Slate News

How France changed its own laws to have the safest, most pervasively surveilled Olympics ever—and why some are worried the new security system will stay in place long after the games end. Guests:  Anne Toomey McKenna , professor, author, and expert in electronic surveillance. Henry Grabar, covering the Olympics in Paris for Slate. Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free...

It’s not just us feeling exhausted right? It’s been a totally wild past few weeks. That’s why we are taking off the next few weeks to bring you a special series we’re calling “The Law According to Trump.” Andrea Bernstein, the host of WNYC’s Trump Inc., will be stepping into the host chair for Dahlia Lithwick in the month of August to explain how the former president uses the law to his advantage,...

This week, the Slate Money team,  Felix Salmon ,  Emily Peck  and  Elizabeth Spiers  unpack the Rupert Murdoch family drama, some alleged stock manipulation, and Southwest Airlines’ latest policy change.   In Slate Plus, the crew unpack money transfers, and how  a little extra cash could change your life .   If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get...

For years, Silicon Valley has felt like a liberal enclave.. This election, a handful of powerful voices like Elon Musk and Peter Thiel are expressing support for the Trump-Vance ticket. Is this a shift in ideologies in Silicon Valley, or just a few of the loudest voices?  Guest:  Nitish Pahwa , associate writer for business and tech at Slate . Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to ac...

This week, hosts Emily Bazelon and John Dickerson are joined by Washington Post associate editor and columnist  Ruth Marcus . They President Joe Biden’s big step down, how the race is evolving with Kamala Harris stepping in as the presumptive nominee, and the fallout of the Secret Service.  Email your chatters, questions, and comments to  gabfest@slate.com . (Messages may be referenced by name unl...

Before announcing his exit, Joe Biden expressed interest in reforming the Supreme Court. But, in the spirit of re-balancing the three branches of government, isn’t that a job for Congress? Guest: Stephen Vladeck , professor at the Georgetown University Law Center and an expert on the federal courts and constitutional law. Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to...

Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned after the catastrophic security breakdown during a Trump rally in Butler, Penn. But the assassination attempt was only the latest Secret Service disaster, and the agency’s problems won’t be solved by a simple change in leadership. Guest: Abdallah Fayyad , policy correspondent at Vox . Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free l...

And just like that, it’s (almost definitely) Kamala. Her rise has fueled a whole species of internet memes—but the questions about her platform are serious. Guest: Scaachi Koul, Slate senior writer Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Fre...

For this Money Talks, lawyer/podcaster Peter Shamshiri , co-host of If Books Could Kill, reveals the secrets of junk nonfiction to host Emily Peck . He explains why “airport books” like The Secret, Hillbilly Elegy, and The Tipping Point tend to be rife with non-advice, pseudoscience, and outright junk, and what that means for our culture at large. He also tells how to get rich with your own crappy...

Just over three weeks ago, Joe Biden was heading to the stage to debate Donald Trump. Now, he’s out.  Guest: David Faris, Slate contributor , associate professor of political science at Roosevelt University and author of  It’s Time to Fight Dirty: How Democrats Can Build a Lasting Majority in American Politics .  Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole...

In the hours after the assassination attempt on Donald Trump, conspiracy theories started circulating all over social media, often amplified by powerful voices on both sides of the aisle. It shows a complete breakdown of trust in institutions during a critical election.  Guest: Drew Harwell, technology reporter at the Washington Post.  Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-...

John Dickerson talks with author Roland Allen about his new book,  The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper . They discuss the historical origins of notebooks, how to keep a notebook and their own personal journeys documenting their lives. If you enjoyed this conversation, you’ll love an exploration into John Dickerson’s notebooks with his  podcast Navel Gazing . Season one is out now. Tweet u...

So President Biden finally signaled an openness to maybe possibly thinking about Supreme Court reform. Too little, too late, perhaps - but also, desperately needed, certainly. The US Supreme Court views itself as separate and apart from all other courts - including international counterparts. What could Americans learn from other courts? One of the world’s most respected jurists, retired Canadian...

