Political Gabfest

This week, Jamelle Bouie of The New York Times joins John Dickerson and David Plotz to discuss the vice-presidential debate between Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. JD Vance; the deadly conflict between Israel and Iran with Nathan Guttman of Israeli public television; and the federal indictment of New York City Mayor Eric Adams.  For this week’s Slate Plus bonus episode, Jamelle, John, and David talk with WyoFile’s Maya Shimizu Harris about the fight between the Wyoming Freedom Caucus and traditional Wyoming Republicans.    In the latest Gabfest Reads, David talks with Elizabeth Strout about her new book, Tell Me Everything: A Novel.    Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)  Podcast production by Cheyna Roth  Research by Julie Huygen Disclosure in Podcast Description: A Bond Account is a self-directed brokerage account with Public Investing, member FINRA/SIPC. Deposits into this account are used to purchase 10 investment-grade and high-yield bonds. As of 9/26/24, the average, annualized yield to worst (YTW) across the Bond Account is greater than 6%. A bond’s yield is a function of its market price, which can fluctuate; therefore, a bond’s YTW is not “locked in” until the bond is purchased, and your yield at time of purchase may be different from the yield shown here. The “locked in” YTW is not guaranteed; you may receive less than the YTW of the bonds in the Bond Account if you sell any of the bonds before maturity or if the issuer defaults on the bond. Public Investing charges a markup on each bond trade. See our Fee Schedule. Bond Accounts are not recommendations of individual bonds or default allocations. The bonds in the Bond Account have not been selected based on your needs or risk profile. See https://public.com/disclosures/bond-account to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss what’s happening with the Kamala Harris v. Donald Trump race, what to expect with the Tim Walz v. JD Vance debate, how crazy Mark Robinson’s gubernatorial campaign in North Carolina has become, and whether college can survive careerism.  For this week’s Slate Plus bonus episode, David, Emily, and John discuss the all-important Electoral College vote of Nebraska’s 2ndcongressional district.    In the latest Gabfest Reads, David talks with Elizabeth Strout about her new book, Tell Me Everything: A Novel.  Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen Public.com+Public Investing Disclosure: Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank. See public.com/#disclosures-main for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this month’s edition of Gabfest Reads, Political Gabfest host David Plotz talks with author Elizabeth Strout about her new book, Tell Me Everything. They discuss how Strout conceives of interconnected stories and characters across her work, including the return of beloved characters like Olive Kitteridge. They also dig into the importance of listening and the ways ordinary lives can be extraordinary.  Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss political violence and its consequences; the state of the presidential race; and The Rise of Fox News with Slow Burn’s Josh Levin.  Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen Public.com+Public Investing: All investing involves risk. Brokerage services for US listed securities, options and bonds in a self-directed brokerage account are offered by Public Investing, member FINRA & SIPC. Not investment advice. Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank.Cryptocurrency trading services are offered by Bakkt Crypto Solutions, LLC (NMLS ID 1828849), which is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the NYSDFS. Cryptocurrency is highly speculative, involves a high degree of risk, and has the potential for loss of the entire amount of an investment. Cryptocurrency holdings are not protected by the FDIC or SIPC. . See public.com/#disclosures-main for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss Kamala Harris’ win against Donald Trump in the presidential debate; the Harris endorsements by Taylor Swift and Dick and Liz Cheney; and election integrity with Professor Nathaniel Persily of Stanford Law School. Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Willa Paskin and Cheyna Roth for Decoder Ring: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie… Will He Want a Welfare Check? and Wangjie Hu et al. in Science: Genomic inference of a severe human bottleneck during the Early to Middle Pleistocene transition John: Sasha Weiss for The New York Times Magazine: The Prince We Never Knew; Mike Wall for Space.com: New record! 19 people are orbiting Earth right now; and Black Fire by Sonni Cooper  David: Hemispheres Listener chatter from Curt Fonger in Daphne, Alabama: Caity Weaver for The New York Times Magazine: America Must Free Itself from the Tyranny of the Penny   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus episode, David, Emily, and John continue their conversation with Nate Persily on election integrity.  In the latest Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Joshua Leifer about his book, Tablets Shattered.  Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen Public.com+Public Investing Disclosure: Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank. See public.com/#disclosures-main for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the state of the presidential race; the possibility of a hostages-for-Gaza-ceasefire deal with Ruth Margalit of The New Yorker; and foreign interference in U.S. politics.   In the latest Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Joshua Leifer about his book, Tablets Shattered.  Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen Public.com+Public Investing: All investing involves risk. Brokerage services for US listed securities, options and bonds in a self-directed brokerage account are offered by Public Investing, member FINRA & SIPC. Not investment advice. Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank.Cryptocurrency trading services are offered by Bakkt Crypto Solutions, LLC (NMLS ID 1828849), which is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the NYSDFS. Cryptocurrency is highly speculative, involves a high degree of risk, and has the potential for loss of the entire amount of an investment. Cryptocurrency holdings are not protected by the FDIC or SIPC. . See public.com/#disclosures-main for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the Kamala Harris-Donald Trump debate and other campaign goings-on; the January 6th and classified documents cases brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith; and the national housing shortage with Conor Dougherty of The New York Times.  Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Wayne Homes: The Great Debate: Front Porch vs. Back Porch; Mariah Timms for The Wall Street Journal: Lawsuits Fly Over Election Rules and Who Gets to Vote; Fin Gómez and Nidia Cavazos for CBS News: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton raids Latino Democrats’ homes, including those of LULAC members; and Frederka Schouten and Tierney Sneed for CNN: Democrats sue to block new GOP-backed Georgia election certification rules John: Glenn Thrush for The New York Times: Would-Be Trump Assassin’s Interest in Violence Went Back to 2019 David: Jonathan Shaw for Harvard Magazine: Mapping the Human Brain Listener chatter from Adam Webb in Chicago: Paul Collins in The Believer: Why Can’t My Son Vote?   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus episode, David, Emily, and John will talk about the Kamala Harris-Tim Walz interview. Bonus content this week will be available on Friday.   In the latest Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Joshua Leifer about his book, Tablets Shattered.  Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie HuygenPublic.com+Public Investing Disclosure: Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank. See public.com/#disclosures-main for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, John Dickerson returns and joins Emily Bazelon and David Plotz to discuss the Democratic National Convention; presidential polls; and overtourism.  Here are this week’s chatters: John: @jdickerson on Threads: Background Sounds on iPhone Emily: Tablets Shattered by Joshua Leifer; Gabfest Reads: Where Does the American Jewish Experience Go from Here?; and Ginia Bellafante for The New York Times: A Bookshop Cancels an Event Over a Rabbi’s Zionism, Prompting Outrage David: David Wade for WBZ News: How do you stop political texts on your phone?; Presumed Innocent by Apple TV+ and Presumed Innocent by Warner Bros.; and Road House by Prime Video and Road House by United Artists  Listener chatter from Scott Rada in La Crosse, Wisconsin: ChatGPT’s Slate pitches for 3,000 B.C.  For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, available Friday, August 23, David, Emily, and John talk about Kamala Harris’s nomination acceptance speech. In the latest Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Joshua Leifer about his book, Tablets Shattered.  Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Ethan Oberman Research by Julie Huygen Hosts Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz Follow Slate Political Gabfest on Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/Gabfest/  @slatepoliticalgabfest on Threads / https://www.threads.net/@slatepoliticalgabfest @SlateGabfest on X / https://twitter.com/SlateGabfest Slate Political Gabfest on YouTube / https://www.youtube.com/@slate/podcasts Want more Political Gabfest? Subscribe to Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/gabfestplus to get access wherever you listen. Public.com+Public Investing: All investing involves risk. Brokerage services for US listed securities, options and bonds in a self-directed brokerage account are offered by Public Investing, member FINRA & SIPC. Not investment advice. Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank.Cryptocurrency trading services are offered by Bakkt Crypto Solutions, LLC (NMLS ID 1828849), which is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the NYSDFS. Cryptocurrency is highly speculative, involves a high degree of risk, and has the potential for loss of the entire amount of an investment. Cryptocurrency holdings are not protected by the FDIC or SIPC. . See public.com/#disclosures-main for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Political Gabfest host Emily Bazalon talks with author Joshua Leifer about his new book, Tablets Shattered: The End of An American Jewish Century and the Future of Jewish Life. They discuss Leifer’s experience growing up Jewish in America, the conflict in Gaza, how what it means to be Jewish has evolved, and more.  Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon and David Plotz are joined by Marin Cogan of Vox to discuss how the media is reporting on election disinformation and misinformation and Donald Trump’s lies; Vice President Kamala Harris defining Candidate Kamala Harris; and more guns, less violent crime.  Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Marin Cogan for Vox: What happens when everyone decides they need a gun? and Nicole Narea: Violent crime is plummeting. Why? Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Xochitl Gonzalez for The Atlantic: To Save The World, My Mother Abandoned Me and Phil Klay for The New York Times Magazine: Artists and Activists Both Have a Role. But Not the Same One. Marin: Switzerland Events; Geneva Events Calendar; and Berner Zibelemärit (Onion Market) David: Will Sullivan for Smithsonian Magazine: The World’s Largest Iceberg Is Stuck in a Spinning Ocean Vortex and NASA: Iceberg A23a in the Southern Ocean, Antarctica Listener chatter from Simon Jones in Paris, France: Evan Ratliff’s Shell Game podcast For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, Emily, and Marin talk about pets and babies. See Anonymous in The Cut: Why Did I Stop Loving My Cat When I Had a Baby?. In the latest Gabfest Reads, John talks with Roland Allen about his book, The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper.  Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Ethan Oberman Research by Julie Huygen Hosts Marin Cogan, Emily Bazelon, and David Plotz Follow Slate Political Gabfest on Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/Gabfest/  @SlateGabfest on X / https://twitter.com/SlateGabfest Want more Political Gabfest? Subscribe to Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/gabfestplus to get access wherever you listen. Public.com+Public Investing Disclosure: Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank. See public.com/#disclosures-main for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon and David Plotz are joined by Juliette Kayyem of Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government to discuss the Democratic vice presidential nominee, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz; Google’s search monopoly and antitrust trial loss; and the guilty-plea deals in three 9/11 cases undone by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Here are this week’s chatters: Juliette: NBC: Paris 2024 and International Olympic Committee: Olympic Channel Emily: International Olympic Committee: Table tennis rules, scoring system and all you need to know; Jake Rossen for Mental Floss: Why Do Some Olympic Athletes Wear Paper Numbers?; International Olympic Committee: Sports Swap; and Maia Hjelmar for GQ Australia: 16 Olympic athletes who succeeded in more than one sport  David: Maximilien Van Aertryck and Axel Danielson in The New York Times: Ten Meter Tower Listener chatter from Fraser Ronald in Ottawa, Canada: Ari Berkowitz for Scientific American: Is Your Nervous System a Democracy or a Dictatorship? For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, Emily, and Juliette talk about RFK Jr. and The Bear. See Clare Malone for The New Yorker: What Does Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Actually Want? In the latest Gabfest Reads, John talks with Roland Allen about his book, The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper.  Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Ethan Oberman Research by Julie Huygen Hosts Juliette Kayyem, Emily Bazelon, and David Plotz Follow Slate Political Gabfest on Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/Gabfest/  @SlateGabfest on X / https://twitter.com/SlateGabfest Want more Political Gabfest? Subscribe to Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/gabfestplus to get access wherever you listen. Public.com+Public Investing: All investing involves risk. Brokerage services for US listed securities, options and bonds in a self-directed brokerage account are offered by Public Investing, member FINRA & SIPC. Not investment advice. Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank.Cryptocurrency trading services are offered by Bakkt Crypto Solutions, LLC (NMLS ID 1828849), which is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the NYSDFS. Cryptocurrency is highly speculative, involves a high degree of risk, and has the potential for loss of the entire amount of an investment. Cryptocurrency holdings are not protected by the FDIC or SIPC. . See public.com/#disclosures-main for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the new Democratic line against JD Vance and Donald Trump; the Kamala Harris Veepstakes; and President Biden’s attempt to reform the Supreme Court.Here are this week’s chatters: John: The World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship Emily: Social Security and Trends in Wealth Inequality and The Sea Change David: Who Goes Nazi? By Dorothy Thompson Listener chatter from former Slatester Torie Bosche on the Edith Roller Journals For this week’s Slate Plus bonus episode, David, John, and Emily about the wildfires raging out west and David’s own escape from Jasper National Park. In the latest Gabfest Reads, David talks with Sierra Greer about her new book, Annie Bot: A Novel. And Gabfest Reads now has its own site! Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth  Research by Kat Hong Public.com+Public Investing Disclosure: Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank. See public.com/#disclosures-main for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Ethan Oberman and Cheyna Roth Research by Ethan Oberman  Public.com+Public Investing: All investing involves risk. Brokerage services for US listed securities, options and bonds in a self-directed brokerage account are offered by Public Investing, member FINRA & SIPC. Not investment advice. Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank.Cryptocurrency trading services are offered by Bakkt Crypto Solutions, LLC (NMLS ID 1828849), which is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the NYSDFS. Cryptocurrency is highly speculative, involves a high degree of risk, and has the potential for loss of the entire amount of an investment. Cryptocurrency holdings are not protected by the FDIC or SIPC. . See public.com/#disclosures-main for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 21st Century”  Listener chatter: Matt from Holland, MI on a visual representation of wealth inequality in America.  For this week’s Slate Plus bonus episode, John and Mary talk about what to expect at the Democratic National Convention.  In the latest Gabfest Reads, David talks with Sierra Greer about her new book, Annie Bot: A Novel. And Gabfest Reads now has its own site! Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Ethan Oberman Research by Kat Hong  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz continue to debate if Joe Biden should stay in the presidential race and who might replace him if he goes; discuss Project 2025; and ponder if Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett deserves a strange, new respect.   Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:  George Clooney in The New York Times: I Love Joe Biden. But We Need a New Nominee. Franklin Foer for The Atlantic: Biden Has Fallen Into a Psychological Trap Leigh Ann Caldwell, Marianna Sotomayor, Jacqueline Alemany, and Paul Kane for The Washington Post: Pelosi opens the door, subtly, to replacing Biden Merriam-Webster Dictionary: coronate and ideate Tim Alberta for The Atlantic: Trump Is Planning For A Landslide Win Ryan Teague Beckwith for MSNBC: What is Project 2025? The plans for Trump’s second term, explained Judd Legum for Popular Information: What Trump doesn’t want you to know about Project 2025 and The alarming new power Trump will claim in a second term James Taranto for The Wall Street Journal: Strange New Respect Ann E. Marimow for The Washington Post: Justice Amy Coney Barrett is charting her own path on the bench Stephen I. Vladeck in The New York Times: The Most Interesting Justice on the Supreme Court Is Also the Loneliest James LaRock and Jacob Hammond for Balls and Strikes: The Hollow Originalism of Amy Coney Barrett Oyez: Amy Coney Barrett Here are this week’s chatters:  John: Joshua Hammer for Smithsonian Magazine: Pablo Escobar’s Abandoned Hippos Are Wreaking Havoc in the Columbia Jungle Emily: Andrea Robin Skinner for the Toronto Star: My stepfather sexually abused me when I was a child. My mother, Alice Munro, chose to stay with him David: Natasha Singer for The New York Times: Students Target Teachers in Group TikTok Attack, Shaking Their School and City Cast DC Live Podcast Taping on Saturday, July 13 Listener chatter from Researcher Julie: Alexandra Alter for The New York Times: Romance Bookstores Are Booming, Dishing ‘All the Hot Stuff You Can Imagine’ and Elisabeth Egan: Emily Henry on Writing Best-Sellers Without Tours and TikTok; Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg, Ellen Gamerman, and Isabella Simonetti for The Wall Street Journal: How Dragons, Magic and Steamy Sex Took Over the Book World; and Bridgerton on Netflix   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus episode, David, John, and Emily talk with Professor Emily Wilson about her translation of Homer’s Iliad. See The Iliad by Homer, translated by Emily Wilson. See also The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Emily Wilson.   In the latest Gabfest Reads, David talks with Sierra Greer about her new book, Annie Bot: A Novel. And Gabfest Reads now has its own site! Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Ethan Oberman Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the Supreme Court decisions on presidential immunity in Trump v. United States and the administrative state in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo as well as the future of Joe Biden’s nomination to be re-elected president.   Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Supreme Court of the United States: Opinions of the Court – 2023, including Trump v. United States, Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, Corner Post, Inc. v. Board of Governors, and SEC v. Jarkesy Matt Gluck, Hyemin Han, and Katherine Pompilio for Lawfare: The Supreme Court’s Presidential Immunity Decision Perry Stein for The Washington Post: Justice Sotomayor dissent: ‘The President is now a king above the law’ Gary J. Schmitt and Joseph M. Bessette for the American Enterprise Institute: The Hamilton-Madison Split over Executive Power Dan Pfeiffer for The Message Box: Why the Dem Panic over the Debate is Getting Worse ‘Will Rogers Today’: Will Rogers on Politics Tim Miller for The Bulwark: Dear Dems: The Gaslighting Isn’t Helping Matters Amy Howe for SCOTUSblog: Supreme Court strikes down Chevron, curtailing power of federal agencies and Mark Walsh: Consider the wild gray squirrel, Kagan rebukes her colleagues as court overrules Chevron Mark Sherman for AP: The Supreme Court rules for a North Dakota truck stop in a new blow to federal regulators How to Save a Country from The New Republic: The Administrative State Is Under Attack Congressional Research Service: The Major Questions Doctrine Eric Berger for Dorf on Law: Is Loper Bright a Big Deal? and Michael C. Dorf: Could Congress Reinstate Chevron? Tierney Sneed, Jeanne Sahadi, Tami Luhby, Brian Fung, Ella Nilsen, Jen Christensen, and Katie Lobosco for CNN: How the Supreme Court’s blockbuster ‘Chevron’ ruling puts countless regulations in jeopardy Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Paul Sabin of Yale University and City of New Haven: East Rock park  John: Dave McMenamin for ESPN: Lakers pick Bronny James in NBA draft; LeBron ‘emotional’ David: City Cast DC and Ross Andersen for The Atlantic: The Search for America’s Atlantis Listener chatter from Jen in Denver, Colorado: Brandy Zadrozny and Jon Schuppe for NBC News: Who tried to steal Graceland?   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, John, and Emily talk about the joys of summer. See Merry Maids: 15 Fun Things to Make the Most of Summer 2024; NBC: Olympics Paris 2024; and epicurious: Summer. See also Produce bluebook: Nectarine Market Summary and Lemonada Media: Julia Gets Wise with Patti Smith.   In the latest Gabfest Reads, David talks with Sierra Greer about her new book, Annie Bot: A Novel. And Gabfest Reads now has its own site!   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The morning after, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the first presidential debate of 2024 and President Joe Biden’s disastrous performance.    Here are some notes and references from the show:  CNN Presidential Debate: President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump Will Weissert for AP: Here’s why it would be tough for Democrats to replace Joe Biden on the presidential ticket   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon and David Plotz discuss the recent Supreme Court rulings on emergency abortions and guns with Yale Law School’s Linda Greenhouse and Congressman Jamaal Bowman’s loss in a New York Democratic primary. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Supreme Court of the United States: Moyle v. United States; United States v. Rahimi; and Murthy v. Missouri Greg Stohr, Kimberly Robinson, and Lydia Wheeler for Bloomberg: Supreme Court Poised to Allow Emergency Abortions in Idaho Amy Howe for SCOTUSblog: Supreme Court appears to allow emergency abortions in Idaho and Supreme Court upholds bar on guns under domestic-violence restraining orders Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez for The Idaho Capital Sun: Idaho’s OB-GYN exodus throws women in rural towns into a care void Eleanor Klibanoff for The Texas Tribune: Emergency rooms not required to perform life-saving abortions, federal appeals court rules Ariane de Vogue, Tierney Sneed, and Devan Cole for CNN: Supreme Court issues report on Dobbs leak but says it hasn’t identified the leaker Mark Joseph Stern for Slate: Supreme Court Inadvertently Reveals Confounding Late Change in Trump Ballot Ruling and Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern: John Roberts Tried to Clean Up Clarence Thomas’ Mess. He May Have Invited More Chaos. Linda Greenhouse in The New York Times: The Supreme Court Steps Back From the Edge and How John Roberts Lost His Court Michael C. Dorf for Dorf on Law: Justice Kavanaugh’s Concurrence in Rahimi Contains a Whopper of an Error (or Worse) and The Hidden Merits Ruling in Murthy v. Missouri Gregory Krieg for CNN: George Latimer defeats House ‘squad’ member Jamaal Bowman in historic New York Democratic primary Michelle Goldberg for The New York Times: The War in Gaza Is Splintering the Democratic Party Ben Davis for The Guardian: The Aipac-funded candidate defeated Jamaal Bowman. But at what cost? Peter Beinart for The Beinart Notebook: Jamaal Bowman’s Courage Jon Murray, Seth Klamann, and Nick Coltrain for The Denver Post: Five takeaways from Colorado’s primaries as voters give Lauren Boebert new life, pick a Denver DA and more Anthony Adragna and Nicholas Wu for Politico: AIPAC offshoot spending heavily to beat Cori Bush in her primary Colby Itkowitz, Emily Guskin, and Scott Clement for The Washington Post: Trump trusted more than Biden on democracy among key swing-state voters Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Dismantling Mass Incarceration: A Handbook for Change by Premal Dharia, James Forman, Jr., and Maria Hawilo and Karin Brulliard for The Washington Post: For millionaire and four hunters, a wild Western lawsuit over public land Linda: Thelma from Magnolia Pictures & Magnet Releasing and Aisha Harris, Bob Mondello, Bedatri D. Choudhury, Liz Metzger, Mike Katzif, and Jessica Reedy for NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour: June Squibb’s ‘Thelma’ is the wrong grandma to mess with David: Hark and David Plotz for Hark’s The Conversation: Campaign Trail 2024 Listener chatter from William Wagner in Green Bay, Wisconsin: Sam Anderson with illustrations by Gaia Alari for The New York Times: Walnut and Me and Sam Anderson: Animal podcast   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David and Emily talk with Linda Greenhouse about Murthy v. Missouri.   In the next Gabfest Reads, David talks with Sierra Greer about her new book, Annie Bot: A Novel. Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the 2024 presidential debates; a possible warning on social media and another ban of smartphones in schools; and the future and failures of one-party rule.   Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Ashley Lopez for NPR: Biden vs. Trump remains close, so next week’s debate offers them an opportunity James Oliphant for Reuters: The Biden-Trump presidential debate: what to watch for Shane Goldmacher and Reid J. Epstein for The New York Times: Trump, Biden and CNN Prepare for a Hostile Debate (With Muted Mics) Josh Barro for Very Serious: Of Course Biden Should Attack Trump for Being a Convicted Felon Dr. Vivek H. Murthy in The New York Times: Surgeon General: Why I’m Calling for a Warning Label on Social Media Platforms and Sherry Turkle: Stop Googling. Let’s Talk. Consider This on NPR: ‘An unfair fight’: The U.S. surgeon general declares war on social media Howard Blume and Defne Karabatur for The Los Angeles Times: LAUSD approves cellphone ban as Newsom calls for statewide action Tatum Hunter for The Washington Post: What research actually says about social media and kids’ health Candice L. Odgers in Nature: The great rewiring: is social media really behind an epidemic of teenage mental illness? Mitch Daniels in The Washington Post: Indiana is revealing the real consequences of one-party rule Ballotpedia: State government trifectas Scott S. Greenberger in NC Newsline: Shared power used to be the norm in state government. Now it’s nearly extinct. Nicholas Kristof for The New York Times: What Have We Liberals Done to the West Coast? Here are this week’s chatters: John: Liquor.com: Vesper; The New York Times: John Hurt in ‘Krapp’s Last Tape’; and John Hurt in The Guardian: Krapp’s Last Tape: John Hurt on Samuel Beckett’s loner hero Emily: The Innocence Project: Texas Seeks Execution Date for Robert Roberson, An Innocent Man Wrongly Convicted Under Debunked Shaken Baby Hypothesis David: Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life, Georgetown University: The Vocation of Journalists in a Time of Testing; Washington City Paper: Paper, Cut; and Bruce Weber and Ashley Southall for The New York Times: David Carr, Times Critic and Champion of Media, Dies at 58 Listener chatter from Tristan Hinderliter in Long Island City, New York: Samantha Pearson for The Wall Street Journal: Even Hardened Convicts Are No Match for These Guard Geese   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, Emily, and John talk about the Brat Pack: then and now. See Hulu: Brats and David Blum for New York Magazine: Hollywood’s Brat Pack. See also RHINO: John Parr – St. Elmo’s Fire (Man In Motion) (Official Music Video) and Comedy Bites Vintage: Don’t You Forget About Me (Final Scene) The Breakfast Club.   In the next Gabfest Reads, David talks with Sierra Greer about her new book, Annie Bot: A Novel.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Plotz talks with author Sierra Greer about her new book, Annie Bot. They discuss how much discomfort Annie (a “Cuddle Bunny” type of robot) can feel, how the story of a robot is really about the right to control a body, and more.   Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss President Biden’s new asylum policy; the recent European Parliament elections with The Atlantic’s Anne Applebaum; and the jammed congestion pricing in New York City.   Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Corvid Research: Help, I’ve found a baby crow! Zolan Kanno-Youngs and Hamed Aleaziz for The New York Times: In Shift, Biden Issues Order Allowing Temporary Border Closure to Migrants and Miriam Jordan: Biden Opens a New Back Door on Immigration Matthew Yglesias for Slow Boring: Biden is doing the right thing on asylum Matt Collette for Vox: Our identity crisis on immigration Alex Nowrasteh for the Cato Institute: The Most Common Arguments Against Immigration and Why They’re Wrong Statista: U.S. immigration/migration – statistics & facts Andres Triay, Robert Legare, Nicole Sganga, Pat Milton, and Camilo Montoya-Galvez for CBS News: ICE arrests 8 with suspected ISIS ties BBC: What is the UK’s plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda? and Nick Beake and Kostas Kallergis: Greece boat disaster: BBC investigation casts doubt on coastguard’s claims Anthony Faiola, Imogen Piper, Joyce Sohyun Lee, Klaas van Dijken, Maud Jullien, and May Bulman for The Washington Post: With Europe’s support, North African nations push migrants to the desert Anne Applebaum for The Atlantic: Trump Is Not America’s Le Pen Sam Jones for The Guardian: EU elections 2024: how did key countries vote and what does it mean? CBS News: NYC Comptroller Brad Lander announces legal challenge to congestion pricing pause Michelle Kaske, Laura Nahmias, and Zach Williams for Bloomberg: New York Governor Shocks Manhattan With Halt to Congestion Pricing Lauren Sforza for The Hill: Murphy says ‘the biggest policy mistake of the past 50 years in New Jersey’ was Christie’s decision to cancel Gateway tunnel project The Affluent Society by John Kenneth Galbraith Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Curt Anderson for WJHG: Florida jury finds Chiquita Brands liable for Colombia deaths, must pay $38.3M to family members  John: Well, This Is Me: A Cartoon Collection from the New Yorker’s Asher Perlman by Asher Perlman and Taylor Orth for YouGov: In-flight drama: Where Americans sit on airline etiquette David: City Cast Nashville and Hey Nashville; City Cast Austin and Hey Austin; Open: An Autobiography by Andre Agassi; Dartmouth: 2024 Commencement Address by Roger Federer at Dartmouth; Maxi 4 NBA: Michael Jordan I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career.; and Winning Ugly: Mental Warfare in Tennis—Lessons from a Master by Brad Gilbert and Steve Jamison  Listener chatter from Jason Anderson in Chicago, Illinois: Neil Steinberg for the Chicago Sun-Times: Sorry, Ken Griffin – Chicagoans will call the Museum of Science and Industry what they please   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Emily, John, and David talk about Hunter Biden’s conviction. See Jonathan Lemire for Politico: Biden’s team was waiting for a Hunter verdict. That didn’t make it easier when it arrived. and Abby Phillip for CNN: Hear how conservatives reacted to Hunter Biden’s conviction. See also Perry Stein for The Washington Post: Gun counts Hunter Biden faces are rarely stand-alone charges and John Miller for CNN: Meanwhile, Trump said during pre-sentencing interview he had a gun in Florida, weeks after his conviction.   In the next Gabfest Reads, David talks with Sierra Greer about her new book, Annie Bot: A Novel.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the fallout from Donald Trump’s felony conviction; the spin-up for Hunter Biden’s trial; and the upshot for college speech from campus protests with Charles Homans.   Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Nathaniel Rakich for 538: Trump’s conviction may be hurting him – but it’s early Sarah Longwell in The Atlantic: The Two-Time Trump Voters Who Have Had Enough Dafydd Townley for The Conversation: Trump guilty verdict: the fallout for US democracy Politico Magazine: 22 Experts Predict What the Trump Conviction Will Mean for 2024 and Beyond CBS News: Watch: Biden speaks at D-Day commemoration ceremony Perry Stein for The Washington Post: Gun counts Hunter Biden faces are rarely stand-alone charges and Perry Stein, Devlin Barrett, and Matt Viser: How a fight over immunity unraveled Hunter Biden’s plea deal Cris Barrish for WHYY: Lawyers spar in Wilmington court over whether Hunter Biden ‘knowingly’ lied on federal gun purchase form about drug use Eugene Daniels for Politico: Biden issues a rare statement on his son’s criminal trial Mini Racker for Time: How Hunter Biden’s Scandals Compare to Those of Trump’s Family Members Matthew Yglesias for Vox: Nepotism and the 2020 election, explained Emily Bazelon and Charles Homans for The New York Times: The Battle Over College Speech Will Outlive the Encampments Here & Now on WBUR: Pro-Palestinian protesters at Brown reach deal with university Emma H. Haidar and Cam E. Kettles for The Harvard Crimson: Harvard Will Refrain From Controversial Statements About Public Policy Issues Paul Alivisatos in The Wall Street Journal: Why I Ended the University of Chicago Protest Encampment Greta Reich and Caroline Chen for The Stanford Daily: Pro-Palestine protesters detained following occupation of president’s office, face immediate suspension Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Liz Goodwin for The Washington Post: Senate Republicans vote against making contraception a federal right and Ellen Wexler for Smithsonian Magazine: The 150-Year-Old Comstock Act Could Transform the Abortion Debate John: Marco Hernandez, Jeffrey Gettleman, Finbarr O’Reilly, and Tim Wallace for The New York Times: What Ukraine Has Lost and Helena Skinner and Emma Ogao for ABC News: Satellite images show devastation in Sudan 1 year since conflict began David: Alina Chan in The New York Times: Why the Pandemic Probably Started in a Lab, in 5 Key Points Listener chatter from Kevin Cassidy in Sawyer, Michigan: Dyartorin Crafts: How to make Leonardo Da Vinci Bridge using popsicle sticks and HeyDadHey: How To Make A Da Vinci Bridge   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Emily, John, and David talk about changes at the Washington Post and the state of journalism. See Oliver Darcy for CNN: Washington Post abruptly replaces executive editor Sally Buzbee in shakeup, David Folkenflik for NPR: New CEO of ‘The Washington Post’ puts former colleagues in power, and David Bauder for AP: With its top editor abruptly gone, The Washington Post grapples with a hastily announced restructure. See also Edward Helmore for The Guardian: ‘The final act’: fears US journalism crisis could destabilize 2024 election and Jack Shafer for Slate: The New Vanity Press Moguls.    In the next Gabfest Reads, David talks with Sierra Greer about her new book, Annie Bot: A Novel. Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s essay, John discusses instinct versus obligation, his daughter’s wit, how he has changed since episode one, and more.   Notebook Entries: Notebook 58, page 10. September 16, 2021 “You don’t measure your life the way you measure your writing.” - Nan Notebook 75, page 46-47. September 2021 When your dog dies and son goes to college and you are confronted with your life’s work it all boils down to one alarm: the clock is ticking. If a scream is better than a thesis, I was hearing some kind of scream, but what was the thesis? References: Everything Is Copy – HBODocs   The Power of Regret – Daniel Pink The Mezzanine – Nicholson Baker  “The Creative Process” – James Baldwin Slouching Towards Bethlehem – Joan Didion “Three Paths Toward the Meaning of Life” - Arthur Brooks for The Atlantic Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Email us at navelgazingpodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the U.S. Senate seats that might turn from blue to red in 2024; The Fall of Roe with The New York Times’s Elizabeth Dias and Lisa Lerer; and the rise of Lauren Boebert with City Cast Denver’s Bree Davies and Paul Karolyi.