Center Left Radio

CLR Show 001. Air Date February 7, 2025. No, we are not 'to blame' for the election of Donald Trump. By extension, we have no grounds to berate and punish ourselves for not instantly thwarting the tsunami of illegal and unconstitutional actions Donald is taking as part of his frontal attack in democracy, the rule of law and the rights of all American. The pushback is starting where it was to be expected––from the courts. But there is an immediate need for self-education among Americans of conscience so that we can fully recognize and understand the how, what and why of what Donald is attempting, and join in concerted efforts to thwart his emasculation of the American state, at every opportunity. Yes, there is a long road ahead. Education is step one. With Friday Co-Host, David Bach.

CLR 1983. Air Date December 1, 2024. An international panel of experts offers a range of predictions based on the election of Donald Trump and his potential impact on world events, as well as thoughtful observations about the changing attitudes and perceptions of the American electorate. With Dr. Charles Webel, Su Luo, Ivan Sebalo and Marcel Kaba. More must listening.

CLR Show 1982. Air Date November 15, 2024. A special Noble Hearts Forum presenting an in depth discussion of the underlying causes and possible effects of the recent Trump presidential victory. Panelists include Bill Arnone, Dr. Charles Webel, John Cugini and Dr. Bill Mulligan. Must listening. 

CLR Show 1981. Air Date November 12, 2024. My thanks to our listeners over these last seven and one half years as we put up up this, our last regularly scheduled Center Left Radio show, and our nearly 1000th show since we began in March of 2017. I've tried to be true our mission pointing out the faults of trumpism, the merits of progressivism, and the need to govern America from a centrist position. For now the country has chosen to lurch to an extreme form of leadership. It remains to be seen if and when it will regret that decision. In the meanwhile, the democratic party must take on the role of educators, priming the electorate for the all important midterm elections of 2026 that will indicate whether we are prepared to, once and for all, free ourselves from the siren song Donald J. Trump. (One final Noble Hearts Forum will hit our podcast feed on Friday, November 15th.)   

CLR Show 1980. Air Date November 8, 2024. A clear-eyed post mortem of the presidential election. The country has chosen to overlook the glaring list of automatic disqualifications of most unqualified, morally, ethically and spiritually damaged candidate in the history of the American presidency and has instead bought into his gospel of fear and vengeance. Even more disturbing is that 14 million fewer democratic votes were cast in 2024 than in 2020.  It remains to be seen if American democracy can recover from the body blow. Much will depend on what Trump and his minions actually do in the months ahead. No less significant will be the the organizational and messaging skills of an opposition loyal to the norms, letter and spirit of the American Constitution. With Friday Co-Host, David Bach.  

CLR Show 1979. Air Date November 5, 2024. As this show is put up on this podcast feed, it's impossible to say with any certainty who will win the presidential election––although our fondest hopes are with Kamala Harris. What we can say for certain is that hope and love will ultimately overcome fear and division. And that the evolutionary processes that will ultimately redefine us as a nation, a planet and a universe are already in play and––barring our extinction as a species––will invariably lead to a better and more inclusive world for us all. The question is, how hard will segments of our society push back against  the prospect of change?  How far will they go to assuage the fear of losing what they have or, more precisely, never had to avoid embracing the hopeful expectations of a largely unknowable future? Those choices will define the pace (and pain) of change. But they can never eradicate the simple truth that change is, has always been and will always be the magical constant of all our lives.

CLR Show 1978. Air Date November 1, 2024. In truth, Kamala Harris appears poised to be elected the next president of the United States. The bigger issue is how Donald and his minions will attempt to cravenly delay or reverse her victory. Some level of acting out among the disillusioned base would appear inevitable. But then there's Donald's sentencing in NY on November 26th and the near certainty of some form of physical restriction. How will the most radical elements in the Trumpian base respond to that? Will Donald's minions go even further than they went in January of 2021? Joe Biden has been empowered by the Supreme Court with a writ of presidential immunity. And although that writ was intended to benefit Donald by slowing down the pace of his federal trials, I can envision Joe using it in a final act of his presidency to bring those who would attempt to destroy this country to perpetrate a lie and assert their own false power under swift and firm control. With Friday Co-Host, David Bach.    

