Political Gabfest

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon and John Dickerson discuss the Supreme Court decision requiring that government funding for private schools include religious ones, the January 6th hearings, and dissension at progressive organizations. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Jack Goldsmith for The New York Times: “ Prosecute Trump? Put Yourself in Merrick Garland’s Shoes. ”...

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon and John Dickerson discuss the January 6th hearings, Jason Furman on the economy, and debates among providers of gender-affirming medical care. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Michael Dorf for Dorf on Law: “ House Select Committee Hearing 2: Scoundrels, Patriots, and Collaborators ” Mona Charen for The Bulwark: “ Of Course Trump Is Re...

David Plotz, Emily Bazelon and John Dickerson discuss Tuesday’s primaries, the economy (is it as bad as we all think it is?), and are joined by Susan Matthews to talk Slow Burn: Roe v. Wade.  Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Nellie Bowles for the Atlantic: “ How San Francisco Became a Failed City ” Emily Bazelon for the New York Times: “ America Almost Took a Different Pat...

David Plotz, Emily Bazelon and John Dickerson discuss the response to the Uvalde shooting, Biden’s plan for student loan forgiveness, and a bunch of ignored subpoenas.  Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Jillian Peterson and James Densley, interviewed by Melanie Warner for Politico: “ Two Professors Found What Creates a Mass Shooter. Will Politicians Pay Attention? ” Here’s...

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 Need to set u...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 De...

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 Bez...

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. Need to set up your Slate Plus feed? If y...

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 ” M...

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 Tripl...

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 Guardi...

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 Daughter...

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 Jo...

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 t...

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....

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:...

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...

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 , b...

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.) Pod...

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 G...

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...