Democracy Now! Audio

Democracy Now! 2025-11-24 Monday

Nov 24, 2025
Ross Barkin, journalist and New York Magazine columnist, shares insights on Zoran Mamdani's political rise and his strategic partnership with Trump, highlighting Mamdani's dedication to his agenda despite ideological differences. Jonathan Watts, a Global environment writer for The Guardian, reports from COP30, revealing its shortcomings, particularly the absence of a fossil fuel phase-out plan and the overpowering influence of petro-states. Brandon Wu from ActionAid USA emphasizes the critical need for proper adaptation finance and the exclusion of fossil fuel lobbyists from climate negotiations.
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INSIGHT

Pragmatic Politics Over Pure Rhetoric

  • Zoran Mamdani publicly called President Trump a fascist yet met productively at the White House to focus on shared goals.
  • Ross Barkin says the meeting signals a pragmatic shift: adversarial rhetoric can coexist with coalition-building for policy wins.
INSIGHT

COP30 Sidesteps Fossil Fuel Phase-Out

  • COP30 ended without mentioning phasing out fossil fuels despite a coalition of 80+ countries calling for it.
  • Jonathan Watts and others say petro-states and fossil fuel lobbyists derailed stronger commitments.
ANECDOTE

Unexpected Oval Office Cordiality

  • President Trump warmly praised Mamdani in the Oval Office and emphasized shared priorities like housing and affordability.
  • The moment was striking because Trump had previously attacked Mamdani harshly, yet publicly embraced cooperation.
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