New polling on the Iran war; Janet Mills drops out; the beauty in cow burps; and more

Summary

Podcast Summary: The 7 – "New polling on the Iran war; Janet Mills drops out; the beauty in cow burps; and more"

Host: Hannah Jewell
Date: May 1, 2026
Produced by: The Washington Post

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Overview

In this episode, Hannah Jewell breaks down the seven most crucial stories of the day, ranging from new polling on President Trump’s ongoing Iran war and a healthcare database data leak, to a shakeup in Maine politics, a controversial border wall expansion, fallout from a Texas camp disaster, new findings on diversity’s impact on graduate earnings, and an unexpectedly beautiful look at climate science via cow burps. The episode spans serious policy issues, political intrigue, social science, and environmental research.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Iran War Unpopularity Hits Iraq and Vietnam Levels

[00:34–02:25]

• New polling (Washington Post/ABC News/Ipsos) reveals 61% of Americans think military action against Iran was a mistake.
• Despite high support among Republicans, less than 20% see the war as successful.
• President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth compare the current stalemate to Iraq and Vietnam, insisting it’s too soon to withdraw.
• The war’s legal deadline for congressional consent arrives today, but Hegseth claims a temporary ceasefire pauses this requirement.
• War’s unpopularity is linked to both economic pain and terrorism fears amid U.S.-Israeli military campaigns.

“The Iran war has something in common with those previous battles. It is as unpopular among Americans as the Iraq war was in 2006 and the Vietnam War was in the early 1970s.” — Hannah Jewell [01:41]

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2. Medicare Provider Database Exposes Social Security Numbers

[02:25–03:24]

• A Washington Post exclusive reveals that a new Medicare directory exposed health providers’ Social Security numbers.
• Intended to make it easier for seniors to see which doctors accept their plans, the directory’s backend was found to contain sensitive info publicly.
• CMS took the database down after the Post’s inquiry; affected providers express confusion and concern.

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3. Janet Mills Drops Out of Maine Senate Race

[03:24–04:43]

• Former Governor Janet Mills, backed by Senate Democratic leadership, exits the Maine Democratic Senate primary due to lack of funds and support.
• Her departure leaves outsider Graham Platner as the likely challenger to Republican Sen. Susan Collins this fall.
• Platner, a 41-year-old oyster farmer with no prior elected office, urges unity for the “critical” campaign ahead, acknowledging Mills’ decision.

“We both got into this race because we knew how critical it is to defeat Susan Collins, and her decision today reflects a commitment to that project. I look forward to working closely with her between now and November to do just that.” — Graham Platner [04:13]

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4. Border Wall Expansion Destroys Native American Archaeological Site

[04:43–05:29]

• Another Post scoop: Trump’s $46.5 billion border wall construction in Arizona bulldozed an ancient indigenous ground etching, believed over 1000 years old.
• The fish-shaped archaeological site is confirmed damaged via satellite imagery and anonymous Interior Department sources.
• Local Native residents fear further destruction to other culturally significant sites.

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5. Camp Mystic Abandons 2026 Reopening After Deadly Flood

[05:29–07:29]

• Christian camp in Texas, where 27 died in 2025 flooding, will not reopen as planned.
• Some victim families pressured closure as investigations continue; others wanted camp to serve as healing space for survivors.
• Parental criticism: The Stewards, whose child Seal remains missing, allege state authorities were poised to deny license anyway and condemn the camp’s “reckless and incompetent judgment.”

“Nothing the Eastlands could do will eliminate the fundamental failure, failures that killed my daughter, the reckless and incompetent judgment of the Eastland family.” — Cece Steward [06:56]

• Investigators uncovered multiple failures in the camp’s emergency planning during hearings.

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6. Diverse Classes Boost Graduate Earnings

[07:29–08:24]

• New Nature study: Even one additional racial minority student in a law or MBA class correlates with higher starting salaries for the entire group.
• Long-term earning benefits could total thousands of dollars per law graduate.
• Despite evidence, colleges are cutting back diversity efforts amid political and legal pressure (notably after the 2023 Supreme Court end to race-conscious admissions).

