During the beginning of the Pandemic, prisons were a hothouse for COVID infections. In some states, deaths from Covid more than doubled. Andy talks with Aaron Littman, director of the COVID Behind Bars Data Project, about what makes U.S. prisons "incubators of disease" and what it was like for incarcerated people as the virus ran rampant behind prison walls. They discuss why incarcerated people, who already lack access to adequate health care and live in unsanitary conditions, deserve not just b...
Mar 06, 2023•37 min
Fox News owner Rupert Murdoch admitted under oath that hosts promoted election fraud claims while privately criticizing Trump officials. That’s just one revelation in the $1.6 billion lawsuit against Fox by Dominion Voting Systems. Puck News correspondent Dylan Byers joins Andy to discuss why people still watch Fox News, plus what’s happening with CNN, and how news executives can capture a wider audience and better serve our democracy. Keep up with Andy on Twitter and Post @ASlavitt . Follow Dyl...
Mar 03, 2023•56 min
Record gas prices helped oil giants rake in record profits last year while the climate crisis continues escalating. The companies say they are committed to a green future, but are their proposed climate solutions viable, or just more greenwashing? Andy breaks down these issues with Bill McKibben; scholar, climate activist and founder of Third Act; and NPR climate editor Neela Banerjee, who led the first investigation into Exxon’s climate denialism efforts. Keep up with Andy on Twitter and Post @...
Mar 01, 2023•53 min
Several bills signed into federal law by President Biden pave the way for considerable investments in the fight against climate change. But what exactly are those investments and where will they show up in your everyday life? Andy gets those answers from John Podesta, the man tasked with turning Biden’s vision of a clean energy future into a reality. They discuss EV charging stations, heat pump rebates, and how to pressure gas companies to invest in alternatives. Keep up with Andy on Twitter and...
Feb 27, 2023•36 min
We are one year into the largest and deadliest war in Europe since World War II. President Biden marked the anniversary with a surprise visit to Ukraine while Vladimir Putin countered with a major speech from Moscow. Andy speaks with Liana Fix, a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, about where Russia and Ukraine stand today, what could escalate this war into something broader, and whether we’re entering World War III without knowing it yet. Keep up with Andy on Twitter and Post @ASlavitt...
Feb 24, 2023•40 min
Every five minutes an American dies from an opioid or fentanyl overdose. An FDA panel is recommending Narcan be sold over the counter, which experts say would reverse more overdoses and save more lives. Andy traces the line between opioid prescriptions, heroin, fentanyl, and tranq with Scott Hadland, a pediatrician and addiction specialist at Mass General Hospital, and Sarah Laurel, who overcame her own struggle with substance use disorder to eventually found an addiction recovery nonprofit in P...
Feb 22, 2023•39 min
The federal COVID-19 public health emergency ends on May 11. What does that mean for the cost of vaccines, access to testing, and treatment options? Andy poses those questions to ER physician (and soon to be dean of Yale School of Public Health) Dr. Megan Ranney. They also discuss why virus scares like Mpox and avian influenza seem to be happening more often. Keep up with Andy on Twitter and Post @ASlavitt . Follow Megan Ranney on Twitter @meganranney . Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to...
Feb 20, 2023•38 min
If you view the idea of life on other planets as only science fiction, Laurie Leshin will prove you wrong. As the head of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, she’s on the cutting edge of space innovation. Andy talks to Laurie about the latest discoveries on Mars, upcoming missions to Jupiter, and how we’re monitoring the health of our own planet from space. Keep up with Andy on Twitter and Post @ASlavitt . Follow Laurie Leshin on Twitter @LaurieofMars . Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to s...
Feb 17, 2023•43 min
It’s hard to tell if the nation is making progress on police reform when another high profile killing like that of Tyre Nichols hits the news. Have body cameras helped? How about diversifying staff? Or doing away with no knock warrants? Andy poses those questions to activist DeRay Mckesson, who began Campaign Zero after Michael Brown was killed in Ferguson, Missouri in 2014. DeRay explains why police violence persists, outlines the positive steps made in the last decade, and shares how you can c...
Feb 15, 2023•38 min
The bird flu is jumping mammal species, from chickens to minks to seals, giving it more opportunities to mutate. Andy talks to epidemiologist Katelyn Jetelina and science writer David Quammen about the likelihood of H5N1 jumping to humans, how dangerous that would be, and how to prepare without overreacting. Keep up with Andy on Post and Twitter and Post @ASlavitt . Follow Katelyn Jetelina and David Quammen on Twitter @dr_kkjetelina and @DavidQuammen . Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to ...
