Episode Details

Today's show opened with the split screen to end all split screens: the dedication ceremony for the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago — featuring Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, and a stunning speech from Michelle Obama — running simultaneously with JD Vance's press conference trying to sell the world on Trump's Iran "deal" that is, in fact, a memo of understanding signed two days early in Versailles. Yes, Versailles.

I played extended clips from Michelle Obama's remarks, including her powerful tribute to Barack and the barely-veiled contrast she drew between his presidency and the current one.

Then Philadelphia Inquirer national columnist Will Bunch joins me to dig into JD Vance's authoritarian true-believer tendencies, discuss what Bill Pulte is really doing vying for the DNI position the spectacular failure that is Trump's Iran policy, plus the historical echoes of Versailles, the collapse of congressional independence since Watergate, the Chris Rabb primary win in Philadelphia, and the complicated politics of Israel in the 2026 Democratic landscape. Whew. Yeah, the show ran a bit long again today.

Tomorrow is Emptywheel Friday — Marcy Wheeler joins me every Friday. And tomorrow also happens to be Juneteenth, the official opening day of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. I'll be in Arizona and Marcy in Ireland, both as usual