The Gist

On the Gist, guns in the U.K. and the U.S. In the interview, we share part two of our conversation with Barry Friedman , founder of the Policing Project at NYU Law , author and legal scholar. Friedman suggests that a hurdle to creating new policies and training is the lack of accountability and uniform data gathering processes provided from police departments around the country. The central idea t...

On the Gist, Karens receiving informal justice. In the interview, Mike speaks with Barry Friedman , one of two investigators appointed by New York State Attorney General Letitia James to investigate the NYPD's actions in protest activity. Founder of the Policing Project at NYU Law , Friedman is a legal scholar and author. In part one of the conversation, Professor Friedman discusses backend versus...

On the Gist, crime in unpoliced camps. In the interview, comedian Tom Papa is here to talk with Mike about his new book You're Doing Great! and his Netflix special of the same name. He and Mike discuss the choice of happiness, getting stuck, and why we should listen to young people more. In the spiel, cancel culture. Email us at thegist@slate.com Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret...

On the Gist, Trump at Mount Rushmore. In the interview, making a strong case for reparations among descendants of enslaved African Americans is economist William Darity, Jr in his new book, From Here to Equality: Reparations for Black Americans in the Twenty-First Century . Darity suggests that that in order to close the racial wealth disparities, America must confront injustices and offer a detai...

On the Gist, the greatness that will remain long after we're gone. In the interview, we present part two of Mike's conversation with John McWhorter on the linguistics of race, defining 'Defund the Police,' and how words we use today will morph over time. WcWhorter is the host of Lexicon Valley and a professor at Columbia University. Find his most recent piece in the Atlantic: " The Dictionary Defi...

On the Gist, the McCloskeys in Missouri. In the first part of this two-part interview, John McWhorter is here to dig into definitions with Mike. They discuss how the meanings of racism and white supremacy have changed over the years, and what that says about the ways culture is shifting. McWhorter is the host of Lexicon Valley , and his latest piece is " The Dictionary Definition of Racism Has to...

On the Gist, there is no question these men needed to breathe. In the interview, Maria Konnikova is back for "Is That Bullshit?" She and Mike discuss the scientific preprints published on Covid-19 and call out the credible and those rife with misinformation. How can you trust them? Maria's newest book called The Biggest Bluff , is already a New York Times bestseller. In the spiel, how Trump consum...

On the Gist, paying the Taliban and not believing the New York Times. In the interview, the around-the-clock news cycle turns 40 years old this summer. With the advent of cable television and a bright idea from an American media mogul, CNN was born. Journalist and author, Lisa Napoli, talks with Mike about her unauthorized biography , Up All Night: Ted Turner, CNN, and the Birth of 24-Hour News ,...

On the Gist, Disney's Splash Mountain. In part two of their interview, Mike continues to talk with Matthew Barge about the failure of police departments to gather data and statistics that would help create and enforce meaningful policing policy change. Barge is a lawyer, a principal consultant with 21CP Solutions , and federal court-appointed monitor overseeing federal consent decrees in Cleveland...

On the Gist, Biden is in the lead. In the first part of a two-part interview, Mike talks with police practices and civil rights expert Matthew Barge about how policy has failed to change how law enforcement agencies police communities, how police unions have played a huge role in where we find ourselves now, and what role consent decrees play in changing police behavior. Barge is a lawyer, a princ...

On the Gist, interruption by ring knocking. In the interview, Mike is joined by Lawrence Douglas, author of Will He Go?: Trump and the Looming Election Meltdown in 2020 , a page-turning book of what-ifs and premonitions of constitutional chaos if Trump decides to give America a hard time at the end of his term. Douglas is the James J. Grosfeld Professor of Law, Jurisprudence and Social Thought at...

On the Gist, refocusing our attention to local democracy. In the interview, Mike talks with Seth Stevenson, author of Grounded: A Down to Earth Journey Around the World and host of Slate's newest business podcast Thrilling Tales of Modern Capitalism . Seth's new podcast delves into the backstories of iconic brand, from Purell to Victoria's Secret, and he joins Mike to talk about Carnival Cruises,...

On the Gist, lack of humor in the Trump administration. In the interview, Mike talks with Maria Konnikova, star of our bi-weekly segment "Is That Bullshit ?" This time, however, Maria is here to discuss her newest book about becoming a professional poker player. Already a New York Times bestseller , it's called The Biggest Bluff . In the spiel, "yuge" crowd psychology. Email us at thegist@slate.co...

