Next Up with Mark Halperin on "After Party"
Date: October 4, 2025
Host: Emily Jashinsky (MK Media)
Guest: Mark Halperin (Editor in Chief, Two Way; Host, Next Up with Mark Halperin)
Main Theme & Purpose
In this episode of "After Party," Emily Jashinsky welcomes political veteran Mark Halperin to analyze a whirlwind of recent political developments: the contours of Trump-era Middle East strategy, the indictment of James Comey, the ongoing culture war battles involving figures like Charlie Kirk and J.K. Rowling, the shifting media landscape at the Washington Post, and even some celebrity gossip. With sharp insights, irreverent banter, and a candid appraisal of media narratives, the discussion provides both behind-the-scenes context and energetic debate about what’s driving today's political and cultural headlines.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Trump-Netanyahu Press Conference & Gaza Peace Prospects
Timestamps: 03:33 – 13:44
- Emily Jashinsky sets the stage by critiquing the recent "press conference" between Prime Minister Netanyahu and Donald Trump, which featured no questions and more of a staged announcement.
- Clip played of Trump outlining his vision for post-war Gaza, referencing cooperation with Arab leaders and setting conditions for Palestinian reform (04:13).
- Mark Halperin draws parallels between Trump's approach and old-school diplomacy:
- "This is how you make diplomacy work... shuttle diplomacy, going, flying around, being on the phone with folks." (06:14)
- Quote: "The paradox to me is most of what Donald Trump does is completely unorthodox, not by the book...This is just, this is incredible what they've done and they've done it the old fashioned way..." (06:40)
- Discussion on conflict of interest issues – Jared Kushner's involvement given his post-White House Middle East business ties.
- Quote (Halperin): "It's suboptimal to have people who have, you know, huge financial stakes in the region at the center of it because it's just going to give people the impression that it's not legit." (09:00)
Trump’s Philosophy on Presidential Power and Precedent
- Halperin argues Trump sees the presidency as a tool for personal gain, justifying actions by referencing past presidents’ enrichment and use of power.
- Quote (Halperin): "Trump's attitude is I'm not going to be the sucker who doesn't do at least what LBJ did and maybe a little bit more to get rich while he's in office." (10:17)
- Trump’s approach to retribution (i.e., the Comey indictment) is seen through the same lens: "As long as a predecessor president did something, I'm going to do it, too." (10:50)
Nobel Peace Prize Chatter
- Emily proposes Trump might want the Nobel for his Middle East work; Halperin humorously dismisses the likelihood:
- Quote: "I think he's more likely to be named Randy Weingarten Man of the Year." (12:28)
2. James Comey Indictment and Media Narratives
Timestamps: 13:44 – 21:33
- Background: Recent indictment of James Comey, with speculation about whether it’s a "holding charge" or political retribution.
- Halperin’s Take:
- Sees Comey as self-serving and unprincipled, but also regards the indictment as weak and politically motivated.
- Quote: "He's a bad guy... an egomaniac. He breaks the rules for his own advancement. He treats people horribly. He lies with impunity. And yet he was a hero of both the left and the right..." (14:52)
- Halperin warns: "I'm not a big fan of Comey, and I'm not a big fan of this indictment." (16:55)
- On Media's Role:
- Emily laments the press’ inability to see through Comey’s self-presentation, attributing it to reflexive anti-Trump sentiment.
- Halperin recounts the confused audience reaction on Stephen Colbert’s show when Trump fired Comey as emblematic of Comey’s confusing reputation (18:35).
Comey: Persona and Public Weirdness
- Both discuss Comey's odd social media presence ("a freaky guy"), with mock concern over his deadpan videos and awkward online persona.
- Quote (Halperin): "It takes a lot to creep me out. His Instagram videos, they creep me out. I...want to turn away. It's like watching like the horror movie Freaks." (20:50)
3. Ta-Nehisi Coates, Charlie Kirk, and the Culture Wars
Timestamps: 24:08 – 33:53
- Clip played of Ta-Nehisi Coates on NYT podcast, labeling Charlie Kirk a "hate monger." (24:08)
- Quote (Coates): "I also believe hate is a powerful force. I believe it's a powerful, powerful unifying force. And I think Charlie Kirk was a hate monger." (24:22)
- Emily & Mark’s Response:
- Mark, emotional and firm, rebukes Coates’ remarks as both callous and false, especially so soon after Kirk’s assassination.
- Quote (Halperin): "That guy was not a hater, just manifestly not...there's so much evidence on the public record, you didn't have to know him personally...So fuck him." (27:44)
- Emily criticizes the perpetual labeling of right-wing figures as “racist” or “beyond the pale,” noting the cycle of division this perpetuates and media’s role in it.
- Quote (Emily): "It seems to me it's because they fundamentally have not learned the lesson...They're making them more and more bluntly because they know they're going to be called racist by the New York Times no matter what they do." (28:05–29:00)
- Mark, emotional and firm, rebukes Coates’ remarks as both callous and false, especially so soon after Kirk’s assassination.
