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.
Episodes
June 15, 2024 • 21 mins
David Plotz talks with author Sierra Greer about her new book, Annie Bot. They discuss how much discomfort Annie (a “Cuddle Bunny” type of robot) can feel, how the story of a robot is really about the right to control a body, and more.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
Learn more ab...
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June 13, 2024 • 58 mins
This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss President Biden’s new asylum policy; the recent European Parliament elections with The Atlantic’s Anne Applebaum; and the jammed congestion pricing in New York City.
Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:
Corvid Research: Help, I’ve found a baby crow!
Zolan Kanno-Youngs and Hamed Aleaziz for The New York Times: In Shift, Biden Issues Order Allowi...
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June 6, 2024 • 57 mins
This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the fallout from Donald Trump’s felony conviction; the spin-up for Hunter Biden’s trial; and the upshot for college speech from campus protests with Charles Homans.
Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:
Nathaniel Rakich for 538: Trump’s conviction may be hurting him – but it’s early
Sarah Longwell in The Atlantic: The Two-Time Trump Voters Who H...
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June 1, 2024 • 38 mins
In this week’s essay, John discusses instinct versus obligation, his daughter’s wit, how he has changed since episode one, and more.
Notebook Entries:
Notebook 58, page 10. September 16, 2021
“You don’t measure your life the way you measure your writing.” - Nan
Notebook 75, page 46-47. September 2021
When your dog dies and son goes to college and you are confronted with your life’s work it all boils down to one alarm: the clock ...
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May 30, 2024 • 75 mins
This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the U.S. Senate seats that might turn from blue to red in 2024; The Fall of Roe with The New York Times’s Elizabeth Dias and Lisa Lerer; and the rise of Lauren Boebert with City Cast Denver’s Bree Davies and Paul Karolyi.
Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:
The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter: 2024 CPR Senate Race Ratings
Jonathan Weism...
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May 25, 2024 • 29 mins
In this week’s essay, John discusses Mothers’s Day, playing tennis with the Attorney General, medical scares, and more
Notebook Entries:
Notebook 19, page 16. April 2011
Is it possible, through applied thought, to become systematic in an approach to life? If you were to do that how would you proceed?
Notebook 16, page 6. July 26, 2005
“I’m here with a bunch of midshipmen and wondering what there is to do around here.” - Boy try...
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May 23, 2024 • 62 mins
This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s right-wing flag-flying; David Leonhardt’s take on A New Centrism; and OpenAI’s use – or not – of Scarlett Johansson’s voice.
Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:
Jodi Kantor for The New York Times: At Justice Alito’s House, a ‘Stop the Steal’ Symbol on Display; Jodi Kantor, Aric Toler, and Julie Tate: Anoth...
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May 18, 2024 • 43 mins
In this week’s essay, John discusses the differences between moving around New York in 1991 and 2021; remembering 9/11 twenty years later; and more.
Notebook Entries:
Notebook 75, page 12. September 2021
Notebooks to Garret
Notebook 75, page 13. September 2021
Can you make a typo with handwriting? What’s a typo with handwriting called?
Notebook 4. 1991
We have to unplug the light to run the vacuum, so we do a lot of our vacuum...
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May 18, 2024 • 33 mins
Emily Bazelon talks with authors Bill Wasik and Monica Murphy, about their new book, Our Kindred Creatures: How Americans Came to Feel the Way They Do About Animals. They discuss the evolution of animal treatment in America, moral duties to animals, and how to care about more animals than our pets.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulate...
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May 16, 2024 • 60 mins
This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the latest New York Times presidential poll and the Maryland primary results; the presidential debates; and who’s talking inside and outside Donald Trump’s Manhattan trial courtroom.
Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:
Nate Cohn for The New York Times: Trump Leads in 5 Key States, as Young and Nonwhite Voters Express Discontent With Biden and...
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May 11, 2024 • 38 mins
In this week’s essay, John discusses the Pomodoro Routine (among other productivity routines), why he especially needs a meditation pillow, and how a particular teacher captured his heart.
