The Gist

Wait, can Donald Trump really give his entire family national security clearance? It's complicated, says Fred Kaplan , the author of Slate 's War Stories column. Kaplan also discusses the reasons to be wary of putting your family members in the White House. Also, David Bowie liked his art to be as haunting as his music—even if the effect, at first, was off-putting. The Gist's art correspondent Mar...

Dan Abrams is the host of Live PD , a new A&E show that follows police officers, in real time, as they interact with people in cities like Tulsa, Oklahoma and Bridgeport, Connecticut. Abrams says the show is different from Cops —it captures all of the moments in a police officer's watch, not just the most sensational. But it has also come under fire for questions about privacy and the complicated...

New York Times columnist Ross Douthat says the culture has changed drastically in America over the past five years. Daily Show alumni have taken over late night, late night comedy has taken a strongly liberal tinge, and companies like Apple have taken a stand on issues like transgender bathroom bills. He thinks this cultural shift has helped alienate many of the people who supported Donald Trump....

Trigger warning: Scrutiny of safe spaces ahead. Jonathan Zimmerman discusses the political-correctness fever sweeping the nation's elite college campuses. Zimmerman is the author of Campus Politics: What Everyone Needs to Know . In the Spiel, blinded by a baccalaureate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.co...

Did the polls lead us astray in this election, or did we simply fail to heed everything they were telling us? FiveThirtyEight senior political writer Harry Enten says the lesson of 2016 is familiar to any close observer of politics: "There are no permanent majorities." Julian Zelizer , professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University , puts the 2016 election in historical context. Z...

It's a rare Saturday Gist, as the show's post-election interview blitz continues: New York Times columnist Gail Collins explains what we tend to forget about the way women vote, and NPR 's David Folkenflik ponders the media problems exposed by the presidential race and its surprise outcome. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz compan...

On The Gist, another double feature. Evan Osnos explains what Trump's first term might look like, based on reporting he did before the election for the New Yorker . Reid Wilson , who covers down-ballot politics for the Hill , surveys the Republican gains in statehouses across the country. For the Spiel, some introspection. And keep an eye on this feed for more interviews over the weekend. Learn mo...

The Gist isn't serving up a Spiel today—too many questions, too few answers. Instead, Mike puzzles through the day with a few friends of the show: Jacob Weisberg reacts to the chants of "not my president." Weisberg is the chairman and editor-in-chief of The Slate Group and the host of Trumpcast . The New Yorker 's Adam Davidson expects a poorer country and world under President-elect Donald Trump....

On The Gist, things are getting dark, but at least the show isn't going dark, which is more than we can say for our friends at the Radio Free GOP podcast. Host Mike Murphy , a longtime GOP strategist and Trump critic, says the show will go on hiatus in light of the election result. Plus, the New Yorker' s Adam Davidson explains the link between the presidential election and confusion in the financ...

Jamelle Bouie has written about the deep, ugly divides in America that have surfaced during this presidential campaign. In the final hours of election day, Slate 's chief political correspondent approaches the idea of national unity after the most unruly campaign in modern history. Bouie was recently named the breakout star of the 2016 campaign by the Poynter Institute for Journalism. Our Sponsors...

Much of the 2016 presidential campaign media coverage has cast Trump fans not as bigoted, but "economically disaffected." As Slate 's Michelle Goldberg reports, for many supporters, that's far too charitable. Goldberg has been reporting on issues like sexual assault and feminism in the Republican Party throughout the campaign. She argues 2016 might turn many women off to the idea of running for pr...

If you're like us, you've been checking the FiveThirtyEight election forecast like it's a weather report before a hurricane. This week, Donald Trump's chance of victory in the presidential race went from 15 percent to over 30 percent, causing much anxiety for Democrats. But how serious is the swing? Harry Enten is the senior political writer for FiveThirtyEight and a frequent Gist guest. For the S...

We have (almost) survived a presidential campaign. Are we any smarter about taxes? On The Gist, Adam Davidson considers Donald Trump's apparent tax practices and explains the biggest barrier to bipartisan compromise on tax policy. Davidson covers business and economics for the New Yorker . For the Spiel, even Mike Pesca can't sooth your nerves over volatile polling. Today's sponsors: Placemakers,...

