Weekly Roundup: Israel vs. Iran, Immigration News, and A Mascot Love Triangle

Summary

Summary of NPR Politics Podcast Episode: "Weekly Roundup: Israel vs. Iran, Immigration News, and A Mascot Love Triangle"

Release Date: June 13, 2025
Hosts: Sarah McCammon, Greg Myhrey, Domenico Montanaro

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1. Israel’s Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Facilities (00:00 – 09:34)

The episode opens with a critical discussion on the recent Israeli military strikes against Iran's nuclear infrastructure. Israel launched a covert and extensive attack, reportedly deploying up to 200 aircraft, targeting Iran's nuclear and missile facilities. This operation resulted in the elimination of three top Iranian military leaders and several other key figures involved in nuclear negotiations.

Key Points:

• Historical Context: Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long advocated for preemptive strikes against Iran to prevent its nuclear advancements. These strikes were previously deemed too risky due to potential regional instability and opposition from the US.

• Current Factors: The aftermath of Hamas' October 2023 attack significantly weakened Iran's position, particularly its air defenses, making the timing more opportune for Israel.

• Impact on Diplomacy: The attack coincided with scheduled international talks aimed at addressing Iran's nuclear program, potentially derailing diplomatic efforts and escalating regional tensions.

Notable Quotes:

• Greg Myhrey (03:08): “Netanyahu saw the right moment to strike, capitalizing on Israel’s weakened rivals post-October attacks.”
• Sarah McCammon (03:30): “Trump is pushing a very hard line, but Iran is holding its ground, leading to a standstill that just got disrupted by Israel’s unexpected action.”

Analysis: The hosts delve into President Trump's inconsistent messaging regarding Iran. While publicly advocating for a diplomatic resolution, Trump simultaneously warned of severe consequences if Iran did not comply. The sudden Israeli attack raises questions about the coordination (or lack thereof) between the Trump administration and Netanyahu, highlighting potential fractures within the US-Israel alliance.

Political Implications: Domenico Montanaro (06:29) discusses the complexities Trump faces in balancing his isolationist and transactional foreign policy stance with his base's strong support for Israel. The recent strikes could either undermine Trump's diplomatic efforts or align with his "America First" policies by showcasing decisive action against perceived threats.

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2. Immigration News: Protests and Policy Shifts (09:34 – 17:27)

The conversation shifts to the escalating immigration crisis in Los Angeles, marked by widespread protests following a series of ICE raids. A federal court ruling declared President Trump's federalization of the National Guard to address these protests as overreaching, though this decision is currently under appeal.

Key Points:

• Legal Challenges: The initial ruling against Trump's use of the National Guard lacked coordination with California Governor Gavin Newsom, setting the stage for potential Supreme Court involvement.

• Government Response: In addition to the National Guard, Trump deployed several hundred Marines to Los Angeles, a move reminiscent of the 1992 LA riots but lacking the formal invocation of the Insurrection Act.

• Senator Padilla Incident: A dramatic episode unfolded when Senator Alex Padilla was forcibly removed from a press conference with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, highlighting the administration's aggressive stance on immigration enforcement.

Notable Quotes:

• Greg Myhrey (11:23): “The appeals court has stayed the ruling, meaning this will likely escalate to the Supreme Court.”
• Domenico Montanaro (13:40): “Having a United States senator handcuffed is not an appropriate image for the administration.”

Policy Shifts: Amidst the turmoil, Trump suggested potential changes to immigration policies to safeguard sectors like agriculture and hospitality. However, this perceived backpedaling has not yet translated into concrete policy changes.

Political Dynamics: Domenico highlights the division within the Republican Party, especially among Latino Republicans like David Valadao and Tony Gonzalez, who urge Trump to focus deportations on "hardened criminals" rather than essential workers. Conversely, Democratic responses remain fragmented, with a lack of a unified vision for future immigration policies.

