Digest

Ben Rhodes and Tommy Vietor discuss the concerning developments in Argentina under President Javier Miele, who seems to be accelerating towards his libertarian fantasies and undemocratic practices. They worry about the potential consequences of his policies, including declining social services, poverty, and instability. They also discuss the Pope's recent outreach to comedians, inviting over 100 of them to the Vatican to "establish a link between the Catholic Church and comic artists." While they acknowledge the Pope's efforts to provide moral leadership on issues like climate change and artificial intelligence, they also express concern about reports of his use of anti-gay slurs. The podcast then turns to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Sudan, where Congresswoman Ilhan Omar has called for a humanitarian parole program for people impacted by the war. She argues that the US should provide the same relief to Sudanese people as it has to those fleeing Afghanistan and Ukraine. She also discusses the need for the US to pressure Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to stop arming the warring factions in Sudan. Omar believes that the US should take a more holistic look at its arms sales, particularly in light of the fact that US weapons are being used in both Sudan and Gaza. She argues that the US should restrict arms flows to countries that are violating human rights and that Congress should have more oversight over the executive branch's decisions on arms sales. The podcast concludes with a discussion of the political and policy debate in the Democratic Party on support for the Israeli government. Omar argues that the Democratic Party's support for Israel is deeply entrenched and that it will not change until there is a shift in the people who hold those seats. She criticizes the Democratic Party's hypocrisy on the issue of Gaza, pointing out that many Democrats have called for a ceasefire and criticized the Israeli government but have ultimately voted for aid to Israel and invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to speak to Congress. She believes that the Democratic Party's support for Israel is influenced by the financial backing of AIPAC, which is a powerful pro-Israel lobbying group. She argues that the Democratic Party needs to reclaim its narrative on immigration and remind people that the US is a country of immigrants who contribute to the country's economic and cultural vibrancy.

Outlines

00:00:00

Introduction

This Chapter introduces the podcast and its hosts, Ben Rhodes and Tommy Vietor. They discuss their upcoming trip to New York City for the annual Summer Pilgrimage and the release of their new book, Democracy or Else. They also mention the question they often get asked about how they got their jobs working for Obama and how people can get involved in politics themselves.

00:01:10

Paths into Politics

This Chapter delves into the individual paths of Ben Rhodes and Tommy Vietor into politics. Ben Rhodes shares his journey from working at a local city council campaign in New York on 9/11 to becoming a speechwriter for the Obama campaign. Tommy Vietor recounts his struggles to find a job in the Bush era and his eventual landing of a position on John Edwards' 2004 presidential campaign. They both emphasize the importance of hard work, learning by osmosis, and being willing to do whatever it takes to get involved in politics.

00:09:22

Peace Summit in Switzerland

This Chapter discusses the recent peace summit in Switzerland focused on ending the war in Ukraine. While 82 countries signed off on three parts of Zelensky's 10-point peace plan, Russia and China did not attend, and several other big countries, including India, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Mexico, did not sign off on the summit's final communique. Ben Rhodes argues that the summit was still valuable because it demonstrated international support for Ukraine's position and provided a foundation for future negotiations. He also discusses Putin's own ceasefire deal, which he believes is a starting negotiating position that is unlikely to be accepted by Ukraine.

00:19:15

Putin's Visit to North Korea

This Chapter discusses Putin's visit to North Korea, which Ben Rhodes believes is a bigger deal than people realize. He worries about the potential for North Korea to be emboldened to start engaging in provocations at South Korea, especially if Trump is elected. He also worries about the value to Russia of all the North Korean armaments they are getting.

00:28:04

The Conflict in Gaza

This Chapter discusses the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which Tommy Vietor describes as getting steadily worse. He discusses the Israeli government's decision to disband the war cabinet and the limited daytime pause in fighting that was quickly walked back. He also discusses the increasing tensions between Israel and Hezbollah and the ongoing naval battle between the United States and the Houthis in the Red Sea. Ben Rhodes argues that the war in Gaza is a humanitarian disaster and that the only path forward is for both sides to agree to a hostage release deal and a ceasefire deal that ends the war. He also discusses the increasing risk of a terrorist attack on the United States as a result of the war in Gaza.