CLR Show 1977. Air Date October 29, 2024. With one week left until the election both political camps are busily making their closing arguments to potential voters. The democrats are amplifying the message of hope, inclusion and positive future vision that has characterized their entire campaign. The trumpians, predictably and regrettably, have ratcheted up their core message of hate, grievance, division, prejudice and outright fear to levels that would have been unthinkable even two months ago. Donald's Madison Square Garden rally referred to Puerto Rico as a floating island of garbage. This instantly alienated, perhaps, several million potential voters and will continue to resonate in the Latin community. Why do such an insanely self-destructive thing this close to the election? Because fear feeds on itself and is ultimately self-destructive. That is why Donald will lose and lose big next week.   

CLR Show 1975. Air Date October 22, 2024.  Panelists Bill Arnone, John Cugini and Bill Mulligan discuss the 2024 presidential election from differing political perspectives and with an emphasis on issues that are too often overlooked by the media. The result is a consensus, not so much about who will be elected but the challenges that will continue to confront America, no matter who is. Must listening.

CLR Show 1975. Air Date October 18, 2024. Kamala Harris's appearance on Fox coupled with her various meetings with groups of well-known and not as well known republicans appears to signal a major realization on the part of her campaign, viz., that there is far more headway to be exploited among disgruntled republicans than was imagined earlier in the campaign. At the very moment Donald appears to be shutting down his campaign, Harris is on fire, doing a non-stop series of smaller event and interviews, and often several a day. Her campaign seems to sense, and the 'feeling' is getting stronger every day, that she is headed for victory and a much larger one than current polls would suggest. With Friday Co-Host, David Bach. 

CLR Show 1974. Air Date October 15, 2024. While all signs point to a Harris-Walz victory, it's critical to consider the consequences of a Donald victory. Chief among them would be immediate infighting between and among the various factions of the former republican party. Will they commit to quickly rebuilding as something reminiscent of the Regan era party, or commit to remaining a permanent party of Trump, complete with a gutting of the civil service, prosecution of political rivals and use of the military as Donald's private militia? And if they're to remain a permanent trumpian party, knowing full well this will mean a resounding defeat in the 2026 midterms, what purpose will free and free elections serve? And why sustain a Constitution that places too many obstacles in the way of unfettered control? To say nothing of the massive and inevitable civil unrest that will follow and the unknown response to it all by the strongest military in the world. Donald must be defeated. 

CLR Show 1973. Air Date October 11, 2024. The democrats have more ammunition to hurl back at the republicans––in the form of easily exposed and debunked republican lies about everything–– than any other presidential campaign in modern American history. It's now a question of refining and perfecting the messages that reveal those lies to all of America: that republicans are pro-police; that democratic scientists can make hurricanes effect only republican districts; that illegal Haitians are eating cats and dogs in Michigan; and that Donald actually cares about America. His only reason for running is to stay out of jail. And it's so easy to convincingly argue that he's guilty of everything he's been accused of. Barack Obama's appearance on the campaign train is a positive sign that the best of the democratic messaging is still to come. With Friday Co-Host, David Bach.

CLR Show 1972. Air Date October 8, 2024. Remarkably––or maybe not so remarkably––the Trumpians are using the same 'patriotic' language as democrats to motivate their base. They speak of 'freedom' coupled with threats about the last chance to save the country. But their exhortations are rooted in Donald's worst fears, which he has cravenly melded with their own. Lofty words hide simmering racial animus, misogyny and, for many, unvarnished greed. These are among the many stepchildren of fear. We must––and can and will––counter Donald's fear based (don't jail me!) rants with hope for a greater America. We cannot be suckered into operating out of fear, lest we amplify the fear that drives and oppresses the Trumpians. We can and will win this election unified in the hope and belief that America's best days lie ahead––as they've always been, even when things seem darkest.  

CLR Show 1971. Air Date October 4, 2024. It may be a less than scientific observation, but good things coming in threes portend well for the forces of rationality and democracy in America. Consider: The Mets have made it to the second round of the playoffs against all odds; the longshoremen's strike that could have plunged us back to supply chain hell has been expertly sidestepped by 'incompetent' Joe Biden; and an asteroid the size of a school bus that could have nearly destroyed us is harmlessly circling earth as a second moon for another month until it is harmlessly flung into the far reaches of the galaxy. Not unlike what will happen to Donald Trump after November 5th. It's in the stars! With Friday Co-Host, David Bach.