Notable Quotes:

• Domenico Montanaro (15:27): “Republicans are warning Trump not to target agricultural and hospitality workers, suggesting a strategic limitation to his deportation efforts.”
• Greg Myhrey (17:04): “The Democrats haven't yet figured out how to tell a compelling affirmative story around immigration.”

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3. Trump's Military Parade and Political Reactions (17:27 – 19:58)

President Trump is set to host a military parade in Washington, D.C., celebrating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army—the first such parade in over three decades. This event is expected to draw significant attention and potential protests.

Key Points:

• Trump's Presentation: The hosts anticipate Trump's focus—whether it will be on celebrating his own leadership or highlighting the Army's milestone.

• Democratic Protests: With increasing opposition, especially regarding immigration and foreign policy, Democrats are likely to use the parade as a platform to voice their dissent.

Notable Quotes:

• Domenico Montanaro (17:49): “Democrats think of this as an authoritarian play, and they will likely organize protests to counteract it.”

Insights: The parade serves as both a celebration and a political battleground, reflecting the heightened tensions within American politics. The episode predicts that observers will closely watch Trump's interactions and the crowd's response to gauge the political climate.

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4. Can't Let It Go: Lighthearted Segments (19:58 – 27:12)

In the lighter segment titled "Can't Let It Go," the hosts diverge from heavy political discourse to discuss personal interests and amusing anecdotes.

Greg Myhrey on NBA Finals (20:26 – 21:48): Greg expresses enthusiasm for the NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder. He highlights the underdog status of both teams and the impressive performances of players like Shay Gilgis and Tyrese Haliburton.

Notable Quotes:

• Greg Myhrey (20:26): “The level of play has been so dramatic… really riveting stuff for me.”

Sarah McCammon on Viral Zebra Rescue (22:35 – 24:19): Sarah recounts a viral video of a zebra named Zeke being airlifted by helicopter after escaping from his Tennessee owners. She emphasizes the humorous and heartwarming aspects of the rescue, including the owner's humorous regret for adopting a zebra.

Notable Quotes:

• Sarah McCammon (23:49): “The moral of the story was that he should have listened to his wife.”

Domenico Montanaro on Mascots (24:22 – 25:58): Domenico shares his fascination with sports mascots, particularly the playful rivalry between the New York Mets' Mrs. Met and Colorado's Dinger the Dinosaur. The segment highlights the quirky side of sports fandom.

Notable Quotes:

• Domenico Montanaro (24:22): “People know I'm a Mets fan, but I can't let go of the mascots.”

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Conclusion

This episode of The NPR Politics Podcast provides a comprehensive overview of significant geopolitical events, domestic policy challenges, and lighthearted human-interest stories. The discussions offer in-depth analyses of Israel’s recent actions against Iran, the escalating immigration crisis in the United States, and the political ramifications of President Trump’s upcoming military parade. Additionally, the hosts engage listeners with relatable and entertaining segments, balancing serious discourse with moments of levity.

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Notable Quotes Compilation:

• Greg Myhrey (03:08): “Netanyahu saw the right moment to strike, capitalizing on Israel’s weakened rivals post-October attacks.”
• Sarah McCammon (03:30): “Trump is pushing a very hard line, but Iran is holding its ground, leading to a standstill that just got disrupted by Israel’s unexpected action.”
• Greg Myhrey (11:23): “The appeals court has stayed the ruling, meaning this will likely escalate to the Supreme Court.”
• Domenico Montanaro (13:40): “Having a United States senator handcuffed is not an appropriate image for the administration.”
• Domenico Montanaro (15:27): “Republicans are warning Trump not to target agricultural and hospitality workers, suggesting a strategic limitation to his deportation efforts.”
• Greg Myhrey (17:04): “The Democrats haven't yet figured out how to tell a compelling affirmative story around immigration.”
• Domenico Montanaro (17:49): “Democrats think of this as an authoritarian play, and they will likely organize protests to counteract it.”
• Greg Myhrey (20:26): “The level of play has been so dramatic… really riveting stuff for me.”
• Sarah McCammon (23:49): “The moral of the story was that he should have listened to his wife.”
• Domenico Montanaro (24:22): “People know I'm a Mets fan, but I can't let go of the mascots.”

