The Gist

Today on the Gist, a look at the recent security incident at the White House Correspondents' Dinner and why Donald Trump's demand for a new White House ballroom draws striking parallels to his infamous border wall. Then, American journalist Suzy Hansen joins the show to discuss her new book, From Life Itself: Turkey, Istanbul, and a Neighborhood in the Age of Erdoğan. She details how a massive inf...

Today on the Gist, examining the confusing details and conspiracy theories surrounding the recent Washington press corps assailant. Then, Ted Dintersmith joins to discuss his book, Aftermath: The Life-Changing Math That Schools Won't Teach You. He explains why schools are stuck teaching outdated rote mechanics instead of crucial life concepts like compound interest, and what America can learn from...

Today on the Gist, reflecting on the president's black tie press conference remarks about accepting political violence, and why our media ecosystem consistently selects for radical sentiment over the sensible. Then, Richard Lapper, former Latin American editor for the Financial Times, joins the show to discuss his new book, Lula: The Man, the Myth, and a Dream of Latin America. A look into how Lul...

It's the Saturday show! First, we pull a recent appearance: Mike joins Jeff Maurer on the I Might Be Wrong podcast. They debate Mike's recent Free Press article, "What Kind of Autocrat Loses an Election?", dissecting the definition of authoritarianism, Viktor Orban’s defeat in Hungary, and whether pundits are overstating the threat to American democracy. Then, in the spiel, Mike dives into the dee...

Today on the Gist, the US and Iran are supposedly in peace talks, but the real terror might just be the Iranian Navy's choice of "loose ski masks." Then, Maya Kornberg from the Brennan Center for Justice joins the show to discuss her new book, Stuck: How Money, Media, and Violence Prevent Change in Congress . A look back at wave elections, like the class of '74 and the '94 Gingrich revolution, exp...

Today on the Gist, Mike is joined by Sarada Peri, former speechwriter for President Obama, and Sarah Isgur, senior editor at SCOTUSblog and author of Last Branch Standing , for a new installment of Not Even Mad. The trio discusses the Virginia redistricting vote, how concerning the "shadow docket" really is, and Kash Patel's lawsuit against The Atlantic. Finally, in Goat Grinders: boarding times,...

Today on the Gist, looking at the recent Virginia gerrymander vote and what it actually means for democracy when one side plays to win. Then, chess master and poker pro Jennifer Shahade joins the show to discuss her new book, Thinking Sideways: How to Think Like a Chess Player and Win at Life . We discuss why Donald Trump's political maneuvering might actually be a series of strategic "intermezzos...

Today on the Gist, exploring the consequences of relocating Afghan allies to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Then, Wall Street Journal China Bureau Chief Jonathan Cheng is back to discuss the complexities of reporting on a closed society like North Korea, the strategic thinking behind the Kim dynasty's ruthless tactics, and what it’s actually like to attend church in Pyongyang. He is the author...

Today on the Gist, looking at the dropping price of eggs and the DOJ's antitrust investigation into major producers for market manipulation. Then, Wall Street Journal China Bureau Chief Jonathan Cheng joins the show to discuss his new book, Korean Messiah: Kim Il Sung and the Christian Roots of North Korea's Personality Cult . He explains how Pyongyang was once known as the Jerusalem of the East a...

On this Saturday hybrid episode, Mike's recent guest appearance on Jeremy Hobson’s The Middle , where he pitches smartphone voting to fix low-turnout primaries and breaks down the domestic political fallout of the conflict in Iran. Then, we replay of Mondays spiel that examines the electoral defeat of Hungary's Viktor Orban to ask a simple question: what kind of autocrat actually loses an election...

Today on the Gist, pushing back against the pundit-class panic that American democracy is "on the brink." Then, host of the Chuck Toddcast, Chuck Todd joins the show to break down the psychological profile of the modern politician, explaining why the desperate need for public validation consistently elevates slick communicators over serious legislators. Todd and Mike also survey the 2026 Senate la...

Today on the gist, Mike examines the dark psychology of political permanence following the shocking murder-suicide of former Virginia Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax. SCOTUSblog editor Sarah Isgur returns to discuss the human element of the Supreme Court, explaining why the justices view themselves as consistent rather than hypocritical, why partisan "forum shopping" poses a far greater threat...

Today on The Gist, Sarah Isgur editor of SCOTUSblog and co-host of Advisory Opinions , joins to dismantle the media’s most persistent myths about a strictly partisan Supreme Court. Drawing from her new book, Last Branch Standing , Isgur explains the reality of the 3-3-3 court, why institutionalists clash with "chaos muppets," and why Justices Gorsuch and Kavanaugh rarely vote together despite havi...

