John Dickerson talks with author Elif Batuman about coming of age as a college student in the 1990’s, and the similarities between herself and her main character in Either/Or, the sequel to The Idiot. Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com . (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
May 29, 2022•32 min
Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Kate McGee and Jolie McCullough for The Texas Tribune: “ Confronted with mass shootings, Texas Republicans have repeatedly loosened gun laws ” Bruce Leshan for WUSA9: “ Other countries have been hit by school shootings – and done something ” Carl Hulse for The New York Times: “ How Congress Passed an Assault Weapons Ban in 1994 ” Rebecca Kern for Politico: “ Tech companies removed the Buffalo shooting manifesto. A Texas law could make tha...
May 26, 2022•54 min
Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Thomas B. Edsall for The New York Times: “ Status Anxiety Is Blowing Wind Into Trump’s Sails ” Karn Yourish and Nicholas Confessore for The New York Times: “ A Fringe Conspiracy Theory, Fostered Online, Is Refashioned by the G.O.P. ” Jamelle Bouie for The New York Times: “ The Slaughter in Buffalo Hasn’t Quieted the Great Replacement Caucus ” Nathaniel Rakich for FiveThirtyEight: “ What Went Down During the May 17 Primary Elections ” Davi...
May 19, 2022•47 min
Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Michael C. Dorf for Dorf on Law: “ In a Post-Roe World, Can States Prevent Women From Seeking Abortions Out-of-State? ” Ruth Graham for The New York Times: “ A Pastor and His Congregation Part Ways ” Ruth Graham and Elizabeth Dias for The New York Times: “ The Growing Religious Fervor in the American Right: ‘This Is a Jesus Movement’ ” The Great Evangelical Recession: 6 Factors That Will Crash the American Church...and How to Prepare by J...
May 12, 2022•57 min
Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Ruth Marcus for The Washington Post: “ The Leaked Draft Roe Opinion Is A Disaster For The Supreme ” Edwin Meese III for The Washington Post: “ Did The Conservative Legal Movement Succeed? That All Depends On Whether The Supreme Court Overrules Roe V. Wade. ” Reginald Dwayne Betts for The New York Times Magazine: “ Could an Ex-Convict Become an Attorney? I Intended to Find Out ” Here are this week’s chatters: Ruth: Julia Clancy for Eating ...
May 05, 2022•56 min
Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson and David Plotz discuss Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover, Title 42, and the current prayer in school debate. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Daphne Keller for The Center for Internet and Society: “ What Does The DSA Say? ” John Dickerson for Slate: “ Born Identity ” Here are this week’s chatters: David: Ed Kilgore for New York Magazine: “ Utah Democrats Endorse Independent Evan McMullin in Challenge to Mike Lee ”; CityCast.fm/jobs John: Reddit ...
Apr 28, 2022•1 hr 7 min
Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson and David Plotz discuss the ways that the war in Ukraine may be influencing China's future plans with guest Malcolm Turnbull; the mask mandate ruling; whether it matters that the RNC has rejected presidential debates; and Gabfest producer Jocelyn Frank signs off after many years of producing the show. Here are this week’s chatters: David: Mark Emem for CCN: “ Jeff Bezos Missed 20,000% Gains After $250K Google Stake in 1998 ” John: Kathryn Olivarius: “ Necropolis: Ye...
Apr 22, 2022•1 hr 3 min
David Plotz talks with author Amy Bloom about her journey to support the death, by suicide, of her husband, chronicled in her new book In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss . Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com . (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Apr 17, 2022•18 min
Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson and David Plotz discuss the approaching midterms, inflation, and whether social media is imperiling U.S. democracy—with guest Simon Bazelon. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Simon Bazelon for Slow Boring: “ Democrats Are Sleepwalking Into A Senate Disaster ” Thomas B. Edsall for The New York Times: “ Trump Poses a Test Democracy Is Failing ” Matthew H. Graham and Milan W. Svolik for The American Political Science Review: “ Democracy in Ameri...
Apr 14, 2022•1 hr
Emily, John and David discuss Russia’s war crimes; Disney’s reaction to “don’t say gay”; and Amazon’s first union. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Andrew Exum for The Atlantic: “ The Russian Military Has Descended Into Inhumanity ” Noam Scheiber for The New York Times: “ Amazon Workers Who Won a Union Their Way Open Labor Leaders’ Eyes ” Microsoft: “ The Rise of the Triple Peak Day ” When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing , by Daniel H. Pink Here are this week’s...
