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More progressive democrats have triumphed over AIPAC money — starting with the surprising victory of Aisha Wahab in Northern California – Harold Meyerson comments on how “AIPAC is on a negative roll”.

Also: Indivisible’s 2,500 local volunteer-led groups are preparing for a rapid response to any threats to free and fair voting around election day, starting with plans to promote early voting, and including preparations to mobilize large-scale protests if there are attempts to undermine the results. Leah Greenberg, co-founder and co-executive director, explains.

Plus: Vanita Gupta reviews the massive legal planning underway to defend the vote, the count, and the certification of the winners in the midterms – she was Associate Attorney General in the Biden administration, and has been working with the Senate Democrats’ Elections Task Force on planning and preparations for November.

Bonus: History on the March: A ‘Save Our Signs’ project update: Hundreds of volunteers have submitted 17, 236 photos of historic signs before the Trump administration removes them: the signs deal with things like slavery, women’s rights and climate change, among other topics the Trump administration doesn’t want people to know about.  8-21-2026

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News from Wisconsin, one of the most gerrymandered states and a key to the national Democratic strategy; and from my home state of Minnesota, where Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan triumphed over opponent in the primary for state senate, Angie Craig, who out-spent her by 4 to 1 – Harold Meyerson comments.

Also: The ACLU is organizing thousands of volunteers, preparing to respond to 25 different ways Trump could try to subvert or sabotage the midterms. Deirdre Schifeling explains—she’s the ACLU’s Chief Political and Advocacy Officer. More info at https://www.aclu.org/campaigns-initiatives/people-power.

Plus: Howard Zinn’s book A People’s History of the US has sold four million copies—and now we have a biography of the author, written by Dave Zirin, The Nation’s longtime sports editor – his new book is The People’s Historian: The Outsized Life of Howard Zinn.  8-14-2026

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Abdul El-Sayed’s first task is winning Black Detroit; next is making inroads in working class white Michigan. Harold Meyerson comments.

Also: A rehearsal for the election protection groups: the California sheriff who seized 650,000 ballots from November’s referendum, claiming he needed to recount them. Zach Roth of Democracy Docket will explain how the Chad Bianco case provides a test of one key Republican strategy for holding on to the House after the midterms.

Plus: From the archives: The Museum of Jurassic Technology is one of Culver City’s hidden treasures – David Wilson explains (originally broadcast 6-19-2001).  8-7-2026

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Trump’s trouble this week is getting the Senate committee to advance his nomination of Todd Blanche as Attorney General. Two key Republican senators are refusing to vote for Blanche unless Trump gives up on his deal that gives him immunity from tax audits – Harold Meyerson comments.

Also: An impressive alliance of groups have been preparing for months to counter Trump’s threats to Democrats in the midterms. Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward and a member of The Senate Democrats’ Election Protection Task Force, explains why “we are going to have free and fair elections” in November.

Plus: Elon Musk calls Christopher Nolan’s film “The Odyssey” “part of a left-wing plan” to “destroy Western Civilization.” John Powers has a different view – he’s critic-at-large on NPR’s “Fresh Air” with Terry Gross.  7-31-2026

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The Dems vs. the GOP in the 2026 Midterms: in the latest Fox News poll, 53% of Americans said they’d vote Democrat; but will that hold until November? “Assuming Donald Trump continues to be Donald Trump… these gaps may grow larger” – in the Dems’ favor – Harold Meyerson comments.

John Nichols on the Senate Candidates in Maine and Nebraska, and the governor’s race in Wisconsin. John of course is executive editor of The Nation.

Plus: It’s the 60th anniversary of Bob Dylan’s “Blonde on Blonde” – “Everybody Must Get Stoned” “Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again” and “Visions of Johanna” – we discuss this historic – and literary – album with Alan Minsky.  7-24-2026