Thursday on the RealClearPolitics podcast, Andrew Walworth, Tom Bevan, Carl Cannon, and Phil Wegmann discuss the political fallout from Trump’s 14-point MOU to end the war with Iran: does it represent a diplomatic opening or a capitulation? They also cover the opening of the Obama Presidential Center, the stakes for JD Vance as he defends the Iran deal, Vance’s fraud task force targeting unemployment benefits, and the World Cup/patriotism debate. Plus, the panel rounds things out with their picks for the weekly “You Cannot Be Serious?!” roundup of entertaining headlines. 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: Republicans Split Over Iran MOU The show starts with the 14-point agreement signed this week with Iran to stop fighting, open the Strait of Hormuz, and spend the next 60 days hammering out a permanent peace deal. “This is not unconditional surrender. This is a tactical delay because of domestic politics,” Cannon said. “Trump now makes Neville Chamberlain look like George Patton. Let’s put it that way.” Watch: Sen. Roger Marshall: If We Don’t Let Iran Keep Missiles, This Will Turn Into A Forever War “If this were a deal that Joe Biden had signed or Barack Obama had signed, Donald Trump would be at the front of the line ripping it as a total, utter capitulation – and that’s effectively how the Democrats are treating it,” Bevan said. “Given their history, I don’t expect the Iranians to live up to this agreement in any way, shape, or form. This story is not over yet.” They also discuss: Ignore the Propaganda. America Is ‘the Boss’ Again – Miranda Devine, New York Post *** 12:56 – Obama Library Opening The panel turns to the opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, its controversial aesthetics, and plan to open on Juneteenth. Watch: Michelle Obama at Presidential Center Opening: Obama Rescued Our Economy, Ended A War, Won A Peace Prize Bevan criticizes presidential libraries as wasteful monuments in general. “I don’t know what else to call it, but it’s an eyesore,” the Chicago-area resident said. “It looks like a cross between a Soviet prison and a phallus with all these letters down the side that you can’t decipher,” he said. Cannon argues Obama’s status as the first black president gives it historical significance, but agrees presidential libraries have gotten out of control. *** 17:26 – What’s at Stake for JD Vance? Former RCP reporter Phil Wegmann – now with The Wall Street Journal – joins the show to discuss President Trump joking that he would blame JD Vance if the Iran deal fails. Watch: Trump Jokes About Iran Deal: “If It Works, I’m Going To Take The Credit… If It Doesn’t Work Out, I’m Blaming JD!” “The ramifications here for Vance, as he mulls his own White House ambitions, are huge,” he said. “If this peace deal holds, you could see Vance go into the Republican primary saying, ‘I’m the guy who prevented another quagmire. I’m the guy who prevented another global war on terror-like conflict.’ On the other hand, if Iran becomes more of a regional hegemon and continues to be a problem, then yeah, it’s a liability.” Phil’s latest piece for the Wall Street Journal: Trump Is Losing the Hawks Who Once Defended the Iran War The panel discusses how it impacts the dynamic between anti-interventionists and hawks in the 2028 GOP primary, and whether Democrats have a coherent alternative. “This very much is a fight for the future of the Republican Party,” Wegmann said. “Is it going to be neoconservative in nature, or is it going to be the sort of America First that was advertised on the campaign trail?” *** 27:15 – ‘Fraud Task Force’ Targets Unemployment Wegmann also breaks down his new reporting on Vance’s “anti-fraud task force” turning its attention to unemployment benefits: “State Unemployment Programs Targeted in Federal Antifraud Campaign” He says Republicans see waste, fraud, and abuse as a politically fruitful issue, but Democrats can counter by highlighting Trump’s spending controversies like the ballroom, UFC events, and the Iran war. *** 37:44 – Dems Hope We Lose the World Cup? The group discusses two New York Democrats rooting for Mexico and Senegal in the World Cup. “To actively root against the Americans because of politics is just total stupidity,” Bevan said. If you’re an American, you should be rooting for the U.S.” “If you’re a politician in this country, especially during the 250th anniversary of the country’s founding, what kind of question is that?” Cannon said. *** 43:40 – You Can Not Be Serious?! The episode ends with the weekly “You Cannot Be Serious?!” roundup of entertaining headlines.

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