Jesse Jackson dies at 84; Epstein files fallout; why you should sleep on a problem; and more

Summary

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Podcast Summary: The 7 (Feb. 17, 2026)

Host: Hannah Jewell (The Washington Post)
Episode Title: Jesse Jackson dies at 84; Epstein files fallout; why you should sleep on a problem; and more

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Episode Overview

This episode of "The 7" quickly recaps seven major stories shaping the day’s news, from the passing of civil rights icon Jesse Jackson to scientific insights on the value of "sleeping on" a problem. Host Hannah Jewell navigates listeners through significant updates in politics, science, and culture with succinct reporting and notable audio clips.

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Key Stories & Discussion Points

1. Passing of Jesse Jackson (00:29–02:08)

• Civil rights leader and former presidential candidate Jesse Jackson has died at age 84.
• Born in South Carolina in 1941, Jackson rose to prominence during the civil rights movement, including leading student protests in Greensboro and marching in Selma with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
• After King's assassination, Jackson became a leading voice in Black American aspirations and was known for his empowering chants, “I am somebody.”
  • Notable Quote (00:29):
    Jesse Jackson: “I may be poor, but I am somebody. I may be on welfare, but I am somebody.”
  • Notable Quote (01:50):
    Jesse Jackson: “I am black, beautiful, proud. I must be respected. I must be protected.”
• Jackson made history by running for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988, becoming the most successful Black presidential candidate until that time.
• His family released a statement, with no cause of death provided.

2. U.S.–Iran Nuclear Talks Resume (02:08–03:24)

• Negotiations underway in Geneva seek to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions and reduce the risk of regional war.
• The U.S. (under President Trump) increases military posture in the Middle East and threatens force if talks fail.
  • Notable Quote (03:16):
    Donald Trump: “I think they want to make a deal. I don't think they want the consequences of not making a deal. They want to make a deal.”
• Iran seeks sanctions relief while projecting strength domestically amid ongoing crackdowns on protests that have resulted in thousands killed, missing, or detained.
• Inflation and economic grievances continue to stoke unrest in Iran.

3. Fallout from the Epstein Files (03:24–04:38)

• Recent release of millions of documents by the Justice Department details Jeffrey Epstein’s network, implicating global elites.
• Europe sees numerous resignations and criminal probes, but the response in the U.S. is more muted with few high-profile departures (e.g., Kathy Ruemmler of Goldman Sachs, ex-Obama official).
• The episode directs listeners to the newsletter for full lists of resignations and investigations.

4. Judge Orders Restoration of Slavery Exhibit (04:38–05:57)

• A federal judge mandates the reinstallation of a slavery exhibit at Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia.
• The exhibit, consisting of 34 panels, had been removed at the direction of the Trump administration, citing an executive order against “divisive” content.
• Judge Cynthia Roof likens the removal to censorship depicted in Orwell’s 1984, emphasizing historical accountability.

5. Obama’s UFO Comments Walked Back (05:57–06:48)

• Former President Barack Obama, appearing on Brian Tyler Cohen’s podcast, is asked, “Are aliens real?”
  • Notable Quote (06:30):
    Barack Obama: “They're real, but I haven't seen them. And they're not being kept in. What is it…Area 51?...There's no underground facility unless there’s this enormous conspiracy and they hid it from the president of the United States.”
• Social media seizes on the offhand remark, but Obama later clarifies on Instagram: he referenced the statistical likelihood of extraterrestrial life, not any government cover-up, and saw no evidence of alien contact during his presidency.

6. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Keto Diet Claim (06:48–08:35)

• Since becoming Trump’s health secretary, Kennedy is scrutinized for making misleading scientific claims, most recently that the keto diet "cures" schizophrenia.
• Experts and the psychiatrist cited by Kennedy clarify: Improvements seen are better described as “remission,” and large-scale trials do not support the claim that the keto diet outperforms medication.
• Kennedy and allies often demand strong evidence for vaccines but do not apply the same standards to their nutritional claims.

7. Sleep, Dreams, and Problem Solving (08:35–09:35)

• New research suggests sleeping on a problem may genuinely help solve it.
• Neuroscientist Karen Konkoly and colleagues found that 40% of participants who dreamed about a puzzle solved it the next day—double the rate of those who didn’t.
• Jeweled advice: "If you’ve got a big challenge ahead today and you don’t know what to do, your best bet might be going back to sleep.”