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This structured and detailed summary encapsulates the key discussions, insights, and conclusions of the NPR Politics Podcast episode, providing a clear and engaging overview for listeners who have not tuned in.

Transcript

[Sarah McCammon]

The House of Representatives has approved a White House request to claw back two years of previously approved funding for public media. The rescissions package now moves on to the Senate. This move poses a serious threat to local stations and public media as we know it. Please take a stand for public media [e-mail] thank you.

[Domenico Montanaro]

Hi, this is Jen and Josh and.

[Sarah McCammon]

Quinn in Chicago, Illinois. We're we are currently up early with.

[Domenico Montanaro]

Our six month old son who is wearing his I've listened to NPR since conception onesie and he is currently snuggling with our five year old dog.

[Sarah McCammon]

This podcast was recorded at 12:36pm Eastern Time on Friday, June 13, 2025. Things may have changed by the time you hear it, but we'll still be catching up on sleep. Okay, here's the show. Ugh, that's so those little coos. So cute.

[Domenico Montanaro]

That is so cute.

[Greg Myhrey]

That's a dedicated listener since conception.

[Sarah McCammon]

Hey there. It's the NPR Politics podcast. I'm Sarah McCammon, I cover politics.

[Greg Myhrey]

I'm Greg Myhrey. I cover national security.

[Domenico Montanaro]

And I'm Domenico Montanaro, senior political editor and correspondent.

[Sarah McCammon]

Last night, Israel launched strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, killing at least three of Iran's top military leaders. These attacks came days before international talks to address Iran's nuclear program were planned for Sunday. Greg, let's start with the basics. Why did Israel launch these strikes and why now?

[Greg Myhrey]

Yeah, this is something Israel has been talking about forever. When I was based in Israel in the early 2000s, they were talking about this. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has spoken about it for years, but it was always considered too risky. It could ignite a regional war. Israel could suffer heavy losses. Often the US Was opposed to it. But a lot of factors seem to come together right now, really dating back to the Hamas attack in October of 23, when since then Israel has systematically devastated its rivals, Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran has been very weakened. And in particular, when Israel and Iran were trading missiles last October, Israel inflicted great damage on Iran's air defenses. So Iran has been very, very vulnerable. Israel felt it could carry out an attack this at a much lower risk. And in fact, that seems to have happened. They apparently used up to 200 planes in this attack. No reports that any of them were lost. They hit this wide range of targets, nuclear facilities, missile facilities, killing military leaders, politicians who were involved in the nuclear talks, nuclear scientists. So a devastating and widespread attack by Israel, something that they had just been planning, gathering intelligence, thinking about for many, many. And this seemed in the view of Israeli leader Netanyahu to be the right moment.

[Sarah McCammon]

And as we alluded to a moment ago, you know, the timing is interesting because President Trump has been urging Iran to make a deal regarding its nuclear program. Of course, the context there is that Trump, during his first term in office, pulled out of the last Iran deal, which had been reached under President Obama. So what does Trump want from a new deal and what does Iran want?

[Greg Myhrey]

Yeah, Trump seemed to be asking for more concessions than Iran made under the original deal back in 2015. Under President Obama, Iran was allowed to keep its nuclear program and enrich uranium, which it could use for a civilian nuclear plant. But it enriched uranium way beyond that level of the, say, 4% enrichment you need for a nuclear or civilian plant, up to 20% and then 60%, which gets very close to the 90% you would need for nuclear weapons. So Trump wanted to basically end Iran's enrichment program. And Iran has always said that's non negotiable. We're allowed to have a civilian nuclear program and we can enrich. So they seem to be stuck on that point. They've had five rounds of talks. The talks seem to have been serious. This sixth round was planned on Sunday, but they hadn't had a breakthrough. So Trump was pushing a very hard line. Iran was holding its ground. It didn't seem like they were going to get past that or it was going to be hard to get past this. And then, boom, kind of out of nowhere comes this Israeli strike.

