Political Gabfest

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...

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...

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...

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 Confu...

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 Ma...

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...

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...

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’...

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 Pres...

Emily, John and David discuss the Supreme Court's consideration of Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization with guest Ross Douthat. The Political Gabfest hosts also talk about how best to approach the news of the Omicron variant, and why the Cuomo brothers’ scandals matter. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Diana Greene Foster for The New York Times: “ What Happens When...

Emily, John and David talk about whether President Biden ought to run in 2024, the Rittenhouse verdict and former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull joins the Gabfest to talk about international relations with China. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Edward-Isaac Dovere and Jasmine Wright for CNN: “ Exasperation and Dysfunction: Inside Kamala Harris' Frustrating Start as Vice...

John, Emily and David discuss Biden’s approval numbers, authoritarianism on the rise, and they are joined by author Jay Caspian Kang to talk about his new book, The Loneliest Americans. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: FiveThirtyEight, Latest Polls  Isaac Chotiner for the New Yorker: “ Can Biden’s Agenda Survive Inflation? ” Jason Furman for the Wall Street Journal: “ ​​Bi...

John and David are joined by guest host Ruth Marcus to discuss Biden’s infrastructure win, Trump’s January 6 obstruction, and the Rittenhouse trial. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Adie Tomer, Joseph W. Kane, Caroline George, and Andrew Bourne, for The Brookings Institution: “ America Has An Infrastructure Bill. What Happens Next? ” Ruth Marcus for the Washington Post: “...

John Dickerson talks with Kirsten Powers about her new book Saving Grace: speak your truth, stay centered and learn to coexist with people who drive you nuts. Powers offers advice about on how to navigate the toxic divisions within our culture without compromising personal convictions and emotional well-being. Kirsten Powers  is a New York Times bestselling author, USA Today columnist, and senior...

NYTimes columnist Ross Douthat joins the show to help untangle the implications of the off-year elections and John, Emily and David discuss the Supreme Court arguments on abortion in Texas and guns in New York. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: The Deep Places: A Memoir of Illness and Discovery , by Ross Douthat Emily Bazelon for The New York Times: “ It’s Amy Coney Barrett...

Emily, John and David talk about the Facebook Papers; Building Back (somewhat) Better; and are joined by author Pamela Paul to talk about the trivial and serious sides of her new book: 100 Things We've Lost to the Internet. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Casey Newton for Platformer on Substack: “ How The American Internet Is Turning European ” Farhad Manjoo for The New Y...

Emily, John and David discuss Steve Bannon’s contempt of Congress, supply chain woes, and Americans pro-actively leaving their jobs. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Jordan Weissmann for Slate: “ The Absolute Simplest Explanation for America’s Supply Chain Woes ” David J. Lynch for The Washington Post: “ Inside America’s Broken Supply Chain ” Derek Thompson for The Atlanti...

Emily, John and David discuss the ways that U.S. democracy is in peril, the Democrats‘ strategy woes, and they are joined by author Andrea Elliott to talk about her new book Invisible Child. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Ezra Klein for The New York Times: “ David Shor Is Telling Democrats What They Don’t Want to Hear ” Jamelle Bouie for The New York Times: “ Bill Clinto...

Emily and John are joined by guest host Mary Harris (host of What Next ) to talk about the dangerous debt ceiling games; blowing the whistle on Facebook; and new revelations about January 6th and the plan to overturn the election. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Wall Street Journal: The Facebook Files Wall Street Journal: The Facebook Files, A Podcast Series Nathaniel Per...

John, Emily and David discuss the fate of the Build Back Better agenda; vaccine mandates working; and journalist Caitlin Dickerson helps explain the recent U.S. immigration actions and to identify some fresh strategies for change. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Jamelle Bouie for The New York Times: “ It’s All or Nothing for These Democrats, Even if That Means Biden Fails...

Emily, John and David discuss what it will take to save the Biden agenda, the abortion doctor's defiance of the Texas ban; and true crime mania. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Josh Marshall for Talking Points Memo: “ Policy vs Positioning Has Dems in a Stalemate ” Michael Dorf for Dorf on Law: “ Texas Could Not Get Away With This Absent SCOTUS-Created Limits On Constitut...

Emily, John and David discuss the Biden’s administration’s vaccine rule, the legitimacy of the Supreme Court, and the new book from Bob Woodward and Robert Costa. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Isaac Stanley-Becker for The Washington Post: “ Top General Was So Fearful Trump Might Spark War That He Made Secret Calls To His Chinese Counterpart, New Book Says ” Peril , by B...

Emily, John and David reflect on 9/11; the fight for the infrastructure agenda, and declining college enrollment among men. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Garrett M. Graff for the Atlantic: “ After 9/11, the U.S. Got Almost Everything Wrong ” The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 , by Garrett M. Graff Ady Barkan for The New York Times: “ Home Care Keeps Me A...

John, Emily and David discuss SCOTUS letting the Texas abortion ban go into effect; the Afghanistan exit; and Dr. Atul Gawande joins the show to explain how Costa Rica has surpassed US life expectancy by getting serious about public health.  Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Atul Gawande for the New Yorker: “ Costa Ricans Live Longer Than Us. What’s the Secret? ” Here’s th...

Jamelle, Emily and David discuss the Afghanistan evacuation, starting school during delta, and the path forward for infrastructure. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Jamelle Bouie for the New York Times: “ $1 Trillion Isn’t as Much as It Sounds ”  Here’s this week’s chatter: Jamelle: Godzilla: The Album Emily: Jessica Stoya for Slate: “ What We Can Really Learn From the Onl...