It's News Day Tuesday! Sam and Emma speak with Trita Parsi, executive vice president at the Quincy Institute, to discuss the recent results of the Iranian elections. Then, they speak with Daniel Nichanian, editor-in-chief of Bolts Magazine, to discuss the surprising results of the 2nd round of French elections that took place this past weekend. First, Sam and Emma run through updates on Biden’s tenuous candidacy, Miriam Edelson’s $70m for Trump, NATO, major Russian war crimes, the prosecution of Sen. Menendez, deadly heat across the US, the resignation of a Trump-appointed judge in Alaska, and recreational marijuana law in a certain Matt Lech’s home state of North Dakota, before parsing through the complex role congressional progressives like the Squad have been playing in the debate on Biden’s candidacy. Trita Parsi then joins, diving right into the recent election of Masoud Pezeshkian, the context for this snap election (the death of Ebrahim Raisi), and Pezeshkian’s image coming in as a somewhat uninspiring reformist candidate, touching on the meager turnout for the first round of elections before unpacking the central role that that the threat of his ultra-hardline conservative opponent played in pulling out the necessary participation for a second round victory. Next, Parsi walks Sam and Emma through what made Pezeshkian’s candidacy so “reformist,” particularly as a much less anti-establishment candidate that Iranian reformists have put forward in the past, including his loyalty to the Iranian political system, and his primary agenda of creating a direct dialogue with the West. After outlining the structure of the Iranian regime, the role the President plays within it, and what the “reformist” agenda for the future of the system entails, Trita, Sam, and Emma wrap up the interview by unpacking the Biden Administration’s fear of the JCPOA (Iranian Nuclear Deal), Bibi Netanyahu’s role in undermining any return of the deal, and the return of Neocon logic in US foreign policy. Daniel Nichanian then joins, examining the context for France’s recent snap elections, the rapid turnaround in Macron’s plan, and the role parliament plays in France’s political structure. Expanding on this, Nichanian explores the political strategy employed by the French left, successfully putting their differences to the side with the looming threat of the far right and pulling out an astonishing victory, and what the lack of a true majority means for the future of French governance over the next few months, wrapping up with the tension between the platforms of the left-wing and Emmanuel Macron’s coalition.

And in the Fun Half: Sam and Emma dive deep into their takes on the ongoing fiasco that is Biden’s presidential candidacy, from the recent meeting among Dem Senate and House members to the unruly press that keeps asking Karine Jean-Pierre questions about Joe Biden (for some reason). They also dive into the recently released RNC platform and Donald Trump’s commitment to lying for the Lord, before talking with Brian from New Mexico and Christian from Pennsylvania about their problems with the debate around Joe Biden’s candidacy. The MR Team basks in the schadenfreude of GOP candidate Hovde and Democratic Rep. Torres’ recent embarrassments, plus, your calls and IMs!

Follow Trita on Twitter here: https://x.com/tparsi

Find out more about the Quincy Institute here: https://quincyinst.org/

Follow Daniel on Twitter here: https://x.com/Taniel

Check out Bolts Magazine here: https://boltsmag.org/

Check out this fact sheet on Bolts Mag on the French and U.K. elections!: https://boltsmag.org/how-voting-works-france-united-kingdom-your-questions-answered/

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