Trump’s Iran Power Play

Summary

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Podcast Summary: "Trump’s Iran Power Play"

Podcast: What A Day
Host: Jane Coaston
Date: February 18, 2026

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Overview

This episode of "What A Day," hosted by Jane Coaston, centers on the latest dramatic turns in the U.S.-Iran relationship under President Trump, with a focus on high-stakes nuclear negotiations, military maneuvering, and political unrest inside Iran. To make sense of the confusing and often contradictory moves by both countries, Jane speaks to Nahal Toosi, Senior Foreign Affairs Correspondent at Politico. The episode also touches on domestic political drama, Trump's reaction to a sewage spill in the Potomac, the resignation of a DHS spokesperson, and a tribute to the late Reverend Jesse Jackson.

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Main Segments and Key Discussion Points

1. The State of U.S.-Iran Nuclear Negotiations [00:02–02:11]

• No Direct Talks:

  • U.S. and Iranian officials engaged in indirect talks in Switzerland, mediated by Oman’s foreign minister.
  • “Not a great sign when you need an intermediary just to agree on a, quote, set of guiding principles.” — Jane Coaston [01:06]
  • Both sides only established minimal “guiding principles.”

• Mixed Messages & Escalation:

  • Iran’s Supreme Leader threatens U.S. warships publicly, and tension is compounded by Trump sending a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East.
  • Iranian official quote: “The strongest army in the world may sometimes get slapped so hard that it cannot stand up straight.” — CNN Narrator, referencing Ayatollah Khamenei [01:49]

2. Interview with Nahal Toosi: Is This Diplomacy or Brinksmanship? [02:13–11:35]

Military Posturing vs. Diplomacy

• Trump’s Leverage:
  • “I think that Trump sees having military force as a way to show the Iranians that he is serious. And I also think he is very willing to use the military force if there is no deal.” — Nahal Toosi [02:32]

What Does the U.S. Want from Iran Now?

• U.S. Demands:
  • Expand coverage beyond nuclear weapons to include Iran’s ballistic missile program and end financial support for regional militias like Hezbollah and Hamas.
  • Toosi notes that hoping these militias will disappear if funding is cut is “an overstated hope.” [03:16]
  • “Part of the thing about diplomatic talks is you spend a lot of your time in the beginning just talking about what the talks are going to be about.” — Nahal Toosi [03:58]

Turmoil and Protest Inside Iran

• Mass Protests and Repression:
  • Massive protests broke out inside Iran, with up to 30,000 people killed according to estimates.
  • Trump publicly supported protesters but, in practice, “outside of more lip service and sending those aircraft carriers, he hasn’t really done anything.” — Jane Coaston [04:54]
  • Toosi explains U.S. military distractions (focus on Venezuela) and risk of wider conflict limited support for Iranian protesters.

Iran’s Strategy: Delay and Survive

• Iran’s Play:
  • “They seem to be thinking, let’s just buy some time...maybe we can rebuild some of our assets and become more of a threat.” — Nahal Toosi [05:47]
  • Iran may be pushing for a “JCPOA light”—minimal concessions in exchange for modest sanctions relief to shore up its faltering economy.

The Role of Iran’s Exiled Opposition & Shah’s Son

• Reza Pahlavi’s Rising Star:
  • Exiled son of the former Shah, Reza Pahlavi, rallies 250,000 supporters at a Munich event.
  • Toosi observes: “There’s a bit of nostalgia for the Shah era...He is someone that Iranians are very much rallying around. And one thing I’m noticing when I talk to Iranians is, especially in the diaspora, when I raise questions about Pahlavi...they’re like, why would you even question him? He’s the only chance we have right now to take down this regime.” [07:31]

Prospects for Secular Democracy?