[Sarah McCammon]

And, you know, Domenico, of course, we want to get to the politics of this. As is often the case, I think it's safe to say President Trump's messaging on all of this has been a little mixed. You know, he posted on Truth Social about the strikes this morning and basically said that he had warned Iran that this would happen if they didn't reach a deal. These are the consequences. At the same time, he has also said that he did not want Israel to take military action while these negotiations were ongoing. So what do you make of all this? I mean, is this a setback for Trump?

[Domenico Montanaro]

Yeah, it's not clear at this point. Certainly seems like it. You know, the White House appeared to have at least some prior knowledge that this was gonna happen. But is this Trump playing good cop, bad cop, or is this Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flouting Trump? And, you know, because Trump has said he wants peace and he wants to have this deal with Iran, Iran, of course, didn't appear to agree to what Trump wants. And so maybe Trump felt like this isn't going to go anywhere and allowed Israel to do what it wants to do. But this has not really been a, you know, MAGA priority. Foreign policy has ranked very low on the list of things. For most voters and certainly for Trump's base, it's really been all about culture war issues. Of course, Trump really wants these deals that have really eluded him so far when it comes to Gaza, Ukraine and Iran. All things that he seemed to have simple solutions for and have all turned out to be way more complicated.

[Sarah McCammon]

Domenico, you mentioned that for Trump's base, foreign policy isn't a huge priority. At the same time, you know, white evangelicals who are an important part of Trump's base, have been staunchly supportive of Israel. And then there's sort of the America first isolationist contingent that doesn't wanna see the US Involved in more foreign wars. How does Trump sort of navigate those competing ideas within his base?

[Domenico Montanaro]

Well, I think the bridge there between those things is that everyone in the Republican Party strongly supports Israel. And, you know, whether or not you're committing more time, energy, money, troops to something, that's where things get a little messy. Because obviously the Republican Party previous to Trump was more interventionist. Trump is certainly more isolationist, and that's been a bit of a rift within the party. But he's gotten most of the to kind of come around to his position. So, you know, the thing is with Trump is his foreign policy is transactional. We saw that in his Middle east trip that he took last month, where he was more concerned about, you know, getting these financial deals done than he was about pushing American democracy or ideology.

[Sarah McCammon]

And Greg, a moment ago, Domenico mentioned that we don't really know what went on between Trump and Netanyahu other than sort of the public statements. But what does this move by Israel against Iran, despite Trump's calls for a diplomatic solution, what does that say about the relationship between Netanyahu and Trump?

[Greg Myhrey]

Well, it was very good the first term. It's been much more difficult this time around. Trump has been doing what he wants to do. He started these negotiations with Iran. Netanyahu has always opposed them, never been a fan of them. We saw the Trump administration negotiate with Hamas for the freedom of an American Israeli hostage being held in Gaza. Gaza. So Trump has kind of done the things he wanted to do. I'm not sure he was necessarily trying to go against the wishes of Netanyahu, but he pursued his own America first policies, and they were not what Netanyahu wanted him to do. So it's going to be very interesting to see how much coordination there was with this strike. Were they actually saying very different things and wanting very different things, or was it sort of an orchestrated campaign where Trump was pushing a hard line on negotiations, say, you better do this or something terrible is going to happen. And that being a coordinated effort with Netanyahu to go ahead and carry out the strikes. But we just, we don't know which scenario was the accurate one at this point.

[Sarah McCammon]

And Trump has kind of continued on with that ominous tone he wrote on Truth Social this morning. He said Iran must make a deal before there is nothing left and save what was once known as the Iranian empire. And he said they should do it before it's too late. Is there still a chance for a deal here or is the region just kind of gearing up for more escalation?

[Greg Myhrey]

At the moment? It's really hard to see that Iran has already stated that it won't take part Sunday in the talks that were planned for Oman. Not clear if Trump will continue to pursue those or not. You have to think that this military action by Israel is going to have to play out first and perhaps an Iranian response before there's really a possibility of the talks resuming. And I would certainly, certainly consider it likely that Israel is going to continue with these attacks. And as long as those are ongoing, hard to see that they're going to get together or let alone make any progress in negotiations.

