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LIVE(ish) from the Obama Presidential Center

Explore episode Jun 19, 2026

Where this was said

JCPOA Was Better — Democrats Should Say So

At 51:06 · chapter starts 50:48

Tommy Vietor makes a direct case: Democrats have spent years throat-clearing about the JCPOA's imperfections, and they should stop. The Obama-era deal shipped 97% of Iran's nuclear stockpile out of the country to Russia. It went through the UN Security Council with P5+1 backing. It had multilateral enforcement mechanisms. Trump's MOU does none of that — it downblends material in-country, has no multilateral framework, and comes attached to a $300 billion Gulf-funded reconstruction slush fund that Gulf states were just told to finance despite Iran having fired ballistic missiles at them. Jon Lovett adds a separate point prompted by JD Vance's pushback on pro-Israel Iran hawks: he argues those who weaponized AIPAC, alienated Democrats, and turned Israel into a partisan issue now have to reckon with where Israel actually stands — more isolated and beholden to Trump than at any point in its history. The people who called critics 'self-hating Jews,' he argues, might owe some apologies.

Government
JCPOA Was Better — Democrats Should Just Say It

LIVE(ish) from the Obama Presidential Center · Jun 19, 2026 Government

Under the JCPOA, Iran shipped 97% of its nuclear stockpile out of the country to Russia, the deal went through the UN Security Council with full P5+1 backing, and it had robust sanctions enforcement. Trump's MOU downblends material in-country, has no multilateral framework, and comes with a $300 billion slush fund. Democrats should stop throat-clearing about JCPOA's flaws and just say it was better.

Government
JD Vance Goes on The View and Proves He Has No Charisma

LIVE(ish) from the Obama Presidential Center · Jun 19, 2026 Government

JD Vance went on The View as part of his Catholic conversion book tour, trying to project bridge-building moderation. The result: gaslit the hosts about Trump's inflation comments, then called Democrats 'terrible people' on Fox that same night. Defending Trump is an impossible task, but Vance made it worse by having absolutely no charm.

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