CLR Show 1970. Air Date October 1, 2024.  October Surprises are a staple of American presidential politics. And the Israeli incursion into Southern Lebanon coupled with the east coast longshoremen's strike might count as a major one in some other campaign cycle. But the electorate is largely locked into its positions on the candidates. And the remaining undecideds will be far more influenced by Donald's and Jimmy's ongoing blatant lies than whether or when Joe Biden enforces the Taft-Hartley Act. That makes this evening's Vice Presidential debate far more consequential than it might otherwise be. In all likelihood, it will be the last opportunity for undecided Americans to witness a face to face between representatives of the two campaigns––and watch JD Vance lie about his reasons for lying.  

CLR Show 1969. Air Date September 27, 2024.  A constant lament of the rational is how Donald continues to lie so blatantly and continually with no apparent consequences among his fans. But there are consequences. It's just that they are cumulative and slowly accruing. Kamala Harris and Tim Walz have not only pushed back against but effectively exposed lie after Trumpian lie, to the point where a presumed Trumpian strong suit like the economy is moving into the Harris column. And the same is true of immigration. That, and flailing Donald's inability to make any real headway with the remaining undecideds. All this will reach a tipping point within the last two weeks of the campaign and the Harris victory will be a very significant one. With Friday Co-Host, David Bach.  

CLR Show 1968. Air Date September 24, 2024. Policy is being bantered back and forth between the Harris and Trump campaigns (with the Trump version typically a garbled reaction to the day's headlines) but the likelihood is that this election will be more about, and will be won by an embrace of, either love/hope or fear. The great irony is that the 'Christian' nationalist forces, historic purveyors of biblical love and hope, are now the merchants of fear, division and domination as embodied in Project 2025. Their goal: convince White America and a few others that 'our country' is being taken away from us and the only option is to seize it back from 'them'. The problem is, 'them' is bigger and far more 'positively' motivated––an altogether Christian characteristic. Donald's utter incapacity for the office is irrelevant: He is little more than a permission slip for those who see America's dismantling as the only pathway to their dominance.    

CLR Show 1967. Air Date September 20, 2024. The irrational inappropriateness of republican pronouncements and positions––everything from Donald Trump's criminal conviction to Mark Robinson's professed black neo-Nazi beliefs to JD Vance's admitted lies about Haitians eating dogs and cats in Springfield, Ohio––would have been game enders for any other presidential or regional campaign in American history. On the surface at least, republican voters seem to be taking it all in stride, simply ignoring it all in the interest of preserving tribal cohesion. But there is a cumulative weight to these collective insanities and we are beginning to see signs that political gravity, and simple reality, may finally be starting to weigh down this bowdlerized version of a once-proud republican party. With Friday Co-Host, David Bach.

CLR Show 1966. Air Date September 17, 2024. The greatest of all Trumpian lies is that the permanent splitting of America along ideological and emotional lines will benefit Trumpians and will create some kind of wonderful new world where Trumpians happily rule and control all. In fact, it would lead to the destruction of America as a world power and most likely to some form of civil war. This is a fate we can avoid but only if more Americans learn the truth of the Trump-Vance hate campaign. Vance has even openly admitted to the lies they are telling, showing absolutely no respect for the people they claim to lead. Imagine what they would do to the majority of Americans who they consider to be their enemies. 

CLR Show 1965. Air Date September 13, 2024. 67.1 million people, including many devout republicans, watched the presidential debate and saw Donald Trump eviscerated by Kamala Harris, and shown to be the racist, American hating, deranged old man that he is. While the Donald Show may bring a wry smile to the faces of his most ardent supporters, they can no longer pretend that he is fit to be president––or even a mediocre gameshow host. Voting for Donald is a vote to tear down America and American democracy. And the onus will be on anyone who votes to do it. Republicans: If you can't find it in your heart to eschew Donald for the sake of the country, do it for more selfish reasons. Consider the fate of the more than 1000 federal prisoners would believed Donald's lies and raided the Capital on 1/6. No, this is not about supporting your favorite gameshow host. This is about the stability and long term viability of America. Don't take your responsibility lightly! With Friday Co-Host, David Bach.