Feb 13, 2023•37 min
How will America change as Baby Boomers retire and Millennials gain more power? White House advisor Andy Slavitt talks to Washington Post columnist Philip Bump about what sets these two generations apart from one another and how the transition will impact the future of politics, wealth, and culture. Keep up with Andy on Twitter and Post @ASlavitt . Follow Philip Bump on Twitter @pbump . Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/l...
Feb 10, 2023•38 min
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is likely to be Donald Trump’s greatest challenger for the GOP presidential nomination. The Bulwark editor Charlie Sykes says that’s because he’s younger, smarter, and equally mean. Charlie tells Andy why DeSantis’ “anti-wokeism” platform resonates with conservatives, how his bullying behavior is just as dangerous as Trump’s, and who Joe Biden would rather run against. Keep up with Andy on Twitter and Post @ASlavitt . Follow Charlie Sykes on Twitter @SykesCharlie . ...
Feb 08, 2023•46 min
Artificial intelligence programs like Chat GPT are becoming so advanced that it’s getting harder and harder to distinguish between something a human wrote and a robot. How could chatbots change our jobs, for better and worse? How could they threaten national security? Andy speaks with Congressman Ted Lieu and Stanford researcher Renée DiResta about the risks and benefits of dramatically developing AI. Keep up with Andy on Post and Twitter and Post @ASlavitt . Follow Representative Ted Lieu and R...
Feb 06, 2023•39 min
Three years into the pandemic, roughly 65 million people suffering from Long COVID worldwide are still looking for answers to the mix of symptoms that has baffled doctors and experts. Dr. Eric Topal and three researchers suffering from the condition themselves published a new study laying out the newest major findings and preventative measures. Andy asks Eric about the likelihood of getting chronic symptoms from an infection, what those symptoms typically are, and how the data influences his own...
Feb 03, 2023•41 min
America’s debt represents every deficit that's been run by every president, from George Washington to Joe Biden. Now, there’s a showdown between the White House and Congress over whether or not the House will vote to lift the debt ceiling as they've done dozens of times in the past. Andy gets specific with Jason Furman, who was an advisor to President Obama during the 2011 debt ceiling debate, about how we got here, whether our debt is too high, and what actually happens if America defaults on i...
Feb 01, 2023•42 min
Why do progressive states with lots of wealth often have the worst homelessness problem? Simply put, they stopped building enough affordable housing. Atlantic writer Jerusalem Demsas and California YIMBY policy director Ned Resnikoff explain the obvious answer to homelessness, debunk myths about drugs and mental health, and spell out what needs to change in government policy and neighborhood sentiment. Keep up with Andy on Twitter and Post @ASlavitt . Follow Jerusalem Demsas and Ned Resnikoff on...
Jan 30, 2023•40 min
The pandemic has caused many of us to ask ourselves what is truly important in our lives. What makes us happy? To answer that question, Andy brings on Robert Waldinger, who has done the longest research that's ever been completed on happiness. He and his team at Harvard Medical School have studied more than 700 families for 85 years, tracing their ups, downs, and in-betweens. They dig into what the results teach us about the ways we should live our lives and Robert shares some practical ways to ...
Jan 27, 2023•38 min
Epidemiologist Mike Osterholm has devised a three-part formula for what to do if you want to get together with people in close quarters without a mask. He shares that advice with Andy and answers questions many of us have, including whether people under 50 should get boosted and when to take antivirals. Then, Andy and Mike critique the missteps made as this pandemic unfolded and what lessons we need to learn to better prepare for the next one. Keep up with Andy on Post and Twitter and Post @ASla...
Jan 25, 2023•41 min
The latest fire in the culture war ignited when a government official suggested the possibility of banning gas stoves. Republicans quickly took to social media to proclaim their love for the household appliance, while environmentalists were left trying to explain the nuance of another long-term goal. Andy convenes a group of experts to cut through partisan politics in order to get facts, reasonable opinions, and alternative options. Vox climate reporter Rebecca Leber explains why the gas stove h...
Jan 23, 2023•44 min
There’s a renewed debate over safety in football after Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s two serious concussions and Buffalo Bills defenseman Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest. Defensive tackle-turned-pro wrestler-turned-neuroscientist Chris Nowinski has taken a stand. He tells Andy about the new research on the long lasting effects of chronic head injuries, why kids under 14 shouldn’t be playing tackle football, and how high schools and colleges can make practices safer. Keep up with Andy...
