Thank you for watching! In the face of unrelenting disinformation and authoritarian actions, clear truth-telling and independent media are a necessity. If you value pro-democracy journalism, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber to my newsletter. Paid subscribers empower this work and gain access to exclusive benefits. Your support makes a difference.
As many of you who watch my Substack Live shows know, I took a little break from cable news appearances. Well, on Sunday night, I ended my hiatus with a return to one of my favorite MS NOW shows, The Weekend Primetime.
I was on with hosts Ayman Mohyeldin, Antonia Hylton, Elise Jordan, Catherine Rampell, and co-panelist former Rep. Jamaal Bowman, breaking down two of the biggest stories in American politics right now: why Trump and Vance now jointly own a disastrous Iran War, and what the Republican Party’s weakness actually looks like heading into the midterms.
I was on for two full blocks, and we got into a lot of topics.
You can watch some clips above and read key takeaways below.
Trump Owns The Disastrous Iran War. Now Vance Does Too.
There is a reason a supermajority of Americans, 67%, oppose Trump’s handling of the Iran War. The war has made the world a more dangerous place. And now JD Vance, after a day of contradictory signals about whether he would even lead the U.S. delegation to Pakistan, owns it alongside him.
We now have a more extreme Iran with a more powerful deterrent than nuclear weapons: the ability to short-circuit the global economy at will by closing the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has realized that capability and will not forget it. Trump handed them that leverage.
I made the point on air that Vance is desperately trying to signal opposition to the war without actually opposing it. Throughout the Haberman-Swan NYT piece, you can see it: every few paragraphs, the narrative breaks to note that Vance expressed concerns, that he had reservations. That is Vance’s team building a record for 2028.
Elise Jordan flagged that Buckley Carlson, Tucker Carlson’s son, exited Vance’s office just this week. Antonia noted that every major outlet had sources saying the vice president wasn’t comfortable with the war.
Rubio would rather be at a UFC fight than doing these negotiations. These men know what they signed up for, and they are trying to quietly exit before the bill comes due. But Vance is once again set to lead negotiations in Pakistan. Whatever happens next is now his to own heading into 2028.
The Republican Party Is Running From A Place Of Weakness
Antonia asked me what’s behind the Cook Political Report shifting four Senate races toward Democrats: North Carolina, Georgia, Ohio, and Nebraska. My answer: a broad American repudiation of Donald Trump.
Trump is raising prices on Americans while enriching himself and betraying every core promise he made, from the Epstein files to no new wars to affordability. He came in, started tariffing everybody, started a war, and now owns rising gas prices. We are seeing 20 to 30 point swings away from the GOP as a result. Even the Senate is in play.
We are seeing massive swings in key districts like Manassas, Virginia, a heavily Latino population. Trump is underwater on every issue that was supposed to be his strength: the economy, inflation, immigration, and now foreign policy and war.
The Senate is now in play. That was unthinkable when Trump won in 2024, and the narrative was that the far right had won once and for all. The American people have worked through that story and rejected it.
Catherine Rampell made the point that Republicans are running ads against Abigail Spanberger for things she did not do. Her office had to put out a press release with the subject line: Governor Spanberger does not sign tax bills that the General Assembly never passed. When you are making up boogeymen out of thin air, that is what running from weakness looks like. Shellacking incoming.
Bottom Line
Trump owns this disastrous Iran War. And now Vance does too. The Republican Party has nothing real to run on, so they are manufacturing issues out of thin air. The American people see through it. The midterms are going to reflect that.
If you liked this panel, I hope you consider becoming a paid subscriber. If you’re already a paid subscriber, thank you! Independent pro-democracy journalism only works if people back it.
