Photo: Erin Schaff/New York Times

UPDATE, 1400 GMT:

I spoke with TRT World on Friday morning about “Joe Biden’s voe to unite an America torn by crisis.

The three words that the Biden-Harris campaign will put forward — leadership, responsibility, and competence: I think Biden hit all of them last night as well as emphasizing a notion that America must be united rather than divided.

We examine the Democratic unity, in contrast to a division which have cost them the White House in 2016 — “What’s important now is a pragmatic way forward” on issues from climate change to health care — and compare that to a rift between “Trumpists” and “Republicans”.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: I joined talkRADIO and the BBC on Friday to discuss developments from Democratic Presidential nominee Joe Biden’s acceptance speech to the arrest of Donald Trump’s former chief strategist Steve Bannon to the attempted assassination attempt of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

Listen to talkRADIO from 17:00 in 0630-0700 Segment

Speaking with Alastair Stewart, I highlight an effective message from Biden — and from Democrats through the week — juxtaposing the danger of Donald Trump with the vision of “hope over fear” amid Coronavirus, economic downturn, social issues, and climate change.

We then discuss Trump running away from his former right-hand man, “like a dog with his hind leg on fire”. Is it the downfall of white nationalist demagogue Bannon and of his ex-boss?

Biden: “Give People Light — Hope Over Fear”
TrumpWatch, Day 1,309: Trump Runs for Cover as Bannon Indicted for Fraud

We conclude with a summary of the attack of Navalny, in grave condition in Moscow, and President Vladimir Putin’s tough measure against critics at home and abroad.

Listen to BBC Hereford from 2:22.16

Trump knows that he faces an uphill challenge because of the double whammy of Coronavirus and the economy. He knows that his only play is to keep being aggressive and whip up a culture war by calling the Democrats “extremists”.