What Next Plus
The problem with the news right now? It’s everywhere. And each day, it can feel like we’re all just mindlessly scrolling. It’s why we created What Next. This short daily show is here to help you make sense of things. When the news feels overwhelming, we’re here to help you answer: What next? Look for new episodes every weekday morning.
251
TBD | How Secure Is Our Election?
Why you can be confident in America’s electoral integrity, even as confidence in American democracy is plummeting.
29 min
252
Bonus: The Surge | Kamala Harris Does All The I...
While Trump was dancing, what else happened in politics this week?
23 min
253
TBD | The Elon-Trump Alliance
Two main characters who finally found each other.
17 min
254
Kamala’s Bid for Black Men’s Votes
Harris’s town hall with Charlamagne Tha God was part of her outreach to a demographic that Democrats once considered a lock.
25 min
255
Overdose Deaths Are Going Down. Why?
New research from the CDC indicates the number of both fatal and non-fatal overdoses has been going down.
24 min
256
Gambling on Elections, What Could Go Wrong?
Polymarket has people putting their money where their political predictions are.
23 min
257
An Extremely Online Hurricane Season
After the storms came the flood of rumors, A.I. images, and straight-up B.S.
25 min
258
TBD | 23andMe...And a Looming Data Disaster
The company is on the ropes. How safe is your DNA?
22 min
259
Bonus: The Surge | Old Friends, New Hurricanes
The space lasers are back.
18 min
260
TBD | Trump’s Crypto Gurus
How two shady guys with a history of lawsuits, debts and prison time ended up running the new Trump family crypto venture.
19 min
261
Getting Out Of Lebanon
Instead of a formal evacuation, Americans in Lebanon are being told to book flights. It’s not going well.
26 min
262
Diddy Was Indicted. Conspiracies Ran Wild.
Since his arrest, more details and accusations against the mogul have been emerging.
24 min
263
The Supreme Court’s Back. Uh Oh.
This year, the nine justices will address gender-affirming care, ghost guns, and, of course, the November election.
25 min
264
October 7th, One Year Later
A Palestinian journalist and a Jewish writer reflect on Hamas’s attack—and Israel’s year-long assault on Gaza.
33 min
265
Bonus: The Surge | Jack Smith’s Burn Book
Debates, dystopias, and a 165-page dispatch from the DOJ.
19 min
266
TBD | Helene Proves Nowhere is Safe
Why Americans keep moving into disaster zones.
21 min
267
Experts Feared a Wider War. It's Finally Here
We’re in a “history defining moment that will shape the Middle East for years to come.”
25 min
268
Vance and Walz Debate
Was that a vision of MAGA-after-Trump?
25 min
269
How To Debate JD Vance, From His Last Opponent
To prepare, find someone you’re ready to absolutely loathe, to play Vance.
25 min
270
Will Eric Adams Cost the Dems the House?
New York Democrats remain in disarray.
22 min
271
TBD | American Life is a Highway
Another lane isn’t going to unsnarl the traffic.
20 min
272
Bonus: The Surge | Indicted for Swagger
Jim Newell from Slate’s The Surge newsletter joins Mary for a Slate Plus exclusive.
18 min
273
TBD | Big Tech Fears Her
A conversation with Europe's top antitrust regulator.
28 min
274
Will North Carolina Pick The President?
The Democrats thought the state was in play. And that was before the Mark Robinson scandal broke.
25 min
275
Why More Democrats Are Buying Guns
The emerging bipartisan consensus on packing heat.
24 min