• Is Transition Possible?
  • Toosi believes Iranians would be “very, very capable of adopting a secular democracy," arguing most have “lost legitimacy” in the regime’s Islamist experiment. [09:16]
  • Iran already has elections and a parliament, so “people expect a certain level of democracy even within this system.” — Nahal Toosi [09:46]

What Next? Unpredictable Outcomes

• The Trump Factor:
  • Toosi sees unpredictability as the only constant: Trump both struck Iran’s facilities and then claimed he wanted a deal; military build-up could just as easily lead to a new agreement as further conflict.
  • “He has brought so much weaponry out there, we just can’t imagine that he won’t use it somehow...This could go any number of directions.” — Nahal Toosi [10:41]

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3. Domestic Political Fights and Notable News [13:40–20:18]

Stephen Colbert, FCC, and Candidate Interview Rules [14:02–15:56]

• CBS’s Stephen Colbert calls out network lawyers on-air for blocking an interview with Texas Democrat James Talarico due to new interpretations of FCC equal time rules.

Trump Attacks Maryland Governor over Sewage Crisis [15:56–16:13]

• Trump blames Maryland Governor Wes Moore for sewage leaks in the Potomac, despite the utility being federally regulated.
• Moore’s office fires back: “Apparently the Trump administration hadn’t gotten the memo that they’re actually supposed to be in charge here.” — Moore’s spokesperson [16:13]

DHS Spokesperson Trisha McLaughlin Resignation [16:33]

• McLaughlin, known for staunchly defending tough Trump immigration policies, leaves DHS; House leader Hakeem Jeffries tweets, “another MAGA extremist forced out of DHS. Gnome next. Keep the pressure on. One down and so many more to go.”

Notable Court Ruling [16:54]

• A U.S. district judge blocks the Trump administration from deporting Kilmar Abrega Garcia, criticizing the administration for making “one empty threat after another to remove him to countries in Africa with no real chance of success.”

Remembering Reverend Jesse Jackson [17:57–20:53]

• Coaston delivers a moving tribute to civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, who died at 84.
• Highlights Jackson’s rise from poverty, work alongside Martin Luther King Jr., and his two presidential campaigns.
• Memorable quote from Jackson’s 1988 DNC speech:

  “Every one of these funny labels they put on you...when you see Jesse Jackson, when my name goes in nomination, your name goes in nomination.” — Jesse Jackson [19:32]

• Audio from Jackson’s 1972 “Sesame Street” appearance included, emphasizing his message of dignity:

  “I am somebody. I may be poor, but I am somebody.” — Jesse Jackson and children [20:22]

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Notable Quotes

• Jane Coaston, on lack of direct talks:
  “Not a great sign when you need an intermediary just to agree on a, quote, set of guiding principles.” [01:06]

• Nahal Toosi, on Trump’s strategy:
  “I think that Trump sees having military force as a way to show the Iranians that he is serious. And I also think he is very willing to use the military force if there is no deal.” [02:32]

• Nahal Toosi, on Iranian public sentiment:
  “At the end of the day, they blame the regime way, way, way, way, way more than they blame Trump or the United States.” [04:54]

• Nahal Toosi, on regime survival tactics:
  “They seem to be thinking, let's just buy some time...maybe we can rebuild some of our assets and become more of a threat.” [05:47]

• On Reza Pahlavi’s support:
  “There’s a bit of nostalgia for the Shah era...He is someone that Iranians are very much rallying around.” — Nahal Toosi [07:31]

• On prospects for change:
  “What you hear is like, look, we will make a deal with the devil. We don’t care. We just have to get rid of this regime. I can't stress enough how upset and angry and desperate the Iranian people are.” — Nahal Toosi [09:46]

• Jane Coaston on the Trump administration’s threats:
  “One empty threat after another with no real chance of success. Sounds like the Trump administration in a nutshell.” [16:54]

• Jesse Jackson (1988 DNC):
  “When you see Jesse Jackson, when my name goes in nomination, your name goes in nomination.” [19:32]

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Episode Timestamps

| Time | Segment | |--------------|----------------------------------------------------------| | 00:02–01:06 | Introduction, indirect U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations | | 01:06–02:11 | Tensions and tough talk from Tehran & Washington | | 02:13–11:35 | Jane Coaston interviews Nahal Toosi (main discussion) | | 13:41–16:33 | Domestic political stories: Colbert, Trump, DHS | | 17:57–20:53 | Tribute to Reverend Jesse Jackson |

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Tone & Style

Jane Coaston's signature tone blends sharp, irreverent wit (“Sounds like he still hasn't figured out how to drain the swamp”), direct questioning, and a clear-eyed pursuit of facts, balanced by Nahal Toosi’s forthright, nuanced insight into foreign policy. The episode moves swiftly from international intrigue to domestic drama to heartfelt remembrance, making complex events accessible and engaging for all listeners.