Apr 07, 2022•1 hr 5 min
Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson and David Plotz discuss Biden's gaffe in speaking too honestly about Russia; Trump’s missing phone logs; and Ginni Thomas’s efforts to subvert the election. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Bob Woodward and Robert Costa for The Washington Post: “ Jan. 6 White House Logs Given To House Show 7-Hour Gap In Trump Calls ” Hugo Lowell for The Guardian: “ Trump Used White House Phone For Call On January 6 That Was Not On Official Log ” Bob Woodward...
Mar 31, 2022•1 hr
David Plotz and John Dickerson are joined by Ruth Marcus to discuss Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation hearing; Ukraine keeps fighting through atrocity; and more allegations of Republican candidates committing domestic abuse. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Dana Milbank for the Washington Post: “ Cruz Attacks Jackson For ‘Critical Race Theory’—But Sends His Own Daughters to Learn It ” Henry Olsen for the Washington Post: “ Republicans Are Right to Oppose Ketanji Brown...
Mar 24, 2022•51 min
Emily Bazelon talks with author Meghan O’Rourke about germ theory, biomarkers, medical mysteries, long COVID and the quest to return to health as chronicled in her new book The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness . Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com . (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Mar 22, 2022•26 min
Emily and David are joined by guest host Juliette Kayyem to discuss the arming of Ukraine, how to prepare for the next pandemic or catastrophe, and daylight savings time debates. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Megan Garber for The Atlantic: “ The Grim Stagecraft of Zelensky’s Selfie Videos ” Atul Gawande for The New Yorker: “ Costa Ricans Live Longer Than We Do. What's the Secret? ” The Devil Never Sleeps: Learning to Live in an Age of Disasters , by Juliette Kayyem He...
Mar 17, 2022•59 min
Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss Ukraine's fighting spirit, rising gas prices, and conformity on campus. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: The Science of Politics podcast: “ Does the Public Respond to Threats to Democracy? ” The Basic Writings of John Stuart Mill: On Liberty, the Subjection of Women and Utilitarianism The Guns of August , by Barbara W. Tuchman Emma Camp for the New York Times: “ I Came to College Eager to Debate. I Found Self-Censors...
Mar 10, 2022•58 min
Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson and David Plotz discuss Ukraine's resistance, the State of the Union, and an increasing backlash against reformer prosecutors. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Thomas L. Friedman for The New York Times: “ I See Three Scenarios for How This War Ends ” Anne Appelbaum for the Atlantic: “ The Bad Guys Are Winning ” Gal Beckerman for The Atlantic: “ How Zelensky Gave the World a Jewish Hero ” Rebecca Davis O’Brien for The New York Times: “ How Th...
Mar 03, 2022•1 hr 2 min
Stanford Law professor Nathaniel Persily joins David and Emily to discuss President Biden’s nomination for associate justice of the Supreme Court, Ketanji Brown Jackson. You can tweet suggestions, links, and questions to @SlateGabfest . Tweet us your cocktail chatter using #cocktailchatter or post it to our Facebook page. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) The email address for the Political Gabfest is gabfest@slate.com . (Email may be quoted by name unless ...
Feb 25, 2022•18 min
Emily and David are joined by guest host Jane Coaston. The three discuss Putin's war with guest Julia Ioffe and also the GOP attacks on transgender children, and Democrats’ “hack gap.” Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Julia Ioffe for Puck News: “ Will Putin Get His World War III? ” Anne Appelbaum for The Atlantic: “ The Reason Putin Would Risk War ” The Handmaid’s Tale , by Margaret Atwood Here’s this week’s chatter: David: Work at City Cast ; David’s “ Exploring a Secre...
Feb 24, 2022•46 min
Gabfest reads is a new monthly series from the hosts of the Political Gabfest. This month David Plotz talks with author Florence Williams about divorce, affection, good friendships, and her new book Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey . Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com . (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Feb 20, 2022•31 min
Josie Duffy Rice, David Plotz and John Dickerson discuss America's radicalized parents; what the midterms may bring; and the Sandy Hook families’ victory. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show : Clara Jeffrey for Mother Jones: “ What Pundits Don’t Understand About the San Francisco Recall ” Jasper Scherer and Benjamin Wermund for The Houston Chronicle: “ We Asked All 143 Texas GOP Congressional Candidates About Biden's Win. Only 13 Call it Legitimate. ” John Dickerson for the ...
Feb 17, 2022•51 min
Emily, John and David dig into SCOTUS's failure to enforce the Voting Rights Act, the GOP's embrace of January 6th rioters, and protests in Canada. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: John Dickerson for The Atlantic: “The GOP Has No Standards Now” Adela Suliman for The Washington Post: “Marjorie Taylor Greene says Nancy Pelosi leads ‘gazpacho police,’ causing collective spit take” Brett Samuels for The Hill: “Pence breaks with Trump: 'I had no right to overturn the election...
Feb 10, 2022•51 min
Emily, John and David discuss Donald Trump’s attempts to seize voting machines, the racist attacks on the yet-to-be-named SCOTUS nominee, and they are joined by Joseph Allen, director of the Healthy Buildings program at Harvard University's T. H. Chan School of Public Health, to discuss ways we might update U.S. COVID norms. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Joseph G. Allen for The Washington Post: “ Our Playbook to Fight Covid-19 Is Outdated. Here Are 10 Updates for 2022...
Feb 03, 2022•58 min
John, Emily and David discuss Justice Breyer’s retirement. They are joined by Anne Applebaum to talk about what global moves may be coming to address threats to Ukraine, and The Gist’s Mike Pesca covers a round robin of the week's news. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: The Authority of the Court and the Peril of Politics , by Stephen Breyer Anne Applebaum for The Atlantic: “ The Bad Guys Are Winning ” The Gist Slow Burn: Watergate Station Eleven , by Emily St. John Mande...
Jan 27, 2022•1 hr 4 min
Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson and David Plotz discuss Biden’s first year, SCOTUS's block of OSHA’s vax-or-test rule, and Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin’s busy start. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: John Dickerson for CBS Sunday Morning: “ President Joe Biden: The First Year ” Station Eleven , by Emily St. John Mandel Station Eleven series on HBO Max Here’s this week’s chatter: Emily: Deep Cover, Season 2: Mob Land John: Take Note Podcast ; Adam Webb for Take Note: “ H...
Jan 20, 2022•58 min
Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson and David Plotz discuss voting rights, Russia's recent moves, with guest Nina Jankowicz; and the increasing politicization of cable news. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute: Electoral Count Act of 1887 David Becker on Face the Nation : “Elections Expert David Becker Denounces ‘Efforts to Sow Confusion and Chaos’ ” Emily Bazelon for the New York Times: “Democracy Worked This Year. but It Is Under...
Jan 13, 2022•1 hr 4 min
Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson and David Plotz discuss Jan. 6, with guest Jamelle Bouie and what to make of omicron's impact on schools, and the Theranos case. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Matt Levine for Bloomberg: “ Slaying the Blood Unicorn ” Wall Street Journal: Theranos and Elizabeth Holmes: History of the WSJ Investigation Emily Bazelon for the New York Times Magazine: “ I Write About the Law. But Could I Really Help Free a Prisoner? ” Ruddy Roye Photography Wal...
Jan 06, 2022•1 hr 7 min
Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz wrap up 2021 considering life’s many conundrums—with special guest Dwayne Betts! Questions this year include: if you could eliminate one word from the English language what would it be? If you could transport the characters of one book into the time and place of another, which would you choose? If you were ONLY able to brush your teeth in the morning or the night- which would be optimal? Special thanks to everyone who sent in conundrums for consider...
Dec 30, 2021•1 hr 4 min
Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson and David Plotz discuss the future of the Democratic party's agenda, Omicron's spread across the United States and they're joined by investigative journalist Azmat Khan to talk about the deaths of civilians overseas and the lack of accuracy from the U.S. military. Give the gift of Plus to a fellow Slate fan and they’ll receive all the benefits of membership: unlimited reading, ad-free listening, bonus content, and so much more. Here are some notes and references fro...
Dec 23, 2021•1 hr
Emily, John and David discuss January 6th revelations, Build Back Better and voting rights and they are joined by Slow Burn host Joel Anderson to talk about Season 6: The L.A. Riots. Give the gift of Plus to a fellow Slate fan and they’ll receive all the benefits of membership: unlimited reading, ad-free listening, bonus content, and so much more. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: David A. Graham for the Atlantic: “ The Paperwork Coup ” Barton Gellman for the Atlantic: “ ...
Dec 16, 2021•1 hr 5 min
Emily and David are joined by guest host David Leonhardt to discuss the pandemic economy; a diplomatic boycott of the Olympics, and the Ghislaine Maxwell trial. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: John J. Mearsheimer for Foreign Affairs: “ The Inevitable Rivalry: America, China, and the Tragedy of Great-Power Politics ” Corey Robin for The New York Times: “ Why the Biden Presidency Feels Like Such a Disappointment ” The Enigma of Clarence Thomas , by Corey Robin Mike Baker ...
Dec 09, 2021•54 min
