Background Briefing: June 12, 2018
Singapore Summit Light on Disarmament We begin with the choreographed Kim-Trump photo-op that was very light on substance and even lighter on the takeaway, a one-page signed agreement which promised much less than the 1994 and 2006 joint communiques, which has...
Background Briefing: June 11, 2018
Could North Korea Play the US Off Against China? We begin with the meeting between President Trump and the North Korean dictator due to take place in one hour from now and explore the possibility that Kim Jong-un could put himself in the position of playing...
Background Briefing: June 10, 2018
Trump Forges a Global Realignment Rewarding Despots While Punishing Allies We begin with the politics of petulance as the man-child and leader of the free world blows up alliances and tramples on relations with traditional allies while reaching out to...
Background Briefing: June 7, 2018
Trump Stiffs Allies While Embracing Despots Then we examine further Trump tariffs on allies and neighbors and the extent to which, because of anger at Trump from indignant populations in France, the U.K., Germany, Japan, Mexico and Canada, leaders of these...
Background Briefing: June 6, 2018
The Democrats Squeak by with a Low Turn-Out in California We begin with the results of primary elections in eight states yesterday with close attention being paid to New Jersey and California for signs of a Blue Wave that could sweep away Republican control of...
Background Briefing: June 5, 2018
Trump’s Cynical Politicization of Sports We begin with President Trump un-inviting the Super Bowl winners the Philadelphia Eagles to a White House celebration today to get ahead of the fact few of the team were going to show up. Ben Carrington, a Professor of...
Background Briefing: June 4, 2018
A Supreme Court Ruling as “Christian” Nationalists Move Into State Legislatures We begin with the Supreme Court decision on the Christian fundamentalist baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a gay couple and discuss the ruling with Rachel Laser, the...
Background Briefing: June 3, 2018
Tuesday’s California Primary as a Bellwether For Flipping the House With the June 5th California primary two days away and the expectation that the results will be a bellwether for the Democrat’s chances of taking the House and possibly the Senate in November,...