Us Of Ed

"[Trump] is peddling a message that nobody really wants to hear." Trump seems to be counting on dividing Americans even further into Us and Them camps in order to win in 2020, inflaming the divides already being fought, or maybe his strategy is just to lose. Meanwhile, claims that the US is a global leader in COVID, and it is, just in all the worst ways. Also talking Ghislaine Maxwell, why Russian bounties have disappeared from headlines, Israel, Black Lives Matter, and Kanye West's run at the presidency.

"The president knew nothing, and didn't want to know." Big week this week as Ed and Sean talk bounties offered by Russia on US soldiers, and why it seems the supposedly pro-military Trump did nothing to defend American lives. Plus picking apart the Democrats' Green New Deal, hope for a brighter tomorrow or purely political exercise? Plus the latest reboot; the Soviet Union, spikes of COVID-19, abortion clinics in the Supreme Court, Hong Kong, and escalating rhetoric on the national divide.

"He can't declare a victory anywhere, everything looks like a failure." What was meant to be a triumphant return to the campaign trail for Donald Trump ended up a fizzling failure in Tulsa, with rows upon rows of empty seats and abandoned overflow areas, but is there more it can tell us about the 2020 campaign? And is Biden doing much better? Meanwhile, William Barr is doing untold damage to the Justice Department as calls grow for his impeachment. Also talking the latest on COVID-19, Roger Stone, foreign worker visas, and Black Lives Matter.

"Their ability to put other people down because of their sexual orientation, because their skin colour, or whatever, is coming to an end." Good news out of the Supreme Court for LGBTQ rights in what's being called the most important decision out of the court in this area since marriage equality was put into law in 2015. Good news and bad for black lives matter protests globally as the heat is kept on making real reforms, but some protesters are also meeting violent resistance. Also, we talk John Bolton, post-COVID, North Korea, Brexit and more.

"This is a worldwide change, I think it's going to rival what we've been doing with climate change." Protests sparked by the death of George Floyd continue to cripple America, but at long last might we be seeing some real positive progress on injustice in the USA and around the world, racial and otherwise? And while COVID sees a small spike against the grain in some states, some positive news on the economic front, although that's not the case for Latin America and Russia. Also talking North Korea, nuclear treaties, Prince Andrew, and Democrats looking to wrest control of the Senate.

"The system is deeply broken, very fragile, not just in the United States but around the world." It's a tumultuous and evolving situation, but Ed and Sean do their best to unpack the factors behind the George Floyd protests and consequences going forward. Racial injustice, COVID, and an utter failure of leadership from on top, we also talk attacks on media, attempts to blame antifa, and how, as someone who marched with Martin Luther King Jr himself, Ed thinks MLK might have seen attempts to use his quotations to shame black protesters into silence. Also checking in with what's happening with COVID since it's been knocked off the front pages, the G7, Trump vs Twitter, and former Bush alumni for Biden.

"If you don't reopen, you may be facing economic death." Over 100,000 deaths and yet the United States is reopening despite the ongoing threat of COVID-19, could we be looking at even worse numbers in a second wave of cases? Brazil and Russia also hit hard and their leaders look vulnerable, and just how will China be investigated and punished? Also talking Trump's attacks on facts, Hong Kong, Palestine, and the death of Minneapolis man George Floyd.

"He's tried to pin this tail on every donkey... and each time it has failed." Obamagate limps on into this week but we're no clearer on understanding what's behind it and even as a distraction it seems like a loser. Then again, even as we approach 100,000 US deaths from COVID we're still talking about it, so maybe it's working after all? Also, as the United States retreats from the world, China rises to fill the gaps - what does it mean for WHO and for Australia? Also talking Steve Linick and John Ratcliffe, hydroxychloroquine, unemployment, and mail-in voting.

"Last minute, last deal... Making it worse is his promise." With the economy down, failed promises and Trump facing criticism over lives lost due to his disastrous COVID-19 response, get ready for more and more diversions starting with Obamagate. Meanwhile the Supreme Court set to decide on releasing Trump's financial dealings and tearing down the ACA in the middle of a global health crisis. Also talking relations with China, Russia's incredibly clumsy whistleblower problem, and the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery.

"This'll be a fig leaf over a very exposed body, it won't work." States are looking at reopening despite high numbers of COVID cases being reported, could we be looking at a lethal second wave? Someone who is most definitely alive and not at all dead is glorious leader Kim Jong-un, but just what is going on in North Korea? We're also talking economic stimulus, food security during COVID, nine lives for Benjamin Netanyahu, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Joe Biden assault allegations and running mate.

