The Gist

Latest Episodes:

Move to the Center or Keep on Losing Jan 05, 2018

Show notes

On The Gist, Mike wonders whether the "winner picked out of a bowl" antics in Virginia's House of Delegates will really matter much.

In the interview, former Democratic Rep. Jason Altmire has straightforward advice for candidates in blue-collar America: appeal to the center or lose out. Just as importantly, Altmire argues, the Democratic Party as a whole has to let them do it. Altmire's book is Dead Center: How Political Polarization Divided America and What We Can Do About It.

In the Spiel, Mike says the economy is looking up, and that means Republicans could keep their congressional majorities in the midterms ahead—barring a foreign policy disaster, of course.

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Killed, Then Counted Jan 04, 2018

Show notes

On The Gist, Mike calls foul on the mashup terms used to describe big weather events, such as the latest: bombogenesis.

In the interview, police shootings regularly make headlines, but what does the big picture look like? Sam Sinyangwe is a data analyst at Mapping Police Violence, an organization that recently looked at all 1,129 cases in which a person died at the hands of the police in 2017. And yes, there is a racial disparity.

In the Spiel, the barbs traded between President Trump and Steve Bannon truly are the stuff of Shakespeare.

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Behind the Scenes of Slow Burn Jan 03, 2018

Show notes

On The Gist, Mike tips his hat to the musical talents of Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, who announced his retirement Tuesday.

In the interview, it took a perfect storm to bring down Richard Nixon's presidency, and it's not guaranteed that another will come for Donald Trump. Slate's Leon Neyfakh and Andrew Parsons tell us about their chart-topping podcast, Slow Burn, and why it shouldn't necessarily give hope to those who want Trump out.

In the Spiel, President Trump's latest round of self-congratulating tweets omit a few facts, as usual.

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It's Fan Service or Bust Dec 30, 2017

Show notes

On The Gist, Mike is down with feminism but argues that woke should be Merriam-Webster's word of the year instead.

In the interview, Anjelah Johnson was living off grocery store gift cards in L.A. before a new thing called YouTube launched her comedy career. Someone uploaded a video of her stand-up routine to the site in 2007; it quickly racked up millions of views and landed Anjelah an agent. Johnson's fourth comedy special, Mahalo & Goodnight, is on EPIX, Apple Music, and Spotify.

In the Spiel, we should be taking a closer look at New York City's latest crime, rape, and murder statistics.

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Your Brain Is Bad With Money Dec 29, 2017

Show notes

On The Gist, Mike says goodbye to Roy Moore yet again, after an Alabama judge rejected Moore's lawsuit to contest his opponent's Senate win.

In the interview, Dan Ariely tells us "how we misthink money and how to spend smarter." That's the subtitle of his book on the ways we value the wrong things and fail to think long term. Ariely is the co-author, with Jeff Kreisler, of Dollars and Sense.

In the Spiel, Mike looks back on the worst op-eds of 2017.

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Hobby Lobby Is Just Getting Started Dec 28, 2017

Show notes

On The Gist, Mike runs through the major news of the past few days, while much of the news media is on vacation.

In the interview, Hobby Lobby scored a famous Supreme Court win for evangelicals in 2014, allowing certain corporations to deny covering their employees' contraception costs. Professor of theology Candida Moss tells us about the family behind the company, and their crusade to promote fundamental Christianity. Moss is the co-author, with Joel Baden, of Bible Nation: The United States of Hobby Lobby.

In the Spiel, it's almost as if the scales are tipped in favor of Vladimir Putin as he runs for re-election in March.

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Deplorables and Snowflakes Dec 23, 2017

Show notes

On The Gist, Ken Stern explains why the deplorable label doesn't sit well with him, even if it's defensible. Stern is the author of Republican Like Me: How I Left the Liberal Bubble and Learned to Love the Right.

In the Spiel, is life better in the U.S. or Europe? Mike considers it with David Plotz, CEO of Atlas Obscura.

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Tax Bill Ballyhoo Dec 22, 2017

Show notes

On The Gist, why the Republican tax overhaul is unlikely to spur hiring.

Michael Carpenter explains what we lose when the Trump administration doesn't try to put the heat on Russia. Carpenter is a former deputy assistant secretary of defense and foreign policy adviser to former Vice President Joe Biden. He and Biden are the co-authors of the Foreign Affairs article, "How to Stand Up to the Kremlin."

In the Spiel, robots take over.

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Trickle Down Now Dec 21, 2017

Show notes

On The Gist, it seems that congressional investigators have nabbed a big fish: Jill Stein.

Plus, New York Times columnist David Leonhardt explains why the Republicans absolutely had to pass the tax bill, even if polls suggest it could be an albatross around their necks during the midterms. Leonhardt authors the Times' absolutely essential Opinion Today newsletter.

In the Spiel: Income inequality may not be the perfect descriptor for what ails us, but it's the best term we've got. And the Republican tax bill makes our inequality problem worse.

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Behind the Scenes at The Daily Dec 20, 2017

Show notes

On The Gist, Mike talks about the consequences of fast-tracking a major tax overhaul.

In the interview, how did the team behind The Daily manage to create a show that's unlike anything we've heard before and also oddly perfect for this moment in news? Host Michael Barbaro and managing producer Theo Balcomb say they talked extensively about what they didn't want to sound like. "I was like, 'Oh my gosh, I never want to do a jobs report,' " says Balcomb. " 'Can we promise we're never going to do a jobs report?' "

In the Spiel, Republicans aren't necessarily committing political suicide with their $1.5 trillion tax plan.

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