[Sarah McCammon]

And we're going to take a quick break. When we get back, we'll round up the latest immigration news and look ahead to Trump's military parade. This message comes from Strawberry me. You've worked hard to get where you.

[Greg Myhrey]

Are, but what's next?

[Sarah McCammon]

Strawberry ME Career coaching helps professionals like you take the next big step with confidence by matching you with a certain certified career coach who understands your goals and challenges. This isn't just advice. It's a personalized, results driven approach to uncover hidden strengths, overcome obstacles and accelerate your career growth. Visit Strawberry Me NPR to claim your $50 credit. Decades ago, Brazilian women made a discovery they could have an abortion without a.

[Greg Myhrey]

Doctor thanks to a tiny pill.

[Sarah McCammon]

That pill spawned a global movement helping millions of women have safe abortions regardless of the law. Hear that story on the network from NPR's Embedded and Futuro Media. Wherever you get your podcasts, this message is from Synchrony bank, who wants to remind you to stay flexible. Not the 10,000 steps before breakfast. Yoga, bending, circus, performing, wish I hadn't done that kind of flexible. It's about staying financially flexible, like with our High Yield Savings Account, you'll earn a great rate without monthly fees or minimums that can slow your Progress. Go to synchrony.com NPR member FDIC. And we're back. We talked earlier this week about the protests in Los Angeles after a series of ICE raids there. And yesterday a judge ruled that President Trump had overstepped his authority by federalizing the National Guard. Again, calling in the Guard, kind of over the head of the governor to respond to these protests. Greg, what do we know about that court decision?

[Greg Myhrey]

That's right. So a district court ruled that President Trump overstepped his authority by calling in the National Guard without coordinating with the governor of California, Gavin Newsom. But shortly afterward, an appeals court has stayed that ruling. So this is going to have to play out and quite likely will go to the Supreme Court before we get a final decision.

[Sarah McCammon]

You know, Trump also sent a few hundred Marines to Los Angeles this week. Is he on sturdier legal ground with that?

[Greg Myhrey]

Well, probably not. I mean, I think that the National Guard is called in. We've seen that in many cases to deal with things like a natural emergency when there's a flood, a tornado, a hurricane. Occasionally they're called in when there's massive civil unrest on a very large scale, the scale that we've seen in Los Angeles. Gavin Newsom has said that's not new, necessary to call in outside forces. And so the US does have a history of having a very firm line of not using uniformed military to deal with domestic civil unrest. It has happened very rarely. I believe the last time it happened was in the 1992 LA riots when police were acquitted in the beating of a black motorist, Rodney King. President George Bush called in about 1500 Marines, but he did so under the Insurrection act and with the cooperation or at the request from the LA mayor and the California governor. So a very different situation when you have the mayor and the governor saying we don't need them. And the Insurrection act has not been invoked.

[Sarah McCammon]

Okay. Meanwhile, there was also this really dramatic moment yesterday when federal agents forcibly removed a US Senator from a Homeland Security press conference with Secretary Kristi Noem. The video shows California Democrat Alex Padilla being brought to the ground and handcuffed. I'm Senator Alex Padilla, have questions for the secretary because the fact of the matter is a half a dozen violent criminals that you're rotating on your. Now, Domenico, you've been following this this week. What do you make of the politics of that situation?