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• Jesse Jackson (00:29): “I may be poor, but I am somebody. I may be on welfare, but I am somebody.”
• Jesse Jackson (01:50): “I am black, beautiful, proud. I must be respected. I must be protected.”
• Donald Trump (03:16): “I think they want to make a deal. I don't think they want the consequences of not making a deal. They want to make a deal.”
• Barack Obama (06:30): “They're real, but I haven't seen them ... There's no underground facility unless there’s this enormous conspiracy and they hid it from the president of the United States.”

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time | Segment | |----------|-----------------------------------------------------------| | 00:29 | Jesse Jackson’s legacy and death | | 01:50 | Historic audio: Jackson’s chant | | 02:08 | U.S.–Iran nuclear talks, unrest in Iran | | 03:24 | Epstein files: resignations and investigations | | 04:38 | Federal judge orders restoration of slavery exhibit | | 05:57 | Obama’s UFO/aliens comments and social media reaction | | 06:48 | Kennedy Jr. and keto diet claims for schizophrenia | | 08:35 | Neuroscience study: “sleeping on a problem” boosts insight|

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Episode Tone and Style

Hannah Jewell keeps the delivery crisp and matter-of-fact, with moments of wry humor—especially in recapping political oddities and pop culture (e.g., Obama’s “aliens” remark). The episode balances urgent headlines with lighter, scientific insights, making for a swift, informative listen.

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Summary prepared for readers seeking a complete and engaging overview of the news without time for the full episode.

Transcript

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[Jesse Jackson]

I may be poor, but I am somebody. I may be on welfare, but I am somebody.

[Hannah Jewell]

Civil rights leader and former presidential candidate Jesse Jackson has died. That's where we're starting the Seven from the Washington Post, I'm Hannah Jewell. It's Tuesday, February 17th. Let's get you caught up with today's seven stories. The Reverend Jesse Jackson was born in 1941 in South Carolina. The civil rights movement was gaining momentum during his college days, when he led student protests in Greensboro, North Carolina. He met Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In 1965, when Jackson and other seminary students traveled to Selma, Alabama, for what turned out to be a historic march for voting rights. Jackson became the leading voice of black American aspirations in the years after King's assassination in 1968. On Saturday mornings in Chicago, he would lead a crowd of devoted followers in his signature chant, which you just heard part of. It was often broadcast live on local and national radio. Here he is in 1963.

[Jesse Jackson]

I am black, beautiful, proud. I must be respected. I must be protected.

[Hannah Jewell]

That audio comes to us from the YouTube channel of cleveland.com Jackson ventured where no civil rights leader had gone before by seeking the 1984 Democratic presidential nomination. He finished third in the primary campaign. He ran again four years later, won the Michigan caucuses and briefly became the frontrunner, making it further than any black person in American presidential politics had before. A statement from Jackson's family this morning did not provide a cause of death. He was 84. The US And Iran are holding nuclear talks today in Switzerland. The talks in Geneva are aimed at curbing Iran's nuclear program and avoiding a regional war. It comes as tensions are rising between the US And Iran. President Donald Trump has been building up military forces in the Middle east and has threatened the use of force if negotiations fail. Trump spoke to reporters on Air Force One yesterday.

[Donald Trump]

I think they want to make a deal. I don't think they want the consequences of not making a deal. They want to make a deal.

[Hannah Jewell]