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For those who missed the episode:
You’ll come away with a comprehensive understanding of the U.S.-Iran nuclear drama, why even hardline posturing might still be about buying time (on both sides), the current mood inside Iran, and how the legacies of activism and political resistance still echo in today’s headlines.

Transcript

[Jane Coaston]

It's Wednesday, February 18th. I'm Jane Coston, and this is what a day. The show that says health and human services secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Stop working out in jeans and stop filming yourself working out in jeans. Actually, just stop whatever you're doing, stop. On today's show, President Donald Trump lashes out over sewage leaking into the Potomac river. Sounds like he still hasn't figured out how to drain the swamp. And Department of Homeland security spokesperson Trisha McLaughlin is leaving. The Trump administration. Goodbye. You will not be missed. But let's start with Iran. U.S. officials met with Iranian envoys in Switzerland Tuesday to negotiate the fate of Iran's nuclear program. But it turns out the two sides didn't actually meet. Here's Ms. Naos and Nez della Quaterra.

[Ms. Naos]

They were indirect talk. So the American and Iranian delegations never actually came face to face. Instead, they were talking to the Omani foreign minister who was mediating those negotiations.

[Jane Coaston]

Not a great sign when you need an intermediary just to agree on a, quote, set of guiding principles. Which, by the way, is what we got out of Tuesday's meeting. According to Iran's foreign minister, trying to figure out what exactly the Trump administration wants out of these negotiations is confusing at best. I mean, last year, President Trump said that U.S. airstrikes had, quote, obliterated Iran's nuclear facilities. So if that's true, why would we need a deal on its nuclear program now? And Iran's gestures are just as mind bending. As officials were meeting in Switzerland, Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, threatened to blow up US Warships on Twitter and said this in Iranian state media. The following interpretation is from cnn.

[CNN Narrator]

The strongest army in the world may.

[Jane Coaston]

Sometimes get slapped so hard that it.

[CNN Narrator]

Cannot stand up straight.

[Jane Coaston]

Sounds promising. So what exactly is everyone doing here? Do they want a deal or a war? To find out, I spoke to Nahal Toosi. She's the senior foreign affairs correspondent and columnist for Politico. Nihal, welcome to Whataday.

[Nahal Toosi]

Hey, thanks for having me.

[Jane Coaston]

So we're in this weird moment where the US And Iran are engaged in indirect talks over Iran's nuclear program. But at the same time, President Trump sent a second, second aircraft carrier to the Middle east last week, saying, quote, in case we don't make a deal, we'll need it. So in your view, is the US on the brink of a deal or a strike?

[Nahal Toosi]

Look, sometimes you need leverage when you're engaging in diplomacy. And what provides leverage more than a couple of aircraft carriers? Right. I think that Trump sees having military force as a way to show the Iranians that he is serious. And I also think he is very willing to use the military force if there is no deal. And I'm not sure the Iranians fully understand that just yet.

[Jane Coaston]

The funny thing is that the US Had a nuclear deal with Iran, and Trump pulled out of it during his first term back in 2018. Is there anything different the US is seeking with this new deal that wasn't in the old Iran deal?

