Political Gabfest

Latest Episodes:

Could the Democrats Actually Win? Aug 25, 2022

Show notes

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson discuss what the special election results suggest for the midterms, an unprecedented $1.6B donation to a secretive conservative organization; and Biden’s student loan forgiveness and repayment plans.

Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:

The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together, by Heather McGhee

The Sum of Us podcast

Here are this week’s chatters:

John: The Bullshit Generator; The Age of Acrimony: How Americans Fought to Fix Their Democracy, 1865-1915 Hardcover, by Jon Grinspan

Emily: Igor Derysh for Salon: “‘That’s Not What Our Report Said’: Ex-Mueller Prosecutor Says Barr's Trump Memo Is ‘legally Wrong’”; The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law

David: Courtney E. Smith for Ultimate Classic Rock: “35 Years Ago: Los Lobos’ ‘La Bamba’ Returns Ritchie Valens to Spotlight”

Listener chatter from Rebecca Vernon: Sarina E. Miller for the Washington Post: “Thanks To Middle-Schoolers Like Me, There Are At Last No More Salem ‘Witches’”

For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and John discuss Gavin Newsom’s veto of a bill allowing safe injection sites in California.

Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.

Research by Bridgette Dunlap.

Need to set up your Slate Plus feed? If you subscribed through Slate.com, check out our FAQ at slate.com/podcastfaqs for easy instructions. Members subscribed via Apple Podcasts get automatic access—no setup required.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gabfest Reads: Life on Europa Looks Too Much Like America Aug 21, 2022

Show notes

David Plotz talks with author Mat Johnson about his new novel Invisible Things. Johnson’s novel tells the story of a group of astronauts that land in a bubble colony on Jupiter's biggest moon.

They talk about the challenges of writing satire when reality feels fake, how mediocre people rise up by sucking up, and why we need to look at the invisible things in our daily lives.

Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Martyrdom of Liz Cheney Aug 18, 2022

Show notes

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and Benjamin Wittes discuss the Trump investigations; Liz Cheney’s defeat; and Dana Goldstein’s reporting on controversies over how to teach kids to read.

Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:

Jack Goldsmith for Lawfare: “Prosecuting Trump: A Reply to Josh Marshall”

Dana Goldstein for The New York Times: “An Old and Contested Solution to Boost Reading Scores: Phonics”

Dana Goldstein The New York Times: “In the Fight Over How to Teach Reading, This Guru Makes a Major Retreat”

Dana Goldstein The New York Times: “New Reading Curriculum Is Mired in Debate Over Race and Gender”

Belinda Luscombe for Time: “Inside the Massive Effort to Change the Way Kids Are Taught to Read”

Ronald Brownstein for The Atlantic: “Liz Cheney’s Kamikaze Campaign”

Invisible Things by Mat Johnson

Here are this week’s chatters:

Emily: Sam Levine for The Guardian: “Memphis Prosecutor Who Charged Black Woman Over Voting Error Loses Re-Election Bid”; Kim Bellware and Lateshia Beachum for The Washington Post: “Desantis Sued By Prosecutor Suspended Over Stance On Abortion-Related Crime”

Ben: The Lawfare Podcast: Allies

David: Dwight Garner for The New York Times: “Jared Kushner’s ‘Breaking History’ Is a Soulless and Very Selective Memoir”

Listener chatter from Josh Forsythe: Elizabeth P. Derryberry, Jennifer N. Phillips, Graham E. Derryberry, Michael J. Blum, and David Luther for Science: “Singing In A Silent Spring: Birds Respond To A Half-Century Soundscape Reversion During The Covid-19 Shutdown”

For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and Ben discuss Ben’s performance art protests at the Russian embassy in D.C.

Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.

Research by Bridgette Dunlap.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What’s in Trump’s Safe? Aug 11, 2022

Show notes

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and Juliette Kayyem discuss the Mar-a-Lago search; the Inflation Reduction Act; and Caitlin Dickerson’s article investigating how separating families at the border became U.S. policy.

Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:

Caitlin Dickerson for The Atlantic: “An American Catastrophe: The Secret History of Family Separation”

Juliette Kayyem for The Atlantic: “The Bad and Good News About Trump’s Violent Supporters”

Curated Decay: Heritage Beyond Saving, by Caitlin DeSilvey

Serena Williams and Rob Haskell for Vogue: “Serena Williams Says Farewell to Tennis On Her Own Terms—And In Her Own Words”

Claudia Rankine for The New York Times Magazine: “The Meaning of Serena Williams”

King Richard

Here are this week’s chatters:

Emily: “Downbad” by PJ Frantz

Juliette: Jim Farber for The New York Times: “Olivia Newton-John, Pop Singer and ‘Grease’ Star, Dies at 73”

David: Jack Fitzpatrick for Bloomberg Government: “Old Capitol Stones to Be Stored Away After Decades Piled in Park”

Listener chatter from Sebastian Cray: The Bingham Cup

For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, Juliette, and David discuss Serena Williams’ retirement from tennis.

Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.

Research by Bridgette Dunlap.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nothing’s The Matter With Kansas Aug 04, 2022

Show notes

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and Heather McGhee discuss the primaries and Kansan voters’ defense of abortion; Alex Jones on trial; and Annie Lowrey’s story of surviving pregnancy in the United States.

Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:

Sam Adler-Bell for The New York Times: “The Violent Fantasies of Blake Masters”

Jason Beeferman for The Texas Tribune: “How Sandy Hook Lies and the Jan. 6 Inquiry Threaten to Undo Alex Jones”

Annie Lowrey for The Atlantic: “American Motherhood”

Annie Lowrey for The Atlantic: “The Most Important Study in the Abortion Debate”

The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together, by Heather McGhee

The Sum of Us podcast

Charged: The New Movement to Transform American Prosecution and End Mass Incarceration, by Emily Bazelon

Black Reconstruction in America, by W. E. B. Du Bois

Forbidden City, by Vanessa Hua

Here are this week’s chatters:

Emily: The Law & Justice Journalism Project

Heather: A Court of Thorns and Roses, by Sarah J. Maas

David: Piranesi, by Susanna Clarke; Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, by Susanna Clarke; Testament of Youth, by Vera Brittain

Listener chatter from Mohamed El-Sheik: Adriana E. Ramírez for The Atlantic: “Everyone Loses on Jeopardy Eventually”

Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.

Research by Bridgette Dunlap.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did You Apologize to Manchin Yet? Jul 28, 2022

Show notes

This week, David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Emily Bazelon discuss the surprise deal for climate legislation, new January 6th revelations, and the deadliest road in America.

Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:

Carol D. Leonnig, Devlin Barrett, Josh Dawsey and Spencer S. Hsu for The Washington Post: “Justice Dept. Investigating Trump’s Actions In Jan. 6 Criminal Probe”

Carol D. Leonnig and Maria Sacchetti for The Washington Post: “Secret Service Watchdog Knew in February That Texts Had Been Purged”

Forbidden City, by Vanessa Hua

Dan Kaufman for The New Yorker: “Will Wisconsin’s Republicans Make Voting Meaningless, or Just Difficult?”

Richard L. Hasen for Slate: “What the Critics Get Incredibly Wrong about the Collins-Manchin Election Bill”

Marin Cogan for Vox: “The Deadliest Road In America”

Robert James Schneider, Rebecca Sanders, Frank Proulx, Hamideh Moayyed for the Journal of Transport and Land Use: “United States Fatal Pedestrian Crash Hot Spot Locations And Characteristics”

Unsafe At Any Speed, by Ralph Nader

Strong Towns: A Bottom-Up Revolution to Rebuild American Prosperity, by Charles L. Marohn Jr.

Allison Russell’s Outside Child

John Dickerson for Slate: “Getting Naked Every Night: Girlyman and the Pursuit of Creative Risk.”

Here are this week’s chatters:

Emily: Jonathan Bernstein for Rolling Stone: “‘She Schooled Us All’: Inside Joni Mitchell’s Stunning Return to Newport Folk Festival”; David McCabe and Mike Isaac for The New York Times: “F.T.C. Sues to Block Meta’s Virtual Reality Deal as It Confronts Big Tech”

John: Oliver Whang for The New York Times: “‘Parentese’ Is Truly a Lingua Franca, Global Study Finds”

David: April Rubin and Jesus Jiménez for The New York Times: “4,000 Mistreated Beagles Need Homes. These Folks Stepped Up.”

