Slate News

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the problems with issue polling and issues with political journalism; the chaos and conflict of Sam Altman and OpenAI; and the failure of the Oslo Accords and perpetual struggle between Israel and Palestine. Send us your Conundrums: submit them at  slate.com/conundrum . And join us in-person or online with our special guest –  The L...

The war in Gaza has laid bare some deep fault lines within the Democratic party when it comes to Israel policy. How might that impact next year’s elections? Guest: Alex Sammon , Slate politics writer.  If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and yo...

OpenAI was the hottest startup in Silicon Valley off the success of ChatGPT. Then, the board fired Sam Altman.  Guest: Mike Isaac , technology reporter at the New York Times. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work...

Over the past few years, ultra-conservative activists took aim at school boards, trying to shape curriculums to match their beliefs. But this year, from Pennsylvania to Iowa, “parental rights candidates” lost handily. What happened? Guest: Adam Laats , Professor of Education and History at Binghamton University. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members...

In the first episode of Slate Money Goes to the Movies, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck and Elizabeth Spiers talk with Joe Nocera, author of “ The Big Fail ” about Dumb Money. Can you make a good movie about something that happened two years ago? What’s it like to watch the COVID pandemic on the big screen? Who made money in the GameStop craze?  If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slat...

The bedbug break-out during Paris fashion week this fall was obviously horrifying, but the bad news doesn’t stop there. Bedbugs are on the rise—and on the move. Guest: Benji Jones, senior environmental reporter at Vox. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dea...

This week, Felix Salmon , Emily Peck , and Elizabeth Spiers chat with Ed Conway, economics and data editor of Sky News, whose new book “ Material World ” tells how a handful of everyday resources built civilization — and remain incredibly important today. Also: the astounding secrets of car paint…and why new cars look like mud. Podcast production by Patrick Fort and Jared Downing. Hosted on Acast....

Donald J Trump is signaling a split with the conservative legal movement’s kingmakers, The Federalist Society. Instead, the presumptive Republican Presidential nominee is planning a radical (and radically lawless) remaking of American government in his image.  On this week’s show, Dahlia Lithwick is joined by Amanda Hollis Brusky, professor of politics at Pomona College and author of  Ideas with C...

Emily Bazelon talks with cartoonist  James Sturm , about his new graphic novel adaptation of  Watership Down . They discuss what makes the animal characters so compelling, going tharn[MOU1] , where  Watership Down  fits in the literary tradition, and so much more. Tweet us your questions  @SlateGabfest  or email us at  gabfest@slate.com . (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipula...

Girls at a New Jersey high school were early victims of a novel and growing problem: their images were taken from social media without consent to create “deep-fake pornography.”  Guest: Julie Jargon , Wall Street Journal family and tech columnist. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of...

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss Joe Manchin’s departure from the U.S. Senate and what it means for the Democratic majority, No Labels, and the 2024 presidential race; the Supreme Court’s new code of conduct and whether it’s worthless; and the Israel-Hamas war and how it’s affecting Democratic politics. You can be a part of the show: submit your Conundrum at  slate...

As Palestinian allies like Hezbollah and Iran voice their support, is there a danger of more countries being pulled into the war in Gaza?  Guest: Gregory Gause , head of the Department of International Affairs at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University, specialist in Middle East politics. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate...

If you want to imagine what Donald Trump’s second presidential term would look like, look at what he left unfinished from his first—and listen to his long list of personal grievances. Guest: Susan Glasser , staff writer at The New Yorker, co-author of The Divider , a history of Donald Trump in the White House. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members ge...

A Jewish writer and Muslim journalist sit down to discuss the power dynamics, tribalism, and role of empathy in a far-away conflict that hits close to home in America.  Guests: Aymann Ismail , Slate staff writer Emily Tamkin , writer and author of The Influence of Soros and Bad Jews . If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads o...

Andy Beshear, Kentucky’s Democratic governor, maintained a Biden-like moderate image and rode it to victory in this year’s election. His state knows him best as the “infrastructure governor”—but his support for abortion rights might be the biggest takeaway for other Democrats staring down challenging 2024 races. Guest: John Nichols , national affairs correspondent for The Nation. If you enjoy this...

In the first episode of Slate Money’s Travel series, Felix Salmon talks with The New York Times’ Lydia Polgreen about her time as a foreign correspondent and big-time business exec. What was it like to carry $10,000 in cash? And how buttery is the leather on a private jet?  If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the ne...

A review website became suddenly flush with new bylines, right as the newsroom was negotiating with management. But information on their new contributors was hard to find—were they people at all, or was this the first clumsy incursion of A.I. into their newsroom? Guest: Will Sommer , Washington Post media reporter If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus member...

If we are to take Donald J. Trump seriously (and at this stage it’s surely a fool’s errand not to), then the rule of law and democracy are on the line if (when) he becomes the Republican nominee for 2024. What role will the former President’s many many legal woes play in the coming months? A clearer picture is emerging after testimony for the prosecution wrapped in the civil fraud trial against Tr...

This week, Felix Salmon , Emily Peck , and Elizabeth Spiers are joined by Rob Copeland of The New York Times to discuss his new book The Fund: Ray Dalio, Bridgewater Associates, and the Unraveling of a Wall Street Legend , which examines the vast difference between Ray Dalio’s public persona and Bridgewater’s private reality. Then, Felix, Emily and Elizabeth cover the end of the SAG-AFTRA strike,...

In late October, Tesla mechanics in Sweden began to strike after the company refused to sign a collective agreement. This week, the country's other major unions joined in the fight as well.  Can Sweden’s robust labor culture force Tesla to make concessions?  Guest: Melissa Eddy , Berlin correspondent for the New York Times.  If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate...

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the 2023 election results and Democratic wins in Ohio, Virginia, and Kentucky; President Joe Biden’s numbers in recent polls and the youth vote; and U.S. v. Rahimi at the Supreme Court, the 2nd Amendment and gun control, and the history and tradition test. And you can be a part of the show: submit your Conundrum at slate.com/conundr...

When Donald Trump took the stand in his civil trial in New York this week, maybe he wasn’t trying to convince the judge who will decide this case—maybe he was playing for the MAGA audience outside, who will be headed to the polls in a year.   Guest: Barbara McQuade , law professor at the University of Michigan and a former U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan.  If you enjoy this show...

A month after the October 7 attack by Hamas, how do Israelis view what happened, their country, neighbors, and the future? Guest: Iris Zaki , Israeli filmmaker whose latest, ‘ I Don’t Have That Empathy. It’s Not in Me Anymore.’ What Israeli Survivors Believe Now , was featured in the New York Times. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits...

Since the overturn of Roe v. Wade, reproductive rights have remained popular among voters—even in red states like Ohio. As the state votes today on whether to add the right to an abortion to the state constitution, the Ohio GOP has been trying to reframe the issue. Guest: Carter Sherman, reproductive health and justice reporter at The Guardian. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up fo...

As Mitt Romney heads into retirement, is the idea of a moderate Republican being retired as well? Guest: McKay Coppins , staff writer at The Atlantic, author of Romney: A Reckoning If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting th...