CLR Show 1964. Air Date September 10, 2024. Juxtaposing the free-for-all executive privilege ruling of the Supreme Court against the unhinged threats and behavior of Donald Trump, and it's no wonder most of the planet believes America may have lost its mind for even considering convicted felon Donald Trump an acceptable candidate for the presidency, much less one in strong contention for the position. But, despite the tight polls, Kamala's massive and consistent 15-point lead with women, coupled with the inefficient ground game established by the republicans in key swing states, may still lead to a Nixon-McGovern-1972-like victory for Kamala in November. Trump will attack viciously at tonight's debate; it's the only tool left in his quiver. And, by every indication, Kamala will make him pay for it. Stay tuned. 

CLR Show 1963. Air Date September 6, 2024. Donald's campaign has boxed itself into a curious strategy. Unable to deal with policies, issues or facts of any kind and committed to simply tossing out red meat for the ill-informed MAGA masses, it has shifted its disinformation campaign to personal attacks on Harris and Walz––things like negative comments from a former Harris boyfriend or calling Walz before a congressional committee to answer questions about a long defunct state program. And the slurs and mis-facts are being tossed out so rapidly that none seem to be able to gain traction before the next false slur supersedes it. Donald is having no better success trying to co-opt democratic programs he neither understands nor cares about. All of which should make the September 10th presidential candidate debate a very memorable one––but for all the wrong reasons from a Trumpian perspective. With Friday Co-Host, David Bach.

CLR Show 1962. Air Date September 3, 2024. The question must be asked: Knowing nothing more than Donald's (dis)qualifications for elected office––a convicted felon, insurrectionist, sex offender, congenital liar, etc.––who in their right mind would want him as president of the United States or in any other position of leadership? The answer, when all other possibilities have been eliminated, is people who have an emotional bond with Donald that supersedes their capacity to make rational decisions. Donald is the sublimated image of the 'unfairness' that pervades their lives, and the sole mechanism for making all things fair. His base has been driven to this unlikely emotional state by a constant repetition of lies and false promises directed to their basest fears. This tactic has worked to bring down functional democracies in the past. But it will not work this time. The vast majority of Americans are on to Donald. 

CLR Show 1961. Air Date August 30, 2024. The Harris campaign has embraced the notion of hope against the forces of hopelessness and the existential nature of that choice for the American electorate. The Trump campaign has no defense against this messaging. Instead, it will attempt to issue personal attacks, focus on candidate inconsistencies and even (in Clinton-esque fashion) attempt to co-opt democratic positions, much as JD Vance recently and unsuccessfully attempted to do with raising the child tax credit. For Donald and Co., it's an 'everything against the wall and see what sticks' strategy and its awkward execution is apparent in the polls as they shift further toward Harris-Walz. The trick for Kamala is to not be diverted from her core message of 'positive evolution through hope' as she negotiates the final two months of the campaign. With Friday Co-Host, David Bach.    

CLR Show 1960. Air Date August 27, 2024. The Harris-Walz campaign has done more than captivate America. It has proven to be a remarkably astute student of American political history and a brilliant avoider of political pitfalls. Rather than focusing on its differentiations from Joe Biden, it has elevated him to the status of American folk hero ('I love my job, but I love my country more') while assiduously avoiding every pitfall of the 2016 Clinton campaign, including the hubris and self-righteous presumptions of inevitable victory. This is the true genius of the Harris campaign and of the candidate herself. And it seems hard to imagine that the entire strategy and the tools of its seemingly flawless execution were only first conceptualized after Joe Biden retired from the race. We'll invariably learn more about that in the future.     

CLR Show 1959. Air Date August 23, 2024. After what was arguably the most successful political convention in recent American history, the democrats have not only redefined Donald as the antithesis of all that is American, but reduced him in stature as no one has been able to over the past 8 years. Then, as if to underscore everything the democrats said about him, Donald went on a bizarre texting rant during last night's closing ceremonies so far removed from reality that only the most fervent of Kool Aid drinkers could possibly embrace its disjointed, hate-filled, rambling messages. Kamala and the democrats have the wind to their backs and the possibility of a McGovern-like election result for Donald is within the realm of possibility. But, as Michele Obama eloquently and forcefully reminded us all, to make it happen, we must all "Do Something" between now and November 4th. With Friday Co-Host, David Bach.

