The Gist - podcast cover

The Gist

Peach Fish Productionswww.mikepesca.com
For thirty minutes each day, Pesca challenges himself and his audience, in a responsibly provocative style, and gets beyond the rigidity and dogma. The Gist is surprising, reasonable, and willing to critique the left, the right, either party, or any idea.

Episodes

The Homeless Can’t Stay Home

On the Gist, a virtual, but actual NFL draft. In the interview, Mike talks with Josh Dean, the executive director of Human.NYC, a homeless advocacy group, about their Covid-19 campaign #HomelessCantStayHome, and the solutions officials aren’t taking to move the most vulnerable off the street, out of shelters, and into vacant hotel rooms during this unprecedented time. In the spiel, infections at the polls. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. ...

Apr 24, 202031 min

Good News, Bad News

On the Gist, we’re not all in the same boat. In the second part of Mike’s interview with Dr. J. Alex Navarro, the co-editor-in-chief of The American Influenza Epidemic of 1918-1919 : A Digital Encyclopedia, they discuss politicians who, at the time, refused to comply to closure orders, and how Woodrow Wilson’s response was somewhat removed. In the spiel, the mayor of Las Vegas and concerning ideas show on television. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margar...

Apr 23, 202026 min

Social Distance a Century Ago

On the Gist, Trump’s always politicizing at pressers. In the first half of a 2-part interview, Mike talks with Dr. J. Alex Navarro, the co-editor-in-chief of The American Influenza Epidemic of 1918-1919 : A Digital Encyclopedia. Navarro explains how citizens responses 100 years ago weren’t that different from now; there was extreme compliance and tension on the ground. Yes, there were anti-maskers in 1918. In the spiel, what if we weren’t at each other’s throat’s all the time? Email us at thegis...

Apr 22, 202037 min

Too Much Oil Anyway

On the Gist, Trump doesn’t understand sizes of countries. In the interview, economist Joseph Stiglitz is here to talk about the economic impact of the coming recession. He and Mike discuss ways the government could distribute support funds better, how long it might take us to recover from such high unemployment, and what history tells us about potential growth post-recession. Stiglitz’s latest book is People, Power, and Profits: Progressive Capitalism for an Age of Discontent. In the spiel, crud...

Apr 21, 202034 min

Who’s Worth Protecting?

On the Gist, swimming pool fatalities. In the interview, Mikes talks with Michigan State University President, Dr Samuel Stanley, Jr about the actions he took in response to COVID-19 not just as the head of a Big 10 school, but also as a leading infectious diseases expert. Stanley discusses shifting faculty and students to remote learning in short order, housing those that must remain on campus residence halls and apartments, and how the Spartans might handle empty stadiums and a reduction in re...

Apr 18, 202035 min

Listening to Quarantunes

On the Gist, Trump’s most recent briefing. In the interview, journalist Adam Cohen is here to discuss his new book Supreme Inequality: The Supreme Court’s Fifty-Year Battle for a More Unjust America. He and Mike talk about the ways the court has changed, Nixon and the poor, and how corporations factor into it all. In the spiel, coronavirus parody songs. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoic...

Apr 17, 202038 min

The Real Safety of Shelter-in-Place

On the Gist, Trump’s most recent briefing. In the interview, John Burn-Murdoch of the Financial Times is here to discuss data visualization and the COVID-19 outbreak. He and Mike talk about the useful ways to analyze data, why countries are often too large to be helpful samples, and what the data says about the future. In the spiel, South Dakota’s Gov. Noem failure to prevent an outbreak at a pork plant in her state. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. L...

Apr 16, 202032 min

Don’t Believe Slogans

On the Gist, Bernie endorsing Biden. In the interview, Dr. Miranda Yaver, a political scientist at UCLA’s Fielding School of Public Health, joins Mike to discuss the political consequences of the coronavirus. Dr. Yaver explains how protecting public health is integral to democracy. She also weighs speculation on how the Supreme Court will rule on abortion. In the spiel, slogans aren’t helpful. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad ...

Apr 15, 202037 min

Preparing Weinstein for Prison

On the Gist, the coronavirus task force. In the interview, it’s the second part of Mike’s conversation with Craig Rothfeld of Inside Outside Ltd., a prison consulting firm which helps clients navigate the brutal reality of life behind bars. Craig goes into detail about why he sought advice from multiple rabbis and female family members before engaging with his most famous client - Harvey Weinstein - and he explains why nobody gets special treatment once incarcerated. In the spiel, when can the e...