[Domenico Montanaro]

Well, what we've seen right now that the polls are pretty mixed on a lot of this. You know, there was a CBS poll out this week that showed 54% approve of Trump's deportation policies. But that was taken before what was happening in Los Angele. There was another poll from Quinnipiac that showed the opposite 56% disapproving of Trump's deportation policies. There was a Reuters poll that was out just yesterday that showed by a 50 to 35 margin that people disapproved of Trump's response to these protests so far, even though you had a plurality also saying that they thought Trump should deploy the military to bring order to violent protests. So I think that the issue here is the fact that we are seeing so much volatility in the, in the numbers means that there's a lot of potential to win people over or lose them based on whatever the messages that goes out or whatever the circumstances are that play out. And what we've seen with the Senator Padilla situation, I mean, somebody who, a United States senator said he was a United States senator. Whether or not you think it was a stunt, having United States senator handcuffed, put on the floor forcibly is not the kind of image that most people probably think is something that's appropriate overall. And, you know, we've also seen people say that they're less likely to be in favor of deporting people who are cooks and day laborers and farm workers, as opposed to those hardened criminals who the White House and President Trump had said that they were gonna be focusing on.

[Sarah McCammon]

At the same time that we're seeing these really aggressive moves from the administration, Trump posted this week that he could be changing his immigration policy to protect farmers and hotels that employ undocumented. Now, that feels like a backpedal. How do you square that?

[Domenico Montanaro]

Well, it's what he said. It's certainly a change in tone, but we should say there hasn't been a policy change so far. But Trump is clearly responding to the politics of this. He is at risk of going too far. I mean, if you look heavy handed in who you deport and you see moms arrested by plainclothes officers and thrown into unmarked vans, these are the kinds of things that Republicans are telling Trump to be careful of. Look at people in competitive districts. They're pretty good bellwethers when it comes to the politics of things, usually. And David Valadao is a Republican from California. He's one of those people. And he said he's warning Trump not to, you know, go after people like farm workers and to stick to criminals because he thinks it's the wrong thing to do. Tony Gonzalez is another Republican from Texas. He chairs the Congressional Hispanic Republican Conference. And he, you know, essentially said, don't go after the guy milking cows. You should be going after criminals. So the message is pretty clear, at least from Latino Republicans. But it's gonna be hard to meet, you know, the goal of the White House wanting 3,000 deportations a day without going after people beyond the, quote, unquote, hardened criminals. I think what we have seen with Democrats, though, is a little bit of coalescing on a message that's opposing Trump, not necessarily laying out a vision for immigration in the future. That's something that Ramsey Kassum told me this week. He worked in the Biden White House on immigration policy and now teaches law at the City University of New York.

[Greg Myhrey]

The Democrats haven't yet figured out how.

[Domenico Montanaro]

To tell a compelling affirmative story around immigration.

[Sarah McCammon]

And I think that's been the downfall.

[Domenico Montanaro]

Of the Democratic Party on this issue. And certainly we saw during the campaign people trusted Republicans more, trusted Trump more, because those Southern border encounters had been as high as they were, you know, the highest since 2001.

[Sarah McCammon]

So the administration clearly has signaled a willingness to use force to achieve policy goals, at least when it comes to immigration. Meanwhile, this weekend, Trump will be hosting a military parade in Washington, D.C. to commemorate the 250th birthday of the U.S. army. This is the first military parade of its kind in more than 30 years. What will you be watching for?

[Domenico Montanaro]

Well, one of the things I'm gonna be looking for is Trump's body language. You know, it is his birthday, so is he gonna, you know, have Happy Birthday sung to him, or is he gonna be focused on the army and its 250th birthday? I think that's a, you know, kind of an important thing, especially for Democrats who think of this as some kind of authoritarian play. And speaking of Democrats, by the way, you know, there's gonna be a bunch of protests, and I think it's really interesting that right now we're starting to see the left find its voice a little bit against Trump. Really a lot of silence in the first few months. Not totally sure how to attack Trump, how to go after him, how to pick and choose, rather than getting flooded by the deluge. And it does seem that they're starting to find their voice a little bit, especially with some of these harsh immigration policies and the like.