CLR Show 1958. Air Date August 20, 2024. The first night of the Democratic National Convention was a reason for great joy and celebration, for love of country and love of Joe Biden. But more than anything else, it corrected a longstanding confusion within democratic circles. For too long, we have focused on the threat of Donald before focusing on the moral certitude of our own beliefs, the strength of our policies and the evolutionary promise of America. By focusing on what is good and binds us first, we wholly avoid the self-doubt and paralysis that comes with weighing the force of Donald's gospel of hate and fear. And our hope and joy is 'trickling down' to all segments of American society. The important thing now is to 'act', and to do everything in our power to bring out the largest possible vote for democrats up and down the ticket on November 5th. As Kamala says, "When we fight, we win." 

CLR Show 1957. Air Date August 16, 2024. Not surprisingly, Donald's campaign is quietly putting out predictions of a coming reset, presumably to be triggered by a resounding victory in his debate against VP Harris, and further bolstered by a strong performance by JD Vance against Tim Walz. Really? Is it even within the realm of possibility that the rambling 'weirdo' who has been doing multi-hour 'press conferences' will, suddenly develop the discipline and factual acumen to debate former prosecutor / VP Kamala Harris on matters of fact and policy? Or that he will be able to intimidate her, verbally or physically, as he once attempted to intimidate a far less forceful Hillary Clinton? Harris's performance will also be judged against the one that propelled her into the presidential slot and, there, she's already a winner. Donald will be relegated to 80+ more days of blustering and lying and doing re-runs of the Donald Show. All but the most loyal of viewers have already tuned out. With Friday Co-Host, David Bach.  

CLR Show 1956. Air Date August 13, 2024.  With all the positive energy flowing into and from the Harris campaign and the total antithesis being evidenced on the Trumpian side, it's easy to envision a Harris-Walz victory on Nov. 4. The Harris campaign is bringing out the best of our long-suppressed American optimism, our inherent can-do sense and the very best of the American political system. The problem lies with what happens between November 5th and the inauguration on January 20th. Trump and his minions realize this will be their final chance to destroy the Constitutional order and proclaim Donald ruler of the former United States. Moreover, his pending convictions and imprisonment could well portend their own fate. It's not unreasonable to envision a no-holds-barred effort to illegally seize power––until the strength of the American majority is fully asserted and American law blunts those efforts for good. But don't expect it to be clean or easy.   

CLR Show 1955. Air Date August 9, 2024. A wholly unscientific sampling of prior Trump voters is revealing a willingness to discuss the relative pros and cons of Donald vs. Kamla, at least on the part of the relatively small, rational republican fringes. Given the incredibly positive vibe of the incredibly effective early Harris campaign, this was to be expected. Harris is breaking through even the otherwise impenetrable Trumpian media wall and forcing the moderate fringes to question voting for a convicted felon. But it will not always be this easy for Kamla. The Donald forces will reassemble and begin the heaviest barrage of garbage attacks and outright lies in American political history, probably just after the Democratic convention and in the lead-up to the first (and probably only) Donald-Kamla debate on September 10th. And after that debate... the ultimate expression of Trumpian panic will be on full display. With Friday Co-Host, David Bach.   

CLR Show 1954. Air Date August 6, 2024. Voters in November will have the simplest and most obvious of all of choices; the choice of hope over fear, of Kamala over Donald. But many Trumpians will still choose Donald and fear, largely because they have been bathed in Donald's fear for such an extended period that they are numb to the possibility that hope is an option for America and Americans. That will not be the case for democrats. Kamala has injected a level of hope into the campaign that has not been experienced since the first Obama campaign, and may very well exceed the levels of hope and participation experienced at that time. Her trajectory is upward and her constituency and resources continue to grow at an unprecedented pace.  Donald is throwing everything at the wall and nothing is sticking. The same old grievance-laden predictions of a 'stolen election' will soon become his vapid, beleaguered battle cry. And he will ultimately lose more supporters than he will gain.  