[Nahal Toosi]

So the US Says that it wants this deal to cover nuclear weapons as well as put limits on Iran's ballistic missile program, as well as basically stop the Islamist regime in Tehran from funding these militias and proxies in the region and hopes that that means that these militias will wither away and basically go away. That might be an overstated hope. My understanding is, look, the regime really does not have the money that it used to. But also because of Israeli actions over the past couple of years, a number of these militias, such as Hezbollah and as well as Hamas, have been severely weakened from what they used to be. But they don't always take instruction from Iran. They kind of do do their own thing, especially the Houthis. So even if Iran says, okay, fine, we're going to stop funding these groups, that doesn't mean they're necessarily going to vanish. The Iranians say the only thing they're willing to talk about is, is the nuclear situation. And I think that's one of the things that they're going to have to try to figure out. Part of the thing about diplomatic talks is you spend a lot of your time in the beginning just talking about what the talks are going to be.

[Jane Coaston]

About, to that point, about how Iran is struggling financially. Things in Iran are not great. Late last year, mass protests broke out against the Iranian regime, and some estimates say as many as 30,000 protesters were killed. In January, President Trump posted on True Social and told Iranian protesters, quote, help is on its way. But it wasn't. Outside of more lip service and sending those aircraft carriers, he hasn't really done anything. Why?

[Nahal Toosi]

My understanding is that basically the Pentagon, not to mention the Israelis and others, went to Trump and they said, look, we get why you want to hit the regime, but we don't have enough assets in place. Right. We've been focusing on Venezuela. We've been sending these ships elsewhere. We just don't have what we need for what could potentially lead to retaliation from Iran and could become a much bigger conflagration than a one and done strike. But Trump made these comments. Iranians, many of them, went out hoping that he would back them up. Thousands died and some feel betrayed. But I have to tell you, Iranians, for the most part, my sense is that at the end of the day, they blame the regime way, way, way, way, way more than they blame Trump or the United States.

[Jane Coaston]

What is the Iranian government's strategy in all of this?

[Nahal Toosi]

It's a really good question. I'm not sure that they entirely know what they're doing. They seem to be thinking, let's just buy some time, let's just buy some time. Let's see if we can talk about talks and talk about setting up new talks and see how far we can drag this out and maybe we can rebuild some of our assets and become more of a threat. I don't know where that's going to lead. It's possible that they think, well, maybe we can convince Trump to agree to like a JCPOA light, JCPOA being the lingo for the Iran nuclear deal, something smaller that gives us some sanctions relief and we can say, okay, fine, we won't enrich for a while. Well, they're not enriching uranium as it is because of the last US Strikes on there nuclear program. That wouldn't actually be much of a difference. So maybe they think we can get some sort of a small deal and Trump will be like, hey, I got my deal. And the Iranians can be like, we have some sanctions, really, if we can rebuild our economy, we can ease the pressure a little bit. Honestly, I. All they're doing, I think, is just delaying another round of fury from the Iranian people, which I think is, is inevitable.

[Jane Coaston]

At the same time that all of this is going on, there are multiple opposition movements and one is growing around the son of Iran's Shah Reza Pahlavi. He's been living in exile in the United States since the Revolution in 1979. But last weekend, an estimated 250,000 of his supporters across Europe showed up to a rally in Munich. How big of a threat is he to the current Iranian regime, given that one, he hasn't lived there since 1979. But also, I seem to remember the Shah of Iran not being very popular in the first place, which is how we got here.

[Nahal Toosi]

Look, everything is relative when it comes to Iran, right? The Iranians today think, well, yeah, the Shah wasn't amazing, but compared to what we have now, he was much better. And yes, maybe he was repressive, but at least we had a halfway decent economy back then, right? And at least we weren't isolated on the global stage back then. So there's a bit of nostalgia for the Shah era. And Pahlavi has, over the past several years, I've watched him as he has grown in stature and esteem and organization, especially in the diaspora. And there is. There are some polls that say he has some support within the Iranian population. Now. Can he actually land in Iran right now and go out onto the streets without any fear? I don't think he's at that stage yet. So there's a lot of unknowns about what Reza Pahlavi can do, but in terms of a symbol, absolutely. He is someone that Iranians are very much rallying around. And one thing I'm noticing when I talk to Iranians is, especially in the diaspora, when I raise questions about Pahlavi's strengths and abilities and some of the way the people around him behave, they don't want to talk about it because they're like, why would you even question him? You can't damage him. He's the only chance we have right now to take down this regime. That's how they feel.

