cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/47962592

The 2028 U.S. presidential election is just over two years away — which means we already have to start talking about it.

In a special LIVE taping of ‘We’re Not Kidding’ in New York City, Mehdi was joined by author, political commentator, and host of the ‘Fast Politics’ podcast Molly Jong-Fast, where they sought to answer the one burning question of every politics (and comic book) nerd: Which of the Democratic presidential hopefuls has the greatest superpower – and what is their ‘Kryptonite’ that could tank their candidacy?

They also take questions from the live audience in New York on whether social media is to blame for young people being drawn in by right-wing pundits like Tucker Carlson, why the media rarely covers labor issues, and whether Trump has an exit strategy in Iran (spoiler: he doesn’t).

This episode was co-produced by On Air Fest and On Air Presents as part of their yearlong programming.

This interview was published over a week ago on Zeteo’s Substack. If you would like EARLY access to more exclusive interviews like this one, then head over to zeteo.com and become a paid subscriber. It costs less than a monthly cup of coffee and goes a long way in supporting our mission of bringing fearless, independent journalism to YOU, our subscribers.

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cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/65488062

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/65183849

MAGA Influencers are all in a chat and they all receive talking points and are paid to say things in a coordinated campaign.

They say Tucker isn't in on this ... how many of you wanna bet Rogan is though ...

This episode is sponsored by Ellydee. To sign up, go to ellydee.ai/mehdi

NOTE: This episode was recorded on April 3, 2026.

It’s been six months (!) since Bassem Youssef joined Mehdi for an episode of ‘We’re Not Kidding’, and since then Israel has started two new wars, right-wing podcasters have turned on Donald Trump over his war with Iran, and centrist Democrats have mounted a cancellation campaign against leftist streamer Hasan Piker. But before they get to any of that, they dig into Epstein and Mehdi’s viral interview with the so-called “Professor Jiang,” the two get into a friendly argument over which terms and ideas qualify as religious tropes and how the weaponization of antisemitism by Zionists has diluted the meaning of the word.

The two also debate whether right-wingers like Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson can be trusted allies for calling out Israel’s genocide in Gaza and Donald Trump’s war with Iran, or if they’re just opportunists who see the writing on the wall for the MAGA movement. “Why don't you like Candace Owens or Tucker Carlson?” Bassem asks Mehdi, who explains his position on the two.

The two also discuss: Zionists cracking down on free speech and civil liberties. Why “Pax Judaica” is an antisemitic trope and “Greater Israel” is not. US citizen Moshe Katz who recently died in Lebanon fighting for the Israeli military. Why Bill Maher is… just the worst.

Progressive Democrats eyeing a 2028 campaign – like AOC and California Rep. Ro Khanna – are taking a new stance on Israel: no more military aid for offensive or defensive systems, including the Iron Dome.

Rep. Ro Khanna joins Mehdi Hasan for a for a wide-ranging interview where Mehdi challenges him in a back-and-forth on the Iron Dome, asking why send any aid to an apartheid state.

This interview was published a week earlier exclusively on Zeteo.com. If you want early access to hard-hitting journalism like this, subscribe to our Substack here: zeteo.com/subscribe

Watch the full video to see Khanna also speak to Mehdi about whether Trump should be impeached for his threats against Iran, whether he thinks there's a cover up around allegations that Trump abused a minor in the Epstein files, and taking credit for Pam Bondi being fired.

NOTE: This interview was recorded before the 2-week ceasefire was announced.

#us #news #politics

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Self-styled “professor” Xueqin Jiang became an internet sensation after a 2024 video he posted to his YouTube channel went viral. In the video, Jiang made three big predictions: Trump would win the 2024 election, the US would go to war with Iran, and ultimately, the US would lose that war.

He has been dubbed “China’s Nostradamus,” and his YouTube channel now has more than 2 million subscribers.

But in this ‘Mehdi Unfiltered’ interview, Mehdi Hasan challenges Jiang on how accurate – or unique! – those predictions are, including the big 2024 prediction he got wrong; whether he has slipped into antisemitic conspiracy theorizing; and why exactly his YouTube channel isn’t being censored by China.

In this provocative and wide-ranging interview, Mehdi also presses Jiang on peddling conspiracy theories about the Illuminati and the Jesuits, as well as his promotion of the far-right concept of “Pax Judaica.”

This interview was published earlier on zeteo.com. If you want early, exclusive access to this kind of independent, unfiltered journalism — subscribe to our Substack here: https://zeteo.com/subscribe

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Go to https://ground.news/zeteo for a better way to stay informed. Subscribe for 40% off unlimited access to world-wide coverage through our link.