Apr 14, 202035 min

The Comfort of Knowledge

On the Gist, antibody tests. In the interview, it turns out Mike grew up with Harvey Weinstein’s prison consultant, Craig Rothfeld. In this episode they discuss how Craig ended up in prison, his experiences there, and why he became a prison consultant afterward. Our next episode will focus on his experience working with Harvey Weinstein. In the spiel, finding comfort in the facts we know about coronavirus. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more a...

Apr 11, 202038 min

Coronavirus Conspiracy

Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence. Sign up now to listen and support our work. On the Gist, hydroxychloroquine isn’t like snake oil. In the interview, Mike talks with Slate's National Correspondent, Will Saletan about what Donald Trump needs to win in the upcoming elections. Saletan's humble prediction in the time of Covid-19 is that the president would need to persuade the American public that his incompetence and the outbreak a...

Apr 10, 202034 min

Sanders Was Too Consistent

Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence. Sign up now to listen and support our work. On the Gist, oversight is a funny word. In the interview, Mike talks with journalist and creator of the Killing Eve novellas, Luke Jennings about adapting his British cat-and-mouse thriller series Killing Eve for television. They discuss the character’s feminine gaze, why he self-published some of the novellas, and how Villanelle would be dealing with ...

Apr 09, 202032 min

Stop Saying the Virus Doesn’t Care

On the Gist, Trump is a terrible communicator. In the interview, journalist Clarence Page is here to talk with Mike about the 2020 election and the Black vote. They discuss how political commentary has changed over the years, why generations of Black voters are connecting differently with Biden and Bernie, and how to bridge that divide. In the spiel, the virus doesn’t care but America still does. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ...

Apr 08, 202033 min

Making Chemicals Partisan

On the Gist, Peter Navarro and partisan chemical compounds. In the interview, Mike talks with Charlotte Alter. national correspondent at Time covering the 2020 elections, about her new book, The Ones We’ve Been Waiting For: How A Generation of Leaders Will Transform America. They discuss her deeply reported analysis of the 2016 elections, the youth vote, and why political experiences when young have a lifelong impact on a person’s politics. In the spiel, tigers and other post-coronavirus problem...

Apr 06, 202034 min

Miami and Mayor Suarez’s Plasma

Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence. Sign up now to listen and support our work. On the Gist, Trump and Pence can’t be honest with the public. In the interview, Miami Mayor Frances Suarez has fully recovered after testing positive for the COVID-19 virus, and now is donating his plasma for use in an experimental treatment. He talks with Mike about his experience, what Miami’s reaction to the pandemic has been, and what he’s doing to...

Apr 04, 202029 min

Republicans in Christian Clothing

On the Gist, nobody does it better. In the interview, Mike talks with Katherine Stewart about her new book, The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism. They discuss how the political ideology from the right wing cloaks itself in religious rhetoric, who in the Trump cabinet is part of movement, and how it inhibits the administration’s response to the coronavirus crisis. In the spiel, maybe Loeffler and Burr aren’t guilty of insider trading. Slate Plus members get bo...

Apr 03, 202034 min

You Can’t Just Cancel Rent

Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence. Sign up now to listen and support our work. On the Gist, Florida’s finally doing the right thing. In the interview, Jamil Zaki is here to talk with Mike about kindness during the COVID-19 crisis. He and Mike discuss studies on reactions to crises, how this time will bring us together, and what we need to do to embrace more empathy. Zaki’s latest book is The War for Kindness: Building Empathy in ...

Apr 02, 202034 min

Are the Extroverts OK?

Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence. Sign up now to listen and support our work. On the Gist, let the experts speak. In the interview, Mike speaks with three self-identified extroverts about what it’s like to live in isolation. Amanda Mull of the Atlantic, author Stephen Witt, and host of the Unorthodox podcast Mark Oppenheimer, join Mike to talk about how stifling it can be to remain indoors, how they’re coping, and what they plan...

Apr 01, 202034 min

Improvising the Presidency

On the Gist, Trump steering away from the rocks for once. In the interview, Mike talks with John Dickerson of CBS News about what it takes to be a good American leader. They discuss how Trump’s personal habits have led him to be unprepared for the coronavirus crisis, why Americans are addicted to the presidency, and what might happen to the concept of American leadership if he gets a second term in office. Dickerson’s upcoming books is The Hardest Job in the World: The American Presidency. In th...

