America's Democrats

A special netcast today, following the Democratic National Convention. Former Maryland Governor and presidential contender Martin O’Malley and former DNC chair and Senator Fred Harris appeared at a gathering of 21st Century Democrats held during Convention Week in Philadelphia. And Bill Press talks with Terry O’Neill of the National Organization for Women.

From the 21st Century Democrats gathering in Philadelphia, Martin O’Malley addresses the group and then sits down to praise the Sanders movement for making the party’s platform the most progressive in history and how to fight the “fascist, racist, bigoted” Donald Trump.

Fred Harris has been a leading figure in progressive e politics since the 1960s. He sat down with us in Philadelphia for some reflections on the past … and the future.

Bill Press interviews Terry O’Neill of the National Organization for Women.

Allowing profiteering predators to roam our public parks.

Princeton historian Sean Wilentz makes the case FOR partisanship in politics as a way to create effective change. Journalist James Fallows reflects on the legacy of Jimmy Carter 40 years after he became the Democratic presidential nominee. And Bill Press talks with Democratic strategist Karen Finney

Everyone seems to think partisanship is a bad idea, but historian Sean Wilentz documents how, when used effectively, it can lead to great social change.

Jimmy Carter was an “outsider” who won the Democratic presidential nomination 40 years ago. His former speechwriter, James Fallows, says that an outsider can win the White House if the public feels there is a crisis – but then it becomes very hard to actually govern.

Website: http://www.theatlantic.com/author/james-fallows/

Bill Press interviews Democratic strategist Karen Finny, about the party conventions.

Winning even when losing.

Former Senator Larry Pressler was a Republican, now an independent, and he heartily supports Hillary Clinton for president. Kyle Kondik forecasts elections. He has Hillary Clinton with a solid electoral majority. And Bill Press talks with Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson of Dallas.

Larry Pressler is a hunter and a combat veteran. He served three terms as a Republican senator from South Dakota. Now he supports Hillary Clinton, partly for her views on gun safety.

Website: https://www.amazon.com/Senator-Pressler-Independent-Mission-Democracy/dp/1937592588?ie=UTF8&ref_=asap_bc

University of Virginia political analyst Kyle Kondick says everything now points to a big win for Hillary Clinton. And, he says, pay attention to Arizona and Georgia.

Website: http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/articles/the-electoral-college-map-no-2/

Bill Press interviews Dallas Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson about relations between police forces and the community.

Winning even when losing.

Regular commentator Fred Rotondaro says Hillary’s campaign is hampered by Bill’s and her tendency to say dumb things but Donald Trump’s campaign is a threat to democracy. Yale Professor Jacob Hacker makes the case for strong government to make markets work and ensure prosperity. And Bill Press talks with Joseph Zogby, a Sanders member of the Democratic platform committee.

Progressive commentator Fred Rotondaro says despite Hillary Clinton’s recent problems, she will have the campaign organization and the entire Democratic Party behind her to launch her into the White House.

Website: http://www.catholicsinalliance.org/

The fact that so many people are hostile to government is a reminder of what Yale Professor Jacob Hacker calls “American Amnesia” about how regulation brought scientific advances and ensured prosperity.

Website: http://isps.yale.edu/news/blog/2016/03/jacob-hackers-new-book-american-amnesia-just-released#.Vv8sV4-cGM8

Bill Press interviews Joseph Zogby, a Sanders representative to the Democratic platform committee.

What does it mean to "gig" American workers?

Republican trade expert Clyde Prestowitz says the winners in free trade are the 1 per cent and the losers are everyone else. Progressive author Thomas Frank asks “What the hell happened to Barack Obama?” The question is part of his belief that too many Harvard grads are making a mess of things. And Bill Press talks with Politico’s Elena Schneider about Senate elections.

Clyde Prestowitz is a labor economist who served in the Reagan and Clinton Administrations. He gives us a pretty good explanation of what free trade is all about. Hint: It isn’t about trade, it’s about investment.

Website: www.econstrat.org

What’s gone wrong with the Democratic Party of the New Deal? Author Thomas Frank says the party has become identified with the affluent professional class, not the middle class.

Website: http://www.tcfrank.com/

Bill Press interviews political reporter Elena Schneider of Politico.

Why was the “Brexit” vote so shocking to global elites?

Salon editor David Daley has written a new book provocatively titled “Rat-Effed,” about how Republicans openly manipulated the political process to take control of Congress. Journalist Andrew Gumbel is an expert on dirty elections. He says the Democrats have many problems, including choosing to live too close to other Democrats. And Peter Ogburn of the Bill Press Show interviews reporter David Fahrenthold about Donald Trump’s phony charities.

