Living in the USA

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America ready to elect a Black woman president? Harold Meyerson examines the opportunities facing Kamala Harris, and the obstacles to be overcome.

Also: Democrats in Arizona are engaged in massive organizing to win an abortion rights referendum, elect a senator, and flip a House seat. And they are facing an Arizona Republican Party that is pretty crazy, to say the least. The Nation‘s Sasha Abramsky has our report.

Plus: from the archives: Barbara Ehrenreich on the wellness industry, starting with those pink ribbons. Her book is “Bright-Sided.” (originally broadcast November 2009)

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Where do we stand with Joe Biden – today? More Democrats are saying Biden needs to step down – Harold Meyerson comments.

Also: During the Supreme Court term that just ended, the conservative majority granted new constitutional rights to hedge fund managers, big business—and Donald Trump. David Cole explains the shocking decisions that have transformed our government.

Plus: 1974, the new memoir by Francine Prose, recalls the year when “the ’60s” came to a definitive end, when it became clear that the changes we’d wanted, the changes we’d fought for, were not going to happen. She spent that year in San Francisco, where she got to know Tony Russo of the Pentagon Papers case.  7-13-2024

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What would it take to get Biden to decline the nomination? Polls about the opinion of the Democratic rank-and-file; the views of Democratic senators and House members–those in danger of losing their seats and political careers—and Biden’s own circle, for whom the crucial factor will be their assessment of his legacy. Harold Meyerson comments.

Also: Marc Cooper argues that the narrative for Joe Biden’s campaign has now been set: he’s “too old.” And the Supreme Court decision on immunity for Trump makes it essential that he be defeated. Kamala Harris would be the choice of the party establishment, if Biden agreed to step aside; at the convention, she might be nominated by acclamation, without a vote among alternative choices.

Plus: UCLA historian Robin Kelley talks about the music of Thelonious Monk – and his book: “Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original” – PLAYLIST: “‘Round Midnight,” “Well You Needn’t,” “Straight No Chaser,” “Sweet and Lovely” – 1947 Blue Note sessions. (originally broadcast 10-21-09)   7-4-2024

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Trump v. Biden 2024 – before the debate: Biden cannot look old or confused, BUT – in a way, Trump’s constant ridiculing of Biden for looking old and confused actually gives Biden his biggest and best opportunity. Harold Meyerson comments.

Also: What should the Democrats do about white voters? Most of them have voted for Trump, twice. How much of that can be changed? Steve Phillips reports on new research that should reshape Democratic strategy.

Plus: On throwing cards into watermelons, how to run a flea circus, the art of dental performance and much more – remembering master magician Ricky Jay (first recorded in 2002; he died in 2018).  6-27-2024

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It’s not just AIPAC that’s after Squad member and incumbent representative running for New York’s 16th congressional district, Jamaal Bowman – Hillary Clinton has just endorsed his opponent, George Latimer – Harold Meyerson comments.

Also: On May 31, Joe Biden declared, “It is time for this war to end.” But the leaders of both Israel and Hamas seem content for the war in Gaza to grind on into the indefinite future. Hussein Ibish explains why.

Plus: From the archives: The Holocaust was not just murder on a mass-scale, it was a huge organizational undertaking that required vast amounts of information. IBM and the Holocaust: The Strategic Alliance between Nazi Germany and America’s Most Powerful Corporation, documents the technology services rendered by US-based multinational corporation International Business Machines (IBM) and its German and other European subsidiaries for the government of Adolf Hitler – author, investigative journalist and historian Edwin Black discusses this history (first recorded May, 2001).  6-20-2024

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Male Trump voters tend to have what researches call ‘precarious manhood’ – determined by the frequency of their search terms for things such as: “penis enlargement” “Viagra” and “hair restoration” – Harold Meyerson comments

Also: The Israel lobby AIPAC is spending millions to defeat Representative Jamaal Bowman in the New York state Democratic primary. That’s because he called for a permanent ceasefire back in October, and describes what’s happening in Gaza now as “an ongoing genocide.” Alan Minsky has our analysis of the campaign – he’s Executive Director of Progressive Democrats of America.

Plus: The Trump verdict and women voters: Exit polls have consistently shown women voting Democratic, and men voting Republican – especially with Trump. How much wider will the Gender Gap get, now that Trump has been found guilty-of lying about having had sex with a porn star? Katha Pollitt will comment.  6-13-2024

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What happened to the immediate Gaza cease-fire that Biden called for last week? Last Wednesday, Israel’s national security advisor said that he expected Israel’s war on Gaza would continue at least until the end of the year – if not longer. Harold Meyerson comments.

Next: The punditocracy has been arguing that the guilty verdicts in the Trump trial won’t matter much in the election – Marc Cooper disagrees, and explains what’s wrong about the conventional wisdom.

Plus: Jordan Peterson’s books of advice for men have sold five million copies – he says men should work hard, be responsible, demand more of themselves—and make their beds.” Katha Pollitt comments.  6-6-2024

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Almost 3,000 students have been arrested at more than 60 college campuses protesting American support for Israel’s war in Gaza. Schools have a responsibility to maintain order. But they must not sacrifice the principles of free speech that are core to their educational mission. How have they been doing? Ben Wizner comments. He’s Director of the ACLU’s Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project.

Next: Kenya finally is sending 1000 police officers to Haiti on what is called a “UN security mission,” and Joe Biden held a gala state dinner honoring the president of Kenya for doing it. Amy Wilentz will comment on what she calls “the Devils’ Ball.”

Plus: Since Roe was overturned, pregnant people seeking medication abortions in red states have found help from providers operating at the edge of the law. Amy Littlefield reports.  5-30-2024

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Recent polls show Biden’s level of support among non-college voters of all races is down to 39% – that’s 9 points less than his level of support from those same voters in the 2020 election – Harold Meyerson comments.

Next: Democrats in the Senate are going to lose the seat vacated by Joe Manchin in West Virginia – can they hold all the others in November? John Nichols has our analysis, starting with Maryland, where Democrat Angela Alsobrooks will face Republican “moderate” Larry Hogan, the popular anti-Trump former governor.

Plus: The wonderful writer Margo Jefferson talks about “Constructing a Nervous System” – her memoir about growing up in a middle-class Black family in Chicago. (First recorded in April 2022)  5-23-2024

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The most important event in the history of Israel and Palestine was not the 1948 founding of Israel and the Nakba, or Israel’s 1967 occupation of Palestinian territories. It was the outlawing of immigration of Jews (and others) to the US from Russia, Poland, and Eastern and Southern Europe. That was the purpose of the immigration restriction act passed by Congress in May, 1924, 100 years ago this month. Without that, the Jews of Europe would never have moved to Palestine, Harold Meyerson argues.

Also: The New Yorker’s award-winning climate writer Elizabeth Kolbert talks about her fascinating new book, “H is for Hope: Climate Change from A to Z.’”

Plus: Judith Butler may be the most famous feminist theorist in the world today. Now Butler has a new book out, with the provocative title, “Who’s Afraid of Gender?” Katha Pollitt provides a critique.  5-16-2024