Podcast Summary: "Getting on Board with Getting Hamas"

The Commentary Magazine Podcast
Date: October 21, 2025
Hosts/Panelists: John Podhoretz (Host), Abe Greenwald, Matthew Continetti, Seth
Main Theme:
A sharp discussion of the state of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, ongoing U.S. political maneuvering and media narratives surrounding the conflict, the challenges of negotiating with terrorist groups, the role of enforcement in ceasefire agreements, the shape of conservative media, and a review of the cultural impact of Martin Scorsese.

Episode Overview

This episode tackles the aftermath of the latest Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement and the political, diplomatic, and media responses. The panel examines how U.S. officials—particularly in the Trump administration—are engaging with the region, why discussions with Hamas remain fraught and unresolved, and how media narratives often distort the reality of who is upholding or breaking the ceasefire. The conversation expands to explore conservative and mainstream media dynamics, the new role of Bari Weiss at CBS, and the broader cultural moment, with diversions into film recommendations and a reflection on Martin Scorsese's documentary.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Faultlines of the Gaza Ceasefire Agreement

• The So-Called "Ceasefire"
  The panel questions the use of the term "ceasefire" to describe the halt in hostilities between Israel and Hamas, pointing out that true cessation of fire is not occurring, and that both sides operate under different expectations.

  "Somehow the term ceasefire has come to be used as the sobriquet for what happened here with this deal which involved no ceasing fire."
  — John Podhoretz (05:14)

• Enforcement & Violations
  The only effective enforcement mechanism, they argue, is Israel's willingness and ability to respond militarily when Hamas breaches the deal.

  "The only teeth that the agreement has is the activation of Israel's military power."
  — John Podhoretz (12:32)

• Media Distortion
  Media narratives, especially major outlets like The New York Times, frame Israel as the likely breaker of the ceasefire, rather than focusing on Hamas's consistent violations.

  "There is this sort of anonymous media take that the administration is increasingly worried that Israel is going to break the, quote, ceasefire. They're contradictory narratives. I simply don't believe the second one." — John Podhoretz (13:30)

2. U.S. Political Maneuvering in the Middle East

• J.D. Vance and Republican Infighting Vance's visit to Israel is interpreted as a move to raise his political profile and distinguish his role in the Trump administration’s foreign policy.

  "I think it's something of a profile raiser on Vance's part because remember, Vance is kind of, you want to call him rival... well, let's call him the counterpart. Marco Rubio was there in the Knesset when Trump spoke."
  — Matthew Continetti (06:23)

• Internal Rivalries and the 2028 Race Speculation about Vance, Rubio, and others positioning themselves for post-Trump Republican leadership, and how policies toward Israel may define the party's direction.

3. Negotiations & the Impossibility of Trusting Hamas

• Israel remains the compliant partner in negotiations, always being asked to make "confidence-building" moves, while Hamas is unreliable and untrustworthy as a negotiating counterpart.

  "There's no one to negotiate with on the other side...you always go to Israel and say you give up something first and Israel is then put in the position having to say no."
  — Abe Greenwald (09:15)

• The role of a possible multinational force is debated, but skepticism is strong:

  "One of the reasons that a country would be maybe a little meshuggah to join the multinational force, it's like, oh, you really want to be standing there? If Hamas decides it needs to reassert its authority by killing some folks, maybe they won't be Israelis, maybe they'll be you."
  — Abe Greenwald (23:35)

4. Media Narratives, Bias, and the Bari Weiss Effect at CBS

• Liberal Bias in Mainstream Media Discussion about how 60 Minutes and CBS handle claims of bias, and how the media’s gatekeepers define the accepted range of discourse, particularly regarding Israel.

  "They're sitting there in stunned awkwardness that somebody says to them, why do people think you're biased? ... Are they crazy? Do they actually think this?"
  — Abe Greenwald (46:26)

• Leftward Litmus Tests & Bari Weiss at CBS The left’s use of “Gaza” as a litmus test for participation in mainstream institutions, and the existential threat posed by editorial hires like Bari Weiss.

  "The thing they hate most about her is this thing that is, has become so big on the left... Gaza had become a litmus test."
  — Seth (60:21)

5. Cultural Segment: Martin Scorsese Documentary

[65:38] onward

• Matthew Continetti and Abe Greenwald discuss the new Apple TV+ documentary "Mr. Scorsese," its exploration of the filmmaker’s immigrant roots and the unique emotional impact of his work.
• Recommendations for "The Age of Innocence", "Maggie’s Plan", and "King of Comedy" as overlooked or illuminating films in the Scorsese/NYC canon.

  "The Scorsese films are so expressive, so emotional and so visceral that really once is enough, you know."
  — Matthew Continetti (67:09)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Vance’s politics and Israel:

  "If I want to succeed Donald Trump, I'm going to follow him."
  — Matthew Continetti (34:00)

• On negotiating peace with Hamas:

  "The only negotiating tactic is what Trump used, which is, I got these Israelis here and they have a lot of bullets and they have a lot of planes and they have total air superiority..."
  — John Podhoretz (11:59)

• On media scale:

  "Because social media levels everything... you might think that everybody is obsessed with Jeffrey Epstein. But in fact, 2 million people are obsessed with Jeffrey Epstein, and 328 million people in America aren't obsessed with Jeffrey Epstein."
  — Abe Greenwald (42:07)

• On Bari Weiss and CBS culture wars:

  "They didn’t believe that people who believed what Bari believed belonged in the mainstream world..."
  — Seth (61:23)

Important Timestamps

• Opening and show banter: [00:34–02:26]
• India trip humor/hostage release/ceasefire debate: [02:42–09:15]
• U.S. officials' visits/internal GOP maneuvering: [06:23–09:15]
• Negotiation theater and the myth of a "multinational force": [13:18–26:30]
• Media framing/anonymous leaks/Ukraine parallel: [13:30–16:44]
• Enforcement mechanisms and historical parallels: [19:10–26:29]
• Israel’s security posture and battlefield mindset: [27:38–33:59]
• Republican party, Trump, and the anti-Semitic fringe: [33:59–41:24]
• Media bias, CBS & Bari Weiss: [41:24–60:21]
• Cultural recommendations/Scorsese documentary: [65:38–75:59]

Tone & Language

The tone is sharp, irreverent, and intellectual with a strong current of frustration at media misrepresentation and political gamesmanship. The panel blends inside-baseball references with political analysis, dark humor, and cultural asides. Panelists are acerbic about both the left and "the antisemitic right," often mocking media/elite rationalizations.

Conclusion

This episode offers a frank, critical, and often humorous analysis of the current Israeli ceasefire process, the American and global political landscape that shapes it, and the media frameworks through which it is reported. The hosts are staunchly pro-Israel but also deeply skeptical of the performative aspects of U.S. and multilateral diplomacy. The secondary subject—the future of media and objectivity, with Bari Weiss as a focal point—mirrors the main theme: the battle for narrative control and the space for alternative voices. The blend of policy, politics, and culture makes for a lively and layered installment.

End of Summary