Tommy talks with Ben Rhodes, author of the new book The World as It Is, which documents Ben’s eight years working in the White House. They talk about Ben’s criticisms of Obama, leading talks with Cuba and going to dinner with Raul Castro, becoming a target of right-wing attacks and more.

Show Notes:

• The Atlantic: Inside the White House During the Syrian ‘Red Line’ Crisis by Ben Rhodes (Book Excerpt)
• New York Times: Review: Deep Inside the Obama White House
• The Guardian: Ben Rhodes: ‘Obama has a serenity that I don’t/ I get more exercised’
• Washington Post: An inside view of Obama’s biggest foreign policy decisions
• The New Yorker: Witnessing the Obama Presidency from Start to Finish
• The Guardian: The World as It Is review: Ben Rhodes’ Obama legacy defense has weak spots
• New York Times: How Trump’s Election Shook Obama: ‘What if We Were Wrong?’
• New York Times: Opinion: Obama—Just Too Good For Us
• NPR Fresh Air: Obama Staffer Looks Back On His White House Years: ‘It Can Take A Real Toll’
• CBS News: Ben Rhodes: “I’d be very surprised” if Israel didn’t know about Black Cube spy firm
• Meet The Press – June 3 Transcript
• CBS News: Ben Rhodes: Trump reverses Obama policies just because they were Obama’s

North Korea:

• The New Yorker: As Trump Preps for Singapore, a Look at Past Summits That Succeeded—or Flopped
• New York Times: A Trump-Kim Deal Could Send China’s Trade With North Korea Soaring

Trump foreign policy idiocy:

• Washington Post: The U.S. ambassador in Germany flies the Trumpist flag

Ben Rhodes:

• Amazon: The World as It Is