CLR show 1953. Air Date August 2, 2024. The core themes of both the democratic and republican campaigns have been established and it couldn't be more disastrous for the republicans. They are all about fear, division and retribution. The Harris campaign is about hope, inclusion and building America. And all of this before Kamala even announces her VP pick, or the democrats hold their convention. Recall that, even with the recent attempt on Donald's life, the republicans saw no bounce whatsoever from their convention, the worst of all political signs. But Kamala's campaign cannot simply be a contrast in feelings. There must be an intense focus on democratic policies, both as they have and will make the country better and stronger and how they differ from the democracy defeating non-policies of Donald and his ilk. With Friday Co-Host, David Bach.     

CLR Show 1952. Air Date July 30. 2024.  A visitor from Betelgeuse converses with a group of non-Trumpians, trying to make sense of why anyone would vote for convicted felon Donald in a country that calls itself a democracy. His conclusion: Donald's supporters are part of a cult that denies and defies all norms of conventional politics and behavior.  If they understand that putting him in power would mean deconstructing their government and Constitution, it's of no concern––because the cult leader says it's Ok and, what the hell, he was elected president once before. The only way out of imploding the country is for democrats to vote in unprecedented numbers on November 4th. And even then, the cult leader and his cultists will fight the results in any way they can. And it will get ugly. But not as ugly as destroying American democracy. 

CLR Show 1951. Air Date July 26, 2024. Between the Republican National Convention and voter concern over Donald's attempted assassination it would be reasonable to expect Donald and republicans generally to have experienced a significant bump in their numbers. This is typically the case for American political parties. But just the opposite has happened. What was a 4-point lead over Biden nationally, before and after the RNC convention has evaporated into a dead heat or a one-point trailing of Harris just 2 days into her campaign. What should have been a net 10-point bump can be validly construed as a 15-point lost opportunity deficit. Harris has the wind to her back, a positive message for the country and is rapidly re-coalescing the traditional democratic winning constituency pool. Net, net: This election could produce a 1972 McGovern-like disaster for Donald and his minions. (But we'll play the games just the same!) With Friday Co-Host, David Bach.      

CLR Show 1950. Air Date July 23, 2024.  In the space of 24-hours the newly minted Kamala Harris presidential campaign has raised more than $100 million dollars, shattering all presidential fund raising records and witness to a conscious choice of hope over hopelessness on the part of democrats nationwide. Donald and his boy Robiin are now reduced to railing against hope, not a physically declining Joe Biden. It will be lies and grievances against truth and hope. And this is, literally, just day one. 

CLR Show 1949. Air Date July 19, 2024. Too many democrats are making hopeless sounds, all but conceding the election to the soulless forces of Trump sycophancy. But it has been proven, time and time again over the millennia, that, especially in moments of profound importance when the need for change is all the more intense, it is always darkest just before the dawn. For those who are currently fearing that darkness, take hope. And prepare for the political speech of a lifetime by Joe Biden at the Democratic National Convention to democratic cheers and tears of joy and hopefulness like we've never seen or heard them before. With Friday Co-Host, David Bach.

CLR Show 1948. Air Date July 16, 2024. Of late, democrats have been experiencing and all too often eloquently inferring their hopelessness over the apparent normalization of Donald Trump and all things Trumpian to the point where it all sounds like a dry run for a concession speech. That is infuriating. Not once has the attempted assassination of Donald been decried for what it was and is: the latest use of a weapon of mass destruction that should never have been allowed on the streets in the first place, and that is supported by Donald. He is not a hero; he is the latest target of failed republican policies and their callous disregard for the safety of all Americans. The only difference between Donald and the countless others that have been killed by automatic rifles is that he survived the attempt. The bandage he will wear on his ear as a sign of triumph must be converted into a badge of dishonor and willful disdain on the part of a convicted felon. Why is no one else telling it this way? Wake up, democrats! 

CLR Show 1947. Air Date July 12, 2024. Give the conundrum facing democrats and Joe Biden as we struggle to define the top of the ticket, it might be useful to paraphrase the St. Francis prayer, to wit: 'Lord give me the strength to change the things I can change, the patience to accept the things I can't, and the wisdom to recognize the difference between the two.' Implicit in this prayer––if it ever existed as such––is the presence and choice of hope over hopelessness. Challenges like the one democrats face in choosing the top of the ticket and defeating Donald Trump cannot be approached with a sense of foreboding and doom. They must be faced with a positive 'can do' attitude. And it's damn high time democrats understood that. With Friday Co-Host, David Bach.  

