“President Biden's inaction, given the suffering in Gaza, is shameful,” Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland tells Mehdi on this week’s ‘Mehdi Unfiltered’. “I mean, there's no other word for it.”
It’s not often that a top Democratic senator and long-term party loyalist unleashes on a sitting Democratic president, but Van Hollen – who has been critical of the US’s unconditional support for Israel since October 7th – doesn’t hold back in this wide-ranging and exclusive conversation with Mehdi and Zeteo.
“If the president doesn't mean what he says,” about holding Israel to account for the lack of aid going into Gaza, adds Van Hollen, “then he should stop saying it because he looks so weak.”
For the Maryland senator, Biden has “essentially been played by Netanyahu from day one. And every time the President of the United States says ‘this is what we the United States think is in our interests, please do it,’ he gets the back of the hand from Netanyahu and refuses to take any action.”
Van Hollen also criticizes the Biden-Harris administration for failing to uphold the humanitarian aid deadline they set for Israel last month, which has now passed, and questions their motivations.
“My concern is this was a political attempt to try to send a message to voters a month ago that, ‘oh, the president really does care about the situation,’” Van Hollen tells Mehdi.
Watch the full and eye-opening interview above to hear more about Senator Van Hollen’s top concerns over a second Trump presidency, whether Democrats have alienated working class voters, and what he made of the Harris campaign touting their endorsement from Dick Cheney.
What a shameful display of 'damage control' by the senator. Israeli experts on the Shoah like Raz Segal and Omer Bartov were warning of genocide as early as November last year. The former called it a "textbook case" from the get go. On Oct 15, 2023, over 800 scholars and experts on genocide and international law wrote an open letter raising the alarm bells. The ICJ has issued provisional measures multiple times under the Genocide Convention. Yitzhak Herzog said there were "no innocents" even though half of the population are children. Netanyahu equates all Palestinians to "Amalek." Avi Dichter gleefully called for "rolling out the Gaza Nakba." The list goes on and on and on - and still he can't even call it a genocide.
That how it works if Jews involved You can't even discuss in Universities, you can't deny it or investigate it, or write a book or JAIL!
When it happens to Palestinians, they have to discuss 800 scholars and experts to find out
is it Holocaust.
Give van Hollen a break. He has been one of the few senators who have consistently spoken out against Biden's Gaza policies. I'm sure that it hasn't been easy for him given the complete cowardice displayed by Biden, the state department, and most democrats. We need more people with his degree of humanity in the Senate.
What’s the point of Democrats pointing fingers and blaming Biden-Harris now, in what only appears to be Post Election-Analysis. They are ALL complicit. BUT it’s still not too late to force the USA to STOP sending weapons. Save those still alive and stop navel gazing!!
Agree here. As Mehdi said, Biden is lame duck right now. Nothing to lose. Just do the right thing instead of the political thing. For once.
I've been sending this message to Biden and Harris almost every day since the election (and 365 days before that)
So right with what you said. Any way to save lives should be the goal. But I think the war will stop when Trump takes office - not because of anything he has done, but because Is real has pretty much accomplished (disgustingly) what they set out to do - eradicate a large number of Palestinians. They will give Trump the credit for "stopping" the war to add it to his legacy while ramping up against Lebanon and Iran with US backing. I hope I'm wrong. May God have mercy on those affected by oppression and give the oppressors exactly what they deserve. Karma will come for them eventually.
It is the only decent thing Biden can do before he leaves office. It is beyond frustrating why we do not hold Biden accountable. It is beyond frustrating that he is not doing what he should be doing. He is breaking the law. He will leave a legacy of being a war criminal that fueled and furthered a genocide.
It's too late Trump will be sending a lot of support to Netanyahu. The West Bank will be lucky to come out alive. Thanks Mehdi for having the senator on. While I care deeply for Palestinians,bI also care deeply about America. I will continue to be in support of my American brothers and sisters who still fight for equality here on American soul. We will be fighting to survive here as well.