Jan 20, 2023•41 min
When soccer journalist Grant Wahl died suddenly of an aortic aneurysm during the World Cup, his wife Dr. Céline Gounder was bombarded by messages from online trolls saying that she killed her husband with the COVID vaccine. She decided to fight those trolls. Andy speaks with Céline about the five most common moves in the vaccine disinformation playbook, how artificial intelligence could make things worse, and the emotional toll of protecting her husband’s legacy. Keep up with Andy on Post and Tw...
Jan 18, 2023•42 min
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has spent more than 20 years fighting for civil rights and racial justice, including successfully prosecuting the police officer who murdered George Floyd. On this Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Andy calls up his friend to get his thoughts on what Dr. King would say about racism and inequality today. Rooted in the history of slavery and the civil rights movement, Keith’s perspective on policing, reparations, and how to talk about race is a must-hear. Keep up...
Jan 16, 2023•55 min
When the United States pulled out of Afghanistan in 2021, the Taliban promised that women would be allowed to exercise their human rights within the confines of Sharia law, including the right to work, study, and be in public squares. That was a lie. Former U.S. Department of State Diplomat Annie Pforzheimer explains the actual situation for women today in Afghanistan and why the U.S. is both morally and strategically obligated to help them. Keep up with Andy on Post and Twitter and Post @ASlavi...
Jan 13, 2023•41 min
As fringe Republicans drive the agenda in Congress, Andy turns to the hope found in many states through newly elected and reelected governors. Democratic Minnesota Governor Tim Walz joins to discuss how he was able to bridge the rural-urban divide, first representing a district that voted for Trump and then winning statewide election in a purple state. Can we govern our country, states, and localities in ways that resist extreme elements and get things done? Tim offers his path forward. Keep up ...
Jan 11, 2023•37 min
XBB.1.5 is being called the most transmissible subvariant of Omicron to date. With multiple mechanisms to evade our immune system, including getting around our monoclonal antibody treatments, it’s driving our January wave and leading to worse outcomes than previous mutations. Andy speaks with science journalist Laurie Garrett, who explains what makes XBB.1.5 unique and why the lack of global surveillance and federal funding could easily erode the advances we’ve made so far to combat COVID. Keep ...
Jan 09, 2023•46 min
This year’s Congress is off to an astonishing start. As Kevin McCarthy moves his furniture into the speaker's office despite not having the votes, Andy talks to journalist Mark Leibovich about the shenanigans taking place within the House GOP. He explains why the Freedom Caucus is pushing for chaos, how reasonable Republicans are reacting, and what it all means for a functioning Congress. Mark also shares his opinion on whether President Biden should run for a second term. Keep up with Andy on P...
Jan 06, 2023•42 min
Congressman Jamie Raskin and the rest of the January 6 Committee are out with their final report. Andy asks Jamie about the chargeable offenses, what a criminal referral to the Justice Department does, and how to stop the Donald Trumps of the future. Raskin also discusses what Democrats can get done in this year’s divided government. Keep up with Andy on Post and Twitter and Post @ASlavitt . Follow Congressman Raskin on Twitter @RepRaskin . Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our ...
Jan 04, 2023•39 min
From our friends at This Day In Esoteric Political History, we bring you a recent episode about the 2012 GOP “Growth and Opportunity Report” – the blueprint Republicans put together for being a more welcoming and diverse party. A lot of the language echoes what the GOP is saying in the wake of this year’s midterms. And a lot of the recommendations were completely ignored during the rise of Donald Trump. This Day is hosted by Jody Avirgan (formerly of 538), Nicole Hemmer (Vanderbilt) and Kellie C...
Jan 02, 2023•27 min
Andy wants to share one of his favorite episodes from this year that’s just as relevant today as it was when we taped it. Millions of student loan borrowers breathed a sigh of relief after the White House revealed a plan to wipe clean a huge swath of debt (though it’s currently tied up in the courts). How meaningful is this policy, what are the broader implications to the economy, and will it help future borrowers? Harvard Economist Susan Dynarski and the Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Andr...
Dec 30, 2022•38 min
Andy wants to share one of his favorite episodes from this year that’s just as relevant today as it was when we taped it. The price of goods like gasoline and food is up sharply amid the highest inflation since the 1970s, and a stock market slump may be impacting your investment portfolio. What should you do as you watch the pump tick up and your 401(k) tick down? Andy sits down with two money experts, the Washington Post’s Michelle Singletary and President Obama’s Economic Advisor Betsey Steven...
Dec 28, 2022•58 min