[Jane Coaston]

At the rally in Germany, Pahlavi said, quote, I am here to guarantee a transition to a secular democratic future. Now, I know that, you know, we're talking about, like a hypothetical on top of hypotheticals, but what is government actually have the wherewithal to guarantee a democratic future? We're talking about a country where the role of religion in the state has been so complex. What would that even begin to look like?

[Nahal Toosi]

Look, I do think Iranians would be very, very capable of adopting a secular democracy. The ones inside the country. Absolutely. For the most part, I think the regime, the Islamist regime, the Islamist experiment has lost legitimacy for most of the population. So you. You have a group of people who just does not really believe in the idea of mosque and state being combined. Okay, that's one thing. The other thing to remember about Iran is it's actually a multi layered governance system.

[Jane Coaston]

Right.

[Nahal Toosi]

So there is the religious layer, but this is a country that also has a parliament, it has a president, it has elections. Right. There are definitely some limits on that currently based the current system, but people know how to vote. People expect a certain level of democracy even within this system. And so, you know, you kind of take off that one layer and you can absolutely have a vote or a constitutional referendum. But at this stage, the Iranian people have just suffered so much. And what you hear is like, look, we will make a deal with the devil. We don't care. We just have to get rid of this regime. I can't stress enough how upset and angry and desperate the Iranian people are. It's really tough.

[Jane Coaston]

There is so much going on here as we've been talking about inside and outside of Iran. Where do you think this goes in the coming days, weeks, months for the negotiations with the U.S. it's very hard.

[Nahal Toosi]

To predict with President Trump. Let's not forget that last June he joined the Israelis in striking Iran. And he told us afterward the Iranian nuclear program has been obliterated. We've resolved this, it's done. And now, months later, he wants a deal on the Iranian nuclear program. So I, I just don't know. I do think when I talk to people in the military or formerly in the military, the thing they do say is like, look, he has brought so much weaponry out there, we just can't imagine that he won't use it somehow. It's also possible that he might do one small strike and then the Iranians might fold and say, let's have a deal. And he's like, great, let's have a deal. This could go any number of directions and I will do my best to report it.

[Jane Coaston]

Nahal, thank you so much for joining me.

[Nahal Toosi]

Thank you for having me.

[Jane Coaston]

That was my conversation with Nahal Tusi, senior foreign affairs correspondent and columnist for Politico. More news is on the way, but if you like the show, make sure to subscribe. Leave a five star review on Spotify and Apple podcasts, watch us on YouTube and share with your friends. More to come after some ads. What a day is brought to you by Nutrafol. Let's be real. Women have been sold every miracle product under the sun. 30 day transformations, quick fixes, overnight results, and somehow none of them actually last. That's why Nutrafol stands out. It's not about hype, it's about committing to a simple daily routine that supports hair health from within so the results actually build over time. Nutrafol is the 1 dermatologist recommended hair growth supplement brand and it's the 1 hair growth supplement brand personally used by dermatologists. Nutrafol's hair growth supplements are peer reviewed, NSF certified for sport and clinically tested to measure improvements in hair growth quality and strength. It's not a one size fits all approach. Nutrafol offers multiple formulas for men and women tailored to different life stages like postpartum stardom or menopause and lifestyle factors such as a plant based diet. So you get support that's actually right for you. Let your hair be one last thing to worry about See visibly thicker, stronger, faster Growing hair in three to six months with Nutrafol for unlimited time, Nutrafol is offering our listeners $10 off your first month subscription and free shipping when you visit nutrafol.com and enter promo code DAYTEN that's nutrafol.com spelled N U T R-A F O L.com promo code DAY10.

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[CNN Narrator]

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[Jane Coaston]

Here's what else we're following today.

[Nahal Toosi]

Header lines.

[Stephen Colbert]

You know who is not one of my guests tonight? That's Texas State Representative James Talarico. He was supposed to be here, but we were told in no uncertain terms by our network's lawyers who called us directly that we could not have him on the broadcast.