Finally someone mentions neoliberalism! No political party is offering a solution to this economic ideology that is ripping the world apart in terms of global inequality and class divides. The rich only benefit. The GOP is neoliberalism on steroids. The Democrats and global governments must start setting limits on corporations and being a government for the people. Trump will accelerate this and environmental decline.
I’ve been trying to understand this better too. We used to always use the term neo-liberalism to talk about administrations since Reagan/Thatcher (Thatcher promoted it initially, per my readings, and Reagan continued), including Democrats. Now that term has been abandoned in speaking about Republicans and Democrats. Neo-con is the new term. Neo-conservatism used to be most associated with Republicans—Newt Gingrich, etc. Now when I read political analysts and historians, including, for example Jeffrey Sachs and others, they refer to the neo-cons in the Democratic administration. Neo-cons are the ultimate “evil doers” associated with the Republican Right. So that’s big. It seems true. Would love to hear what others have to say…about that transition. And who are the neo-cons running the Biden administration?
Inquiring minds want to know!
Neocons have to do with foreign policy (Cheney etc) while neoliberalism has to do with anti union trickle down economic policy. Dems and Republicans are just slightly different shades of both of these.
So!!! Biden/Harris should be denounced unequivocally for genocide. I am sick and tired of the entire hypocritical so called civilized nations and former exploiters, plunderers and genocidal usurpers of others’ lands without exception!
I'm sorry but Biden as a younger man was a belligerent warmongering pro-Israeli person, now he is an old man with the same proclivities. In knowingly allowing and aiding the slaughter of innocents in Gaza, he is in fact a monster!
The fact that even Van Hollen won't describe it as genocide is illuminating. I spent the first Trump administration wondering why anyone would trust Trump, given his constant torrent of lies and BS. I wonder if Trump voters trust him more because his unscriptedness is more appealing than the carefully calibrated, poll-tested, dispassionate way in which Democrats speak.
I look forward to Naomi Klein's take on this election. I can't think of a better thinker who can take into account the multiple ways in which the political and economic milieu affected voters' thinking.
Would love to hear from Naomi!
Biden is a war criminal he didn’t do anything he was elected to do. He collected his AIPAC money and participated fully in the genocide of Palestinians. I stayed home because I couldn’t vote for genocide and I’m an old white woman who’s left the Democrat party. Great job AIPAC Dems 🇵🇸🇱🇧
So very spot on!
It was a huge mistake of the Harris campaign to choose this strategy. Part of her campaign, according to Politico, was run by the old Biden campaign team. It’s obvious they saw themselves repeating the Biden 2020 campaign—running against Trump.
She had an excited bump after the convention, but failed to present a bold new vision. And it doesn’t matter how many billion stars are in the sky—you’re gonna lose if you play that same old Biden song again.
The DNC should have allowed a sort of real, mini convention, with more candidates. The choice of Harris was not actually “a mistake”—it was a plan. The plan was to keep the Biden administration in place, minus Biden. Aligning with Cheney, is consistent with the Democratic Party’s trajectory of moving further to the right under the Biden administration and the neo-cons that now occupy the White House, regardless of which party is in office. It’s a win-win for them.
Yes, aiming for the Cheney endorsement means you have betrayed the working class.
The sign waving behind the plane overhead reads “never mind the working class and the poor.”
It’s the billionaires, stupid!
What’s infuriating is that the US is such a vicious and vindictive bully, it’s preventing almost all other nations from acting vs Israel. Everyone’s waiting for the US to give the green light - what a world we live in
What is says is DNC is owned by AIPAC. And even 1 billion dollars later. They are not electable. So DNC need to choose. Do they want power or forever be owned by PAC money and donor class.
I'm so ashamed of my party. We deserved to lose this election.
Should have had an open primary oh well.