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter: 2024 CPR Senate Race Ratings Jonathan Weisman for The New York Times: 10 Senate Races to Watch in 2024 Ben Kamisar for NBC News: Rich people are spending more than ever to run for Congress. A big test is coming in Maryland. Nate Silver for 538: Are The Democrats Screwed In The Senate After 2024? The Fall of Roe: The Rise of a New America by Elizabeth Dias and Lisa Lerer and The New York Times Magazine: The Untold Story of the Network That Took Down Roe v. Wade Ian Ward for Politico: The Group Behind Dobbs Does Not Want to Talk About What Comes Next Bree Davies and Paul Karolyi for City Cast Denver: Lauren Boebert Can’t Lose  CBS Colorado: Beto O’Rourke Talks Gun Violence At Aurora Campaign Stop Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Law & Justice Journalism Project: 2024 Fellowship John: Katie Razzall, Darin Graham, and Larissa Kennelly for BBC News: FBI investigating missing ancient treasures from British Museum and Rebecca Mead for The New Yorker: The British Museum’s Blockbuster Scandals David: Meilan Solly for Smithsonian Magazine: Giant Pandas Are Coming Back to Washington, D.C.; Maura Judkis and Travis M. Andrews for The Washington Post: Let’s argue about the giant pandas; and Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute: Red panda   Listener chatter from Annamarie Smith in Sacramento, California: Sukey Lewis and Julie Small for KQED: On Our Watch: New Folsom   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Emily, John, and David talk about pronatalism and the Collins family. See Jenny Kleeman for The Guardian: America’s premier pronatalists on having ‘tons of kids’ to save the world: ‘There are going to be countries of old people starving to death’. See also Luke Munn for The Conversation: Pronatalism is the latest Silicon Valley trend. What is it – and why is it disturbing?; Sarah Jones for Intelligencer: There’s Nothing New About Pronatalism; and The Genius Factory: The Curious History of the Nobel Prize Sperm Bank by David Plotz.   In the next Gabfest Reads, David talks with Sierra Greer about her new book, Annie Bot: A Novel.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s essay, John discusses Mothers’s Day, playing tennis with the Attorney General, medical scares, and more   Notebook Entries: Notebook 19, page 16. April 2011 Is it possible, through applied thought, to become systematic in an approach to life? If you were to do that how would you proceed?  Notebook 16, page 6. July 26, 2005 “I’m here with a bunch of midshipmen and wondering what there is to do around here.” - Boy trying to hit on a girl working @ The Reef in Castine, ME. Notebook 15, page 30. September 2004 Head problems: Sunday 9/5 morning Tuesday 9/7 evening Wednesday 9/8 before lunch Notebook 22, page 22. April 24, 2014 Question:  What did you want to be when you were a kid?  What do you want to be now? Why the difference? Notebook 9. 1995 “That’s just the ticket the doctor ordered” Notebook 13. 2001 “Free as a clam” Notebook 17, page 67. December 2006 The man sitting next to me has a face on the boil and garlic and old booze on his breath. When he sleeps, he sighs. For this leg of the flight I am wrapped in his breathy gumbo. Notebook 15, page 7. April 2004 “In all these there are messages for those who use their reason.” - Quran quotation Notebook 15, page 80. 2005 Would like to meet her. Notebook 54. July 26, 2020 “Writing requires a reader. You can’t do it alone.” - John Cheever Notebook 15, page 71. 2005 In the light of sobriety not sure what this means Notebook 13. March 2001 Yesterday I played tennis with John Ashcroft the atty. general of the U.S. Notebook 13, page 108. December 11, 2001 Anne just called. There is one little heartbeat beating in her today. Everything is okay for this hurdle. I must say, I was really worried. Notebook 20, page 10. December 24, 2013 “Sometimes Dad says weird stuff, just ignore him” - Anne to kids about me Notebook 15, page 84. “Life goes on,” Hayawi says. “We are in the middle of a war [in Iraq] and we still smoke the water pipe.” Notebook 45, page 24. April 16, 2019 Our savior lives by the manner in which we live. Notebook 19, page 23. 2011 People on their mobile phones in England say goodbye a lot: “Cheers, alright then, speak to you soon, ta.” (That’s four ways of saying goodbye). Amelia tells the story of a man who thanked a ticket-taker by saying “Ta, magical, cheers.” References: Disaster on the Penobscot - John Henry Fay for Naval History Magazine One Man’s Meat by E.B. White The House at Allen Cove I E.B. White House Tour - New England Magazine Little Plastic Castle - Ani Defranco “Two Years of War: Taking Stock” - Anthony Shadid for the Washington Post   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Email us at navelgazingpodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s right-wing flag-flying; David Leonhardt’s take on A New Centrism; and OpenAI’s use – or not – of Scarlett Johansson’s voice.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Jodi Kantor for The New York Times: At Justice Alito’s House, a ‘Stop the Steal’ Symbol on Display; Jodi Kantor, Aric Toler, and Julie Tate: Another Provocative Flag Was Flown at Another Alito Home; Jodi Kantor and Abbie VanSickle: Display at Alito’s Home Renews Questions of Supreme Court’s Impartiality; and Abbie VanSickle: What Do Judicial Rules Say About Alito and a ‘Stop the Steal’ Symbol? V: The Original Mini Series on Prime Video  Mark Sherman for AP: Roberts, Trump spar in extraordinary scrap over judges and Mark Sherman and Lindsay Whitehurst: Supreme Court Justices Barrett and Sotomayor, ideological opposites, unite to promote civility David Leonhardt for The New York Times: The Rise of a New Centrism and A New Centrism Is Rising in Washington John Dickerson for Gabfest Reads and New Cold Wars: China’s Rise, Russia’s Invasion, and America’s Struggle to Defend the Westby David E. Sanger Bobby Allyn for NPR: Scarlett Johansson says she is ‘shocked, angered’ over new ChatGPT voice Nitasha Tiku for The Washington Post: OpenAI didn’t copy Scarlett Johansson’s voice for ChatGPT, records show and Molly Roberts: Scarlett Johansson’s ChatGPT face-off confirms our fears about AI Midler v. Ford Motor Co., 849 F.2d 460 (9th Cir. 1988) on Justia Blake Brittain for Reuters: New York Times denies OpenAI’s ‘hacking’ claim in copyright fight Michael Sainato for The Guardian: Consultant behind deepfaked Biden robocall indicated for Democratic primary scheme Her by Warner Bros. Pictures Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Hacks on Max  John: Lauren Aratani for The Guardian: Majority of Americans wrongly believe US is in recession – and most blame Biden David: 99% Invisible: Towers of Silence   Listener chatter from Aaron Tax in Washington, D.C.: Andrea Sachs for The Washington Post: A beloved alley cat now lives in the Watergate. Was she kidnapped, or rescued?     For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Emily, John, and David talk about Republican politicians’ answers to the question: will you accept the results of the 2024 presidential election? See Alec Hernandez for NBC News: Here’s what top Trump VP picks say about the 2020 election results – and whether they’ll accept the 2024 outcome; Justin Green for Axios: Listen to Republicans on whether they’ll accept 2024 election results; and Patrick Svitek for The Washington Post: Top Republicans, led by Trump, refuse to commit to accept 2024 election results.   In the next Gabfest Reads, David talks with Sierra Greer about her new book, Annie Bot: A Novel.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s essay, John discusses the differences between moving around New York in 1991 and 2021; remembering 9/11 twenty years later; and more.    Notebook Entries: Notebook 75, page 12. September 2021 Notebooks to Garret Notebook 75, page 13. September 2021 Can you make a typo with handwriting? What’s a typo with handwriting called? Notebook 4. 1991 We have to unplug the light to run the vacuum, so we do a lot of our vacuuming in the dark. Notebook 75. September 11, 2021 Fritz want something? References: Smythson Notebooks in Blue 9/11 ceremonies, events and coverage on 20th anniversary - CBS News Richard Drew on Photographing the “Falling Man” of 9/11 - CBS News Want to listen to Navel Gazing uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Navel Gazing and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/navelgazingplus to get access wherever you listen.   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Email us at navelgazingpodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Bazelon talks with authors Bill Wasik and Monica Murphy, about their new book, Our Kindred Creatures: How Americans Came to Feel the Way They Do About Animals. They discuss the evolution of animal treatment in America, moral duties to animals, and how to care about more animals than our pets.  Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the latest New York Times presidential poll and the Maryland primary results; the presidential debates; and who’s talking inside and outside Donald Trump’s Manhattan trial courtroom.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Nate Cohn for The New York Times: Trump Leads in 5 Key States, as Young and Nonwhite Voters Express Discontent With Biden and Battleground Polling Shows Ticket-Splitting Pattern Aaron Navarro for CBS News: Biden to tout Microsoft expansion in Wisconsin Matt Bush for NPR: Maryland Democrats pick Angela Alsobrooks to take on Hogan for open U.S. Senate seat Betsy Klein, Michael Williams, and Kristen Holmes for CNN: Biden and Trump agree to 2 presidential debates, with first set for June 27 on CNN @JoeBiden on X Perry Stein for The Washington Post: Michael Cohen seemed to have delivered for prosecutors – if jurors believe him Ed Mazza for HuffPost: George Conway Goes There With Scathing Personal Challenge For ‘Wuss’ Trump Stephen Collinson for CNN: Why Johnson’s appearance at Manhattan courthouse stands out among Republicans backing up Trump Politico: ‘Embarrassing’: Romney calls out GOP who attended Trump trial   Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Netflix’s Duran Duran: There’s Something You Should Know; HBO’s The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend A Broken Heart; Magnolia Pictures & Magnet Releasing’s Joan Baez: I Am A Noise; Netflix’s The Greatest Night In Pop; HBO’s Jason Isbell: Running With Our Eyes Closed; Netflix’s Wham!; and Think Film’s Festival Express John: The Daily Report with John Dickerson for CBS News  David: Brown Revisited: Brown v. Board of Education (1954) and Warner Bros. Pictures’ They Shall Not Grow Old Listener chatter from Rob Jones in Seattle, Washington: SmarterEveryDay on YouTube: How to Surface a Submarine in the Arctic Ocean   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Emily talks with Azeen Ghorayshi of The New York Times about The Cass Review. See Azeen Ghorayshi for The New York Times: Hilary Cass Says U.S. Doctors Are ‘Out of Date’ on Youth Gender Medicine. See also Claire Rush for AP: Idaho’s ban on youth gender-affirming care has families desperately scrambling for solutions and Jonathan Chait for the Intelligencer: CPAC Speaker Urges Eradication of Trans Rights.   In the latest Gabfest Reads, John talks with David E. Sanger about his new book, New Cold Wars: China’s Rise, Russia’s Invasion, and America’s Struggle to Defend the West.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s essay, John discusses the Pomodoro Routine (among other productivity routines), why he especially needs a meditation pillow, and how a particular teacher captured his heart.      Notebook Entries: Notebook 75, pages 8 and 9. September 2021 OReinstating the Pomodoro Routine… Starting Marshall again… Write Brice… Send Laura the larger project list… Work on budget to get accounts in order Meditation pillow upstairs. Notebook 18. December 6, 2009 Instapaper Alpha Smart Richard Hugo on poetry Degrees of Gray In Philipsburg. Notebook 18, page 105. June 4, 2011 Visit to Mr. Mead. He was playing piano as we entered. [During our conversation, he asked]: do you find your work fulfilling? Do you have a close circle of friends? Questions about life and living it well… References: Getting Things Done - David Allen The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen Covey  The Questions That Will Get Me Through the Pandemic - John Dickerson 43 Folders - Merlin Mann  The Hardest Job in the World - John Dickerson Essays of E.B. White “Merlin Mann” - Tina Essmaker for The Great Disconnect More about Ernest “Boots” Mead “Because Buying New Running Shoes is More Fun Than Actually Running” - Merlin Mann for 43 Folders Atomic Habits - James Clear The Creative Habit - Twyla Tharp Free Agent Nation - Daniel Pink “Sharon Salzberg On: Openness, Not Believing the Stories You Tell Yourself, and Why the Most Powerful Tools Often Seem Stupid at First” - Ten Percent Happier Want to listen to Navel Gazing uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Navel Gazing and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/navelgazingplus to get access wherever you listen.   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Email us at navelgazingpodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss Stormy Daniels’s testimony in Donald Trump’s New York criminal trial; marijuana rescheduling; and the media’s role and responsibility in defending democracy.   Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Josh Gerstein for Politico: Stormy spoke. Trump fumed. Jurors were captivated – but also cringed. Ivana Saric for Axios: Status of Trump’s criminal cases Li Zhou for Vox: Marijuana could be classified as a lower-risk drug. Here’s what that means. Sam Tabachnik for The Denver Post: Black market marijuana grows are popping up faster than law enforcement can take them down. But is legalization the cause? John Ingold for The Colorado Sun: What have we learned about the arguments for and against legalized marijuana in the past 10 years? Nathaniel Meyersohn for CNN: The dark side of the sports betting boom C-SPAN: President Biden Remarks at White House Correspondents’ Dinner Ben Smith for Semafor: Joe Kahn: ‘The newsroom is not a safe space’ Dan Pfeiffer for Message Box: Why Biden Won’t Do a New York Times Interview and A Response to the Editor of the New York Times Matthew Yglesias and Brian Beutler for the Politix Podcast: The Times, They Aren’t A Changin’ Charles Homans for The New York Times Magazine: Donald Trump Has Never Sounded Like This Eli Stokols for Politico: The Petty Feud Between the NYT and the White House Here are this week’s chatters:  Emily: Vision: A Memoir of Blindness and Justice by David S. Tatel  John: Gina Kolata for The New York Times: Locks of Beethoven’s Hair Offer New Clues to the Mystery of His Deafness David: Randy Yohe for West Virginia Public Broadcasting: W.Va. Gubernatorial Campaign Attack Ads Vilify Transgender Children and Kyndall Cunningham for Vox: The Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar feud, explained Listener chatter from Justin and Katie in Columbus, Ohio: Keziah Weir for Vanity Fair: The Vatican’s Secret Role in the Science of IVF.      For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, John, and Emily talk with Emily Lawler, Detroit Free Press. See Emily Lawler for the Detroit Free Press: Voters’ voices in Saginaw County; John Wisely: Legal troubles don’t dampen Trump enthusiasm as he visits Michigan; and Paul Egan: As Trump visits, Michigan bellwether Saginaw County is feeling its political juice. See also Arpan Lobo: Michigan lawmaker says ‘illegal invaders’ landed at DTW. They were NCAA basketball teams.   In the latest Gabfest Reads, John talks with David E. Sanger about his new book, New Cold Wars: China’s Rise, Russia’s Invasion, and America’s Struggle to Defend the West.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s essay, John discusses an onboarding memo for his assistant Laura, and recounts his early days living and working in New York City.    Notebook Entries: Notebook 75 Onboard memo for Laura Notebook 3, page 44. May 1991 June 17 start job. Good stuff Notebook 3, page 46. May 1991 Tips on buying renting in NYC Ask about broker 20s and 30s East side. Murry Hill Live on no major avenue Interest bearing account for security deposit Medeco locks Notebook 4, page 15 Scared standing on 34th and Broadway $6 cab fare Notebook 4, page 42 Getting lost in the village References: The Little Brown Book of Anecdotes by Clifton Fadiman  Medeco Locks “Here is New York” by E.B. White “Silly Job Interview” - Monty Python  John Cleese on Creativity in Management Herbie Hancock: Miles Davis’ Essential Lesson On Mistakes   Want to listen to Navel Gazing uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Navel Gazing and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/navelgazingplus to get access wherever you listen.   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Email us at navelgazingpodcast@gmail.com   Host John Dickerson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the increasing and increasingly violent campus protests of Israel’s war in Gaza, Emily’s article on How ‘History and Tradition’ Rulings Are Changing American Law, and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem’s chances of a vice presidential nomination after killing her dog and writing about it.   Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: April Rubin, Kavya Beheraj, Tory Lysik, and Will Chase for Axios: Mapped: Where pro – Palestinian student protesters have been arrested Sharon Otterman and Santul Nerkar for The New York Times: As Protests Grow, Universities Choose Different Ways to End Unrest Mary Harris for Slate’s What Next podcast: Columbia Cracks Down The University of Chicago: Report on the University’s Role in Political and Social Action Jonathan Chait for New York’s Intelligencer: Why the Right Loves the Anti-Israel Encampments Abigail Hauslohner for The Washington Post: House passes antisemitism bill over complaints from First Amendment advocates Alexander Bolton for The Hill: Democrats split over campus protest crackdown Emily Bazelon for The New York Times: How ‘History and Tradition’ Rulings Are Changing American Law Regulations on YouTube Calvinball on Wikipedia The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law: A Conversation with Justice Amy Coney Barrett Ian Millhiser for Vox: The Supreme Court appears poised to rein in its worst decision on guns Ulysses S. Grant Revealed: President Ulysses S. Grant On The U.S. Constitution Martin Pengelly for The Guardian: Trump VP contender Kristi Noem writes of killing dog – and goat – in new book PBS American Experience: Nixon’s Checkers Speech Marc A. Caputo for The Bulwark: Trump: ‘Marco has this residency problem.’ Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Gal Beckerman for The Atlantic: A Prominent Free-Speech Group Is Fighting for Its Life John: Sonja Anderson for Smithsonian Magazine: This Newly Deciphered Papyrus Scroll Reveals the Location of Plato’s Grave David: Kenny Holston for The New York Times: Inside a Navy Submarine Navigating the Arctic Listener chatter from Christina in Philadelphia: Marina Bolotnikova for Vox: Mega drive-throughs explain everything wrong with American cities; Wikipedia: Third place; Jake Blumgart for The Philadelphia Inquirer: Starbucks plans a new Center City location with no restrooms or seating; and Marin Cogan for Vox: The deadliest road in America.      For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, John, and Emily talk with Professor Deborah Tuerkheimer about the Harvey Weinstein case in New York. See Hurubie Meko and Maia Coleman for The New York Times: Prosecutors Say They Plan to Retry Harvey Weinstein as Soon as the Fall and Maria Cramer: Here are five takeaways from the overturned conviction. See also Deborah Tuerkheimer for CNN: Reversal in Harvey Weinstein case isn’t the demise of sex crimes prosecution and Credible: Why We Doubt Accusers and Protect Abusers by Deborah Tuerkheimer.    In the latest Gabfest Reads, John talks with David E. Sanger about his new book, New Cold Wars: China’s Rise, Russia’s Invasion, and America’s Struggle to Defend the West.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen   Hosts Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s essay, John discusses the art of attention and how to develop the skill of slow-looking.    Notebook Entries:   Notebook 75, page 8. September 2021 1016   Notebook 1, page 54. June 1990 -       Magna carta 1215 at Salisbury -       Girls skipping -       The Haunch of Venison -       Chris     References: Georgia O’Keeffe Museum A Little History of the World by E.H Gombrich Artist Jeff Koons “The Art of Divination: D.H. Lawrence on the Power of Pure Attention” by Maria Popova for The Marginalian “Gabfest Reads: A Woman’s Life in Museum Wall Labels” for Political Gabfest  One Woman Show by Christine Coulson “Grammy-winning artist Jason Isbell talks about the craft of songwriting and his latest music” for CBS News A Journey Around My Room by Xavier De Maistre “Just think: The Challenges of the Disengaged Mind” by Timothy Wilson, et.al for Science “Our Rodent Selfies, Ourselves” by Emily Anthes for the New York Times One Man’s Meat by E.B. White   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Email us at navelgazingpodcast@gmail.com    Want to listen to Navel Gazing uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Navel Gazing and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/navelgazingplus to get access wherever you listen.   Host John Dickerson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the testimony of prosecution witness David Pecker in Donald Trump’s criminal trial, student protests against Israel’s war in Gaza, and the Supreme Court argument on presidential immunity.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:  Matthew Haag for The New York Times: David Pecker, Ex-National Enquirer Publisher, Details How He Aided Trump Richard L. Hasen in the Los Angeles Times: Opinion: Why it’s hard to muster even a ‘meh’ over Trump’s New York criminal trial J. David Goodman, David Montgomery, Jonathan Wolfe, and Jenna Russell for The New York Times: Campus Protests Over Gaza Intensify Amid Pushback by Universities and Police Spectator Editorial Board for the Columbia Spectator: Is Columbia in crisis? Minouche Shafik in The Wall Street Journal: Columbia University President: What I Plan to Tell Congress Tomorrow David Schizer in CNN: Opinion: To combat antisemitism, start by following the law Michael C. Dorf for Verdict: Federal Antidiscrimination Law Does Not Require Campus Crackdowns J Oliver Conroy for The Guardian: ‘Media firestorm’: Israel protest at professor’s home sparks heated free-speech debate C-SPAN: Supreme Court Hears Case on Former President Trump’s Immunity Claim Ann Marimow for The Washington Post: Supreme Court seems poised to allow Trump trial, but not immediately Ian Millhiser for Vox: Donald Trump already won the only Supreme Court fight that mattered Here are this week’s chatters: John: Stephen Clark for Ars Technica: Recoding Voyager 1—NASA’s interstellar explorer is finally making sense again Emily: Abbie VanSickle for The Washington Post: Supreme Court Appeals Sharply Divided in Emergency Abortion Case and Angela Palermo for The Spokesman-Review: Idaho has lost 22% of its practicing obstetricians in the last 15 months, report say David: Exploring a Secret Fort on airbnb; City Cast: Work with us.; and Eve O. Schaub for The Washington Post: Don’t waste your time recycling plastic Listener chatter from Michael Starr in New York City: Patrick Page in All The Devils Are Here; Richard the Third by Paul Murray Kendall; and Nancy Shute for NPR: No Hunch Here: Richard III Suffered From Scoliosis Instead   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, John, and Emily talk about a question before the Supreme Court: can a city regulate homelessness? See Amy Howe for SCOTUSblog: Court divided over constitutionality of criminal penalties for homelessness; Esteban L. Hernandez and Meira Gebel for Axios: Supreme Court weighs case that could affect Denver’s approach to homelessness and Alayna Alvarez: Denver’s urban camping ban brings 10 years of turmoil; and Eli Saslow and Todd Heisler for The New York Times: A Sandwich Shop, a Tent City and an American Crisis.    In the latest Gabfest Reads, John talks with David E. Sanger about his new book, New Cold Wars: China’s Rise, Russia’s Invasion, and America’s Struggle to Defend the West.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen   Hosts Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s essay, John dives deep into the loss of his beloved dog, George, the essayist’s dilemma, the comfort of quiet mornings, and more.   Notebook Entries: Notebook 75, page 5. September 5, 2021 I go to the morning alone.   Notebook 75, page 6. September 6, 2021 Phantom nails on the stairs     References: “Every Dog Is a Rescue Dog” by John Dickerson for The Atlantic “Oxytocin-gaze positive loop and the coevolution of human-dog bonds” by Miho Nagasawa et.al for Science Haikus by Jennifer Gurney “Which Pet Will Make You Happiest?” by Arthur C. Brooks for The Atlantic “The Family Dog Is in Sync With Your Kids” by Gretchen Reynolds for The New York Times   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Email us at navelgazingpodcast@gmail.com    Want to listen to Navel Gazing uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Navel Gazing and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/navelgazingplus to get access wherever you listen. Host John Dickerson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Dickerson talks with author David E. Sanger about his new book, New Cold Wars. They discuss how Russia and China came to reach their new levels of power, the role the Middle East and Obama Administration played in all of this, and more. Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss Donald Trump’s first criminal trial and the Supreme Court argument on a criminal charge related to another Trump case and talk with The Atlantic’s Mark Leibovich about his profile of Governor Gavin Newsom.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Norman Eisen for CNN: Don’t call it a ‘hush money’ case Brian Beutler for the Politix podcast: Alvin Bragg’s Liberal Critics Are Wrong Ben Protess, Jonah E. Bromwich, Maggie Haberman, and Wesley Parnell for The New York Times: Prosecutors and Defense Lawyers Begin to Seat Jurors for Trump Trial and Maggie Haberman: A Weary Trump Appears to Doze Off in Courtroom Ahead of Criminal Trial David Bauder for AP: Trump trial: Why can’t Americans see or hear what is going on inside the courtroom? Ann E. Marimow for The Washington Post: Supreme Court divided over key charge against Jan. 6 rioters and Trump Michael C. Dorf for Dorf On Law: The Ejusdem is Loose -- SCOTUS Insurrectionist Case Edition Mark Leibovich for The Atlantic: Gavin Newsom Can’t Help Himself HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher: Gov. Gavin Newsom Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Uri Berliner in The Free Press: I’ve Been at NPR for 25 Years. Here’s How We Lost America’s Trust.; David Folkenflik for NPR: NPR editor Uri Berliner resigns with blast at new CEO; Alicia Montgomery for Slate: The Real Story Behind NPR’s Current Problems; A24’s Civil War; and HBO’s The Last of Us John: The Annie E. Casey Foundation; diversitydatakids.org by Brandeis’s Heller School for Social Policy and Management: Child Opportunity Index (COI); Aliya Schneider for The Philadelphia Inquirer: ‘They’re cheating.’ President Biden floats higher tariffs on Chinese imports in Pittsburgh speech; John Dickerson for Slate’s Navel Gazing podcast; and CBS News Prime Time with John Dickerson David: Trevor Aaronson, Sam Eifling, and Michael Mooney for Audible’s Hold Fast podcast and Jacques Billeaud for AP: Backpage founder will face Arizona retrial on charges he participated in scheme to sell sex ads Listener chatter from Josh in Brisbane, Australia: Ross Scott’s website Stop Killing Games   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, John, and Emily talk with Anna Sale about her podcast, Death, Sex & Money, which is now on Slate. See Death, Sex & Money podcast: A Sociopath’s Guide to Death, Sex, and Money and Patrick Page in All The Devils Are Here.    In the latest Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Tana French about her book, The Hunter: A Novel.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen   Hosts Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s essay, John remembers dropping his son off at college, and trying to hold onto moments and feelings while you can.    Notebook Entries: Notebook 75, page 6. September 2021: They chose you.   Notebook 15, page 4. April 2004: Sitting with Brice by waterfall. Throwing rocks in stream. Loading sand from dump truck and loader and back again.   References: What Got You Here, Won’t Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith Songwriter Nick Cave Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Email us at navelgazingpodcast@gmail.com    Want to listen to Navel Gazing uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Navel Gazing and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/navelgazingplus to get access wherever you listen.   Host John Dickerson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the revival of Arizona’s 1864 abortion ban; the end of No Labels; and the past and future of presidential debates.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Mary Jo Pitzl and Reagan Priest for The Arizona Republic: Arizona House GOP halt Democrats’ effort to overturn Civil War era law in chaotic session Dan Balz for The Washington Post: The Arizona Supreme Court just upended Trump’s gambit on abortion Jamelle Bouie for The New York Times: The Man Who Snuffed Out Abortion Rights Is Here to Tell You He Is a Moderate Ramtin Arablouei and Rund Abdelfatah for NPR’s All Things Considered: Abortion was once common practice in America. A small group of doctors changed that A.O. Sulzberger Jr. for The New York Times: Reagan Says Ban On Abortion May Not Be Needed David Faris for Slate: Why No Labels Didn’t Stick Slate’s Political Gabfest: The “No Mugshot” Edition Thomas B. Edsall for The New York Times: Has No Labels Become a Stalking Horse for Trump? Michael H. Brown for The Washington Post: Joseph Lieberman, senator and vice-presidential nominee, dies at 82 Here are this week’s chatters:  Emily: Dartmouth’s Leslie Center for the Humanities: People, Place, Podcasts: Emily Bazelon and Erica Heilman in Conversation and the Rumble Strip podcast  John: Slate’s Navel Gazing podcast and Rachel Wolfe for The Wall Street Journal: The Calls for Help Coming From Above the Poverty Line David: Hannah Seo for The New York Times: Is It Better to Brush Your Teeth Before Breakfast or After? Listener chatter from Mark Phillips in Baltimore, Maryland: Ben Crair for The New Yorker: The Magic of Bird Brains   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, John, and Emily discuss AI communications with loved ones after they die. See Walter Marsh for The Guardian: Laurie Anderson on making an AI chatbot of Lou Reed: ‘I’m totally, 100%, sadly addicted’ and Ira Glass for This American Life: The Ghost in the Machine. See also Niamn Ancell for Cybernews: These apps could resurrect your relatives using artificial intelligence; Rebecca Carballo for The New York Times: Using A.I. to Talk to the Dead; and Tamara Kneese for Wired: Using Generative AI to Resurrect the Dead Will Create a Burden for the Living.   In the latest Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Tana French about her book, The Hunter: A Novel.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen   Hosts Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s essay, John Dickerson looks back on a Sunday morning in 2021, and ruminates on the empty spaces left behind by the people that once filled our lives.    Notebook Entries: Notebook 75, page 6. September 5, 2021: “Oh my god. We dropped our son at college and our dog is dead.” – Anne.   References: “Sunday Morning Coming Down” by Johnny Cash “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T.S. Eliot “When Someone You Love is Upset, Ask This One Question” by Jancee Dunn for the New York Times “A Case of ‘Sunday Neurosis’” by Jena McGregor for the Washington Post “Waking Early Sunday Morning” by Robert Lowell Master of Change: How to Excel When Everything is Changing by Brad Stulberg Jason Isbell: Running With Our Eyes Closed “Alabama Pines” by Jason Isbell    Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.   Host John Dickerson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Scott Bauer for AP: Wisconsin voters approve ban on private money support for elections and Unfair Share: The Gerrymandered Chocolate Bar on Kickstarter John: Joey Roulette and Will Dunham for Reuters: Exclusive: White House directs NASA to create time standard for the moon and John Dickerson Introduces: Navel Gazing  David: Corvid Research: All in the (crow) family; 3 Body Problem on Netflix; The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu; and Foundation and For All Mankind on Apple TV+ Listener chatter from Kim in Spartanburg, S.C.: The fish doorbell and thunder_keck on TikTok: fish doorbell season is back  For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, John, and Emily discuss the April 8 total solar eclipse. See John Dickerson and David Parkinson for CBS News: Massive storm system threatening millions across U.S. See also Atlas Obscura’s Ecliptic Festival; Annie Dillard for The Atlantic: “Seeing a partial eclipse bears the same relation to seeing a total eclipse as kissing a man does to marrying him.”; The Guardian: Columbus and the night of the bloody moon; and John Uri for NASA: Eclipses Near and Far. In the latest Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Tana French about her book, The Hunter: A Novel. Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jared Downing Research by Julie Huygen Hosts Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz Follow Slate Political Gabfest on Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/Gabfest/  @SlateGabfest on X / https://twitter.com/SlateGabfest Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Political Gabfest host John Dickerson has been a journalist for more than three decades, reporting about presidential campaigns, political scandals, the evolving state of our democracy. Along the way, he’s also been recording his observations in notebooks he has carried in his back pocket. On the Navel Gazing podcast, John Dickerson invites you to join him in figuring out what these thirty years of notebooks mean: sorting out what makes a life --or a day in a life— noteworthy. Listen to Navel Gazing every week, starting April 6th, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz are live in Washington, D.C. to discuss the Supreme Court (again) and abortion (again); Donald Trump’s ups and downs in New York courtrooms and Ronna McDaniel’s rise and fall on NBC; and Gallup’s World Happiness Report 2024.   Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Ann E. Marimow and Caroline Kitchener for The Washington Post: Supreme Court skeptical of efforts to restrict access to abortion pill Sierra Club v. Morton, 405 U.S. 727 (1972) 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, et al., 600 US _ (2023) Juhi Doshi for ABC News: What is the Comstock Act? The 151-year-old law mentioned in SCOTUS abortion pill case SCOTUSblog: Idaho v. United States Pam Belluck for The New York Times: What to Know About the Federal Law at the Heart of the Latest Supreme Court Abortion Case Geoff Mulvihill and Kimberlee Kruesi for AP: Which states could have abortion on the ballot in 2024? The New York Times: Keeping Track of the Trump Criminal Cases and Michael M. Grynbaum and John Koblin: NBC News Cuts Ties With Ronna McDaniel After Network Firestorm Brian Beutler for Off Message: The Political Economy Of Normalization Gallup: World Happiness Report 2024 Clare Ansberry for The Wall Street Journal: U.S. No Longer Ranks Among World’s 20 Happiest Countries The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: The Wall Street Journal: Evan Gershkovich: Updates on the WSJ Reporter Detained in Russia David: Tim Newcomb for Popular Mechanics: A Controversial Pyramid Isn’t Actually 27,000 Years Old—and Now, the Mystery Deepens and Paul M.M. Cooper for Fall of Civilizations Podcast: Episode 18 Is Out Now! John: National Archives: From Alexander Hamilton to Jeremiah Wadsworth, [20 August 1787]; John Dickerson for Slate’s Navel Gazing podcast (coming soon); John Dickerson on Court TV (not available); Emily Bazelon on C-SPAN; and David Plotz on C-SPAN: Washington Journal Newspaper Roundtable.  Listener chatter from Phil Goldstein in Washington, D.C.: The New York Times: Flesh Descending In A Shower.; An Astounding Phenomenon In Kentucky--Fresh Meat Like Mutton Or Venison Falling From A Clear Sky. For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, John, and Emily answer audience questions. See Gina M. Raimondo, Secretary of Commerce. In the latest Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Tana French about her book, The Hunter: A Novel.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with special thanks to Patrick Fort for on-site production and Katie Rayford for logistics support  Research by Julie Huygen   Hosts Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz Follow Slate Political Gabfest on Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/Gabfest/ @SlateGabfest on X / https://twitter.com/SlateGabfest Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the Supreme Court’s busy week on government speech and immigration authority; Donald Trump’s bond issue and words problem; and COVID learning loss. Join us for Political Gabfest Live in Washington, D.C. on March 27! Tickets are on sale now; get ‘em before they’re gone.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Amy Howe for SCOTUSblog: Court sympathetic to NRA’s free speech claim and Supreme Court skeptical of restricting government communications with social media companies Lindsay Whitehurst for AP: Supreme Court appears receptive to NRA free-speech lawsuit against a former New York state officia Hogan Gore for the Austin American-Statesman: 5th Circuit Court of Appeals leaves SB 4 on hold after dueling orders on Texas immigration law Ben Protess, Maggie Haberman, and Kate Christobek for The New York Times: Trump Spurned by 30 Companies as He Seeks Bond in $454 Million Judgment Ruth Marcus for The Washington Post: Fair’s fair: Trump should be able to appeal the judgment against him and Catherine Rampell:Trump can’t find anyone to spot him $424 million. Would you? Sarah Mervosh, Claire Cain Miller, and Francesca Paris for The New York Times: What the Data Says About Pandemic School Closures, Four Years Later Slate Political Gabfest: The “Stop Counting Now” Edition Weakley County, TN Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Small Game: A Novel by Blair Braverman and Small Game: A Novel at the DC Public Library John: Ramishah Maruf for CNN: MacKenzie Scott donates $640 million after open call for nonprofits and Ahjané Forbes for USA Today: Ticketless passenger found in Delta flight’s lavatory, forcing plane to turn around David: Sarah Zhang for The Atlantic: DNA Tests Are Uncovering The True Prevalence Of Incest and City Cast: Work with us.   