This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the future of the transatlantic alliance and Ukraine in the wake of the UN resolution votes with Zanny Minton Beddoes, editor-in-chief of The Economist; the House GOP’s budget resolution and the reconciliation process; and the Trump administration’s increasingly aggressive moves against the press. 

For this week’s Slate Plus bonus episode, Emily, John, and David discuss recent legal developments around two death penalty cases in Texas.

In the latest Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with author Rich Benjamin about his new book, Talk to Me: Lessons From a Family Forged by History.

Email your chatters, questions, and comments to [email protected]. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth 

Research by Emily Ditto

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This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the apparent corrupt bargain involving NYC mayor Eric Adams and the bonfire of Justice Department resignations; what could possibly go wrong when Musk and DOGE access the IRS and Social Security; and talk to Marc Dunkelman about his new book Why Nothing Works: Who Killed Progress – and How to Bring it Back. 

For this week’s Slate Plus bonus episode, Emily, John, and David discuss whether the human body could endure a voyage to Mars and if space really is our destiny as humans.

In the latest Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with author Rich Benjamin about his new book, Talk to Me: Lessons From a Family Forged by History.

Email your chatters, questions, and comments to [email protected]. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis

Research by Emily Ditto

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Emily Bazelon talks with author Rich Benjamin about his new book, Talk to Me: Lessons From a Family Forged by History. They delve into Rich’s complex family history— particularly the experiences of his grandfather, Daniel Fignolé. Fignolé was the president of Hatti in 1957 before being ousted by a coup that involved American influence. Rich and Emily discuss how the political upheaval had a lasting impact on Rich and his family, the immigrant experience of “internalizing America” and the lasting scars of trauma.   

Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.

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This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the constitutional crisis developing between President Trump and the courts, the attack on NIH and overhead funding, and political sorting among American workplaces.

For this week’s Slate Plus bonus episode, Emily, John, and David discuss their recent favorite TV shows, focusing on HBO’s Somebody Somewhere and its relevance to contemporary American experiences.

In the latest Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Yael van der Wouden about her novel, The Safekeep.

Email your chatters, questions, and comments to [email protected]. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Research by Emily Ditto

Want more Political Gabfest? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Political Gabfest show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or visit slate.com/gabfestplus to get access wherever you listen.

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This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss Elon Musk’s speedy assault on federal agencies, talk to guest David Leonhardt about the widening gap between US prosperity and quality of life, and discuss recent aggressive immigration efforts by states.

For this week’s Slate Plus bonus episode, Emily, John, and David discuss the New York doctor recently indicted in Louisiana for sending abortion pills there, and the complexities of abortion shield laws.

In the latest Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Yael van der Wouden about her novel, The Safekeep.

Email your chatters, questions, and comments to [email protected]. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Research by Emily Ditto

Want more Political Gabfest? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Political Gabfest show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or visit slate.com/gabfestplus to get access wherever you listen.

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This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the chaos and coming fight around impoundment of federal grants; the surprise market shakeup around AI and DeepSeek; and talk with Jonathan Rauch about his new book out next week entitled Cross Purposes: Christianity’s Broken Bargain with Democracy.

For this week’s Slate Plus Episode, Emily, John, and David discuss new data from the 2024 NAEP Reading and Mathematics Assessments and the collapse of student test scores in the US.

In the latest Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Yael van der Wouden about her novel, The Safekeep. 

Email your chatters, questions, and comments to [email protected]. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Research by Emily Ditto

Want more Political Gabfest? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Political Gabfest show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or visit slate.com/gabfestplus to get access wherever you listen.

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This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss President Trump’s flurry of executive orders on the federal workforce and immigration; the sweeping January 6 pardons; and the overtly symbolic elements of Trump’s second presidential inauguration.

For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Emily and David go behind the scenes with John to discuss his new post as co-anchor for the CBS Evening News.

In the latest Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Yael van der Wouden about her novel, The Safekeep. 

Email your chatters, questions, and comments to [email protected]. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Research by Julie Huygen and Emily Ditto

Want more Political Gabfest? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Political Gabfest show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or visit slate.com/gabfestplus to get access wherever you listen.

