The Gist

Latest Episodes:

The Legacy of John Lewis Jul 30, 2020

Show notes

On the Gist, Rep. John Lewis and his legacy.

In the interview, Mike checks in with Oregon Public Broadcasting's Jonathan Levinson. As a multimedia reporter and producer, Levinson has been on the ground nightly in Portland following the protests, getting tear gassed in the process. Levinson says that it's more than just support for the BLM movement, its boiling frustration around governmental systemic failure.

In the spiel, because of John Lewis, we have Barack Obama.

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Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley.

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Unmasked and Unhinged Jul 29, 2020

Show notes

On the Gist, anti-maskers are getting the coronavirus.

In the interview, Dr. Jennifer Mercieca is here to discuss her new book, Demagogue for President: The Rhetorical Genius of Donald Trump. She and Mike talk about the origins of Trump's verbal tactics, and how he's been able to manipulate information. They also touch on the variety of ways presidents appeal to the people, and Joe Biden's best route forward in that regard.

In the spiel, making a case for uppercase.

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Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley.

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Bill Barr's Tactical Boredom Jul 28, 2020

Show notes

On the Gist, gambling the nation's health on professional sports.

In the interview, Mike talks with Capt. Lawrence Hunter, a retired commanding officer from the Waterbury Police Department in Connecticut, about policing in America. Hunter spent the majority of his career in law enforcement as a high-ranking officer, and as an educator and instructor. In his retirement, he has launched his own series, Captain Hunter's Podcast, which seeks to "bridge the gap between police and the communities they serve," expanding his emphasis on education and encouraging a reckoning with racism.

In the spiel, Bill Barr just lets the Democrats rant.

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Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley.

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Ignoring the Need Economy Jul 27, 2020

Show notes

On the Gist, the Republicans are misers.

In the interview, Zephyr Teachout is here to discuss her new book Break 'Em Up: Recovering Our Freedom From Big Ad, Big Tech, and Big Money. She and Mike discuss how monopolies have come to dominate so many of our industries, the work that needs to be done to break them up, and why it's a multi-pronged solution. They also touch on Gov. Cuomo's response to the pandemic and how her team might have been different if she'd won office.

In the spiel, baseball tried.

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Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley.

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Lone Star Lunacy Jul 24, 2020

Show notes

On the Gist, losing all the stuff.

In the interview, Mike heads to the Lone Star State to speak with Scott Braddock, editor and Texan political analyst at the Quorum Report. Braddock is also host of Texas Take, a podcast from the Houston Chronicle. They dissect Gov. Abbott's coronavirus response, his backtracking, and why he paused the state's reopening. And they get into how the state isn't as securely Republican as many think it is.

In the spiel, the Lobstar of the Antentwig.

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Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley.

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The Mask Monologues Jul 23, 2020

Show notes

On the Gist, Trump's mind.

In a break from our normal format, Virginia Heffernan of Trumpcast is here with Mike to analyze the most aggressive anti-mask rants out there. From across the nation, people who suffer from a touch of the QAnon are unleashing their unsound mask fears on us all, blaming anything from the Deep State to 5G. We're going to figure out what makes for the most entertaining version of these conspiracy theorists, and what, if anything, we should take seriously.

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Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley.

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Congress Can't Contain Its Crazy Jul 22, 2020

Show notes

On the Gist, Life of Kanye.

In the interview, Princeton History and Public Affairs Professor Julian Zelizer joins Mike to discuss his latest book on former speaker of the house, Newt Gingrich. With the help of Gingrich's own congressional documents, Burning Down the House: Newt Gingrich, the Fall of a Speaker, and the Rise of the New Republican Party explains the ways Newt seized an opportunity to use C-Span cameras and modern technology to his advantage, how he gave rise to partisanship, and his plans to conquer Congress through his appetite for disruption.

In the spiel, Republicans embarrassing themselves.

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Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley.

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Portland Is in Peril Jul 22, 2020

Show notes

On the Gist, Trump attempts to convince the MAGA nation to wear masks.

In the interview, journalist Anne Applebaum is here to talk about her new book Twilight of Democracy: The Seductive Lure of Authoritarianism. She and Mike discuss how democracies can give way to authoritarian leaders, the delicacy of political systems, and how essential our institutions are for protecting a functioning government.

In the spiel, what's happening in Portland, Oregon.

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Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley.

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One-Trick POTUS Jul 20, 2020

Show notes

On the Gist, John Kasich at the Democratic National Convention.

In the interview, legal professor and modern Chinese law research scholar Neysun Mahboubi joins Mike to discuss the uprisings in Hong Kong and the extradition bill which would have undone Hong Kong's independence from mainland China. Mahboubi explains the clashes between protesters and counter-protesters which began nearly a year ago, how the Chinese government has used the Covid-19 crisis as a moment to more aggressively assert control over citizens of Hong Kong, and what U.S. involvement could mean. Professor Mahboubi is the host of the University of Pennsylvania's Center for the Study of Contemporary China's flagship podcast.

In the spiel, without a microphone Trump can't shout down facts.

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Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley.

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Losing the Liberty of Public Debate Jul 17, 2020

Show notes

On the Gist, we've got something a little different. In this episode, Mike has brought together the New Republic's Osita Nwenavu, and Yascha Mounk, a contributor to the Atlantic and the founder of Persuasion, to debate the state of public discourse. They discuss the complexities of platform regulation, whether or not the concerns rise to a level of social contagion, and how social media factors into the reactions on all sides.

Email us at thegist@slate.com

Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley.

Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.

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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.