Today on The Gist, the Hungarian language has 44 letters in its alphabet and exploring the origins of the name of Hungary's newly elected leader, Peter Magyar.  Vanderbilt professor Jacob Mchangama joins to continuing the conversation discussing the messy reality of combating misinformation and disinformation, warning that having the government define truth can be a dangerous game. Plus, breaking...

Donald Trump has accused the Pope of being weak on crime, despite the Vatican's famously nonexistent murder rate. Then, Vanderbilt professor Jacob Mchangama joins to discuss his new book, The Future of Free Speech . They discuss the global free speech recession, the sharp pivot from 90s techno-optimism to modern "elite panic," and why allowing the government to act as the final arbiter of truth is...

Today on The Gist. Mike drops in on Across the Movie Aisle with Sonny Bunch and Peter Suderman to dissect the hit medical drama, The Pitt . They dive into the structural triumphs of the Noah Wyle prestige series, the realities of Hollywood’s persistent "villain problem," and Mike’s ***hole patient tracker. Check out movieaisle.substack.com to get the rest of the episode! Produced by Corey Wara Vid...

Today on The Gist examining the rare pundit who advocates for the right policy even when it’s a proven election-loser, taking a cue from Matt Yglesias' Slow Boring newsletter to decode what politicians really mean when they talk about "spending political capital." Then, Matt Yglesias ( One Billion Americans ) and Richard Kreitner ( Break It Up ) square off over the ultimate fate of the country. Sh...

Today on a Not Even Mad, Mike is joined by political writer John Ganz and Reason’s Nick Gillespie to debate whether the ceasefire with Iran is a strategic victory for the regime or a result of Donald Trump’s bellicose rhetoric. The trio analyzes the New York Times reporting on JD Vance’s backseat skepticism and Trump’s habit of choosing airpower over long-term diplomacy. They also tackle the liber...

Today on The Gist, Mike explores the "innovation" of linguistic shifts, from the return of the "R-word" in the New York Times to the syllable-heavy expansion of terms like "unhoused" and "neurodivergent." Then, social psychologist Devon Price and author Freddie DeBoer join the show for a debate on the limits of the neurodiversity movement. They discuss the friction between seeing mental conditions...

Today on The Gist, Mike Pesca continues his conversation with The New York Times ’ Noam Scheiber about his book, Mutiny: The Rise and Revolt of the College-Educated Working Class . Mike challenges the notion that unions are on a massive upswing by comparing their cultural footprint to the niche appeal of vinyl records. They discuss how a generation of overqualified workers found strategic leverage...

Today on The Gist, Mike Pesca explores his history with labor unions, contrasting the time-and-a-half efficiency of NPR with the more complicated protections of WNYC. Then, The New York Times’ Noam Scheiber joins to discuss his new book, Mutiny: The Rise and Revolt of the College-Educated Working Class, and how a generation of overqualified workers is using their "class confidence" to unionize ser...

On the Saturday Show, Mike brings us an excerpt from his recent appearance on the Uncertain Things podcast with hosts Adaam and Vanessa. They kick things off by exploring Mesopotamian ghost-busting and ancient demons before they discuss how Hollywood actors unwittingly romanticize radical revolutions, why the Starbucks union prioritized sending militant tweets over negotiating higher wages, and Mi...

On today’s show, Mike offers an unreserved endorsement of comedian Raanan Hershberg and his new special, Morbidly Jewish . In this installment of Funny You Should Mention , the two discuss the trap of "normalizing the absurdity" in political comedy, the agony of naming a stand-up special, and Raanan's experience debating conspiracy theories on The Joe Rogan Experience . Plus, how Raanan managed to...

Today on The Gist, Mike is joined by Mark Oppenheimer to discuss his new book, Judy Blume, A Life . They dive into how Blume essentially invented middle-grade realism, her astronomical dominance of the book market in the '70s and '80s, and how she served as the perfect proxy for parents who were just too uncomfortable to have "the talk" with their kids. Plus, they explore the one messy topic the f...

Today on The Gist, ExxonMobil Chief Economist Tyler Goodspeed discusses his new book, Recession: The Real Reasons Economies Shrink and What to Do About It. Goodspeed argues that we fundamentally misunderstand economic busts. Because we are "pattern-seeking mammals," we try to frame recessions as the inevitable, moral punishments for greedy economic booms. But historically, economic downturns are a...