Political Gabfest
Voted “Favorite Political Podcast” by Apple Podcasts listeners. Stephen Colbert says "Everybody should listen to the Slate Political Gabfest." The Gabfest, featuring Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz, is the kind of informal and irreverent discussion Washington journalists have after hours over drinks.
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126
Gabfest Reads: How Tana French Uses Genre Trope...
The author’s new book The Hunter is another in a long line of great Tana French crime novels. But for French, the mystery structure has always been a means to an end.
26 min
127
Did Hur Exonerate Biden?
Biden delivers a strong State of the Union and Special Counsel Robert Hur gives weak testimony; Americans think crime is rising (it’s not); and Congress wants to ban China from TikTok.
54 min
128
The Dismal Biden Polls
President Joe Biden’s poll numbers aren’t good; the Supreme Court wrote a bad opinion to keep Donald Trump on the ballot; and is the Golden Age of American Jews ending?
58 min
129
Could They Actually Leap Over Biden And Dunk Him?
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
55 min
130
Can Putin Be Stopped?
The Gabfest team talks 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.
59 min
131
Gabfest Reads: Race, Money and Fictional Life a...
Kiley Reid’s new book Come and Get It explores the consumerist side of college life.
20 min
132
Well-Meaning, Elderly Man With A Poor Memory
Special Counsel wanders off-topic on President Joe Biden’s memory; Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’s impeachment and the lack of vote on Ukraine aid; and Democrat Tom Suozzi re-blues New York’s 3rd Congressional District.
49 min
133
Congress Can’t Aid, Can’t Arm, Can’t Legislate,...
Republicans went 0-for-2; the prosecution won in Michigan; and Donald Trump lost again but might win a ballot spot at the Supreme Court.
56 min
134
Will The Carroll Verdict Hurt Trump?
We’re talking numbers: $83.3 million in Carroll v. Trump; 1920-1948 in Israel and Palestine; and the billionaires of techno-authoritarianism.
63 min
135
The Election No One Wants
Yes, it will be Trump v. Biden again in 2024; the “vibecession” may be over; and no, the immigration fights will not be ending any time soon.
57 min
136
Gabfest Reads: How to Thrive in a World of Change
Brad Stulberg’s new book Master of Change aims to teach you how to weather life-altering events.
37 min
137
Why Trump Won Iowa
Why Donald Trump won the Iowa Republican caucuses; whether the Supreme Court is going to end Chevron deference; and what colleges should do about standardized test scores.
65 min
138
Should Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin Be Fired?
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin goes AWOL; students remain chronically absent from school; and Donald Trump claims presidential immunity as a blanket excuse.
61 min
139
Who Wants to Be President of Harvard?
What we can expect for the 2024 presidential election; who would ever want to be a university president; and how we should discuss the drop in homicide
57 min
140
Live From New York! It’s Conundrums 2023!
Emily and David finish 2023 pondering conundrums with Wesley Morris from The New York Times.
58 min
141
Gabfest Reads: A Woman’s Life in Museum Wall La...
Christine Coulson’s new book, “One Woman Show,” the life of the rich-and-beautiful Kitty is told in 75-word labels.
41 min
142
Trump versus Colorado
The Colorado Supreme Court blocks Donald Trump from the state primary ballot; Texas plans to block immigrants by arresting them; and Amanda Ripley has a plan for surviving 2024.
61 min
143
Is Harvard Antisemitic?
University presidents go to Congress and fail antisemitism test; Special Counsel Jack Smith asks a Trump question of the U.S. Supreme Court; and abortion rights are obstructed by the Texas Supreme Court.
59 min
144
Should Liz Cheney Run?
Liz Cheney wrote a book; Chris Christie is still running for President; and Purdue Pharma might go bankrupt so the Sacklers don’t have to.
53 min
145
Why Does Everyone Hate Bidenomics?
The U.S. economy is good but Americans feel bad; there are three branches of government but the Supreme Court could chop off one; and white evangelicals are Christian nationalists but that might change.
59 min
146
Is Polling Broken?
Issue polling is down; Sam Altman is out, then back in at OpenAI; and the Oslo Accords never got off the ground.
68 min
147
Gabfest Reads: Watership Down Gets the Graphic ...
Cartoonist James Strum unpacks the classic novel and how he brought beloved characters to new life.
24 min
148
You’ll Miss Joe Manchin
Joe Manchin leaves the U.S. Senate and might hit the No Labels presidential campaign trail; the Supreme Court gets a code of conduct; and collateral damage from the Israel-Hamas war includes Democratic politics.
55 min
149
Was That A Great Or Terrible Night For Biden?
Democrats win on Election Day 2023; President Joe Biden is losing in the polls; and gun control might defeat the 2nd Amendment at the Supreme Court.
57 min
150
Could Nikki Haley Actually Win?
In the presidential races, Nikki Haley gains, Ron DeSantis is stuck, and Dean Phillips begins his campaign; the Supreme Court hears its first but not last social-media cases of the term; and David Leonhardt writes about the American Dream.
57 min