[Jesse Jackson]

Then.

[Stephen Colbert]

Then I was told in some uncertain terms that not only could I not have him on, I could not mention me not having him on. And because my network clearly doesn't want us to talk about this, let's talk about this.

[Jane Coaston]

CBS Late show host Stephen Colbert is calling out his own network for its handling of an interview he recorded with Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico. The network has pushed back on his claims, saying that they simply provided legal guidance that the broadcast could trigger the FCC equal time rule. The equal time rule has traditionally excluded late night shows, but guidance released last month by the Federal Communications Commission says that's no longer the case. Despite that, Colbert told his viewers that late night political candidate interviews are still fair game. For now, it's worth noting that in this instance, CBS was not pressuring Colbert to have any Texas Republicans on his show. The network claims they presented him with an option to give equal time to two of Telarico's Democratic primary challengers, including Representative Jasmine Crockett. But Colbert didn't want to play ball with what he sees as FCC Chairman Brendan Carr's attempt to muzzle hosts. Colbert's feistiness might be related to the fact that CBS announced plans to cancel his show last year. So instead of broadcasting the Talarico interview, his show uploaded it to its YouTube channel and left television viewers with an unsettling image in its place.

[Stephen Colbert]

I'm not even sure I can say the words James Talarico, but what I can show you is what we always show when we have to pull material at the last minute, this tasteful nude of Brendan Carr.

[Donald Trump]

No, I don't like the job that Wes Moore is doing. I don't like the job he's doing in the bridge. I don't like the fact that he did that horrible, you know, with the pipes and the Potomac, and he's not doing the job. They got to do it, and we're going to. I'm going to have to get the federal government involved in getting it fixed because he can't fix anything.

[Jane Coaston]

President Trump lashed out at Maryland's Democratic governor Wes Moore, while speaking to reporters on Air Force One Monday. His comments come after a pipe rupture last month soiled the Potomac river with sewage. The pipe is part of a utility based in Washington that's federally regulated and under the oversight of the Environmental Protection Agency. A spokesperson for Moore said in a statement that EPA officials did not participate in a recent legislative hearing about the cleanup, adding, quote, apparently the Trump administration hadn't gotten the memo that they're actually supposed to be in charge here. Trump wrote on Truth Social that the Federal Emergency Management Agency would help coordinate a response, but added that FEMA is impacted by the DHS shutdown. A United States district judge has blocked ICE from taking Kilmar Abrega Garcia back into custody. Last year, the Trump administration deported Abrega Garcia to El Salvador in violation of a 2019 court order. That order protected him from being sent to the Central American country due to threats of gang violence against his family. In Tuesday's ruling, which the Department of Justice can still appeal, the district judge wrote that the Trump administration has, quote, made one empty threat after another to remove him to countries in Africa with no real chance of success. One empty threat after another with no real chance of success. Sounds like the Trump administration in a nutshell. Department of Homeland security spokesperson Trisha McLaughlin is stepping down from her position. I'll hold for cheers and applause. According to two DHS officials that spoke with POLITICO, McLaughlin told colleagues on Tuesday that she plans to leave the agency next week. But that's so far away. In a statement to Crooked Media's Matt Berg, McLaughlin thanked Trump and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem for the opportunity, writing, quote, I look forward to continuing the fight ahead. McLaughlin's work as DHS assistant secretary included staunchly defending and lying about the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. According to Politico. DHS sources said her departure was originally discussed last December, but she stayed after Renee Goode and Alex Preddy were killed by DHS officers in Minneapolis. In response to McElaughlin's departure, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries simply wrote, quote, another MAGA extremist forced out of dhs. Gnome next. Keep the pressure on. One down and so many more to go. And that's the news. One more thing. The Reverend Jesse Jackson passed away Tuesday at his home in Chicago. He was 84. Jesse Jackson was not born to wealth or privilege in any way, shape or form. His mother was a teenager when he was born in Greensboro, S.C. his father was a married man who lived next door. When his mother remarried and had another child, Jackson was sent to live in a shack around the corner with his grandmother. But Jackson would ascend to some of the highest heights in American politics and culture. He became a critical figure in the civil rights movement, serving alongside the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. Jackson was present when King was assassinated in 1968, and he ran for president twice, in 1984 and 1988, both times gathering millions of primary votes. Despite the fears of even Democratic Party insiders that a black left leaning candidate just couldn't win, he repeatedly used his own experiences of poverty and deprivation to inspire others to, quote, keep hope alive. Here is part of his speech at the 1988 Democratic National Convention.

