The tide is shifting folks

What this episode is about

California State Senator Scott Weiner's political actions reveal a contentious stance on pro-Israel advocacy, highlighted by his aggressive support for Israel amidst allegations of genocide, attempts to silence pro-Palestine voices, and efforts to influence educational policies in California. As Weiner runs for Nancy Pelosi's congressional seat, the evolving primary electorate indicates a growing liability for candidates who maintain pro-Israel positions.

Key takeaways

• Scott Weiner's evolution on Israel reflects a shifting political landscape—pro-Israel sentiment is becoming a liability.
• AB715 illustrates the thin line between combating anti-Semitism and stifling free speech in California's classrooms.
• Weiner's aggressive stance against pro-Palestine voices may have backfired; silence on genocide raises eyebrows.
• The urgency of Weiner's epiphany hints that political survival often trumps sincere convictions in modern governance.
• From 'anti-Semitism' accusations to a sudden shift on genocide—politics truly makes for strange bedfellows.

Who speaks in this episode?

• Hasan Piker (Host) · 14 min speaking
• Scott Weiner (Guest) · 3 min speaking

What is discussed, and when

1. 0:00 – 3:00: Scott Weiner, genocide, free speech, California State Senate
2. 3:00 – 6:00: genocide, Scott Weiner, October 7, New York Democratic Party
3. 6:00 – 9:00: genocide, Holocaust, Raphael Lemkin, Scott Weiner
4. 9:00 – 12:00: genocide, Holocaust
5. 12:00 – 15:00: genocide, Holocaust
6. 15:00 – 16:53: genocide, October 7

Notable quotes from "The tide is shifting folks"

• Fairly rapacious Zionist throughout this entire process for the last two years as Israel committed a genocide. And I mean he was pretty aggressive like he was pretty aggressive in his the way that he approached the subject matter.

  about genocide · at 0:16

• Yeah. AB715 threatens the sensor of Palestine and schools. AB715 is a dangerous bill that threatens free speech and curriculum in California classrooms. Championed by Jewish legislative caucus members Senator Scott.

  about free speech · at 2:37

• 2024. This is after October 7. And during this devastating time of war and violence, we met with a variety of leaders, he says. And the variety of leaders includes the.

  about October 7 · at 3:25

• Sorry that I had to put you guys through that obviously you know this is a heinous act, an act so heinous that the entirety of the New York Democratic Party should probably…

  about New York Democratic Party · at 4:47

• I'm just saying. Yeah. The term genocide was coined by Polish Jewish lawyer Raphael Lmin in the early 1940s. Again, shouts out to the Lmin Institute. Guess who recognized Israel doing a genocide?

  about Raphael Lemkin · at 8:18

• Aware that the word genocide was created in the wake of the Holocaust which was the industrial extermination of six million Jews. For many Jews, associating the word genocide…

  about Holocaust · at 10:42

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

• Scott Weiner — Person · Primary subject / criticized politician · 5 mentions · first at 0:01
  The episode centers on Weiner’s record defending Israel, his alleged efforts to censor pro-Palestine speech, and his public pivot to calling Gaza a genocide amid electoral pressure.
  For those of you who don't know, California State Senator Scott Winer is like he's a pretty decent Yimi style state senator. there's some good, there's some bad there, right? But of course, he was also a.
• Raphael Lemkin — Person · Referenced expert / originator of term · 2 mentions · first at 8:20
  Lemkin is cited as the person who coined 'genocide,' used to rebut Weiner’s claim about the term’s origin and to ground the definitional argument.
• Jesse Gabriel — Person · Referenced legislator / bill co-champion · 1 mention · first at 2:47
  Gabriel is named as a co-champion of AB715, framed as legislation that would censor Palestine-related content under anti-semitism claims.
  Classrooms. Championed by Jewish legislative caucus members Senator Scott Winer Weiner and Assembly Jesse Gabrielle and Rick Boore. This bill is a coordinator effort to stifle…
• Tyler Oakley — Person · Referenced commentator/source of summary · 1 mention · first at 0:40
  Oakley is cited as presenting/summarizing allegations about Weiner’s actions (e.g., targeting pro-Palestine academics).
  You know politicians from Israel including the president. He actively, as Tyler Oakley presents here, summarizes here, tried to get pro Palestine academics fired, led a group…
• Rick Boore — Person · Referenced legislator / bill co-champion · 1 mention · first at 2:51
  Boore is listed alongside Weiner and Gabriel as associated with AB715 in the cited description of the bill.
  Legislative caucus members Senator Scott Winer Weiner and Assembly Jesse Gabrielle and Rick Boore. This bill is a coordinator effort to stifle any criticism of Israel and…