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7. The Unexpected Beauty—and Danger—of Cow Burps

[08:24–09:34]

• A deep dive into methane-producing microbes (“rumen ciliates”) inside cows, described as visually “colorful, ethereal and mysterious.”
• These organisms, while beautiful under the microscope, are major contributors to climate-change-causing methane.
• The latest research suggests their impact on emissions is even greater than thought; better understanding might help scientists develop solutions for livestock methane mitigation.

“Colorful, ethereal and mysterious, but beautiful things can sometimes also be kind of terrible. These microbes known as rumen ciliates produce the methane gas that gets burped by cows...” — Hannah Jewell [08:54]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On War Weariness:
  “It is as unpopular among Americans as the Iraq war was in 2006 and the Vietnam War was in the early 1970s.” — Hannah Jewell [01:44]

• On Political Unity in Maine:
  “We both got into this race because we knew how critical it is to defeat Susan Collins… I look forward to working closely with [Mills].” — Graham Platner [04:13]

• On Camp Accountability:
  “Nothing the Eastlands could do will eliminate the fundamental failure, failures that killed my daughter.” — Cece Steward [06:56]

• On the Paradox of Nature:
  “Colorful, ethereal and mysterious, but beautiful things can sometimes also be kind of terrible...” — Hannah Jewell [08:54]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Iran War Polling & Updates: [00:34–02:25]
• Medicare Data Leak: [02:25–03:24]
• Maine Senate Race Shakeup: [03:24–04:43]
• Border Wall Damages Indigenous Site: [04:43–05:29]
• Camp Mystic Fallout: [05:29–07:29]
• Diversity's Economic Impact in Graduate Schools: [07:29–08:24]
• Science & Art of Cow Burps: [08:24–09:34]

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Conclusion

This episode of "The 7" packs seven consequential stories into a concise, informative package with keen reporting, notable direct quotes, and insights across politics, public health, culture, and science. Hannah Jewell’s tone combines urgency with curiosity, making even complex or unsettling news engaging.

Transcript

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[Hannah Jewell]

Just two months after it began, President Donald Trump's war in Iran is as unpopular as the wars in Iraq and Vietnam. That's where we're starting the seven from the Washington Post, I'm Hannah Jewell. It's Friday, May 1st.

Let's get you caught up with today's seven stories.

A new poll from the Washington Post,

ABC News and Ipsos asked Americans how

they are feeling about the war in Iran. The results were 61% said that using

military force against Iran was a mistake.

Support for the war among self identified Republicans remains high, but Overall fewer than 2 in 10Americans believe that the U.S.

actions in Iran have been successful.

Trump has indicated that the current stalemate

with Iran could last for an extended period.

He and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have both recently referenced the length of other

wars like Iraq and Vietnam, trying to

make the case that it's too soon to give up in Iran.

Now.

The Iran war has something in common with those previous battles.

It is as unpopular among Americans as the Iraq war was in 2006 and the Vietnam War was in the early 1970s. This wide disapproval comes amid growing economic pain and fears of terrorism as a result of the U S Israeli military campaign. Today is the 60 day legal deadline for the Trump administration to seek the consent of Congress to continue hostilities. But Hegseth argued yesterday that the temporary Iran ceasefire pauses that deadline.

Number two is a Post exclusive. A Medicare portal database exposed the Social Security numbers of health providers Last year, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services created a directory to help seniors look

up which doctors and medical providers accept which insurance plans.

The Trump administration framed it as an overdue improvement, part of an initiative to modernize healthcare technology. But Post reporters found a big issue with it.

A publicly accessible database used to populate

the directory contained some healthcare providers, Social Security numbers linked to their names and other identifying information. The Post informed health officials on Tuesday

that the numbers had been exposed and the database has since been taken down. But some of the affected providers said they were confused and concerned by what happened. Foreigner Janet Mills dropped out of Maine's Democratic Senate primary. That's our third story. Mills was the pick of party leadership like Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to try and unseat Republican Senator Susan Collins.

Maine is a critical state for Democrats

if they hope to retake the Senate in November. But Mills failed to win enough support

in the state and yesterday said she

had run out of money to compete. That means it's all but certain that her Democratic opponent, Graham Platner, will be the one to take on Collins this fall.