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Emily Bazelon talks with author Yael van der Wouden about her debut novel, The Safekeep. They discuss why Yael chose a queer love story, how Yael’s own Dutch and Jewish heritage influenced her writing, the history of dispossession after World War II, and more. 

Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.

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This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the Senate confirmation hearings of Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees, including Pete Hegseth and Pam Bondi; the January 6th report of Special Counsel Jack Smith; and the farewell address and lasting legacy of President Joe Biden. 

For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Emily, John, and David discuss the politics of the L.A. fires. 

In the latest Gabfest Reads, David talks with David Greenberg about his new biography, John Lewis: A Life. 

Email your chatters, questions, and comments to [email protected]. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) 

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth

Research by Julie Huygen

Want more Political Gabfest? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Political Gabfest show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or visit slate.com/gabfestplus to get access wherever you listen.

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This week, Emily Bazelon and David Plotz are joined by Juliette Kayyem and discuss the status of the Jack Smith reports and Donald Trump’s legal troubles; Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk’s continued cozying up to Trump; and the horrific wildfires raging in Los Angeles. 

For this week’s Slate Plus bonus episode, Juliette, Emily, and David discuss dropping into the memory hole the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol. 

In the latest Gabfest Reads, David talks with David Greenberg about his new biography, John Lewis: A Life. 

Email your chatters, questions, and comments to [email protected]. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth

Research by Julie Huygen

Want more Political Gabfest? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Political Gabfest show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or visit slate.com/gabfestplus to get access wherever you listen.

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This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the presidency and post-presidential life of Jimmy Carter; the infighting of Elon Musk v. MAGA; and the possibilities of citizens’ assemblies with The New Yorker’s Nick Romeo.

Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:

John Dickerson for CBS Mornings: John Dickerson on Jimmy Carter’s legacy and a life shaped by faith

CBS News: From the archives: Jimmy Carter becomes first president to walk in inaugural parade to White House and WGAL: Harrisburg, 1979: Jimmy Carter visits TMI after partial meltdown 

Sam Stein and Jonathan Alter for The Bulwark: Jimmy Carter was a misunderstood President. Here’s Why. and His Very Best: Jimmy Carter, A Life by Jonathan Alter

Stephen Hess for The Brookings Institution: Jimmy Carter: Why He Failed

Todd S. Purdum for The Atlantic: Jimmy Carter Was America’s Most Effective Former President and Gal Beckerman: What Made Jimmy Carter Such a Strange President

Andrew Prokop for Vox: Elon Musk is on a collision course with Stephen Miller

Jonathan Edwards for The Washington Post: MAGA is fighting a ‘civil war’ over H-1B visas. Here’s what they are.

Nick Romeo for The New Yorker: What Could Citizens’ Assemblies Do For American Politics?

History.com: Ancient Greek Democracy and Simon Hornblower for Britannica: The reforms of Cleisthenes  

Stanford University’s Deliberative Democracy Lab

Bürgerrat: Citizens’ assemblies worldwide

Here are this week’s chatters:

Emily: Caucasia: A Novel and Colored Television by Danzy Senna and A Complete Unknown from Searchlight Pictures

John: Event Santa Cruz: Dock Ellis No-No Cocktail at Brophy’s – Carmel; Patrick Hruby for ESPN: The Long, Strange Trip of Dock Ellis: Meet The Man Behind Baseball’s Most Psychedelic Myth.; and Paul Geisler Jr. for the Society for American Baseball Research: Dock Ellis 

David: Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story from National Geographic and Imperium: A Novel of Ancient Rome and Fatherland: A Novel by Robert Harris 

Listener chatter from Lawrence in Bowling Green, Ohio: Rhiannon Giddens for Silkroad: American Railroad: A Musical Journey of Reclamation 

For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Emily, John, and David discuss what President Joe Biden should do in his final two weeks in the Oval Office.

In the latest Gabfest Reads, David talks with David Greenberg about his new biography, John Lewis: A Life. 

Email your chatters, questions, and comments to [email protected]. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Podcast production by Jared Downing

Research by Julie Huygen

Want more Political Gabfest? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Political Gabfest show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or visit slate.com/gabfestplus to get access wherever you listen.

Hosts

Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz

Follow

@SlateGabfest on X / https://twitter.com/SlateGabfest

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