[Sarah McCammon]

We're going to take another quick break, and when we get back, it's time for Can't Let It Go. Hola, it's Sarah Gonzalez at Planet Money. When we say we want you to understand the economy, sure, we know I mean tariffs and global supply chains and interest rates. But also we shot a satellite into space, we made our own vodka, became a record label, made a comic book, all to help you make better sense of the world around you. Listen to the Planet Money podcast from npr. Fall in love with new music every Friday at All songs considered. That's NPR's music recommendation. Podcast Fridays are where we spend our whole show sharing all the greatest new releases pieces of the week. Make the hunt for new music a part of your life again. Tap into new Music Friday from All Songs Considered available wherever you get your podcasts on the Planet Money podcast. The economic world we've been living in for decades was built on some basic assumptions. But the people who built that world are long gone. And right now those assumptions are kind of up in the air, like the dollar as the reserve currency. Is that era over? If so, what could replace it? And what does that mean for the rest of us? Listen to the Planet Money podcast from npr, wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, it's Terry Gross, host of FRESH AIR. Hey, take a break from the 24 hour news cycle with us and listen.

[Greg Myhrey]

To long form interviews with your favorite.

[Sarah McCammon]

Authors, actors, filmmakers, comedians and musicians. The people making the art that nourishes us and speaks to our times. So listen to the Fresh Air podcast from NPR and whyy. And we're back and it is Friday, so it's time for Can't Let It Go, the part of the show where we talk about the things that we just can't stop thinking about, politics or otherwise. Greg, I'm going to start with you. What can't you let go?

[Greg Myhrey]

I can't let go. The NBA Finals, the NBA playoffs last forever. It seems like they go on. And even after you know who's going to win this year, the, the level of play has just been so dramatic. And it's the Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Finals, two teams that have never an NBA title before. Oklahoma City had this fantastic year, won 68 games. Indiana has been an underdog and defeated several teams that they probably shouldn't have beat to get to the finals. Indiana is now up 2 to 1 in the finals and has a home game tonight. So if they win, they'll be up 3, 3 to 1, 1 victory away from their first championship. And the overall level of play again, just fantastic. And stars who casual basketball fans probably haven't heard of Shay Gilgis, Alexand Oklahoma City and Tyrese Halliburton for Indiana. So really riveting stuff for me.

[Domenico Montanaro]

Yeah. In the politics podcast, you've heard of Halliburton for other reasons, but no relation. Do you have a rooting interest in this, Greg?

[Greg Myhrey]

Not really, other than Oklahoma City has said it's a great year. I think they kind of deserve to win, but both teams have just. They're just fun to watch. The play just flows, and if you turn away or blink, you miss three baskets up and down the court. So just just really exciting flowing play to watch.

[Sarah McCammon]

I am not a sports ball person, as we all know, but I have to root for Indiana because my mother's family is from Indiana, and I know that basketball is almost a religion there.

[Domenico Montanaro]

I think I'm rooting for Oklahoma City because I was there in Oklahoma City last year and there was a Thunder game playing, and the fans are just so. They love their team, and I think it would be good for them. It's kind of. Kind of cool. Even though Indiana is great basketball state. And by the way, Greg played at a little school in New Haven. I don't think many have heard of it.

[Greg Myhrey]

Wow.

[Domenico Montanaro]

Wow, Sarah. What can't you let go of?

[Sarah McCammon]

So we often talk about animals. I feel like in this part of the podcast, and this week will be no different, you all surely. You saw that viral video of the zebra, right? The zebra rescue?

[Domenico Montanaro]

I don't think I have.

[Greg Myhrey]

Yes, I saw him. Yes. Being lifted. Yes. It was amazing.

[Sarah McCammon]

Okay. Cause I feel like it was all that my algorithm was feeding me. But maybe that's just because it knows what makes me happy. Okay. If you haven't seen it, you need to see it, because it's just hilarious. I don't know. So this zebra named Zeke had escaped from his private owners. This happened in Tennessee. And I guess he escaped for, like, eight days. This family had just gotten a zebra as a pet. He gets out, they're very worried about him. A search ensues. And the video that went viral was just this amazing clip of basically a zebra, like, kind of in a bag being, like, airlifted by a helicopter back to wherever he's supposed to go. And I had to investigate more about what happened here. And my favorite part of the story, there are many details, there are many layers. But the owner, Taylor Ford, said he told the Tennessean that his wife was not enthusiastic about this idea in the first place, that she had gotten a bad feeling about getting a family zebra. And he said, quote, it turns out she was more right than ever. That's what he told the Tennessee.

