The Gist

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American Tribes Nov 01, 2018

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On The Gist, Pew's analysis of European opinion surveys is out. Let's look at Greece!

In the interview, the American electorate has come to sort itself not just on political issues, but by worldview. Life is either a gauntlet of hazards (say Republicans) or an array of sights to see (as the Dems think). In their latest book, Prius or Pickup?, political scientists Marc Hetherington and Jonathan Weiler warn that these philosophical differences are sharper than what separated the voting blocs of previous generations.

In the Spiel, Trump is out with a racist political ad, surprising precisely no one.

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Hate Counts Oct 31, 2018

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On The Gist, Trump's xenophobic campaign, with a Spooktacular twist!

In the interview, hate is hard to measure, but the Southern Poverty Law Center paints a picture of growing prejudice in America. Heidi Beirich and the organization's Intelligence Project go beyond FBI and Department of Justice statistics to include press reports and even tips from the public.

In the Spiel, swing, baby, swing (we're talking about congressional districts).

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Signed, Sealed, Forgotten Oct 31, 2018

Show notes

On The Gist, Mike's bottom five causes.

In the interview, we rewind to the story of the mail bomber, which was quickly eclipsed by a massacre in Pittsburgh and one loud president. Steve Johnson, who directs Cranfield University's Forensic Explosive and Explosion Investigation program in the U.K., provides details about Cesar Sayoc's homemade devices.

In the Spiel, Trump's desire to end birthright citizenship.

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For Every Brand, a Backstory Oct 30, 2018

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On The Gist, surprise surprise, right-wing commentators aren't apologizing for getting the mail bomber story totally wrong.

In the interview, brands don't make it big by mistake. Behind the success of Starbucks' pumpkin spice latte and Jell-O are stories worth hearing. Dan Bobkoff's podcast for Business Insider, Household Name, explores the odd origins of TGI Fridays, the reason there's a Mattress Firm on every corner, and how a Donald Trump ad may have saved Pizza Hut (it's all about the stuffed crust).

In the Spiel, the Pittsburgh shooter was fueled by hate. But just as importantly, he was armed with an AR-15. It's time to ban it.

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The Blue Blizzard Oct 26, 2018

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On The Gist, the man in the van is a sad man indeed.

Harry Enten is a senior writer and analyst for CNN Politics and steeped in the polling data for the election. Will Beto O'Rourke beat Ted Cruz? Is the blue wave cresting early? And why do Democrats care about Hamilton? Enten joins us to discuss, and his more detailed forecast can be found online here.

In the Spiel, time for another antentwig.

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Et Tu, NBC? Oct 25, 2018

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On The Gist, Georgia's exact match law is an extra hurdle for those with hyphenated last names, which, let us speculate, may be more common among black Americans.

In the interview, CNBC contributor Ron Insana on Dow drops, market swings, and the uncertain rise of the job-stealing robots.

In the Spiel, Megyn Kelly's reportedly been fired for her latest faux pas. What did NBC expect when they hired her?

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Blame It on the Mailer Oct 24, 2018

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On The Gist, Megyn Kelly's take on blackface was obviously wrong … and wrong for NBC's messaging.

Sleep isn't for the weak; it's for those who want their brains flushed of misfolded proteins and fatigue-inducing adenosine. If that sounds like mumbo-jumbo, Maria Konnikova is here to explain it all and answer one question: Is the prescription for precisely eight hours of sleep bullshit?

In the Spiel, President Trump riles up his base in all kinds of ways, but we can't honestly blame the recent spate of mail bombs on him and him alone.

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Something in the Water Oct 24, 2018

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On The Gist, first we've got misleading statistics.

In 2016, Art Cullen wrote a series of editorials for the Storm Lake Times, a small newspaper in Iowa, uncovering the murky depths of a fight between local and state governments about water pollution. They followed the money, and discovered a fight funded by agricultural corporations, and ended up winning the Pulitzer Prize for editorial writing. Cullen's new book is Storm Lake: A Chronicle of Change, Resilience, and Hope From a Heartland Newspaper.

In the Spiel, gubernatorial races.

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The NFL Mafia Oct 23, 2018

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On The Gist, 'tis the season (elections!) for baseless political analysis, courtesy of big network news.

Americans spend countless hours watching football, but what do they know about the owners of their favorite teams? In Big Game: The NFL in Dangerous Times, Mark Leibovich covers the exclusive billionaire boys' club and the "very unimpressive group of inherited misfits" that fills its ranks.

In the Spiel, CNN's Van Jones was way too chummy with interview guest Jared Kushner on Monday morning.

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Prison Guard Confidential Oct 20, 2018

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On The Gist, Europeans are fighting over daylight saving time, which is way better than having a World War.

Mother Jones reporter Shane Bauer has been on both sides of a prison's bars. After spending two years as a political prisoner in Iran, he returned to the U.S. and got a job as a private prison guard. His real aim, of course, was to report on why the American prison system—private and public—is broken. Bauer's new book is American Prison: A Reporter's Undercover Journey Into the Business of Punishment.

In the Spiel, a debate roundup ahead of the midterms.

This episode is brought to you by Exchanges, a podcast from Goldman Sachs. Listen today wherever you get your podcasts.

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