Iran is demanding significant sanctions relief in exchange for constraints on its nuclear program. Its leaders are attempting to project strength and unity. But anger has not abated in Iran in the weeks following a brutal government crackdown on protests. That crackdown killed thousands of people, according to accounts from inside the country. Thousands more Iranians are missing, security forces are continuing to carry out waves of arrests, and inflation has skyrocketed since the crackdown. Economic grievances sparked the protests last month that morphed into anti regime demonstrations. Number three the Epstein files have sparked a wave of resignations and investigations it's been more than two weeks since the latest batch of files from the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein was released by the Justice Department. The millions of documents outlined years of correspondence connecting the late sex offender to some of the wealthiest and most powerful people in the world. The release has roiled Europe, leading to resignations and criminal inquiries, but it hasn't been the same story in the U.S. resignations and investigations of those named in the files have not taken place on the same scale. Only a few high profile people have stepped down from their jobs after new revelations of their connections to Epstein. That includes Kathy Ruemmler, who was a top Goldman Sachs lawyer and a former official in the Obama White House. In today's newsletter, you can find a list of more resignations and investigations. Just follow the link in our show. Notes. Four A judge ordered the Trump administration to restore a slavery Exhibit Last month, National Park Service staff took down an exhibit on slavery at Independence National Historical park in Philadelphia. The exhibit was made up of 34 educational panels that were on display at a site where George Washington lived as president. The removal was connected to President Trump's executive order, which called for eliminating divisive narratives from national sites. But yesterday, a federal judge ordered the reinstallation of the exhibit. U.S. district Judge Cynthia Roof compared the display's removal to the actions of Big brother. In George Orwell's novel 1984, Barack Obama said aliens are real, then walked it back. That's our fifth story. The former president appeared in an interview with liberal podcaster Brian Tyler Cohen on Saturday. He answered questions about the upcoming elections, Bad Bunny and more. Then, near the end of the interview, in a lightning round Q and A, he said this couple questions here Are aliens real?

[Barack Obama]

They're real, but I haven't seen them. And they're not being kept in. What is it?

[Hannah Jewell]

Area 51?

[Barack Obama]

Area 51? There's no underground facility unless there's this enormous conspiracy and they hid it from the president of the United States.

[Hannah Jewell]

UFO believers took that moment as proof that the truth is out there and that government leaders have spent decades concealing it. If that's what you took from it, I'm sorry to disappoint you. In an Instagram post on Sunday, Obama clarified that he was just talking about the statistical likelihood of extraterrestrial life in such a vast universe. And he said he had seen no evidence during his presidency that aliens have made contact with us. 6. We fact checked Robert F. Kennedy Jr. S claim that the Keto diet cures schizophrenia since becoming Trump's health secretary, Kennedy has repeatedly misstated, exaggerated or stripped context from legitimate scientific research. According to medical experts, his recent claims about the low carb, high fat ketogenic diet provide another example of this tendency. Kennedy has referred to the case of a Harvard University psychiatrist who he said cured schizophrenia using keto diets, but that professor has clarified that those patients are better described as being in remission rather than being cured. Kennedy relies on small preliminary studies to back up his claims, but large randomized controlled trials, which are the gold standard of evidence based medicine, have not demonstrated that patients with schizophrenia are better off with a keto diet than medication alone. Kennedy and his allies often demand similar gold standard trials for vaccines, but he does not tend to apply this standard to his own nutritional claims. And at number seven, if you have a problem, new research suggests that sleeping on it could help you find an answer. Karen Konkoly is a neuroscientist who loves thinking about life's big questions while she sleeps. In a recent study, she and her colleagues wanted to find out whether dreams can spark creativity or insight, so she asked study volunteers to solve brainteasers. Researchers played a unique soundtrack with each puzzle and then played that same music while they were asleep. The results were intriguing. 40% of the people who incorporated the puzzles into their dreams solved those same puzzles the next morning. That was twice the rate of those who didn't incorporate the puzzles into their dreams. So if you've got a big challenge ahead today and you don't know what to do, your best bet might be going back to sleep. Alright, you're all caught up. If you've been thinking about subscribing to the Washington Post, we have a great deal right now in our President's Day sale. You can get a core subscription for just $2 every four weeks for the first year. You probably have $2 under your car seat right now. After the first year, that renews at $14 every four weeks and you can cancel anytime. Find all the [e-mail] subscribe I'm Hannah Jewell. I'll be off tomorrow, but make sure you tune in to hear a brand new voice hosting.

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The assignment with me, Audie Cornish. The Oscars will be out like the Golden Globes will be out. There's a Super bowl coming up with Bad Bunny. Yeah, the start of the year, every year is really a time where some of these water cooler moments kick off. People really need anything that's galvanizing or hopeful. You seem like you're embodying cringe right now. Yeah, it's weird to see the cringe process running course through me in real time. Listen to the Assign with me, Audie Cornish Streaming now on your favorite podcast app.

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