CLR Show 1946. Air Date July 9, 2024. Joe Biden's poor debate performance, while doing little to change candidate standings has turned into a rallying point for doom and gloom on the part of the liberal media. This sort of reaction is the worst disservice the media can provide its viewers and listeners. There is nothing to prevent us from defeating Trump and his message of hatred and destruction except our comparable feelings of hopelessness and despair. We are the force of light and goodness. Donald and Co. are the essence of darkness and evil. Quite literally. It doesn't matter who tops the ticket. What matters is each of us committing to doing everything we possibly can to insure the election of democrats up and down every ballot in the country, beginning with the presidency.  

CLR show 1945. Air Date July 5, 2024. The Democratic Party is about to do something the current Trumpian Party could never even envision: making a mid-course correction for the sake of the party and American democracy by selecting new candidates for president and vice president from a pool that suggests we have a wealth of riches at our disposal. If rumors are correct, Donald may be on the verge of choosing Michael Flynn to run as his vice-presidential pick. That would mean a twice impeached, convicted felon, sex offender and tax cheat would be choosing a criminal that he personally pardoned to run with him for the highest elected positions in the world. No amount of 'Swift Boating' could possibly hide the ugliness of it all from the large majority of Americans. With Friday Co-Host, David Bach.  

CLR show 1944. Air Date July 2, 2024. With its horrific decision granting virtual kingship to sitting presidents, the US Supreme Court has officially removed itself as a functional branch of the American government and declared the rule of law and the Constitution null and void for all practical purposes. We are left with one final option: to win and retain the presidency this November together with both houses of Congress and to begin the slow, painful process of reclaiming the meaning and function of American democracy. To allow Donald into the White House is to end the American experiment and all it signifies and makes possible for America and the world. Joe Biden must be reelected. We have no other viable choices.    

CLR Show 1943. Air Date June 27, 2024. Joe Biden's performance in the presidential debate was far below expectations. He seemed old, at times forgetful and spoke is a raspy voice that, only later, was revealed to be the effects of a cold. It was a massive disappointment for democrats and, being democrats, many are still panicking. It will also drive Donald to new levels of calumny and bombast and result in his further discounting of Joe as a viable opponent. But he will do this at his own peril. The panic will subside. Democrats will double down. Joe will have far better appearances. Donald will be sentenced. And the presidential race will still be one of truth versus the basest of lies. We are fighting to preserve American democracy; Donald is out to destroy it. With Friday Co-Host, David Bach.   

CLR Show 1942. Air Date June 25, 2024. This Thursday's presidential candidate debate promises to be one of the more egregious mismatches in debating history. Jo Biden has been sequestered for a week working on statements of policy and Donald's weaknesses. Both would need to be cogently stated in a format that will permit no 'talking-over' one's opponent. Donald, on the other hand, is doing no specific debate preparation whatsoever and is merely doing a series of rambling campaign speeches that leave even his most ardent supporters scratching their heads. Prediction: Donald will not show for the debate, or depart early when his efforts to shout over Biden prove futile.  

CLR Show 1941. Air Date June 21, 2024. A new poll shows Donald and Joe Biden neck and neck with Biden slightly ahead with a fraction over 40% of registered voters. But that missing 20 percent of the electorate with be the key to the election. They are the true undecided independents, and during this coming Thursday's debate they will watch Donald self-destruct in a deluge of paranoid attacks and mindless blathering, all ill-suited to the sedate format. It's custom made for Biden. And on July 11th, Donald finally gets sentenced; read: suffers the first real world penalties for his criminal acts. And there's so much more to come. Don't be surprised if Jack Smith resumes the 1/6 case immediately after the ethically challenged Supreme Court begrudgingly concedes there is no such thing as blanket presidential immunity. With Friday Co-Host, David Bach. 

