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Background Briefing: September 4, 2024

Another School Shooting and Can a Progressive Ticket Win the Presidency?

We begin with another school shooting in Georgia today and assess the chances that Kamala Harris and Tim Walz can win this critical state, which along with Pennsylvania are essential if they are to get the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the presidency regardless of how much Harris might win the popular vote by. We discuss how a progressive Democratic ticket can win in such a conservative country that has almost half of the voters supporting a disastrously unqualified Trump for a second chance to further wreck the country and end American democracy. Joining us is Robert Creamer, a long-time political organizer and strategist, and author of Stand Up Straight: How Progressives Can Win. He is a partner in Democracy Partners, a Senior Strategist for Americans United for Change and his latest book is Nuts and Bolts: The Formula for Progressive Electoral Success.

 

Could the Arsonist Netanyahu Spark a Wider War With Jordan a Powder Keg About to Explode


Then we examine how much the Middle East is a powder keg as the arsonist Netanyahu appears determined to prolong the war in Gaza while ramping up attacks in the West Bank that could provoke an uprising in Jordan which has a majority Palestinian population and a weak government. Joining us is David Hearst, the Editor of Middle East Eye who formerly was the chief foreign leader writer of The Guardian, its former Associate Foreign Editor, European Editor, Moscow Bureau Chief, European Correspondent, and Ireland Correspondent. We discuss his article at Middle East Eye, “Biden, Harris, and the Brutal Truth of Dead Hostages in Gaza.”

 

A New Nuclear Doctrine to Confront Russia, China and North Korea Simultaneously


Then finally we look into the new top secret nuclear strategy the Biden Administration is embarking on to confront a coordinated threat from China, Russia and North Korea simultaneously. Joining us is Tom Collina, who until recently was the Director of Policy at the Ploughshares Fund where he worked as a researcher, analyst, and advocate to end US nuclear testing, rationalize anti-missile programs, extend the Nonproliferation Treaty, and secure Senate ratification of the New START Treaty. He previously served as Research Director of the Arms Control Association, was the Executive Director and Co-Founder of the Institute for Science and International Security and the Director of the Global Security Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists. He is the co-author with William Perry of The Button: The New Nuclear Arms Race and Presidential Power from Truman to Trump.