Mar 30, 202034 min

Corona Stimulus Dissenters

Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence. Sign up now to listen and support our work. On the Gist, Dr. Mark Siegel is at it again on Fox. In the interview, Mike speaks with the Globe and Mail’s health reporter André Picard about the Canadian response to COVID-19. They discuss the ways it differs from the US response, how their government and media outlets are handling it, and lessons to be learned. In the spiel, a corona quorum. Email u...

Mar 28, 202033 min

Isolation in the Nation

On the Gist, Trump knows Tom Brady. In the interview, Mike talks with Kate Greene, crew writer and second-in-command of the first HI-SEAS simulated mission to Mars. They discuss Greene’s experience during her four months living in the dome, how micro-stimuli can be overcome, and why astronauts love Tabasco hot sauce. Her essay collection, Once Upon a Time I Lived on Mars, will be published by St. Martin’s Press in July. In the spiel, it’s not if your community has a coronavirus outbreak, it’s wh...

Mar 27, 202031 min

Assessing the Risk of COVID-19

Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence. Sign up now to listen and support our work. On the Gist, we’ve been mean to the elderly. In the interview, Ian Bremmer, political analyst and president of the Eurasia Group, is here to talk with Mike about how to assess the risk of the coronavirus pandemic. They discuss the ways countries with different forms of government have reacted, Trump’s role in all this, and why the US is so isolation av...

Mar 26, 202041 min

Trump’s Dangerous Optimism

On the Gist, how to stay out of the ICU. In the interview, Mike talks with Andy Slavitt, former head of Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act for the Obama Administration, about why the US was less prepared for a pandemic like COVID-19. They discussed why high un-insured rates, high co-pay costs, and low medical capacity make the country as a whole more vulnerable. In the spiel, foolish optimism about COVID-19. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up no...

Mar 25, 202031 min

Making Outbreak Models

Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence. Sign up now to listen and support our work. On the Gist, state governments need help. In the interview, Dr. Jeffrey Shaman of Columbia University talks about his research modeling potential outbreaks, which is featured in the recent New York Times story, “Coronavirus Could Overwhelm U.S. Without Urgent Actions, Estimates Say.” Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

Mar 23, 202034 min

Coronavirus Contrarianism Is a Health Risk

Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence. Sign up now to listen and support our work. On the Gist, Trump thinks Peter Alexander is a bad journalist. In the interview, Mike talks with MSNBC analyst and Daily Beast columnist Jonathan Alter about how Trump could position himself as a two-term president. They discuss how a leader in crisis should be conducting himself, examples of great leaders in moments of crisis, and how the economy’s no...

Mar 21, 202036 min

Convincing in Crisis

On the Gist, Trump’s press conference. In the interview, Maria Konnikova is back to talk with Mike about persuasion. They discuss the best and worst tactics for convincing people of something the don’t believe, and why it will make us feel better to try even if we fail. Maria’s latest book is The Confidence Game. In the spiel, why governing less isn’t a virtue in a crisis. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcas...

Mar 20, 202035 min

We Need a Government Bail-Out

Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence. Sign up now to listen and support our work. On the Gist, our slow government. In the interview, In the interview, Mike talks to CEO of Three Uncanny Four and creator of Planet Money Adam Davidson about the impact of the coronavirus crisis on the US economy. They discuss the tools the Fed has to stimulate the economy, how deep of a recession we’re heading toward, and why the government needs to s...

Mar 19, 202031 min

Halt the Vote?

On the Gist, the election mess in Ohio. In the interview, Richard Hasen, legal expert and professor at the UC Irvine School of Law, is here to discuss closing the polls in Ohio, the legal implications of how that decision was made, and why we need emergency plans in place for elections. Hasen’s new book is Election Meltdown. In the spiel, desperate times call for desperate compliments. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices....

Mar 17, 202032 min

We Don’t Need a Revolution

On the Gist, the war against invisible enemies. In the interview, Mike spoke with Dr. Fred Buckner of the University of Washington about how hospitals are dealing with COVID-19, who is and isn’t being hospitalized, and the important things we need to do during this pandemic. The resource site that the University of Washington has created can be found here. In the spiel, how governors across the country are dealing with the coronavirus crisis. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free pod...

Mar 16, 202036 min

Trump’s Gaffes Are a Virus

On the Gist, the president is a disastrous communicator. In the interview, Mike speaks with his friend Luke Burbank, host of Live Wire Radio and Too Beautiful to Live, about what it’s like in the Seattle area right now. They discuss travel, how this might affect podcasts, and even exchange a few laughs. In the spiel, we need your help listeners. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 13, 202037 min