00:39:37

French Parliamentary Elections

This Chapter discusses the upcoming French parliamentary elections, which could be disastrous for Macron. The far left coalition is getting about 25% of the vote, the National Rally, the far right party, is getting like 30 to 35% of the vote, but Macron's party is getting less than 20% of the vote. Ben Rhodes argues that Macron's decision to call snap elections was a risky move that could backfire, and that the French electorate is not currently in favor of neoliberal centrist politics. He also discusses the importance of the left coalescing around a coherent choice and the potential for the far right to win the parliamentary election but lose the next presidential election.

00:47:36

Protests in Argentina

This Chapter discusses the protests in Argentina after President Javier Miele narrowly pushed through two massive reform bills that he claims are necessary to pull Argentina out of its decades-long economic spiral. The podcast concludes with a discussion of the importance of athletes speaking out against political issues, citing the example of Killingham Bappe, the captain of the French national soccer team, who called on young people to vote against the far right.

00:51:11

Argentina's Economic Crisis and Political Instability

This Chapter discusses the concerning developments in Argentina under President Javier Miele, who seems to be accelerating towards his libertarian fantasies and undemocratic practices. They worry about the potential consequences of his policies, including declining social services, poverty, and instability.

00:53:21

Pope Francis' Outreach to Comedians

This Chapter discusses Pope Francis' recent outreach to comedians, inviting over 100 of them to the Vatican to "establish a link between the Catholic Church and comic artists." While they acknowledge the Pope's efforts to provide moral leadership on issues like climate change and artificial intelligence, they also express concern about reports of his use of anti-gay slurs.

00:58:38

The Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan

This Chapter discusses the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Sudan, where Congresswoman Ilhan Omar has called for a humanitarian parole program for people impacted by the war. She argues that the US should provide the same relief to Sudanese people as it has to those fleeing Afghanistan and Ukraine. She also discusses the need for the US to pressure Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to stop arming the warring factions in Sudan.

Keywords

Q&A

• What are the concerning developments in Argentina under President Javier Miele?

  President Javier Miele seems to be accelerating towards his libertarian fantasies and undemocratic practices. He is implementing austerity measures that are leading to declining social services and poverty, and he is also challenging the institutions of Argentina's democracy. The hosts worry that these developments could lead to instability and unrest in Argentina.

• What is Pope Francis' outreach to comedians about?

  Pope Francis invited over 100 comedians from around the world to the Vatican to "establish a link between the Catholic Church and comic artists." The hosts discuss the Pope's efforts to provide moral leadership on issues like climate change and artificial intelligence, but they also express concern about reports of his use of anti-gay slurs.

• What is the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, and what is Congresswoman Ilhan Omar calling for?

  Sudan is experiencing a civil war that has led to a humanitarian crisis, with millions of people displaced and facing famine conditions. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar is calling for a humanitarian parole program for people impacted by the war, similar to the programs that have been implemented for people fleeing Afghanistan and Ukraine. She also argues that the US should pressure Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to stop arming the warring factions in Sudan.

• What is Ilhan Omar's position on the US's arms sales to Israel and Saudi Arabia?

  Ilhan Omar believes that the US should take a more holistic look at its arms sales, particularly in light of the fact that US weapons are being used in both Sudan and Gaza. She argues that the US should restrict arms flows to countries that are violating human rights and that Congress should have more oversight over the executive branch's decisions on arms sales.

• What is the political and policy debate in the Democratic Party on support for the Israeli government?

  Ilhan Omar argues that the Democratic Party's support for Israel is deeply entrenched and that it will not change until there is a shift in the people who hold those seats. She criticizes the Democratic Party's hypocrisy on the issue of Gaza, pointing out that many Democrats have called for a ceasefire and criticized the Israeli government but have ultimately voted for aid to Israel and invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to speak to Congress. She believes that the Democratic Party's support for Israel is influenced by the financial backing of AIPAC, which is a powerful pro-Israel lobbying group. She argues that the Democratic Party needs to reclaim its narrative on immigration and remind people that the US is a country of immigrants who contribute to the country's economic and cultural vibrancy.

Show Notes