It’s Friday, so that means it's panel time.
Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is planning to join the Democratic presidential primary campaign. The decision is a shift in direction for Bloomberg, who siad in March that he wouldn't be running. Is there a path here for Bloomberg? Is this a public rebuke of the performance so far of former US Vice President Joe Biden, who has attempted to build a coalition of the same moderate Democrats that Bloomberg would court? Will this inflame the populist wing of the party? Where does he pull votes from?
"House Republicans’ latest plan to shield President Trump from impeachment is to focus on at least three deputies — US Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland, Trump’s lawyer Rudolph W. Giuliani, and possibly acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney — who they say could have acted on their own to influence Ukraine policy," the Washington Post reported Thursday. Is this a plausible defense?
The trial of Roger Stone, longtime Republican political strategist, friend of US President Donald Trump and former adviser to the Trump campaign, began Tuesday. He stands accused of lying to Congress about acting as a liaison between the Trump campaign and WikiLeaks, as well as witness tampering and obstruction of justice. What is this really all about? He’s accused of NOT having any connection to WikiLeaks and inflating his importance to a Congressional panel. He is accused of NOT knowing a thing while pretending he was in in touch with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
"Kentucky's Senate President Robert Stivers suggested Tuesday night that the close race between Gov. Matt Bevin and Democratic challenger Andy Beshear could ultimately be decided by the state's Republican-controlled legislature, sparking warnings that the GOP could attempt to 'steal' the election," Common Dreams reported Wednesday. The article notes: "According to the New York Times, Beshear is leading Bevin by more than 5,000 votes with 100 percent of the precincts reporting. Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes, a Democrat, called the race for Beshear Tuesday night." Furthermore, it adds: "Bevin, a fervent backer of President Donald Trump, told his supporters Tuesday night that he has no plans to concede the election. The Republican governor claimed without evidence that there were 'more than a few irregularities' in the race. ... The local Courier Journal reported that Bevin has 30 days under state law to 'formally contest the outcome once it is certified by the State Board of Elections.'" In justifying his complaints, Common Dreams said that "Stivers pointed to Section 90 of the Kentucky state Constitution, which says: 'Contested elections for Governor and Lieutenant Governor shall be determined by both Houses of the General Assembly, according to such regulations as may be established by law.'"
We've got all these topics and more!!!
GUESTS:
Caleb Maupin — Journalist and political analyst who focuses his coverage on US foreign policy and the global system of monopoly capitalism and imperialism.
Dr. Jack Rasmus — Professor of economics and politics at St. Mary’s College in California.
Jim Kavanagh — Political analyst and commentator and editor of The Polemicist.
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