[Domenico Montanaro]

Here's your random fact. Do you know why zebras have stripes?

[Sarah McCammon]

Evolution.

[Domenico Montanaro]

Well, yes. They've evolved to deter biting flies. Specifically horse flies. That's the most logical explanation according to science and my 15 year old son.

[Sarah McCammon]

So I need like zebra striped pants in the summer because I get bitten up by like mosquitoes. Anyway, I just love it that the moral of the story was that he should have listened to his wife.

[Domenico Montanaro]

Oh, that's always the case.

[Greg Myhrey]

Yeah, yeah, that's tried and true.

[Sarah McCammon]

Domenico. What can't you let go?

[Domenico Montanaro]

All right, I can't let go of and we're go back to sportsball here. Apologies, Sarah, but this is beyond sports. Not only is it just that, you know, people know I'm a Mets fan. And it's not that I can't let go of the fact that the Mets are right now have the best record in baseball. That's not it at all. That's not what I'm trying to boast about here whatsoever. What I can't let go of is the mascots. And The Mets have two mascots, Mr. Met and Mrs. Met. You know, they're kind of a goofy couple, whatever. The Mets were playing in Colorado and Colorado's not having a very good year. Their mascot is Dinger. Dinger the dinosaur. He's a triceratops. So he's a little, you know, heavier set, let's say. And he put up a sign where he said to Mrs. Met, Call me. I've never seen this before.

[Sarah McCammon]

Creeping in on Mrs. Met.

[Domenico Montanaro]

Yeah. Take a listen to Sports New York with announcers Gary Cohen and former New York Mets pitcher Ron Darling.

[Sarah McCammon]

I mean, come on, Dinger.

[Greg Myhrey]

Hey, you need to go to Confessions.

[Sarah McCammon]

There's supposed to be some honor amongst the mascot community that's just downright low down.

[Domenico Montanaro]

And Mrs. Met had a response. She held up a sign in the outfield next to her husband, Mr. Met, and said, my husband has bigger biceps. Take a hike. Barney.

[Sarah McCammon]

Called him Barney. You know What? I bet Mr. Met listens to Mrs. Met when she gives him advice.

[Domenico Montanaro]

I bet that's true. Absolutely. She sounds pretty tough.

[Sarah McCammon]

All right, we're going to leave it there for today. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi. Casey Murrell edits the podcast. Our producer is Bria Suggs. Special thanks to Lexi Schapitl and Krishna Dev KALAMER. I'm Sarah McCammon. I cover politics.

[Greg Myhrey]

I'm Greg Myhre. I cover national security.

[Domenico Montanaro]

And I'm Domenico Montanaro. Senior political editor and correspondent.

[Sarah McCammon]

And thank you for listening to the NG NPR Politics Podcast. Like the climate, our idea of home is constantly changing. So NPR is devoting an entire week to rethinking home with stories and conversations about the search for solutions, from planting trees to reducing energy use to disaster proofing your house.

[Domenico Montanaro]

Explore stories that hit close to home.

[Sarah McCammon]

During this year's Climate Solutions week week. Visit npr.org climateweek on NPR's Through Line, the firemen kept shouting to them not.

[Greg Myhrey]

To jump, but they had no other choice.

[Sarah McCammon]

Frances Perkins witnessed the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire that changed everything.

[Greg Myhrey]

She was the first woman in a.

[Sarah McCammon]

U S Cabinet, created Social Security and the 40 hour work week the woman.

[Domenico Montanaro]

Behind the New Deal on NPR's Through Line.

[Sarah McCammon]

Wherever you get your podcast, it all starts with listening to the person in front of you and the person you'll never meet. To the person living a story and the journalist who helps you see it in a new light. The NPR network is built on listening with microphones in every region. So are there anytime a voice or sound demands to be heard? Hear stories in the first person, hear the bigger picture on NPR.