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April 8, 2026 12:10-12:24 - CSPAN
13:59
Viewer Reaction to Ceasefire in Iran

John McCardle moderates viewer reactions to the Iran ceasefire, featuring Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ed Markey demanding Trump's removal for corruption and war crimes. Listeners debate historical context, with Jerry citing Iranian aggression while Brian argues the 1953 CIA coup and support for Israel drive current hatred. Yvonne Addison highlights the strategic loss of Strait of Hormuz control, costing $2 million per vessel, suggesting the US faces a worse geopolitical position despite the truce. [Automatically generated summary]

Transcriber: nvidia/parakeet-tdt-0.6b-v2, sat-12l-sm, and large-v3-turbo Source
Participants
Appearances
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john mcardle
cspan 02:24
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Speaker Time Text
War Crimes and Political Fallout 00:07:08
unidentified
Amongst lawmakers and officials, Congresswoman Alexandria Osacio-Cortez said self-enrichment, insider trading, and corruption have put the Trump administration's pursuit of personal wealth against the well-being of the American nation.
Senator Ed Markey said Donald Trump cannot threaten war crimes with impunity.
Congress must reconvene to stop this war and remove him from office.
Senator Chris Murphy said it is astonishing that Trump took a military action that has given Ivan control over a vital waterway it did not control before the war began.
john mcardle ▲ ● ▼
That's Press TV.
That's Iranian state-owned television.
That's how this story is playing today.
It's their English language press TV station that we bring to you to show you how this story is playing out around the world.
We want to hear from you as we wait for a press conference coming up in about five to ten minutes.
We're expecting to hear from the minority leader in the Senate, Chuck Schumer.
The Democrat from New York is speaking from New York and will be talking with reporters.
We'll take you there live when that does happen.
Until then, your phone calls on phone lines as we continue this afternoon on phone lines for Republicans, Democrats, and Independents, as usual.
This is Jerry in Maryland, Republican.
Jerry, thanks for waiting.
Go ahead.
unidentified
First, I want to thank you so much for giving us a platform to share our ideas.
So I was a teacher for years teaching financial planning.
I think one of the things that really appalls me is the lack of historical knowledge regarding not only Iran, but also Israel.
So one of the things that I would love to see in regards to educating the public, there is a famous quote that says, he who does not study history is compelled to repeat it or is destined to repeat it.
Excuse me, I misspoke.
So my concern is when somebody says they're going to kill you, do you take that seriously?
When a nation screams death to Israel and right behind that, death to America, what part of those words do you not understand?
So I would love to see some journalist or a historian utilize some of the techniques that we used as teachers in order to absorb a lot of critical, difficult information.
I found it was very helpful, and I would love to see a journalist or some news station or even an advertiser put together a bullet point list of all of the aggressions that Iran has committed, not only against the United States, but also against many European countries.
For an example, have we forgotten about the terrorist attacks in France and in other countries?
One caller asked, you know, why do they hate us so much?
If you go back into history, you will find, and if you really look into it, their true motive and the reason that they must spew hate is world domination.
john mcardle ▲ ● ▼
That's Jerry in Maryland.
This is Shirley in Caldwell, Ohio.
Democrat.
Go ahead.
unidentified
Hello.
Thank you for allowing me on.
I tried to listen to everything and draw an opinion, but I think I'd like to know what the rest of the country think of the removal if Netanyahu and I'm probably not saying it right and Trump were no longer in their positions.
What would the world situation be like?
Thank you.
john mcardle ▲ ● ▼
And Shirley, this is Paulette, Reistertown, Maryland Independent.
We continue to wait for Chuck Schumer's press conference.
Paulette, go ahead.
unidentified
Hi.
I just want to say about this war crime situation.
The act of just threatening a civilization, civilian population, is in itself considered a crime.
So I don't know why everybody is just going on about, you know, well, he wasn't going to do it.
Whether he did it or not, it spreads terror among the population, and that is not legal under international law.
Just wanted to say that.
john mcardle ▲ ● ▼
To Washington, this is Robert Cashmere, Washington, Republican.
Go ahead.
unidentified
It is a crime.
So I don't know what to do.
john mcardle ▲ ● ▼
Robert, you're with us.
You got to turn down your television, Robert.
Otherwise, it's going to be real hard to hear you.
Go ahead.
unidentified
Well, I spent, thanks for having me on.
I spent two and a half hours yesterday reading history of the Persian Empire from 750 BC to the current state of affairs.
john mcardle ▲ ● ▼
What were you reading, Robert?
unidentified
Basically.
Britannica, the Britannica sourcing.
But basically, what's happening in Iran right now is you have the Shia, the Sunni, and the Kurds.
The Shia are the proponents of Islam, and they lead through political, religious direction.
They pass the power, the leadership on to their family, where the Sunni are trying to promote democracy.
The Kurds want their own separate region.
And under Islam, the theory is that they want to control all of the land that they had clear back to 750 B.C.
john mcardle ▲ ● ▼
So, Robert, Brittany, 2026.
What are your thoughts on the ceasefire?
unidentified
Well, my thoughts are: I hope it goes well, but because of their attitude towards their neighbors, the Arabs, the Europeans, and all the others who are not Islamic, they want that region back.
And I believe in the long run that they want a nuclear bomb so they can disrupt the whole region and try to promote Islam to the very end.
john mcardle ▲ ● ▼
That's Robert.
This is Mark in Kentucky, West Point, Kentucky, Democrat.
Ceasefire Hopes Amidst Regional Tensions 00:06:51
john mcardle ▲ ● ▼
Good afternoon.
unidentified
Go ahead.
I'm a follower of politics for a long time.
I have never seen nothing like this before in my life.
This is not just unpresidential, but our president says to take out a country.
This is a political war as well as religious war.
We cannot go over and tell the other side of the world what they can and what they can't do.
I don't know what's going on today in society and politics, but somebody's got to do something.
It's just unbearable.
You know, it's hurting my heart and my soul.
I'm an American, and I'm almost embarrassed to say that.
And I pray to the Lord and I pray to God and everything that things change because the way we're going, Armageddon's not far away, and I don't want to die.
john mcardle ▲ ● ▼
Mark, do you think this conflict has changed things?
unidentified
Oh, my God.
He's taking over.
He's trying to take over the world.
He's already took over one country and for another country instead he's taking over two or three other countries.
This is unprecedented.
He should be impeached.
And I hope somebody does something about it because it's breaking my heart, my soul.
And God bless America because we really need it.
Thank you for your time.
And I don't know what else to say.
john mcardle ▲ ● ▼
That's Mark in the Bluegrass State.
Head out to the Pacific.
This is Brian in Oregon, Independent.
Good morning.
Good morning to the Pacific.
It's just after lunchtime here on the East Coast.
unidentified
Yeah.
Good morning.
Thanks for taking my call.
I just wanted to comment on a couple of things that people have said earlier about why Iranians seem to hate us so much and that.
And some facts prior to 1953, Iran had a Democratic elected government.
And in 1953, our CIA overthrew that and installed the Shah.
And the Shah last to 1979, he was a good friend of Israel, which Israel did not like.
And the people in Iran did not like the Shah either.
And so there's multiple executions and everything going on.
And then the revolution took place in 1979.
And they were very, and I don't, they're very, not very democratic, the Iraq, the people in Iran right now.
john mcardle ▲ ● ▼
So, Brian, fast forward 47 years.
unidentified
Hi.
What's that?
john mcardle ▲ ● ▼
Fast forward 47 years for me.
unidentified
Yeah, well, 47 years.
Well, people are asking why they hate us.
And I'm just saying right now, we're doing the same thing.
We're doing the same bidding for Israel as we were doing back in the Shah time.
And so nothing has changed.
And we just keep going on the same path.
And I don't believe our Iranian people hate us, Americans.
I just think they hate our government, what our government has done to them, even during the Iran and Iraq war.
So that's all I have to say.
So thank you.
john mcardle ▲ ● ▼
It's Brian in Oregon.
Bob is in Tennessee.
It's Cleveland, Tennessee.
Republican line, go ahead.
unidentified
Yes.
This is what I think with the news media.
Every day you just come out here and you think you got Trump, you know, just like Chuck Schumer that would come out and say, oh, we didn't got him.
When are you just going to get tired of this?
This man loves our country.
And all I know is Democrats are for the most evil things.
John, let me have my talk.
john mcardle ▲ ● ▼
Bob, you have any thoughts on the ceasefire?
unidentified
Well, yeah, but I think it could play out to be a good thing.
I'm not going to sit here and blast something trying.
Do I think it probably will last?
I doubt it because it's religious and no one wants to believe that.
The Bible is the truth.
And Democrats, there's no way you're a Christian.
You want to mutilate children, murder people.
All right.
john mcardle ▲ ● ▼
Got your point, Bob.
This is Marsha, New York City, Democrat.
Good morning.
unidentified
Hi.
I'm a little tired of people talking about things other than what the conversation is supposed to be about.
If people would watch and see the destruction that's going on in the world, maybe they would wake up and smell the coffee.
I'm a little tired.
This is about what is going on in the Middle East.
We should never have been there, or it should have been a multi-effort with our allies, not just Israel.
This is a crazy time for America.
And if you want to see what's going on, watch the destruction that's going on in the Middle East.
This is not going to help us.
This is going to make it worse.
I don't blame one person.
I blame the administration.
And also, as a Democrat, I have to say the Democrats are not doing enough.
They have to stop finding fault with one person and act and do something.
I don't know what they can do.
But it needs to stop.
john mcardle ▲ ● ▼
That's Marsha in New York City.
Speaking of New York City, that's where the minority leader in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, is today, and we are waiting for him to come out to speak with reporters.
We're awaiting his press conference, his thoughts on the ceasefire deal.
And we will air that live when it happens as we continue to wait.
We want to continue to hear from you on the phone lines for Republicans, 202-748-8001.
Democrats, 202-748-8000.
Independents, 202-748-8002.
Looks like there's time for a few more calls as reporters continue to gather.
Yvonne Addison, Illinois, Republican.
Thanks for waiting.
Go ahead.
unidentified
Hi.
I'm actually an independent, but I am a proud Gen Z watcher of C-SPAN, so I'm very happy to call in.
Thank you so much for having me.
For my thoughts on the ceasefire, I generally believe that we are in a far worse place than we were even before we started the war.
I mean, we have the Iranian control of the Strait of Hormuz, which now is like, what, $2 million per vessel when it used to be zero.
We have the consistent conflict in Lebanon that does not cease at all.
It continues to rage on there.
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