Companies & orgs

• California State Senate — Company · Institutional context for Weiner · 1 mention · first at 2:07
  The California State Senate is the body in which Weiner serves and through which AB715 is discussed as being pushed procedurally.
  You don't want to be out there looking like that. California State Senator Scott Weiner. You don't want that.
• Sonoma State University — Company · Referenced institution in BDS controversy · 1 mention · first at 2:20
  The president of Sonoma State University is said to have aligned the campus with BDS, used as an example in the broader debate about Israel criticism and alleged anti-semitism framing.
  Any case, he has done a lot of stuff. Yesterday, the president of Sonoma State University aligned with the campus with BDS, a movement whose goal is the destruction of Israel…
• New York Democratic Party — Company · Sarcastic reference point · 1 mention · first at 4:53
  Mentioned sarcastically as an entity that would supposedly issue statements condemning 'anti-semitism,' underscoring the speaker’s critique of political messaging.

Concepts & topics

• genocide — Concept · Central contested concept · 18 mentions · first at 0:22
  The transcript debates whether Israel’s actions in Gaza qualify as genocide, why Weiner avoided the term, and the political consequences of using it.
• Holocaust — Concept · Historical reference used in definitional dispute · 7 mentions · first at 7:50
  Weiner links the term 'genocide' to the Holocaust; the speaker disputes this framing and criticizes Holocaust exceptionalism used to defend Israel.
• free speech — Concept · Core civil-liberties theme · 1 mention · first at 2:43
  Free speech is invoked in criticism of AB715 as a censorship mechanism targeting Palestine-related curriculum and Israel criticism.
• BDS — Concept · Referenced political movement · 1 mention · first at 2:20
  BDS is mentioned as a campus alignment and characterized (by a quoted claim) as aiming at Israel’s destruction, illustrating contested narratives around Israel criticism.
  Stuff. Yesterday, the president of Sonoma State University aligned with the campus with BDS, a movement whose goal is the destruction of Israel, home to 7 million Jews, all…

Places & events

• October 7 — Event · Catalyzing event / timeline anchor · 2 mentions · first at 3:25
  October 7 is used to situate Weiner’s 2024 Israel delegation and the subsequent war/violence context referenced throughout.

Full transcript with timestamps

0:00 For those of you who don't know, California State Senator Scott Winer uh is uh like he's a pretty decent uh Yimi style state senator. You know, there's some good, there's some bad there, right? But of course, he was also a fairly rapacious Zionist throughout this entire process for the last two years as Israel committed a genocide. And um I mean he was pretty aggressive like he was pretty aggressive in his uh the way that he approached the subject matter. He was certainly very outspoken in defense of Israel. He uh met up with uh you know politicians from Israel including the president. He actively, as Tyler Oakley presents here, summarizes here, tried to get pro Palestine academics fired, led a group of California legislators a meet with the Israeli government, smeared Jewish voice for peace as bigots, and also co-sponsored legislation to ban teaching about Palestine in California schools.

0:58 And now Scott Winer is running for office, running for Nancy Pelosy's seat. Um, and and Slot has some good and some suspicious uh aspects to his uh run as well. But I can't tell if you're doing a bid, but it's Weiner, by the way. Oh, sorry. I wasn't. I don't believe Scott Weiner is is honest in the statement, but it's encouraging that he feels the need to do this. It shows a real shift in the primary electorate that being pro-Israel is now a liability. It absolutely is. And yes, um that's that's precisely what's going on here. So, here's how it actually started. So, they're all running for Nancy Pelos's seat, right? There was this conference taking place where all the candidates, uh, they have these paddles, yes and no paddles. And with the yes and no paddles, uh, they're they're asking them a bunch of questions like, "Oh, do you believe this? Do you believe that?"

