Next Up with Mark Halperin

Episode: New Details on Biden Decline Cover Up, Final Mamdani NYC Election Forecast, Plus: Ro Khanna 2028?

Date: October 30, 2025
Host: Mark Halperin
Guests/Panelists: Ro Khanna, Alex Seitzwald, Ricky Schlott, Lydia Moynihan

Overview

This milestone 50th episode of Next Up with Mark Halperin spotlights three major themes:

1. Details on the Biden Cognitive Decline “Cover Up” — Halperin’s exclusive reporting and critique of the press and Democratic Party’s response.
2. NYC Mayoral Race & Mamdani’s Surge — In-depth panel discussion and forecast with New York political reporters.
3. Ro Khanna: Policy, the Middle East, and 2028 Ambitions — A wide-ranging interview with Congressman Khanna, including his views on the shutdown, Israel/Gaza, party dynamics, and his future in presidential politics.

The show features sharp analysis, new details from congressional testimony, candid interviews, and frank exchanges about accountability, political division, and the shifting American political landscape.

1. Halperin’s Reported Monologue: Biden’s Cognitive Decline and Attempted Cover Up

[06:00–30:29]

Main Points

• "Attempted Cover Up" Not “Cover Up”:
  Halperin argues that the Biden White House and allies could not truly cover up the president's cognitive decline because it was “in plain sight,” but they actively attempted to stifle discussion and reporting by threatening media figures and regularly repeating falsehoods.

  “They could no more cover up Joe Biden’s cognitive decline than the Trump administration could cover up...whether Marco Rubio has really good hair.” (Mark Halperin, 06:40)

• Two Main Tactics:

  • Threats: Reporters, both on and off the record, were intimidated against covering the story.
  • Lies: Assertions that Biden was sharp and dynamic, and any contrary claims were dismissed as propagandistic “deep fakes.”

• Media Complicity:

  • Only rare exceptions (Alex Thompson, Halperin himself) pushed back or reported honestly.
  • Most of the "dominant media" either stayed silent or parroted White House spin.
  • Halperin calls this the “biggest media scandal in American history.”

• New Testimony and Admissions:

  • Kamala Harris and Karine Jean-Pierre both give evasive, "word salad" answers in recent interviews when pressed on what they saw regarding Biden’s acuity.
  • Ian Sams (WH Spokesman) admits, under oath, to only a handful of personal interactions with Biden, yet went on TV representing his mental sharpness.
  • Jeff Zients (WH Chief of Staff): Testified that multiple Cabinet officials and senior advisors privately questioned whether Biden should run for re-election after the Trump debate, including Blinken and Sullivan.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Media Scandal:

  “I’ve said before, biggest media scandal in American history.” (Mark Halperin, 09:10)

• On Harris’s Book Tour Interview:

  “I want to interrupt you because that is a world-class pivot, but it’s not the question I asked you...” (Australian interviewer to Harris, 13:15)

• On Sams’s Testimony:

  “That’s not exactly a large scope of knowledge on how he interacts with staff. You don’t think it’s missing some context?” (House Investigator to Sams, 18:20)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [11:45] Kamala Harris grilled on Biden’s frailty and debate performance
• [15:36] Karine Jean-Pierre deflects on direct observations of Biden’s acuity
• [17:03] Ian Sams admits limited direct interaction with Biden
• [21:40] Jeff Zients details private Cabinet concern post-debate

2. Interview: Ro Khanna — Shutdown, Epstein Files, Middle East, 2028?

[30:29–53:13]

On the Federal Shutdown

• SNAP benefits and unpaid federal workers are constituents’ top issues; Khanna pushes for targeted action to extend SNAP and pay essential federal employees while broader issues are worked on.

  “16 million kids are not going to get food...People think of Silicon Valley as wealthy, but a lot of families are struggling.” (Ro Khanna, 30:47)

On Disclosure of the Epstein Files

• The congressional stall is a deliberate tactic, but Khanna expects renewed momentum and focus when Congress returns.

  “They have pushed this out and gotten it off the front pages…but when we get back, this story’s going to come back with the same intensity as before.” (Ro Khanna, 34:07)

On Israel/Gaza and U.S. Foreign Policy

• Khanna defers to the UN and ICJ findings on genocide in Gaza, supports Israel’s right to exist but is critical of Netanyahu’s conduct.

  “I believe Israel has the right to exist securely as a Jewish democratic state…I call that liberal Zionism…There should be a Palestinian state that’s demilitarized, that does not have Hamas.” (Ro Khanna, 35:41)

• Says the Democratic Party’s “big tent” must accommodate diverse views, including his own nuanced position.

