The Gist

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One Year Down Jan 20, 2018

Show notes

Up first on The Gist: It appears the Stormy Daniels story checks out.

Plus, Saturday marks the first anniversary of President Trump's inauguration. The hosts of Slate's Trumpcast join Mike to revise old predictions, make new ones, and consider whether Democrats should be rooting for impeachment via the Robert Mueller investigation.

And in the Spiel, we're on the verge of another government shutdown. It seems normal now. Or have we lost track of what normal looks like?

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Busted: A Gist Productions Parody Jan 19, 2018

Show notes

On The Gist, how about those Fake News Awards, huh?

Alan Jacobs questions your ability to think for yourself. Can you really rid yourself of your biases, or do you just develop better biases? Are you really any better than your estranged friends at finding answers, or have you just chosen a different group with whom to associate? Jacobs is the author of How to Think: A Survival Guide for a World at Odds.

In the Spiel, relive the horrifying 43 minutes during which America thought a just-inaugurated President Donald Trump had removed Martin Luther King Jr.'s sacred bust from the Oval Office.

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Wait and CR Jan 18, 2018

Show notes

On The Gist, the bad news from Freedom House.

U.S. Air Force officer Edward Lansdale promoted a "hearts and minds" approach to diplomacy in the Philippines and Vietnam, only to be steamrolled by America's elite class of policymakers. Max Boot tells us about Lansdale and his own newfound recognition of white privilege and other ideas from the left. Boot's new book is The Road Not Taken: Edward Lansdale and the American Tragedy in Vietnam.

In the Spiel, why the continuing resolution is sucking all the fun out of politics.

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Nukes and Crannies Jan 17, 2018

Show notes

On The Gist, the press is too squeamish to clarify that "shithouse" isn't much better than "shithole."

In the interview, more on fire and fury—nuclear fire, rhetorical fury, and the consequences of both. Jeffrey Lewis and Aaron Stein, hosts of Arms Control Wonk, assess the Trump administration's tough talk on North Korea and the danger of a South Korea that decides to take matters into its own hands.

In the Spiel, Aziz Ansari isn't blameless, but he doesn't deserve a total destruction of his career, either.

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Teenage Brains Are Just Different Jan 13, 2018

Show notes

On The Gist, Mike examines Trump's bottom-of-the-barrel statements on immigration.

In the interview, Dina Temple-Raston explains how she became fascinated by the teenage brain. After years of covering terrorism for NPR, she was stunned to see so many young people leaving their homes to join ISIS. Teenagers aren't just prone to falling in with terrorist recruiters: Their underdeveloped minds make them more susceptible to video gaming compulsions and violent behavior. Why? Temple-Raston finds answers in her Audible Original series, "What Were You Thinking?"

In the Spiel, a skit about the science (and lopsided sex ratio) of turtle love.

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Is Trump Insane? Does It Matter? Jan 12, 2018

Show notes

On The Gist, Mike skewers a columnist for concluding that President Trump is sane.

In the interview, comedian Judah Friedlander wants to let you know that his new comedy special is all him, even though it's got Netflix's name on it. The 30 Rock alum talks about matters of social justice, satire, and jingoism.

In the Spiel, Democrats should stop questioning Trump's mental acuity and focus on midterms instead.

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A Cry for Self-Help Jan 11, 2018

Show notes

On The Gist, a brief look at what Norway is doing right.

In the interview, we turn to self-help experts Kristen Meinzer and Jolenta Greenberg about the "new you" books that are good, bad, and absolute nonsense. Meinzer and Greenberg are hosts of the Panoply show By the Book.

In the Spiel, Mike discovers the best transliteration ever.

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Radio Reconciliation Jan 10, 2018

Show notes

On The Gist, Joe Arpaio's life after pardon.

In the interview, MacArthur "genius" award winner Betsy Levy Paluck tells us about her research into mass media and public opinion. We might have the impression that our beliefs are based on reason. But what our neighbors think (or what we think they think) has a lot to do with it, too.

In the Spiel, how to charm Twitter trolls into submission.

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What to Make of Fire and Fury Jan 09, 2018

Show notes

On The Gist, Sen. Lindsey Graham is defending the president extra hard on television … because he knows Trump's watching.

In the interview, NPR's media correspondent David Folkenflik tells us what to make of Fire and Fury, the book that claims to reveal how dysfunctional the Trump administration really is.

In the Spiel, Mike gives props to Oprah for her acceptance speech at the Golden Globes. But that doesn't mean she should run for president.

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Going for Gridiron Jan 06, 2018

Show notes

On The Gist, third-party voters should answer for Donald Trump's terrible policies at home and warmongering around the world.

In the interview, fields don't get much more male-dominated than those of the NFL. Our guest Jen Welter made history as the first woman to hold a coaching position in the league, training the Arizona Cardinals' inside linebackers in the 2015 preseason. Welter is the author of Play Big: Lessons in Being Limitless From the First Woman to Coach in the NFL.

In the Spiel, a story about coats, the cold, and charitable giving.

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