hyper-local insight, which can be highly valuable for listeners seeking practical, on-the-ground political analysis and campaign context.

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How many listeners does The Real Story get?

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How many subscribers and views does The Real Story have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Real Story has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Real Story?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Real Story:

1. Chicago's Morning Answer with Dan Proft
2. The Shaun Thompson Show
3. Ruthless Podcast
4. The Sharyl Attkisson Podcast
5. Normally

How many episodes of The Real Story are there?

The Real Story launched 5 years ago and published 166 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Real Story?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Real Story?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Real Story from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on The Real Story?

Recent guests on The Real Story include:

1. Beverly Miles
2. Pamela Denise Long
3. Don Tracy
4. Darren LaHood
5. Tiffany Hanyard
6. Christine Maxwell
7. Paul Vallas
8. Mark Rice

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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