Talk about distractions. Why do we parse and parse all the "bad political decisions", all the "bad policy decisions" while we studiously ignore the causation, the elephant in the room.. "It's all about the Benjamins, baby"... which bankrolls the American political machine. That, and the fear of the phony indignation and the relentless retribution of the 5th Columnist Jewish Lobby labeling one an "antisemite" and ruining their political career. Allow me to quote Norman Finkelstein: "A lot of what's happening is due to the power of money of Jewish supremacists. Jewish supremacist means two things. It means, first of all, Jews can do no wrong... and secondly if they do do wrong, the fact that you're focusing on them is because you must be an antisemite. Otherwise, why aren't you talking about China, the Kurds, and why aren't you talking about, and why aren't you talking about... They cannot accept the possibility that Israel, A, is doing wrong, and B, people are outraged because of the wrong that's being committed. It always has to be something else. It could be antisemitism, or, as most Jews believe, it's envy. If you vent an animus towards what Israel is doing it's because you envy Jews, you're jealous of Jews. Jews are better. The goyim envy Jews, and that's why they'll use things like Gaza to discredit us"
Trump gave Israel Jerusalem and Golan Heights in his first term. He will give them the West Bank in his second term. Palestine as a country no longer exists. The price for ending genocide is a greater Israel with the remaining Palestinians allowed to live as second class citizens.
This is all just empty words. Van Hollen voted multiple times to send military aid to Israel!
At effing last!!!
Why is Sen. Chris Van Hollen still with Democratic party. This is the true power of the people. If politicians are elected by the people, they should serve the people and not act as their masters.
Yeah I don't think Democrates sticking up for work working class is a legitimate desire. Especially when it's own by establishment and corporate democrates. Drugs cost most in US due to hold of Pharmaceutical lobby. Let's not forget AIPAC and Military Industrial complex. If any Dem comes on and says otherwise. They are lying!!!!!
Hi folks - (Unfortunately my viewing of the video kept cutting out, so I didn't see the entire interview.)
However, based on the part I did see, I feel compelled to say that all the "post-mortem" analysis poring forth from main-stream media sources, sounds like a blame-casting and superficial nit-picking waste of time and mental energy. Unfortunately this also appears to be the case in this interview.
My take on Harris' loss is that it was not due to one decision or another on the campaign's part. It was not because the campaign didn't go on and on for two years, so people "didn't know who she was". Come on!
It's WAY more fundamental than that. A couple of things come to mind: a huge number of folks in this country unfortunately don't understand, or have the patience for, detailed or repetitious talks on policy proposals.
Clearly they prefer to hear sound bites and simple-minded promises from a "daddy figure" who will "fix everything". Clearly that dear leader doesn't even have to embody integrity, honesty, civility, common decency, intelligence, insight, maturity.......
Clearly they also need some-ONE to blame for all their woes, but have no idea how our government actually works - it's too complicated (and way too much BS to wade through anyway). So it's far easier to choose and blame one or two people for everything (eg: Biden and Harris).
Two final things: Democrats are always too damn humble about the significant changes they make to improve the lives of citizens. We rarely (if ever) hear about any of this directly from their mouths until election time comes around. Do they seriously think people have time to go to gov.com or whatever, and plow through policy statements?!
On the other hand, Repuglicans have this stuff wired! They brag incessantly and loudly about any little thing they do and frame it to sound like it's great for "the people", though it rarely is. And they always take credit for the economies the Dems rebuild and leave behind after some right-wing administration had ruined it.
Come on Dems - Stop with the "we'll always work with the other side", and the "we've gotta be the adults in the room" approach - it just won't work anymore. Dig deeper and get your nails dirty!
The Democratic Party needs to drop being "nice" and start being "good." There is a big difference.
mehdi mentions the worry about the supreme court, and the senator thinks 4 years when democrats win perhaps then they can change her out? but it seems short sighted, what if the democrats dont win next time, or the time after that? Can she hold out for another 8,12 years ? i wonder if the safer option is the better option whilst you have the power, rather than gamble :(
"Biden's otherwise successful foreign policy agenda..."
THAT'S why he walked away from the Iran Nuclear Deal on Day One, then completely bungled the withdrawal from Afghanistan, and tied Zelensky's hands behind his back, failed to respond to N.Korea's weapons testing, etc., etc.