Platner spoke yesterday after what has been

a contentious primary campaign.

He urged his supporters to refocus on

the upcoming general election.

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We both got into this race because we knew how critical it is to defeat Susan Collins, and her decision today reflects a commitment to that project. I look forward to working closely with her between now and November to do just that.

[Hannah Jewell]

Platner is a 41 year old oyster farmer who has never held elected office.

He has been drawing large crowds around the state with his blunt talk of confronting the establishment.

Number4 is another post exclusive Trump's border

wall expansion just bulldozed an ancient Native American archaeological site the Trump administration is rapidly building hundreds of miles of new border barriers in a $46.5 billion project.

But according to locals, construction efforts in

the Arizona desert have damaged an indigenous ground etching along the border with Mexico.

The rare archaeological site, which resembles a fish, is thought to be at least 1000 years old.

Satellite imagery from last Friday shows a

disturbance crossing the area, and an Interior

Department staffer speaking anonymously confirmed the damage to the Post. Native American residents are also concerned about other significant sites that lie in the path of the border wall expansion. Number five, Camp mystic dropped its bid to reopen this summer. Last July, 27 campers and counselors died when the Christian camp in Texas was hit by devastating flooding. Camp Mystic's owners, the Eastland family, had planned to reopen it this summer starting

on May 30, but some of the

families of last year's victims wanted the camp to remain closed as investigations continue. Yesterday, members of the Eastland family sent a statement to the parents of 825 girls who were registered to attend this year.

They said it would be wrong to

reopen and suggested the decision had been made out of empathy for the victims families.

But Cece and Will Steward, the parents

of eight year old victims, Seal Steward Son, seemed to disagree. Seal's body has not yet been found. They claimed in a statement that Texas had been about to deny the camp's license to reopen anyway. At a hearing in Austin earlier this

week, investigators revealed numerous problems with the

camp's preparations for emergencies.

Seal's mother, Cece, spoke at that hearing on Wednesday.

[Cece Steward]

Nothing the Eastlands could do will eliminate the fundamental failure, failures that killed my daughter, the reckless and incompetent judgment of the Eastland family.

[Hannah Jewell]

Other families, though, of girls who survived the flooding, said they had hoped their daughters could return to the camp this

year to help them heal.

Law and MBA Graduates Earn More if their classes are racially diverse, that's number six. According to a new study published in the journal Nature, having just one more

racial minority student in a class meant that graduates earned higher starting salaries.

The study found that the pay boost didn't just benefit the minority students, but the entire class. Researchers estimated that over the course of their careers, the benefit to law graduates

could add up to thousands of dollars per student.

Colleges and universities, though, have scaled back diversity, recruitment and retention. They're under pressure from the Trump administration and a 2023 Supreme Court decision barring

race conscious admissions at most colleges.

And at There is unexpected beauty to be found in cow Burps this one is admittedly a little hard to explain unless you head over to our newsletter

to see what I'm talking about.

So hit pause and follow the link in our show Notes for that or find today's edition of the seven Morning Briefing on our site or in your inbox. By now you are hopefully gazing at

a magnificent single celled organism that lives inside the stomachs of livestock.

Colorful, ethereal and mysterious, but beautiful things can sometimes also be kind of terrible. These microbes, known as rumen ciliates, produce

the methane gas that gets burped by

cows, and that potent greenhouse gas is helping drive climate change. According to a new study, these microbes could be playing an even more significant role in climate change than previously thought. But getting to know these gorgeous but problematic creatures may help scientists find new

ways to help reduce methane emissions from livestock.

That's the show for this week. The staff writers of the Seven are Jamie Ross, Izanakabau and me. Special thanks to Ted Muldoon, Sharla Freeland and Lucas Trevor for producing. John Taylor is our editor. Copy editing by Kendra Nichols, Rebecca Branford and Brian Molassics. Mixing and sound design is by Jim Briggs and Justin Garish. Our theme music is by Edith Mudge. I'm Hannah Jewell. Thanks for listening and have a great weekend. I'll meet you back here on.

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