On The Gist, a pair of political heavyweights. Obama administration alumnus Tommy Vietor wonders how the interregnum following this election will be different for Hillary Clinton than it was for President Obama. Vietor co-hosts the Ringer podcast Keepin' It 1600 with his former White House colleagues Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, and Dan Pfeiffer. Plus, Steve Sebelius , columnist for the Las Vegas Revi...

A look inside one of the closest congressional races this year, New York's 19th. Former Gist guest and Bernie Sanders–favorite Zephyr Teachout takes on Republican state Assemblyman John Faso for an open seat. The race is one of the few that the Cook Political Report has labeled a toss-up, and it's a microcosm for lots of American anxieties. Teachout opposes fracking and supports carbon pricing in...

Eric Zorn from the Chicago Tribune joins Mike to discuss two contentious races happening in Illinois this year that could swing the balance of power in Congress. Incumbent Republican Sen. Mark Kirk is trailing badly to his Democratic opponent, Tammy Duckworth. And in the 10th congressional district, Rep. Bob Dold is facing a tight battle against his predecessor, Brad Schneider. Both races showcase...

Today we're reaching into The Gist's vault to bring you two favorite segments from the past year. First, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper explains why he saw the movie Deep Throat with his mother and reflects on his state's move to legalize marijuana. Hickenlooper's book is called The Opposite of Woe: My Life in Beer and Politics . For the Spiel, why are we so scared when we hear talk of a rigged e...

We are dating longer. We are dating differently. Is it making us happier? Mike's not buying it. Former Gist producer Andrea Silenzi wades into an impromptu debate about dating today. Check out Andrea's new show, Why Oh Why , a Panoply podcast about dating and relationships. Andy Miccolis created Why Oh Why's theme music, included in today's show. For the Spiel, Donald Trump's surrogates. Learn mor...

Does Trump so need women that he despises them? On The Gist, love and sex advice columnist Dan Savage considers Trump's misogyny. Savage also clears the air about his withering criticism of Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein and gives third-party enthusiasts a reality check: "Elect some congressmen, elect a governor, and then we can talk about who you're running for president." Savage h...

America's favorite debunker, Adam Conover, takes on the election in his TruTV special. Conover, famous for "Adam Ruins Everything," talks to Mike about how comedians can change society, and the limits of satire as an art form. Conover's special airs Tuesday, Oct. 25 at 9 p.m. For the Spiel, what America was like the last time the Chicago Cubs won the World Series. Learn more about your ad choices....

No to a student loan bailout. No to debt-free state schools. Prepare to be enlightened, if a bit disheartened, as our friend Adam Davidson explains why eliminating college debt falls short of solving the country's inequality crisis. Davidson is a contributing writer for the New Yorker . For the Spiel, it's another Lobstar of the Antentwig. Today's sponsor: Placemakers , a new Slate podcast made po...

On The Gist, former Daily Show head writer Elliott Kalan talks about his new Audible series Presidents are People Too! Kalan looks at the reasons so many mediocre candidates make it the White House, and tries to find something to admire in our crappiest commanders-in-chief. Kalan says watching this year's presidential election while studying American political history has been sobering. Think Amer...

The first fifty minutes felt…strange. Calm. Like a real debate. Then Chris Wallace asked if Trump would recognize the election as legitimate. Mike Pesca was in the spin room after the third and final presidential showdown. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use o...

On The Gist, Green Party candidate Jill Stein lays out her foreign policy. She debates Mike Pesca about Hillary Clinton, Yemen, and America's use of force. Stein believes the United States is closer to nuclear war than ever, including the Cold War. She explains how de-escalating nuclear tensions with Russia should take priority, and how neither of the major party candidates is up to the job. This...

On The Gist, Jonathan Prince has helped candidates such as Bill Clinton and John Edwards prep for high-stakes debates. Now, he's got some advice for Hillary Clinton as she faces round No. 3 with the most unpredictable candidate of the modern era. Prince has worked for the Clinton and Obama administrations, but now he's the head of communications for Spotify. For the Spiel, how do you rig the most...