The Gist
For thirty minutes each day, Pesca challenges himself and his audience, in a responsibly provocative style, and gets beyond the rigidity and dogma. The Gist is surprising, reasonable, and willing to critique the left, the right, either party, or any idea.
1326
The Impeachment Tree of Possibilities
Slate’s Ben Mathis-Lilley thinks impeachment is a good idea. Slate’s Mike Pesca doesn’t.
28 min
1327
Enemies in Eurasia
America’s military edge on Russia and China—on the battlefield, in cyberspace, and in actual space—shouldn’t be taken for granted.
29 min
1328
The Mueller Dud
The special counsel’s statement gave us nothing new. So why did it lead prominent Democrats to board the impeachment train?
26 min
1329
Impeach a President
We learned a lot about impeachment the first time our country tried it.
35 min
1330
The Impeachment Special
With impeachment on the table, The Gist rounds up previous interviews on what booting Trump from office might look like.
30 min
1331
The Real Crimes of the TV Show Cops
Cops tricks viewers into thinking it’s not exploitation.
31 min
1332
Life After Parkland
A new documentary follows the family and friends of those killed in the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
27 min
1333
Planned Parenthood Plans for Action
The organization’s president, Leana Wen, on the sorry state of abortion rights even before the recent state legislation.
30 min
1334
What Basketball Gave Felipe Lopez
The “Dominican Michael Jordan” didn’t dominate the NBA like his nickname promised—but hoops gave him joy, an education, and an incredible New York story.
28 min
1335
The First “Welfare Queen”
Linda Taylor was one-of-a-kind. But her fraud was presented as typical, and proof that America’s social safety net needed burning.
33 min
1336
A Very Grumpy Death
How do we mourn such a curmudgeonly creature? Via song, of course.
37 min
1337
The Personal Is Geopolitical
Jared Diamond’s new tome, Upheaval, compares individuals’ crises with those of nation states.
31 min
1338
Have a Job? Thank Yourself, Not Trump.
Just look at the U.K., where similarly ultra-low unemployment rates coexist with a political circus.
31 min
1339
“No War” Is the Best Trump Can Do
The Iraq War was worse—by measure of blood, treasure, and geopolitical consequences—than anything our current president has done so far.
32 min
1340
Decoding the Bliss Gene
The brain chemistry isn’t as straightforward as it seems.
28 min
1341
Comedy Is No Revolution
Larry Wilmore says professional jokesters aren’t supposed to change the world. They’re supposed to make you laugh.
30 min
1342
Bigger Than Titanic
Avengers: Endgame has sunk Titanic at the box office. Is the Russo brothers' latest as good as that makes it sound?
38 min
1343
Who Makes The Gist?
A roundtable discussion from Gist producers past and present.
34 min
1344
The Retro Hits and Repeats of 2014
Meghan Trainor and Iggy Azalea really lucked out.
35 min
1345
The Gist of the Past Five Years
Mike Pesca on what he’s learned about digital journalism from doing the longest-running daily news podcast.
32 min
1346
Bird City
Lisa Hanawalt’s new animated comedy Tuca & Bertie is for the birds.
26 min
1347
“I’ll Take Second Place for $2,000”
Adam Levin had the best performance of any runner-up in the game show’s history. But it wasn’t enough against trivia ace James Holzhauer.
29 min
1348
Derby or Die?
This year’s Kentucky Derby is overshadowed by high death rates among horses at a California track, which may do lasting damage to the industry.
28 min
1349
It’s a Code World
Coders have gone from a band of misfits to rulers of Silicon Valley.
25 min
1350
Avengers: But For Real
Marvel’s latest blockbuster is long on Malthusian hypotheticals, but short on answers. That begs the question: what if?
29 min