Mehdi Hasan says his MSNBC show being canceled was the greatest thing that could have happened to him. As the founder of Zeteo, he argues that independent journalism gives him the freedom to speak plainly about topics traditional newsrooms struggle to cover, and that the media’s approach to Israel and Gaza has damaged its credibility with audiences.

In a Substack Live, Vox’s Astead Herndon talks with Hasan about public trust in the news, how journalists respond to President Donald Trump’s attacks on the press, and the relationship between independent media and rising progressive candidates. They also discuss why Israel has become more than a foreign policy issue for some voters, and what those tensions mean for the Democratic Party.

For more live conversations like these, subscribe to The Midterms, Actually Substack, and stay informed about the big issues and key people in the upcoming election.

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