Democracy Now! Friday, June 5, 2026
Dr. Adam Hamawi, a former U.S. Army surgeon who saved Senator Tammy Duckworth’s life in Iraq and volunteered in Gaza during the war, has won the Democratic primary in New Jersey’s 12th congressional district — a victory framed as a seismic shift in progressive politics. His campaign, built on a radical platform of cutting military spending, abolishing ICE, and ending U.S. support for Israel’s war in Gaza, was fueled by a moral reckoning after witnessing what he called a genocide in Gaza. Hamawi’s message — 'There is no such thing as progressive except for Palestine' — reflects a growing rupture within the Democratic Party, where grassroots movements and insurgent candidates are challenging the party’s long-standing alignment with Israel and militarism. This momentum is mirrored in the banning of leftist streamer Hassan Piker from the UK, a move condemned as state repression of dissent. Piker, who criticized Israel and led a humanitarian mission to Cuba, now faces a Treasury Department inquiry — part of a broader pattern of targeting political activists. Together, these events signal a global reckoning: progressive movements are no longer willing to be silenced, and the Democratic Party’s failure to address Gaza, climate collapse, and democratic erosion risks irrelevance. The future of American democracy may hinge not on party leadership, but on the insurgent voices demanding justice, truth, and a reordering of national priorities.
Dr. Adam Hamawi won the Democratic primary in New Jersey, citing his firsthand experience of genocide in Gaza as the catalyst to run for Congress.
Hamawi’s campaign platform centers on cutting military spending, abolishing ICE, and ending U.S. arms sales to countries committing human rights violations.
The Democratic Party’s suppression of Gaza-related discourse — including the DNC’s autopsy report omitting Israel — is seen as a key reason for progressive disillusionment.
Hassan Piker was banned from entering the UK for criticizing Israel, a move condemned as state-led repression of free speech under a Labour government.
Piker’s humanitarian mission to Cuba, delivering 40 tons of aid, was met with a Treasury Department inquiry — a pattern of using legal threats to silence dissent.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
The Rise of a New Progressive Force
“We have proved once and for all that there is no such thing as progressive except for Palestine.”
The War in Gaza and Lebanon
The episode details the ongoing Israeli attacks on Lebanon, killing over 3,500 people since March, and the U.S. rejection of a resolution to cut military aid to Israel, despite widespread condemnation of the war as genocidal.
The U.S. Government’s Assault on Science
The Trump administration is dismantling the Ocean Observatories Initiative, a critical climate monitoring network, and proposing to give political appointees control over scientific research grants — a move condemned by scientists as a 'brazen power grab.'
The Human Cost of War in Gaza
“The war did not end. It is a hoax. The war did not end. They are fooling people. Nothing ended.”
Trump’s Sleepy Presidency and Political Collapse
“If Donald Trump cannot stay awake at these important meetings where the cameras are rolling—imagine what he's like when the cameras are not there.”
“We have proved once and for all that there is no such thing as progressive except for Palestine.”
“I also find it to be terrifying. I think it's a terrifying prospect for the future of Western liberal democracies.”
“The war did not end. It is a hoax. The war did not end. They are fooling people. Nothing ended.”
Hosts
Guests
Dr. Adam Hamawi
person
Hassan Piker
person
Trump administration
organization
Tammy Duckworth
person
Democratic National Committee
organization
George Santos
person
Cenk Uygur
person
Keir Starmer
person
Marjane Satrapi
person
Office of Foreign Assets Control
organization
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