- Halperin focuses on the lack of basic humanity: “...to say something false and defamatory about someone who was just assassinated at 31 years old? I just have a visceral reaction to the lack of humanity.” (30:16)
- Tension over the left’s struggle to maintain narrative and institutional power post-Trump, and the impulse to demonize figures like Kirk as a means of preserving cultural hegemony.
- Quote (Halperin): “This is the occasion for the empire to strike back, for the left to suddenly try to reassert all the things that gave them cultural hegemony for so long.” (32:02)
4. The Washington Post, Jeff Bezos, and Shifting Media Business Models
Timestamps: 33:53 – 40:35
- Analysis of Adam O’Neal’s first interview as WaPo’s opinion editor (with Fox News) and the paper’s strategy to reorient toward libertarianism and pro-America messaging.
- Halperin and Jashinsky discuss:
- Business necessity: why chase only "highly partisan" blue-state readers? Good business and journalism require “reaching everybody rather than a niche.” (39:32)
- Challenges: whether neutrality/"big tent" media can survive in the era of hyper-polarized, niche-audience digital environments.
- Quote (Halperin): "We want everyone under one roof...The biggest group is people who are not super partisan...the Washington Post seems to be trying to bet on the concept of let's reach everybody rather than a niche." (39:32–40:35)
5. Kamala Harris’ Book Tour & Political Prospects
Timestamps: 41:46 – 42:43
- Brief segment critiquing Kamala Harris’ public speaking skills; dryly highlights a Washington Post editorial board criticism.
- Quote (Halperin): "She just, I mean, no, I don't think it's inspirational, but I think it's also just like, it's word salad and unfocused and awkward and...she's had plenty of practice." (42:08)
6. Celebrity Sidebar: Nicole Kidman & Keith Urban Divorce Rumors
Timestamps: 43:19 – 44:55
- Halperin gives a tongue-in-cheek tabloid analysis, expressing “not the least bit surprised” by the supposed marital split, referencing his “bad vibes” from their public appearances.
- Quote (Halperin): "They looked like two ghosts holding hands...I always got a really bad vibe from them whenever I saw them in public." (44:25)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote/Insight | |-----------|-----------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 06:14 | Halperin | "This is how you make diplomacy work...not in some newfangled Trump way, but it old fashioned."| | 10:17 | Halperin | "Trump's attitude is I'm not going to be the sucker who doesn't do at least what LBJ did..." | | 14:52 | Halperin | "[Comey] breaks the rules for his own advancement. He treats people horribly. He lies..." | | 18:35 | Halperin | "Stephen Colbert was... taping his show and... comes out in his monologue...and the audience is...confused..."| | 20:50 | Halperin | "[Comey's Instagram videos] creep me out. I...want to turn away. It's like watching the horror movie Freaks."| | 27:44 | Halperin | "That guy [Kirk] was not a hater...So fuck him." | | 32:02 | Halperin | "This is the occasion for the empire to strike back...to reassert all the things that gave them cultural hegemony."| | 39:32 | Halperin | "Let's reach everybody rather than a niche." |
Segment Timestamps
| Segment | Start | End | |------------------------------------------------------|----------|----------| | Show setup, topics intro, news rundown | 01:05 | 03:05 | | Trump-Netanyahu-Gaza/Abraham Accords | 03:33 | 13:44 | | Comey Indictment & Media Lens | 13:44 | 21:33 | | Ta-Nehisi Coates, Charlie Kirk’s Legacy & Media | 24:08 | 33:53 | | Washington Post, Adam O’Neal, Media Business Models | 33:53 | 40:35 | | Kamala Harris at Howard & WaPo Critique | 41:46 | 42:43 | | Kidman/Urban Celebrity Gossip | 43:19 | 44:55 |
Tone & Language
- Candid, irreverent, and occasionally profane: Mark Halperin's language, especially around sensitive topics like the Kirk assassination fallout and media hypocrisy, reflects plain, confrontational honesty.
- Media-savvy and inside baseball: Both host and guest are fluent in the currents of journalistic culture, referencing rivalries, editorial shifts, and the business of news.
- Emotional resonance: The assassination of Charlie Kirk and its aftermath brings a moment of genuine pathos, especially for Halperin.
- Blend of serious analysis and light banter: The episode toggles between deep dives into media and politics, and lighter takes on public figures and pop culture.
For Listeners: Why It Matters
This episode offers a window into the ways the media, political maneuvering, and culture war narratives are shaped—and why who gets called a "hero" or a "hate monger" is far from a neutral, empirical process. The duo’s spirited debate and moments of real emotion put the manufactured, often cynical machinery of national discourse on full display. For anyone trying to understand the fractures (and performative unity) of American politics, media struggles for relevance, and the moral battles being waged in public, Halperin and Jashinsky deliver both context and uncompromising commentary.
Further Listening (not included in summary)
- Emily’s post-show takedown of the New York Times’ posthumous Charlie Kirk profile (45:10 onward)
- Rosie O’Donnell’s media appearances and J.K. Rowling’s rebuke of Emma Watson (summarized, not timestamped in detail)
Summary prepared by an expert podcast summarizer, following all provided guidelines.