Does mainstream media have a shred of credibility left after capitulating to Donald Trump only a year into his second term? Is there hope for free speech and accountability journalism in today’s corporate media? Why have so many prominent journalists been unable – or unwilling – to call out fascism at home and genocide abroad?

During Zeteo’s “One Year of Trump” event in DC, Mehdi sits down for a live interview with former mainstream pundits Joy Reid (MSNBC) and Jim Acosta (CNN) to break down just how dire the situation has become.

This conversation took place live at the Howard Theater in Washington DC and published last week on zeteo.com. If you want early, exclusive access to this kind of independent, unfiltered journalism — subscribe to our Substack here: https://zeteo.com/subscribe.

Prem Thakker sits down for a Q&A with activist Cameron Kasky, who just launched his primary bid for New York’s 12th congressional district to replace Democratic congressional veteran Jerry Nadler.

Kasky – a survivor of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas school shooting in Parkland, Florida and co-founder of the March For Our Lives gun control movement – has launched an unapologetically progressive candidacy. His platform advocates for universal healthcare, ending aid to Israel, abolishing the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (an agency the 25-year-old Kasky points out is younger than him), and taking on “AI Oligarchs.”

Prem will ask the 25-year-old about the crowded primary field he joins, his unabashed campaign platform, and the remaking of the Democratic party. They will also be taking your questions LIVE!

Sami Hamdi, a UK Muslim journalist, was targeted and detained by Donald Trump’s immigration agents at a US airport amid a smear campaign led by Trump ally and Islamophobe Laura Loomer. After weeks in detention, he joins Prem Thakker in a live town hall to detail how and why the Trump administration went after him, the conditions he faced in detention, and much more.

In this Zoom Q&A, Prem and Hamdi took questions from Zeteo’s paid subscribers. Subscribe to Zeteo.com to join future conversations with big names, and to get first access to hard-hitting discussions like this one: https://zeteo.com/subscribe

Watch the full video to hear about Hamdi’s horrific stories from ICE detention, the plight of his fellow detainees, and why he thinks Trump and ICE's fascistic rampage in the US may actually have a positive impact in the long run.

Note: There were technical difficulties in the process of recording this interview. We apologize for any inconvenience.

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It may go down as one of the most historic elections in US history — and Zeteo was broadcasting LIVE from the Zohran Mamdani victory party in Brooklyn, NY.

Watch Zeteo's Mehdi Hasan and Prem Thakker offer their expert analysis as they're joined by an all-star roster of guests, including Hasan Piker, Jamaal Bowman, Cynthia Nixon, Naomi Klein, Jennifer Welch, Mahmoud Khalil, and many more.

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#‘It’s a Hatchet Job!’: Watch Our Heated Debate on Whether Senate Candidate Graham Platner Should Step Down

*Should the Democratic candidate's 'Nazi tattoo' and history of incendiary remarks disqualify him from the Maine Senate primary race? Mehdi hosts a debate between Cenk Uygur and Kaivan Shroff. *

There’s a new political scandal on the street – one that includes a ‘Nazi’ tattoo, a drunken night out, and a long list of old offensive social media posts.

But this time, it’s not coming from another Trump nominee or a young Republicans group. The controversy is coming from a Bernie-backed Senate candidate – Graham Platner, a progressive and a populist who is competing against Maine Governor Janet Mills for the 2026 Maine Democratic Senate primary seat.

In this Zeteo Town Hall Q&A, Mehdi moderates a heated debate centered on the question: Should Platner step down from the race, considering all his old offensive Reddit posts and tattoo scandal? Or should he stay in, as polls show him ahead of Mills and more likely to defeat incumbent Republican Maine senator Susan Collins?

Cenk Uygur, host of ‘The Young Turks’ and co-founder of Justice Democrats, argues in favor of Platner, calling the scandal a, “hatchet job” done by the Democratic establishment, while former DNC delegate and liberal commentator Kaivan Shroff argues against him, responding to Uygur’s comment by saying, “I mean, the oppo research is a giant tattoo on his own body!”

Uygur blasts Platner’s centrist opponent Janet Mills – who was recruited to run for the seat by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

“The corporate Democrat that Schumer picks loses like 98% of the time,” Uygur argues.

Shroff of course challenges Uygur, asking him, “Do you know a lot about Janet Mill’s record in Maine, Cenk?”

“No I don’t… I know all the corporate Democrats. I know they’re all losers,” Uygur responds.

Watch the full debate above to hear why Shroff finds Platner’s response to the scandal to be “strange” and what it would take for Uygur to stop supporting Platner. You really don’t want to miss it!

