Between the Headlines

What are the most hotly contested issues in this election cycle, and what are the two campaigns saying about them?

"Battleground 2020" includes the coronavirus pandemic, racial and social justice movements, law and order, whether America is on the right track, and whether 2020 is a partisan or candidate-oriented election.

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I have so many frustrations with modern American politics: Trump's authoritarianism; disconnect among the population; weaponizing fear; lack of trust in media; Trump's shamelessness in lying and political fatigue; tribalism and an inability to exchange opinions because of closed thought bubbles. However, this can be boiled down to a dearth of personal values on a societal level: understanding and trust. I then defend political correctness and cancel culture as forms of human decency and accountability. Thanks to Covid-19 and racial tensions, this is a crucial time, but the Roman republic didn't need to fall, and America doesn't either.

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Comparing the themes from last week's DNC to this week's RNC.

Thoroughly discussing each of the thirteen aspects in Professor Allan Lichtman's election prediction model. Topics include: the effect of coronavirus on the economy, the role of incumbency and third parties in elections, the differing foreign policies of Biden and Trump, the Ukraine and Russian collusion scandals and so on.

For more detail, listen to the full episode. This episode is largely based on Lichtman's op-doc in the New York Times.

Voting cannot be abstracted down to a single left-right continuum; so there are many anti-Biden Democrats, who are liberal yet oppose their candidate. They include Bernie or bust voters who prefer Trump's energetic, revolutionary candidacy; coastal urban progressives who aren't enthusiastic enough to either vote or donate; people worried about his mental health and capacity to serve as president. And yet, Biden brings his own unique advantages to compensate for such losses.

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Further elaborating on my last seven episodes. Topics range from education, to the Electoral College, to political participation. 

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The Lincoln Project has a very simple and specific aim: to sway anti-Trump moderate conservatives to vote against him and for Biden. The Biden campaign also recognizes the electoral importance of this group and attempts to embrace them as much as possible; they are presenting him as a viable option, not threatening and also not Trump. So far, this strategy has been enough, as Trump repels voters and stimulates the Democratic base. Biden sees the GOP and its voters as a coalition that can be taken apart, and he's doing just that merely by welcoming moderate conservative and independent voters already inclined to disavow Trump. 

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In this episode, I thoroughly analyze comedy as a political medium. It's opinionated journalism that is gaining trust. It's able to point out absurdity by taking itself and the world less seriously. It's engaging, especially to less political bases, thereby increasing awareness. It's informing us about recent developments in the world. It's ever-expanding and evolving, now into the digital world of memes, social media and YouTube. But, it's also causing insensitivity and superficial involvement. From comedy, we can deduce a future where lines between politics and culture are blurred; the "casualization" of politics. Who knew there could be so much behind a joke?

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With Biden's VP pick expected to come out soon, what makes a VP so important—and especially important this year? What should Joe Biden look for in a candidate? I survey his various options, analyzing their pros and cons first in broad categories, then individually, narrowing down his most plausible choices to three women.

Who are they, and what are their respective chances? For more, listen to the full episode.

We need to change the way we think about the 2020 elections. Joe Biden has a dominating, uncompetitive lead by every measure; the Senate race has now become a toss-up, with perhaps even a slight edge for the Democratic Party. In a proper election prediction, I forecast Democrats winning the presidency, the House and the Senate. I explain both the general trends and electoral maps behind this newfound, profound Democratic advantage. 

For more detail, please listen to the full episode.