Biden has been WRONG on foreign policy for 40 years, Van Holland is a typical politician, lying out of both sides of his mouth.
So refreshing to listen to an old white man who is sensible, aware, and able to explain, reason, and express compassion and empathy. One doesn't see much of that these days. Instead of being "shocked and awed" by ridiculous creatures on the air, please feature more normal, reasonable people like Van Hollen who can guide and lead us all out of the darkness. Zeteo - putting you on notice. Let's make nice, normal people famous.
Senator Van Hollen is a decent and compassionate man. It’s a pity he’s in the minority with support for Palestinians, and with denouncing the ethnic cleansing. I appreciate the few like him who still persist and use their position to speak up. Better to have a few than none.
There is way too much weight being put on Harris' statement on The View about sticking with what Joe Biden had been doing. I am not an American and am watching this from outside your country. Kamala Harris did almost the impossible in the tiny amount of time available to her to run for President (which was just a few months). The Democratic base was already moribund due to the obvious cognitive and physical decline of Biden. Earlier this year, I had been impressed with the content and delivery of his State of the Union address and his stamina while presenting it. At that moment I thought, this is what Americans need. But then that was all erased by his abysmal performance at the debate with Trump. All I felt at that moment was, where is his family and why are they allowing political operatives to subject this old man to such humiliation? The excitement that Harris was able to generate among the centre and the centre left after that debacle is something she and her team deserve to be proud of for the rest of their lives. I am a progressive and am more than highly aware of how the Democratic Party in the US must drop its wishy-washy and anemic adherence to neoliberal economics in the mistaken belief that will help them win. But it's also clear, again from the perspective of someone who is watching from outside your borders, that the American electorate itself has levels of ignorance, obstinance and apathy that are shocking to anyone in other Western countries with a passing knowledge of events during the 20th century and why and how they occurred.
As somebody pretty apolitical I really wonder if "policies" count for much with the majority of citizens of the West. Since money has become THE DEITY a great majority see it as a means to escape their dissatisfied, exploited, material-obsessed lives; giving as they witness immunity, impunity, a means to buy their way out of problems etc etc..so whenever there is what people call elections they vote in the hope for change and more and better (for them) but don't seem to realise that the whole system is weighed against them...all the candidates love the red carpet, the power, and so-called prestige...being famous and accorded unnatural respect...the works! Look at the unmerited admiration for what are called celebrities...the sad waving of down at heel old women of a "royal" in a golden carriage of yesteryear; fairly brings tears to the eyes...of rage and pity! A great American artist wrote "there would be no game brother if no-one would play". Don't Vote.
Dear Mehdi, please let your guests finish their sentences. I like this Senator
Too little too late. All this is just rhetoric now I hope is to create and ensure Biden legacy to as Genocide Joe. Like others above have said, you'll see all sorts of them come out of the woodwork in the coming year. Some who didn't speak before might do it for political points and others because they got nothing else to do now, but, I say - fuck em all. Trumps administration will surely "finish the job" and then everyone will say peace was achieved. :-( I hate this world.
Don't blame the democrats. People want this. They want to give their power away.
"We were trying to help working people and those working their way up. THAT'S why we cancelled the Child Tax Credit.....
What should be called out is Jewish Supremacy, used by the the USA for colonial terrorism.
trump deliberately putting incompetence in government with the racial civil war on the move
Van Hollen spoke out on this many months ago-see his interview with Isaac Chotiner in The New Yorker magazine. Unfortunately, not loudly enough, and I believe he continued to vote yes on money and arms for Israel. But I'm glad to see he is now supporting Sanders' bill to withhold military aid.
Genocide is Absolutely Evil. I am saddened by President Biden’s complete Inaction on the continued inhalation of human beings, babies, toddlers, children, women of all ages, men, Aid workers, Doctors, Nurses, and many more innocent victims. STAND FOR JUSTICE, FREEDOM, HONOR, and HUMANITY.