"Non-leadership at its best." American now accounts for a third of the world's COVID cases and the death toll as a result of failure to deal with the crisis is over 60,000, but Trump's latest miracle cure is still capable of eliciting a stunned reaction. Falling back on immigration issues, stimulus cheques, and looking increasingly pathetic, what might a desperate Trump do to stay in power in 2020? Also talking big business stimulus boons, Jair Bolsonaro, and Ohio.

"He knows these people won't desert him if he acts like he supports them... actually, it's working." Trump stirring up some uniquely American protesters this week with cries for liberty against state governments, despite those states not reaching minimum requirements the Trump administration itself has set. Oil prices have taken another massive dive despite the Easter deal and could keep plummeting, but is it an indication of a better, cleaner future post-COVID? Also talking immigration, Canada's worst ever mass shooting, North Korea's leadership problems, and why is Biden letting Bernie keep his delegates?

"[Trump] can't find enough scapegoats, he never looks at himself." Increasingly unstable over the COVID-19 crisis, Donald Trump is looking for anyone to blame but himself and his latest move is removing American government funding from the World Health Organisation. After a brutal election result for Republicans in Wisconsin and big name endorsements for Joe Biden this week, we play some Fantasy League with a potential Cabinet for the Dem nominee. Also talking suing China over coronavirus, tornadoes in the South, and an OPEC deal reached over Easter.

"I don't anticipate the Democrats doing much of anything about this except throwing it back in our faces as another reason this man's got to go." He ran a great race, some would say much better than the eventual victor, but the Bern has been extinguished leaving the field open for Joe Biden to take on Trump in November. Trump, meanwhile, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic is cleaning house of officials he perceives as disloyal and using hours-long press conferences to deny unfavourable stories oxygen in the media. We talk more on the road ahead for Biden, coronavirus, Boris Johnson, and voter suppression in Wisconsin in this week's bumper podcast.

"This is a very feeble effort against a very big storm." With 100,000 deaths projected as a minimum and historic economic downturn, it may be a very different looking America that comes out the other end of the Covid-19 crisis. Individual states have been filling in the gaps of a paralysed federal government in responding to the pandemic, how are they taking matters into their own hands? Also, senators and insider trading, Joe Biden assault allegation, and the passing of Reverend Joseph Lowery.

"Americans need to come together, not be split apart." Save lives or save the economy? Despite a two trillion dollar stimulus package being passed Trump and cronies don't seem satisfied and want America back to work, whatever the cost. Obamacare turned ten this week, how well equipped was it to handle the current crisis and what might be improved once it's all over? Also talking UK in lockdown, Tokyo Olympics, and moving forward despite everything in the Democratic nominee race.

"This sounds like Trump, he takes responsibility for nothing except when the economy's going up." Fevers aren't the only thing that are high, with unemployment rates and gun sales surging amidst the corvid-19 pandemic, but with Trump the buck, as always, passes onto someone else. Joe Biden's path to the presidential nomination is now virtually assured, we talk about what kind of shape he's in for the next leg of the race and run through the candidates for running mate. Also talk Mitch McConnell asking federal judges for a favour, and political chaos in Iraq and Israel.

"Joe Biden's not that popular, but people are beginning to say we need an adult in the room." Joe Biden has extended his lead since Super Tuesday but Bernie refuses to drop out and Warren hasn't said who she'll support, is there still anymore juice to this nomination race or is it all over but the crying? WHO have officially declared Corvid-19 a pandemic and the US has shut down travel into Europe but does the virus have Trump showing his true colours as a leader? Also Mueller makes a comeback Russia, North Korea, and what to expect next in the 2020 race.

"It's Biden's campaign to lose right now." Just when we thought he was out, they pull him back in, Joe Biden the big winner following Super Tuesday but is he a returning champion or an uninspiring best of a bad lot? Ed and Sean talk potential for a Democratic super team, coronavirus, Chuck Schumer reaping the whirlwind, and a concerning appeals court finding for congressional oversight.

"I'm feeling the heartburn that Bernie will run, and lose, and Trump will be the next president of the United States." Democrats getting down and dirty, fighting like cats in a sack after results in Nevada puts Bernie Sanders in the lead. Is there a path to victory for him, or for any of the Democratic nominees in November? Meanwhile, Trump spiced things up in India but couldn't quite seal the deal. Also talking Roger Stone trial and Trump attacks on Ginsburg and Sotomayor, Coronavirus, Israel and Brexit.