David Daley, the author of an acclaimed new book called “Rat-Effed,” accuses the Republicans of a conspiracy to take over the government – except they did it openly right under the noses of the Democrats.

Website: http://www.amazon.com/Ratf-ked-Behind-Americas-Democracy/dp/1631491628/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1465244619&sr=8-1&keywords=ratfcked

The Democrats routinely get more votes across the country in elections for Congress. But Republicans are in charge. Journalist Andrew Gumbel says it’s due to gerrymandering and suppressing Democratic votes.

Website: www.andrewgumbel.com

The Washington Post’s David Fahrenthold, on the Bill Press Show, exposes Donald Trump’s phony charitable donations.

Paul Ryan has some snake oil for you.

Todd Gitlin, a historian of the Sixties, compares Donald Trump to George Wallace, but this time the racism won’t help the Republicans win the White House as it did in 1968. In light of the Orlando massacre, we reprise an interview with Dr. Nina Agrawal of Doctors for America. And Bill Press interviews Representative Mark Pocan of Wisconsin.

Todd Gitlin was an activist in the 1960s and a historian of that turbulent political era. He compares Donald Trump to George Wallace … and says the Republicans have become “the party of frustrated male pride.”

Website: http://www.journalism.columbia.edu/profile/38-todd-gitlin/10

In light of the massacre in Orlando, we are pleased to re-play an interview with Dr. Nina Agrawal of Doctors for America. She explains how Republicans have barred federal research on gun violence – which she calls “a public health epidemic.”

Website: http://www.drsforamerica.org/issues/gun-violence-research-ban

Bill Press interviews Wisconsin Congressman Mark Pocan.

How job cuts miraculously turn into job “creation”

As Hillary Clinton homes in on the Democratic presidential nomination, political science professor Jennifer Lawless says that voting for women is no longer a novelty for most people. Regular commentator Fred Rotondaro says Bernie Sanders is not going to allow Donald Trump to win the White House, but Hillary still has to reassure his supporters. And Bill Press interviews Representative Sandy Levin of Michigan on the GOP anti-poverty plan.

Political scientist and feminist Jennifer Lawless says the polarization of politics has helped women candidates because voters now look at party affiliation and not gender.

Website: www.american.edu/wpi

Regular commentator Fred Rotondaro says Hillary Clinton has plenty of work to do to bring Bernie Sanders supporters into her camp and Sander will not do anything to allow Trump to win the White House.

Website: http://www.catholicsinalliance.org/

Bill Press interviews Michigan Congressman Sandy Levin on Paul Ryan’s latest anti-poverty scheme.

Donald Drumpf is Deranged.

Harvard’s top foreign policy expert, Joseph Nye, looks at the global challenges facing the next president. Hillary Clinton biographer Jonathan Allen says her experience may be a vulnerability, but also means she has an understanding of how to achieve consensus and make government work. And Bill Press interviews the Atlantic’s Vann Newkirk The Second about Obamacare and voting rights for ex-felons.

Joseph Nye, a Harvard professor and one of the country’s most prominent foreign policy analysts, says the Middle East and China are the biggest issues facing the next president.

Website: https://www.hks.harvard.edu/about/faculty-staff-directory/joseph-nye

Jonathan Allen, who is working on a second book about Hillary Clinton, says she might be seen in the presidential campaign as the hawk and Donald Trump as the dove. Her strength, though, may be simply that she knows how to work the levers of power at home and abroad.

Website: www.sidewire.com

Bill Press interview the Atlantic Magazine’s Vann Newkirk The Second about Obamacare and voting rights for ex-felons.

How Hillary has sent chills down my spine.

Political scientist Jacob Hacker says Americans are amnesiacs. Many have forgotten what already made it great. The answer, he says, is government. Harvard scholar Alexander Hertel-Fernandez examines how and why Democrats have been throttled in state and local politics. And Bill Press interviews New York Congressman Sean Maloney about the House actually standing up for LGBT rights.

Yale political scientist Jacob Hacker has written a book called “American Amnesia.” What have we forgotten? He documents that life is better – and America remains great – due to actions of government.

Website: http://isps.yale.edu/news/blog/2016/03/jacob-hackers-new-book-american-amnesia-just-released#.Vv8sV4-cGM8

If you want to get progressive values enacted across the country, Harvard scholar Alex Hertel-Fernandez says work at the state and local level – just the way conservatives have trounced liberals in the past.

Website:  http://www.hertelfernandez.com/

New York Congressman Sean Maloney tells Bill Press about how Republicans were shamed into supporting LGBT rights on the House floor.

How a foreign Beer pulled a coup on "America"