In the Bubble with Andy Slavitt

Andy says thank you to the most important people behind In The Bubble, and they look back at their favorite moments from the last three years. Andy’s son Zach and his wife Lana return, his other son Cal makes his first-ever appearance on the show, and we meet Andy’s mom Beth. Later Andy is joined by the people who made the show, along with Executive Producers Stephanie Wittels Wachs and Jessica Cordova Kramer. Dr. Tony Fauci makes ...

Andy calls four of his most trusted COVID experts to discuss their favorite memories from the past three years of the show. Dr. Eric Topol, Dr. Ashish Jha, Dr. Katelyn Jetelina and Dr. Bob Wachter candidly reflect on the pandemic. They remember the highs and lows, and spotlight  the importance of banding together to fight the virus. They also share the resources you should follow for the latest COVID news after the podcast is over....

Andy starts the show by making an announcement about what’s next for In The Bubble and a very big show we have coming up next week. Then New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy returns to discuss how the current situation in the Middle East is affecting things here stateside. The governor also talks about why he called for Sen. Bob Menendez to resign, and if Murphy’s wife, Tammy, might seek Menendez's seat in 2024. 

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House Republicans still can’t elect a speaker after three weeks of infighting. New York Times columnist David Leonhardt joins Andy to look at what the speaker battle signals for the future of U.S. democracy at a time when the world is in turmoil. They also discuss why Republicans continue to win elections, despite their dysfunction and lack of clear agenda. Plus, David shares why he thinks voters are turned off by some Democratic m...

California is making a $4.7 billion investment in improving children’s mental health, and the state’s Surgeon General, Diana Ramos, will play an important role in the program's success. This week, we meet Dr. Ramos and learn how she’s working to help kids recover from the damage of the pandemic. Dr. Ramos also tells Andy about her experience as an OBGYN and the importance of improving maternal health outcomes, especially for BIPOC ...

Author Elizabeth Rush went to the end of the earth to find the answers to her questions about climate change. In her new book “The Quickening,” Rush recounts her journey to the Thwaites Glacier, known as the Doomsday Iceberg, and what she learned about herself and finding community in a melting world. She joins Andy to discuss how storytelling can encourage change in people, why she decided it is worthwhile to have children even wi...

CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen sits down with Andy to answer your most pressing questions about this year’s new COVID booster. When will the new vaccine be available to everyone who wants it? How will it hold up against new variants like XBB.1.5, EG.5, and BA.2.86? When should I get vaccinated to best protect me and my loved ones this holiday season? Dr. Cohen answers all this and more. Plus, Andy asks Dr. Cohen about the DeSantis ad...

Could a united Gen Z hold the keys to a better future? Layla Zaidane, CEO of the Millennial Action Project, says that young politicians agree on many important issues, and her mission is to help young lawmakers to come together and work across the aisle to solve problems. In this special episode, Andy and Layla talk about her efforts to support the next generation of lawmakers and help them learn how things get accomplished, both i...

As President Joe Biden joins United Auto Workers picketing in Michigan, Andy talks to New York Times Opinion writer Nicholas Kristof to test Andy's theory that working class people will be the battleground voters in 2024. They discuss how the Democratic Party lost blue collar workers and why highly educated progressives fail to connect with rural voters. They also look at how populism is playing out in the headlines when it comes t...

When President Biden took office in 2021, he set out to fix the institution broken by his predecessor. Over his first two years in office, he accomplished many of his policy goals, and The Atlantic reporter Franklin Foer was there to witness it all. This week, Andy and Franklin discuss how history will remember those years, what Biden got right and wrong, why Biden doesn't get enough credit, and why he’ll be remembered as “The Last...

Is the new BA 2.86 variant the latest in a wave of deadly outbreaks, or just a "scariant" that is all hype? Will the new COVID booster shots work against this latest variant, and when is the best time to get an updated vaccine to be protected this winter? These are just some of the key questions that Andy asks epidemiologist and In the Bubble fan fave Dr. Katelyn Jetelina on this week’s episode. This episode is everything you’ve wa...

As an environmental philosopher, writer Elizabeth Cripps spends a lot of time thinking about what we owe the next generation -- which includes her two young daughters, who she hopes to educate and empower to become climate activists as well. In this conversation, Elizabeth gives Andy tips on how to raise environmentally conscious kids (and grandkids) while keeping them safe from climate anxiety.

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Author Dan Buettner has spent his career traveling to places where people have lived the longest, healthiest, and happiest lives. He found that much of what we think drives health and happiness is misguided or just plain wrong. This week, Dan shares the secrets to longevity and steps you can take to stack your deck in favor of happiness. Good news: you don’t have to put down your glass of wine or join a gym.

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What if we reimagined the health care system so it was incentivized to keep people healthy instead of just treating them when they got sick? That’s the discussion Andy has with Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) and Accountable for Health CEO Mara McDermott on this week’s episode. They take a look at efforts both in Congress and private enterprise to move to a care system that puts patients first and emphasizes quality over quanti...

Two new COVID variants are making headlines this week as cases continue to rise across the United States. The new strain known as EG.5, also known as Eris, is now the most dominant strain in the U.S., while at the same time the more contagious strain BA 2.86 is confirmed to have hit U.S. shores. Infectious diseases specialist Dr. Celine Gounder returns to the show to update us on these latest strains and tells us what to watch out ...

Comedian Samantha Bee has some Choice Words for Andy when she’s In The Bubble this week. In this wide-ranging conversation, Andy and Sam chat about what we’ve lost because of former President Trump, along with his front-runner status for the GOP nomination in 2024. They discuss the quality of the other choices for Republican presidential candidates, while opining about simpler times. Plus Sam shares her thoughts about her one-woman...

America’s homelessness crisis is getting worse, despite the billions spent each year to fix it. Single family home prices continue to rise. In California alone, fewer than 20% of households can even qualify to buy a house. While the problem seems overwhelming, viable solutions are actually within reach, especially if people stop saying, “Not in my backyard."

Andy is joined by Tomiquia Moss, founder and CEO of All Home CA; and Tomm...

COVID cases are rising in the U.S. -- does this mean we are on the precipice of a summer wave? That’s the question for the new head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Mandy Cohen. Plus, the latest on when the next round of vaccines might become available and what the expected guidelines will be about boosters going forward. Andy also dives more into Dr. Cohen’s background, why she’s taking on the role of heading...

The U.S. women's national soccer team faces a difficult road to a threepeat at the World Cup as the round of 16 starts this weekend. But tough battles are nothing new for gold medalist Meghan Klingenberg. The former USWNT defender joins Andy this week to share one of the most challenging hurdles she has faced -- leading the charge along with other members of the USWNT to secure equal pay for all women competing in international spo...