This Town Hall was for paid subscribers only, who were able to join live and ask questions of our panelists. Consider upgrading your subscription to join future Town Halls where you can get your questions answered live.

Also do please consider a donation to Zeteo.

Where does ICE deport a stateless immigrant to? Wherever they want, apparently. Meet the stateless Palestinian who the Donald Trump administration tried to illegally deport twice. Ward Sakeik and her attorney, Maria Kari, join Mehdi Hasan on ‘Mehdi Unfiltered’ to discuss.

“‘I can send you to China, I can send you to Somalia, I could send you to Congo, I can send you wherever I want to send you,’” Sakeik recalled one ICE official telling her during 140 days in detention, even though removing her from the United States is illegal.

This interview was published earlier on Zeteo.com. To get early, exclusive access to hard-hitting interviews like this one, subscribe to Zeteo’s Substack here: https://zeteo.com/subscribe

Watch the full video to hear Sakeik tell the story of how she was detained on her honeymoon, how some ICE officials told her she shouldn’t have been arrested in the first place, and whether she could be detained yet again.

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Chapters 0:00 Intro 0:40 Detainment Story 4:22 Deportation to Israel? 6:20 Is She a Criminal? 9:50 Ward’s Release 12:14 Being Palestinian 13:47 Govt Inventing Laws 15:06 Supporting Detained Women

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“What really frustrated me is that our tax-paying dollars are going towards giving these young adults these big, powerful weapons to kill innocent people.”

Chris Smalls, Amazon Labor Union co-founder, spoke with Zeteo’s political correspondent Prem Thakker on Black and Palestinian solidarity, getting intercepted by the Israeli military on the Handala and what’s next for the Gaza Freedom Flotilla. Smalls dives into the racist treatment he faced in Israeli confinement from military officials choking him to putting their knee on his back. He also details the emotions he felt getting so close to Gaza.

This interview was published last week on zeteo.com. If you liked this conversation and want to watch similar discussions earlier, make sure to subscribe on https://zeteo.com/subscribe for exclusive content and early access to unfiltered journalism.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro
00:59 Joining the flotilla
02:48 Approaching Gaza on the Handala
04:06 Diversity on the Handala
05:00 Getting detained
07:27 Israeli violence and racism
12:45 Black and Palestinian solidarity
14:50 Getting close to Gaza
21:24 Memories of the Handala

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“This is not aid. This is a trap and an ambush of death… Whoever wants to help, does not shoot or throw grenades… Is this an aid distribution center or a center for killing people?”

Mohammed Quwider, father of three, shares how he faced death every time he visited the American and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation aid sites. Mohammed survived an explosion at a GHF distribution point, but it left the tendons in his leg torn and metal implanted in both of his arms.

In Gaza, Palestinians have to choose between starvation or facing death at an aid site.

Oxfam, the international charity, spoke to Mohammed last month and shared this footage with Zeteo. Alongside 240 other non-governmental organizations, Oxfam has called for an immediate end to the deadly Israeli food distribution scheme, a restoring of UN-backed aid systems, and a lifting of the devastating siege of Gaza.

If you value this story and want to see more unfiltered journalism and get earlier access to exclusive content, make sure to sign up at https://zeteo.com/subscribe.

CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 01:34 Injuries 03:29 Getting to aid sites 07:37 Facing death at GHF distribution points 11:50 Conditions of GHF sites 13:50 Crowd at aid sites 14:35 Mohammed’s mother

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"These techno-feudal lords ... have exposed the great lie of liberal democracy, of liberal capitalism."

Mehdi Hasan speaks with Yanis Varoufakis — former finance minister of Greece and renowned left-wing intellectual — about the billionaire class of tech bros like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos growing in power in the US, the center-left's responsibility for the rise of fascism, and the genocide in Gaza in this Zeteo town hall.'

This interview originally aired as a LIVE Q&A on Zeteo.com, then was published exclusively to paid Zeteo.com subscribers. To participate in our next live Q&A, and to get early, EXCLUSIVE access to unfiltered, independent journalism — subscribe to our Substack here: https://zeteo.com/subscribe

Watch the full video to hear Mehdi and Varoufakis' fascinating conversation. They discuss Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, why US Democrats failed so badly in the last election, and why big tech leaders like Musk and Peter Thiel are so invested in pro-Israel speech.

"When they hear you and me talk about equal political rights from the river to the sea, they get really scared. Because for them, equality is the most potent and threatening word in the English language. Why? They know that they live on stolen land.”

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#politics #news