The Gist

Latest Episodes:

Last Pitch Effort Oct 24, 2020

Show notes

On the Gist, red-string theories and conspiratorial last-ditch efforts.

In the interview, Mike and Slate's national correspondent Will Saletan recap the final presidential debate. They discuss the Trump camp's thwarted strategy of practicing restraint to expose Biden, the self-congratulatory and attacking exchanges between the two candidates, and why this debate might only make a difference for Trump in his attempts to score points with low-information and eleventh hour-voters.

In the spiel, Trump's misconceptions about the race.

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Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley.

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Calling It: Dan Rather Oct 22, 2020

Show notes

On the Gist, our civic obligations in 2020.

In the interview, Mike talks with journalist and veteran broadcast anchor Dan Rather about his decades-long career in covering elections, highlighting a few cautionary tales learned from the 2000 race between George W. Bush and Al Gore. Rather explains that for some major networks, making the right call in 2000 was marred by corporate interference in the control rooms, plus he stresses that unexpected delays could fuel conspiracy theories. Patience will be a virtue come "voting night," he explains. Rather is the author of What Unites Us: Reflections on Patriotism, the host of The Big Interview on AXS TV, and the host of a documentary called Human Nature, which is now streaming on Netflix.

In the spiel, Michael Moore's political predictions in 2020.

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Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley.

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Calling It: Brian Rosenwald Oct 21, 2020

Show notes

On the Gist, Mike checks in with this Lawfare piece, and the U.S. Elections Project.

In the interview, Mike talks with Brian Rosenwald, a media historian and fellow at the University of Pennsylvania, about how election night might play out. They discuss the idea of a red mirage, how Republican governors can bring order to things, and how far-right talk radio is going to digest the results. Rosenwald is the author of Talk Radio's America: How an Industry Took Over a Political Party That Took Over the United States.

In the spiel, Trump's bad surrogates.

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Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley.

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Calling It: Julie Pace Oct 21, 2020

Show notes

On the Gist, network news election branding.

In the interview, Mike talks with Julie Pace, Washington Bureau Chief for the Associated Press, about the AP's history in counting the vote since 1848, how they've traditionally declared winners, and an explanation on how they will be going above and beyond in 2020 in sharing the race calls that they are and aren't making.

In the spiel, local political television ads.

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Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley.

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Calling It: Steve Kornacki and Brian Stelter Oct 19, 2020

Show notes

On the Gist, we're launching a week-long focus on election night and how different news organizations handle making the winning calls.

In the interviews, Mike talks with NBC News' national political correspondent Steve Kornacki about his network's decision desk, their processes in tabulation, and how they will be closely monitoring the votes coming in days after Tuesday, November 3. Kornacki is the author of The Red and the Blue.

Then, Mike speaks with CNN's Brian Stelter about CNN's plan for coverage, and the outsized role that Fox News represents and his predictions for their election day narrative. Stelter is the author of Hoax: Donald Trump, Fox News, and the Dangerous Distortion of Truth.

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Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley.

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Masking Over Truth Oct 17, 2020

Show notes

On the Gist, the price of corn.

In the interview, former senior strategist for the NRA Joshua L. Powell is back for the second half of his conversation with Mike. They run down a series of NRA opinions and he and Mike go back and forth about how much NRA members believe things like "the only solution to a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun," and whether we should own AR-15s. Powell's book is Inside the NRA: A Tell-All Account of Corruption, Greed, and Paranoia within the Most Powerful Political Group in America.

In the spiel, dueling town halls.

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Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley.

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The Personal Is Judicial Oct 16, 2020

Show notes

On the Gist, David Ruffin.

In the interview, former senior strategist for the NRA Joshua L. Powell is here to discuss his new book, Inside the NRA: A Tell-All Account of Corruption, Greed, and Paranoia within the Most Powerful Political Group in America. During the first half of this two-part conversation, he and Mike talk about the nefarious ways Wayne LaPierre used the NRA to push forward polarizing but niche interests, and the case New York State Attorney General Letitia James is bringing against them.

In the spiel, Amy Coney Barrett's personal life is judicial.

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Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley.

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Pollster Pitfalls Oct 14, 2020

Show notes

On the Gist, an Alaskan drama.

In the interview, Mike talks with Robert Cahaly, head pollster of the Atlanta-based Trafalgar Group. Cahaly explains their polling methodology in gathering accurate opinion data, why social desirability bias comes into play, and how his team was able to predict Trump's win in 2016. Now he posits that in 2020 Trump has more support than the polls could be showing.

In the spiel, Kabuki-style hearings continue for Amy Coney Barrett.

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Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley.

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Talking Around Amy Coney Barrett Oct 14, 2020

Show notes

On the Gist, uniting with your would-be kidnappers?

In the interview, Mike talks to former Obama staffer Elliot Williams about his new podcast Made to Fail, a show where he explores the different ways governmental institutions across have been made intentionally dysfunctional, like the Florida unemployment system, and the impact it has on people in need of such infrastructure. All episodes of Made to Fail are available wherever you get your podcasts.

In the spiel, processing Amy Coney Barrett.

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Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley.

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Talk Radio Rally Oct 09, 2020

Show notes

On the Gist, mishegoss in Michigan.

In the interview, Mike talks with Stephen Dubner, host and co-author of Freakonomics, and Angela Duckworth, a psychologist and best-selling author of Grit. Dubner and Duckworth are the hosts of the new podcast No Stupid Questions, where in each episode they take turns posing a question, and give each other the chance to puzzle out their responses. The questions Mike poses for them include how to separate art from artist and how to navigate microaggressions. No Stupid Questions releases new episodes every Sunday at 5am ET from Stitcher.

In the spiel, Trump on talk radio.

Email us at thegist@slate.com

Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley.

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Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.