Listener chatter from Mark Allender: The Dollop #283: “James Clark McReynolds, the Worst Supreme Court Justice Ever”

Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.

Research by Bridgette Dunlap.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gabfest Reads: Revolution Through Teenage Eyes Jul 24, 2022

Show notes

Emily Bazelon talks with author Vanessa Hua about her new historical fiction book, Forbidden City. The novel tells the story of sixteen-year-old revolutionary Mei who becomes a dancer in Chairman Mao’s inner circle. Emily and Vanessa talk about Vanessa’s inspiration for the novel, the complicated dynamics between Mei and Chairman Mao, and whether we’ll hear more from Mei.

Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hot, Hotter, Hottest Jul 21, 2022

Show notes

This week, David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Josie Duffy Rice discuss Europe’s deadly heat wave, Joe Manchin’s balk at climate legislation, and the inevitable tragedies already happening post-Roe.

Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:

Lindsay Whitehurst, Camille Fassett, and Jasen Lo for the Associated Press: “Social Programs Weak in Many States With Tough Abortion Laws”

The Ministry for the Future, by Kim Stanley Robinson

The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness, by Meghan O'Rourke

Forbidden City, by Vanessa Hua

Homesick and Happy: How Time Away from Parents Can Help a Child Grow, by Michael Thompson

John Dickerson for Slate: “My Daughter Went Away to Camp and Changed”

Here are this week’s chatters:

John: Carol D. Leonnig and Maria Sacchetti for The Washington Post: “Secret Service Watchdog Knew in February That Texts Had Been Purged”

Josie: Zak Cheney-Rice for New York Magazine: “Larry Wilmore Knows No Bounds”;

David: Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps; Elias Esquivel for World Athletics: “Patterson Takes Surprise High Jump Gold In Oregon”

Listener chatter from Mark Wegener: Gamaliel Bradford for the January 1930 issue of The Atlantic: “The Genius of the Average: Calvin Coolidge”

Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.

Research by Bridgette Dunlap.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lowest Approval Rating Jul 14, 2022

Show notes

This week, David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Mark Leibovich discuss Biden’s 2024 plans, the establishment Republicans who stand by Trump, and Herschel Walker’s alarming Senate campaign.

Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:

Thank You for Your Servitude: Donald Trump's Washington and the Price of Submission, by Mark Leibovich

Anne Applebaum for The Atlantic: “History Will Judge The Complicit”

Mark Leibovich for the New York Times Magazine: “Donald Trump Is Not Going Anywhere”

Mark Leibovich for the New York Times: “Kevin McCarthy, Four Months After Jan. 6, Still on Defensive Over Trump”

Here are this week’s chatters:

John: The New York Times: “168 Writing Prompts to Spark Discussion and Reflection”

Mark: Mark shared his thoughts on whether life was better before cell phones.

David: City Cast DC’s July 12, 2022 newsletter.

Listener chatter from Josie Beyer: Julia Medina for Sleepopolis: “Sleeping While Rowing in the Great Pacific Race”; Lat 35 Racing Team on Instagram

Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.

Research by Bridgette Dunlap.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The “Is The Major Questions Doctrine Bogus?” Edition Jul 07, 2022

Show notes

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson discuss the Supreme Court’s gutting of administrative authority in West Virginia v. EPA, the case coming next term that could upend U.S. elections, and the Highland Park shooting.

Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:

Julian Davis Mortenson and Nicholas Bagley for The Atlantic: “The Nondelegation Doctrine Is A Fable”

Julian Davis Mortenson and Nicholas Bagley for The Columbia Law Review: "Delegation at the Founding"

Here are this week’s chatters:

Emily: Susan Elizabeth Shepard for Willamette Week: “A Student at an Oregon Community College Says Instructors Flunked Her for Being a Porn Actress. She’s Suing.”

John: How Normal Am I?

David: Twitter thread about: Jaroszewicz, et al: “How Effective Is (More) Money? Randomizing Unconditional Cash Transfer Amounts in the US”

Listener chatter from Jocelyn Frank: “Humanity’s First Cosmic Gallery of Children’s Art: What the Youngest Members of Our Young Species Most Cherish About Life on Earth”

Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Research by Bridgette Dunlap.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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