Living in the USA

The facade has been ripped off: Christine Blasey Ford faced the Senate Judiciary Committee today, followed by a raging Brett Kavanaugh. Moments after the hearing adjourned, we turned to historian Rick Perlstein and journalist Sarah Posner for their comments on the "ugly business" of the Republican-dominated Judiciary Committee.

Did Trump's Supreme Court nominee try to rape a 15-year-old girl when he was 17-years old, 36 years ago? Was he telling the truth when he said he did not, and how much should it matter now? For comment we turn to Amy Wilentz. Next, Michael Moore's new film, "Fahrenheit 11/9" opens tomorrow — David Edelstein, chief film critic for New York Magazine, shares his review. Finally: Michael Moore on Trump--and his film, "Fahrenheit 11/9."

Republican Senate candidate and current Florida Gov, Rick Scott challenged Trump today on Puerto Rico casualty figures; SCOTUS nominee Kavanaugh has been accused of sexual misconduct, and, measuring the Blue Wave now that Obama has joined the campaign — Harold Meyerson with the political update. Next, Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Congress, has quit the House to run for state Attorney General. What was he thinking? David Dayen reports. Plus: Unions are fighting for their lives and DeVos wants to put more guns in schools — we talk with Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation for Teachers about the state of education.

In a dramatic showdown on the floor of the Senate, the third day of hearings for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J. released documents deemed 'committee confidential' — and, last Tuesday, Boston city councilor Ayanna Pressley unseated 10-term US Rep. Michael Capuano in a Democratic primary — John Nichols with the political update. Also, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Miriam Pawel on Jerry Brown's fight against climate change--and Donald Trump. Her new book is “The Browns of California: The Family that Transformed a State and Shaped a Nation.” Finally — Melania Trump: Hero of the people, or accomplice of evil? We turn to Amy Wilentz for comment.

After 40 years as an investigative journalist, Judith Coburn became a private investigator. We talk with her about Surveillance Capitalism in the Age of Trump. Next, Florida's general election for governor will feature two candidates who could not be more different: Andrew Gillum, a black progressive, and Ron DeSantis, "a fully 'Trumpacized'" conservative -- John Nichols reports. Plus: We might have reached peak-Trump, but Gary Younge says, "if Dems want to win, they've got to motivate their base."

Trump's attorney Micheal Cohen has pled guilty to many crimes of bank fraud and tax fraud but there were two really significant ones: payments of hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels (real name, Stephanie Clifford) and Playboy model Karen McDougal -- on orders of the president. Harold Meyerson of The American Prospect comments. Also: Around the world, mothers and pregnant women are undervalued, discriminated against, and punished -- we talk with Katha Pollitt about why and how. Plus: Farah Griffin of Columbia University comments on Aretha and Angela, and Aretha and Obama.

Amy Wilentz comments on the mental and emotional status of the president, as analyzed by 27 psychiatrists in 'The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump,' a book edited by Bandy X. Lee. The book was number four on the New York Times bestseller list. Also: Would Pence be worse? Jane Mayer of The New Yorker reports—she interviewed more than 60 people in search of answers, including Pence’s mother. Several say he’s wanted to be president at least since high school. Plus: America After Trump: E.J. Dionne of The Washington Post argues that Trump has mobilized progressive political forces that can transform America—and he reminds us that Trump never had a majority of voters, and is the most unpopular presidents in our history. E.J. is co-author of 'One Nation After Trump: A Guide to the Perplexed, the Disillusioned, the Desperate, and the Not-Yet-Deported'--it's out now in paperback.

Left politics can win all over the country, not just in New York City and Chicago and LA – that’s what Mike Lux says, he’s a longtime strategist for the progressive movement and Democratic candidates, and his new book is “How to Democrat in the Age of Trump.” Katha Pollitt is not happy with leftists calling Trump a “fascist” – maybe there’s a better term for his attacks on democracy, which have a lot in common with authoritarian leaders in Russia, Turkey, Egypt, Hungary, Poland, and other places. The foundation for all of them: austerity, pushed by the big banks and right-wing parties, which creates the economic anxiety that fuels racism and anti-immigrant sentiment.

August 1968, 50 years ago: fighting the police outside the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, while the whole world was watching: it was the culmination of an overwhelming year for the anti-war movement. But where was young Donald Trump? Activist, sociologist and author of "The Sixties: Years of Hope, Days of Rage," Todd Gitlin, comments on politics then -- and now. Plus, John Nichols says the age of Trump is NOT a golden age for American journalism -- cutbacks and mass layoffs have crippled our news media, just when we need them the most.

Pulitzer prize-winning restaurant critic Jonathan Gold died July 21; Harold Meyerson talks about how he taught readers in LA about the new immigrant city around them--by exploring immigrant neighborhoods and their restaurants. Harold also reviews Trump world after Trump's worst week. Also Tom Frank explains how we got from Obama to Trump -- his new book is “Rendezvous with Oblivion." Plus Bob Zaugh tells amazing and true stories about the LA draft resistance movement in the Vietnam era. He helped organize the exhibit, "We Won't Go: The L.A. Resistance, Vietnam and the Draft," on view at the Getty Gallery of the Central Library in Downtown Los Angeles until August 19th. Exhibit details here: https://bit.ly/2uq5iee