Listener chatter from Joshua Weaver in Austin, Texas: Matthew Brown for AP: Montana man used animal tissue and testicles to breed ‘giant’ sheep for sale to hunting preserves   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, John, and Emily talk about The Mysterious Case of The Reappearing Princess. See Karla Adam for The Washington Post: Will Princess Kate video put an end to royal communications mess? and Mark Landler for The New York Times: The Royals Tried to Control Their Image Online. The Internet Had Other Ideas.   In the latest Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Tana French about her book, The Hunter: A Novel.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth  Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Bazelon talks with author Tana French about her new book, The Hunter. They discuss the different perspectives French uses throughout her books, how French happened into writing mysteries, writing as an outsider to Ireland, and more. Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address and Special Counsel Robert Hur’s congressional testimony; crime and punishment with the Wren Collective’s Jessica Brand; and Congress’s move to ban the Chinese government from TikTok. Join us for Political Gabfest Live in Washington, D.C. on March 27! Tickets are on sale now. Planning to attend? Submit a Listener Chatter to gabfest@slate.com and you might be picked to chatter live.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: C-SPAN: 2024 State of the Union Address and Former Special Counsel Hur Testifies on Biden Classified Documents Report, Part 1and Part 2   House Committee on the Judiciary: Recorded Interview: Robert Hur, President Biden Transcript, Date of Interview: October 8, and Date of Interview: October 9 Kaitlan Collins for CNN: Fmr. Mar-a-Lago employee who helped move classified docs speaks with CNN   Adam Serwer for The Atlantic: How Hur Misled the Country on Biden’s Memory Jack Goldsmith in The New York Times: Jack Smith and Robert Hur Are the Latest Examples of a Failed Institution Erica Pandey and Russell Contreras for Axios: Blue cities go red with conservative policies on crime Michael Barbaro and Mike Baker for The New York Times’s The Daily podcast: Oregon Decriminalized Drugs. Voters Now Regret It. Madaleine Rubin for The Texas Tribune: Sean Teare unseats Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg in primary   Stefanie Dazio for AP: Progressive Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón advances to runoff Jeffrey M. Jones for Gallup: More Americans See U.S. Crime Problem as Serious Stephanie Sy and Shoshana Dubnow for the PBS News Hour: As concerns grown around surging violent crime, the numbers tell a different story   David Leonhardt for The New York Times: Should China Own TikTok? CBS News: FBI Director Wray says China targeting U.S. civilian infrastructure, economic security Laura He for CNN: If the US bans TikTok, China will be getting a taste of its own medicine CBS Mornings: Jon Stewart on why he’s going back to “The Daily Show” anchor desk Mike Pence on Fox News: TikTok is digital fentanyl and Congress, Biden must act before it’s too late Josh Dawsey and Jeff Stein for The Washington Post: How Donald Trump switched to defending TikTok Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Josh Gerstein for Politico: Federal courts move against ‘judge-shopping’ and John Dickerson and Jessica Levinson for CBS News Prime Time: New rules aim to prevent “judge shopping” in major court cases John: Emily Goulet for Philadelphia: Fight Like a Girl: The New Wave of High-School Wrestling and Alex Bellos for The Guardian: He ate all the pi: Japanese man memorises π to 111,700 digits David: Lend A Box Listener chatter from Steven in Queens, New York: New York Times: Soon Finds Mother For His 5 Children; Widower Discovers Six Women Eager to Marry Him and Care for His Brood.   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, John, and Emily talk about marriage proposals. See Caroline Kitchener for The Atlantic: Marriage Proposals Are Stupid; Sadiba Hasan for The New York Times: 10 Great Ways to Pop the Question; and Parija Kavilanz for CNN: After 2023 wraps up, get ready for a spike in marriage proposals.   In the latest Gabfest Reads, David talks with Kiley Reid about her book, Come and Get It.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth  Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the Biden v. Trump polls and Super Tuesday, the Supreme Court’s decision to leave Donald Trump on the ballot, and whether The Golden Age of American Jews Is Ending with The Atlantic’s Franklin Foer. Join us for Political Gabfest Live in Washington, D.C. on March 27! Tickets are on sale now. Planning to attend? Submit a Listener Chatter to gabfest@slate.com and you might be picked to chatter live.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: 538: Latest Polls Shane Goldmacher for The New York Times: Voters Doubt Biden’s Leadership and Favor Trump, Times/Siena Poll Finds Mark Joseph Stern for Slate: The Supreme Court’s “Unanimous” Trump Ballot Ruling Is Actually a 5-4 Disaster Michael C. Dorf for Dorf on Law: Nine Justices in Search of an Excuse to Nullify Section 3 of the 14th Amendment Kate Shaw, Melissa Murray, and Leah Litman for Crooked Media’s Strict Scrutiny podcast: SCOTUS Restores Trump to the Colorado Ballot, Unanimously (Kind Of) Franklin Foer for The Atlantic: The Golden Age of American Jews Is Ending Elena Schneider and Melanie Mason for Politico: AIPAC uncorks $100 million war chest to sink progressive candidates Center for Antisemitism Research: 24% of Americans Harbor Extensive Antisemitic Prejudice, Up From 20% in 2022, Survey Finds Romain Chauvet for The Times of Israel: ‘I’m afraid every day for my children’: As antisemitism soars, French Jews flee to Israel Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Madaleine Rubin for The Texas Tribune: Sean Teare unseats Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg in primary; Serena Lin for the Austin American-Statesman: Incumbent José Garza wins Democratic primary for Travis County district attorney; Stefanie Dazio for AP: Progressive Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón advances to runoff; Mensah M. Dean for The Trace: In Philadelphia, a Program Offers Some People Arrested for Unlicensed Guns a Second Chance; and Jenice Armstrong for The Philadelphia Inquirer: Philly program keeps gun offenders out of prison. I’m all for it. John: Bozi Tatarevic for Road & Track: Here’s Why NASCAR Driver Joey Logano Was Penalized For Cheating Gloves and Victoria Beaver: Caught Webbed-Handed: Here’s the Cheated-Up Glove NASCAR Fined Joey Logano Over David: One Day on Netflix and One Day by David Nicholls; Normal People on Hulu and Normal People: A Novel by Sally Rooney; Shōgun on Hulu and Shōgun, Part One by James Clavell; Atlas Obscura’s Ecliptic Festival; and Danielle Dowling for The New York Times: 31 Things to Do for the Big Eclipse This April Listener chatter from Jason Dewees in San Francisco, California: Julie Zigoris for The San Francisco Standard: He died in a Jewish ghetto. How did his long-lost art end up on a bench in San Francisco?   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, John, and Emily talk with Researcher Julie about working as an election judge. See Arapahoe County (Colorado) Elections; Election Judges; Election Transparency; and Arapahoe County Life of the Ballot.    In the latest Gabfest Reads, David talks with Kiley Reid about her book, Come and Get It.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth  Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign; the Supreme Court’s boost for Donald Trump and review of social media’s content moderation; and Senator Mitch McConnell’s decision to time out as minority leader. Join us for our next Political Gabfest Live show in Washington, D.C. on March 27! Tickets are on sale now. Planning to attend? Submit a Listener Chatter to gabfest@slate.com and you might be picked to chatter live.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Ezra Klein for The New York Times Ezra Klein Show podcast: Democrats Have a Better Option Than Biden Jamelle Bouie for The New York Times: It’s Not as Easy as Just Getting Biden to Drop Out Yasmeen Abutaleb and Marianne LeVine for The Washington Post: Biden wins Michigan primary but faces notable showing by ‘uncommitted’ Thomas L. Friedman for The New York Times: Israel Is Losing Its Greatest Asset: Acceptance Karl Rove for The Wall Street Journal: Trump Goes on Fox and Shows His Weakness Amy Howe for SCOTUSblog: Supreme Court skeptical of Texas, Florida regulation of social media moderation G.S. Hans for Balls and Strikes: How the Supreme Court’s Latest Big Tech Case Pits Cancel Culture Hysteria Against Corporate Power Michael C. Dorf for Dorf on Law: The Partial Facial Challenge Option in the Netchoice Cases Alan Feuer for The New York Times: In Taking Up Trump’s Immunity Claim, Supreme Court Bolstered His Delay Strategy John Dickerson for CBS News: Examining Mitch McConnell’s legacy as Senate Republican leader The Long Game: A Memoir by Mitch McConnell Mariana Alfaro for The Washington Post: Here’s who could replace Mitch McConnell as Senate’s top Republican Mark Sumner for the Daily Kos: Watch Tim Scott utterly humiliate himself for Trump Katelyn Caralle and Sarah Ewall-Wice for the Daily Mail: Lindsey Graham is mercilessly BOOED at Trump’s South Carolina victory party: Ex-president brings Senator on stage after introducing him as a ‘little further to the left’ Saturday Night Live: Trump Victory Party Cold Open Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Molly Ryan for WRKF 89.3 Baton Rouge Public Radio: House lawmakers advance bills targeting early release from prison – and more John: Aliza Chasan for CBS News: Cardboard box filled with unopened hockey cards sells for more than $3.7 million at auction and Joshua Rapp Learn for Discover: Schrődinger’s Cat Experiment and the Conundrum That Rules Modern Physics David: Plainsong by Kent Haruf and City Cast: Work with us. Listener chatter from Jacob in Chicago, Illinois: citiesbydiana on TikTok: Top 6 Best Stroads in America   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, John, and Emily discuss the Republican obsession with Hunter Biden and the possibility of impeaching President Joe Biden. See Matthew Yglesias for Slow Boring: Republicans can’t stop swallowing Russian propaganda. See also Ken Tran for USA Today: Hunter Biden denies Joe Biden involved in family business: ‘Destructive political charade’; Amy Taxin and Alanna Durkin Richer for AP: Ex-FBI informant charged with lying about Bidens to remain jailed while he awaits trial, judge rules; and Philip Bump for The Washington Post: Evaluating the anti-Biden case House Republicans offered on social media.    In the latest Gabfest Reads, David talks with Kiley Reid about her book, Come and Get It.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth  Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the tragic death of Alexei Navalny and the fallout in the US; Donald Trump’s civil fraud case and consequences; and Alabama’s new stance on frozen embryos.      Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Pam Belluck for the New York Times on A New Abortion Access Strategy Adam Liptak for the New York Times on Supreme Court Seems Ready to Block a Biden Plan on Air Pollution  Jeffrey Blehar for National Review on We Need to Talk about Tucker Brett Stephens for the New York Times on How Biden Can Avenge Navalny’s Death David Ignatius, for the Washington Post on Ukraine faces a valley of death. There’s a way Biden can help it get across. Neil MacFarquhar for the New York Times on Wife, Protector and Now Political Heir: Yulia Navalnaya Rallies Russians Jonah E. Bromwich and Ben Protess for the New York Times on What the Civil Fraud Ruling Means for Trump’s Finances and His Empire Jonathan O'Connell for the Washington Post on Hefty fines, penalties will rock Trump family's business and fortune Ruth Marcus for the Washington Post on Alabama’s frozen embryo ruling is misguided Jan Hoffman for the New York times on Alabama Says Embryos in a Lab Are Children. What Are the Implications? Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: The fight against the EPA’s “good neighbor” air pollution rule heats up at the Supreme Court.  John: Allison Russel’s Grammy Award win for Eve Was Black, which some members of the Tennessee legislature sought to reject a congratulatory resolution for the singer.   David: Closet beds in the Netherlands.  Listener chatter from Lee Underwood in Atlanta, Georgia: Caley Fretz for Escape Collective: Meet the man who rode more new roads than anyone else   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, John, and Emily are joined by Gongwer News Service Executive Editor and Publisher Zach Gorchow. Zach also co-hosts the Michigan politics podcast MichMash. They discuss the dustup among Democratic votes who may vote “uncommitted” in the primary because of Biden’s stance on Israel.     In the latest Gabfest Reads, John talks with Brad Stulberg about his book, Master of Change: How to Excel When Everything Is Changing – Including You.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth  Research by Keya Bajaj Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Plotz talks with author Kiley Reid about her new book, Come & Get It. They discuss how money can work in the same way as language, writing realistic dialogue, and the things we can’t let go of.  Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss Special Counsel Robert Hur’s description of President Joe Biden; House Republicans’ impeachment of DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and refusal on Ukraine aid; and Democrat Tom Suozzi’s win in the New York congressional special election. And in Slate Plus, Emily, John, and David talk local news with reporter Ellie Wolfe.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Matt Viser and Tyler Pager for The Washington Post: Biden responds angrily to special counsel report questioning his memory and Marianne LeVine: Trump says he’d disregard NATO treaty, urge Russian attacks on U.S. allies Politico Magazine: What Biden Needs to Do to Reassure the Public Elena Moore for NPR: Biden’s campaign gives in and joins TikTok. Blame the youngs Mike Lillis and Mychael Schnell for The Hill: Lawmakers scramble for Plan B on Ukraine Jake Tapper for CNN: Marco Rubio reacts to Trump threatening NATO country to ‘pay up’ Zack Beauchamp for Vox: The moral and strategic case for arming Ukraine Joshua Matz, Michael J. Gerhardt, Amit Jain, and Laurence H. Tribe for Just Security: Why and How the Senate Should Swiftly Dismiss the Impeachment Charges Against Mayorkas Nate Cohn for The New York Times: Not an Ordinary Special Election, and Yet a Typical Result and Carl Hulse: How Senate Democrats Flipped the Border Issue on Republicans Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: American Fiction; Sam Sanders, Nadira Goffe, and Stephen Metcalf for the Slate Culture Gabfest podcast: American Fiction, Oscar Contender?; and Sam Sanders, Saeed Jones, and Zach Stafford for the Stitcher Vibe Check podcast: A Special Conversation with Cord Jefferson  John: Timeguessr and Matt Levine for Matt Levin’s Money Stuff: Lyft Had an Earnings Typo David: The Greatest Night in Pop on Netflix and USA for Africa: We Are the World  Listener chatter from J.T. Horn in Strafford, Vermont: Peter Frick Wright for the Outside Podcast: A Wild Conversation with E. Jean Carroll   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, John, and Emily discuss with Ellie Wolfe her local-news reporting as Education Reporter for the Arizona Daily Star. See Proposed law would limit shared governance at Arizona’s universities; U of A to ‘permanently eliminate’ $27 million worth of jobs in academic units; U of A’s Robbins talks about his pay, layoffs, athletics debt, more; and CFO: U of A must cut $200M in spending, rethink mission, accept layoffs. Thanks to listeners Alison, Anna, and David for the recommendation!    In the latest Gabfest Reads, John talks with Brad Stulberg about his book, Master of Change: How to Excel When Everything Is Changing – Including You.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth  Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the Republicans’ beginning and end of both the border bill and the impeachment of Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas; the criminal conviction of a mother for a school shooting by her son; and the D.C. Circuit Court decision on presidential immunity and the Supreme Court argument on the presidential ballot.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Rachael Bade for Politico: Schumer presses forward with Ukraine Plan B as GOP leaders reel and Burgess Everett: Behind the border mess: Open GOP rebellion against McConnell Cleve R. Wootson Jr. for The Washington Post: Biden vows to make GOP defeat of a conservative border bill a campaign issue and Jacqueline Alemany, Amy B Wang, Marianna Sotomayor, and Paul Kane: In stunning vote, House Republicans fail to impeach Secretary Mayorkas Former Rep. Charlie Stenholm in The Hill in 2015: How Tip O’Neill and Ronald Reagan would make this Congress work Tresa Baldas for the Detroit Free Press: Jennifer Crumbley guilty: Understanding involuntary manslaughter charge, possible sentenceand Paul Egan: Michigan’s gun laws change: Background checks, storage, temporary removal Michael Barbaro and Lisa Miller for The New York Times The Daily podcast: A Guilty Verdict for a Mass Shooter’s Mother Rachel Weiner for The Washington Post: Trump has no immunity from Jan. 6 prosecution, appeals court rules Ian Millhiser for Vox: The Supreme Court is about to decide whether to sabotage Trump’s election theft trial Amy Howe for SCOTUSblog: Supreme Court to decide whether insurrection provision keeps Trump off ballot   Here are this week’s chatters: John: Ian Sample for The Guardian: AI helps scholars read scroll buried when Vesuvius erupted in AD79; Pierina Pighi Bel for the BBC: Bodegas: The small corner shops that run NYC; David Blank in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Philodemus; Moss and Fog; and Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School: Theodore H. White Lecture with John Dickerson Emily: Sofia Resnick for News From The States: Study cited by Texas judge in abortion pill case retracted and Sage Publishing: A note from Sage on retractions in Health Services Research and Managerial Epidemiology David: Patrick Radden Keefe for The New Yorker: A Teen’s Fatal Plunge Into The London Underworld Listener chatter from Patrick Johnson in Anchorage, Alaska: Rhonda McBride for KNBA - Anchorage: Anchorage’s white raven becomes a local legend as a tracked trickster   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, John, and Emily discuss “Fast Car,” Tracy Chapman’s 1988 original, and Luke Combs’s 2023 cover.   In the latest Gabfest Reads, John talks with Brad Stulberg about his book, Master of Change: How to Excel When Everything Is Changing – Including You.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth  Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss E. Jean Carroll’s $83.3 million win against Donald J. Trump; the events of 1920-1948 that shaped the current relationship of Israel and Palestine; and the tech-bro billionaires of techno-authoritarianism with Adrienne LaFrance of The Atlantic.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Eric Lach for The New Yorker: Nine Regular People Tell Donald Trump to Shut Up and Pay Up Monica Hesse for The Washington Post: Is it really sexism that Trump is showing? Or is it something worse? Maggie Haberman and Shane Goldmacher for The New York Times: Trump’s PACs Spent Roughly $50 Million on Legal Expenses in 2023 Erik Larson for Fortune and Bloomberg: Most of Trump’s cash stockpile is at risk from possible $450m dual verdicts in E. Jean Carroll and New York business fraud cases CBS News: Face The Nation and Emily Tillett: Nikki Haley on Trump accusers: Women who accuse anyone “should be heard” and “dealt with” Gabriella Abdul-Hakim for ABC News: Tim Scott insists voters don’t care about Trump’s defamation loss, plays down ‘provocative’ Haley attacks Dietrich Knauth for Insurance Journal: Sandy Hook Denier Alex Jones Eyes Settlement With Families, Bankruptcy Exit Emily Bazelon for The New York Times: The Road to 1948 and Was Peace Ever Possible? Adrienne LaFrance for The Atlantic: The Rise of Techno-Authoritarianism Ezra Klein for The New York Times: The Chief Ideologist of the Silicon Valley Elite Has Some Strange Ideas Steven Levy for Wired: What the Techno-Billionaire Missed About Techno-Optimism Jonathan Taplin for Vanity Fair: How Musk, Thiel, Zuckerberg, and Andreessen—Four Billionaire Techno-Oligarchs—Are Creating an Alternate, Autocratic Reality Lisa Desjardins and Jonah Anderson for PBS Newshour: Lawmakers grill Big Tech executives, accusing them of failing to protect children The Dictator’s Learning Curve: Inside the Global Battle for Democracy by William J. Dobson   Here are this week’s chatters:  Emily: The Fight to Save the Town: Reimagining Discarded America by Michelle Wilde Anderson John: PenTips; Toluse Olorunnipa and Liz Goodwin for The Washington Post: Biden vows to ‘shut down’ an overwhelmed border if Senate deal passes and Jacob Bogage and Jeff Stein: House votes to expand child tax credit, beef up corporate tax breaks David: Visual Arts, St. Albans School; John Buzbee for The Advocate: LSU students bare it all as nude art models: ‘It’s a very brave thing to be able to do.’; and Kim McGill for The Union: The naked truth: Art models at El Camino inspire students to portray humanity in all its forms Listener chatter from Jay Lloyd in Louisville, Kentucky: Eric Berger for Ars Technica: What happens when an astronaut in orbit says he’s not coming back?   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, John, and Emily discuss the Love Story of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce and the message for MAGA madness: You Need To Calm Down. See Mariana Alfaro for The Washington Post: Why Trump’s MAGA Republican movement dislikes Taylor Swift and Ross Douthat for The New York Times: Taylor Swift, Donald Trump and the Right’s Abnormality Problem.   In the latest Gabfest Reads, John talks with Brad Stulberg about his book, Master of Change: How to Excel When Everything Is Changing – Including You.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth  Research by Julie Huygen   Hosts Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the Trump v. Biden presidential rematch, the end of the “vibecession,” and the political fights over immigration.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Michael Scherer and Toluse Olorunnipa for The Washington Post: Trump, Biden pivot quickly to a 2024 campaign that many voters dread Lauren Irwin for The Hill: Trump says Tim Scott ‘must really hate’ Haley Allison Pecorin and Caleigh Bartash for ABC News: Trump picks up endorsements from holdouts after New Hampshire win John E. Moser for Teaching American History: “Fireside Chat” on “Purging” the Democratic Party Ben Casselman for The New York Times: U.S. Economy Grew at 3.3% Rate in Latest Quarter and German Lopez: The End of Economic Pessimism? Jeff Stein for The Washington Post: As doomsday predictions dissipate, Biden aides savor booming economy and Trump promises to stop inflation. But would his plans actually help? Kyla Scanlon for Kyla’s Newsletter: The Vibecession: The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy Ben Harris and Aaron Sojourner for The Brookings Institution: Why are Americans so displeased with the economy? David Montgomery for YouGov: How’s the economy doing? For many Americans, the answer is how their party’s doing Punchbowl News AM: McConnell bows to Trump on border Karoun Demirjian for The New York Times: With Border Deal Near, Parole and Money Take Center Stage in Senate Talks Maria Sacchetti for The Washington Post: Explaining immigration parole, one sticking point in Ukraine aid-border deal Rafael Bernal and Al Weaver for The Hill: Parole: What to know about the GOP’s latest border sticking point  David J. Bier for the Cato Institute: New Data Show Migrants Were More Likely to Be Released by Trump Than Biden Colleen Long for AP: Title 42 has ended. Here’s what it did, and how US immigration policy is changing Here are this week’s chatters:  Emily: Yair Rosenberg for The Atlantic: What Did Top Israeli War Officials Really Say About Gaza? and Comics Kingdom: Sally Forth John: Tori Apodaca for CBS Sacramento: California writes cursive back into elementary school curriculum and Carmen Mayer, Stefanie Wallner, Nora Budde-Spengler, Sabrina Braunert, Petra A. Arndt, and Markus Kiefer in Frontiers in Psychology: Literacy Training of Kindergarten Children With Pencil, Keyboard or Tablet Stylus: The Influence of the Writing Tool on Reading and Writing Performance at the Letter and Word Level  David: Erik Wemple for The Washington Post: At Gallery Place, it’s Ted Leonsis vs. one very loud street music act Listener chatter from Annie O’Connor in St. Paul, Minnesota: LockPickingLawyer on YouTube   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, John, and Emily discuss Ezra Klein’s piece in The New York Times: I Am Going to Miss Pitchfork, but That’s Only Half the Problem. See Judy Woodruff, Sarah Clune Hartman, and Frank Carlson for PBS: The connections between decline of local news and growing political division; Steven Waldman for The Atlantic: The Local-News Crisis Is Weirdly Easy to Solve; and Penelope Muse Abernathy for the Hussman School of Journalism and Media, University of North Carolina: The Expanding News Desert: Finding Solutions. See also Press Forward; Sara Fischer and Cuneyt Dil for Axios: Scoop: D.C. lawmakers to introduce new bill funding local news via vouchers; and the Law & Justice Journalism Project.  In the latest Gabfest Reads, John talks with Brad Stulberg about his book, Master of Change: How to Excel When Everything Is Changing – Including You.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth  Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this month’s edition of Gabfest Reads, John Dickerson talks with author Brad Stulberg about his new book, Master of Change: How to Excel When Everything is Changing – Including You. They discuss how to make change itself a mindset, John’s notebooks, what we can learn from athletes, and more. Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, John Dickerson re-joins Emily Bazelon and David Plotz to discuss the Republican presidential race, the Iowa caucuses, and the New Hampshire primary; the Loper Bright and Relentless cases at the Supreme Court and the possible end of Chevrondeference; and The Misguided War on the SAT with David Leonhardt of The New York Times.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Nate Cohn for The New York Times: Even the Battle for Second Turned Out Well for Trump in Iowa Ross Douthat for The New York Times: How Trump’s Opponents Made Iowa Easy for Him Amy Howe for SCOTUSblog: Supreme Court likely to discard Chevron; Supreme Court to hear major case on power of federal agencies; and Supreme Court curtails EPA’s authority to fight climate change Cornell Law School’s Legal information Institute: Administrative Procedure Act Jess Bravin for The Wall Street Journal: Conservatives Once Hailed This Case. Now They’re at the Supreme Court to Gut It. Ian Millhiser for Vox: The Supreme Court cases asking the justices to put themselves in charge of everything, explained and A new Supreme Court case seeks to make the nine justices even more powerful David Leonhardt for The New York Times: The Misguided War on the SAT Ileana Najarro for EdWeek: The SAT Is Making a Comeback. Here’s a Look at the Numbers and What They Tell Us Raj Chetty, David J. Deming, and John Friedman for Opportunity Insights: Diversifying Society’s Leaders? The Determinants and Causal Effects of Admission to Highly Selective Private Colleges Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: The Ringer’s podcast “Stick the Landing” and Andy Greenwald and Mallory Rubin: Did ‘Friday Night Lights’ Stick the Landing? John: Richard Baldwin for VoxEU: China is the world’s sole manufacturing superpower: A line sketch of the rise; Moss and Fog: Tree.fm is Your Aural Escape Into Nature; and tree.fm David: Steve Lopez for the Los Angeles Times: They take care of aging adults, live in cramped quarters and make less than minimum wage and ZipRecruiter: assisted living jobs in Washington, DC Listener chatter from Kevin Collins in San Antonio, Texas: Historic Vids on X   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David talks about his father, Dr. Paul Plotz. See Rachel Weller for The NIH Catalyst: Symposium Honors NIAM’s Paul Plotz and The New York Times: Judith A. Abrams Engaged to Wed Dr. Paul H. Plotz; Candidate for Ph.D. at Harvard Is Fiancee of Boston Interne. See also John G. Zinn for the Society for American Baseball Research: Ebbets Field (Brooklyn, NY); National Institutes of Health; Union of Concerned Scientists; and The Two Cultures and The Scientific Revolution by C. P. Snow. In the latest Gabfest Reads, John talks with Christine Coulson about her book, One Woman Show: A Novel.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth  Research by Julie Huygen   Hosts Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon and David Plotz are joined by Jamelle Bouie of The New York Times to discuss the absence and silence of Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, school absenteeism with Alec MacGillis of ProPublica, and Donald Trump’s claim of absolute presidential immunity.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Politico: Austin’s hospital debacle: A timeline of events Fred Kaplan for Slate: Why the Secretary of Defense’s Mysterious Disappearance Means He Needs to Go Max Boot for The Washington Post: Lloyd Austin doesn’t deserve to be the piñata of the day in Washington Major General Patrick S. Ryder, Department of Defense Press Secretary Alec MacGillis for ProPublica and The New Yorker: Skipping School: America’s Hidden Education Crisis Jay Greene, Ph.D. and Jonathan Butcher for The Heritage Foundation: The Alarming Rise in Teacher Absenteeism Natalie Kitroeff and Adam Liptak for The New York Times Daily podcast: Trump’s Case for Total Immunity Bill Rankin and Katherine Landergan for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Could Willis allegations sink Trump case? Legal experts weigh in Mariana Alfaro and Amy B Wang for The Washington Post: Chris Christie caught on hot mic, says Nikki Haley will ‘get smoked’ Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Past Lives and Anatomy of a Fall Jamelle: Fist of the Condor David: Amsterdam; EnglishLearning on reddit: Is there any English word that has three or more same and consecutive letters?   Listener chatter from Erin Bumgarner in Arlington, Massachusetts: The Art of Noticing by Rob Walker   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, Emily, and Jamelle talk about which presidents should be on a new Mount Rushmore. See The White House Historical Association: The Presidents; John Quincy Adams; Ulysses S. Grant; Franklin D. Roosevelt; Dwight D. Eisenhower; and Lyndon B. Johnson. See also National Park Service: Why These Four Presidents?; Mario Canseco for Research Co.: Americans Pick Four Presidents for “New Mount Rushmore”; Politico Magazine: Who Should Be on the Next Mount Rushmore?; and Chauncey Alcorn for Capital B: What to Do About Stone Mountain? Black Residents Talk Park’s Racist Past. In the latest Gabfest Reads, John talks with Christine Coulson about her book, One Woman Show: A Novel.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)  Podcast production by Cheyna Roth  Research by Julie Huygen   Hosts Jamelle Bouie, Emily Bazelon, and David Plotz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz begin the year discussing the 2024 presidential election; Harvard President Claudine Gay’s resignation; and the 2023 decrease in homicides.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Steve Peoples for AP: Biden and Trump are posed for a potential rematch that could shake American politics Rob Crilly for the Daily Mail: Voters describe their 2024 choice between a Trump second term and a Biden second term as a choice between REVENGE or NOTHING in Daily Mail poll Brianne Pfannenstiel for the Des Moines Register: Iowa Poll: Donald Trump holds overwhelming lead; Ron DeSantis edges ahead of Nikki Haley Claudine Gay in The New York Times: What Just Happened at Harvard Is Bigger Than Me The Crimson Editorial Board for The Harvard Crimson: President Gay Plagiarized, but She Should Stay. For Now. Ian Ward for Politico: We Sat Down With the Conservative Mastermind Behind Claudine Gay’s Ouster Jeremy Duda for Axios: ASU continues streak as U.S. News’ most innovative school David Goldman for CNN: The 4 key events that led to UPenn President Liz Magill’s resignation Jeff Asher for Jeff-alytics: Crime in 2023: Murder Plummeted, Violent and Property Crime Likely Fell Nationally Bill Hutchinson for ABC News: ‘It is historic’: US poised to see record drop in yearly homicides despite public concern over crime Ken Dilanian for NBC News: Most people think the U.S. crime rate is rising. They’re wrong. Here are this week’s chatters: John: Library of Congress: Robert Cornelius, self-portrait; believed to be the earliest extant American portrait photo; National Gallery of Art: The Art of the American Snapshot, 1888-1978: From the Collection of Robert E. Jackson Emily: Ari Rabinovitch for Reuters: Israel’s Supreme Court strikes down disputed law that limited court oversight David: Brian Murphy for The Washington Post: Maureen Sweeney, weather watcher who influenced D-Day plans, dies at 100   Listener chatter from Eric in Tuckahoe, New York: Christophe Haubursin for Vox: What’s inside this crater in Madagascar?   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, John, and Emily talk about New Year’s resolutions and self-help. See also Matthew Solan for Harvard Health Publishing: Thinking of trying Dry January? Steps for success; James Clear: Atomic Habits Summary; Renée Onque for CNBC: This is a tried-and-true way to break a bad habit, says wellbeing coach—so we’re putting it to the test in 2024; and Chandra Steele for PCMag: Annoyed With Instagram? Take Control of Your Feed With These Tips and Tricks. In the latest Gabfest Reads, John talks with Christine Coulson about her book, One Woman Show: A Novel. Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth  Research by Julie Huygen   Hosts Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon and David Plotz are joined by Wesley Morris, critic at large for The New York Times and co-host of the Still Processing podcast, to cogitate on Conundrums 2023.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Thanks to everyone who submitted Conundrums, especially Alex, Brian, Mitchell Kosht, Patricia Gonzalez, Kali Rocha, Becca Nagorsky, Kevin Maginnis, Kevin Collins, Beth Kirsch, Brian Cechnicki, Chuck Terhark, Howard W, Brian, Mike Daugherty, Alan Dybner, Tim Falzone, Matthew Gill, Cynthia Weiner, and the incomparable Phil Goldstein.    Benjamin Wittes for Dog Shit Daily: My encounter with a shit-throwing neighborhood Karen Jon Mendelsohn for American Songwriter: The Real Reason Why Van Halen Asked Venues For Bowls of M&Ms Containing ‘No Brown Ones’  The Sellout: A Novel by Paul Beatty Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do by Studs Terkel Richard Scarry’s What Do People Do All Day? by Richard Scarry In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss by Amy Bloom Amy Bloom for This American Life: Exit Strategy Gabfest Reads: He Wanted to Die Holding Hands   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, Emily, and Wesley tackle three more Conundrums.  In the latest Gabfest Reads, John talks with Brad Stulberg about Master of Change: How to Excel When Everything Is Changing – Including You.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Jared Downing and Cheyna Roth with live show support from Katie Rayford Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Dickerson talks with author Christine Coulson about her new book, “One Woman Show.” They discuss the moment that inspired Coulson to tell a story in museum wall labels, her 25-years working at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and why restraint can be an artist’s best friend.  Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision to block Donald Trump from the ballot, the new Texas law to allow state and local authorities to arrest immigrants, and guest Amanda Ripley’s suggestions to survive 2024.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Colorado Supreme Court’s opinion in Anderson, et al. v. Griswold, et al. Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States John Dickerson for CBS News Prime Time: John Dickerson on Trump, Colorado and the 14th Amendment Adam Unikowsky for Adam’s Legal Newsletter: Is the Supreme Court seriously going to disqualify Trump? Mark A. Graber in The New York Times: Donald Trump and the Jefferson Davis Problem Lawfare: Tracking Section 3 Trump Disqualification Challenges Karoun Demirjian for The New York Times: Congress Abandons Ukraine Aid Until Next Year as Border Talks Continue Ashley Wu for The New York Times: Why Illegal Border Crossings Are at Sustained Highs Elizabeth Findell for The Wall Street Journal: Texas Spent Billions on Border Security. It’s Not Working Tom Cohen and Bill Mears for CNN: Supreme Court mostly rejects Arizona immigration law; gov says ‘heart’ remains Edgar Sandoval for The New York Times: Appellate Court Says U.S. Can’t Cut Through Texas Border Wire Along Rio Grande Gabriela Baczynska for Reuters: What’s in the new EU migration and asylum deal? Karen Musalo for Just Security: Biden’s Embrace of Trump’s Transit Ban Violates US Legal and Moral Refugee Obligations Amanda Ripley for Unraveled: How to Survive 2024 Adam Mastroianni in The New York Times: Your Brain Has Tricked You Into Thinking Everything Is Worse and for Experimental History: Things could be better The Economist: What psychology experiments tell you about why people deny facts Here are this week’s chatters: John: Jason Bittel for National Geographic: A bonobo was separated from her sister for 26 years. She still remembers her. Emily: May December on Netflix David: Hiroaki Nakagawa and Yasushi Miyata in Internal Medicine: An Underdiagnosed Cause of an Itchy Back   Listener chatter from Michael in Queens, New York: Irin Carmon for New York Magazine: A $45 Million Effort to Make Pregnancy Less Deadly in Brooklyn   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Amanda joins David, John, and Emily to talk about their holiday plans, which include To Asia, With Love: Everyday Asian Recipes and Stories From the Heart by Hetty McKinnon, the DC Public Library, Purlie Victorious, the National Zoo, and Sara Lee’s Butter Streusel Coffee Cake.  In the next Gabfest Reads, John talks with Christine Coulson about her new book, One Woman Show.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth  Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the free-speech controversies that are roiling college campuses since the war in Gaza began; the questions related to Trump cases that the U.S. Supreme Court will answer; and the latest high-profile abortion case coming out of Texas that has real-life and political consequences.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Hannah Natanson and Susan Svrluga for The Washington Post: Harvard President Claudine Gay to remain after antisemitism testimony Michelle Goldberg for The New York Times: At a Hearing on Israel, University Presidents Walked Into a Trap Elad Simchayoff @Elad_Si on X  Danielle Allen for The Washington Post: We’ve lost our way on campus. Here’s how we can find our way back. David French for The New York Times: What the University Presidents Got Right and Wrong About Antisemitic Speech Santul Nerkar and Jonah E. Bromwich for The New York Times: How the Israel-Hamas War Tore Apart Public Defenders in the Bronx Michael Barbaro and Nicholas Confessore for The Daily: Antisemitism and Free Speech Collide on Campuses Zah Montague and Tracey Tully for The New York Times: Education Dept. Is Investigating Six More Colleges Over Campus Discrimination Mark Sherman and Eric Tucker for AP: Special counsel Jack Smith asks the Supreme Court to rule quickly on whether Trump can be prosecuted and Mark Sherman: Supreme Court will hear a case that could undo Capitol riot charge against hundreds, including Trump Bob Dylan on YouTube: Bob Dylan – Idiot Wind (Official Audio) Robert Legare and Robert Costa for CBS News: Investigators accessed Trump White House cellphone records and plan to use them at trial, special counsel says Sabrina Tavernise for The Daily: The Woman Who Fought the Texas Abortion Ban Carter Sherman for The Guardian: US abortion rates rise post-Roe amid deep divide in state-by-state access Kate Zernike for The New York Times: Texas Judge Says Doctors Can Use ‘Good Faith Judgment’ in Providing Abortions Here are this week’s chatters:  John: One Line A Day: A Five-Year Memory Book and James Barron for The New York Times: Bob Dylan Sings, and Talks, on These Tapes From 62 Years Ago  Emily: Sydney Lupkin and Danielle Kurtzleben on All Things Considered: The Supreme Court will decide the fate of abortion pill mifepristone David: Paul Schwartzman for The Washington Post: With sports teams primed for move to Va., downtown D.C. frets its future and City Cast: Work with us. Listener chatter from Margaret in Jersey City: Chair Watch on Facebook   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, John, and Emily talk about Why Are So Many American Pedestrians Dying at Night?by Emily Badger, Ben Blatt, and Josh Katz for The New York Times and Why pedestrian deaths in the US are at a 40-year high by Marin Cogan for Vox. See also Political Gabfest: “The World Is Burning” Edition and Vision and night driving abilities of elderly driversby Nicole Gruber, Urs P Mosimann, René M Müri, and Tobias Nef. In the next Gabfest Reads, John talks with Brad Stulberg about Master of Change: How to Excel When Everything Is Changing – Including You.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth  Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz gather around John’s dining room table to discuss Liz Cheney, her book, and how far she’ll go to stop Donald Trump; Chris Christie, his presidential campaign, and whether he’ll stay in the race; and Purdue Pharma, the Sacklers, and if the Supreme Court will let the company go bankrupt to save the family fortune.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:  Oath and Honor: A Memoir and a Warning by Liz Cheney John Dickerson for CBS News Sunday Morning: “Liz Cheney on why she believes Trump’s reelection would mean the end of our republic” Terry Gross for NPR Fresh Air: “Liz Cheney, focused on stopping Trump, hasn’t ruled out 3rd-party presidential run”  Kevin Liptak, David Wright, and Samantha Waldenberg for CNN: Biden tells donors he’s ‘not sure I’d be running’ in 2024 if Trump wasn’t in the race Ben Mathis-Lilley for Slate: When Chris Christie Is the Voice of Honesty and Reason, You’re in Trouble Lisa Lerer and Chris Cameron for The New York Times: “Some Republicans Have a Blunt Message for Chris Christie: Drop Out”  Ed Kilgore for the Intelligencer: “Christie Vows to Continue Doomed Campaign to the Bitter End” Amy Howe for SCOTUSblog: “Court conflicted over Purdue Pharma bankruptcy plan that shields Sacklers from liability” Abbie VanSickle and Jan Hoffman for The New York Times: “What to Know About the Purdue Pharma Case Before the Supreme Court” Jocelyn Mackie for Forbes Advisor: Prescription Opioid Lawsuit Guide (2023) Alexander Gladstone for The Wall Street Journal: Georgia-Pacific Wins Appeal to Maintain Chapter 11 Protection From Lawsuits   Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: First: Sandra Day O’Connor by Evan Thomas  John: Master of Change: How to Excel When Everything Is Changing – Including You by Brad Stulberg; Monty Python – Silly Job Interview; and John Cleese on Creativity In Management David: Going Zero: A Novel by Anthony McCarten and Such a Fun Age: A Novel by Kiley Reid Listener chatter from Ryan White: Zaria Gorvett for the BBC: Tyrian purple: The lost ancient pigment that was more valuable than gold   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, John, and Emily talk through a constitutional Conundrum. See also Wikipedia: Gouverneur Morris. In the next Gabfest Reads, John talks with Brad Stulberg about Master of Change: How to Excel When Everything Is Changing – Including You.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth  Research by Julie Huygen   Hosts Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the good U.S. economy and Americans’ bad feelings about it; the Supreme Court case of SEC v. Jarkesy and its threat to the system of U.S. government; and white evangelicals and Christian nationalists with The Atlantic’s Tim Alberta. Send us your Conundrums: submit them at slate.com/conundrum. And join us in-person or online for Gabfest Live: The Conundrums Edition! December 7 at The 92nd Street Y, New York City. Tickets on sale now!   Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Sam Sutton for Politico: Why a ‘soft landing’ may not solve Biden’s polling problem Lydia DePillis for The New York Times: Even Most Biden Voters Don’t See a Thriving Economy; Paul Krugman: Bidenomics and the Guys in the Bar; Jim Tankersley: ‘Morning in America’ Eludes Biden, Despite Economic Gains; and Bryce Covert: Don’t Let Inflation Bury the Memory of a Government Triumph Dylan Matthews for Vox: Why the news is so negative – and what we can do about it  David Winston for Roll Call: Why Voters Are Still Wary 10 Years After the Economic Collapse  Robert Barnes for The Washington Post: Supreme Court conservatives seem dubious about SEC’s in-house tribunals Ronald Mann for SCOTUSblog: Supreme Court to consider multi-pronged constitutional attack on SEC Noah Rosenblum for The Atlantic: The Case That Could Destroy the Government Ian Millhiser for Vox: A Supreme Court case about stocks could help make Trump’s authoritarian dreams reality Public Citizens: The Attack on Big Government and the Remaking of American Liberalism by Paul Sabin  Tim Alberta for The Atlantic: My Father, My Faith, and Donald Trump and How Politics Poisoned The Evangelical Church The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism by Tim Alberta Thomas B. Edsall for The New York Times: ‘The Embodiment of White Christian Nationalism in a Tailored Suit’ PRRI and Brookings: A Christian Nation? Understanding the Threat of Christian Nationalism to American Democracy and Culture   Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Brian Murphy for The Washington Post: Larry Fink, photographer who explored class divides, dies at 82 and Emily Bazelon and Larry Fink for The New York Times Magazine: Shadow of a Doubt John: The New Yorker: “Bob and Don: A Love Story” a short documentary by Judd Apatow; CBS News Sunday Morning; and Oath and Honor: A Memoir and a Warning by Liz Cheney David: Matt Phillips for The New York Times: Shane MacGowan, Songwriter Who Fused Punk and Irish Rebellion, Is Dead at 65 and peyoteshaman on YouTube: Pogues 930 club mid 1980’s Listener chatter from Nicola in Dublin, Ireland: Irish Archaeology: Pangur Bán and Tread Softy: Classic Irish Poems for Children edited by Nicola Reddy   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, John, and Emily talk about the book lover’s dilemma: borrow or buy. See also A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin; Little Free Library; Adam Sockel for Perspectives on Reading: Library users are book buyers; and Pew Research Center: Libraries, patrons, and e-books. In the latest Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with James Sturm about Watership Down: The Graphic Novel. See also James Sturm and Joe Sutphin in The New York Times: In Times of Danger, There’s Strength in Numbers. Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth  Research by Julie Huygen   Hosts Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Late Show’s Steven Colbert – for Gabfest Live: The Conundrums Edition! December 7 at The 92nd Street Y, New York City. Tickets on sale now!   Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Nate Cohn for The New York Times: The Crisis in Issue Polling, and What We’re Doing About It and We Did an Experiment to See How Much Democracy and Abortion Matter to Voters Claire Cain Miller and Francesca Paris for The New York Times: The Great Disconnect: Why Voters Feel One Way About the Economy but Act Differently The Image: A Guide to Pseudo-Events in America by Daniel J. Boorstin What’s the Matter with Kansas?: How Conservatives Won the Heart of America by Thomas Frank Eli Saslow for The New York Times: A Jan. 6 Defendant Pleads His Case to the Son Who Turned Him In Brian Beutler for the Off Message newsletter: The 2024 Election Is About Real Things Charlie Warzel for The Atlantic: The Money Always Wins and Karen Hao and Charlie Warzel: Inside the Chaos at OpenAI John Dickerson and Jo Ling Kent for CBS News Prime Time: What Sam Altman’s ouster from OpenAI could mean for the tech world Pranshu Verman, Nitasha Tiku, and Gerrit De Vynck for The Washington Post: Sam Altman reinstated as OpenAI CEO with new board members  Louise Matsakis and Reed Albergotti for Semafor: The AI industry turns against its favorite philosophy Emily Bazelon for The New York Times Magazine: Was Peace Ever Possible?  Ezra Klein for The New York Times’s The Ezra Klein Show podcast: The Best Primer I’ve Heard on Israeli-Palestinian Peace Efforts Oslo on HBO John Dickerson for CBS Mornings: Former President Jimmy Carter: “America will learn from its mistakes” The Lady Bird Diaries on Hulu Eleanor Roosevelt in a Coal by Bettman and The George Washington University’s Case Study: Eleanor Roosevelt’s Visit to Coal Mine (1935)   Here are this week’s chatters: John: Julia Simon for NPR: ‘It feels like I’m not crazy.’ Gardeners aren’t surprised as USDA updates key map and U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service: USDA Unveils Updated Plant Hardiness Zone Map Emily: Liran Samuni and Martin Surbeck in Science: Cooperation across social borders in bonobos and The Bonobo Sisterhood: Revolution Through Female Alliance by Diane Rosenfeld  David: City Cast Executive Producer, Nashville, Executive Producer, Austin, and Events Director, remote and The National WWII Museum: WWII Veteran Statistics  Listener chatter from Dimitri in Boulder, Colorado: University of Evansville: Library of Congress Recognizes Plagiarized University of Evansville Archaeologist After 90 Years and Jessica Blake for Inside Higher Ed: Female Archaeologist’s Work Receives Overdue Recognition—90 Years Later   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, John, and Emily talk about the death of former First Lady Rosalynn Carter and her 77-year marriage with Jimmy Carter. See also Rick Rojas for The New York Times: The Carters’ Hometown Mourns for the Love of a Lifetime and Peter Baker: Rosalynn Carter Helped Shape the Role of the Modern First Lady. In the latest Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with James Sturm about Watership Down: The Graphic Novel. See also James Sturm and Joe Sutphin in The New York Times: In Times of Danger, There’s Strength in Numbers.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth  Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.  [MOU1]A word I haven’t thought of in years—stopped me in my tracks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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.com/conundrum. And join us for Conundrums Live! December 7 at The 92nd Street Y, New York City.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Zeeshan Aleem for MSNBC: “Joe Manchin’s triple blow to the Democrats”  Brittany Gibson and Shia Kapos for Politico: “Pelosi launches an all-out attack against No Labels” Wikipedia: “Assume a can opener” The Supreme Court of the United States: “Code of Conduct for Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States” Adam Liptak for The New York Times: “Supreme Court’s New Ethics Code Is Toothless, Experts Say” Maria Abi-Habib, Michael Crowley, and Edward Wong for The New York Times: “More Than 500 U.S. Officials Sign Letter Protesting Biden’s Israel Policy” Sam Fossum, Morgan Rimmer, and Manu Raju for CNN: “Top House Democrats evacuated from DNC headquarters as police clash with protesters calling for Gaza ceasefire”  Liz Goodwin for The Washington Post: “Bernie Sanders faces blowback as progressives urge cease-fire in Gaza” George Packer for The Atlantic: “Israel Must Not React Stupidly” Thomas L Friedman for The New York Times: “I Have Never Been to This Israel Before” Declan Walsh and Abdi Latif Dahir for The New York Times: “Seizing Darfur Region, Paramilitary Forces Are Accused of Atrocities”  Jennifer Jacobs for Fortune and Bloomberg: “Why a group of ‘everyday people’ in Iowa have been invited to dinner by Chinese president Xi Jinping: ‘We’re eager to meet with him’” Iowa PBS: “Citizen Diplomacy” The Economist’s The Prince podcast: “7: Wolf warriors”  Muscatine County, Iowa: “History”   Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: HBO’s movie Oslo John: John Dickerson on Instagram and Covenant House Sleep Out; Alex Wilkins for New Scientist: “Robotic chemist discovers how to make oxygen from Martian minerals” David: Michael Balsamo for AP: “Secret Service agents protecting Biden’s granddaughter open fire when 3 people try to break into SUV”; Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police: Carjacking; Exploring a Secret Fort with David through airbnb Listener chatter from David, Alameda, California: Chloe Olewitz for Morsel: “Over 100 Years Ago, the US Government Commissioned 7,500 Watercolor Paintings of Every Kind of Fruit in the Country” and U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Library: “USDA Pomological Watercolors” In the next Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with James Sturm about Watership Down: The Graphic Novel. See also James Sturm and Joe Sutphin in The New York Times: “In Times of Danger, There’s Strength in Numbers.”   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth  Research by Julie Huygen   Hosts Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 atslate.com/conundrum.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Lisa Lerer and Shane Goldmacher for The New York Times: “Abortion Rights Fuel Big Democratic Wins, and Hopes for 2024” Molly Olmstead for Slate: “Sean Hannity Had Quite the Takeaway About Abortion After Tuesday’s Elections"  Kate Zernike for The New York Times: “Ohio Vote Continues a Winning Streak for Abortion Rights” Laura Vozzella for The Washington Post: “Democratic wins in Virginia could deflate Youngkin’s White House buzz” Hannah Knowles and Dylan Wells for The Washington Post: “Democrat Andy Beshear wins reelection for governor in Kentucky”  Matthew Yglesias for Slow Boring: “23 thoughts on the 2023 midterms” John Dickerson for The Atlantic Festival 2023: “Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro on Leading a Key Swing State” Shane Goldmacher for The New York Times: “Trump Leads in 5 Critical States as Voters Blast Biden, Times/Siena Poll Finds“ Jonathan Swan, Ruth Igielnik, and Maggie Haberman for The New York Times: “Trump Indictments Haven’t Sunk His Campaign, but a Conviction Might” Nate Cohn for The New York Times: “Why Biden Is Behind, and How He Could Come Back” Philip Bump for The Washington Post: “Are young voters actually split between Trump and Biden?” Daniel A. Cox for the AEI Survey Center on American Life: “Why are Young Voters So Down on Joe Biden?” Pew Research Center’s Beyond Red Vs. Blue: The Political Typology: “Outsider Left” Sudiksha Kochi for USA Today: “Former Obama adviser Axelrod says Biden should consider dropping out of 2024” Robert Barnes for The Washington Post: “Court seems likely to allow gun bans for those under protective orders” Jordan Smith for The Intercept: “In Overturning Roe, Radical Supreme Court Declares War on the 14th Amendment” Thomas Jefferson: “To James Madison From Thomas Jefferson, 6 September 1789” Ulysses S. Grant Revealed: “President Ulysses S. Grant On The U.S. Constitution” Michael Barbaro and Jonah E. Bromwich for The New York Times’s The Daily podcast: “The Trumps Take the Stand”   Here are this week’s chatters: John: Reuters: “Napoleon’s hat heading to auction in France”; Marielle Brie: “Napoleon Bonaparte’s Bicorne Hat”; and Kai McNamee for NPR: “Lost French love letters from the 1750s reveal what life was like during wartime” Emily: Liberty Puzzles David: Jessica Sidman for Washingtonian: “Why Is Dallas on the Cover of This DC Guidebook?” Listener chatter from Sheila McIntyre: Sophie Mann-Shafir for The Provincetown Independent: “TPRTA Misled Members on Voter Registration; Town Meeting Postponed”   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Emily, John, and David talk about the trial testimony by the Trump family – Donald, Donald, Jr., Eric, and Ivanka – in the civil case of New York v. Trump.  In the latest Gabfest Reads, David talks with Kristi Coulter about her book, Exit Interview: The Life and Death of My Ambitious Career.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth  Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss Nikki Haley’s progress and Ron DeSantis’s stagnation in Iowa, Donald Trump’s testimony in New York, and Dean Phillips’s campaign in New Hampshire; the first social-media cases of the term at the Supreme Court; and Ours Was the Shining Future: The Story of the American Dream with author David Leonhardt. And you can be a part of the show: submit your Conundrum at slate.com/conundrum.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Brianne Pfannenstiel for the Des Moines Register: “Donald Trump builds on big lead as Nikki Haley pulls even with Ron DeSantis in Iowa Poll”  Jennifer Rubin for The Washington Post: “Nikki Haley has a shot. But a really, really long one.” Jonah E. Bromwich and Ben Protess for The New York Times: “Trump Civil Fraud Trial: Donald Trump Jr. Resumes Testifying in Fraud Case Aimed at His Father” Geoffrey Skelley for 538: The curious case of Dean Phillips’s last-minute primary challenge 538: “How popular is Joe Biden?” Jeff Neal for Harvard Law Today: “The Supreme Court takes on (anti)social media” Adam Liptak for The New York Times: “Supreme Court Lifts Limits for Now on Biden Officials’ Contacts With Tech Platforms” Amy Howe for SCOTUSblog: “Justices take major Florida and Texas social media cases” Ours Was the Shining Future: The Story of the American Dream by David Leonhardt Emily Bazelon for The New York Times’s The Morning newsletter, November 2, 2023 David Leonhardt for The Atlantic: “The Hard Truth About Immigration” Peter Dizikes for MIT News: “Q&A: David Autor on the long afterlife of the “China shock”” History.com: “A. Philip Randolph” Natasha Singer for The New York Times: “This Florida School District Banned Cellphones. Here’s What Happened.” and “New Laws on Kids and Social Media Are Stymied by Industry Lawsuits” Cristiano Lima and Naomi Nix for The Washington Post: “41 states sue Meta, claiming Instagram, Facebook are addictive, harm kids”   Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: The New Yorker’s Poetry Podcast with Kevin Young: “Toi Derricotte Reads Tracy K. Smith” John: The Graham Norton Show: “Dame Judi Dench Masterfully Does A Shakespeare Sonnet”; BBC Radio 4’s Cabin Pressure; Endeavour on PBS Masterpiece; John Dickerson for CBS News Prime Time: “Grammy-winning artist Jason Isbell talks about the craft of songwriting and his latest music”; and Ray Bradbury in the Los Angeles Times: “’Ice Cream Suit’--Touchstone for the Past and Present” David: Sarah Zhang for The Atlantic: “Everything I Thought I Knew About Nasal Congestion Is Wrong” Listener chatter from Albert Fox Cahn: N’dea Yancey-Bragg for USA Today: “Advocates say excited delirium provides cover for police violence. They want it banned” and John Dickerson for CBS News 60 Minutes: “How a questionable syndrome, “Excited Delirium,” could be protecting police officers from misconduct charges”   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Emily, John, and David talk about classroom cellphone bans. In the latest Gabfest Reads, David talks with Kristi Coulter about her book, Exit Interview: The Life and Death of My Ambitious Career.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth  Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz take the show on the road and gab live with Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers; discuss the new Speaker of the House Mike Johnson; and review the former lawyers and Chief of Staff who will testify against Donald Trump.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: City Cast Madison podcast and Madison Minutes newsletter Jennifer Rubin for The Washington Post: “Wisconsin Dems’ big wins for the rule of law might be an inflection point” Scott Bauer for AP: “Wisconsin Supreme Court asked to draw new legislative boundaries over Republican objections” James Hohmann for The Washington Post: “In Wisconsin, Tony Evers made a virtue of being dull” Amy Gardner and Michael Kranish for The Washington Post: “New speaker Mike Johnson’s 2020 election denial could have 2024 implications” Carl Hulse for The New York Times: “The Far Right Gets Its Man of the House” Ours Was the Shining Future: The Story of the American Dream by David Leonhardt  Katherine Faulders, Mike Levine, and Alexander Mallin for ABC News: “Ex-Chief of Staff Mark Meadows granted immunity, tells special counsel he warned Trump about 2020 claims: Sources” Paul Blumenthal for HuffPost: “The Guilty Pleas In Trump’s Georgia Indictment Are Starting To Roll Uphill” David French for The New York Times: “Trump’s Lawyers Are Going Down. Is He?”   Here are this week’s chatters: John: Mark Shanahan for The Boston Globe: “The Great Molasses Flood of 1919 was Boston’s strangest disaster“ and Dark Tide: The Great Molasses Flood of 1919 by Stephen Puleo   Emily: Hesket Oslo podcast by Arnon Degani; This Is Palestine podcast by the Institute for Middle East Understanding; and The Ezra Klein Show podcast: “The Jewish Left Is Trying to Hold Two Thoughts at Once” David: Vocal coach Karen Harris and “Jersey Girl” by Tom Waits Listener chatter from Jake Sinderbrand: University of Wisconsin-Madison: “Wisconsin Idea” and Babcock Dairy Store Listener chatter from Mike Duncan: The Storm Before the Storm: The Beginning of the End of the Roman Republic; Hero of Two Worlds: The Marquis de Lafayette in the Age of Revolution; The History of Rome podcast; and Revolutions podcast For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Emily, John, and David answer questions from the Madison audience. In the latest Gabfest Reads, David talks with Kristi Coulter about her book, Exit Interview: The Life and Death of My Ambitious Career.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Tim Peterson. Special thanks to Katie Rayford. Research by Julie Huygen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Plotz talks with author and 12-year Amazon senior employee, Kristi Coulter about her new memoir, Exit Interview: The Life and Death of My Ambitious Career. They discuss the good, the bad, and the confusing parts of Coulter’s career at Amazon, starting in 2006. They talk about the culture of Amazon, the frustrating gender dynamics, and why she was constantly “a year away” from a promotion.  Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss Jim Jordan’s efforts to become Speaker of the House; President Joe Biden’s visit to an Israel at war; and Donald Trump’s gag order. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Robert Jimison and Kayla Guo for The New York Times: “As Speaker Chaos Grows, so Does Talk of Empowering McHenry” Josh Levin and Stefan Fatsis on the Hang Up and Listen podcast: “The What Jim Jordan Knew About Sexual Abuse at Ohio State Edition” Philip Bump for The Washington Post: “Americans see the House speaker mess as hurting the country” John Dickerson and Charlie D’Agata for CBS News Prime Time: “Rocket Attack Destroys Hospital in Gaza” Charlie Savage and Alan Feuer for The New York Times: “Gag Order on Trump in Election Case Leaves More Hard Questions” Here are this week’s chatters: John: Mallika Marshall for CBS Boston: “Hitting snooze in the morning could be beneficial, new studies say” and Will Stone for NPR: “I usually wake up just ahead of my alarm. What’s up with that?” Emily: Shaun Walker for The Guardian: “Poland election: Law and Justice party on course to be ousted from power” and Anne Applebaum for The Atlantic: “Poland Shows That Autocracy Is Not Inevitable” David: “Beckham” on Netflix Listener chatter from Phoebe Saltzstein: Brett Arends for MarketWatch: “Here’s the real cause of the Social Security funding shortfall, according to the program’s chief actuary” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Emily, John, and David discuss Oprah Winfrey, Mitt Romney, and a presidential Dream Team and reference: Mike Allen for Axios: “Scoop: Oprah pitched a White House run with Mitt Romney, book reveals”; Romney: A Reckoning by McKay Coppins; Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life by Arnold Schwarzenegger; “Pumping Iron” documentary film; and The New York Times: “First Lady Tours Coal Mine in Ohio: Mrs. Roosevelt Wears Miner’s Lighted Cap and Spends Hour and Half Underground.” In the next Gabfest Reads, David talks with Kristi Coulter about her book, Exit Interview: The Life and Death of My Ambitious Career. Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Kevin Bendis Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon and David Plotz are joined by Juliette Kayyem to discuss the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and Steve Scalise’s fight for the gavel of the House Speaker. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Juliette Kayyem for The Atlantic: “A Devastating Attack by Hamas” Tom Dannenbaum for Just Security: “The Siege of Gaza and the Starvation War Crime” Zack Beauchamp for Vox: “Benjamin Netanyahu failed Israel” Aamer Madhani and Ellen Knickmeyer for AP: “Biden’s hopes for establishing Israel-Saudi relations could become a casualty of the new Mideast war” Kevin Liptak, MJ Lee, Kayla Tausche, and Jeff Zeleny for CNN: “Biden’s dilemma in Israel response: Outrage without escalation” Emily Ngo and Nick Reisman for Politico: “’Unacceptably devoid of empathy’: DSA is facing an internal reckoning on Israel” Jack Stripling and Laura Meckler for The Washington Post: “At colleges, violence in Israel and Gaza ignites a war of words” Bertha Gonzalez for The Stanford Daily: “Saller, Martinez condemn Hamas attack in University statement” Carl Hulse for The New York Times: “Republicans Choose a New Speaker Nominee, Then Quickly Undercut Him” Jason Lange for Reuters: “RFK Jr could draw one in seven US voters in 2024 presidential election, Reuters/Ipsos poll shows” Steve Peoples for AP: “How third-party and independent candidates could threaten Democrats and Republicans in 2024” Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Rabbi Erez Sherman in the Jewish Journal: “Mourning and Joy – At The Same Time” Juliette: “The True-Blue American” by Delmore Schwartz in Selected Poems: Summer Knowledge David: Matthew Yglesias for Slow Boring: “The “Deaths of Despair” narrative is wrong” and the movie “BlackBerry” Listener chatter from Deb Knox: Little Amal and Sean Beauford for Pittsburgh City Paper: “A giant puppet comes to Pittsburgh, and, with it, recognition of child refugees”  For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Emily, David, and Juliette discuss Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Cornel West, No Labels, and their possible effects on the presidential race between Joe Biden and Donald Trump.  In the next Gabfest Reads, David talks with Kristi Coulter about her book, Exit Interview: The Life and Death of My Ambitious Career. Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jared Downing Research by Julie Huygen Hosts Juliette Kayyem, Emily Bazelon, and David Plotz Follow @SlateGabfest on X / https://twitter.com/SlateGabfest Slate Gabfest on Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/Gabfest/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the now-former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy and the for-now Republican Matt Gaetz; the Supreme Court’s new term; and crime in America.   Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Marianna Sotomayor, Leigh Ann Caldwell, and Colby Itkowitz for The Washington Post: “Fight for speakership begins as House reels from McCarthy ouster” David Leonhardt for The New York Times: “America’s Political Turmoil” Matt Ford for The New Republic: “The Supreme Court Eyes Its Next Big Power Grab” Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley for The American Presidency Project: “Summary of the Report of the Committee on Administrative Management [the Brownlow Report].” Ian Millhiser for Vox: “The Supreme Court will decide if abusive spouses have a right to own guns” Mark Sherman for AP: “Supreme Court is asked to reject limits on a drug used in the most common method of abortion” Andrew Chung for Reuters: “Supreme Court ethics concerns aren’t going away” Ernesto Lopez, Richard Rosenfeld, and Bobby Boxerman for the Council on Criminal Justice: “Crime Trends in U.S. Cities: Mid-Year 2023 Update"  Rebecca Crosby, Judd Legum, and Tesnim Zekeria for Popular Information: “Target says it’s closing 9 stores due to theft. The crime data tells a different story.” Trisha Ahmed and Jim Salter for AP: “Some small towns in America are disbanding police forces, citing hiring woes” Gabe Cohen for CNN: “Doubling up on classrooms, using online teachers and turning to support staff: How schools are dealing with the ongoing teacher shortage”  John Dickerson for CBS News: “Chronic school absences on the rise in 40 states, study finds” Michael D. Shear for The New York Times: “Bidens’ Dog Is No Longer at White House After Latest Biting Incident” Molly Olmstead for Slate: “The Bidens’ Dog Keeps Biting People. Why?” Judicial Watch: “Judicial Watch Sues Secret Service for Records of Attacks by Biden German Shepherd ‘Commander’”   Here are this week’s chatters:  Emily: North Woods: A Novel by Daniel Mason and “Tiny Beautiful Things” on Hulu John: “Endeavour” on PBS; Daniel Garisto for Scientific American: “This Year’s Physics Nobel Awards Scientists for Slicing Reality into Attoseconds”; John Uri for NASA: “65 Years Ago: Sputnik Ushers in the Space Age”; and Charles Fishman for Fast Company: “The birth of the electronic beep, the most ubiquitous sound design in the world” David: Paul M.M. Cooper’s Fall of Civilizations Podcast and Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History podcast Listener chatter from Danny O’Malley: “Canary”  For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Emily, John, and David discuss President Joe Biden’s dog, Commander, his biting of Secret Service personnel, and his recent banishment from the White House.  In the next Gabfest Reads in October, David talks with Kristi Coulter about her book, Exit Interview: The Life and Death of My Ambitious Career.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the second Republican presidential primary debate; the next federal case against Senator Bob Menendez, and the latest lawsuit of United States v. Big Tech. Join us for Political Gabfest Live in Madison, Wisconsin on October 25! Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Dan Balz for The Washington Post: “Republican debate brings chaos, attacks and a slog for second place” G. Elliott Morris for 538: “How outlier polls happen – and what to do with them” Nicole Hong for The New York Times: “Gold Bullion and Halal Meat: Inside the Menendez Investigation” John Dickerson for CBS News Prime Time: “FTC chair Lina Khan discusses need for regulations on big business” Lina M. Khan in The Yale Law Journal: “Amazon’s Antitrust Paradox” Lisa Mascaro and Stephen Groves for AP: “House Speaker McCarthy is back to square one as the Senate pushes ahead to avert a federal shutdown” John Dickerson and Kris Van Cleave for CBS News: “How a government shutdown could cause chaos at airports” Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Mary Harris for This American Life: Act One of The Call; Slate’s podcast What Next hosted by Mary Harris; Never Use Alone Inc. National Overdose Prevention Lifeline; Dr. Alison Block for the Post-Roe America series of The Nocturnists podcast; and Slate’s podcast Amicus hosted by Dahlia Lithwick: “SCOTUS Is Not Done With Guns and Abortion” John: Michael Schneider for Variety: “CNN and Now-Canceled ‘Vice News Tonight’ Lead News & Documentary Night 1 Winners List” and John Dickerson for CBS News Prime Time: “How to stay safe online, according to CISA” David: Jonathan O’Callaghan for Nature: “This is what Earth’s continents will look like in 250 million years” Listener chatter from Kevin McEvilly: Adam Frank and Marcelo Gleiser in The New York Times: “The Story of Our Universe May Be Starting to Unravel” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Emily, John, and David discuss the possible shutdown of the U.S. government. In the latest Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Zadie Smith about her book, The Fraud: A Novel. In the next Gabfest Reads, David talks with Kristi Coulter about her book, Exit Interview: The Life and Death of My Ambitious Career. Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com or X us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jared Downing and Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Bazelon talks with author Zadie Smith about her new book, The Fraud. They discuss what happens when justice comes through an unjust symbol, how much Zadie does and doesn’t know about her characters, and more.  Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the UAW autoworkers’ strike against the Big Three automakers, talk with Yoel Roth about social media trust and safety, and weigh teachers’ burden to engage in parent diplomacy. Join us for Political Gabfest Live in Madison, Wisconsin on October 25!   Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Danielle Kaye for NPR: “Why the UAW is fighting so hard for these 4 key demands in the auto strike” Yoel Roth in The New York Times: “Trump Attacked Me. Then Musk Did. It Wasn’t an Accident.”  Yoel Roth on Lawfare: “Content Moderation’s Legalism Problem” Sarah Chaves in The Atlantic: “Parent Diplomacy Is Overwhelming Teachers” 9News: “Surveillance video: “Boebert seen vaping, arguing with patrons before removal from Denver theater”    Here are this week’s chatters:  Emily: Susan Haigh and Eric Tucker for AP: “Former federal prosecutor who resigned from Trump-Russia probe says she left over concerns with Barr”  John: Ashley Strickland for CNN: “How NASA has prepared to scoop up an asteroid sample landing in the desert” and The Art of Explanation: How to Communicate with Clarity and Confidence by Ros Atkins  David: NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries: “Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary” and National Trust for Historic Preservation: “Ghost Fleet of the Potomac, Mallows Bay” Listener chatter from Kevin Collins: Thomas Kole’s a portrait of Tenochtitlan: a 3D reconstruction of the capital of the Aztec Empire For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Emily, John, and David discuss the surveillance camera video of Representative Lauren Boebert behaving badly in a Denver theater.  In the next Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Zadie Smith about her book, The Fraud: A Novel.    Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com or X us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth  Research by Julie Huygen   Hosts Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz   Follow @SlateGabfest on X / https://twitter.com/SlateGabfest Slate Gabfest on Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/Gabfest/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon and David Plotz are reunited with John Dickerson to discuss the Wisconsin Republicans’ effort to impeach Justice Janet Protasiewicz and protect their gerrymander; Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s decision to start an impeachment inquiry of President Joe Biden and prevent a government shutdown; and Biden’s age problem and Donald Trump’s battleground-state difficulties. Join us for Political Gabfest Live in Madison, Wisconsin on October 25! Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Scott Bauer for AP: “Why Wisconsin Republicans are talking about impeaching a new state Supreme Court justice” City Cast Madison podcast: “How We Know Wisconsin’s Maps are Gerrymandered” Republican Party of Minnesota v. White, 536 U.S. 765 (2002) Luke Broadwater for The New York Times: “What We Know About the Impeachment Case Against Biden” and Carl Hulse and Luke Broadwater: “McCarthy Tries to Leverage Biden Impeachment to Avoid a Shutdown” Nate Cohn for The New York Times: “Trump’s Electoral College Edge Seems to Be Fading” and “How to Interpret Polling Showing Biden’s Loss of Nonwhite Support” FiveThirtyEight Politics Podcast: “Why Biden Is Losing Support Among Voters Of Color” Paul Waldman for MSNBC: “You can talk about Biden’s age. Just not like this.” The Hardest Job in the World: The American Presidency by John Dickerson The Last Politician: Inside Joe Biden’s White House and the Struggle for America’s Future by Franklin Foer Dan Balz for The Washington Post: “Mitt Romney says he will not seek a second term in the Senate” McKay Coppins for The Atlantic: “What Mitt Romney Saw In The Senate” “Mitt” on Netflix  Laura Vozzella for The Washington Post: “Va. Dem. House candidate performed sex online with husband for tips” Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: The Knockout Queen: A Novel by Rufi Thorpe and The Vaster Wilds: A Novel by Lauren Groff John: The Journals of John Cheever edited by Robert Gottlieb; CBS News Sunday Morning; Ted Gioia in The Honest Broker: “Why Is Music Getting Sadder?”; and Chris Dalla Riva: “Tears Are Falling And I Feel The Pain” David: Zhong sauce by Fly By Jing Listener chatter from Ben: Tyler Vigen’s “The Mystery of the Bloomfield Bridge” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Emily, John, and David discuss Susanna Gibson, the Virginia Democratic House candidate who “performed sex online with husband for tips.”  In the latest Gabfest Reads, Emily, David, and John talk with Barbara Kingsolver about her best-selling book, Demon Copperhead.  Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com or X us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jared Downing and Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen Hosts Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz Follow @SlateGabfest on X / https://twitter.com/SlateGabfest Slate Gabfest on Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/Gabfest/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon and David Plotz are joined by The Atlantic’s Franklin Foer to discuss Joe Biden’s White House and The Last Politician; the war in Ukraine and the possible meeting of Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin; and Americans’ views on the value of higher education. Join us for Political Gabfest Live in Madison, Wisconsin on October 25!   Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: The Last Politician: Inside Joe Biden’s White House and the Struggle for America’s Future by Franklin Foer Seung Min Kim, Stephen Groves, and Farnoush Amiri for AP: “How Biden and McCarthy struck a debt limit deal and staved off a catastrophe” Matthew Yglesias @mattyglesias: “This was Biden’s core promise …” Jasmine Wright for CNN: “Kamala Harris found her voice on abortion rights in the year after Dobbs. Now she’s making it central to her 2024 message” Imtiaz Tyab for CBS News: “Ukraine counteroffensive makes “notable” progress near Zaporizhzhia, but it’s a grinding stalemate elsewhere” Paul Tough for The New York Times Magazine: “Americans Are Losing Faith in the Value of College. Whose Fault Is That?” Ramesh Ponnuru in The Washington Post: “How to restore intellectual diversity on college campuses  Mitchell E. Daniels Jr. in The Washington Post: “Could income-share agreements help solve the student debt crisis?” Bullshit Jobs: A Theory by David Graeber  Sarah Wood for U.S. News & World Report: “Paying for Meals at College: What to Know About Costs” Nine Black Robes: Inside the Supreme Court’s Drive to the Right and Its Historic Consequences by Joan Biskupic  Here are this week’s chatters:  Emily: Richard Fausset and Danny Hakim for The New York Times: “Georgia Judge Says Two Defendants in Trump Case Will Get Early Trial Together” and Sam Gringlas for NPR: “In the Trump Georgia case, conflicting legal strategies complicate the path to trial” Frank: The Dan Patrick Show: “Does Messi Make MLS Appear Inferior?”; How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization by Franklin Foer; Essays on Music by Theodor Adorno; and On Late Style: Music and Literature Against the Grain by Edward W. Said  David: One Life: Frederick Douglass at the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian, Washington, D.C.; Michel Martin for NPR’s All Things Considered: “Picture This: Frederick Douglass Was The Most Photographed Man Of His Time”; and NPR: “’What To The Slave Is The Fourth Of July?’: Descendants Read Frederick Douglass’ Speech” Listener chatter from Nicole Dorn: Jennifer Senior for The Atlantic: “The Ones We Sent Away”  For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Frank, Emily, and David discuss the writing of The Last Politician: Inside Joe Biden’s White House and the Struggle for America’s Future.  In the latest Gabfest Reads, Emily, David, and John talk with Barbara Kingsolver about her best-selling book, Demon Copperhead.    Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com or X us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth  Research by Julie Huygen Hosts Franklin Foer, Emily Bazelon, and David Plotz   Follow @SlateGabfest on X / https://twitter.com/SlateGabfest Slate Gabfest on Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/Gabfest/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss Donald Trump’s trials schedule and the 2024 election calendar; Vivek Ramaswamy; and “What the Best Places in America Have in Common.”    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Devlin Barrett, Rachel Weiner, and Perry Stein for The Washington Post: “Trump’s D.C. election-obstruction trial scheduled for March 2024” Josh Barro in Very Serious: “Section Guy Runs For President”  Kathryn J. Edin, H. Luke Shaefer, and Timothy J. Nelson in The Atlantic: “What the Best Places in America Have in Common” and The Injustice of Place: Uncovering the Legacy of Poverty in America MGM’s “Red Dawn” official trailer John Dickerson for CBS News’ Prime Time: “Russia accuses Ukraine of large-scale drone attack” Hamlet by Shakespeare: “To die, to sleep– To sleep–perchance to dream.”    Here are this week’s chatters: John: Strike Force Five podcast on Spotify; Caroline Anders for The Washington Post: “France has too much wine. It’s paying millions to destroy the leftovers.”; Giri Viswanathan for CNN: “Marijuana and hallucinogen use, binge drinking reached records highs in middle-aged adults, survey finds”; and James Martinez for AP: “’Like Snoop Dogg’s living room’: Smell of pot wafts over notorious U.S. Open court” Emily: Tennis.com: “Azarenka, Svitolina, Wozniacki among 10 moms in the US Open main draw this year” David: Tree of the Year 2023 by the Woodland Trust; European Tree of the Year; Asian Tree of the Year; and Josh Levin for Slate’s One Year: 1955 podcast: “The Team Nobody Would Play”  Listener chatter from Brian Jackson: Jordan Pascale for DCist: “At DCA, Crews Race Each Night To Repave A Bit Of Runway Before The Next Day’s Flights” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, John, Emily, and David discuss militias.  In this month’s Gabfest Reads, Emily, David, and John talk with Barbara Kingsolver about her best-selling book, Demon Copperhead.    Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com or X us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth  Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, John Dickerson is back and joins Emily Bazelon and David Plotz to discuss the first Republican primary debate and the simulcast Tucker Carlson interview of Donald Trump; the Republican law professors’ debate about whether the U.S. Constitution prohibits another Trump presidency; and the United Diners of America.  Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Colectivo Coffee in Madison, Wisconsin Josh Dawsey, Michael Scherer, and Marianne LeVine for The Washington Post: “Republican rivals clash sharply in combative debate with no Trump” Sam Levine for The Guardian: “Could Trump be barred under the constitution’s ‘engaged in insurrection’ clause?” William Baude and Michael Stokes Paulsen in the University of Pennsylvania Law Review: “The Sweep and Force of Section Three” J. Michael Luttig and Laurence H. Tribe in The Atlantic: “The Constitution Prohibits Trump From Ever Being President Again” Eric Segall in Dorf on Law: “Of Insurrections, Presidents, and the Utter Failure of Constitutional Law to Address the Real Issues” Catherine Rampell for The Washington Post: “Where do socioeconomic classes mix? Not church, but Chili’s.” Maxim Massenkoff and Nathan Wilmers: “Rubbing Shoulders: Class Segregation in Daily Activities” Freevee original “Jury Duty” on Amazon Julie V. Iovine for The New York Times: “Dog Parks Are Great for People. Too Bad They’re Terrible for Dogs.” Applebee’s America: How Successful Political, Business, and Religious Leaders Connect with the New American Community by Ron Fournier, Douglas B. Sosnik, and Matthew J. Dowd “Fancy Like (feat. Kesha)” by Walker Hayes Here are this week’s chatters: John: “Weathervanes” by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit; “Jason Isbell: Running With Our Eyes Closed“ on Max; “Volunteer” and “Cast Iron Skillet” by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit Emily: Jeff Amy for AP: “Georgia prosecutors are suing to strike down a new state law that undermines their authority” David: Emily Heil for The Washington Post: “Eggo’s ‘Brunch in a Jar’ sippin’ cream is a boozy, diabolical disaster”; Cheez-It Snap’d; City Cast DC 1 Year Anniversary Live Taping  Listener chatter from Leonie: Ronan Casey for Classic Rock: “Meat Loaf, a flying wheelchair, and the greatest story ever told” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, John, Emily, and David debate calendar invitations.  In this month’s edition of Gabfest Reads, Emily, David, and John talk with Barbara Kingsolver about her best-selling book, Demon Copperhead.  Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com or X us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jared Downing and Cheyna Roth  Research by Julie Huygen Hosts Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz Follow @SlateGabfest on X / https://twitter.com/SlateGabfest Slate Gabfest on Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/Gabfest/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Bazelon, David Plotz, and John Dickerson talk with author Barbara Kingsolver about her new book, Demon Copperhead. They discuss her inspiration for the novel, what we keep getting wrong about Appalachia, and more.    Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon and David Plotz are joined by Lulu Garcia-Navarro of The New York Times to discuss the indictment in Georgia of Donald Trump and 18 co-defendants for trying to overturn the state’s 2020 election results; the court win by Montana youth for “a clean and healthful environment” and the devastating losses of Maui residents to wildfire; and the lawsuit of Michael Oher against his supposed “Blind Side” parents.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: C-SPAN: “Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis on the Indictment of Former President Trump” David Gelles, Brad Plumer, Jim Tankersley, and Jack Ewing for The New York Times: “The Clean Energy Future Is Arriving Faster Than You Think” Christopher Flavelle and Manuela Andreoni for The New York Times: “How Climate Change Turned Lush Hawaii Into a Tinderbox” Josh Levin for Slate: “The Other Blind Sides” and Hang Up and Listen podcast Robyn Autry for MSNBC: “’The Blind Side’ isn’t the only film that gets things wrong. All white savior movies do.” Kristine Parks for Fox News: “Liberal columnists seize on ‘Blind Side’ controversy: ‘White savior’ story looks ‘even more fake’ than before” Emily Laurence and Jeff Temple for Forbes: “The Psychology Behind The Fear of Missing Out (FOMO)”   Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: The Fear of Too Much Justice: Race, Poverty, and the Persistence of Inequality in the Criminal Courts by Stephen Bright and James Kwak and The Women of NOW: How Feminists Built an Organization That Transformed America by Katherine Turk  Lulu: Only Murders In The Building on Hulu David: Hijack on Apple TV+ and hiring for Host, City Cast Las Vegas Listener chatter from Julian: Liz Lindqwister for The San Francisco Standard: “San Franciscans Are Having Sex in Robotaxis, and Nobody Is Talking About It” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Lulu, Emily, and David discuss the return of FOMO.  In the most recent edition of Gabfest Reads, David talks with David Grann about his book, The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder.    Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com or X us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth  Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon and David Plotz are joined by Juliette Kayyem to discuss the Ohio vote not to make it harder to change the state constitution; Republican views on Donald Trump’s offenses; and emergency preparedness or the lack thereof.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Jack Goldsmith for The New York Times: “The Prosecution of Trump May Have Terrible Consequences” The Devil Never Sleeps: Learning to Live in an Age of Disasters by Juliette Kayyem Charles M. Blow for The New York Times: “The Montgomery Brawl Was, for Some, a Clarifying Moment”   Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: WESH 2: “Gov. DeSantis suspends State Attorney Monique H. Worrell, citing neglect of duty” Juliette: Clay Risen for The New York Times: “Charles J. Ogletree Jr., 70, Dies; at Harvard Law, a Voice for Equal Justice” and Emily Bazelon for The New York Times: “Why Is Affirmative Action in Peril? One Man’s Decision.” David: City Cast DC 1 Year Anniversary Live Taping, August 28, 2023, and Rachel Pannett for The Washington Post: “She invited four people over for lunch. A week later, three were dead.” Listener chatter from Rob Parsons: Richard Nelson for Encounters North: “Classic Audio Encounters” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Juliette, Emily, and David discuss the Montgomery, Alabama riverfront brawl.  In the most recent edition of Gabfest Reads, David talks with David Grann about his book, The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder.    Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com or X us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth  Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss Donald Trump’s third indictment, this one for January 6th and the 2020 election; Trump v. President Joe Biden poll results; and, joined by David French of The New York Times, the country song “Try That In A Small Town.”  Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Devlin Barrett and Josh Dawsey for The Washington Post: “Heart of the Trump Jan. 6 indictment: What’s in Trump’s head” Judd Legum for Popular Information: “The biggest misconception about Trump’s third criminal indictment” Reid J. Epstein for The New York Times: “Quick to Mock MAGA, Biden Stays Silent on Trump Indictments” Reid J. Epstein, Ruth Igielnik, and Camille Baker for The New York Times: “Biden Shores Up Democratic Support, but Faces Tight Race Against Trump” and Nate Cohn: “Can the Race Really Be That Close? Yes, Biden and Trump Are Tied.” David French for The New York Times: “Try Tolerance in a Small Town” and “The Trial America Needs” 18 U.S. Code § 241 – Conspiracy against rights Jill Filipovic for The Guardian: “Musicians like Jason Aldean love to glorify ‘small-town’ America. It’s embarrassing” Aaron Zitner for The Wall Street Journal: “They’re the Happiest People in America. We Called Them to Ask Why.” Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Deborah Treisman for The Writer’s Voice: New Fiction from The New Yorker: “Camille Bordas Reads ‘Colorín Colorado’” and How to Behave in a Crowd by Camille Bordas John: Meghan Bartels for Scientific American: “NASA Detects ‘Heartbeat’ from Voyager 2 Spacecraft after Losing Contact” and John Dickerson for The Prime Time Interview, CBS News: “Author Dan Pink on the meaning of regret, how he captures his ideas, more with John Dickerson” David: “Exploring a Secret Fort” with David through airbnb and Emma Marris for Nature: “Could this ancient whale be the heaviest animal ever?” Listener chatter from Alex Callahan: Peter Braul for Maisonneuve: “We’ll Never Be That Drunk Again”  For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, John, and Emily discuss “The Socio Political Demography of Happiness” by Sam Peltzman.  In the most recent edition of Gabfest Reads, David talks with David Grann about his book, The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder.  Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com or X us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Jared Downing Research by Julie Huygen Hosts Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz Follow @SlateGabfest on X / https://twitter.com/SlateGabfest Slate Gabfest on Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/Gabfest/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s legislative win limiting judicial powers while hundreds of thousands of Israelis protest; Harvard University and other elite colleges’ reconsideration of legacy admissions; and the revise-or-bust status of Hunter Biden’s plea deal.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Emily Bazelon for The New York Times: “How Israel’s Supreme Court Might React to the Challenge to Its Power” Maayan Lubell for Reuters: “Israel’s Netanyahu down in polls over judicial reform” John Dickerson for CBS News Prime Time: “Harvard professor discusses admission at elite colleges”  Claire Cain Miller and Aatish Bhatia for The New York Times: “How Big Is the Legacy Boost at Elite Colleges?” and Aatish Bhatia, Claire Cain Miller, and Josh Katz: “Study of Elite College Admissions Data Suggests Being Very Rich Is Its Own Qualification” Annie Lowrey for The Atlantic: “Why You Have to Care About These 12 Colleges” John Dickerson and Catherine Herridge for CBS News Prime Time: “What’s next for Hunter Biden after plea deal unraveling”   Here are this week’s chatters:  Emily: “Barbie” starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling  John: Wall Street Journal: “Yemen Oil Tanker at Risk: An Operation to Avert a Massive Spill” David: “Jury Duty” on Amazon Prime  Listener chatter from Susan Bates: The Ride of Her Life: The True Story of a Woman, Her Horse, and Their Last-Chance Journey Across America by Elizabeth Letts For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David and Emily discuss their personal thoughts on Israel and reference Exodus by Leon Uris and “Exodus” starring Paul Newman and Eva Marie Saint.  In the July edition of Gabfest Reads, David talks with David Grann about his book, The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder.    Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com or X us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Plotz talks with author David Grann about his new book, The Wager. The non-fiction book tells the harrowing story of a shipwreck off the coast of Patagonia in 1742. They discuss how the British Empire twisted fact and fiction, the process of digging through 280-year-old documents, and why you should always have citrus at sea. Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz are together again and talking about Donald Trump’s next indictment and the charges against his “false electors” in Michigan; the struggles of candidates Ron DeSantis, Tim Scott, et al.; and Congressional Republicans’ culture war against the U.S. military.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: James Madison: “Impeachment of the Executive, [20 July] 1787” FiveThirtyEight: “Who’s Ahead In Republican Primary Polls?”  Fox News Digital: “Republican presidential candidate Sen. Tim Scott says Donald Trump is ‘overqualified to be my vice president’”  Manu Raju, Rashard Rose, and Lauren Fox for CNN: “Tommy Tuberville now says ‘White nationalists are racists’ after refusing to denounce them” Zoë Richards for NBC News: “Arizona Republican refers to Black Americans as ‘colored people’ in House floor debate”   Here are this week’s chatters:  Emily: Elise White, Basaime Spate, Javonte Alexander, and Rachel Swaner for the Center for Justice Innovation: “’Two Battlefields’: Opps, Cops, and NYC Youth Gun Culture” and Charged: The New Movement to Transform American Prosecution and End Mass Incarceration by Emily Bazelon   John: Mona El-Naggar, Johan M. Kessel, and Alexander Stockton for The New York Times: “What Is War to a Grieving Child?”; Jeanna Smialek and Ben Casselman for The New York Times: “The Pandemic’s Labor Market Myths”; and Chris Cameron for The New York Times: “Over 700 Civil War-Era Gold Coins Found Buried on a Kentucky Farm” David: “Exploring a Secret Fort” with David through airbnb; Steve Bohnel for The Frederick News-Post: “$200,000, or the city burns: The story of the Confederacy’s ransom on Frederick”; and Caity Weaver for The New York Times Magazine: “My Impossible Mission to Find Tom Cruise”  Listener chatter from Dianne Denton: Harriet McBryde Johnson for The New York Times Magazine: “Unspeakable Conversations” and Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century by Alice Wong For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, John, and Emily discuss the Hollywood actors’ and writers’ strikes, artificial intelligence, and the future of work.  In the next edition of Gabfest Reads, David talks with David Grann about his book, The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder.    Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com or Tweet us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, John Dickerson and David Plotz are joined by Vox’s Marin Cogan @marincogan to discuss the extreme weather, heat, and floods that are wreaking havoc across the United States and around the world; the social media phenomenon of Threads; and the American love-hate relationship with cars.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Cara Buckley for The New York Times: “To Help Cool a Hot Planet, the Whitest of White Coats” Jonathan Erdman for The Weather Channel: “America’s Top Weather Killer Is Not Tornadoes, Flooding, Lightning Or Hurricanes – It’s Heat” Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World by Henry Grabar  Antonio Pequeño IV for Forbes: “Zuckerberg Vs. Musk: Everything We Know About The Possible Cage Fight”  These Truths: A History of the United States by Jill Lepore  Insider Intelligence: “US Social Network Ad Revenue Growth, 2021-2023”  Marin Cogan for Vox: “The impossible paradox of car ownership”; “The deadliest road in America”; and “Cars transformed America. They also made people more vulnerable to the police.”  Tracy Chapman: “Fast Car”; Luke Combs: “Fast Car”; and Emily Yahr for The Washington Post: “Tracy Chapman, Luke Combs and the complicated response to ‘Fast Car’”  Henry Grabar for Slate: “Why More Americans Are Using Fake License Plates and Getting Away With It” Gersh Kuntzman for Streetsblog NYC: “Paris Mayor Enters Fray Between E-Bikes and Pedestrians – By Fighting Drivers”   Here are this week’s chatters: John: Hannah Hartig, Andrew Daniller, Scott Keeter, and Ted Van Green for Pew Research Center: “Republican Gains in 2022 Midterms Driven Mostly by Turnout Advantage”  Marin and David: Tour de France on NBC Sports; Tour de France: Unchained on Netflix  Listener chatter from Dan Kirkwood: Claire Stremple for The Alaska Beacon: “Angoon students name, launch first dugout canoe since 1882 Bombardment”  For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, John, and Marin discuss traffic enforcement, the need for it, and the harms it causes.  In the latest edition of Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Monica Potts @MonicaBPotts about her book, The Forgotten Girls: A Memoir of Friendship and Lost Promise in Rural America.    Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com or Tweet us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz are on vacation, but Emily taped an extra episode of Gabfest Reads for everyone. She sits down with author Monica Potts to talk about her new memoir The Forgotten Girls. They discuss growing up in rural Arkansas, Monica’s childhood best friend Darci, and more. For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, Emily, and John chatter about what’s making them happy this summer, an article about how bad things really are, and more. In the June edition of Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Peter Singer @PeterSinger about his book, Animal Liberation Now: The Definitive Classic Renewed.    Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com or Tweet us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz are live and on stage with Maryland Governor Wes Moore and also discuss the Supreme Court’s legitimacy problem and the not-Trump Republican candidates’ struggle.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: C-SPAN: “Maryland State of the State Address” Jeffrey M. Jones for Gallup: “Trust in Federal Government Branches Continues to Falter” and “Confidence in U.S. Supreme Court Sinks to Historic Low  John Dickerson and Anthony Salvanto for Face The Nation: “CBS News poll: GOP primary voters are more concerned Trump’s indictment is political” Rich Lowry for Politico: “The Trump Divide that Should Have Republicans Terrified”   Here are this week’s chatters: John: Donald H. Kent for Pennsylvania History: “The Erie War of the Gauges" Emily: Adam Liptak for The New York Times: “Supreme Court Puts First Amendment Limits on Laws Banning Online Threats” David: Elliot C. Williams for WAMU’s The DCist: “Fans Revel In The Atlantis As Foo Fighters Open Venue With ‘Long, Hot, Loud’ Performance”; Matt Richtel for The New York Times: “The Refries That Bind: A Cavernous Cantina Returns, Cliff Divers and All”; and Amazon Prime’s movie “Air: A Story of Greatness”  For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, Emily, and John answer audience questions and talk about “Gabfest Reads: The Case for Treating Animals With Dignity”.  In the next edition of Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Monica Potts @MonicaBPotts about her book, The Forgotten Girls: A Memoir of Friendship and Lost Promise in Rural America.    Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com or Tweet us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Patrick Fort Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Keziah Weir for Vanity Fair: “How Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Became the Anti-vaxxer Icon of America’s Nightmares” Matt Viser for The Washington Post: “The complicated relationship between a presidential father and a struggling son” Pam Belluck and Emily Bazelon for The New York Times: “New York Passes Bill to Shield Abortion Providers Sending Pills Into States With Bans” Emily Bazelon for The New York Times: “A Medical Frontier” Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Samuel A. Alito Jr. for The Wall Street Journal: “Justice Samuel Alito: ProPublica Misleads Its Readers”; Justin Elliott, Joshua Kaplan, and Alex Mierjeski for ProPublica: “Justice Samuel Alito Took Luxury Fishing Vacation With GOP Billionaire Who Later Had Cases Before the Court” John: Todd Estes for Teaching American History: “New Hampshire’s Ratification of the Constitution” David: U.S. Department of Agriculture: “Nuts”; Taryn Varricchio and Clancy Morgan for Business Insider: “Cashews don’t come cheap – one pound at retail can cost you $15. Here’s why they’re so expensive.”; Doritos Nacho Cheese Flavored Tortilla Chips   Listener chatter from Ruthy Kohorn Rosenberg: Reshma Saujani at Smith College’s 2023 Commencement: Imposter Syndrome is Modern-Day Bicycle Face For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, Emily, and John discuss with James Surowiecki of The Atlantic @JamesSurowiecki his article, “The Bitter Truth About the Bud Light Boycott.”  In the June edition of Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Peter Singer @PeterSinger about his book, Animal Liberation Now: The Definitive Classic Renewed.  Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com or Tweet us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jared Downing and Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen Hosts Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz Follow @SlateGabfest on Twitter / https://twitter.com/SlateGabfest Slate Gabfest on Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/Gabfest/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Bazelon talks with author Peter Singer about his updated and re-released book, Animal Liberation Now. The classic text has been an integral part of the animal rights movement since its publication in 1975. They discuss what we’ve learned about animals in the last several decades, including the intelligence of animals, why people should become vegan to help with climate change, and what we've learned about animals over the last four decades. Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the federal case against Donald Trump involving national-security documents, Atlanta’s Cop City training facility, and Elizabeth Gilbert’s decision to delay her next book situated in Soviet-era Russia.    Join us for a live taping! Political Gabfest Live in Washington, D.C., Wednesday June 28, 7:30 p.m., Sixth & I. In-person and virtual tickets on sale now.   Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:  Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America by Maggie Haberman Jonathan Swan, Charlie Savage, and Maggie Haberman for The New York Times: “The Radical Strategy Behind Trump’s Promise to ‘Go After’ Biden” Esteban L. Hernandez for Axios: “Denver’s STAR set to expand amid tension over its future”  Patrick Quinn for Atlanta News First: “’Stop Cop City’ Sen. Warnock interrupted during commencement address” Eat Pray Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia by Elizabeth Gilbert Mark Healy for GQ: “Women’s Favorite Author to Women: Don’t Get Married!” Elizabeth Gilbert on Twitter: “Important announcement about THE SNOW FOREST.” Mike Dash for Smithsonian Magazine: “For 40 Years, This Russian Family Was Cut Off From All Human Contact, Unaware of World War II” Philip Kennicott for The Washington Post: “Ukraine wants a boycott of Russian culture. It’s already happening.” Franklin Foer for The Atlantic: “Eat, Pray, Pander” Peter Beaumont for The Guardian: “Author resigns from PEN America board amid row over Russian writers panel” Imogen West-Knights for Slate: “The Saga Over Elizabeth Gilbert’s “Russian Novel” Has an Uncomfortable Lesson—and It’s Not for Her” The Enigma of Clarence Thomas by Corey Robin    Here are this week’s chatters: John: Simrin Singh for CBS News: “Phosphorus, essential element needed for life, detected in ocean on Saturn’s moon”; William Harwood for CBS News: “New evidence of water plumes on Jupiter’s moon Europa; could it support life?” Emily: The Forgotten Girls: A Memoir of Friendship and Lost Promise in Rural America by Monica Potts; When Crack Was King: A People’s History of a Misunderstood Era by Donovan X. Ramsey David: Muster Dogs on The ABC: “Five graziers from across Australia are given five Kelpie puppies from the same litter and set with the challenge of transforming these uniquely Australian dogs into champion muster dogs.” Listener chatter from Phil: Jay Caspian Kang for The New Yorker: “Notes on Losing”; Winning Ugly: Mental Warfare in Tennis—Lessons from a Master by Brad Gilbert and Steve Jamison; John Dickerson for Slate: “Risk”   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, Emily, and John discuss with Joel Anderson @byjoelanderson his podcast, Slow Burn: Becoming Justice Thomas.   In the next edition of Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Peter Singer @PeterSinger about his book, Animal Liberation Now: The Definitive Classic Renewed.    Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com or Tweet us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a Gabfest Special Edition, David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Emily Bazelon discuss Donald Trump’s indictment on charges relating to classified documents and the Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision on Alabama racial gerrymandering.   Here are some notes and references from today’s show: The Washington Post: “Live Updates: Trump criminal indictment is unsealed, shows he faces 37 charges” Robert Barnes for The Washington Post: “Supreme Court: Alabama’s voting maps unfair to Black residents” Join us for a live taping! Political Gabfest Live in Washington, D.C., Wednesday June 28, 7:30 p.m., Sixth & I, 600 I St. NW. Tickets are on sale now.    Email your questions and chatters to gabfest@slate.com or Tweet us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the latest three Republicans battling for the presidential nomination; Oklahoma’s approval of a Catholic public-charter school; and Saudi sportswashing in golf and soccer.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Andrew Prokop for Vox: “Trump’s next indictment is looming – and the evidence against him is trickling out”  Sean Murphy for AP: “Oklahoma school board approves what would be the 1st taxpayer-funded religious school in US”  The Guardian: “Changing their tune: what golf’s powerbrokers said then and now”  Lauren Chooljian for New Hampshire Public Radio: “He built New Hampshire’s largest addiction treatment network. Now, he faces accusations of sexual misconduct.” David Enrich for The New York Times: “A Reporter Investigated Sexual Misconduct. Then the Attacks Began.”  John Dickerson for Slate: “Where’s My Subpoena?”   Here are this week’s chatters:  Emily: Kate Brumback for AP: “Bond granted for 3 activists whose fund bailed out people protesting Atlanta ‘Cop City’ project”  John: David Lerman, Laura Weiss, and Avery Roe for Roll Call: “Still steaming over debt deal, conservatives derail House action” David: Washington and Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park; Dan Chabanov for Bicycling: “What Is a Randonnée—and Why Should You Sign Up for One?”; Paris-Brest-Paris Randonneur Listener chatter from Greg Hoffman: Genghis Blues   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, Emily, and John discuss the attacks and libel suit against a journalist for her reporting.    In the next edition of Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Peter Singer @PeterSinger about his book, Animal Liberation Now: The Definitive Classic Renewed.    Join us for a live taping! Political Gabfest Live in Washington, D.C., Wednesday June 28, 7:30 p.m., Sixth & I, 600 I St. NW. Tickets are on sale now.    Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com or Tweet us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen This Pride Month, make an impact by helping Macy’s and The Trevor Project on their mission to fund life-saving suicide prevention services for LGBTQ youth. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the debt-ceiling deal; the Russia-Ukraine war with the Atlantic’s Kori Schake @KoriSchake; and the impeachment of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.  Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: John Wagner for The Washington Post: “Senate racing to pass debt ceiling bill ahead of Monday default deadline” The Last Politician: Inside Joe Biden’s White House and the Struggle for America’s Future by Franklin Foer Kori Schake for The Atlantic: “Biden Is More Fearful Than the Ukrainians Are” Anatoly Kurmanaev, Ivan Nechepurenko, and Eric Nagourney for The New York Times: “Drone Strike in Moscow Brings Ukraine War Home to Russians” Erin Douglas and Robert Downen for The Texas Tribune: “God, money and Dairy Queen: How Texas House investigators secured the impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton” Succession theme song by Nicholas Britell Here are this week’s chatters: John: New York Post: “Woman wins bizarre ‘cheese-rolling race’ – despite being knocked unconscious”; Cheese Rolling in Gloucester Emily: I’ve Just Seen a Face: A Practical and Emotional Guide for Parents of Children Born with Cleft Lip and Palate by Amy Mendillo, MPP David: Nat Hentoff for The New Yorker: “What Bob Dylan Wanted at Twenty-Three”; join David at a live taping of City Cast DC on Saturday June 3 at 1 p.m., Right Proper Brewing's Brookland production house and tasting room. Tickets are free. RSVP here.  Listener chatter from James Carey: Recipe of Dwight D. Eisenhower for Vegetable Soup For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, Emily, and John discuss HBO’s “Succession”. In the latest edition of Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Curtis Sittenfeld @csittenfeld about her book, Romantic Comedy. Join us for a live taping! Political Gabfest Live in Washington, D.C., Wednesday June 28, 7:30 p.m., Sixth & I, 600 I St. NW. Tickets are on sale now.  Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com or Tweet us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jared Downing and Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen Hosts Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz This Pride Month, make an impact by helping Macy’s and The Trevor Project on their mission to fund life-saving suicide prevention services for LGBTQ youth. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the imminent X Date when the United States hits the debt ceiling and could default; the presidential campaign announcements of Ron DeSantis and Tim Scott; and the possibilities of regulating artificial intelligence.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Ezra Klein for The New York Times: “Liberals Are Persuading Themselves of a Debt Ceiling Plan That Won’t Work” J. Baxter Oliphant for Pew Research Center: “Top tax frustrations for Americans: The feeling that some corporations, wealthy people don’t pay fair share” John Dickerson for CBS News Prime Time: “Former Google executive speaks out against AI”  Emily Conover for Science News Explores: “A new supercomputer just set a world record for speed”   Here are this week’s chatters: John: Oliver Whang for The New York Times: “A Paralyzed Man Can Walk Naturally Again With Brain and Spine Implants”; Henri Lorach, et al., for Nature: “Walking naturally after spinal cord injury using a brain-spine interface” Emily: Charlotte Lytton for The Washington Post: “Long-hidden ruins of vast network of Maya cities could recast history” David: NatureSweet Twilights tomato; join David at a live taping of City Cast DC on Saturday June 3 at 1 p.m., Right Proper Brewing's Brookland production house and tasting room. Tickets are free. RSVP here.    Listener chatter from Bob Rosner: Inti Pacheco for The Wall Street Journal: “The Monks Who Make Chartreuse Don’t Care About Your Fancy Cocktails”   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, Emily, and John discuss Harlan Crow’s collections and Graeme Wood’s article in The Atlantic: “Inside the Garden of Evil.”    In the latest edition of Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Curtis Sittenfeld @csittenfeld about her book, Romantic Comedy.   Join us for a live taping! Political Gabfest Live in Washington, D.C., Wednesday June 28, 7:30 p.m., Sixth & I, 600 I St. NW. Tickets are on sale now.    Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com or Tweet us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth  Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the John Durham report on the FBI investigation of the 2016 Trump campaign; the mifepristone case heard by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and the 12-week abortion ban in North Carolina; and the legal showdown between Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Disney.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: David Frum for The Atlantic: “A Sinister Flop: Special Counsel John Durham served up not an investigation, but an excuse for future partisan abuses.” Emily Bazelon for The New York Times: “How a 150-Year-Old Law Against Lewdness Became a Key to the Abortion Fight” Debra Michals for the National Women’s History Museum: “Margaret Sanger  Stephen Neukam for The Hill: “Rick Scott on Disney-DeSantis feud: ‘Cooler heads have to prevail’” Will Saletan for The Bulwark: “The Corruption of Lindsey Graham: A case study in the rise of authoritarianism.”   Here are this week’s chatters: John: Rebecca Morelle and Alison Francis for BBC News: “Titanic: First ever full-sized scans reveal wreck as never seen before”; Lilit Marcus and Sania Farooqui for CNN: “Sherpa breaks record with 27th Mount Everest summit” Emily: Divide Me By Zero by Lara Vapnyar  David: The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David Grann; join David at a live taping of City Cast DC on Saturday June 3 at 1 p.m., Right Proper Brewing's Brookland production house and tasting room. Tickets are free. RSVP here.    Listener chatter from Jon: “Trappisten verlassen Abtei Engelszell” [Trappists leave Engelszell Abbey]   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, Emily, and John discuss with The Bulwark’s Will Saletan @saletan his book, “The Corruption of Lindsey Graham: A case study in the rise of authoritarianism.”   In the latest edition of Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Curtis Sittenfeld @csittenfeld about her book, Romantic Comedy.   Join us for a live taping! Political Gabfest Live in Washington, D.C., Wednesday June 28, 7:30 p.m., Sixth & I, 600 I St. NW. Tickets are on sale now.    Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com or Tweet us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth   Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz, discuss the $5 million jury verdict for E. Jean Carroll and against Donald Trump; joined by New York Times Mexico bureau chief Natalie Kitroeff @Nataliekitro, the end of Title 42 and the flow of migrants at the border; and the looming crisis of raise the debt ceiling or default.  Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Kara Scannell, Dan Berman, and Nicki Brown for CNN: “Key moments from the video of Trump’s deposition in E. Jean Carroll trial released to the public” Isaac Arnsdorf, Josh Dawsey, and Marianne LeVine for The Washington Post: “Sexual abuse verdict renews Republican doubts about Trump’s electability” Natalie Kitroeff and Julie Turkewitz for The New York Times: “What’s Driving Record Levels of Migration to the U.S. Border?” Natalie Kitroeff, Christine Zhang, Miriam Jordan, and Eileen Sullivan for The New York Times: “Who Gets In? A Guide to America’s Chaotic Border Rules.” John Dickerson and Jeff Stein for CBS News Prime Time: “14th Amendment and debt ceiling connection explained” Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Pam Belluck for The New York Times: “F.D.A. Advisers Say Benefits of Over-the-Counter Birth Control Pill” John: Ray A. Smith for The Wall Street Journal: “Workers Now Spend Two Full Days a Week on Email and in Meetings” David: “Exploring a Secret Fort” with David through airbnb; Museo Nacional de Antropología, Mexico City, Mexico Listener chatter from Eric: Ironic Sans on YouTube: “The Most Remade Movie in History” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, Emily, and John discuss a listener’s moral dilemma: continue to teach in the LGBTQ-supportive learning environment of an arts high school or change jobs and teach in a parochial school.  In Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Curtis Sittenfeld @csittenfeld about her latest book, Romantic Comedy. Mark your calendars for the return of Political Gabfest Live! Wednesday, June 28 in Washington, D.C. Further information coming soon…  Email your questions and chatters to gabfest@slate.com or Tweet us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jared Downing and Cheyna Roth  Research by Julie Huygen Hosts Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz Make an impact this Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund APIA Scholars. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Bazelon talks with author author Curtis Sittenfeld about her new book Romantic Comedy.    They discuss why ordinary guys get to be with famous women, but usually not the other way around, the fun of writing a fictional version of Saturday Night Live, and how to write witty email exchanges.   Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and the New York Times’s Jamelle Bouie @jbouie discuss the battle between President Joe Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy on raising the debt ceiling; the courtroom drama of E. Jean Carroll v. Donald J. Trump; and the power of Republican supermajorities in state legislatures.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Nick Mourtoupalas and Derek Hawkins for The Washington Post: “Washington is running out of workdays to strike a debt ceiling deal”  Jacob Bogage for The Washington Post: “Debt ceiling showdown: 5 possible outcomes” Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States Lola Fadulu for The New York Times: “In Trump Trial, a Lawyer Pushes, and E. Jean Carroll Pushes Right Back” Jamelle Bouie for The New York Times: “A Sinister New Page in the Republican Playbook” and “Republicans Did Something Most People Don’t Like, So They’re Changing the Rules” Article IV, Section 4 of the Constitution of the United States Movement Advancement Project: “Snapshot: Democracy Ratings By State” Michael Waldman for the Brennan Center for Justice: “The Great Resignation … Of Election Officials” James Madison: “Federalist No. 10”    Here are this week’s chatters: Jamelle: the films of Seijun Suzuki, including Tokyo Drifter and Branded to Kill John: using ChatGPT to simplify text, such as statements by the Federal Reserve and George Washington’s farewell address Emily: Eleanor Klibanoff for The Texas Tribune: “Three Texas women are sued for wrongful death after allegedly helping friend obtain abortion medication” and “Women accused of facilitating abortion in Galveston wrongful-death lawsuit file countersuit”   Listener chatter from Ted Hogeman: Community Media Center, Institute for Contemporary Art, Virginia Commonwealth University   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Jamelle, John, and Emily discuss cooking, including roast chicken with bread, Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking by Toni Tipton-Martin, broccoli and cauliflower salad with curried dressing, broccoli salad with peanuts and tahini-lime dressing, and Soom tahini.   In the next Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Curtis Sittenfeld @csittenfeld about her latest book, Romantic Comedy.   Email your questions and chatters to gabfest@slate.com or Tweet us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth  Research by Julie Huygen Make an impact this Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund APIA Scholars. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Emily Bazelon discuss the kick-off of President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign; the firings of Tucker Carlson from Fox News and Don Lemon from CNN; and the Bud Light marketing misstep with Insta influencer Dylan Mulvaney.  Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Joe Biden Campaign: “Let’s Finish the Job”  Aaron Zitner for the Wall Street Journal: “They’re the Happiest People in America. We Called Them to Ask Why.” Brian Stelter for the New York Times: “I Worked at CNN and Reported on Tucker Carlson. He Was Never Invincible.” Dylan Mulvaney on Instagram: “Happy March Madness!!” Emily Bazelon for the New York Times Magazine: “The Battle Over Gender Therapy” John Dickerson for CBS News Prime Time: “Montana State Rep. Zooey Zephyr on being blocked from debating an anti-trans bill” Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Matthew Hendrickson, Fran Spielman, and Andy Grimm for the Chicago Sun-Times: “Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx won’t seek reelection” David: Jeff Maysh for The Atlantic: “The Wedding Sting”  John: Bob Weir’s song “Only a River” Listener chatter from Elizabeth Trovall: Jen Rice and Alexandra Kanik for the Houston Chronicle: “Harris County 2022 election: Investigation reveals new details” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Emily, John, and David discuss the new Utah laws intended to restrict children’s access to social media. In Gabfest Reads, David talks with Washington Post columnist Alexandra Petri about her latest book, Alexandra Petri’s US History: Important American Documents (I Made Up).  Email your questions and chatters to gabfest@slate.com or tweet us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Jared Downing Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Plotz talks with author Alexandra Petri about her new book, Alexandra Petri’s US History: Important American Documents. They discuss how to transform staid history documents into rollicking parodies, how Petri found her “voice” multiple times, and her grander ambitions for the book. Plus, Petri reads some choice selections. Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Emily Bazelon discuss the $787.5 million settlement of the Dominion Voting v. Fox News defamation lawsuit; the political game being played with raising the U.S. debt ceiling; and the Russian detention of American journalist Evan Gershkovich.  Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Jim Rutenberg and Katie Robertson for the New York Times: “A $787.5 Million Settlement and Embarrassing Disclosures: The Costs of Airing a Lie” Matthew Iglesias for Slow Boring: “Medicaid work requirements are cruel and pointless” Paul Krugman for the New York Times: “A Few Ways Out of the Debt Ceiling Mess” Freedom House Report: “Freedom in the World 2023: Marking 50 Years in the Struggle for Democracy” John Dickerson for CBS News Prime Time: “U.S. ambassador says she visited detained Wall Street Journal reporter” Drew Hinshaw, Joe Parkinson, and Brett Forrest for the Wall Street Journal: “’You Are Completely Alone’: Inside the Infamous Russian Prison Holding Evan Gershkovich” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: “What Everyone Should Know about the Shingles Vaccine (Shingrix)” “Pelosi in the House” HBO documentary  Carrie Blazina and Drew Desilver for the Pew Research Center: “House gets younger, Senate gets older: A look at the age and generation of lawmakers in the 118th Congress”  Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Julie Bosman, Mitch Smith, Jesse McKinley, and Jay Root for the New York Times: “Hundreds of Miles Apart, Separate Shootings Follow Wrong Turns” and Timothy Bella for the Washington Post: “Cheerleaders leaving practice were shot after one got in wrong car, teen says” John: Ellie Zolfagharifard for the Daily Mail: “’Here there be robots’: Artist draws stunning medieval map of Mars showing off its huge craters and vast canyons”; Mars and its Canals by Percival Lowell; and Kaushik Patowary for Amusing Planet: “How Astronomer Percival Lowell Mistook His Own Eye For Spokes on Venus” David: City Cast DC podcast: “D.C.’s Rat-Hunting Dogs And Other Rat Solutions” (Host Bridget Todd, Producer Julia Karron)  Listener chatter from Nancy Hall: Joe Mahr and Megan Crepeau for the Chicago Tribune: “Stalled Justice: Delays in the Cook County courts” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Emily, John, and David discuss the dilemma posed by the months-long absence of Dianne Feinstein from the U.S. Senate. In the next Gabfest Reads, David talks with Washington Post columnist Alexandra Petri about her latest book, Alexandra Petri’s US History: Important American Documents (I Made Up).  Email your questions and chatters to gabfest@slate.com or tweet us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Jared Downing. Research by Julie Huygen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz and Emily Bazelon discuss the federal court rulings on the F.D.A.-approved abortion medication mifepristone, the expulsion of two Democratic representatives by the Republican-supermajority state legislature in Tennessee, and Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’ latest ethics problem.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Adam Unikowsky for Adam’s Legal Newsletter: “Mifepristone and the rule of law, part II” Allison McCann for the New York Times: “Inside the Online Market for Overseas Abortion Pills” Joshua Kaplan, Justin Elliott, and Alex Mierjeski for ProPublica: “Clarence Thomas and the Billionaire” Sylvie McNamara for the Washingtonian: “Clarence Thomas’s Billionaire Benefactor Collects Hitler Artifacts” Chenjerai Kumanyika for This American Life: “Ghost Industrial Complex”   Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Vladimir: A Novel by Julia May Jonas David: The D.C. Sing-Along; The Dropout on Hulu; Air (Amazon Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Listener chatter from David Foreman: Rosemary Mosco for Audubon: “Meet the Little Brown Bird That Holds a Mirror Up to Humanity”   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David and Emily discuss the Hitler memorabilia collected by Harlan Crow, Texas billionaire and friend of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.   Email your questions and chatters to gabfest@slate.com or tweet us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen Make an impact this Earth Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to bring more parks to more people across the country. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Washington Post’s Ruth Marcus discuss Donald Trump’s arraignment; the elections of Janet Protasiewicz to the Wisconsin Supreme Court and Brandon Johnson for Chicago mayor; and the possibility of No Labels playing spoiler in 2024 presidential politics.   Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Manhattan District Attorney’s Office: “District Attorney Bragg Announces 34-Count Felony Indictment of Former President Donald J. Trump”  Ruth Marcus for The Washington Post: “The Trump indictment is a dangerous leap on the highest of wires” Jim Robbins for The New York Times: “Mass Yellowstone Hunt Kills 1,150 Bison”   Here are this week’s chatters: Ruth: Dublin Murder Squad 6-book series by Tana French ; Dún Aonghasa John: Carrie Hagen for Smithsonian Magazine: “The Media Learned Nothing After Misreporting the Reagan Assassination Attempt: As the shooter John Hinckley returns to life outside of imprisonment, it’s worth looking back at every thing the media got wrong that day”  David: Adam Taylor, Júlia Ledur, Francesca Ebel, and Mary Ilyushina for The Washington Post: “A web of trenches shows Russia fears losing Crimea“; the Putrid Sea   Listener chatter from Zach Marks @zmarks215: The arrest of President Ulysses S. Grant   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, John, and Ruth discuss the sanctioned killing of Yellowstone bison that leave the boundaries of the national park.   Email your questions and chatters to gabfest@slate.com or Tweet us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen Make an impact this Earth Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to bring more parks to more people across the country. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a Gabfest Special edition, David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Emily Bazelon discuss Donald Trump’s indictment. Here are some notes and references from today’s show: The New York Times: “Live Updates: Trump Likely to Be Arraigned on Tuesday” Slate Political Gabfest: The “Trump Will Be Indicted Next Tuesday” Edition Email your questions and chatters to gabfest@slate.com or Tweet us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Follow @SlateGabfest on Twitter / https://twitter.com/SlateGabfest Slate Gabfest on Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/Gabfest/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Emily Bazelon discuss Prime Minister Netanyahu’s decision to pause the legislation that will weaken Israel’s judiciary; the Congressional testimony of TikTok’s CEO Shou Chew; and the possibility of Chris Christie for President in 2024.   Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Emily Bazelon for The New York Times: “Behind Protests’ Fury in Israel, Fear of a Quiet Slide From Democracy” Peter Baker for The New York Times: “A Four-Decade Secret: One Man’s Story of Sabotaging Carter’s Re-election”   Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: WBUR and The Marshall Project’s podcast Violation (Host Beth Schwartzapfel, Producer Quincy Walters)  John: Tweet from @george_mack: What is ignored by the media but will be studied by historians?; response from Matthew Yglesias, Slow Boring: The biggest problem in media is the audience: Not everything is a conspiracy David: Greg Miller for The Washington Post: “He came to D.C. as a Brazilian student. The U.S. says he was a Russian spy.“   Listener chatter from Judy: Tablet Studio’s podcast Gatecrashers (Host Mark Oppenheimer, Executive Producers Josh Kross, Stephanie Butnick, and Liel Leibovitz)   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, John, and Emily discuss the new evidence of the “October Surprise” that delayed the release of the American hostages from Iran in 1980.   Email your questions and chatters to gabfest@slate.com or Tweet us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Emily Bazelon discuss Trump’s announcement he expects to be arrested; what ChatGPT means for the world; and interview Rachel Donadio, contributing writer for The Atlantic, about the unrest in France. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Rachel Donadio for The New York Times: “Macron May Keep the Presidency, But Le Pen Has Already Won” Annie Gowen for The Washington Post: “Iowa’s Sharp Right Turn: From Centrist State To ‘Florida Of The North’” Here are this week’s chatters: John: Imprint app Emily: Madame Restell: The Life, Death, and Resurrection of Old New York’s Most Fabulous, Fearless, and Infamous Abortionist, by Jennifer Wright; The Atlantic’s podcast Holy Week: The Story of A Revolution Undone (Host Vann R. Newkirk II, Senior Producer Jocelyn Frank) David: Blue Collar Cats; Andrea Sachs for The Washington Post: “‘These Are Working Cats’: Meet The Feral D.C. Felines Tasked With Hunting Rodents” Listener chatter from Alexandra Phelps: Kavitha Surana for ProPublica: “Doctors Warned Her Pregnancy Could Kill Her. Then Tennessee Outlawed Abortion.” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment David, John, and Emily discuss how Iowa became so conservative.   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research by Bridgette Dunlap and Julia Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Dickerson talks with author Chris Miller about his new book, Chip War: The Fight for The World’s Most Critical Technology. They discuss how semiconductor chips became so important, why everyone is so dependent on Taiwan for chips, and what lessons China can glean from what’s happening in Ukraine. Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Emily Bazelon discuss the Silicon Valley Bank bailout with David Leonhardt; Ron DeSantis coming out against aid to Ukraine; and free speech fights at elite law schools. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: William Saletan for The Bulwark: “The Ukraine Untruths of Disingenuous DeSantis” Ken White for The Popehat Report: “Hating Everyone Everywhere All At Once At Stanford” David Lat for Original Jurisdiction: “Yale Law Is No Longer #1—For Free-Speech Debacles” Jordan Metzl for The New York Times: “Working From Home Is Less Healthy Than You Think” Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Maurice Chammah for The Marshall Project: “The Mercy Workers” John: OpenAI example recipe generator David: Robyn Dixon for The Washington Post: “A Railroad Fan Photographed Putin’s Armored Train. Now He Lives In Exile.” Listener chatter: Alex Traub for The New York Times: “Judy Heumann, Who Led the Fight for Disability Rights, Dies at 75”; Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist, by Judith Heumann;  Crip Camp; The Power of 504, Judy's Heumann’s Ted Talk For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and John discuss the health benefits and drawbacks of working from home.   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.  Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Emily Bazelon discuss Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign, the end of pandemic-era medicaid & food security protections, and the many legal fights over medication abortion. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show Hannah Dreier and Kirsten Luce for The New York Times: “Alone and Exploited, Migrant Children Work Brutal Jobs Across the U.S.” Jeff Stein and Tony Romm for The Washington Post: “Biden Calls For Trillions In Tax Hikes And New Domestic Spending” Emily Bazelon for The New York Times: “The Abortion Pill Fight” Redaction, by Reginald Dwayne Betts and Titus Kaphar Information on the New York reading and book signing for Redaction Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: The Declassification Engine: What History Reveals About America's Top Secrets, by Matthew Connelly John: Chip War: The Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology, by Chris Miller David: Defending Democracy with Malcolm Turnbull;  Listener chatter from Rebecca Carr: Pat Sangimino for The Lincoln Journal Star: “Leading Off: In The Heat Of The Sexual Revolution, A Woman And Her Invention Made A Difference”; Pagan Kennedy for The New York Times: “Could Women Be Trusted With Their Own Pregnancy Tests?” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily talks to Reginald Dwayne Betts and Titus Kaphar about their book, Redaction.   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.  Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Make an impact this Women’s History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund girls in STEM. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Emily Bazelon discuss the Supreme Court challenge to loan forgiveness; lab leak v. wet market Covid politics; and the future of humanities education–with John Plotz. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Nathan Heller for The New Yorker: “The End of The English Major” Recall This Book podcast with John Plotz Ursula Le Guin's Earthsea, by John Plotz “The Eden of the Author of Sleep,” by Brian Teare Sarah Fullerton for UC Berkeley: “Defying Negative Stereotypes, Humanities Majors Are Booming At UC Berkeley” Culture: The Story of Us, From Cave Art to K-Pop, by Martin Puchner The Golden Compass; The Subtle Knife; and The Amber Spyglass, by Philip Pullman  Here are this week’s chatters: John: Drew Harwell for The Washington Post: “Tech’s Hottest New Job: AI Whisperer. No Coding Required.” Emily: Michelle Goldberg for The New York Times: “Don’t Let Politics Cloud Your View of What’s Going On With Teens and Depression”; Matthew Yglesias for Slow Boring: “Why Are Young Liberals So Depressed?”; Ross Douthat for The New York Times: “American Teens Are Really Miserable. Why?” David: Ben Taub for The New Yorker: “How the Biggest Fraud in German History Unravelled” Listener chatter from Arthur Baraf: The National High School Ethics Bowl  For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment David, John, and Emily discuss the Bidens ordering the same entree at a restaurant.   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.  Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Make an impact this Women’s History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund girls in STEM. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

* Due to an audio issue, the original episode has been replaced. This week, David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Emily Bazelon discuss the year of war on Ukraine with Anne Applebaum; the smoking gun Fox News text messages; and Google’s defense of Section 230 at the Supreme Court. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Anne Applebaum and Nataliya Gumenyuk for The Atlantic: “‘They Didn’t Understand Anything, But Just Spoiled People’s Lives’” Anne Applebaum for The Atlantic: “Biden’s Hope vs. Putin’s Lies” Anne Applebaum for The Atlantic: “Biden Went to Kyiv Because There’s No Going Back” Emily Bazelon for The New York Times Magazine: “Billionaires vs. The Press in the Era of Trump” Jenna Russell for The New York Times: “In Vermont, a School and Artist Fight Over Murals of Slavery” Here are this week’s chatters: John: The Kid Should See This: “How It’s Made” videos Emily: Jill Filipovic: “Fear of a Female Body” David: Morgan Wade; City Cast DC live Listener chatter from Dylan O’Leary: Miles Ellingham for The Financial Times: “After Hours With 10 Foot, London’s Most Notorious Graffiti Writer” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, John, and Emily discuss the artist suing to keep his mural depicting slavery on display at a school that doesn’t want it.  Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Tori Dominguez.  Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Make an impact this Black History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund UNCF scholarships for HBCU students. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Bazelon talks with author Rebecca Makkai about her new book, I Have Some Questions For You. They discuss why it’s so easy to suspend disbelief with this type of story, the “cancelled” subplot, and whether we’d be better off without Twitter. Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Emily Bazelon discuss Nikki Haley’s presidential campaign; the legal history likely to lead to the end of affirmative action; and Slate How To! podcast host Amanda Ripley’s reporting on the congressional committee that got things done. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Emily Bazelon for The New York Times Magazine: “Why Is Affirmative Action in Peril? One Man’s Decision.” Amanda Ripley for The Washington Post: “These Radically Simple Changes Helped Lawmakers Actually Get Things Done” Julia Ioffe for The New Yorker: “Russia on Fire” Becky Sullivan for NPR: “What To Know About The Train Derailment in East Palestine, Ohio” Here are this week’s chatters: John: CBS Sunday Morning: “Almanac: Abraham Lincoln's Beard” Emily: John J. Lennon for The New York Review of Books: “Peddling Darkness” David: David French for The New York Times: “Men Need Purpose More Than ‘Respect’”; City Cast DC live Listener chatter from Tim Anderson: CNN: “Johannes Vermeer Exhibition Stuns With Scientific Revelations” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment David, John, and Emily discuss the derailment of a train carrying hazardous materials in Ohio.  Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Tori Dominguez.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Emily Bazelon discuss the raucous State of the Union; the spy balloon and U.S.-China relations; and Susan Dominus’s reporting on missed opportunities in treating menopause. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Zolan Kanno-Youngs, Katie Rogers and Peter Baker for The New York Times: “Kamala Harris Is Trying to Define Her Vice Presidency. Even Her Allies Are Tired of Waiting.” Susan Dominus for The New York Times Magazine: “Women Have Been Misled About Menopause”  Stephen I. Vladeck for The New York Times: “Don’t Let Republican ‘Judge Shoppers’ Thwart the Will of Voters” Here are this week’s chatters: John: Andor; Kialo.com  Emily: Sabawoon Samim for Afghanistan Analysts Network: “New Lives In The City: How Taleban Have Experienced Life In Kabul” David: City Cast DC live; The Brothers Ashkenazi, by I. J Singer. Join David Plotz for a live taping of the City Cast DC podcast at the Politics & Prose Union Market location, Wednesday March 1 at 6:30 pm. You can register here for a free ticket.  Listener chatter from Ryan Clements: The Outlaw Ocean: Journeys Across the Last Untamed Frontier, by Ian Urbina; The Outlaw Ocean podcast For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment David, John, and Emily discuss the use of “judge shopping”—picking a preferred judge by suing in a single-judge district—to invalidate legislation nationwide.  Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Tori Dominguez.  Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Make an impact this Black History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund UNCF scholarships for HBCU students. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Emily Bazelon discuss the killing of Tyre Nichols; violence interruption efforts–with guest Alec MacGillis; and the upcoming State of the Union. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Jamelle Bouie for The New York Times: “The Police Cannot Be a Law Unto Themselves” Radley Balko for The New York Times: “Tyre Nichols’s Death Proves Yet Again That ‘Elite’ Police Units Are a Disaster” Alec MacGillis for The New Yorker and ProPublica: “Can Community Programs Help Slow the Rise in Violence?” Charged: The New Movement to Transform American Prosecution and End Mass Incarceration, by Emily Bazelon Here are this week’s chatters: John: The Fight of His Life: Inside Joe Biden's White House, by Chris Whipple; The Gatekeepers: How the White House Chiefs of Staff Define Every Presidency, by Chris Whipple Emily: Deep Cover: Never Seen Again podcast; Dan Charnas: Breaking Atoms: The Hip Hop Podcast David: City Cast Madison; City Cast Portland; Demon Copperhead, by Barbara Kingsolver  Listener chatter from David Foreman: Artnet News: “See Scores of Unbuilt Frank Lloyd Wright Structures That Have Been Computer-Rendered With Incredible Realism” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment David, John, and Emily discuss The Banshees of Inisherin.  Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Tori Dominguez Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, John Dickerson, and guest host Josie Duffy Rice discuss the rise of Marjorie Taylor Greene; Ron DeSantis’ attacks on educators; and the bipartisan bashing of monopolist Ticketmaster. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Jonathan Swan and Catie Edmondson for The New York Times: “How Kevin McCarthy Forged an Ironclad Bond With Marjorie Taylor Greene” God's Harvard: A Christian College on a Mission to Save America, by Hanna Rosin Josie Duffy Rice for iHeartPodcasts: Unreformed: the Story of the Alabama Industrial School for Negro Children The Nickel Boys, by Colson Whitehead Here are this week’s chatters: John: The Good Life: Lessons from the World's Longest Scientific Study of Happiness, by Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz  Josie: The Uninnocent: Notes on Violence and Mercy, by Katharine Blake  David: Vintage Contemporaries, by Dan Kois Listener chatter from Pherabe Kolb: Fred Clasen-Kelly for The Greenville News: “Key Findings From The Cost Of Unity, A Series On The Displacement Of Black Greenville” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment David, John, and Josie discuss Josie’s new podcast, Unreformed: the Story of the Alabama Industrial School for Negro Children.   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Plotz talks with author Shahan Mufti about his new book, American Caliph: The True Story of a Muslim Mystic, a Hollywood Epic, and the 1977 Siege of Washington, DC. They discuss an Islamic group’s multi-location attack in D.C., the terror that hostages experienced while held captive for the two days, and the movie that started the whole thing.  Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson discuss the discovery of classified documents at Biden’s home; the justices of the Supreme Court exhibiting open animosity toward one another; and fears of a “polycrisis” at Davos. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Matt Viser, Tyler Pager, Carol Leonnig and Yasmeen Abutaleb for The Washington Post: “Inside The White House Document Strategy And Its Pitfalls” Steven Mazie for The Atlantic: “The Supreme Court Justices Do Not Seem to Be Getting Along” Jess Bravin and Sadie Gurman for The Wall Street Journal: “Supreme Court Investigators Have Narrowed Leak Inquiry to Small Number of Suspects” Andrew Van Dam for The Washington Post: “The Happiest, Least Stressful, Most Meaningful Jobs In America” Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do, by Studs Terkel Here is the poem (by an unknown author) that listener Christina Roosen sent to David after his cat died: Eyes bright, claws sharp, tail held high. Go keenly into the mist, old warrior. Valhalla waits for you A compilation of poems about pet loss: Rome Thorstenson for In Valhalla: “Pet Loss Poems” Here are this week’s chatters: John: Joseph Berger for The New York Times: “Adolfo Kaminsky Dies at 97; His Forgeries Saved Thousands of Jews” Emily: Joshua Vaughn for Penn Live: “Dauphin County Made Millions On Jail Phone Calls And Spent It On Staff Perks, Contractors” David: His Dark Materials on BBC One; The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass, by Philip Pullman Listener chatter from Muirinn O'Neill: Josh Baker’s I'm Not a Monster podcast For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and John discuss the jobs people find most meaningful.   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson discuss the House GOP’s “Weaponization of Government” subcommittee; the insurrection in Brazil–with Marcos Nobre; and what Prince Harry’s book, Spare, means for the British  Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Matthew Yglesias for Slow Boring: “A New Plan To Get Around The Debt Ceiling Hostage” Matt Levine for Bloomberg: “Financial Engineering the Debt Ceiling” Spare, by Prince Harry Here are this week’s chatters: John: David Wallace-Wells for The New York Times: “Electric Vehicles Keep Defying Almost Everyone’s Predictions” Emily: Josie Duffy Rice for iHeartPodcasts: Unreformed: the Story of the Alabama Industrial School for Negro Children David: Julia Moskin for The New York Times: “Noma, Rated the World’s Best Restaurant, Is Closing Its Doors” Listener chatter from Erich Morgenbesser: AI illustrates countries as villains  For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and John discuss the status of “return to office.”   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson discuss GOP’s speakership debacle; George Santos; and improving access to medication abortion. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Emily Bazelon for The New York Times: “The Dawn of the Post-Clinic Abortion” Emily Bazelon for The New York Times: “Risking Everything to Offer Abortions Across State Lines” Mark Oppenheimer for The New York Times: “Why Did George Santos Lie About Being Jewish?” Here are this week’s chatters: John: Winesburg, Ohio, by Sherwood Anderson Emily: The Furrows, by Namwali Serpell; Tár ; Zadie Smith for The New York Review of Books: “The Instrumentalist”; Amanda Hess for The New York Times: “Breaking Out of the #MeToo Movie Formula”; Dan Kois for Slate: “Tár Is the Most-Talked-About Movie of the Year. So Why Is Everyone Talking About It All Wrong?” David: Gastrodiplomacy  Listener chatter from Nathan Kamps: Miles Klee for Rolling Stone: “‘A Celebrity in the Land of Celebrities’: Remembering P-22, L.A.’s Favorite Mountain Lion” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and John discuss the ethics of watching football in light of Damar Hamlin’s life threatening injury.   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Special thanks to: Andy Andrews Sarah Chapin Marc Colello David Duesing Alan Dybner Phil Goldstein Jason Howard Andrew James Pierce Eric Koleda Carrie Jerm You can tweet suggestions, links, and questions to @SlateGabfest. Tweet us your cocktail chatter using #cocktailchatter. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   The email address for the Political Gabfest is gabfest@slate.com. (Email may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson discuss the January 6th Committee’s findings and criminal referrals; the brewing water crisis in the West–with Washington Post reporter Josh Partlow; and the biggest stories of 2022. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Joshua Partlow for The Washington Post: “Officials Fear ‘Complete Doomsday Scenario’ For Drought-Stricken Colorado River”  Joshua Partlow for The Washington Post: “Disaster Scenarios Raise The Stakes For Colorado River Negotiations” Joshua Partlow for The Washington Post: “‘Where There’s Bodies, There’s Treasure’: A Hunt As Lake Mead Shrinks” Adam Liptak for The New York Times: “An ‘Imperial Supreme Court’ Asserts Its Power, Alarming Scholars” Marin Cogan for Vox: “The Deadliest Road in America” Here are this week’s chatters: John: Gabfest Reads: How to Avoid Disastrous Presidents; Picking Presidents: How to Make the Most Consequential Decision in the World, by Gautam Mukunda Emily: Mario Ariza and Miranda Green for Floodlight News, and David Folkenflik for NPR: “In The Southeast, Power Company Money Flows To News Sites That Attack Their Critics”  David: Li Cohen for CBS News: “Could Jack Have Fit On The Door With Rose In 'Titanic’? Director James Cameron Conducted A Study To Find Out ‘Once And For All.’” Listener chatter from Sam Rutledge: Kaj Tallungs for Wikimedia Commons: data visualization showing the change in U.S. population demographics over time. For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and John discuss Elon Musk’s tumultuous tenure at Twitter.   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Dickerson talks with author Gautam Mukunda about his new book Picking Presidents: How to Make the Most Consequential Decision in the World. They talk about how Mukunda’s first book, Indispensable: When Leaders Really Matter laid the groundwork for Picking Presidents. Later, Dickerson and Mukunda dig into why ‘intellectual brilliance’ – which goes beyond IQ - is a strong predictor of presidential performance and how the human portion of the job of president is changing.  Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson discuss Krysten Sinema leaving the Democratic party; Republicans’ good turnout, poor performance midterms; and the new documentary, Pelosi in The House.   Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:  Pelosi in the House Here are this week’s chatters: John: Watch Richard Nixon’s Watergate speeches at the Miller Center’s website. Emily: Jessica Blatt Press for The Philadelphia Citizen: “Hey, Phillly! Let’s Hire A Mayor!” David: Courtney Kan, Nick Miroff, Scott Higham, Steven Rich and Tyler Remmel for The Washington Post: “Cartel Rx: Fentanyl’s Deadly Surge: From Mexican Labs To U.S. Streets, A Lethal Pipeline”; The EverCrisp apple For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and John get philosophical in preparation for the annual Political Gabfest Conundrum episode.   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson discuss Raphael Warnock beating Herschel Walker, and oral arguments at the Supreme Court in the anti-gay marriage website designer case and the “independent state legislature” election case.   Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Fr. James Martin, S.J. for Outreach: “When Is Religious Liberty A Fig Leaf For Homophobia?” Ian MacDougall for ProPublica: “What’s Really at Stake in a Politically Charged Supreme Court Case on Elections” Jed Sugarmen’s thread on oral arguments in Moore v. Harper. Kevin Roose for The New York Times: “The Brilliance and Weirdness of ChatGPT” Here are this week’s chatters: John: Associated Press: “HBO To Air Nancy Pelosi Doc Shot By Daughter Alexandra”; Pelosi in the House November 28, 2022 Emily: The Janes David: Tour Fort DeRussy with David; City Cast Portland has launched; Caitlin Doughty for The New York Times: “If You Want to Give Something Back to Nature, Give Your Body”  Listener chatter from Adam Barhamand: Karen Bakker for Noema: “How To Speak Honeybee” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and John discuss ChatGPT. Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Kevin Bendis. Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson discuss Trump hosting prominent antisemites Ye (f/k/a Kanye West) and Nick Fuentes; Chinese protestors challenging their authoritarian government–with Sheena Chestnut Greitens; and Congress legislating to protect marriage equality through the Respect For Marriage Act.   Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Sheena Chestnut Greitens for Foreign Affairs: “Xi Jinping’s Quest for Order” Sheena Chestnut Greitens and Julian Gewirt for Foreign Affairs: “China's Troubling Vision For The Future Of Public Health” Here are this week’s chatters: John: Darby Saxbe and Magdalena Martínez García for The Conversation: “Fatherhood Changes Men’s Brains, According To Before-And-After MRI Scans” Emily: A compilation of Gabfest listeners favorite salad dressing recipes.  David: City Cast is expanding to new cities; Nicole Eustace for The New York Times: “300 Years Ago, There Was a Brutal Murder. We Could Learn From the Treaty That Followed.” Listener chatter from Richard Medlicott: The Economist:”Shyam Saran Negi Never Failed In His Democratic Duty”; Alex Binley for the BBC: “Shyam Saran Negi: Man Dubbed 'india's First Voter' Dies Aged 105” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and John discuss the Supreme Court challenge to the Biden administration’s immigration policy in United States v. Texas.    Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson discuss the future of Twitter, the ghoulish World Cup, and a minister’s allegation that Justice Alito leaked the outcome of the Hobby Lobby case. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Jodi Kantor and Jo Becker for The New York Times: “Former Anti-Abortion Leader Alleges Another Supreme Court Breach” Jodi Kantor for The New York Times: “Allegation of Supreme Court Breach Prompts Calls for Inquiry and Ethics Code” Rob Schenck for The New York Times: “I Was an Anti-Abortion Crusader. Now I Support Roe v. Wade” Kara Voght and Tim Dickinson for Rolling Stone: “SCOTUS Justices ‘Prayed With’ Her — Then Cited Her Bosses to End Roe” Here are this week’s chatters: John: Variety: “Bob Dylan Fans Who Bought $600 ‘Hand-Signed’ Books With Replica Autographs Will Receive Refunds From Publisher” Emily: Rozina Ali for The New York Times Magazine: “‘How Did This Man Think He Had the Right to Adopt This Baby?’”  David: Politics and Prose: City Cast DC Live Taping with Michael Schaffer, David Plotz, and Anton Bogomazov - at Union Market; Slate’s One Year, Season 4: 1942 Listener chatter from Laurent Dugois: In Broad Daylight: A Murder in Skidmore, Missouri, by Harry N MacLean; All That's Interesting: “The Story Of Ken McElroy — The Vicious Bully Killed By His Town” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and John contemplate the conundrum of what they would like to tell their younger selves but wouldn’t be able to convince them of. Submit your conundrums for the 2022 conundrum episode at slate.com/conundrum.    Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Bazelon talks with author Beverly Gage about her new book, G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover and the Making of the American Century, a detailed account of the life of the first FBI Director, J. Edgar Hoover. They discuss Hoover’s hostile relationship with Martin Luther King Jr., why he should have quit at the end of the 1950s, and how Hoover’s childhood shaped his reign [MOU1] as director.  Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth  [MOU1]“tenure”? Maybe I’m overthinking this. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson discuss Trump’s campaign announcement, election denying candidates’ failures in the midterms, and guest Matthew Zeitlin on the impact the implosion of Sam Bankman-Fried’s crypto exchange FTX may have on the Effective Altruism movement. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Donie O'Sullivan for CNN: “Facebook Fact-Checkers Will Stop Checking Trump After Presidential Bid Announcement” Matthew Zeitlin for Grid: “Sam Bankman-Fried Gave Millions To Effective Altruism. What Happens Now That The Money Is Gone?” Kelsey Piper for Vox: “Sam Bankman-Fried Tries To Explain Himself” What We Owe the Future, by William MacAskill William MacAskill for Effective Altruism Forum: “EA And The Current Funding Situation” This American Life: “Watching the Watchers” Here are this week’s chatters: John: Jason P. Frank for Vulture: “Stephen Colbert, Emma Watson, and More Celebs to Relish in Pickleball Tournament”; Isabel Gonzalez for CBS News: “Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield Partner To Create Ear-Shaped, Cannabis-Infused Edibles” Emily: William Melhado for The Texas Tribune: “Federal Judge In Texas Rules That Disarming Those Under Protective Orders Violates Their Second Amendment Rights” David: Politics and Prose: City Cast DC Live Taping with Michael Schaffer, David Plotz, and Anton Bogomazov - at Union Market; Justin Jouvenal for The Washington Post: “D.C.’s Bitcoin King: Yachts, Penthouses, A Python — And Tax Dodging?” Listener chatter from Kelly Mills: The Woman Who Smashed Codes: A True Story of Love, Spies, and the Unlikely Heroine Who Outwitted America's Enemies, by Jason Fagone For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and John contemplate the Thanksgiving traditions they would like to adopt or improve.   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson discuss the midterm results we have so far and the Supreme Court case that could upend family law and more for Native Americans. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Stefan Becket for CBS News: “The Unresolved 2022 House And Senate Races That Will Determine Control Of Congress” Rebecca Nagle for The Atlantic: “The Supreme Court Case That Could Break Native American Sovereignty” Leah Litman and Matthew L.M. Fletcher for The Atlantic: “​​The Necessity of the Indian Child Welfare Act” Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Sarah McCammon for NPR: “Where Abortion Was On The Ballot, Midterm Voters Largely Signaled Support”  David: David chattered about how going on a “Twitter fast” is improving his well-being.  Listener chatter from Scott Grant: Sarah Linn for KCET: “The Dunites: Building a Utopia in the Oceano Dunes” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and John take the under-the-radar state and local midterm results they find most interesting.   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson are Live in Atlanta discussing Georgia’s midterm election with NPR-WABE’s Rose Scott, as well as increasing political violencein the U.S.; and affirmative action at the Supreme Court. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Closer Look with Rose Scott John Dickerson for CBS Primetime: “Political Threats And Violence In The U.S.” (Inteview with Robert Pape) Steal This Book, by Abbie Hoffman Here are this week’s chatters: John: Carrie McBride for The New York Public Library: “100 Years Ago Men and Boys Fought on the Streets of New York Over Wearing Straw Hats Past Summer” Emily: Fleishman Is in Trouble David: The Candy House, by Jennifer Egan; Fall; or, Dodge in Hell, by Neil Stephenson; The Immortal King Rao, by Vauhini Vara; Cloud Cuckoo Land, by Anthony Doerr; The Circle, by Dave Eggers Listener chatter from John Campbell McMillian: Atlanta Police Department’s Citizen's Police Academy For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and John take listener questions live. Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson talk to civil rights journalist and WHYY radio host Cherri Gregg about the Pennsylvania midterm campaigns. Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research by Bridgette Dunlap Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson discuss the final midterm sprint; the latest British Prime Minister; and Trump’s legal troubles.  Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Adrian Wooldridge for Bloomberg: “Rishi Sunak Is a New and Old-Fashioned Tory” Barton Gellman for The Atlantic: “The Impeachment of Joe Biden” The Trump Tapes: Bob Woodward's Twenty Interviews with President Donald Trump Nathaniel Rakich for FiveThirtyEight: “The Most Important Elections Of 2022 Could Be In State Legislatures” Brittany Bernstein for The National Review: “Why Some Trump-Country Pennsylvanians Still Aren't Sold on Dr. Oz” Anna Bower for Lawfare: “Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Georgia Special Purpose Grand Juries But Were Afraid to Ask” Emily Bazelon for The New York Times: “I Write About the Law. But Could I Really Help Free a Prisoner?” The Prison Letters Project Here are this week’s chatters: John: States United Democracy Center; Third Way Paul Revere Project Emily: Charlie Savage for the New York Times: “Garland Formally Bars Justice Dept. From Seizing Reporters’ Records” David: Dhruv Mehrotra for Wired: “Hot on the Trail of a Mass-School-Shooting Hoaxer”; Ben Collins’ Twitter thread collecting favorite tweets. Listener chatter from Brian DeGeer: Theresa Vargas for The Washington Post: “Fiona Apple Uses Her Voice To Call Out Prince George’s Justice System” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily discusses The Prison Letters Project with John J. Lennon and Reginald Dwayne Betts.   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Plotz talks with with author Tom Perrotta about why Tracy Flick doesn’t have the life she dreamed of in his new novel, Tracy Flick Can’t Win. A sequel to Perrotta’s 1998 novel Election, Tracy Flick Can’t Win meets up with Tracy Flick decades later where she’s a single mother and assistant principal of a New Jersey high school.  Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson concerning polls for Democrats, women protesting Iran’s regime, and the trial of Arkansas’ law targeting trans kids. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Roya Hakakian for The Atlantic: “The Bonfire of the Headscarves” A Beginner’s Guide to America for the Immigrant and the Curious, by Roya Hakakian  Matthew Yglesias for Slow Boring: “Pre-Registering Some Takes On The Midterms: Why I Think Democrats Will Undershoot Their Polling And What It Means” Kelli María Korducki for The Atlantic: “'I Think the Women Are Winning': Roya Hakakian on Iran”  Here are this week’s chatters: John: The Trump Tapes: Bob Woodward's Twenty Interviews with President Donald Trump;  Michael Wines and Neil Vigdor for The New York Times: “Videos Show Confusion as Florida Police Arrest People on Voter Fraud Charges” Emily: Emily Heil for The Washington Post: “Olivia Wilde Solves Salad Dressing Mystery With A Nora Ephron Recipe” David: Jeff Maysh for The Atlantic: “The $30 Million Lottery Scam” Listener chatter from Lara Lowenstein: The Mountain Dogs For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and John discuss Ye buying Parler.   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson talk to Craig Mauger of The Detroit News about the major midterm elections in the swing state of Michigan. Then the hosts speak with the Washington Post’s Yvonne Wingett Sanchez about the MAGA diehards and their opponents in Arizona’s midterm election.  Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson LA’s racism & redistricting scandal, the Andy Warhol copyright case at the Supreme Court, and developments in Putin’s war on Ukraine. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Anne Applebaum for The Atlantic: “Putin’s Newest Annexation Is Dire for Russia Too” Anne Applebaum for The Atlantic: “The Kremlin Must Be in Crisis” They Might Be Giants - Gab On (Theme to the Slate Political Gabfest) Here are this week’s chatters: John: The Cormac McCarthy Journal Emily: The Fight for Privacy: Protecting Dignity, Identity, and Love in the Digital Age, by Danielle Keats Citron; The Other Side of Prospect: A Story of Violence, Injustice, and the American City, by Nicholas Dawidoff David: David chattered about dining outside in Texas. Listener chatter from Lara Lowenstein: The Mountain Dogs For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and John interview John Flansburgh and John Linnell of They Might Be Giants about their work and the Gabfest’s new theme song.     Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson discuss the new Supreme Court term; Herschel Walker’s abortion lies; and the legal mess Dobbs created for doctors providing abortion via telemedicine. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Emily Bazelon for The New York Times Magazine: “The Doctors Risking Everything to Offer Abortions Across State Lines” The New York Times: “Is Elon Musk’s Deal to Buy Twitter Back On? Here’s What We Know.” Here are this week’s chatters: John: Brian Hutton for The Irish Times: “Irishman Nears Galway After 112 Days of Rowing Across Atlantic From New York”; Damian Browne on Instagram: auld_stock Emily: CNN: “‘We've Got Weights In Fish!': See The Moment Cheaters Are Caught During Fishing Tournament’” David: Adam Dalva, The New Yorker: “Letters to Jeb Bush” Listener chatter from Jamaica Popejoy: Staged For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and John discuss the latest in the saga of Elon Musk and Twitter.   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson discuss potential polling inaccuracy, Brett Favre and the larger scandal of states misusing federal welfare funding, and Ruth Ben-Ghiat’s take on Italy’s neo-fascist future Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Nate Cohen for The New York Times: “Yes, The Polling Warning Signs Are Flashing Again” Anna Wolfe and Mississippi Today’s coverage of the Mississippi welfare scandal. Annie Lowry for The Atlantic: “The Time Tax” Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present, by Ruth Ben-Ghiat Here are this week’s chatters: John: Adrienne LaFrance for The Atlantic: “What It's Like to Fly Into the Eye of a Hurricane” Emily: Roya Hakakian for The Atlantic: “The Bonfire of the Headscarves” David: The Guardian, YouTube: “Michael Sheen Gives Rousing Speech for Wales Football Team on A League of Their Own” Listener chatter from Meredith Francis: Paul Fairie’s Twitter thread of "A List of Things People Blamed on Jazz."  For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and John discuss NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test.   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson New York’s massive fraud case against the Trumps; Ron DeSantis’ treatments of asylum seekers; and Dahlia Lithwick’s Lady Justice.   Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Trading Barriers: Immigration and the Remaking of Globalization, Margaret E. Peters Lady Justice: Women, the Law, and the Battle to Save America, by Dahlia Lithwick Ruth Igielnik for The New York Times: “Trump Support Remains Unmoved by Investigations, Poll Finds” Here are this week’s chatters: John: It was supposed to be...The Philosophy of Modern Song, by Bob Dylan Emily: Somebody Somewhere; Reservation Dogs David: The Space Force Anthem Listener chatter from Danny Edgel: Frank Vaisvilas and Sarah Volpenhein for The Green Bay Press-Gazette: “Oneida Nation Steps In To Defend Indian Child Welfare Act In Us Supreme Court Case” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and John discuss the vacation of Adnan Syed’s murder conviction.   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Dickerson talks with author Ada Calhoun about her new memoir, Also a Poet: Frank O’Hara, My Father, and Me. What started as Calhoun’s attempt to finish the biography of Frank O’Hara that her father started, turned into a gripping story of Calhoun’s relationship with her father. Calhoun and Dickerson talk about not pulling punches when it comes to how nice family members are, why you can’t pre-plan a happy ending, and what her father thought of the book.  Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson discuss Ukraine’s advances with Anne Applebaum; Lindsey Graham’s national abortion ban bill; and the controversy over requiring religious schools in New York to meet minimum educational standards. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Anne Applebaum for The Atlantic: “It’s Time to Prepare for a Ukrainian Victory” Anne Applebaum for The Atlantic: “The Other Ukrainian Army” Red Famine: Stalin's War on Ukraine, by Anne Applebaum Shtisel Fill The Void Here are this week’s chatters: John: A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life, by George Saunders  Emily: Shaila Dewan for The New York Times: “Philadelphia Prosecutor Is Found in Contempt by State Representatives” David: Mosaic Magazine: “The Royal Mohel and the House of Windsor’s Relationship with the Jews” Listener chatter from Andrea: NPR’s Planet Money: “Best By, Sell By, Use By” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and John discuss the Death of Queen Elizabeth II.   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson discuss the inexplicable success of Trump’s special master gambit in the Espionage Act investigation, Biden calling out anti-democratic elements of the electorate; and the roots of the Jackson, MS water crisis. Here are this week’s chatters: John: Professor Vejas Gabriel Liulevicius for The Great Courses: Turning Points in Modern History Emily: Jerusalem Demsas for The Atlantic: “What’s Causing Black Flight?” David: Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse Hearty White Bread Listener chatter from Cynthia Lerner: Ruth Marcus for The Washington Post: “I Usually Ignore The Sexism And Ageism Directed at Me. Now I’m Calling It Out.” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily and David interview John about his new streaming nightly news show, CBS News Primetime.   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Kevin Bendis. Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson discuss Trump’s strange legal maneuvering in the obstruction investigation; what Trump’s second term would do to U.S. democracy; and what voters deserve to know about a candidate’s health. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Jonathan Rauch for The Atlantic “Trump’s Second Term Would Look Like This” Age of Innocence, by Edith Wharton Portrait of a Lady, by Henry James Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad Lord Jim, by Joseph Conrad Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do, by Studs Terkel  This Is Chance!: The Shaking of an All-American City, a Voice That Held It Together, by Jon Mooallem The Way We Live Now, by Anthony Trollope Here are this week’s chatters: John: Ella Koeze, Denise Lu and Charlie Smart for The New York Times: “Can You Gerrymander Your Party to Power?” Emily: Aaron Byrd, Weiyi Cai, Geoff Macdonald, Emily Rhyne, Noah Throop, Joe Ward and Jeremy White for The New York Times: “The Toss” David: CityCast DC; Bad Sisters Listener chatter from Michael Koehler: Christo Grozev for Bellingcat: “Socialite, Widow, Jeweller, Spy: How a GRU Agent Charmed Her Way Into NATO Circles in Italy” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and John discuss the non-political books that most influenced their understanding of politics.   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Kevin Bendis. Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson discuss what the special election results suggest for the midterms, an unprecedented $1.6B donation to a secretive conservative organization; and Biden’s student loan forgiveness and repayment plans. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together, by Heather McGhee The Sum of Us podcast Here are this week’s chatters: John: The Bullshit Generator; The Age of Acrimony: How Americans Fought to Fix Their Democracy, 1865-1915 Hardcover, by Jon Grinspan Emily: Igor Derysh for Salon: “‘That’s Not What Our Report Said’: Ex-Mueller Prosecutor Says Barr's Trump Memo Is ‘legally Wrong’”; The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law David: Courtney E. Smith for Ultimate Classic Rock: “35 Years Ago: Los Lobos’ ‘La Bamba’ Returns Ritchie Valens to Spotlight” Listener chatter from Rebecca Vernon: Sarina E. Miller for the Washington Post: “Thanks To Middle-Schoolers Like Me, There Are At Last No More Salem ‘Witches’” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and John discuss Gavin Newsom’s veto of a bill allowing safe injection sites in California. Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Plotz talks with author Mat Johnson about his new novel Invisible Things. Johnson’s novel tells the story of a group of astronauts that land in a bubble colony on Jupiter's biggest moon. They talk about the challenges of writing satire when reality feels fake, how mediocre people rise up by sucking up, and why we need to look at the invisible things in our daily lives.   Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and Benjamin Wittes discuss the Trump investigations; Liz Cheney’s defeat; and Dana Goldstein’s reporting on controversies over how to teach kids to read. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Jack Goldsmith for Lawfare: “Prosecuting Trump: A Reply to Josh Marshall” Dana Goldstein for The New York Times: “An Old and Contested Solution to Boost Reading Scores: Phonics” Dana Goldstein The New York Times: “In the Fight Over How to Teach Reading, This Guru Makes a Major Retreat” Dana Goldstein The New York Times: “New Reading Curriculum Is Mired in Debate Over Race and Gender” Belinda Luscombe for Time: “Inside the Massive Effort to Change the Way Kids Are Taught to Read” Ronald Brownstein for The Atlantic: “Liz Cheney’s Kamikaze Campaign” Invisible Things by Mat Johnson Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Sam Levine for The Guardian: “Memphis Prosecutor Who Charged Black Woman Over Voting Error Loses Re-Election Bid”; Kim Bellware and Lateshia Beachum for The Washington Post: “Desantis Sued By Prosecutor Suspended Over Stance On Abortion-Related Crime” Ben: The Lawfare Podcast: Allies David: Dwight Garner for The New York Times: “Jared Kushner’s ‘Breaking History’ Is a Soulless and Very Selective Memoir” Listener chatter from Josh Forsythe: Elizabeth P. Derryberry, Jennifer N. Phillips, Graham E. Derryberry, Michael J. Blum, and David Luther for Science: “Singing In A Silent Spring: Birds Respond To A Half-Century Soundscape Reversion During The Covid-19 Shutdown” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and Ben discuss Ben’s performance art protests at the Russian embassy in D.C.   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and Juliette Kayyem discuss the Mar-a-Lago search; the Inflation Reduction Act; and Caitlin Dickerson’s article investigating how separating families at the border became U.S. policy. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Caitlin Dickerson for The Atlantic: “An American Catastrophe: The Secret History of Family Separation” Juliette Kayyem for The Atlantic: “The Bad and Good News About Trump’s Violent Supporters” Curated Decay: Heritage Beyond Saving, by Caitlin DeSilvey  Serena Williams and Rob Haskell for Vogue: “Serena Williams Says Farewell to Tennis On Her Own Terms—And In Her Own Words” Claudia Rankine for The New York Times Magazine: “The Meaning of Serena Williams” King Richard Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: “Downbad” by PJ Frantz  Juliette: Jim Farber for The New York Times: “Olivia Newton-John, Pop Singer and ‘Grease’ Star, Dies at 73” David: Jack Fitzpatrick for Bloomberg Government: “Old Capitol Stones to Be Stored Away After Decades Piled in Park” Listener chatter from Sebastian Cray: The Bingham Cup For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, Juliette, and David discuss Serena Williams’ retirement from tennis.   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and Heather McGhee discuss the primaries and Kansan voters’ defense of abortion; Alex Jones on trial; and Annie Lowrey’s story of surviving pregnancy in the United States.  Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Sam Adler-Bell for The New York Times: “The Violent Fantasies of Blake Masters” Jason Beeferman for The Texas Tribune: “How Sandy Hook Lies and the Jan. 6 Inquiry Threaten to Undo Alex Jones” Annie Lowrey for The Atlantic: “American Motherhood” Annie Lowrey for The Atlantic: “The Most Important Study in the Abortion Debate” The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together, by Heather McGhee The Sum of Us podcast Charged: The New Movement to Transform American Prosecution and End Mass Incarceration, by Emily Bazelon Black Reconstruction in America, by W. E. B. Du Bois  Forbidden City, by Vanessa Hua Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: The Law & Justice Journalism Project Heather: A Court of Thorns and Roses, by Sarah J. Maas David: Piranesi, by Susanna Clarke; Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, by Susanna Clarke; Testament of Youth, by Vera Brittain Listener chatter from Mohamed El-Sheik: Adriana E. Ramírez for The Atlantic: “Everyone Loses on Jeopardy Eventually”   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Emily Bazelon discuss the surprise deal for climate legislation, new January 6th revelations, and the deadliest road in America.  Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Carol D. Leonnig, Devlin Barrett, Josh Dawsey and Spencer S. Hsu for The Washington Post: “Justice Dept. Investigating Trump’s Actions In Jan. 6 Criminal Probe” Carol D. Leonnig and Maria Sacchetti for The Washington Post: “Secret Service Watchdog Knew in February That Texts Had Been Purged” Forbidden City, by Vanessa Hua Dan Kaufman for The New Yorker: “Will Wisconsin’s Republicans Make Voting Meaningless, or Just Difficult?” Richard L. Hasen for Slate: “What the Critics Get Incredibly Wrong about the Collins-Manchin Election Bill” Marin Cogan for Vox: “The Deadliest Road In America” Robert James Schneider, Rebecca Sanders, Frank Proulx, Hamideh Moayyed for the Journal of Transport and Land Use: “United States Fatal Pedestrian Crash Hot Spot Locations And Characteristics” Unsafe At Any Speed, by Ralph Nader Strong Towns: A Bottom-Up Revolution to Rebuild American Prosperity, by Charles L. Marohn Jr.  Allison Russell’s Outside Child John Dickerson for Slate: “Getting Naked Every Night: Girlyman and the Pursuit of Creative Risk.” Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Jonathan Bernstein for Rolling Stone: “‘She Schooled Us All’: Inside Joni Mitchell’s Stunning Return to Newport Folk Festival”; David McCabe and Mike Isaac for The New York Times: “F.T.C. Sues to Block Meta’s Virtual Reality Deal as It Confronts Big Tech” John: Oliver Whang for The New York Times: “‘Parentese’ Is Truly a Lingua Franca, Global Study Finds” David: April Rubin and Jesus Jiménez for The New York Times: “4,000 Mistreated Beagles Need Homes. These Folks Stepped Up.” Listener chatter from Mark Allender: The Dollop #283: “James Clark McReynolds, the Worst Supreme Court Justice Ever” Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Bazelon talks with author Vanessa Hua about her new historical fiction book, Forbidden City. The novel tells the story of sixteen-year-old revolutionary Mei who becomes a dancer in Chairman Mao’s inner circle. Emily and Vanessa talk about Vanessa’s inspiration for the novel, the complicated dynamics between Mei and Chairman Mao, and whether we’ll hear more from Mei.  Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Josie Duffy Rice discuss Europe’s deadly heat wave, Joe Manchin’s balk at climate legislation, and the inevitable tragedies already happening post-Roe. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Lindsay Whitehurst, Camille Fassett, and Jasen Lo for the Associated Press: “Social Programs Weak in Many States With Tough Abortion Laws” The Ministry for the Future, by Kim Stanley Robinson  The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness, by Meghan O'Rourke Forbidden City, by Vanessa Hua Homesick and Happy: How Time Away from Parents Can Help a Child Grow, by Michael Thompson  John Dickerson for Slate: “My Daughter Went Away to Camp and Changed” Here are this week’s chatters: John: Carol D. Leonnig and Maria Sacchetti for The Washington Post: “Secret Service Watchdog Knew in February That Texts Had Been Purged” Josie: Zak Cheney-Rice for New York Magazine: “Larry Wilmore Knows No Bounds”;  David: Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps; Elias Esquivel for World Athletics: “Patterson Takes Surprise High Jump Gold In Oregon” Listener chatter from Mark Wegener: Gamaliel Bradford for the January 1930 issue of The Atlantic: “The Genius of the Average: Calvin Coolidge”   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Mark Leibovich discuss Biden’s 2024 plans, the establishment Republicans who stand by Trump, and Herschel Walker’s alarming Senate campaign. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Thank You for Your Servitude: Donald Trump's Washington and the Price of Submission, by Mark Leibovich Anne Applebaum for The Atlantic: “History Will Judge The Complicit” Mark Leibovich for the New York Times Magazine: “Donald Trump Is Not Going Anywhere” Mark Leibovich for the New York Times: “Kevin McCarthy, Four Months After Jan. 6, Still on Defensive Over Trump” Here are this week’s chatters: John: The New York Times: “168 Writing Prompts to Spark Discussion and Reflection” Mark: Mark shared his thoughts on whether life was better before cell phones. David: City Cast DC’s July 12, 2022 newsletter. Listener chatter from Josie Beyer: Julia Medina for Sleepopolis: “Sleeping While Rowing in the Great Pacific Race”; Lat 35 Racing Team on Instagram   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson discuss the Supreme Court’s gutting of administrative authority in West Virginia v. EPA, the case coming next term that could upend U.S. elections, and the Highland Park shooting. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Julian Davis Mortenson and Nicholas Bagley for The Atlantic: “The Nondelegation Doctrine Is A Fable”  Julian Davis Mortenson and Nicholas Bagley for The Columbia Law Review: "Delegation at the Founding" Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Susan Elizabeth Shepard for Willamette Week: “A Student at an Oregon Community College Says Instructors Flunked Her for Being a Porn Actress. She’s Suing.” John: How Normal Am I? David: Twitter thread about: Jaroszewicz, et al: “How Effective Is (More) Money? Randomizing Unconditional Cash Transfer Amounts in the US” Listener chatter from Jocelyn Frank: “Humanity’s First Cosmic Gallery of Children’s Art: What the Youngest Members of Our Young Species Most Cherish About Life on Earth” Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Kevin Bendis. Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon and John Dickerson are live at Sixth & I in Washington, DC discussing the new insurrection revelations; the overturning of Roe; and the legitimacy of the U.S. Supreme Court. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: David French for The Dispatch: “The Case for Prosecuting Donald Trump Just Got Much Stronger” Kirsten M. J. Thompson, Hugh J. W. Sturrock, Diana Greene Foster, et al for JAMA Network Open: “Association of Travel Distance to Nearest Abortion Facility With Rates of Abortion” Sacred Hunger, by Barry Unsworth  Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War, by Karl Marlantes  Meridith McGraw and Matt Dixon for Politico: “Trump Fatigue Sets In: ‘Some Donors Are Getting Sick Of The Sh--Show'” Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Christopher Clarey for The New York Times: “Tennis Tours Penalize Wimbledon Over Ban on Russian Players” David: Emily Temple for LitHub: “Famous Authors Who Died on the Exact Same Day” John: Terri Jo Ryan for Waco History: “Crash at Crush” Don’t miss Emily’s conversation with author Keri Blakinger on her new book, Corrections in Ink, for the June 26, 2022 episode of Gabfest Reads. Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Bazelon talks with author Keri Blakinger about her new memoir, Corrections in Ink which recounts Blakinger’s path from Olympic ambitions, to heroin addiction, to prison, and ultimately a return to life on the outside.   Blakinger launched a program to deliver her memoir to currently incarcerated readers. You can learn more here: https://800ceoread.com/coupons/redeem/donationcorrectionsinink   Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon and John Dickerson discuss the Supreme Court decision requiring that government funding for private schools include religious ones, the January 6th hearings, and dissension at progressive organizations. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Jack Goldsmith for The New York Times: “Prosecute Trump? Put Yourself in Merrick Garland’s Shoes.” John Dickerson for Slate: Whistlestop podcast: “The Mulligan Letters” Ryan Grim for The Intercept: “Elephant in the Zoom” Here are this week’s chatters: John: “Watergate Trial Records Digitized For 50th Anniversary of Watergate” Emily: Agnes Callard for The Boston Review: “Against Persuasion” David: Hustle Listener chatter from Cyrus Farivar: Tim Folger for Scientific American: “Record-Breaking Voyager Spacecraft Begin to Power Down” Be sure to tune into Emily’s conversation with author Keri Blakinger on her new book, Corrections in Ink, on Gabfest Reads on June 26, 2022.  Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon and John Dickerson discuss the January 6th hearings, Jason Furman on the economy, and debates among providers of gender-affirming medical care. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Michael Dorf for Dorf on Law: “House Select Committee Hearing 2: Scoundrels, Patriots, and Collaborators” Mona Charen for The Bulwark: “Of Course Trump Is Responsible for His Lies” David Brooks for The New York Times: “The Jan. 6 Committee Has Already Blown It” Derek Thompson for The New York Times: “The Crypto Crash Is Just the Start” Emily Bazelon for The New York Times Magazine: “The Battle Over Gender Therapy”   Here are this week’s chatters: John: Sharon LaFraniere and Noah Weiland for The New York Times: “F.D.A. Panel Recommends Pfizer and Moderna Vaccines for Youngest Children” Emily: Joan Walsh for The Nation: “The Backlash Against Sex Ed” David: Explore a Civil War fort with David; The New York Times: “Anthony Mancinelli, World's Oldest Working Barber, Dies at 108”; Kate Springer for CNN: “Philippines' Oldest Tattoo Artist -- Meet Whang Od Oggay”; Teller Report: “‘Working For 77 Years’ The Secret of The Long Run of a 100-Year-Old Civil Servant” Listener chatter from Andy Scarpelli: The Biodesign Challenge  For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, John, and David discuss what they are looking forward to reading and watching this summer. Cloud Cuckoo Land, by Anthony Doerr The Immortal King Rao, by Vauhini Vara  Swann's Way, by Marcel Proust Physical Season Two Loving Day, by Mat Johnson  Invisible Things, by Mat Johnson Manhattan Beach, by Jennifer Egan  A Visit From The Goon Squad, by Jennifer Egan The Americans Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Plotz, Emily Bazelon and John Dickerson discuss Tuesday’s primaries, the economy (is it as bad as we all think it is?), and are joined by Susan Matthews to talk Slow Burn: Roe v. Wade.  Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Nellie Bowles for the Atlantic: “How San Francisco Became a Failed City” Emily Bazelon for the New York Times: “America Almost Took a Different Path Toward Abortion Rights” Derek Thompson for the Atlantic: “Everything Is Terrible, but I’m Fine”  Patricia Cohen for the New York Times: “Global Growth Will Be Choked Amid Inflation and War, World Bank Says”  Here’s this week’s chatter: David: Jack Hitt for the New York Times: “Want to Do Less Time? A Prison Consultant Might Be Able to Help.”  John: The Economist, “The coming food catastrophe”; The Paris Review, “Henry Miller, The Art of Fiction No. 28” Emily: Moore v. Harper Listener chatter from Daniel Reich: “The Path to Power” by Robert Caro  For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Emily, David, and John talk about the 20th anniversary of The Wire.  Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research and show notes by Grace Woodruff. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Plotz, Emily Bazelon and John Dickerson discuss the response to the Uvalde shooting, Biden’s plan for student loan forgiveness, and a bunch of ignored subpoenas.  Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Jillian Peterson and James Densley, interviewed by Melanie Warner for Politico: “Two Professors Found What Creates a Mass Shooter. Will Politicians Pay Attention?” Here’s this week’s chatter: Emily: Heidi Przybyla for Politico: “‘It’s going to be an army’: Tapes reveal GOP plan to contest elections” David: Ezra Klein for the New York Times: “What America Needs Is a Liberalism That Builds”  John: AP: “Over 37K voters crossed over in Georgia GOP primary in effort to block Trump-based nominees”; LiveScience: “Male mice are terrified of bananas. Here's why.”  Listener chatter from Barbara Tanzler: The 11th World Potato Congress in Dublin, Ireland For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Emily, David, and John discuss Elon Musk’s ultimatum for a full return to work.  Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research and show notes by Grace Woodruff. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Dickerson talks with author Elif Batuman about coming of age as a college student in the 1990’s, and the similarities between herself and her main character in Either/Or, the sequel to The Idiot.  Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Kate McGee and Jolie McCullough for The Texas Tribune: “Confronted with mass shootings, Texas Republicans have repeatedly loosened gun laws” Bruce Leshan for WUSA9: “Other countries have been hit by school shootings – and done something”  Carl Hulse for The New York Times: “How Congress Passed an Assault Weapons Ban in 1994”  Rebecca Kern for Politico: “Tech companies removed the Buffalo shooting manifesto. A Texas law could make that illegal”   Emily Woodbury for St. Louis Public Radio: “Sheena Chestnut Greitens analyzes China’s tightrope walk amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine” Lara Seligman for Politico: “‘Deadly serious’: U.S. quietly urging Taiwan to follow Ukraine playbook for countering China”  Here are this week’s chatters: David: The Congressional Naming Commission planning to rename forts originally named for Confederate leaders Emily: The women in her New York Times piece “America Almost Took a Different Path Toward Abortion Rights”  John: Trump’s losses in the Georgia Republican primary and Jason Willick’s Washington Post piece, “Why Trump’s 2024 chances are even worse than Georgia suggests”   Listener chatter from Rebecca Vernon: Marisa lati for The Washington Post: “In a massive Chinese sinkhole, scientists find a secret forest” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment John, Emily and David talk to Jody Rosen about bicycles and his new book, Two Wheels Good: The History & Mystery of the Bicycle. Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Thomas B. Edsall for The New York Times: “Status Anxiety Is Blowing Wind Into Trump’s Sails” Karn Yourish and Nicholas Confessore for The New York Times: “A Fringe Conspiracy Theory, Fostered Online, Is Refashioned by the G.O.P.” Jamelle Bouie for The New York Times: “The Slaughter in Buffalo Hasn’t Quieted the Great Replacement Caucus” Nathaniel Rakich for FiveThirtyEight: “What Went Down During the May 17 Primary Elections”  David A. Graham for The Atlantic: “John Fetterman Wins on Vibes” Greg Sargent for The Washington Post: “Say it Clearly: Republicans Just Nominated a Pro-Trump Insurrectionist” Lauren Debter for Forbes: “A Startup Wanted To Make A Better Baby Formula. It Took Five Long Years.” Mary McNamara for Los Angeles Times: “Worried About The Declining Birthrate? How About Giving Mothers a Break”  Ruth Marcus for The Washington Post: “For Justice Thomas, The Roberts Court is More Feud Than Family”   Here are this week’s chatters: John: Steven Goff and Molly Hensley-Clancy for The Washington Post: “U.S. Women’s And Men’s National Soccer Teams Close Pay Gap With ‘Game-Changing’ Deal” Emily: Patricia Campos Mello for Poynter: “An Unholy Coalition Torpedoes Social Media Reform Legislation in Brazil” David: “The Final Dance in Dirty Dancing, But They’re Dancing To The Muppet Show Theme Tune” by @Pandamoanimum Listener chatter from Dylan Bindman: Christophe Haubursin for Vox: “Who Made These Circles in The Sahara?” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment David, Emily, and John discuss Justice Clarence Thomas’ recent comments and the legitimacy of the U.S. Supreme Court. Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Michael C. Dorf for Dorf on Law: “In a Post-Roe World, Can States Prevent Women From Seeking Abortions Out-of-State?” Ruth Graham for The New York Times: “A Pastor and His Congregation Part Ways” Ruth Graham and Elizabeth Dias for The New York Times: “The Growing Religious Fervor in the American Right: ‘This Is a Jesus Movement’” The Great Evangelical Recession: 6 Factors That Will Crash the American Church...and How to Prepare by John Dickerson Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Forbidden City, by Vanessa Hua; A River of Stars by Vanessa Hua; Nasty, Brutish, and Short: Adventures in Philosophy with My Kids, by Scott Hershovitz  John: Invisible Child: Poverty, Survival & Hope in an American City, by Andrea Elliott; Jon Ward for Christianity Today: “Being a Political Journalist Made Me a Better Christian”; The Bob Dylan Center; John Dickerson for CBS This Morning: “Bob Dylan Center: A Window Into the Voice of a Generation” David: Mother Jones: “How Private Equity Looted America”; Our Earth: “Cool Airplane Camera Views on Lufthansa” Listener chatter from Nicholas Gaffney: Alex Hanson for The Valley News: “Croydon Reverses Slashing Of School Budget After Voters Turn Out For Special Meeting” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and John discuss the things they do today that would horrify their 25-year-old selves. Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Ruth Marcus for The Washington Post: “The Leaked Draft Roe Opinion Is A Disaster For The Supreme” Edwin Meese III for The Washington Post: “Did The Conservative Legal Movement Succeed? That All Depends On Whether The Supreme Court Overrules Roe V. Wade.” Reginald Dwayne Betts for The New York Times Magazine: “Could an Ex-Convict Become an Attorney? I Intended to Find Out” Here are this week’s chatters: Ruth: Julia Clancy for Eating Well: “What Is an Air Fryer and Should You Buy One?” James: The Other Side of Prospect: A Story of Violence, Injustice, and the American City, by Nicholas Dawidoff  Emily: She’s getting a puppy! Send your advice. Listener chatter from Joe Stracci: Kevin Kelly for The Techium: “103 Bits of Advice I Wish I Had Known”  For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily and Ruth interview James about his innovative programs at Yale’s Center for Law and Racial Justice. Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson and David Plotz discuss Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover, Title 42, and the current prayer in school debate. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Daphne Keller for The Center for Internet and Society: “What Does The DSA Say?” John Dickerson for Slate: “Born Identity” Here are this week’s chatters: David: Ed Kilgore for New York Magazine: “Utah Democrats Endorse Independent Evan McMullin in Challenge to Mike Lee”; CityCast.fm/jobs  John: Reddit thread: “This is a 3200-year old attendance sheet found in Deir el-Medina, Egypt. Reasons for worker absence include ‘embalming brother’, ‘brewing beer’ and ‘bitten by scorpion’”; The British Museum: Ostracon  Emily: Ronald Brownstein for The Atlantic: “Why California Wants to Recall Its Most Progressive Prosecutors”; Vanessa Romo for NPR: “The LA Sheriff Now Says No Charges For The Reporter Who Wrote About A Cover-Up” Listener chatter from J.T. Horn: Mary Pols for Downeast Magazine "Why Maine Owes Its Most Breathtaking Public Lands to One 1972 Newspaper Story"  For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and John discuss John’s prescient 2011 piece about Trump’s birtherism. Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Kevin Bendis. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson and David Plotz discuss the ways that the war in Ukraine may be influencing China's future plans with guest Malcolm Turnbull; the mask mandate ruling; whether it matters that the RNC has rejected presidential debates; and Gabfest producer Jocelyn Frank signs off after many years of producing the show. Here are this week’s chatters: David: Mark Emem for CCN: “Jeff Bezos Missed 20,000% Gains After $250K Google Stake in 1998” John: Kathryn Olivarius: “Necropolis: Yellow Fever, Immunity, And Capitalism In The Deep South, 1800-1860” Emily: Rachel M. Cohen for the Intercept: “At a Pivotal Moment, Democrats Failed to Modernize Elections” Listener chatter from Randy Switt: Christopher P. Hammon and Victoria L. Vish for National Law Review:  “Eleventh Circuit: Service Charges Are Wages, Not Tips, Under FLSA” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment long-time Gabfest producer Jocelyn Frank shares her experiences making the show with Emily, David, and John. Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Plotz talks with author Amy Bloom about her journey to support the death, by suicide, of her husband, chronicled in her new book In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss.   Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson and David Plotz discuss the approaching midterms, inflation, and whether social media is imperiling U.S. democracy—with guest Simon Bazelon. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Simon Bazelon for Slow Boring: “Democrats Are Sleepwalking Into A Senate Disaster” Thomas B. Edsall for The New York Times: “Trump Poses a Test Democracy Is Failing” Matthew H. Graham and Milan W. Svolik for The American Political Science Review: “Democracy in America? Partisanship, Polarization, and the Robustness of Support for Democracy in the United States” Jonathan Haidt for The Atlantic: “Why The Last Ten Years of American Life Have Been So Stupid” Paul Krugman for The New York Times: “Inflation Is About to Come Down — but Don't Get Too Excited” Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention--and How to Think Deeply Again, by Johann Hari The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom, by Jonathan Haidt Here are this week’s chatters: David: Little Dorrit, by Charles Dickens John: Macbeth on Broadway Emily: Christine Charnosky for Law.com: “A University of Arizona Law Grad on How the GRE Changed Her Life”; University of Arizona Law’s Innovation for Justice work  Listener chatter from Nick Gaffney: Alex Hanson for the Valley News: “Croydon School Budget Cut Sets Up High-Stakes Battle Over Future of Town's Education System”; Alex Hanson for the Valley News: “Budget Cut Looks Bleak For Schools After Croydon Meeting” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, John, and David discuss what constitutes time well spent. Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily, John and David discuss Russia’s war crimes; Disney’s reaction to “don’t say gay”; and Amazon’s first union. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Andrew Exum for The Atlantic: “The Russian Military Has Descended Into Inhumanity” Noam Scheiber for The New York Times: “Amazon Workers Who Won a Union Their Way Open Labor Leaders’ Eyes” Microsoft: “The Rise of the Triple Peak Day” When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing, by Daniel H. Pink  Here are this week’s chatters: David: Jessica Contrera for The Washington Post: “The Remarkable Brain of a Carpet Cleaner Who Speaks 24 Languages”; The Wedding Party; Smithsonian National Museum of African Art: “Iké Udé: Nollywood Portraits” John: Jill Lawless for The Associated Press: “Darwin Notebooks Missing For 20 Years Returned to Cambridge”; Darwin Correspondence Project: “Fanny Owen” Emily: Twitter thread by Manvir Singh @mnvrsngh on time spent “doing nothing” in small-scale, non-industrial societies.  Listener chatter from Kate Conquest: “The Avian Soap Opera Unfolding Atop This Berkeley Bell Tower Has Humans Riveted” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, John, and David discuss the trend of working a “third shift.” Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson and David Plotz discuss Biden's gaffe in speaking too honestly about Russia; Trump’s missing phone logs; and Ginni Thomas’s efforts to subvert the election. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Bob Woodward and Robert Costa for The Washington Post: “Jan. 6 White House Logs Given To House Show 7-Hour Gap In Trump Calls” Hugo Lowell for The Guardian: “Trump Used White House Phone For Call On January 6 That Was Not On Official Log” Bob Woodward and Robert Costa for The Washington Post: “Virginia Thomas Urged White House Chief to Pursue Unrelenting Efforts to Overturn the 2020 Election, Texts Show” Benjamin Wittes for Lawfare: “Donald Trump, John Eastman and the Silence of the Justice Department” Karl Rove for The Wall Street Journal: “Republicans’ Jan. 6 Responsibility” Here are this week’s chatters: David: Beforeigners; City Cast John: Anna P. Kambhampaty for The New York Times: “Want to See the Weirdest of Wikipedia? Look No Further.”; Morning Brew newsletter; Elden Ring video game Emily: “The Betrayal of Anne Frank: A Refutation”; Anne Frank House Listener chatter from Andre Walker: All The Sex I've Ever Had at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago  For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, John, and David discuss what they would do if they needed to disappear.  Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Plotz and John Dickerson are joined by Ruth Marcus to discuss Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation hearing; Ukraine keeps fighting through atrocity; and more allegations of Republican candidates committing domestic abuse. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Dana Milbank for the Washington Post: “Cruz Attacks Jackson For ‘Critical Race Theory’—But Sends His Own Daughters to Learn It” Henry Olsen for the Washington Post: “Republicans Are Right to Oppose Ketanji Brown Jackson” Here’s this week’s chatter: David: BioHacked: Family Secrets: “The Genius Experiment: Part 1”; The Genius Factory, by David Plotz; The Last Days of the Dinosaurs: An Asteroid, Extinction, and the Beginning of Our World, by Riley Black  John: Camera Man: Buster Keaton, the Dawn of Cinema, and the Invention of the Twentieth Century, by Dana Stevens Ruth: Christine Emba for The Washington Post: “Consent Is Not Enough. We Need A New Sexual Ethic.”; Rethinking Sex: A Provocation, by Christine Emba Listener chatter from Eric Jason Martin: Nick Paumgarten for the New Yorker: “Retirement the Margaritaville Way." For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Ruth, John, and David discuss their strangest behaviors. Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Bazelon talks with author Meghan O’Rourke about germ theory, biomarkers, medical mysteries, long COVID and the quest to return to health as chronicled in her new book The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness.   Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily and David are joined by guest host Juliette Kayyem to discuss the arming of Ukraine, how to prepare for the next pandemic or catastrophe, and daylight savings time debates. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Megan Garber for The Atlantic: “The Grim Stagecraft of Zelensky’s Selfie Videos” Atul Gawande for The New Yorker: “Costa Ricans Live Longer Than We Do. What's the Secret?” The Devil Never Sleeps: Learning to Live in an Age of Disasters, by Juliette Kayyem Here’s this week’s chatter: David: Nina Siegal for The New York Times: “She Discovered What Happened to 400 Dutch Jews Who Disappeared” Emily: Paul Blest for Vice: “Josh Hawley Accused Biden’s SCOTUS Pick of Being Soft on Child Porn”; Emily Bazelon for The New York Times: “The Price of a Stolen Childhood” Juliette: Maria Cramer for The New York Times: “A Year After Suez Blockage, Another Evergreen Ship Is Mired in the Chesapeake” Listener chatter from Jonas Barciauskas: This Land podcast   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Juliette, Emily and David talk about what they think about when they want to increase their happiness.   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss Ukraine's fighting spirit, rising gas prices, and conformity on campus. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: The Science of Politics podcast: “Does the Public Respond to Threats to Democracy?” The Basic Writings of John Stuart Mill: On Liberty, the Subjection of Women and Utilitarianism The Guns of August, by Barbara W. Tuchman Emma Camp for the New York Times: “I Came to College Eager to Debate. I Found Self-Censorship Instead.” David A. Plotz for the Harvard Crimson: “‘Politically Correct’ Thought Control” Here’s this week’s chatter: David: Kayla Stewart for The New York Times: “One Huge Hog, One Long Day and a Nourishing Southern Tradition” Emily: Pam & Tommy John: Henry Fountain for The New York Times: “At the Bottom of an Icy Sea, One of History’s Great Wrecks Is Found” Listener chatter from Carol Walker: BBC podcast 1914: Day by Day   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment John, Emily and David discuss the people they carry with them.   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson and David Plotz discuss Ukraine's resistance, the State of the Union, and an increasing backlash against reformer prosecutors. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Thomas L. Friedman for The New York Times: “I See Three Scenarios for How This War Ends” Anne Appelbaum for the Atlantic: “The Bad Guys Are Winning” Gal Beckerman for The Atlantic: “How Zelensky Gave the World a Jewish Hero” Rebecca Davis O’Brien for The New York Times: “How This ‘Progressive Prosecutor’ Balances Politics and Public Safety” Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad Charged: The New Movement to Transform American Prosecution and End Mass Incarceration, by Emily Bazelon Here’s this week’s chatter: David: The Postman, by David Brin  Emily: In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss, by Amy Bloom; Away, by Amy Bloom John: New York Times, Feb. 22, 1862: “The Execution of Nathaniel Gordon” Listener chatter from Leslie Camp: Phil Davison for The Washington Post: “Monique Hanotte, Belgian resistance member who rescued 135 downed Allied airmen in World War II, dies at 101”   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment John, Emily and David discuss what they do to find and boost their courage.   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stanford Law professor Nathaniel Persily joins David and Emily to discuss President Biden’s nomination for associate justice of the Supreme Court, Ketanji Brown Jackson. You can tweet suggestions, links, and questions to @SlateGabfest. Tweet us your cocktail chatter using #cocktailchatter or post it to our Facebook page. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) The email address for the Political Gabfest is gabfest@slate.com. (Email may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily and David are joined by guest host Jane Coaston. The three discuss Putin's war with guest Julia Ioffe and also the GOP attacks on transgender children, and Democrats’ “hack gap.” Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Julia Ioffe for Puck News: “Will Putin Get His World War III?” Anne Appelbaum for The Atlantic: “The Reason Putin Would Risk War” The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood Here’s this week’s chatter: David: Work at City Cast; David’s “Exploring a Secret Fort” tour for Atlas Obscura; Florida’s Mount Trashmore Emily: Danny Hakim and Jo Becker for The New York Times Magazine: “The Long Crusade of Clarence and Ginni Thomas”; Jane Mayer for The New Yorker: “Is Ginni Thomas a Threat to The Supreme Court?” Jane: Sports Twitter Listener chatter from Charlie Hunt: Christopher Ingraham for the Washington Post “The Owl Pellet Economy: Meet The Entrepreneurs Who’ve Devoted Their Lives to Bird Vomit.”    For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, following the death of public health hero Paul Farmer, Emily and David discuss the concept of heroes and the roles they can play in contemporary life.   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gabfest reads is a new monthly series from the hosts of the Political Gabfest. This month David Plotz talks with author Florence Williams about divorce, affection, good friendships, and her new book Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey.   Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Josie Duffy Rice, David Plotz and John Dickerson discuss America's radicalized parents; what the midterms may bring; and the Sandy Hook families’ victory. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Clara Jeffrey for Mother Jones: “What Pundits Don’t Understand About the San Francisco Recall” Jasper Scherer and Benjamin Wermund for The Houston Chronicle: “We Asked All 143 Texas GOP Congressional Candidates About Biden's Win. Only 13 Call it Legitimate.” John Dickerson for the Atlantic: “The GOP Has No Standards Now” Here’s this week’s chatter: John: Rosalind S. Helderman for the Washington Post: “All The Ways Trump Tried to Overturn The Election — And How it Could Happen Again.”  Josie: The School for Good Mothers, by Jessamine Chan David: Watch some Olympic curling. Listener chatter from Paul Hiebing: Annie Rauwerda for Input Magazine: “The Adorable Love Story Behind Wikipedia’s ‘High Five’ Photos”   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Josie, John, and David discuss their hiding places as children and adults.   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily, John and David dig into SCOTUS's failure to enforce the Voting Rights Act, the GOP's embrace of January 6th rioters, and protests in Canada. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: John Dickerson for The Atlantic: “The GOP Has No Standards Now” Adela Suliman for The Washington Post: “Marjorie Taylor Greene says Nancy Pelosi leads ‘gazpacho police,’ causing collective spit take” Brett Samuels for The Hill: “Pence breaks with Trump: 'I had no right to overturn the election'” Here’s this week’s chatter: Emily: Sam Levine for The Guardian: “The Black Woman Sentenced To Six Years In Prison Over A Voting Error” John: “John Grisham Reads Soggy Sweat's Whiskey Speech” David: Oliver Holmes for The Guardian: “Putin’s Massive Table: Powerplay or Paranoia?” Listener chatter from Cason Reily: BBC: “Who Is Sue Gray?”   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, John, and David ponder what makes something qualify as a sport or a game.   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily, John and David discuss Donald Trump’s attempts to seize voting machines, the racist attacks on the yet-to-be-named SCOTUS nominee, and they are joined by Joseph Allen, director of the Healthy Buildings program at Harvard University's T. H. Chan School of Public Health, to discuss ways we might update U.S. COVID norms. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Joseph G. Allen for The Washington Post: “Our Playbook to Fight Covid-19 Is Outdated. Here Are 10 Updates for 2022.” Joseph G. Allen and Celine R. Gounder for The Hill: “We Have a Once-in-a-Generation Opportunity to Fix Our Crumbling Schools” Healthy Buildings: How Indoor Spaces Drive Performance and Productivity, by Joseph G. Allen and John D. Macomber Adam Serwer for The Atlantic: “Republicans Seem to Think Putting a Black Woman on the Supreme Court Is the Real Racism” Meltdown: What Plane Crashes, Oil Spills, and Dumb Business Decisions Can Teach Us About How to Succeed at Work and at Home, by Chris Clearfield and András Tilcsik  Here’s this week’s chatter: Emily: Kristin Toussaint for Fast Company: “How Do Workers Take on a National Chain Like Starbucks? One Store at a Time”; Noam Scheiber for The New York Times: “Taking On Starbucks, Inspired by Bernie Sanders” John: Adam Gopnik for The New Yorker: “Molière to the Panthéon!”; History, Art and Archives: United States House of Representatives: Representative Clement Vallandigham of Ohio David: Neil Vigdor for the New York Times: “A Teenager Tracked Elon Musk’s Jet on Twitter. Then Came the Direct Message.”  Listener chatter from Erin Arizzi-Shores: The Double Shift: “The Check's Not In The Mail” More listener chatter from Larry Williams: Barbara J. King for NPR: “Watch The Moment A Dying Chimpanzee Recognizes An Old Friend”; Mama's Last Hug: Animal Emotions and What They Tell Us about Ourselves, by Frans De Waal.  For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, John, and David offer advice about how to establish a work/life balance.   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John, Emily and David discuss Justice Breyer’s retirement. They are joined by Anne Applebaum to talk about what global moves may be coming to address threats to Ukraine, and The Gist’s Mike Pesca covers a round robin of the week's news. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: The Authority of the Court and the Peril of Politics, by Stephen Breyer  Anne Applebaum for The Atlantic: “The Bad Guys Are Winning” The Gist Slow Burn: Watergate Station Eleven, by Emily St. John Mandel  Station Eleven series on HBO Max The Way We Live Now, by Anthony Trollope Here’s this week’s chatter: Emily: Vauhini Vara for Believer Magazine: “Ghosts”; This American Life: “The Ghost in The Machine” John: Dylan Matthews for Vox: “Can Giving Parents Cash Help With Babies’ Brain Development?” David: Tiffany Lukk for Mpls.St.Paul Magazine: “Where to Go Dog Sledding in Minnesota”; Nicole Wetsman for The Verge: “CDC Emails Show That Vaccine Cards Are Supposed To Fit In Your Wallet: The Covid-19 Cards Do Not Fit In Wallets” Listener chatter from Tom McIlroy: Michael Zhang for PetaPixel: “Photographer Finds Polar Bears That Took Over Abandoned Buildings” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, John, and David discuss the screen adaptation of Station Eleven.   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson and David Plotz discuss Biden’s first year, SCOTUS's block of OSHA’s vax-or-test rule, and Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin’s busy start. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: John Dickerson for CBS Sunday Morning: “President Joe Biden: The First Year” Station Eleven, by Emily St. John Mandel  Station Eleven series on HBO Max Here’s this week’s chatter: Emily: Deep Cover, Season 2: Mob Land John: Take Note Podcast; Adam Webb for Take Note: “How to Keep a Notebook” David: Paul Schwartzman for The Washington Post: “Missing Jewels And Art: A Lawsuit Against a Retired Professor Is Ruffling The Well-To-Do From Georgetown to Newport, R.I.” Listener chatter from Alissa Surges: Allison Robicelli for The Washington Post: “I Spent The Night in an Empty Airport. it Was a Dream Come True”; Work at City Cast For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, John, and David talk about why to keep a journal.   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson and David Plotz discuss voting rights, Russia's recent moves, with guest Nina Jankowicz; and the increasing politicization of cable news. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute: Electoral Count Act of 1887 David Becker on Face the Nation: “Elections Expert David Becker Denounces ‘Efforts to Sow Confusion and Chaos’ ” Emily Bazelon for the New York Times: “Democracy Worked This Year. but It Is Under Threat.” Christina A. Cassidy for AP News: “Far Too Little Vote Fraud to Tip Election to Trump, AP Finds” How to Lose the Information War: Russia, Fake News, and the Future of Conflict, by Nina Jankowicz Anne Applebaum for the Atlantic: “The Science of Making Americans Hurt Their Own Country” Here’s this week’s chatter: Emily: Jan Ransom for the New York Times: “A Look Inside Rikers: ‘Fight Night’ and Gang Rule, Captured on Video” David: Nathanael Johnson thread on Twitter and We Are Lady Parts TV show John: The Mezzanine, by Nicholson Baker and “On Keeping a Notebook,” by Joan Didion Listener chatter from Bea Scott: The History of Democracy Has Yet to Be Written by Thomas Geoghegan For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment John, Emily, and David discuss rule-breaking and Novak Djokovic’s moves in Australia. Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Research and show notes by Shayna Elliot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson and David Plotz discuss Jan. 6, with guest Jamelle Bouie and what to make of omicron's impact on schools, and the Theranos case. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Matt Levine for Bloomberg: “Slaying the Blood Unicorn” Wall Street Journal: Theranos and Elizabeth Holmes: History of the WSJ Investigation  Emily Bazelon for the New York Times Magazine: “I Write About the Law. But Could I Really Help Free a Prisoner?” Ruddy Roye Photography Walker Evans Anastasia Taylor-Lind Sally Mann Larry Fink Photography Edward Hopper: Night Shadows, 1921 Alexander Calder: Finny Fish Wolfgang Laib: Wax Room Caravaggio: The Conversion of Saint Paul Here’s this week’s chatter: Emily: Crossroads, by Jonathan Franzen; Parul Sehgal for the New Yorker: “The Case Against the Trauma Plot” John: Window-Swap.com David: Fight Club; Free Guy; City Cast Listener chatter from Cynthia Weiner: Corryn Wetzel for Smithsonian Magazine: “Ten Hilarious Winners of the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, John, David, and Jamelle discuss the famous works of art they would most like to possess.  Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz wrap up 2021 considering life’s many conundrums—with special guest Dwayne Betts! Questions this year include: if you could eliminate one word from the English language what would it be? If you could transport the characters of one book into the time and place of another, which would you choose? If you were ONLY able to brush your teeth in the morning or the night- which would be optimal? Special thanks to everyone who sent in conundrums for consideration. For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment David, Emily, John attempt a conundrum lightning round. You can tweet suggestions, links, and questions to @SlateGabfest. Tweet us your cocktail chatter using #cocktailchatter. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   The email address for the Political Gabfest is gabfest@slate.com. (Email may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Give the gift of Slate Plus to a fellow Slate fan and they’ll receive all the benefits of membership: unlimited reading, ad-free listening, bonus content, and so much more. Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson and David Plotz discuss the future of the Democratic party's agenda, Omicron's spread across the United States and they're joined by investigative journalist Azmat Khan to talk about the deaths of civilians overseas and the lack of accuracy from the U.S. military. Give the gift of Plus to a fellow Slate fan and they’ll receive all the benefits of membership: unlimited reading, ad-free listening, bonus content, and so much more. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Matthew Yglesias for Slow Boring: “$1.75 Trillion Is Plenty of Money to Write a Good Build Back Better Bill Here Are Some Solid Options” Simon Bazelon and David Shor for Slow Boring: “A Permanent CTC Expansion With a Sharper Means-Test Would Protect Poor Kids Better And Be More Popular” Jonathan Chait for New York Magazine: “Biden Should Take Manchin's Deal Right Now” David Wallace-Wells for New York Magazine: “Gauteng’s Omicron Wave Is Already Peaking. Why?” Derek Thompson for the Atlantic:”Is Omicron Milder?” Azmat Khan for The New York Times: “Hidden Pentagon Records Reveal Patterns of Failure in Deadly Airstrikes” Azmat Khan for The New York Times Magazine: “The Human Toll of America’s Air Wars” Azmat Khan for The New York Times Magazine: “The Uncounted” Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad Here’s this week’s chatter: Emily: Katie Benner, Zolan Kanno-Youngs and Charlie Savage for the New York Times: “Some Inmates Can Stay Confined at Home After Covid Emergency, Justice Dept. Says” John: The Power of Meaning, by Emily Esfahani Smith, Mozhan Marno, and On the Meaning of Life, by Will Durant David: Hard Knocks In Season: The Indianapolis Colts Listener chatter from Mo Trent: stuffin.space For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, John, and David discuss their most and least useful years of formal education. Special thanks to listener Sean McPherson for the suggestion.   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily, John and David discuss January 6th revelations, Build Back Better and voting rights and they are joined by Slow Burn host Joel Anderson to talk about Season 6: The L.A. Riots. Give the gift of Plus to a fellow Slate fan and they’ll receive all the benefits of membership: unlimited reading, ad-free listening, bonus content, and so much more. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: David A. Graham for the Atlantic: “The Paperwork Coup” Barton Gellman for the Atlantic: “Trump’s Next Coup Has Already Begun” Charles Homans for the New York Times: “In Bid for Control of Elections, Trump Loyalists Face Few Obstacles” Slow Burn Season 6: The L.A. Riots Slow Burn Season 3: Biggie and Tupac Emily Bazelon for Slate: “The Nazi Anatomists” Here’s this week’s chatter: Emily: Ain't I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism, by bell hooks; We Real Cool: Black Men and Masculinity, by bell hooks John: Sharyn Alfonsi for 60 Minutes: “Negotiating With the Taliban to Save Lives Iin Afghanistan”; The Daily: “Economic Catastrophe in Afghanistan”; Christina Goldbaum for the New York Times: “Facing Economic Collapse, Afghanistan Is Gripped by Starvation” David: Julian Mark for the Washington Post: “Rapper Logic Wrote the Song ‘1-800-273-8255’ To Save Lives. He May Have Saved Hundreds, Study Finds.” Listener chatter from Adrian Monthony: Geraldine DeRuiter for The Everywhereist: “Bros., Lecce: We Eat at The Worst Michelin Starred Restaurant, Ever” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, John, and David share their best holiday gift ideas. Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily and David are joined by guest host David Leonhardt to discuss the pandemic economy; a diplomatic boycott of the Olympics, and the Ghislaine Maxwell trial. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: John J. Mearsheimer for Foreign Affairs: “The Inevitable Rivalry: America, China, and the Tragedy of Great-Power Politics” Corey Robin for The New York Times: “Why the Biden Presidency Feels Like Such a Disappointment” The Enigma of Clarence Thomas, by Corey Robin Mike Baker for The New York Times: “The Sisters Who First Tried to Take Down Jeffrey Epstein”t Andrew Anthony for The Guardian: “Meet Julie K Brown, The Woman Who Brought Down Jeffrey Epstein” Jill Filipvoc’s newsletter  Matthew Yglesias’ Slow Boring newsletter Joe Sheehan’s baseball newsletter Matt Levine’s Money Stuff newsletter Heather Cox Richardson’s Letters from an American newsletter Here’s this week’s chatter: Emily: Leah Litman for NBC News: “The Death Penalty Cases Before The Supreme Court That Could Keep Innocent People In Prison”: Amy Howe for SCOTUSblog: “Conservative Justices Scoff at Maine’s Exclusion of Religious Schools From Tuition-Assistance Program” David Leonhardt: Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite David Plotz:: Work at City Cast; Sex Lives of College Girls Listener chatter from Andrew Lacko: “Miracle and Wonder: Conversations with Paul Simon” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and David talk about newsletters and what they do well. Give the gift of Slate Plus to a fellow Slate fan and they’ll receive all the benefits of membership: unlimited reading, ad-free listening, bonus content, and so much more. Here's how! Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily, John and David discuss the Supreme Court's consideration of Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization with guest Ross Douthat. The Political Gabfest hosts also talk about how best to approach the news of the Omicron variant, and why the Cuomo brothers’ scandals matter. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Diana Greene Foster for The New York Times: “What Happens When It’s Too Late to Get an Abortion” University of California, San Francisco, Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health (ANSIRH), The Turnaway Study Ross Douthat for The New York Times: “The Case Against Abortion” Will Saletan for Slate: “Republicans Will Be Sorry if the Supreme Court Overturns Roe” Here’s this week’s chatter: Emily: On The Media: “A Different Hanukkah Story” John: Garret Keizer for Harper's Magazine: “The Third Force” David: Hannah Towey for Insider: “Check Out Theranos Founder Elizabeth Holmes' Handwritten 4 A.M. Schedule That Was Submitted as She Testified That Her Ex-Boyfriend Was Abusive”  Listener chatter from Chuck Piehl: Mankato Free Press: “Making Havoc Not the Point of Public Records” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, John, and David share their best holiday gift ideas. Give the gift of Slate Plus to a fellow Slate fan and they’ll receive all the benefits of membership: unlimited reading, ad-free listening, bonus content, and so much more. Here's how! Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily, John and David talk about whether President Biden ought to run in 2024, the Rittenhouse verdict and former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull joins the Gabfest to talk about international relations with China. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Edward-Isaac Dovere and Jasmine Wright for CNN: “Exasperation and Dysfunction: Inside Kamala Harris' Frustrating Start as Vice President.” Jonathan Chait for New York magazine: “Joe Biden’s Big Squeeze” High Conflict, by Amanda Ripley David French for the Atlantic: “Kyle Rittenhouse’s Acquittal Does Not Make Him a Hero” A Bigger Picture, by Malcolm Turnbull Here’s this week’s chatter: Emily: Cloud Cuckoo Land, by Anthony Doerr David: Conversation topic generator thanxiety.com John: Jonathan Edwards for the Washington Post: “A Michigan Woman Tried to Hire an Assassin Online at RentAHitman.com. Now, She’s Going to Prison.” Listener chatter from Keith Watabayashi @KeithWatabayash: Hieronymus Burps @hieronymus_burps about Long Boom Wired Cover For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment John, Emily, and David ask Malcolm Turnbull about the mundane details of life as the leader of a nation. Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Research and show notes by Shayna Elliot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John, Emily and David discuss Biden’s approval numbers, authoritarianism on the rise, and they are joined by author Jay Caspian Kang to talk about his new book, The Loneliest Americans. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: FiveThirtyEight, Latest Polls  Isaac Chotiner for the New Yorker: “Can Biden’s Agenda Survive Inflation?” Jason Furman for the Wall Street Journal: “​​Biden Can Whip Inflation and Build Back Better” The Loneliest Americans, by Jay Caspian Kang Pew Research Center: “Where Do You Fit In The Political Typology?” Christopher Borrelli for the Chicago Tribune: “What We’re Reading: 4 Korean American Memoirs, From Personal Stories To An Unsettling Confrontation on Identity and Assimilation” Anne Appelbaum for the Atlantic: “The Bad Guys Are Winning” Freedom House: “Freedom in the World 2021: Democracy Under Siege” The Dictator's Learning Curve: Inside the Global Battle for Democracy, by William J. Dobson Twitter and Tear Gas: The Power and Fragility of Networked Protest, by Zeynep Tufekci  Zeynep Tufekci for the Atlantic: “How the Coronavirus Revealed Authoritarianism’s Fatal Flaw” Here’s this week’s chatter: Emily: Ashley Southall and Jonah E. Bromwich for the New York Times: “2 Men Convicted of Killing Malcolm X Will Be Exonerated After Decades” John: The Faber Book of Reportage, by John Carey; The Way We Live Now, by Anthony Trollope audiobook  David: Geoffrey Leavenworth for the New York Times: “One Chaste Marriage, Four Kids, and the Catholic Church”; Spencer Buell for Boston magazine: “New England Hidden Gems You’ll Find on the New Atlas Obscura App”; City Cast Houston Listener chatter from Melissa Ocepek: A fox listens to the banjo For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, John, and David discuss the most useful friend to have. Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jo