Inside-America

US President Donald #Trump used his rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to energize his base, amid his continuing slide in national polls which now give his Democratic rival Joe Biden an increasing lead.

Trump also appealed to his supporters to ‘save America’s heritage’ from those who seek to demolish it and ‘impose their new oppressive regime in its place.’ In racially-charged language, the President called the Coronavirus ‘Kung flu’ and referred to criminals as ‘hombres’.

This comes on the heels of scathing criticism by former National Security Advisor, John Bolton, who revealed in his new book that the President repeatedly appealed to foreign leaders to help him win a second term.

So where does American democracy stand today?

Noam Chomsky, Professor Emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT, joins Ghida Fakhry on Inside America.

Watch Inside America ➡ Weekly in-depth interviews with American opinion and policy-makers exploring the issues shaping US politics.

The police shooting of Rayshard Brooks, a 27-year old black man shot in the back by a white police officer in Atlanta on June 12, has fueled a new wave of protests over police brutality and racial injustice in the United States. As protestors’ demands for police accountability grow, can the US Congress deliver meaningful reform? And is President #Trump using his first campaign rally in more than three months to stoke racial tensions and shore up his base ahead of the elections?

Guests:

Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson- US Congresswoman (D-TX) and Member of the Congressional Black Caucus

DeRay Mckesson- Black Lives Matter Activist & Organizer

Michael Steele- Former Chairman of the Republican National Committee and Former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland

Watch Inside America ➡ Weekly in-depth interviews with American opinion and policy-makers exploring the issues shaping US politics.

Breaking their silence. Former Trump allies and military leaders speak out against the Commander-in-Chief’s abuse of authority, as prominent Republicans publicly disavow the #President.

Former President George W. Bush is among those who say they cannot support Trump’s bid for a second term. So is Mitt Romney, the only Republican Senator who voted to convict Trump after his impeachment by the House or Representatives. And former Secretary of State Colin Powell, in his first public statements about the President, called him a ‘danger to the United States’. Powell, who also served as Chairman of the Joint chiefs of Staff, criticized Republicans in Congress for not speaking out against what he called Trump’s abuses of power, repeated lies, and drifts away from the Constitution.

This follows scathing criticism from another retired US General —and former Defense Secretary— James Mattis, who labelled Trump ‘a threat to the US constitution’.

With Trump now trailing Biden in the latest national polls, how will this unprecedented wave of public rebukes by the top military brass affect Trump’s re-election prospects?

Guests:

Sean O'Keefe

Former US Secretary of the Navy

Andy Mills

Police Chief of Santa Cruz, California

Imani Perry

Professor of African American Studies at Princeton University

Watch Inside America ➡ Weekly in-depth interviews with American opinion and policy-makers exploring the issues shaping US politics.

The US is bracing to see how President Trump, law enforcement agencies and the military will respond to growing #protests over the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, by white police officers.

Despite the president’s threats to unleash the military, thousands of people continue to take to the streets to express their anger over what they see as a culture of racism within police departments throughout the country.

It’s a divisive, painful moment in the United States. But will the protesters’ call for accountability be heard? Could this moment be a catalyst for systemic change? And can we trust that this will end peacefully?

Guests:

Anthony Scaramucci

White House Director of Communications (July 2017)

Marc Morial

President of the National Urban League & Mayor of New Orleans (1994-2002)

Watch Inside America ➡ Weekly in-depth interviews with American opinion and policy-makers exploring the issues shaping US politics.

Can Joe Biden convince Hispanic voters who are poised to become America’s largest nonwhite voting bloc, to support him in November’s Presidential Election?

And, the US military budget has increased over 100 billion dollars under the Trump administration, will the #pandemic lead to a cut in America’s military spending?

Plus, why US jails are hotspots for coronavirus outbreaks. We look at how America’s prisons are becoming a crisis within a crisis.

