Useful Idiots with Katie Halper and Aaron Maté

Support our work and get the ad-free interviews with James Carden and Kylie Cheung (@kylietcheung): https://open.substack.com/pub/usefulidiots/p/ad-free-democrats-melt-down-over?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=webWatch the Friday Free-For-All: Stupid Fact Check: Does Abdul El-Sayed REALLY Sleep in an “Osama Bin Laden Jersey?” https://usefulidiotspodcast.comOrder James' new book: THE GREAT BETRAYAL: How the Democrats Became the Party of War https://orbooks.com/catalog/the-great-betrayal/Order Kylie's new book: Playing the Victim: How the Powerful Deny and Attack Survivors of Violence, from Domestic Abuse to Genocide https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/826796/playing-the-victim-by-kylie-cheung/Check out Lean: Visit https://takelean.com and enter USEFUL for your discount.Join us LIVE on Youtube every Monday at 10am EST for Monday Mourning, where we watch the Sunday morning news shows so that you don't have to.Go to https://groundnews.com/useful to get 40% off the unlimited access Vantage plan and unlock world-wide perspectives on the stories shaping our world.Pre-order Aaron's new book on the Ukraine war: Their Blood, Our Bullets https://orbooks.com/catalog/their-blood-our-bullets/Check out Quince and use our code USEFUL for a great deal: https://www.quince.comCheck out TruDiagnostic and use our code USEFUL for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.comCheck out HomeServe at https://homeserve.com/usefulCheck out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/IDIOTSCheck out Chilipad and use my code sleep.me/USEFUL for a great deal: https://sleep.me/useful------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Let’s take a look at the midterms: Democrats are looking pretty good in the polls, especially because Trump has betrayed two of his key promises, which was to have No New Wars and to address the cost of living.In his second term, we’ve seen him do the exact opposite. He started a war on Iran, which has driven up the cost of living, especially energy prices. But are Democrats seizing the rage? Are they taking up the anti-war mantle?No!Here’s why: in an effort to escape this predicament of spiking energy prices and win back the polls from Democrats, Trump recently made a gas deal with Vladimir Putin to claim he’s bringing prices down. And rather than simply point out that Trump is only doing this to save face because he’s lost the anti-war lane, Democrats are instead accusing him once again of being a traitor, warmongering for Russia.That’s right: it’s Russiagate Part (10?)To discuss the Democrat blunder of missing the easy opportunity to pin Trump for his disastrous war of choice on Iran and potentially blowing their midterm lead, we speak with James Carden, author of the new book, The Great Betrayal: How the Democrats Became the Party of War.ShareWe also speak with journalist Kylie Cheung, author of the brand new book, Playing the Victim: How the Powerful Deny and Attack Survivors of Violence, From Domestic Abuse to Genocide, which makes the connection between the tactics of domestic abusers and the tactics of imperialism and Zionism.She explains how the perpetrators of Israel’s genocide on Gaza, from decision makers like Benjamin Netanyahu to his chief propagandists like CNN’s Dana Bash, enact the domestic abuse term known as DARVO: deny, attack, reverse victim and offender.Kylie shows us clips of Dana Bash and Vice President JD Vance and reveals how they manipulate their audience with each tactic of DARVO.These interviews are free to all, but to support our work and get the ad-free version of the episode, please consider subscribing to Useful Idiots.0:00 Midterm politics and preview01:56 GOP Senator drools over bombing Iran (but only after the midterms)04:22 Ted Cruz claims Abdul El-Sayed is in the Muslim Brotherhood06:14 Ted Cruz knows nothing about the Bible08:08 James Carden on why Dems have become the party of war28:32 Democrats, war, and history46:03 Kylie Cheung on how Zionists and domestic abusers are alike53:48 Dana Bash's sexual atrocity propaganda1:05:13 JD Vance celebrates ad accusing rape victim of lyingOur Sponsors:* Check out Quince and use my code USEFUL for a great deal: https://www.quince.com* Check out TruDiagnostic and use my code USEFUL for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

A sharp tour through Sunday political coverage, from Trump’s broken affordability promises and Ukraine’s dependence on Washington to sanctions, energy deals, and proposals for deeper escalation. The discussion also takes aim at unsupported claims about Iran’s nuclear threat, media defenses of permanent war, bipartisan corruption, and Islamophobic attacks in Michigan’s Senate race.

Trita Parsi, a geopolitical analyst focused on Iran and Middle Eastern diplomacy, examines Israel’s permanent-war doctrine, U.S. dependence, and the risk of regional escalation involving Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Israeli peace activist Miko Peled argues that elections will not end occupation or genocide, while exploring Netanyahu’s coalition prospects, the draft crisis, Haredi anti-Zionism, and police violence against protesters.

A fiery tour through Sunday political coverage explores Democrats’ midterm momentum, inflation, Islamophobia, and MAGA’s growing fracture over Trump’s Russian diesel deal. The discussion revisits buried Ukraine peace talks, sanctions hypocrisy, Iran’s suffering, and Trump’s war rhetoric. It also tackles AI-assisted civilian harm, a proposed televised execution, ICE violence, and pressure facing Mamdani.

Muhammad Shehada, a Palestinian political analyst and writer from Gaza, returns with a searing account of life under siege. He discusses Gaza’s fourth winter, drone surveillance, hunger and displacement, disputed Israeli files targeting journalists and UNRWA, soldiers’ testimonies about atrocities, and how Gaza’s control technologies may be exported worldwide. He also examines settler violence and the West Bank’s escalating danger.

Katie Halper and Aaron Maté dissect a former Biden official’s defense of Gaza policy, from blocked ceasefire talks and delayed weapons restrictions to the administration’s selective outrage over civilian deaths. They examine Washington’s ties to former extremists, challenge shifting explanations for energy prices and Ukraine diplomacy, and explore how Democratic leaders distance themselves from the left while avoiding accountability over Israel.

Chris Godshall, an attorney focused on immigration and civil liberties, and Momodou Taal, a Ph.D. student and pro-Palestinian activist, discuss Cornell’s handling of a gang-rape allegation alongside its crackdown on Palestine protests. They examine due process, deportation pressure, campus free speech, media narratives, and the starkly different treatment of students accused of violence and students protesting war.

A sharp discussion of Iran’s rejection of U.S. negotiators, Washington’s contradictory diplomacy, and claims surrounding nuclear enrichment. The conversation examines sanctions, oil pressure, regime-change ambitions, and Iran’s case for peaceful negotiations. It also covers political rhetoric about economic pain, possible election interference, and the silencing of antiwar voices in Ukraine.

Leonid Ragozin, a veteran Russian journalist and foreign-affairs analyst who reported for the BBC and Newsweek Russia, examines Ukraine’s political and military vulnerabilities. He discusses Russia’s managed elections, Putin’s enduring support, Zelensky’s escalation threats, and the Kremlin’s destructive advantage against Ukrainian infrastructure. The conversation also explores Ukraine’s financial crisis, corruption disputes, and Zelensky’s precarious standing with European backers.

Go to https://groundnews.com/useful to get 40% off the unlimited access Vantage plan and unlock world-wide perspectives on the stories shaping our world.Pre-order Aaron's new book on the Ukraine war: Their Blood, Our Bullets https://orbooks.com/catalog/their-blood-our-bullets/Check out Quince and use our code https://quince.com/useful for a great deal: https://www.quince.comCheck out TruDiagnostic and use our code USEFUL for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.comCheck out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/IDIOTSCheck out Chilipad and use my code sleep.me/USEFUL for a great deal: https://sleep.me/useful------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Support our work and get the ad-free interview with FBI Whistleblower Coleen Rowley: https://open.substack.com/pub/usefulidiots/p/subscribers-only-ad-free-fbi-whistleblower?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=webWatch the Friday Free-For-All: Antisemitism Czar Claims Macklemore is HIJACKING Concerts in Plot to Destroy Israel https://usefulidiotspodcast.comJoin us LIVE on Youtube every Monday at 10am EST for Monday Mourning, where we watch the Sunday morning news shows so that you don't have to.Our Sponsors:* Check out Quince and use my code USEFUL for a great deal: https://www.quince.com* Check out TruDiagnostic and use my code USEFUL for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy