In this Saturday archive edition of The Gist, Mike asks the question on everyone’s mind, or at least Tom Steyer’s: is Tom Steyer back? With Steyer rising in the California gubernatorial primary, Mike revisits his 2019 reaction to Steyer’s presidential campaign launch, including the ads, the impeachment crusade, and the camera angles nobody asked for. Then, a later interview with Steyer on Cheaper, Faster, Better: How We’ll Win the Climate War. Steyer argues that climate progress will come not fr...
Jun 06, 2026•27 min•Ep. 3034
Today on The Gist, Mike asks whether everyone is a hypocrite, or whether hypocrisy has become so universal that the word barely functions. Graham Platner, Ken Paxton, Pete Hegseth, Susan Collins, and Jake Auchincloss all make appearances in a tour of political standards, double standards, and the rare politician willing to say his own side’s nominee fails the test. Then, Christian B. Miller, A.C. Reid Professor of Philosophy at Wake Forest University and author of The Honesty Crisis, joins to di...
Jun 05, 2026•35 min•Ep. 3033
Today on The Gist, Mike revisits the suddenly shifting Spencer Pratt/Nithya Raman race in Los Angeles, where prediction markets flipped as late-arriving California ballots changed the picture. The bigger question: is slow vote-counting actually a democratic problem, or mostly a problem for people who want election night to behave like a TV show? Then, Stanford social psychologist Claude Steele joins to discuss his new book Churn: The Tension That Divides Us and How to Overcome It. Steele, known ...
Jun 04, 2026•41 min•Ep. 3032
Today on The Gist, Mike looks at the LA mayoral race, where Karen Bass is advancing and Spencer Pratt may be too, depending on the late-arriving ballots that will almost certainly inspire totally normal and measured reactions online. Then, Ian Coss talks about Catching the Codfather, his GBH podcast about Carlos Rafael, the larger-than-life New Bedford fish mogul who built an empire on boats, permits, quotas, and a willingness to break the law. Rafael had Scarface memorabilia in his office, a Co...
Jun 03, 2026•39 min•Ep. 3031
Today on The Gist, President Trump says he “couldn’t care less” whether Iran negotiations are over because, frankly, they’ve gotten “a little boring.” Mike takes him at his word, which is exactly the problem: when the Strait of Hormuz, gas prices, and the possibility of war are on the table, boredom is not a diplomatic strategy. Then, journalist Simone Stolzoff joins to discuss his new book, How Not to Know: The Value of Uncertainty in a World That Demands Answers. Stolzoff explains why human br...
Jun 02, 2026•34 min•Ep. 3030
Today on The Gist, we analyze the Maine U.S. Senate race as Democrat Graham Plattner navigates a growing scandal while facing incumbent Susan Collins in a contest that tests party loyalties. Then, UC Davis law professor Aaron Tang discusses his PBS series, Breaking the Deadlock . Tang explains how his program uses high-stakes, fictionalized scenarios to force experts beyond their rehearsed talking points and toward genuine, civil discourse. Produced by Corey Wara Video and Social Media by Geoff ...
Jun 01, 2026•42 min•Ep. 3029
Today on The Gist, guest host Milo Pesca introduces Mikes recent appearance on the Reason Roundtable podcast, analyzing the shifting parameters of the current conflict in Iran. The discussion panel deconstructs the lack of a coherent foreign policy framework in Washington. Finally, a breakdown of the upcoming Los Angeles mayoral election, exploring the legitimate local frustrations driving the populist campaign of reality television star Spencer Pratt, the failures of the institutional progressi...
May 30, 2026•25 min•Ep. 3028
Today on The Gist, its Funny You Should Mention with comedian Janet McNamara discusses her YouTube special Not Smart Enough , opening up about her viral 2010 American Idol audition, navigating corporate accounting with dyslexia and ADD via advanced Excel automation, and her multiple clinical evaluations for autism. Also, a breakdown of why modern office social niceties fail neurodivergent workers, exploring the evolutionary shift from paper ledger bookkeeping to computerized workflows, and why t...
May 29, 2026•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 3027
Today on The Gist, an evaluation of America's legacy on its 250th anniversary, arguing that grading the nation on a global curve historical context yields a much higher mark than a C+. Then, America Actually host Astead Herndon discusses his new Vox podcast, explaining how focus groups illuminate structural nuances that traditional polls miss and analyzing the Democratic Party's ongoing post-election wilderness strategy. Finally, a look at the political pitfalls of the progressive policy agenda,...
May 28, 2026•47 min•Ep. 3026
Today on The Gist, examining how localized rescue stories capture public attention while mass crises are ignored. Then, University of Buffalo associate professor Holly Buck discusses her Jacobin essay, outlining why the AI data center moratorium proposed by Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez would hike compute prices for ordinary researchers, offshore environmental damage to weaker grids, and align progressives with anti-renewable coalitions. Finally, a commentary on a former DHS Secret...
May 27, 2026•32 min•Ep. 3025
Today on The Gist, the race to stop a catastrophic chemical explosion next to Disneyland that forced 50,000 Southern California residents to evacuate. Then, Beth Malow and Doug Teschner discuss their book, Beyond the Politics of Contempt: Practical Steps to Build Positive Relationships in Divided Times , sharing strategies from their work with Braver Angels to foster local, cross-partisan dialogue. Finally, the limits of one-on-one interventions in a polarized mass-media landscape, highlighting ...
May 26, 2026•34 min•Ep. 3024
This Saturday edition features an unaired segment from the interview with UC Berkeley law professor David Oppenheimer regarding standardized testing in higher education. The discussion centers on a debate over the statistical legitimacy of the LSAT and bar exam passage rates. The episode rounds out with a takedown of anyone claiming New York commuters pronounce the LIRR as the lure. Produced by Corey Wara Video and Social Media by Geoff Craig Do you have questions or comments, or just want to sa...
May 23, 2026•20 min•Ep. 3023
Today on The Gist, the upcoming Enhanced Games are analyzed not as an ethical crisis, but as a weak, corporate-sponsored satire of athletic boundaries. Then, Nobel Prize-winning economist Alvin Roth joins the show to discuss his book Moral Economics: From Prostitution to Organ Sales, What Controversial Transactions Reveal About How Markets Work . He maps out the baseline difference between evolutionary disgust and social repugnance, diving into historic natural experiments, including Rhode Islan...
May 22, 2026•33 min•Ep. 3022
Today is Not Even Mad. Tangle founder Isaac Saul and journalist Jamie Kirchick discuss the creation of the Department of Justice's $1.776 billion anti-weaponization settlement fund, the legislative fallout from the Trump primary revenge tour, and the unpredictable new swing votes in the Senate. Finally, they honor the trailblazing legacy and posthumous warnings of the late Barney Frank before sharing their personal weekly grievances on everything from shrieking toddlers to Gen Z's lack of eye co...
May 21, 2026•53 min•Ep. 3021
Today on The Gist, the profound failure of empathy within our immigration bureaucracy is put under the microscope following the tragic freezing death of Nurul Amin Shah Alam, a blind Rohingya refugee abandoned in a Buffalo parking lot by Border Patrol. Then, UC Berkeley law professor David Oppenheimer joins the show to discuss his book, The Diversity Principle: The Story of a Transformative Idea . He traces the intellectual history of multiculturalism back to 1810 Prussia, arguing that a clash o...
May 20, 2026•55 min•Ep. 3020
Today on The Gist, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche defends a massive compensation fund for Donald Trump alongside a highly convenient IRS waiver. Then, J Schuberth joins the show to discuss her write-in campaign for Oregon governor as a six-foot-tall pencil. She breaks down why the state ranks dead last in fourth-grade literacy, the political pushback against the science of reading, and why adult comfort should not override student outcomes. Finally, in the spiel, a fierce defense of the on...
May 19, 2026•35 min•Ep. 3019
Today on The Gist, the media coverage surrounding Eileen Wang, the former mayor of Arcadia, California who recently pled guilty to acting as a Chinese government agent, is put under the microscope. Then, computational neuroscientist David Sussillo discusses his memoir, Emergence : A Memoir of Boyhood, Computation, and the Mysteries of Mind. He recounts his unlikely trajectory from a neglected childhood in an Albuquerque group home to the bleeding edge of AI at Meta and Stanford, breaking down ho...
May 18, 2026•50 min•Ep. 3018
It’s the Saturday show! Today, we’re sharing a recent appearance on the podcast Fake the Nation , hosted by Negin Farsad and featuring comedian Katie Hannigan. The panel tackles the explosion of the "refresher" beverage craze, the death knell of soda, and the performative nature of iced matcha. Then, the conversation shifts to the grim realities of the Iran war, the administration's lack of an exit strategy, the information blackout affecting Iranian citizens, and why the sudden release of blurr...
May 16, 2026•25 min•Ep. 3017
Today on The Gist, NCAA softball star Maya Johnson turns down massive NIL offers to stay at Belmont University and pursue a debt-free nursing doctorate. Then, Matt Sterling joins the show to discuss his memoir, Mighty: Finding the Strength to Survive . Born with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita, Sterling navigated a pre-ADA world to become a highly successful New York City ad sales executive. Plus, a breakdown of the former Arcadia, California mayor who pleaded guilty to acting as a Chinese ag...
May 15, 2026•34 min•Ep. 3016
Today on The Gist, a look at public health communication and the hantavirus. Then, The Atlantic 's Franklin Foer returns to face questions about his book, The Last Politician . Did the press miss the signs of Joe Biden's decline? Foer pushes back against accusations of journalistic dereliction, detailing what he actually witnessed in the White House and the difference between cognitive failure and age-induced crankiness. Plus, a critique of a recent New York Times column detailing the abuse of P...
May 14, 2026•41 min•Ep. 3015
Today on The Gist, what do UFO disclosures and covert strikes on Iran have in common? They are all part of the great distraction machine. Then, The Atlantic 's Franklin Foer joins the show to discuss his recent project, The Purged . The conversation examines the quiet catastrophe of the administration's dismantling of the civil service, and why replacing seasoned experts with partisan appointees leaves the government fundamentally broken. Plus, an analysis of a revealing Pew survey highlighting ...
May 13, 2026•37 min•Ep. 3014
Today on The Gist, breaking down how the UAE and Saudi Arabia have been secretly carrying out strikes on Iran, and what this means for U.S. ceasefire efforts, the global oil market, and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Then, bestselling author David Epstein returns to the show to discuss his new book, Inside The Box: How Constraints Make Us Better . The conversation dissects the myth that boundless freedom fuels creativity, examining the epic failure of the unconstrained tech startup Gener...
May 12, 2026•45 min•Ep. 3013
Today on the Gist, breaking down Energy Secretary Chris Wright's masterclass in dodging gas price predictions on Meet the Press amid the ongoing conflict with Iran. Then, The Dispatch 's Kevin Williamson joins the show to discuss the eccentric, radicalized, and "just about psychotic" state of Texas politics. They dive into the bitter Republican primary battle between incumbent Senator John Cornyn and the scandal-plagued Attorney General Ken Paxton, analyze the Democratic challengers, and explore...
May 11, 2026•46 min•Ep. 3012
On this Saturday crossover episode, Mikes recent guest spot on Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone takes center stage. Alongside Paula Poundstone and Adam Felber, the search is on for the current administration's ultimate political "kryptonite." The trio hilariously debates what it will actually take to move the needle with voters—from 4th amendment violations and congressional roundtables to the Epstein files and soaring gas prices. Listen to the entire episode Here: EP 408: Finding Kryptonite w...
May 09, 2026•35 min•Ep. 3011
Today on the Gist, why cruise ships are essentially floating vessels of exclusively bad news. Then, University of Chicago professor Benjamin A. Saltzman joins the show to discuss his book, Turning Away: The Poetics of an Ancient Gesture . He explores the artistic and emotional history of averting our gaze—and why looking away often signals profound engagement rather than indifference. Finally, in the Antwentig, a reality check on the gun control debate and the historical flaws in comparing it to...
May 08, 2026•41 min•Ep. 3010
Today on the Gist, the US intelligence assessment of the Iran blockade, and why the current administration lacks the attention span for a prolonged overseas conflict. Then, Dartmouth professor Russ Muirhead and Calm Down author Ben Dreyfuss join the panel for another round of Not Even Mad. The trio tackles the media's catastrophizing of political violence, the electoral baggage of RFK Jr.'s fringe health initiatives, and a radical proposal to fix Congress by expanding the House of Representative...
May 07, 2026•57 min•Ep. 3009
Today on the Gist, why ten-dollar words like "instantiation" might sound smart but ultimately fail to connect with an audience. Then, CBS News correspondent Jonathan Vigliotti joins the show to discuss his book, Torched: How a City Was Left to Burn and the Olympic Rush to Rebuild LA . He breaks down the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, the catastrophic absence of city leadership during the crisis, and how a desperate rush to prep for the Summer Games led to a dangerous, deregulated rebuild. Pr...
May 06, 2026•43 min•Ep. 3008
Today on the Gist, Robert F. Kennedy's initiative to get Americans off psychiatric medications and the political consequences of elevating fringe health issues. Then, Joseph Moore returns to discuss his book, How to Get Rich in American History . He breaks down the realities of economic mobility versus the "despair industrial complex," the difference between fast and slow time in wealth building, and how treating distressed real estate like a true business led to his own financial independence. ...
May 05, 2026•30 min•Ep. 3007
Today on the Gist, parsing terrible geology analogies about gas prices dropping "like a rock" when they are actually shooting up like a rocket. Then, Joseph S. Moore joins the show to discuss his book, How to Get Rich in American History: 300 Years of Financial Advice That Worked and Didn't . He details his personal journey from a broke history graduate student to financial success, and breaks down centuries of American financial schemes, from 19th-century paper currencies to the modern "despair...
May 04, 2026•38 min•Ep. 3006
Mike and Ethan Strauss joined to talk on Substack and they talked about Ethan's 4:00 a.m. "rise and grind" writing routine, the frustrating trend of "great writers, bad thinkers" across the media landscape, and the unique cultural heat that drives the WNBA's popularity. They also dive into the lost art of the "gamer," mourning the slow death of the rapid-fire, post-game sports recaps that once defined the industry. Produced by Corey Wara Video and Social Media by Geoff Craig Do you have question...
May 02, 2026•55 min•Ep. 3005