This week, as computers crash, computer makers are voting Trump. Felix Salmon , Emily Peck , and Elizabeth Spiers discuss the behind-the-scenes company behind the global tech shutdown, why Silicon Valley entrepreneurs like Trump and J.D. Vance, and why ESG has survived while DEI is in the dumps. For Slate Plus members: Why is the swimming pool market drying up? If you enjoy this show, please consi...

The biggest companies in the world are now tech companies, which is why the biggest antitrust, anti-monopoly fights in recent memory are centered around Silicon Valley.  Guest:  Jonathan Kanter, Assistant Attorney General, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite S...

This week, John Dickerson is joined by What Next host Mary Harris to discuss Donald Trump’s pick for vice president, the excitement at the Republican National Convention (and why they’re talking about a victory), and the aftermath of the Trump assassination attempt. Here are this week’s chatters: John: The television series, Shetland on BritBox Mary: The New York Times: “ 100 Best Books of the 21s...

With the presidential ticket set and the platform announced, the GOP of 2024 isn’t defined by fiscal conservatism and fighting to end abortion—although those issues are holding on, further down on the list.  So what are Republicans fighting for now?  Guest: Paul Farrow, county executive for Waukesha County, delegate at the RNC, former chair of the Wisconsin GOP. Want more What Next? Subscribe to S...

A perennial presidential battleground state, Wisconsin became a warning—or blueprint—for how one party can subvert democracy and keep power without winning more votes.  Does the Badger State hold any lessons about how to walk back a gerrymandered, minority rule?  Guest: Ari Berman, Mother Jones’ national voting rights correspondent and author of “ Minority Rule: The Right-Wing Attack on the Will o...

J.D. Vance, the Yale Law School graduate once hailed by the media as a white working class-whisperer, has been selected as Donald Trump’s running mate. But not too long ago, he was one of the former president’s critics. The former-Marine and San Francisco venture capitalist won over Trump with the hardline, America-first policies he championed in the Senate—and some serious groveling.  Guest: Jim...

The judge overseeing the stolen classified documents case at former President Trump’s Mar-A-Lago Club has dismissed the case, ruling that Jack Smith’s appointment as special counsel was unconstitutional. This decision will likely be appealed. It’s a big swing, on a Trump trial question that’s very possibly heading on a fast track up to the United States Supreme Court. That sinking feeling is becom...

Former president Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt Saturday during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. While the gunman has been identified, law enforcement have not offered a potential motivation for the attack. The incident comes at a time of heightened political violence, when more Americans think such acts are justifiable. Guests: Isaac Arnsdorf , national political reporter for The...

“Home diagnostics” are a $5 billion industry—and growing. Spurred by social media, people are buying into at-home health tests, without input from their doctors, and often, not even the FDA.   Guest:  Elizabeth Dwoskin, reporter for the Washington Post Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Su...

This week, older people are ditching the office. Felix Salmon , Emily Peck , and Elizabeth Spiers discuss what a retirement wave means for young workers left behind, why Gen X-ers aren’t financially prepared to retire, and the rise of non-disclosure agreements in everyday life. For the Plus segment: What’s so special about the $150,000 luxury guard dog? If you enjoy this show, please consider sign...

Administrative law may not sound sexy. And maybe that’s because it truly isn’t sexy. But it is at the very center of the biggest decisions this past Supreme Court term, and also widely misunderstood. In this week’s show, we asked Georgetown Law School’s Professor Lisa Heinzerling to come back to help hack through the thorny thicket of administrative law so we can more fully understand the ramifica...

Boeing just pled guilty to felony charges of defrauding the federal government, leading to millions of dollars in fines, and new, external oversight. Is this how the company finally turns it around? Guest:  Oriana Pawlyk , POLITICO’s aviation reporter. Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Su...