The guest host for today's show is Brad Bannon. Brad runs Bannon Communications Research, a polling, message development and media firm which helps labor unions, progressive issue groups and Democratic candidates win public affairs and political campaigns. His show, 'Deadline D.C. with Brad Bannon,' airs every Monday from 3-4pm ET.

Brad is first joined by Charlie Cook, Founder of the Cook Political Report. They discuss the pending government shutdown, and then preview the second GOP presidential debate.

During the second half of the show, Dr. Bob Bollinger, Professor of Infectious Diseases at the John Hopkins University School of Medicine, examines the latest COVID-19 surge, and details the new vaccine booster shot.

Charlie's Twitter handle is @CharlieCookDC.

Dr. Bollinger holds joint appointments in International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and in Community Public Health at the JH School of Nursing.

He is also Founding Director of the Center for Clinical Global Health Education (CCGHE).

Their website is main.ccghe.net and their Facebook page is Facebook.com/CCGHE.

Brad writes a political column every Sunday for 'The Messenger.' He's on the National Journal's panel of political insiders and is a national political analyst for WGN TV and Radio in Chicago and KNX Radio in Los Angeles.

You can read Brad's columns at www.MuckRack.com/Brad-Bannon. His Twitter handle is @BradBannon.