Late Night Live — Full program podcast · ABC Australia

Anna Henderson's Canberra, Bruce Shapiro on the US attack on Iran, and when books go bad

·54 min·3 clips

Bruce Shapiro says the Epstein files keep splitting Trump's MAGA base and cutting across party lines.

1. Late Night Live, hosted by David Marr, focuses on Operation Epic Fury, Anna Henderson in Canberra, Bruce Shapiro in the United States, and Alex Johnson’s book When Books Go Bad. 2. David Marr frames the episode with the renewed bombing of Iran and the question of how the Middle East war is being read in Australia and America. 3. Anna Henderson, SBS World News political editor and chief political correspondent, describes the mood in Canberra and why it matters for Australian policy. 4. Bruce Shapiro, an American commentator, explains how the war is being discussed in the US political system and what it means for Congress. 5. Alex Johnson, a British writer, talks about literary feuds, insults, censorship, and publishing mistakes in the book trade. 6. The Canberra discussion centres on ministers sounding 'difficult,' 'discombobulation,' and 'shell-shocked' after the strikes on Iran. 7. Anna Henderson says Australia is not sending overt military forces, not providing refuelling aircraft, and not sitting in the 'inner sanctum' of decision-making. 8. She says Australia does have intelligence assets in the region and joint facilities like Pine Gap, but the details of sharing with the US and Five Eyes remain unclear. 9. Henderson says there is a quiet acknowledgement in Australian politics that the 'rules-based order' is in 'a state of suspension' after recent events. 10. She also says Penny Wong has been 'pretty clear' about West Bank settlements and that Australia has issued 'qualified criticism' of Israel. 11. Bruce Shapiro says the timing of the war serves Trump after the State of the Union and also helps Netanyahu on the eve of Purim. 12. He says Democrats are split between constitutional critics, hawks, and members using the War Powers Act language from the Vietnam and post-9/11 eras. 13. Shapiro argues that historical memory is missing, including the overthrow of Mossadegh, the Shah, and the long conflict over Iran. 14. He says Trump seems to be counting on a 'very short memory' and imagining a quick regime change like 'Venezuela 2.0.' 15. Shapiro says the Oman intermediary reported progress and that negotiations were still happening before the bombing began. 16. He adds that Trump's conduct has made the United States look like it cannot be trusted as an 'honest broker' in future diplomacy. 17. The tone in the political sections is conversational, fast-moving, and argumentative, with Marr pressing both guests on alliances, law, and public trust. 18. The literary section shifts into a lighter, anecdotal interview style, with jokes about typos, snobbery, and the embarrassment of bad reviews. 19. Listeners interested in Australian foreign policy, US war powers, and literary gossip will get the most from this episode. 20. Skip it if you want a narrow, single-subject discussion without politics or book history.

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