Watch the Resistance Report at the end of the videos on YouTube of the Electronic Infitada I believe spelling is. Think Mehdis been on their show before and if he HASNT HE SHOULD BE or have someone on HIS SHOW from there, Like ALI for example. Gaza has been all their life’s WORK THE WHOLE TEAMS. Pls mehdi.🙏🏽
God bless this man for even having an OUNCE OF HONESTY…. Even if he puts it behind a curtain…. (Not mehdi the other guy… Sorry ptsd, don’t know his name) they still have the time to STOP USA FROM SENDING BOMBS JUST FN STOP!
Van Hollen talks like a politician. He did absolutely nothing on Palestine except to talk a big game like in this interview. He supported Israel! I don’t understand the “respect” and “love” he’s getting here. He’s a perfect example of what’s wrong with the Democrats! WAKE UP PEOPLE!
That's great journalism. Thank you. Just subscribed.
Come on Mehdi, why do you keep asking the questions why does Biden and most politician find it hard to say no to Israel. We all know why including you. All U.S. and Nato politicians are paid large handsome salaries by the AIPAC. You know who they are! Why don't you do a podcast on this issue, name them, out them. Even John Hagee the leader of the Evangelist Church Gets paid by Israel. How do I know this? From a "Democracy Now " podcast interview with an Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham who is now banned from entering Israeli. You should interview him. Last I heard he was living in France. You better get to him first before the Israelis do.
The letter was meant for election, and they didn't mean it at all; it most likely was a Blinken idea.
Great interview.
Great respect for Chris Van Hollen.
NOW Democrats are going to listen to voters?
Democrats need to backtrack to the Carter Administration on that front!
Corruption, aka "Campaign Finance" and related issue, is also a biggie, whether or not people understand that.
Mehdi, don't you think that this is an example of Biden's severe cognitive decline? It seems like he just can't deal with anything anymore.
Great podcast, again! Always!
This will be the end of US and Israel hagemony as we know it. Next 4 years, they will have rapid decline in US dominance. Silently in the making, the Europe already took a stance and they will gradually move away from US dominance. US will find itself completely isolated. So in a self fulfilling prophecy, their strategy of containing China will look lot more like containment of US.
Senator Van Hollen was almost a voice in the wilderness in the previous months leading up to this election. In an open convention voices such as his could have affected the outcome that we now must live with. Over and over, the loss is framed as a defection from young voters and voters of color. I wish that narrative would be put to rest. I’m nearing my seventh decade and white. Voting for a genocide, the death of tens of thousands of innocent women and children, was not a moral decision I could make. It would represent a betrayal of those people to only benefit myself and the country from what Trump will surely bring. Biden and the greater management wing of the party laid this on the citizenry. I continue to hear how much worse those hanging on for life in Gaza, the West Bank and now Lebanon, will now have it under Trump. By the time Trump is sworn in, the ethnic cleansing may well be complete. Can’t get much worse than that. Shame on Biden and the upper echelon for this shameful and criminal behavior. Such a betrayal to the country. I am unsure if the Democratic Party can be rehabilitated. What will be the nation’s options should it make it through to another election.
Van Hollen is refreshingly candid for a Democratic Senator. Perhaps the only silver lining of Trump's victory may be that it ends the self-imposed censorship of far too many members of Congress on the issue of Gaza and Israel.
So true
She can’t because she was not picked by the electorate in a primary, she was chosen by the DNC and it’s financiers. Also, to cut the DNC a little slack, they didn’t have a lot of time to orchestrate a coup. It was worth a try because Biden would not step down and continued to be deluded by his handlers who saw in his disability an opportunity to manipulate him and the public, to insist that he could, and would, win against Trump. Clearly, even in the aftermath of this disaster for the Democratic Party, he is being told by those same people that, see, you would have won had Pelosi & Co not interceded. You could see that clearly in his post-election comments. You could see it in that cocky smile. He relishes himself. Something right out of Ibsen. He feels vindicated. But then, he also has a cognitive disease. So when your grandpa in memory care tells you he’s back running the ranch, I guess we just smile.