On the Gist, Trump's ignorance. In the interview, Mike talks with Josh Levin, Slate's national editor. A co-host of the sports podcast Hang Up and Listen, Levin is also the author of The Queen: The Forgotten Life Behind an American Myth . Mike and Josh discuss Levin's latest audio project as host of Season 4 of Slow Burn , which over the course of several episodes, dissects David Duke's rise into...

On the Gist, an officer cooperates. In the interview, Mike talks with co-host of Slate's Political Gabfest, CBS 60 Minutes correspondent and contributing editor at the Atlantic, John Dickerson. His new book on the American Presidency, The Hardest Job In The World , details that there are no blueprints around the challenges of governing, and how we need to evaluate candidates and nominees for the j...

On the Gist, fireworks and progress. In the interview, Mike talks with data scientist Jeffery Morris of the University of Pennsylvania. They talk data analysis and models related to Covid-19, his predictions for states' reopening, and his interpretations of updated CDC guidelines. You can follow his work at his site Covid-19 Data Science . In the spiel, Asian borders. Email us at thegist@slate.com...

On the Gist, Trump doesn't want to confront sins, he would rather perpetuate them. In the interview, Mike talks with incumbent Rep. Don Bacon from Nebraska's 2nd District about how Covid-19 has altered his campaign strategy leading up to the election. They also discuss the protesting and looting in Omaha, as well as his recent statement following Gen. Mattis' piece published in the Atlantic. Havin...

On the Gist, the stock market is on a coronavirus coaster. In the interview, Dr. Christina Greer of Fordham University is here to talk with Mike about politics and police reform. They discuss Joe Biden, if police unions should continue to exist, and what the future of policing could look like. Greer is the host of FAQ NYC . In the spiel, a good-faith effort to hear out the bad-faith arguments. Ema...

On the Gist, dominating the streets with compassion. In the interview, John Pfaff , professor of law and criminology at Fordham University and author of Locked In: The True Causes of Mass Incarceration-and How to Achieve Real Reform , joins Mike to talk about police reformation, and why politicians touting low crime under their watches could lead to more dysfunction. As one of the foremost experts...

On the Gist, Mississippi. In the interview, Ben Smith from the New York Times is here to discuss the recent ousting of editor James Bennet over an op-ed by Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas. They talk about the cultural divides it highlighted, what it means for the Times, and the future of opinion on the internet. Smith's latest piece is " Inside the Revolts Erupting in America's big Newsroom...

On the Gist, the anti-ANTIFA provocateur in Buffalo, NY. In the interview, Emily Oster, professor of economics at Brown University and NY Times bestselling author of Cribsheet and Expecting Better , joins Mike to talk about kids' summer camps, weighing options as states begin to reopen, and assessing risk when it comes to coronavirus. In the spiel, de Blasio tries again. Email us at thegist@slate....

On the Gist, does Barr know what chemicals are? In the interview, New York Times opinion columnist and CBS News political analyst Jamelle Bouie joins Mike to talk race and policing in America. His latest column is, " The Police Are Rioting. We Need to Talk About It. " In the spiel, defining police reformation. Email us at thegist@slate.com Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley...

On the Gist, Joey Baloney. In the interview, New School Professor and MSNBC contributor, Maya Wiley is here. She is also the former chair of the NYC Civilian Complaint Review Board - an independent oversight agency of the NYPD. She and Mike talk about how civilians and police officers hold the force accountable, how they've failed and the level of complaints they take seriously. In the spiel, can...

On the Gist, what's happening in Omaha. In the interview, Slate's Joel Anderson is here to talk with Mike about the parallels between the current protests and those in Ferguson, MO. They discuss the different tactics used by activists and police, how Ferguson organizers have now grown into leaders of a movement, and dissect why people loot. Email us at thegist@slate.com Podcast production by Danie...

On the Gist, Mark Esper's lost honor. In the interview, Fr. James Martin , a Jesuit priest, author, and the editor-at-large of America magazine, a journal of faith and culture, joins Mike to talk about his latest piece: " The Holy Spirit is moving us to act against racism ." Fr. Martin and Mike also discuss President Trump's manipulation of the bible during religious photo ops in front of St. John...