Guests:

Evelyn Perez-Verdia

Democratic strategist specializing in Latino issues in the state of Florida

Eleanor Holmes Norton

Democratic Congresswoman Representing Washington DC

Marc Mauer

Executive Director of the Sentencing Project, a group that advocates for criminal justice reform in the US

Watch Inside America ➡ Weekly in-depth interviews with American opinion and policy-makers exploring the issues shaping US politics.

As the 2020 campaign heats up, amid a catastrophic public health crisis, Republicans and Democrats face off in what is shaping up to be an unpredictable presidential election. Americans will have to decide who the best suited candidate is to become commander-in-chief and lead the country out of a catastrophic public health and economic crisis.

Can the democratic contender, former Vice President Joe Biden, galvanize the young progressive base amid a stay-at-home order?

Will Donald Trump’s campaign for a sweeping investigation into the Obama administration excite his base or challenge the rule of law?

#democracy

Guests:

Nina Turner- Former National Co-Chair for the Sanders 2020 Presidential Campaign and a former state senator from Ohio

K.T. McFarland- President Trump’s first Deputy National Security Advisor, serving under Michael Flynn

Watch Inside America ➡ Weekly in-depth interviews with American opinion and policy-makers exploring the issues shaping US politics.

A grim reality beneath an already dire situation, and it isn't just African Americans who bear the brunt of this pandemic — the #virus is exploiting America’s deeply-entrenched socio-economic inequalities. With the US death toll on the rise, recent data shows that the coronavirus is infecting and killing African Americans, at a disproportionate rate.

While they represent 13% of the US population, African Americans account for 33% of Covid19 hospitalizations and 34% of deaths, to date.

The Navajo Nation, a Native American tribe in the US, has the third-highest covid-19 infection rate in the US, just behind the states of New York and New Jersey. It's per capita infection rate is in fact 10 times higher than Arizona’s. So then, does the slogan “we’re all in this together” ring true — or does it mask a much harsher reality?

Guests:

Marc Lamont Hill

Professor of Urban Education and Media Studies at Temple University

Jonathan Nez

President of the Navajo Nation

Charanya Krishnaswami

Director of Advocacy for the Americas at Amnesty International USA

Watch Inside America ➡ Weekly in-depth interviews with American opinion and policy-makers exploring the issues shaping US politics.

Senators returned to Capitol Hill on Monday amid a growing number of COVID-19 cases in Washington DC to begin considering a fourth round of federal aid. So, will the big corporations or the people prevail? And can the federal government simply allow states to go bankrupt?

And states and health officials across the US report unequal access to testing kits and bidding wars among governors, with some getting the medical supplies they need from abroad. Do we have a clear picture of how resources are being distributed?

Finally, #COVID19 has now taken more American lives than the wars in Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq combined. Is this a war the commander-in-chief can win? And how will this pandemic shift America’s national security priorities?

Guests:

Ed Rendell- Former Governor of Pennsylvania (2003-2011),

Craig Fugate- Former FEMA Administrator (2009-2017)

Richard Myers- Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Of Staff (2001-2005) and President of Kansas State University

Watch Inside America ➡ Weekly in-depth interviews with American opinion and policy-makers exploring the issues shaping US politics.

President Trump wants America to re-open for business, as Governors weigh the risks. Health experts are warning: they could be making a deadly mistake.

This week, the White House unveiled its ‘guidelines for Opening up America Again’—a three-stage process that will allow states to lift their lockdowns and allow businesses to reopen.

As the death toll inches towards 60,000, several states are easing restrictions despite ongoing shortages in testing capacity. While it has increased in recent days, it is still nowhere near the level President Trump claims —with just 1.5% of the population tested for the virus.

While Trump called on people to ‘liberate’ their states from lockdowns, he rebuked the Republican Governor of Georgia for violating the White House’s guidelines by re-opening non-essential businesses like hair salons and tattoo parlors. So is the President playing more politics than policy?

Guests:

Tom Price

Former US Secretary for Health and Human Services

Samantha Power

Former US Ambassador to the United Nations

Jeff Flake

For Republican US Senator, Arizona

#reopening

Watch Inside America ➡ Weekly in-depth interviews with American opinion and policy-makers exploring the issues shaping US politics.