Center Left Radio

Looking Back On This Day

CLR Show 1979. Air Date November 5, 2024. As this show is put up on this podcast feed, it's impossible to say with any certainty who will win the presidential election––although our fondest hopes are with Kamala Harris. What we can say for certain is that hope and love will ultimately overcome fear and division. And that the evolutionary processes that will ultimately redefine us as a nation, a planet and a universe are already in play and––barring our extinction as a species––will invariably lead to a better and more inclusive world for us all. The question is, how hard will segments of our society push back against  the prospect of change?  How far will they go to assuage the fear of losing what they have or, more precisely, never had to avoid embracing the hopeful expectations of a largely unknowable future? Those choices will define the pace (and pain) of change. But they can never eradicate the simple truth that change is, has always been and will always be the magical constant of all our lives.

It's The Days Ahead : The Friday Show

CLR Show 1978. Air Date November 1, 2024. In truth, Kamala Harris appears poised to be elected the next president of the United States. The bigger issue is how Donald and his minions will attempt to cravenly delay or reverse her victory. Some level of acting out among the disillusioned base would appear inevitable. But then there's Donald's sentencing in NY on November 26th and the near certainty of some form of physical restriction. How will the most radical elements in the Trumpian base respond to that? Will Donald's minions go even further than they went in January of 2021? Joe Biden has been empowered by the Supreme Court with a writ of presidential immunity. And although that writ was intended to benefit Donald by slowing down the pace of his federal trials, I can envision Joe using it in a final act of his presidency to bring those who would attempt to destroy this country to perpetrate a lie and assert their own false power under swift and firm control. With Friday Co-Host, David Bach.    

Closing Arguments

CLR Show 1977. Air Date October 29, 2024. With one week left until the election both political camps are busily making their closing arguments to potential voters. The democrats are amplifying the message of hope, inclusion and positive future vision that has characterized their entire campaign. The trumpians, predictably and regrettably, have ratcheted up their core message of hate, grievance, division, prejudice and outright fear to levels that would have been unthinkable even two months ago. Donald's Madison Square Garden rally referred to Puerto Rico as a floating island of garbage. This instantly alienated, perhaps, several million potential voters and will continue to resonate in the Latin community. Why do such an insanely self-destructive thing this close to the election? Because fear feeds on itself and is ultimately self-destructive. That is why Donald will lose and lose big next week.   

A Special Noble Hearts Forum : Election 2024

CLR Show 1976. Air Date October 22, 2024.  Panelists Bill Arnone, John Cugini and Bill Mulligan discuss the 2024 presidential election from differing political perspectives and with an emphasis on issues that are too often overlooked by the media. The result is a consensus, not so much about who will be elected but the challenges that will continue to confront America, no matter who is. Must listening.

A Tipping Point : The Friday Show

CLR Show 1975. Air Date October 18, 2024. Kamala Harris's appearance on Fox coupled with her various meetings with groups of well-known and not as well known republicans appears to signal a major realization on the part of her campaign, viz., that there is far more headway to be exploited among disgruntled republicans than was imagined earlier in the campaign. At the very moment Donald appears to be shutting down his campaign, Harris is on fire, doing a non-stop series of smaller event and interviews, and often several a day. Her campaign seems to sense, and the 'feeling' is getting stronger every day, that she is headed for victory and a much larger one than current polls would suggest. With Friday Co-Host, David Bach. 

But What If...

CLR Show 1974. Air Date October 15, 2024. While all signs point to a Harris-Walz victory, it's critical to consider the consequences of a Donald victory. Chief among them would be immediate infighting between and among the various factions of the former republican party. Will they commit to quickly rebuilding as something reminiscent of the Regan era party, or commit to remaining a permanent party of Trump, complete with a gutting of the civil service, prosecution of political rivals and use of the military as Donald's private militia? And if they're to remain a permanent trumpian party, knowing full well this will mean a resounding defeat in the 2026 midterms, what purpose will free and free elections serve? And why sustain a Constitution that places too many obstacles in the way of unfettered control? To say nothing of the massive and inevitable civil unrest that will follow and the unknown response to it all by the strongest military in the world. Donald must be defeated. 

Time For The Big Guns : The Friday Show

CLR Show 1973. Air Date October 11, 2024. The democrats have more ammunition to hurl back at the republicans––in the form of easily exposed and debunked republican lies about everything–– than any other presidential campaign in modern American history. It's now a question of refining and perfecting the messages that reveal those lies to all of America: that republicans are pro-police; that democratic scientists can make hurricanes effect only republican districts; that illegal Haitians are eating cats and dogs in Michigan; and that Donald actually cares about America. His only reason for running is to stay out of jail. And it's so easy to convincingly argue that he's guilty of everything he's been accused of. Barack Obama's appearance on the campaign train is a positive sign that the best of the democratic messaging is still to come. With Friday Co-Host, David Bach.

Hope and Love Wins, Every Time

CLR Show 1972. Air Date October 8, 2024. Remarkably––or maybe not so remarkably––the Trumpians are using the same 'patriotic' language as democrats to motivate their base. They speak of 'freedom' coupled with threats about the last chance to save the country. But their exhortations are rooted in Donald's worst fears, which he has cravenly melded with their own. Lofty words hide simmering racial animus, misogyny and, for many, unvarnished greed. These are among the many stepchildren of fear. We must––and can and will––counter Donald's fear based (don't jail me!) rants with hope for a greater America. We cannot be suckered into operating out of fear, lest we amplify the fear that drives and oppresses the Trumpians. We can and will win this election unified in the hope and belief that America's best days lie ahead––as they've always been, even when things seem darkest.  

They Come In Threes : The Friday Show

CLR Show 1971. Air Date October 4, 2024. It may be a less than scientific observation, but good things coming in threes portend well for the forces of rationality and democracy in America. Consider: The Mets have made it to the second round of the playoffs against all odds; the longshoremen's strike that could have plunged us back to supply chain hell has been expertly sidestepped by 'incompetent' Joe Biden; and an asteroid the size of a school bus that could have nearly destroyed us is harmlessly circling earth as a second moon for another month until it is harmlessly flung into the far reaches of the galaxy. Not unlike what will happen to Donald Trump after November 5th. It's in the stars! With Friday Co-Host, David Bach.

October Demise

CLR Show 1970. Air Date October 1, 2024.  October Surprises are a staple of American presidential politics. And the Israeli incursion into Southern Lebanon coupled with the east coast longshoremen's strike might count as a major one in some other campaign cycle. But the electorate is largely locked into its positions on the candidates. And the remaining undecideds will be far more influenced by Donald's and Jimmy's ongoing blatant lies than whether or when Joe Biden enforces the Taft-Hartley Act. That makes this evening's Vice Presidential debate far more consequential than it might otherwise be. In all likelihood, it will be the last opportunity for undecided Americans to witness a face to face between representatives of the two campaigns––and watch JD Vance lie about his reasons for lying.