The Gist

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Does Your Face Need a Workout? May 14, 2018

Show notes

On today's Gist, is Sen. John McCain really the greatest political leader of all time?

Have you heard of face gyms? Beauty gurus are rushing to recommend exercises for the forehead, chin, and cheeks to look younger and healthier. Our expert bullshitologist Maria Konnikova is here to scrutinize the case for facial toning. Konnikova is a contributor to the New Yorker and the author of The Confidence Game.

In the Spiel, Salena Zito's populist divining rod.

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Why Putin Matters May 12, 2018

Show notes

On The Gist, the mainstream media is too buttoned-up when describing the Trump administration's shenanigans.

There is no Russian Federation as we know it without Vladimir Putin. Former Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul explains how parts of Russian society are eager for new leadership despite that. As for its relations with the U.S., McFaul sees continuity in how the Obama and Trump administrations (though perhaps not Trump himself) put pressure on Russia. McFaul's new book is From Cold War to Hot Peace.

In the Spiel, email newsletters are where you'll find the best and worst headlines. Plus, it's time to award a Lobstar of the antentwig!

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The Long, Long Road of Tiger Woods May 10, 2018

Show notes

On The Gist, torture is torture, and the news media should call it that.

Tiger Woods dominated his sport like perhaps no other athlete. But that success came at a price. Woods' almost military upbringing as a golfing machine lead to a lack of interpersonal connections and, years later, numerous scandals in the public eye. Jeff Benedict and Armen Keteyian are out with the eponymous biography Tiger Woods, and talk about the golfer's struggles, successes, and chances at redemption.

In the Spiel, more thoughts on the awful practice that is torture.

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Some Interrogation May 09, 2018

Show notes

On today's Gist, Michael Cohen has weaved a tangled web, but the mere fact that it's confusing doesn't mean we can assume he's a criminal.

Tim Weiner wrote the definitive book on the CIA in 2008 with his Legacy of Ashes. Today, he helps decipher the Senate confirmation testimony of Gina Haspel, President Trump's pick to be the next CIA director. Why is the CIA rooting for Haspel? How did she dodge questions about the agency's torture program? Would the hearing have gone differently if Sen. John McCain had been present?

In the Spiel, why Gina Haspel should not be confirmed.

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Donald and the Don May 09, 2018

Show notes

On Tuesday's Gist, the undoing of the Iran deal.

Democrats are tense. 2018 is supposed to be a banner year for the left, but the party is struggling to balance an energized base and an unpredictable general electorate. As a result, there have been a lot of bigfoot sightings in primaries across the country, as Democratic Party honchos step in to pick preferred candidates. Who's wiser, the party or the voters? Alex Roarty, who covers the Democrats for McClatchy newspapers, says it's not so simple.

In the Spiel, the gall of Don Blankenship.

After the Spiel, keep listening for a trailer of Slate's upcoming podcast, Upon Further Review. It's based on Mike Pesca's book, Upon Further Review: The Greatest What-Ifs in Sports History.

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Jake Tapper's Very Particular Kind of Escapism May 08, 2018

Show notes

On today's Gist, there's a special place in hell for women who don't want Gina Haspel to run the CIA.

Jake Tapper's latest book is The Hellfire Club. It's a work of historical fiction; a political thriller set in the 1950s, when Washington was gripped by McCarthyism. Tapper says he saw echoes of President Donald Trump as he read about Sen. Joe McCarthy's attacks on his political enemies. "The people who survived the '50s with their reputations intact were the ones who stood up to McCarthy," said Tapper. "Either decency and truth are important to you, or they're not." Tapper is the host of CNN's The Lead and State of the Union.

In the Spiel, the armed and fabulous women of the NRA.

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The Dangerous Hits of 1991 May 04, 2018

Show notes

On The Gist, a movie pitch: Kushner family racket.

Returning champion Chris Molanphy takes us back to 1991 and its chart toppers: Mariah Carey's explosive debut, the Swedish group that topped the charts for a fourth time (it wasn't ABBA!), and the Michael Jackson and Madonna music videos that had censors flustered. Molanphy is the host of Slate's Hit Parade.

In the Spiel, the best movie lines of all time.

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Call of Rudy 2 May 04, 2018

Show notes

On today's Gist, what's this about a Tony Award–winning dry cleaner?

Presidential inexperience does not always lead to failed presidencies. Some traits can temper inexperience—like the depressive realism of Abraham Lincoln or Lyndon B. Johnson. Other traits magnify inexperience—like narcissism. Gautam Mukunda takes a close look at presidential inexperience in his 2012 book, Indispensable: When Leaders Really Matter.

In the Spiel, Rudy Giuliani had a strategy.

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Gen. Michael Hayden May 03, 2018

Show notes

On today's Gist, a fond farewell to Ty Cobb.

Gen. Michael Hayden was running the National Security Agency and then the CIA, he couldn't talk about our national security risks. If he could have, most people would have listened to him. But things are different now. Hayden talks about the decline of fact-based arguments, the Iran nuclear deal, and the future of privacy. His latest book is The Assault on Intelligence: American National Security in an Age of Lies.

In the Spiel, Kanye West knows he has flaws. He just can't learn from them.

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How We Screwed Over Puerto Rico May 02, 2018

Show notes

On today's Gist, thick-as-bricks Lego thieves come a-tumbling down.

Hurricane recovery has been a disaster in Puerto Rico. NPR's Laura Sullivan wanted to know why. So she found documents revealing a FEMA in shambles. She traced Puerto Rico's economic troubles back to a 1996 tax vote. And she explains how the island's remaining wealth was wiped out by years of shady municipal debt deals. Sullivan's report for NPR and Frontline is called "Blackout in Puerto Rico." You should really watch it.

In the Spiel, is it spring yet?

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