[Jesse Jackson]

Every one of these funny labels they put on you. Those of you who are watching this broadcast tonight in the projects, on the corners, I understand call you outcast, low down, you can't make it. You're nothing. You're from nobody. Subclass, underclass. When you see Jesse Jackson, when my name goes in nomination, your name goes in nomination. I was born in Islam, but Islam was not born in me. And the one born in you. And you can make it.

[Jane Coaston]

He believed firmly that everyone, regardless of their financial status or belief system, regardless of who they were or where they were from, mattered. He even took that message to sesame street in 1972.

[Child Performer]

Ready on the stump?

[Jane Coaston]

Yeah.

[Jesse Jackson]

Okay, here we go.

[Child Performer]

I am, I am somebody. Somebody I am, I am somebody. I may be poor, I'm 84.

[Nahal Toosi]

What?

[Child Performer]

I am somebody. I may be young, I may be young, but I am, but I am somebody. I may be on welfare, but I am somebody. I may be small, but I am, but I am somebody, somebody.

[Jane Coaston]

There is obviously way more to say about Jesse Jackson, about his role in Democratic politics in the 1980s and 1990s and his complicated relationships with other civil rights activists. But when I think about Jackson, I think about his abiding belief in human dignity. In that 1988 speech at the DNC, he talked about his grandmother back in South Carolina and how she made a quilt out of old pieces of cloth from around the house that kept the whole family warm. That's what Jackson wanted the Democratic Party to make a quilt, pull the patches and the pieces together, bound by a common thread. When we form a great quilt of unity and common ground, we'll have the power to bring about health care and housing and jobs and education and hope to our nation. We the people, can win. Before we go this week on Pod Save the World, Ben Rhodes is joined by guest co host aman Mahaldin of MSNow. They give a full rundown of what's breaking fallout from Munich, Israel's west bank annexation push, updates on Iran and Venezuela, what oil sanctions mean on the ground in Cuba, questions around North Korea's succession, and the political collapse of Richard Grinnell. It's a busy time and Pod Save the World breaks it down. Tune in wherever you get your podcasts or watch on YouTube. That's all for today. If you liked the show, make sure you subscribe. Leave a review. Tell me when someone makes a decision about Warner Bros. Discovery and tell your friends to listen. And if you're into reading and not just about how seriously, at this point, someone just tell me when it's sold or not sold or something. Like me. What a Day is also a nightly newsletter. Check it out and [e-mail] subscribe I'm Jane Coastin and I cannot care this much about corporate mergers. What a Day is a production of Crooked Media. It's recorded and mixed by Desmond Taylor. Our associate producer is Emily Foer. Our producer is Kaitlyn Plummer. Our video editor is Joseph Tutrap. Our video producer is Johanna Case. We had production help today from Ethan Oberman, Greg Walters and Matt Burke. Our senior producer is Erica Morrison and our senior vice president of news and politics is Adrienne Hill. Our theme music is by Kyle Murdoch and Jordan Kanter. We had help today from the Associated Press. Our production staff is proudly unionized with the Writers Guild of America eas.

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[Nahal Toosi]

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[Jane Coaston]

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[Jane Coaston]

I'm Tim. I'm Marshall.

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[Jesse Jackson]

I just want to write something that helps people.

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You will never understand what I'm going through. Imagine what God can do again. Again.

[Donald Trump]

Whatever you're going through, you're never alone.

[Movie Advertiser]

God is in fire and it is beautiful. I can only imagine. Two Only in theaters Friday. Rated PG.