1:45 Here's the video where they where the question is, you know, is Israel committing a genocide?

1:50 Medicare for all. So, they're all pro Medicare for all. Is Israel committing genocide ins? Hey,

2:03 you don't want to look like that, man. You don't want to be out there looking like that. California State Senator Scott Weiner. You don't want that. Sitting there looking like that. Rough. No answer is the worst answer. Yeah. In any case, I mean, he has done a lot of stuff. Yesterday, the president of Sonoma State University aligned with the campus with BDS, a movement whose goal is the destruction of Israel, home to 7 million Jews, all this stuff. like he is he has been a pretty active supporter of Israel throughout this entire process.

2:30 Like pretty pretty vicious. Yeah. AB715 threatens the sensor of Palestine and schools. AB715 is a dangerous bill that threatens free speech and curriculum in California classrooms. Championed by Jewish legislative caucus members Senator Scott Winer Weiner and Assembly Jesse Gabrielle and Rick Boore. This bill is a coordinator effort to stifle any criticism of Israel and uh censor Palestine within California public education under the guise of combating anti-semitism. Last week I co-led a legislative delegation to Israel with both Jewish and non-Jewish legislators and several community organizations. This was in 2014. Okay, this was in the month of February in 2014. So make no mistake, this was very deliberate. This was on purpose. He did this uh after after Israel had or am I saying 2014? 2024. I god damn it, not 2014. I apologize.

3:25 2024. This is after October 7. And during this devastating time of war and violence, we met with a variety of leaders, he says. And you know, the variety of leaders includes the president of Israel. So he gets yelled at understandably. Cries of free Palestine could be heard. People wearing kafas. And I suspect that um you know I'm glad trigger warning by the way. Um you know a heinous heinous act of anti-semitism t took place here. Of course this is you know trigger warning for everybody. Obviously probably the most anti-semitic thing that you've ever experienced that you've ever seen is taking place unfolding right in front of your eyes where you have someone who wants to be a representative uh uh refusing to recognize that Israel is committing a genocide. foreign countries committing a genocide and then people of course say free Palestine. I mean basically this is this is what happened in Nazi Germany I think you

4:26 know they say answer the question Scott and then they say shame on you which once again uh only doubling down on the unimaginable maximum anti-semitism sorry that I had to put you guys through that obviously you know this is a heinous act, an act so heinous that the entirety of the uh New York Democratic Party should probably come out in unison and speak out against this heinous act of anti-semitism even though it's happening uh across the nation. I mean I I suspect that I suspect that there will be a a a coordinated statement coming any any moment now cuz I I can't this is traumatic. Okay. But one one thing that I think is good here is that after that experience, Scott Weiner literally turned around and was like, "Hey guys, just wanted to say actually genocide is happening. I'm I'm now officially recognizing uh the the genocide. I have had an epiphany." Now, do I believe this? Not even a little bit. Not even a

5:36 little bit. Okay. But bro switched up on Israel. Uh no new friends. If I am the president of Israel, right, I'm thinking to myself, "Wow, I never believed in magic until all my dogs turn into snakes." I'm just saying, Scott, I thought you were a real one. I thought you were a real combater of anti-semitism, and now you are disseminating anti-semitism. It's really messed up. I love Israel, bro. Me, too. 2026 is the year where I pivot. Yeah, I switch up on everybody. Um, I'm actually I'm pro- Israel now. AB715 wasn't just bad because of his content, but it was rammed through the last day of the session where they gave notice of the Senate committee hearing at like 3:00 a.m. 6 hours before giving no time for the opposition to organize against it. Talking to people at the capital, they said they'd never seen anything so flagrant. Yeah. I mean, I the way I'm like I can't even think of anything more

6:30 anti-semitic. I guess like sometimes when I think of Miss Rachel that's like ah it makes me so mad. I think children learning. So Scott has this take. Let's take a look.

