The Gist

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It's Mueller Overtime Apr 18, 2019

Show notes

On The Gist, Trump's fundamental misreading of politics.

In the interview, Garrett Graff's afternoon was as busy as any journalist's, picking through the redacted Mueller report released by the Department of Justice. There's something new on every page, Graff says, including the Trump campaign's awareness of Russian efforts against Hillary Clinton—and its expectation to benefit from them politically. Graff wrote a biography of Robert Mueller. His latest ebook is Mueller's War.

In the Spiel, Mueller did a great job, and if this report came out in a different climate it'd actually lead to real consequences.

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The Better Angels of Big Business Apr 17, 2019

Show notes

On The Gist, the redacted Mueller report as an exercise in Zen.

In the interview, economist Tyler Cowen is just about the smartest person in Mike Pesca's podcast feed. He's on the Gist to answer rapid fire questions on the college admissions scandal, what the likes of Herman Cain would mean for the Fed, and the virtues of big American enterprises. That last topic is the subject of Cowen's new book, Big Business: A Love Letter to an American Anti-Hero. His podcast is Conversations with Tyler.

In the Spiel, oh how we forget the gulf that lies between lived experience and public recollection.

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Lock Up Your Mothers Apr 17, 2019

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On The Gist, sparing a thought for Notre Dame… and how Americans pronounce it.

In the interview, Politico's Anna Palmer on what Trump is doing to America as he navigates a government he doesn't understand. Her book, co-written with Jake Sherman, is The Hill to Die On: The Battle for Congress and the Future of Trump's America.

In the Spiel, moms are not off limits for quotes—about their children—published by the New York Times.

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The Farmers' Candidate Apr 16, 2019

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On The Gist, wait, what did I miss?

In the interview, Democratic candidates for the presidency recently flew to Iowa for a forum on agriculture to answer some questions. And asking them was Storm Lake Times editor Art Cullen, who knows a thing or two about corporate agribusiness and its impact on Iowans, the food Americans everywhere eat, and Chinese pork companies. Cullen is the author of Storm Lake: A Chronicle of Change, Resilience, and Hope from a Heartland Newspaper, and was previously on The Gist to discuss that book as well.

In the Spiel, Rep. Ilan Omar and our selfish president.

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The Divergent Charts of 1994 Apr 13, 2019

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On The Gist, two popes is one pope too many.

In the interview, songs like "The Sign" and "I'll Make Love to You" dominated the charts in 1994, but they weren't all that emblematic of what was happening in music that year. Chris Molanphy has ideas as to why, and also opines on why there were so few number one singles that year—and why was Lisa Loeb considered alternative rock? Molanphy has answers, and is the host of the Hit Parade podcast. He also writes Slate's "Why Is This Song No. 1?" column.

In the Spiel, Rep. Katie Porter's viral moment—taking Jamie Dimon to task for his huge salary—is a little dishonest.

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The Real Cost of Medicare for All Apr 12, 2019

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On The Gist, the political parties of Israel.

In the interview, Jean McConville's murder in 1972—when The Troubles were at their bloodiest—sparked what few deaths did in Northern Ireland: a reckoning. The New Yorker's Patrick Radden Keefe joins us to give context to McConville's death, from the various factions at war back then to the country's incomplete reconciliation process and oddly rehabilitated politicians. Keefe is the author of Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland.

In the Spiel, Medicare for all isn't as cheap as Bernie wants us to believe.

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The Candace Owens Sideshow Apr 11, 2019

Show notes

On The Gist, Candance Owens isn't digging herself out of this ahistorical, Hitler-relativizing hole.

In the interview, Ian Chillag is back with another season of Everything Is Alive, a podcast where he interviews the everyday objects around us that we don't think of. Chioke I'Anson is here too because he played a grain of sand with a surprising amount of philosophy packed in (he's a philosopher himself). Is sand more Kantian or Heideggerian? And what's it like to think as a collective?

In the Spiel, president Trump's public insult of Sen. Mazie Hirono rumbles on.

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Misquoter in Chief Apr 10, 2019

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On The Gist, Trump's latest campaign video is wild.

In the interview, Scotland's Daniel Sloss churns out comedy specials at an almost alarming rate, completing his tenth at age 28. He's here to talk about circumcision, Brexit, and why the left is doomed to eternally shoot itself in the foot. Sloss will be back in the United States in June of 2019, and his specials "Dark" & "Jigsaw" are on Netflix.

In the Spiel, instant replay is a contentious part of refereeing, particularly at a championship.

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The Puppet Masters Apr 09, 2019

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The worst part about the Trump administration's high turnover? Every cabinet member is worse than the last.

In the interview, Grigori Rasputin bent the ear of the last Russian tsar, manipulating affairs of state behind the scenes as he saw fit. But how did a man like him rise to such power? And what about his spiritual successors like Phil Spector or Tom Brady's trainer? Amos Barshad, author of No One Man Should Have All That Power: How Rasputins Manipulate the World, has our ear.

In the Spiel, what does Joe Biden stand to gain from apologizing—and shouldn't a (likely) contender for president think in those terms?

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Are Chiropractors Quacks? Apr 06, 2019

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On The Gist, like every week in Trump's America, this has been a wasted one.

In the interview, Maria Konnikova is back for another round of "Is That Bullshit?" She talks chiropractors, whether or not cracking your back and neck is helpful, and what strokes have to do with it. Then, Mike's own chiropractor, Jason Fidler, steps in to offer some adjustments to the conversation.

In the Spiel, Mike offers up a Lobstar challenge.

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