The guest host for today's show is Brad Bannon. Brad runs Bannon Communications Research, a polling, message development and media firm which helps labor unions, progressive issue groups and Democratic candidates win public affairs and political campaigns. His new show, 'Deadline D.C. with Brad Bannon,' airs every Monday from 3-4pm ET.

Brad is first joined by Colonel Cedric Leighton, Founder and President of Cedric Leighton Associates, a strategic risk and leadership consultancy serving global companies and organizations.  He founded the company in 2010, after serving in the US Air Force for 26 years as an Intelligence Officer and attaining the rank of Colonel.

They talk about what Joe Biden's national security priorities should be if he is elected President, Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman being denied promotion and bullied out of the military by the Trump administration, President Trump doing absolutely nothing in response to Russia putting bounties on American soldiers in Afghanistan, and whether it's time to remove American troops from Afghanistan.

During the second half of the show, Brad leads a political round-table with Kim Scott and Mark Grimaldi.  The roundtable previews next month's Democratic convention, and also analyzes what it means to have former Republican Governor John Kasich speaking at the convention in support of Joe Biden. The panel also discusses the troubling news out of Portland, Oregon where federal agents were apprehending protesters while wearing military uniforms with no identification, and putting the protesters in unmarked vehicles.  A Navy veteran who was peacefully protesting also had his hand broken by the federal agents and was then tear-gassed in the face by them right after.  Perhaps more troubling is the news that Trump's Department of Homeland Security may be expanding their plan to target protesters with unidentified federal forces, with Chicago being next on their list.

Kim Scott is the Founder and Publisher of DemList, LLC, a free national daily political column, calendar and resource site for Democrats and allies - a unique, central source that connects people to the who, what and where of Democratic events, issues and activism.  You can find out more about them at DemList.com and follow them on Twitter @TheDemList.

Mark Grimaldi has been a progressive political activist for the past 12 years.  He volunteered for the campaigns of President Obama (2008 and 2012), Senator Bernie Sanders (2016), and Secretary Hillary Clinton (2016).  Mark is also involved in campaign finance reform efforts around the country, and philanthropic efforts for Cancer research.  His Twitter handle is @MarkJGrimaldi.

Brad writes a column every Sunday on the 2020 Presidential race for 'The Hill.'  He's on the National Journal's panel of political insiders and is a national political analyst for WGN TV and Radio in Chicago and KNX Radio in Los Angeles.
You can read Brad's columns at www.MuckRack.com/Brad-Bannon and watch his previous 'Deadline D.C.' broadcasts at www.Periscope.TV/BradBannon.  His Twitter handle is @BradBannon.

Watch a video broadcast of this episode here on Twitter/Periscope: www.periscope.tv/w/1OwxWLbmwBmKQ
Or here on Facebook Live: tinyurl.com/BradFacebook72020

(Image Credit: Manpreet Romana/AFP via Getty Images)