6:46 Those of you who saw the debate clip from last week, I want to clarify that I do believe Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. And I want to explain why I hesitated at the debate.

6:57 This motherucker is 6'7. By the way, don't even meme about that. It's not even on some meme. Literally 6'7. What the are we doing, brother? What are you doing? What are you doing in in Congress? What are you doing in California Senate? You should be out there balling. You should be hooping. Ridiculous. Okay. 67 don't know ball. What the are we doing? Okay. What a waste. What a waste. Yeah. Go grab a rebound. For the past two years, I have harshly opposed Israel's escalations in Gaza. And I've used phrases like total destruction and catastrophic levels of death and moral stain. But I haven't used the word genocide. And I want to explain why. Uh, as a Jew, uh, I am deeply aware that the word genocide was created in the wake of the Holocaust, which was the industrial extermination of

7:56 Wait, what? That's not even true. No, it was the Armenian genocide. Brother, what is going on, man? What is happening? No, it was the Armenian genocide. That was the the the initial like conceptualization of of genocide and and wholesale extermination. And obviously genocides had taken place before, guys. I'm just saying. Yeah. The term genocide was coined by Polish Jewish lawyer Raphael Lmin in the early 1940s. Again, shouts out to the Lmin Institute. Guess who recognized Israel doing a genocide? Maybe two years prior to Scott Weiner.

8:33 The Lmin Institute. So what are we even talking about? Not only like there is nothing salvageable here. Not only is it incorrect and it's wrong, but it's ridiculous. Now that you guys Now that you guys learned a little bit more about Raphael Lmin's coinage of the term genocide, uh, you know, shouts out to Scott for this take. The point that actually matters here is this is utterly irrelevant. The Holocaust is not like a a special uh form of of genocide. It is industrialized massacre and it was heavily documented and and uh you know studied extensively but it's certainly not the only version of of genocide that has taken place like the the exceptionalist nature of of uh looking at the Holocaust especially when you even consider like what Germans did to you know other places even uh before internally uh committing this fascist act colonialism M turned inwards as we like to say that's what fascism is. You

9:34 know there have been industrialized massacres never to the same extent and never to the same I guess uh you know rapid acceleration severity but the reason why I'm bringing this up is not simply over semantics. The reason why I'm bringing this up is because this sort of exceptionalization of the Holocaust, especially in the direction of defending the current ongoing Israeli genocide, is disgusting. That's the reason why I'm like it's not this is not just like a like a misunderstanding or a simple disagreement. I think this is very deliberate. It it and it's probably not even being conducted intentionally.

10:14 Like I don't think that Scott knows what he's saying. I think this is so baked in to the consciousness of people who get a lot of Zionist indoctrination early on that he's having a like even when he is having a conversation about like recognizing uh the Israeli genocide, he just automatically drops a couple uh lines in there that that you know the trained ear can pick up on. And this is one of those things. Uh I am deeply aware that the word genocide was created in the wake of the Holocaust which was the industrial extermination of six million Jews. For many Jews, associating the word genocide with the Jewish state of Israel is deeply painful and frankly traumatic.

11:02 But despite that pain, like the gall, the audacity, you know what I mean? Like think about think about the the like even this assessment even this statement in and of itself betrays the severity betrays the the real death toll that that Scott is is supposed to recognize here or rather uh the the real violence that he is supposed to be uh taking ownership over in terms of his recognition, right? And in terms of his own actions that he is supposed to be saying my bad over, right? There is no other world where you can say, "Oh, well, like this would be akin to a a a German person saying like, well, you know, Germany suffered tremendous hardships in the in the wake of World War I, so um I felt some type of way about taking ownership over the Holocaust because like we had been wronged, you know, like so it's just uh it's it's very difficult for me to to take ownership over this in some way, shape, or form. Like not even a German

12:08 in Germany, by the I'm talking about like a German in America, right? If you were to say something like that, because of the severity of the crime itself, the Holocaust, um people would look at you and go, "What the [ __ ] are you saying?" But here in the United States of America in 2026, because of our mutual understanding that like genocide is just a word. Basically, you can kind of get away with saying something like this where you're like, "Yeah, my personal feelings on this issue are are uh far more important as a a Jewish person."

