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From the Strait of Hormuz to the Streets of Minneapolis—Plus, Mamdani and the Midterms

On this episode of Start Making Sense, John Nichols analyzes the politics of the Iran war, and Maurice Mitchell talks about political movements and voting.

Jon Wiener

March 18, 2026

Commercial vessels are pictured offshore in Dubai on March 11, 2026. (AFP via Getty Images)

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From the Straits of Hormuz to the Streets of Minneapolis, plus Mamdani and the Midterms / Start Making Sense
byThe Nation Magazine

Trump’s war in Iran is bringing economic chaos and suffering to much of the world, but for American voters, the biggest effect is the soaring price of gasoline – and the political implications for Republicans in the midterms are clear to everyone. Meanwhile Minneapolis has shown how Americans can resist unjust and illegitimate power. John Nichols comments.

Also: The Working Families Party is organizing voters not just to win a Democratic majority in Congress but for a movement election, a historic expansion of the electorate that includes a demand for significant change. Maurice Mitchell, the party’s National Director, explains.

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On this episode of Start Making Sense, John Nichols analyzes the politics of the Iran war, and Maurice Mitchell talks about political movements and voting.

Trump’s war in Iran is bringing economic chaos and suffering to much of the world, but for American voters the biggest effect is the soaring price of gasoline—and the political implications for Republicans in the midterms are clear to everyone. Meanwhile, Minneapolis has shown how Americans can resist unjust and illegitimate power.

Also: The Working Families Party is organizing voters not just to win for a Democratic majority in Congress but for a movement election, a historic expansion of the electorate that includes a demand for significant change. Maurice Mitchell, the party’s national director, explains.

Subscribe to The Nation to support all of our podcasts: thenation.com/podcastsubscribe.

The Nation Podcasts

Here's where to find podcasts from The Nation. Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the news, from a progressive perspective.

Norm Eisen on the Paramount-Warners Merger, plus Trump and TV News / Start Making Sense
byThe Nation Magazine

The primary force behind the settlement that will allow Trump’s allies at Paramount to take over Warners-Discovery and CNN was Gavin Newsom, who pressured California Attorney General Rob Bonta to end the anti-trust fight defending media independence. Norm Eisen explains – he’s co-founder and executive chair of the Democracy Defenders Fund and Democracy Defenders Action, and, the New York Times reported, “the leader of a coalition of entertainment and news industry professionals who opposed the deal.”

Also: After Trump banned CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House newsroom, the TV networks united in refusing coverage of his events – including Fox News. John Nichols has our analysis.

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Jon WienerTwitterJon Wiener is a contributing editor of The Nation and co-author (with Mike Davis) of Set the Night on Fire: L.A. in the Sixties.


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