Black Lives Matter marchers near the White House, Washington (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

I joined Monocle 24’s Emma Nelson on Thursday to review the status of the US elections, less than five months from the vote.

Alongside Monocle 24 correspondent Chris Cermak, we begin with Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s lead in the polls to assess how much political trouble Donald Trump faces amid his mishandling of the Coronavirus crisis, the economic downturn, and the Black Lives Matter protests.

We consider the flip side: can Biden take his themes of “leadership” and “responsibility” all the way to victory?

But it’s important to go farther. With the Democrats looking to control the Senate as well as the House, I reflect:

If their campaign doesn’t work, what Trump and his advisors will seek is to undermine the election by declaring it is rigged. It is a possibility that if their numbers are this bad during the summer, they will try to postpone the vote.

Trump does not accept the rules of the American system. If Joe Biden proves an effective candidate, if Democrats running for Congress prove responsible and show leadership, Trump may throw the American chessboard in the air.

This is the most serious moment in America since 1945.

Listen from 10:57: