The Gist

Latest Episodes:

How History Will Remember Trump Feb 16, 2021

Show notes

On the Gist, Southern cold snap!

In the Interview, Sonari Glinton is back! Which means we're talking cars. Glinton and Pesca discuss GM's recent proclamation to go electric by 2025. Glinton says that it's not that car makers aren't making profits off of going electric, it's that General Motors' commitment is a sign that the state of things are grave. He projects that automotive companies will be entering into partnerships in an effort to solve environmental problems, and that the new Biden administration in conjunction with the depart of transportation will lead efforts to push the U.S. out of the recession. Glinton is a well-known host in the public radio and podcast realm, and is a former NPR business reporter covering the auto industry and economics.

In the spiel, trying to predict the history books.

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Podcast production by Margaret Kelley and Cheyna Roth.

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The Directionless are Misleading Feb 12, 2021

Show notes

On the Gist, Mike lives for the arguments Trump's lawyers are making because, well, they're really bad.

In the Interview, "She loves America. For her, she was there showing support for the American political process." SUNY Geneseo political science professor and author Karleen West talks to Mike about her mother's participation in the January 6th insurrection. West has spent years studying insurrections in Latin America, but on January 6th, her personal and professional collided. Mike and West talk about how West's mother is a strong woman, but doesn't consider herself a feminist, the radicalization of her mother, and how her mother is still proud of her...despite not really knowing what her career is.

In the spiel, assailing democrats, and two words: Swiss cheese.

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When the Victims are the Jurors Feb 11, 2021

Show notes

On the Gist, exploring the complexities of the personal stakes of the Senators in the Trump Impeachment trial.

In the Interview, it's the second half of our conversation with Jonah Blank, an anthropologist, writer, author, and former policy director for South and Southeast Asia on the staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Blank joins Mike to talk about the Myanmar coup, the default of cheering on populism, conflicts and communal violence, and the threat to democracy. Blank is author of Arrow of the Blue-Skinned God, and Mullahs on the Mainframe, and currently based in Singapore. He'll be back on the show next week.

In the spiel, picking apart Lindsey Graham.

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Podcast production by Margaret Kelley and Cheyna Roth.

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How Trump's Lawyers Will Defend the Indefensible Feb 10, 2021

Show notes

On the Gist, the prosecution in Trump's Impeachment is firing on all cylinders.

In the Interview, we take a look inside the FBI's fight against white supremacy and domestic terrorism. Frank Figliuzzi is a 25-year veteran of the FBI. He joins Mike to talk about why the country needs a domestic terrorism law, the January 6th insurrection at the Capitol, and how the FBI is battling the threat from within the United States. Figliuzzi is the author of The FBI Way: Inside the Bureau's Code of Ethics.

In the spiel, like Gaston and the guys who went after Frankenstein's monster before him, no matter what his defense says, Trump did incite an angry, pole-bearing mob.

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Podcast production by Margaret Kelley and Cheyna Roth.

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Belknaps and Bad Lawyers Feb 10, 2021

Show notes

On the Gist, the Belknap case is clear precedent.

In the Interview, it's round two of vaccine talk. Mike and Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a former Detroit health director and epidemiologist, talk about equity and the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine. They also discuss why we shouldn't heroicize the pharmaceutical industry, using the issue of the sixth dose as a compelling example. El-Sayed's new book Medicare for All: A Citizen's Guide is out now. He's also the host of America Dissected from Crooked Media, among many other projects.

In the spiel, Trump's defense tested a few losing arguments.

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Podcast production by Margaret Kelley and Cheyna Roth.

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Comparing COVID-19 vaccines and Climate Change with Dr. Abdul El-Sayed Feb 09, 2021

Show notes

On the Gist, ads for "The Big Game" are given the Pesca treatment.

In the Interview, it's vaccine talk. Mike sits down remotely with Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a former Detroit health director and epidemiologist about the COVID-19 vaccine. They talk about how social media has spread both information and misinformation, how the response to the coronavirus is eerily similar to climate change, and how Canadians have managed to get things right. Plus, when politics and health collide: El-Sayed's new book Medicare for All: A Citizen's Guide is out now. He's also the host of America Dissected from Crooked Media, among many other projects.

In the spiel, George Shultz' legacy as a public servant.

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Podcast production by Margaret Kelley and Cheyna Roth.

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Taking QAnon Seriously Feb 06, 2021

Show notes

On the Gist, cost of living and minimum wage around the U.S.

In the Interview, journalist David Gilbert from Vice News joins Mike to talk about QAnon, the cult of disinformation, it's propulsion into 2021, and how people from all walks of life are susceptible to believing. Plus, Gilbert translates Marjorie Taylor Greene's floor speech, and explains why it wasn't a disavowing of Q or the conspiracy theories she still believes in.

In the spiel, it's the first lobstar of the antentwig of 2021!

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Stand By Your Lunatic: Republicans Want Marjorie Taylor Greene to Keep her Committees Feb 05, 2021

Show notes

On the Gist, stripping Majorie Taylor Greene of her committee membership, but Republicans still want to keep her around.

In the Interview, it's coup talk. It's part one of an interview with Jonah Blank, an anthropologist, writer, author, and former policy director for South and Southeast Asia on the staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Blank joins Mike to talk about the Myanmar coup, the default of cheering on populism, conflicts and communal violence, and the threat to democracy. Blank is author of Arrow of the Blue-Skinned God, and Mullahs on the Mainframe, and currently based in Singapore. He'll be back on the show next week.

In the spiel, Representatives Nancy Mace and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are fighting.

Email us at thegist@slate.com

Podcast production by Margaret Kelley and Cheyna Roth.

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Trump's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Impeachment Defenses Feb 04, 2021

Show notes

On the Gist, importing walkie-talkies into Myanmar.

In the Interview, we're coming into a new constitutional cycle, and it means Democrats could take quite a bit of power. Well, if they don't blow it. We've been in the same Republican-dominated cycle for decades, according to Jack Balkin, author of The Constitutional Cycles of Time. Balkin and Mike talk about the extreme political polarization not seen since the Civil War, constitutional rot, and, just for fun, delve into conservative complaints about de-platforming and free speech. Balkin is a Knight Professor of Constitutional Law and the First Amendment and Director for The Information Society Project at Yale Law School.

In the spiel, delving into the Trump files ahead of the Impeachment trial.

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Podcast production by Margaret Kelley and Cheyna Roth.

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Coronavirus Symptom Check Feb 03, 2021

Show notes

On the Gist, Alexei Navalny's sentence.

In the Interview, it's part two of a conversation with historian Jill Lepore about her latest book: If Then: How the Simulmatics Corporation Invented the Future. Jill discusses that with data mining and analysis there is greater potential for the demeaning of democratic processes, and why in 2021, accepting social media and twitter as a proxy for public opinion and polling could be risky. Lepore is an author, a New Yorker writer, and historian. She is also host of a podcast called The Last Archive from Pushkin.

In the spiel, looking for relief?

Email us at thegist@slate.com

Podcast production by Margaret Kelley and Cheyna Roth.

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