Episode 230: How To Oppose Genocide Without Opposing Genocide (Part I) — Biden World's Reputation Laundering PR Tour
Added 2025-11-19 16:25:39 +0000 UTC"Some Biden Aides are Shifting Their Tune on Israel," declares Politico. "'We didn't do enough': How U.S. policy failed Palestinians in Gaza," reports NPR. "'It Weighs On Me Every Day.' President Biden's National Security Advisor on Oct. 7 and Gaza," announces Bloomberg News.
Over the last two years, and particularly since Joe Biden left office in January 2025, officials from the Biden administration have been making a concerted effort to absolve themselves of their responsibility for Israel’s genocide of Gaza. In these narratives, boosted and laundered by mainstream media, we typically see some combination of the following: they were powerless to stop Israel; concerned about its actions and Changing Things From the Inside; contrite over civilian suffering; and, above all, Did All They Could.
But, as Biden’s record of unconditionally funding, arming, and otherwise supporting Israel's genocide shows, "Biden World," namely those occupying it’s highest ranks — his Secretary of State Antony Blinken, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby, State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller, and, of course, Vice President and Presidential Candidate Kamala Harris — are guilty of backing, spinning for, providing rhetorical support for, and sometimes covering up evidence of genocide in Gaza.
This isn't just about settling scores or about deflecting from the current regime that is also backing genocide. The reason correcting the record matters is because the whole reason Biden World backed genocide to the hilt is because they knew that once they were out of power they, like the Iraq War boosters before them, spin, feign contrition, paint a picture of fog of war, and wiggle their way out of accountability.
The rewriting of history going on today that we are documenting in this episode was part of their initial calculation, and thus preventing this revisionism is not only about past accountability but about sending a message to future war criminals that this formula cannot be duplicated every time they decide to engaged in a war of aggression or extermination.
On this episode, Part I of a two-part series, "How To Oppose Genocide Without Really Opposing It," we examine recent attempts by former Biden administration officials to rewrite history, express sorrow only when it's safe, deflect blame to everyone but themselves, seek to clean their reputations, and slowly pivot back into good standing in the Democratic Party, nonprofit world, media outlets and liberal think tanks.
Our guest is journalist Laura Albast.
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Guest
Laura Albast (@lau_bast) is a Palestinian journalist, editor, translator, and media analyst, whose writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Nation, Al Jazeera, Prism, and elsewhere. She was previously a Senior Editor at the Institute for Palestine Studies.
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Show Notes
‘I’m so dehumanized’: Journalists say U.S. newsrooms treat Palestine with fear and contempt
Laura Albast | September 9, 2025 | Prism
Ex-Biden official says ‘without doubt’ Israel committed war crimes in Gaza
June 3, 2025 | Al Jazeera
We Served in the Biden Admin. It's Time to Impose Conditions on Aid to Israel.
Jon Finer and Philip Gordon | September 25, 2025 | Politico Magazine
Some Biden Aides are Shifting Their Tune on Israel
Nahal Toosi | September 25, 2025 | Politico
'We didn't do enough': How U.S. policy failed Palestinians in Gaza
Kat Lonsdorf, Tom Bowman and Fatma Tanis | August 28, 2025 | NPR
The West Bank Is Sliding Toward a Crisis
Jon Finer | August 22, 2025 | The Atlantic
Pay Attention to the War of the Words in Gaza
Nahal Toosi | July 29, 2025 | Politico
Biden never pressured Israel for ceasefire, as Israeli officials boast of exploiting US support
Nasim Ahmed | April 29, 2025 | Middle East Monitor
Under Trump 2.0, the US imperial axis swaps genocide for fascism
Laura Albast | January 20, 2025 | The New Arab
How the US Media Helped the Biden Administration Distance Itself From the Horrors of Gaza
Adam Johnson | November 25, 2024 | The Nation
Biden’s Legacy: Complicity in Israel’s Gaza War
Dr. James J. Zogby | November 25, 2024 | Arab American Institute
US says it will not limit Israel arms transfers after some improvements in flow of aid to Gaza
Matthew Lee, Julia Frankel and Samy Magdy | November 12, 2024 | Associated Press
Biden Continues to Provide Israel Billions for War Crimes
Stephen Zunes | May 26, 2024 | Truthout
Biden Redefines “Cease-Fire” to Stem Anger Over Gaza
Adam Johnson | March 4, 2024 | The Nation
Does the Biden Administration Want a Long-Lasting Ceasefire in Gaza?
Isaac Chotiner | February 8, 2024 | The New Yorker
A Biden-Netanyahu rift? ‘Distraction’, Palestinian rights advocates say
Ali Harb | December 22, 2023 | Al Jazeera
Where Are They Now?: The Pundits Who Got Iraq Wrong
Parker Molloy | March 20, 2023 | The Present Age
US Media’s Iraq War Pushers 20 Years On: Where Are They Now? Rich and Influential.
Adam Johnson | March 17, 2023 | The Real News Network
The Architects of the Iraq War: Where Are They Now?
Jon Schwarz | March 15, 2023 | The Intercept
The War on Terror’s Parade of Hawks Continues as Anti-Trump ‘Resistance’
Jeff Cohen | May 1, 2018 | FAIR
Scarborough Remembers Some Iraq Words—But Not His Own
Peter Hart | March 19, 2013 | FAIR
Where Are They Now? The Reporters Who Got Iraq So Wrong
Peter Hart | February 5, 2013 | FAIR
Max Frankel | September 18, 1966 | The New York Times
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Transcript
For a full transcript of this episode, go here. In the meantime, you can find transcripts of past episodes, live shows, Beg-a-Thons, Interviews and News Briefs here.
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Credits
Senior Producer: Florence Barrau-Adams
Producer: Julianne Tveten
Production Assistant: Trendel Lightburn
Newsletter: Marco Cartolano
Music: Grandaddy
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