CLR Show 1940. Air Date June 18, 2024. The Trumpian mindset allows only for the destruction of those things that are deemed 'offensive'. Coming from a position of fear and grievance, there is no choice but to destroy those things that stand in the way of a fantasy America that never was and could never be. The notion seems to be that if the functional core of the country is destroyed, somehow Donald will rebuild it in a form that works for 'us'. 'They' don't matter. It's another reason why it's a fool's errand to try and reason Trumpians out of their delusions. They'll simply have to work through them on their own as democrats continue working for a 'more perfect union'––for all. 

CLR Show 1939. Air Date June 14, 2024. On June 27th, Donald will debate Joe Biden on live TV before no one but CNN and ABC commentators, under a strict series of rules. It is the antithesis of the preferred Trump format and he will be destroyed if he shows up. He may very well decline to appear. On July 11th, Donald will be sentenced and, based on leaked communications between his lawyers and the Republican National Convention staff, there is a reasonable chance he may not be able to attend because home or local confinement may be in effect, even as he pursues his appeal. In either circumstance, the base will remain unmoved and/or remain entirely uninformed. But the independents and the wavering segments of the GOP will get the message(s) loud and clear. And change will be in the air. With Friday Co-Host, David Bach.  

CLR Show 1938. Air Date June 11, 2024. If you'd been living on a tiny island as part of a small community with no connection to America for 30 years, and suddenly found yourself back in America, you'd be interested in reconnecting with the politics, especially realizing it was an election year. And if you were thrust into a group of Democrats and MAGA-ists, you'd first realize that no one could agree on a set of political facts or other facts. But once you'd done some research of your own and realized who the candidates were, you'd reach the unavoidable conclusion that the MAGA-ists were insane for wanting a convicted criminal to be president. And you'd do everything in your power to keep that person out of the White House. Right?  To do otherwise would be insane. Right?

CLR Show 1937. Air Date June 7, 2024. All democracies come with a self destruct switch. To avoid triggering it, every generation must re-commit to the perpetuation and positive evolution of the democracy by choosing love and hope over fear and grievance. It will never be a unanimous choice, but love and hope must be embraced by a clear majority of the citizens. If this is not the case, then fear and grievance will predominate, democratic institutions will fail, and we will repeat the familiar steps that lead to the fascistic and communistic states of the 20th century. And it could be generations––if ever––before we came to our senses and regained our footing. With Friday Co-Host, David Bach.

CLR Show 1936. Air Date June 4, 2024. Yes, Donald will continue to prove his incompetence every time he approaches a microphone. He will prove his ineligibility to serve every time a newscaster recites his litany of crimes, prosecuted and and un-prosecuted. He will reveal his disdain for the constitution and his willingness to destroy the fabric of American democracy on countless occasions. He will be sentenced to incarceration and/or house arrest and attempt to wear it as a bizarre badge of honor. As insane as it sounds, none of this can outright prevent him from winning the 2024 presidential election. Only his resounding defeat at the ballot box can do that. And that will take dedication and commitment on the part of every democrat in the nation, no matter what other grievances you might harbor. Period.   

CLR Show 1935. Air Date May 31, 2024. The headlines that Trump and the republican power brokers have dreaded seeing are finally on every newspaper and internet site on the planet: 'Trump Guilty On All Counts'. And he'll probably be given jail time. Donald is acting as though he can simply blow past it all. But the leadership knows better. Rather than the coattails on which all will glide into a new era of republican power, Donald is the millstone that will sink the entire party for several generations. Do not imagine for a moment, no matter what you read or hear, and especially from Donald himself, that the republican power brokers will fall on their swords to express fealty to Donald. There will be a very interesting Republican National Convention beginning on July 14th. With Friday Co-Host, David Bach. 

CLR Show 1934. Air Date May 28, 2024. Whether or not Donald is convicted this week, the irrational emotions and grievances of the base will be stoked all the more. Whether or not he is incarcerated or loses in November, it won't matter. It will all be seen as further proof of the unavoidability of us versus them and a clarion call to fight to the bitter end to defeat 'them'. And if, God forbid, Donald were to win in November, there is no clear vision of what a victory would mean, except an evisceration and reconstruction of all tools of government to suit Donald's personal purposes. And after that... We need a leader who can begin the process of reuniting the country under the aegis of true patriotism. And it will be a slow painful process––at best.