Notebook Entries:
Notebook 75, pages 8 and 9. September 2021
OReinstating the Pomodoro Routine…
Starting Marshall again…
Write Brice…
Send Laura the larger project list…
Work on budget to get accounts in order
Meditation pillow upstairs.
No...
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May 9, 2024 • 67 mins
This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss Stormy Daniels’s testimony in Donald Trump’s New York criminal trial; marijuana rescheduling; and the media’s role and responsibility in defending democracy.
Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:
Josh Gerstein for Politico: Stormy spoke. Trump fumed. Jurors were captivated – but also cringed.
Ivana Saric for Axios: Status of Trump’s criminal cas...
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May 4, 2024 • 44 mins
In this week’s essay, John discusses an onboarding memo for his assistant Laura, and recounts his early days living and working in New York City.
Notebook Entries:
Notebook 75
Onboard memo for Laura
Notebook 3, page 44. May 1991
June 17 start job. Good stuff
Notebook 3, page 46. May 1991
Tips on buying renting in NYC
Ask about broker
20s and 30s East side. Murry Hill
Live on no major avenue
Interest bearing account for securit...
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May 2, 2024 • 56 mins
This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the increasing and increasingly violent campus protests of Israel’s war in Gaza, Emily’s article on How ‘History and Tradition’ Rulings Are Changing American Law, and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem’s chances of a vice presidential nomination after killing her dog and writing about it.
Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:
April Rubin, Kavya B...
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April 27, 2024 • 33 mins
In this week’s essay, John discusses the art of attention and how to develop the skill of slow-looking.
Notebook Entries:
Notebook 75, page 8. September 2021
1016
Notebook 1, page 54. June 1990
- Magna carta 1215 at Salisbury
- Girls skipping
- The Haunch of Venison
- Chris
References:
Georgia O’Keeffe Museum
A Little History of the World by E.H Gombrich
Artist Jeff Koons
“The Art of Divination: D...
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April 25, 2024 • 68 mins
This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the testimony of prosecution witness David Pecker in Donald Trump’s criminal trial, student protests against Israel’s war in Gaza, and the Supreme Court argument on presidential immunity.
Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:
Matthew Haag for The New York Times: David Pecker, Ex-National Enquirer Publisher, Details How He Aided Trump
Richard L...
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April 21, 2024 • 27 mins
In this week’s essay, John dives deep into the loss of his beloved dog, George, the essayist’s dilemma, the comfort of quiet mornings, and more.
Notebook Entries:
Notebook 75, page 5. September 5, 2021
I go to the morning alone.
Notebook 75, page 6. September 6, 2021
Phantom nails on the stairs
References:
“Every Dog Is a Rescue Dog” by John Dickerson for The Atlantic
“Oxytocin-gaze positive loop and the coevolution of huma...
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April 20, 2024 • 41 mins
John Dickerson talks with author David E. Sanger about his new book, New Cold Wars. They discuss how Russia and China came to reach their new levels of power, the role the Middle East and Obama Administration played in all of this, and more.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
Learn mor...
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April 18, 2024 • 62 mins
This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss Donald Trump’s first criminal trial and the Supreme Court argument on a criminal charge related to another Trump case and talk with The Atlantic’s Mark Leibovich about his profile of Governor Gavin Newsom.
Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:
Norman Eisen for CNN: Don’t call it a ‘hush money’ case
Brian Beutler for the Politix podcast: Alvin B...
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April 13, 2024 • 28 mins
In this week’s essay, John remembers dropping his son off at college, and trying to hold onto moments and feelings while you can.
Notebook Entries:
Notebook 75, page 6. September 2021:
They chose you.
Notebook 15, page 4. April 2004:
Sitting with Brice by waterfall. Throwing rocks in stream. Loading sand from dump truck and loader and back again.
References:
What Got You Here, Won’t Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith
Songwr...
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