In his new HBO documentary "The Soul of America," historian Meacham contrasts the dark shadows of American history with what Lincoln called “the better angels of our nature.” In a rare departure from his normal practice, Meacham has also endorsed a 2020 presidential candidate. He is urging voters to select Biden, and he joins the show to explain why he felt the need to speak out.

It’s the last day before the last day of voting – what we’d ordinarily call Election Day – and America stands at a crossroads. Tim Alberta is a veteran reporter who has closely documented the Republican Party for years, and joins the program to assess the state of the race – and of the GOP.

Democrats are hoping Arizona might turn blue this year. This would reflect the bipartisan values the late Senator John McCain espoused as a lawmaker. McCain was a personal friend of Joe Biden's. But few knew McCain better than Mark Salter, his longtime speechwriter and closest aide. Salter’s new book, "The Luckiest Man," is a candid look at his former boss, as Salter explains to Walter Isaacson.

The parents of 545 children detained at the southern border between 2017 and 2018 cannot be found. Joe Biden has pledged to make an effort to reunite these migrant parents and children. Lawyer Bridget Cambria is co-founder of ALDEA – The People’s Justice Center, which offers free legal services to immigrant families. Cambria sits down with Hari Sreenivasan in Pennsylvania to discuss this topic.

To discuss the upcoming election day and its aftermath, Christiane speaks with veteran political observer Norm Ornstein and historian Heather Cox Richardson, who writes the popular newsletter “Letters from an American.”

Yuval Noah Harari is an unlikely blockbuster author, with his 2015 book "Sapiens" having sold millions of copies and received praise from the likes of President Obama and Bill Gates. Now Harari is adapting the story into a graphic novel, opening it up to a much wider and younger audience. Christiane speaks with Harari about the new project and how our species is faring during its current crisis.

For the first time in 17 years, the cast of "West Wing" has reunited for a theatrical staging of the “Hartsfield Landing” episode of the show, streaming free on HBO Max, all in the name of encouraging voter turnout. Actors Dulé Hill and Richard Schiff join the program to tell Christine more about the project.

France is in mourning after its second terrorist attack in two weeks. Three people were stabbed to death today in the Notre Dame Basilica in Nice, southern France. Nathalie Loiseau served on President Macron’s cabinet and is now a member of the European Parliament. She joins the show from Paris to give her reaction.

Heightened drug abuse and opioid deaths are a significant consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Beth Macy is the author of "Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors and the Drug Company That Addicted America." Tackling the opioid crisis was an early pledge of President Trump's. But Macy believes Joe Biden may have a coherent plan to end the suffering, as she explains to Michel Martin.

November 4 marks 25 years since the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, gunned down by an Israeli terrorist for signing a peace deal with the Palestinians. Veteran Israeli political observer and news anchor Yonit Levi joins the show to reflect on this solemn anniversary.

One week from election day, record numbers of citizens are voting early. Could it be "third time lucky" for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden? Few have covered the candidate as intensely as Evan Osnos, who profiled the former vice president in his new book. He joins Christiane to discuss.

In her new book, "Men Who Hate Women," feminist writer Laura Bates takes audiences behind the curtain of gender warfare to expose communities of extreme misogyny, where men are taught to hate and punish women. Christiane speaks with Bates about her difficult, often disturbing findings.

The first woman to hold the position of president and senior executive producer at CBS News, Susan Zirinsky is a seasoned veteran of political and election battles. She speaks with Walter Isaacson about the backstory on President Trump's infamous "60 Minutes" interview, and the challenges of covering this unique election.

Doctors on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic are bracing for a particularly intense winter, even as many of them cope with the post-traumatic stress of the spring. Dr. Syra Madad knows all too well the toll the pandemic has taken on the medical community. She joins the program to discuss the trajectory of the disease in the coming weeks.

The impact of COVID-19 has been hardest on the poor. The massive inequality gap is exemplified in the UK, where the government has opted not to extend a program for free school meals during the holidays, ensuring that children in need will go hungry. The government’s former homeless adviser Dame Louise Casey is warning that many families now face destitution if they don’t get help.

The pandemic has brought with it a season of emotional suffering: waves of grief, loss, and isolation. Dr. Richard A. Friedman argues that our anxiety is fueled by uncertainty over when -- or if -- life will return to normal. He speaks with Michel Martin about the importance of mental health as we navigate the pandemic and a tense election cycle.

"The Trial of the Chicago 7" dramatizes the real-life case against seven anti-Vietnam War activists who were charged with conspiracy to incite riots at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Frank Langella sits at the heart of the film in his role as Judge Julius Hoffman, and he joins the show to discuss the project's implications.

Bill Kristol served in the administrations of both Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush. He now leads Defending Democracy Together, a coalition of anti-Trump Republicans. He speaks with Walter Isaacson about the possible cost to his former party, should its members continue to back this administration unconditionally.

Armies of lawyers are gathering in anticipation of intense post-election litigation, and Trevor Potter is on the front lines. As a former head of the Federal Election Commission and now the leader of the non-partisan Campaign Legal Center, his aim is to support voter access and challenge the influence of money in politics.

The conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh is a complicated and fraught one. To hear both sides, the program also invited the Azeri Foreign Minister onto the show, but he was unavailable. Instead, to provide wider geopolitical context to the story, Christiane speaks with former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder.