Political Gabfest

David, John and Ruth Marcus discuss Biden’s campaign, Big Tech, and author Anne Applebaum joins to discuss her new book Twilight of Democracy. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: John Dickerson for the Washington Post: “The Ultimate Test of Presidential Character Is Restraint” Twilight of Democracy: The Seductive Lure of Authoritarianism by Anne Applebaum Anne Applebaum for the Atlantic: “History Will Judge Trump’s Enablers Harshly” Here are this week’s cocktail...

Emily Bazelon, David Plotz and Jamelle Bouie discuss Trump’s assault on Portland, the filibuster, and Julian Zelizer’s new book about Newt Gingrich’s power tactics. Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Gabfest each week, and access to special bonus episodes throughout the year. Sign up now to listen and support our show. For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Jamelle, David, and Emily discuss the people they consider the greatest living Americans after the death of John Lewis....

Emily, David and guest host James Forman Jr. discuss the pandemic catastrophe, the racial justice movement, and “cancel culture.” Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Gabfest each week, and access to special bonus episodes throughout the year. Sign up now to listen and support our show. For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment James, David, and Emily discuss the program James has started at Yale Law School to help individuals from the New Haven area to get law degrees, who wouldn’t...

Emily, John and David discuss Biden's understated presidential campaign, the new Supreme Court decisions, and Hamilton. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Jamelle Bouie for The New York Times: “Maybe This Isn’t Such a Good Time to Prosecute a Culture War” David Weigel for The Washington Post: “The Trailer: Who's Afraid of Joe Biden?” Michael W. McConnell for the New York Times: “On Religion, the Supreme Court Protects the Right to Be Different” Thomas Jefferson and...

Emily, John and David discuss the Supreme Court’s abortion decision, reopening schools--with guest Emily Oster, and Russia’s bounties for U.S. Troops. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Melissa Murray for The Washington Post: “The Supreme Court’s Abortion Decision Seems Pulled From The ‘Casey’ Playbook” Linda Greenhouse for The New York Times: “How Chief Justice Roberts Solved His Abortion Dilemma” Jeffrey Toobin for The New Yorker: “John Roberts Distances Himself from...

Emily, John and David discuss the rising numbers of COVID cases, the politicization of the DOJ, and they are joined by Slow Burn's Josh Levin to talk about the new season focused on David Duke. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Austan Goolsbee and Chad Syverson: “Lockdown, and Diversion: Comparing Drivers of Pandemic Economic Decline 2020, University of Chicago, Becker Friedman Institute for Economics Working Paper No. 2020-80.” Kasra Zarei and John Duchneskie for the...

Emily, John and David discuss Trump’s Tulsa rally, Bolton’s book, and this week’s historic Supreme Court ruling on LGBTQ rights--with attorney Chase Strangio. Episode Notes Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Kathryn Dunn Tenpas for Brookings: “Tracking Turnover in the Trump Administration” Anne Applebaum for the Atlantic: “History Will Judge Trump’s Enablers Harshly” Dylan Scott for Vox: “What Mike Pence Got Wrong About the New Coronavirus Spikes” Margo Vansynghel and...

David, Emily, and John present a special livestream of the Political Gabfest on police abuse, the 2020 election, and John’s new book, The Hardest Job in the World. Here are this week’s cocktail chatters: Emily: Charlie Savage and Adam Goldman for the New York Times: “Outsider Tapped in Flynn Case Calls Justice Dept. Reversal a ‘Gross Abuse’ of Power” David: Emily Cochrane for the New York Times: “That Trump Tweet? Republicans Prefer Not to See It”; Aaron Blake for the Washington Post: “No,...

Emily, John and David discuss the protests against police brutality and racism, Trump’s increasingly authoritarian response, and the pandemic--with guest Jamelle Bouie. Here are this week’s cocktail chatters: John: Emily Bazelon for the New York Times Magazine: “What Will College Be Like in the Fall?” Emily: A River of Stars by Vanessa Hua David: The Ballad of Songbirds And Snakes by Suzanne Collins; Anne Applebaum for the Atlantic: “History Will Judge Trump’s Enablers Harshly” Listener...

Emily, John and David discuss the Trump vs. Twitter battle, the realities of this partisan pandemic, and U.S.-China relations with guest Sheena Chestnut Greitens. Here are this week’s cocktail chatters: John: Lori Dorn for Laughing Squid: “A Timeline of the Most Popular TV Shows (1951-2019)” Emily: Willa Paskin for Slate: “Mrs. America’s Showrunner on the Show’s Lessons and Its Detractors” David: NASA Office of the Inspector General: “Examining the Future of the International Space Station”...

Emily, John and David discuss the state of the pandemic; insider trading allegations in the Senate; and Trump’s firing of the watchdog investigating Mike Pompeo. For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment David, Emily, and John discuss the online videos that have educated and entertained them during social isolation. Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Gabfest each week, and access to special bonus episodes throughout the year. Sign up now to listen and support our show. You can...

Emily, John, and David discuss COVID without federal leadership; challenges to Trump at the Supreme Court; and novelist Isabel Allende joins the show to talk about her new book A Long Petal of the Sea, and how crisis can be an opportunity for change. For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment David, Emily, and John discuss (what would be) epic historical counterfactuals. Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Gabfest each week, and access to special bonus episodes throughout the year....

Emily, John and David discuss states reopening as numbers of cases continue to climb; this year’s election security challenges; and they're joined by guest Gene Sperling to talk about “economic dignity.” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment David, Emily, and John discuss how to save the summer. Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Gabfest each week, and access to special bonus episodes throughout the year. Sign up now to listen and support our show. You can tweet suggestions,...

Emily, John and David discuss Tara Reade’s allegations against Joe Biden, the debate over reopening schools, and the three hosts are joined by astronaut Scott Kelly to talk through tips for living in confined spaces. For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment David, Emily, and John discuss the ethics of human challenge trials for vaccine development. Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Gabfest each week, and access to special bonus episodes throughout the year. Sign up now to listen...

Emily, David and John discuss the pushback against COVID-19 restrictions, the success of female political leaders, and they're joined by Mark Bittman to talk about eating and cooking well during isolation. For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment David, Emily, and John discuss their all-time must-read lists. The list is here. Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Gabfest each week, and access to special bonus episodes throughout the year. Sign up now to listen and support our show....

Trump claims “total authority”, Heather Boushey on fighting the recession, and Amanda Ripley on lessons from Katrina and other disasters. For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment David, Emily, and John discuss what they would do about the pandemic if they were billionaires. Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Gabfest each week, and access to special bonus episodes throughout the year. Sign up now to listen and support our show. You can tweet suggestions, links, and questions to...

In this special episode of the Political Gabfest John, Emily and David are joined by therapist Esther Perel to discuss how the coronavirus is affecting relationships, and what we can all do to support one another, process grief and tap into increased compassion during this time. Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Gabfest each week, and access to special bonus episodes throughout the year. Sign up now to listen and support our show. You can tweet suggestions, links, and questions...

Emily, John and David discuss where efforts to curb virus transmission go from here with epidemiologist Amesh Adalja, Trump’s purge of investigators general, and what Sanders’ exit should mean for the Democratic party’s agenda. For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment David, Emily, and John improvise a story together. Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Gabfest each week, and access to special bonus episodes throughout the year. Sign up now to listen and support our show. You can...

Emily, John and David discuss the security of U.S. elections, are joined by guest economics professor Jason Furman to help estimate by when we can anticipate a financial recovery, and the hosts talk with novelist Geraldine Brooks to learn more about living through a plague. Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Gabfest each week, and access to special bonus episodes throughout the year. Sign up now to listen and support our show. For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment David, Emily,...

Emily, John and David are joined by epidemiologist Gregg Gonsalves to discuss the latest pandemic debates and also by Civil War historian David Blight on what history can teach us about surviving catastrophe. For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment David, Emily, and John discuss insights they have gained from their experiences with social distancing. Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Gabfest each week, and access to special bonus episodes throughout the year. Sign up now to...