  “This idea that the Democratic Party can just pick one of these wings is, in my view, not thoughtful...If we want to build a majority party, we’ve got to bring them all back.” (Ro Khanna, 39:12)

On NYC Mayoral Candidate Mamdani

• Supports Mamdani but disagrees with his stance on arresting Netanyahu, urges focus on core city issues as mayor.

On Bipartisan Appeal

• Attributes cross-factional Democratic Party support to upbringing and temperament.

  “It’s probably my life experiences that makes it possible to relate…and then it’s my temperament. I’m not a bomb thrower…I try to see the best in people.” (Ro Khanna, 41:00)

On 2028 Presidential Ambitions

• Openly interested in running; sees AI-driven economic transformation and American economic pessimism as the key issues he is equipped to address.

  “If the question is: How do we turn around economic pessimism in this country…I believe I have the best understanding of what is required for an economic renewal…and how we can bring that confidence back.” (Ro Khanna, 50:51)

3. Reporter Roundtable: Maine and NYC Elections

[55:41–76:59]

Alex Seitzwald’s Local Journalism Journey

• Went from NBC to the Midcoast Villager (a local Maine paper revived from four historic papers) to confront the “national-local news gap.”
• Model: Local, for-profit, community-embedded journalism, physical newspaper and community cafe.

  “We really hope that through that we can rebuild trust in news and build a viable, sustainable product.” (Alex Seitzwald, 58:26)

Deep Dive: Maine Senate Race — Graham Platner’s Wild Ride

• Platner’s campaign survives major controversies (Nazi tattoo, inflammatory past posts); turnout at his events and yard sign presence suggest ongoing traction.

  “The rumors of Grant Platner’s demise are greatly exaggerated. I’m not saying he’s going to win, but he’s not going anywhere anytime soon.” (Alex Seitzwald, 66:32)

• Panel reflects on disconnect between local sentiment and national media framing.

NYC Mayoral Forecast

• Mamdani Holds the Lead:

  “Things still do not look too great for [Cuomo]. Mamdani is definitely still well in the lead, in my opinion.” (Ricky Schlott, 73:09)

• If Mamdani wins, expect city and national divisions, with ripple effects for future races (e.g., Elise Stefanik’s rise as a contender for governor).

Media Critique on NYC Coverage

• The NY Times is called out for favoring Mamdani in coverage tone, echoing its hands-off approach to Obama vs. Clinton in 2008.

  “Every day I wait for the New York Times to write one story scrutinizing the guy, and every day, it’s like: He’s charming, he’s got this cute, adorable coalition…” (Mark Halperin, 75:21)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Press Silence:

  “Most of all, from my point of view, because it’s my profession, people in the media continue to ignore massive stories. The White House chief of staff, the national security adviser, the secretary of state, the commerce secretary…all saw there was a problem…This is one of the biggest stories of my career and much of the dominant media is completely silent about it. It’s an outrage and it’s inexplicable.” (Halperin, 24:02–25:00)

• Ro Khanna on Generational Divides:

  “There are a lot of people in the MAGA base who have shifted their views on this issue [Palestine].” (Ro Khanna, 48:56)

• On Journalism’s Local Future:

  “If we can bring money from away to support local journalism here, that’s huge…We want your national dollars, please.” (Alex Seitzwald, 65:33)

• On Democratic Party Cohesion:

  “We’ve got to be a big tent party that recognizes that different people are bringing different strengths to the coalition.” (Ro Khanna, 40:22)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Time | Segment / Topic | |---------|----------------------------------------------| | 06:00 | Halperin’s monologue: Biden cognitive cover up | | 11:45 | Kamala Harris evades Biden frailty questions | | 15:36 | Karine Jean-Pierre’s evasive comments | | 17:03 | Ian Sams’s testimony (met Biden “infrequently”) | | 21:40 | Jeff Zients: Cabinet doubts after debate | | 30:29 | Ro Khanna interview begins | | 35:41 | Israel/Palestine, genocide, and party debate | | 41:00 | Khanna on his bipartisan political appeal | | 49:06 | Khanna on Newsom, running in 2028 | | 55:41 | Panel: Local journalism and Midcoast Villager| | 66:32 | Platner’s resilience in Maine race | | 73:09 | Mamdani vs. Cuomo forecast, NYC Mayor | | 75:21 | NY Times mayorship coverage critique |

Tone and Style

The episode is candid, direct, and often combative—Halperin in particular uses sharp, critical language about both political leaders and the media class. Ro Khanna is diplomatic but forthright, defending his record and explaining his thought process without ducking controversy. The panel sections combine analysis and newsroom banter, with an undercurrent of concern for journalism’s future and America’s fractured politics.

Summary Value

This episode is essential listening for anyone interested in political accountability, the inside story of the Biden decline controversy, the evolving future of local journalism, and the players shaping the next era in Democratic politics. Panelists don’t shy from hard questions, and the show’s milestone episode status brings a rare blend of candor and urgency.