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Published On: Sat, Aug 1st, 2026

RCP Podcast: Iranian Cyber Attack? New Peace Deal in Gaza? Midterm Map 95 Days Out, Cooking With RFK Jr.

Friday on the RealClearPolitics podcast, Andrew Walworth, Tom Bevan and Carl Cannon discuss allegations that Iran was behind the hacking of water treatment facilities in Minnesota and other states, and President Trump announcing a breakthrough in the Gaza peace process. Byron York, the chief political correspondent for The Washington Examiner, joins the show to handicap the midterm elections — just 95 days away. After that, the panel speculates about how voters will respond to Maine Democratic Senate candidate Troy Jackson being married to his second cousin and to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s new cooking show. Plus, the hosts share their “You Can’t Be Serious!” crazy headlines for the week. Listen live weekdays at 11:00 a.m. Eastern on SiriusXM’s Megyn Kelly Channel 111, or on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or other platforms.

00:00 – Opening: Iranian Cyberattack? Walworth, Cannon, and Bevan discuss reports that water systems in Minnesota and several other states were targeted in a cyberattack, potentially linked to Iran. NYT: U.S. Sees Iran as Likely Behind Cyberattack on Minnesota Water Systems “We know a lot of our civilian infrastructure is not well protected,” Tom Bevan said. “Think of the havoc that one of our enemies could wreak on our systems-if Wall Street went down, or banking systems went down-it could really quickly devolve into a catastrophic situation.” Andrew Walworth asks, Some of these were really small towns, which raises the questions: Is it a probe? Are they just trying to figure out what they can do? *** 08:01 – Gaza Peace ‘Breakthrough’? The panel is deeply skeptical of Trump’s announcement that Hamas has agreed to disarm as part of a new plan for peace in Gaza. “I’m getting weary of the Trump administration announcing pathways to deals. How about announcing a deal?” Cannon said. “It’s presidential malpractice.” “I would consider that a Donald Trump naive moment,” Bevan said. “I would love for this to be true, but I won’t believe it until it actually happens.” *** 18:43 – Midterm Map 95 Days Out Washington Examiner chief political correspondent Byron York joins the show to forecast the midterm elections, now only 95 days away. He says Trump’s Iran war and economic weakness will likely drive Republicans to lose the House, with the Senate in the balance. “There’s really not a lot of time to get things on track for the midterms, and things just don’t look that great for Republicans,” Byron York said. “Republicans are going to keep the Senate by a smaller margin. They’re going to lose control of the House.” They also discuss whether socialist candidates can win statewide races in Michigan and Wisconsin and reshape the Democratic Party. “If I were a democratic socialist trying to get elected statewide anywhere in the United States, the first thing I would do is say, I am not a socialist,” York said. *** 36:18 – New Scandal for Platner’s Replacement The hosts discuss reports that Maine Democratic Senate candidate Troy Jackson has two children with his second cousin. “Troy Jackson is on the right side of the law, but I’m not sure if he’s on the right side of public opinion,” Tom Bevan commented. “I’m not sure there’s a distinction between first cousin and second cousin in the mind of the public… He’s going to run as a family man.” *** 40:49 – Cooking With RFK Jr. Tom Bevan praises RFK Jr.’s new cooking program, “The Real Food Show,” as effective marketing for the administration’s health and affordability agenda, making healthy cooking accessible and entertaining. Watch: Cooking With HHS Secretary RFK Jr.: “Real Food At Affordable Prices” *** 42:08 – You Can’t Be Serious! The episode ends with RCP’s weekly “You Can Not Be Serious” roundup of unbelievable stories.

Listen to RealClearPolitics weekdays at 11 a.m. Eastern on SiriusXM’s Megyn Kelly Channel 111, or on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or other platforms. Subscribe for more RealClearPolitics analysis, interviews, and political commentary.
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