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Why We Have to Take RFK Jr. Seriously Jun 28, 2023

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s politics, such as they can be parsed, are a mix of conspiracy theories and vibes. But in a post-Trump landscape, and with RFK polling at 20 percent among Democratic presidential candidates, cranky contrarians have to be taken seriously—right?

Guest: Vera Bergengruen, investigative correspondent at Time magazine.

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We Need to Talk About Kevin McCarthy Jun 27, 2023

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Kevin McCarthy has always had his eyes on one job - Speaker of the House. But after Republicans won Congress’s lower chamber by a razor thin majority, the party’s right wing extracted major concessions before handing over the gavel. When the GOP accepted a deal with the Biden administration to raise the nation’s debt ceiling, House hardliners felt betrayed. Now McCarthy faces renewed attacks on his leadership from within his own party. With important legislation that still needs to be passed, and little wiggle room for dissent, how does McCarthy hang on?

Guest: Rachael Bade, POLITICO Senior Washington Correspondent

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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The Failed Coup in Russia Jun 26, 2023

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For months, Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin has been railing against his own country’s military leadership. It all came to a head this weekend – when the mercenary leader gathered his troops, took over a Russian city, and started to march towards Moscow. Then – as suddenly as it began – it stopped. Russia says Prigozhin has fled to Belarus, and his troops will all be granted amnesty. But an independent Russian journalist in exile doubts the official narrative, and speculates on Vladimir Putin’s future..

Guest: Mikhail Zygar, Russian journalist and author of the upcoming book, “War and Punishment: Putin, Zelensky and the Path to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine”

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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Can Ozempic Cure Addiction? Jun 25, 2023

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Semaglutide, better known by its brand name Ozempic, has been making headlines as a weight loss drug – despite only having FDA approval to treat diabetes. Now, some say it doesn’t just quell cravings for food – it helps quiet cravings for alcohol, drugs, and other compulsive behaviors. For years, researchers have been studying semaglutide's effectiveness as an addiction cure in animals. What have they found? And – does it actually work?

Guest: Sarah Zhang covers health and medicine for The Atlantic

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.

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The U.S. vs Amazon Prime Jun 23, 2023

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On Wednesday, the Federal Trade Commission sued Amazon, accusing the online giant of “tricking and trapping people into recurring subscriptions.” The complaint says Amazon “knowingly duped millions of consumers into unknowingly enrolling in Amazon Prime."

With murmurs of a larger antitrust probe against Amazon just around the corner, how serious is this suit for the tech giant?

Guest: Leah Nylen, antitrust reporter at Bloomberg

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.

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Is Planned Parenthood Stepping Up? Jun 22, 2023

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Saturday marks the one-year anniversary of the end of Roe – a historic decision that’s led to long lines, clinic closures, and a flood of abortion bans across the country. Planned Parenthood has always been in the political crosshairs… but now, their role is arguably more important than ever. What does America’s largest abortion provider look like in the post-Roe era? We sit down with its CEO to find out.

Guest: Alexis McGill Johnson, CEO of Planned Parenthood

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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Why There’s a Cop at Your Kid’s School Jun 21, 2023

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It’s been one year since the Uvalde school shooting – and while Texas hasn’t passed any gun control legislation, it has passed a measure aimed at “hardening schools.” Last week, Governor Greg Abbott signed HB-3 into law, requiring every public school to have an armed officer on campus. The legislation comes even as a former sheriff’s deputy is on trial in Florida for failing to protect students when a gunman opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018.

Do school safety officers stop school shootings? And if they don’t – what do they do instead?

Guest: Anya Kamenetz, education reporter and author of "The Stolen Year: How Covid Changed Children’s Lives, And Where We Go Now."

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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They Pledged to Stop Sex Abuse. Instead, They Targeted Women. Jun 20, 2023

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Last week, the Southern Baptist Convention held its annual meeting in New Orleans – and its main order of business was to tighten the reins on what women can, and can’t, do in the church. It’s the result of a years-long push from the SBC’s ultraconservative wing to reverse what it calls a “liberal drift.” As the nation’s largest Protestant denomination prepares to crack down on gender roles, what does that mean for American evangelicals – and for the rest of us?

Guest: Beth Allison Barr is a history professor at Baylor University. She’s also the author of “The Making of Biblical Womanhood.”

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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Slow Burn: America's Blackest Child Jun 19, 2023

Show notes

In honor of the Juneteenth holiday, What Next presents the first episode of the new season of Slate's Slow Burn, "Becoming Justice Thomas." What Next will be back tomorrow.

Growing up in Georgia, Clarence Thomas wanted to make his mark. His dream was to become his hometown’s first Black Catholic priest. But after Martin Luther King’s assassination, he abandoned that plan. Instead, he embraced campus activism and the teachings of Malcolm X.

Season 8 of Slow Burn is produced by Joel Anderson, Sophie Summergrad, Sam Kim, and Sofie Kodner.

Josh Levin is the editorial director of Slow Burn.

Derek John is Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts.

Susan Matthews is Slate’s executive editor.

Editorial direction by Josh Levin, Derek John, and Joel Meyer.

Merritt Jacob is Slate’s senior technical director.

Our theme music is composed by Alexis Cuadrado. Artwork by Ivylise Simones.

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The George Soros Succession Jun 18, 2023

Show notes

One son was preparing to take over George Soros’s multi-billion-dollar empire. Then, there was a falling out, and a new heir-apparent was chosen.

Who is Alex Soros? And, as he takes over for one of the most influential figures in American politics, what can we expect from him?

Guest: Gregory Zuckerman, special writer at the Wall Street Journal

Host: Emily Peck

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.

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