12:39 Like, the importance of the word genocide for me and the severity of that word overrode my my uh you know, clear and calm assessment of what Israel was doing. like this is not a this is not a very good way to make up for uh all of the advocacy that you did for the last two years against uh those who had arrived at this position far before you did. Do you guys understand what I'm trying to say here? Like I think this is the reason why I think this is already insincere. The good and the bad is this. It's bad because it's obviously insincere. um he has a lot more to do in terms of making up for it. And I don't even know if he would be able to make up for it in time for the actual election.

13:23 But the good thing here, the silver lining here is that he even feels the need to come out and say that this is uh you know a real recognition, a real recognition of of genocide because he understands that now if you want to win an election, you have to say that you have to say the truth. He has to do this. And to me that actually is is a a another clear indication of this massive sea change, this massive tide shift and that trauma. We all have eyes uh and we see the absolute devastation and catastrophic death toll in Gaza inflicted by the Israeli government. And we all have ears and we hear the genocidal statements by certain senior members of the Israeli government. And to me, the Israeli government has tried to destroy Gaza and to push Palestinians out and that qualifies as genocide.

14:23 Performative male behavior. That's funny. True. Yeah. I mean, there's still obviously like the whole, oh, it's just like some members of the Israeli government are doing this and it's not like being loudly cheered on or anything like that. And this is the worst of world both worlds for someone like Scott because when he comes out and says this, he's not going to get any grace from the anti-ionist obviously because we all know what he was up to for the last two years. He's also not going to get any grace from the Zionists because they're going to be like, "How dare you betray your own your own people?" Like, this is what the how dare you recognize that there is a genocide at all. There is no genocide. That's blood liel. It's it's utterly preposterous. And um and and basically, you know, you're cooked, I think. I don't know. I I feel like this is this is this is totally totally ridiculous. Like, he should haveing

15:21 slammed the yes if he wanted to. If I was his campaign manager, I would have told him to slam that yes ASAP and then also do a follow-up video being like, "Hey guys, I know I've done a lot of up, but I just wanted to clarify certain things." This, on the other hand, is is uh the the worst possible way to deal with this. Stop anti-semitism replied to him and said they still support him because he believes in Zionism. I think they also see this as an opportunist statement and he doesn't actually mean it, but in the opposite direction. Yeah, true. Maybe. But like I said, um the very fact that a person who was so loud and so proud in defending Israel for the last two years coming out and having to do this like uh I'm really sorry for what I did moment like it it is truly for those who have been around for those who are aware of Palestine, for those who are uh engaging in in anti-ionist pro Palestinian advocacy for a lot

16:18 longer than you know post October 7, this is a very interesting moment. It's a very interesting moment to observe, you know, cuz I never in a million years would have thought that you would have uh a a Zionist state senator from the state of California who has actively actively defended Israel over and over again turn around and be like, "Actually, Israel is doing a genocide, even if he doesn't sincerely believe it." You know what I mean? It's a huge sea change. Take the W where you can, I

Questions about this episode

Who speaks in "The tide is shifting folks"?

Hasan Piker (Host), Scott Weiner (Guest).

What is "The tide is shifting folks" about?

California State Senator Scott Weiner's political actions reveal a contentious stance on pro-Israel advocacy, highlighted by his aggressive support for Israel amidst allegations of genocide, attempts to silence pro-Palestine voices, and efforts to influence educational policies in California. As Weiner runs for Nancy Pelosi's congressional seat, the evolving primary electorate indicates a…

What is mentioned in this HasanAbi episode?

13 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including genocide, Scott Weiner, Holocaust, October 7, Raphael Lemkin, free speech. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "The tide is shifting folks"?

The episode runs 17 min; the transcript is about 2,808 words in 23 timestamped sections.

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