Slate News

A new whistleblower complaint alleges that the Trump administration is trying to manipulate national security agencies for political ends. With two months to go until the presidential election, what can Congress do to respond?Guest: Shane Harris, reporter at the Washington Post. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is Bill Barr doing, and why is he doing it? Donald Ayer, former U.S. attorney and principal deputy solicitor general in the Reagan administration and deputy attorney general under George H.W. Bush, on the attorney general’s ideology, how it predates Trumpism, and why it’s so dangerous. In the Slate Plus segment, Mark Joseph Stern breaks down the latest voting breakdown in Wisconsin’s Supreme Court, the latest Census case dead end, and the stupidity of Trump’s latest SCOTUS list. Sign up for Slate Plus now to listen and support our show.Podcast production by Sara Burningham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ben Schott joins Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Anna Szymanski to discuss Citigroup’s new CEO Jane Fraser (and everyone’s preoccupation with her gender), the struggle between parents and non-parents in the workplace and the phenomenon of “blands”.In the Slate Plus segment: Nikola. Email: [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli.Twitter: @felixsalmon, @Three_Guineas, @EmilyRPeck Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the planet warms in the coming decades, many parts of the planet that millions now call home will become uninhabitable. At first, people in these areas will move to the cities, then across international borders. This mass migration is already underway in the hottest parts of the world, and it is likely to accelerate in coming years.Just how many people will be forced to move? And where will they go?Guest: Abrahm Lustgarten, senior reporter at ProPublicaHostCeleste Headlee Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the planet warms in the coming decades, many parts of the planet that millions now call home will become uninhabitable. At first, people in these areas will move to the cities, then across international borders. This mass migration is already underway in the hottest parts of the world, and it is likely to accelerate in coming years.Just how many people will be forced to move? And where will they go?Guest: Abrahm Lustgarten, senior reporter at ProPublicaHostCeleste Headlee Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What Trump knew about the virus, DOJ’s move to end E. Jean Carroll’s lawsuit, and Matthew Yglesias on One Billion Americans.Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:Rage by Bob WoodwardThe Washington Post: “32 Times Trump Said the Coronavirus Would Go Away”One Billion Americans: The Case for Thinking Bigger by Matthew YglesiasHere are this week’s cocktail chatters:Emily: Jaclyn Peiser for the Washington Post: “A Black Seventh-Grader Played with a Toy Gun During a Virtual Class. His School Called the Police.”John: Laurie Gwen Shapiro for The New Yorker: “The Improbable Journey of Dorothy Parker’s Ashes”David: Cecily Zander @CNZander’s Twitter thread on Civil War generals as MuppetsListener chatter from Paul: The Economist: “Marvin Creamer Died on August 12th” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Emily, David, and John discuss TV shows from their youth that they would like to see rebooted. Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Gabfest each week, and access to special bonus episodes throughout the year. Sign up now to listen and support our show. You can tweet suggestions, links, and questions to @SlateGabfest. Tweet us your cocktail chatter using #cocktailchatter. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) The email address for the Political Gabfest is [email protected]. (Email may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank.Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The American West is undergoing one of the most extreme fire seasons on record. With megafires creating apocalyptic scenes across large swaths of California, Oregon, and Washington, and a pandemic still in full effect, how are residents and firefighters responding? Are wildfires like the ones seen these past few weeks an anomaly? Or is a burning horizon something people out West will have to learn to live with?Guest: Julie Cart, reports about climate change and environmental issues for CalMatters.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For months after Donald Trump’s 2016 victory, pundits labored over how the polls, and the reports surrounding them, had badly misjudged and mischaracterized the election. Since then, pollsters have made significant changes in hopes of painting a more accurate picture of the 2020 race.How much trust should voters put in the numbers this time? And what does the data say about Joe Biden’s perceived lead in the 2020 presidential race?Guest: Jim Newell, Slate’s senior politics writerSlate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John Nolan worked at the United States Postal Service for a total of 24 years. He retired in 2005. The last couple of months have been a frustrating time for someone with intimate knowledge of the institution. What are we getting wrong about the Postal Service?Guest: John Nolan, former Deputy Postmaster General Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Anna Szymanski discuss the current U.S. labor market, the oddities of Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, and the sad state of GE.In the Slate Plus segment: Retail investing. Email: [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli.Twitter: @felixsalmon, @Three_Guineas, @EmilyRPeck Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the wake of the killing of Michael Brown in 2014, and the national protests that followed, many believed that video shared on social media, along with footage from body cameras, would reshape the relationship between police and citizens. Six years later, one thing is clear: It didn’t work. Can viral videos really hold power to account?And why do we so often put our faith in technological solutions to solve societal problems?Guests:Bijan Stephen, reporter at the VergeEthan Zuckerman, former director, the Center for Civic Media, MIT Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the wake of the killing of Michael Brown in 2014, and the national protests that followed, many believed that video shared on social media, along with footage from body cameras, would reshape the relationship between police and citizens. Six years later, one thing is clear: It didn’t work. Can viral videos really hold power to account?And why do we so often put our faith in technological solutions to solve societal problems?Guests:Bijan Stephen, reporter at the VergeEthan Zuckerman, former director, the Center for Civic Media, MIT Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emily, David and John discuss the politics of violence in the U.S. and are joined by bioethicist Ezekiel Emanuel to talk about COVID vaccine distribution, and by Edward Ball to talk about his new book, Life of a Klansman: A Family History in White Supremacy. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:Jamelle Bouie for The New York Times: “Trump Needs His Own Sister Souljah Moment”Science Magazine: “An Ethical Framework for Global Vaccine Allocation”The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine: “National Academies Release Draft Framework for Equitable Allocation of a COVID-19 Vaccine, Seek Public Comment”Life of a Klansman: A Family History in White Supremacy by Edward BallSlaves in the Family by Edward BallJulian Kozlowski, Laura Veldkamp, and Venky Venkateswaran for the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis: “Scarring Body and Mind: The Long-Term Belief-Scarring Effects of COVID-19, Working Paper 2020-009A”Here are this week’s cocktail chatters:Emily: Marc Levy for the Associated Press: “Pennsylvania High Court Takes Up Another Election Lawsuit”John: Elizabeth Bernstein for the Wall Street Journal: “The One Thing You Can Control Right Now: Yourself”David: Beowulf: A New Translation by Maria Dahvana HeadleyListener @GreenNeck: Bridget Alex for Discover: “Which Ancient City Is Considered the Oldest in the World?”Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Gabfest each week, and access to special bonus episodes throughout the year. Sign up now to listen and support our show. For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and John discuss whether we’ll consider this the most important election of our lifetimes thirty years from now. You can tweet suggestions, links, and questions to @SlateGabfest. Tweet us your cocktail chatter using #cocktailchatter. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)The email address for the Political Gabfest is [email protected]. (Email may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank.Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Donald Trump’s business dealings have been shrouded in secrecy, but new legal scrutiny on the Trump Organization might turn up some answers about how the president makes and keeps his money.Guest: David Fahrenthold, Washington Post reporter covering the Trump family and its business interests. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nine weeks out from the presidential election, the Trump campaign is trying to make the election about “law and order.” Is that a winning strategy when the violence they’re pointing to is happening under Trump’s watch? Guest: Will Saletan, Slate’s national correspondentSlate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Democratic primary for a Massachusetts Senate seat is becoming a test of progressive bona fides and the strength of the Kennedy family name. So perhaps it’s not surprising to learn that, when it comes to their voting records, the two candidates are extremely similar. Guest: Victoria McGrane, political correspondent for the Boston Globe. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One week ago, a police officer in Kenosha, Wisconsin shot Jacob Blake in the back seven times, paralyzing him from the waist down. In the immediate aftermath, citizens of Kenosha took to the streets in protest. Those protests later turned into more tragedy when 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse shot three protestors, killing two. How is the city of Kenosha handling the turmoil?Guest: Gina Barton, investigative reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and host of the Unsolved podcastSlate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dahlia Lithwick is joined by Kristen Clarke, president of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, and Professor Samuel Bagenstos of the University of Michigan School of Law, to discuss the status of voting rights litigation as we count down to November’s election. Then Dahlia is joined by Slate’s own Mark Joseph Stern to talk about the alarming developments in Kenosha, Wisconsin. In this week’s Slate Plus segment, Mark sticks around to explain the Supreme Court’s shadow docket, and why it matters. Sign up for Slate Plus now to listen and support our show.Podcast production by Sara Burningham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Felix Salmon, Emily Peck and Anna Szymanski discuss the Fed’s new monetary policy announcement, direct listings on the stock market, and all the ways to play Felix’s hypothetical dice game. In the Slate Plus segment: The Dow. Email: [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli.Twitter: @felixsalmon, @Three_Guineas, @EmilyRPeck Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Not long ago, the QAnon conspiracy theory seemed to have lost momentum. Social media mentions had decreased. 8chan had gone offline. But since March, fueled by the pandemic and social media giants, the conspiracy has taken on new life.What’s responsible for the rapid uptake of the movement? And now that QAnon has spilled over to the mainstream, how far can it go?Guest:Ali Breland, reporter at Mother Jones HostCeleste Headlee Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Not long ago, the QAnon conspiracy theory seemed to have lost momentum. Social media mentions had decreased. 8chan had gone offline. But since March, fueled by the pandemic and social media giants, the conspiracy has taken on new life.What’s responsible for the rapid uptake of the movement? And now that QAnon has spilled over to the mainstream, how far can it go?Guest:Ali Breland, reporter at Mother Jones HostCeleste Headlee Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Republican convention, violence in Kenosha, and whether the Falwell and Conway families’ dramas matter.Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:Thomas B. Edsall for the New York Times: “‘I Fear That We Are Witnessing the End of American Democracy’”Omar Wasow for the Washington Post: “The Protests Started Out Looking Like 1968. They Turned Into 1964.” Black Lives Matter Protests in Wisconsin: Charles Franklin Marquette Law School Poll 2020-08-26Here are this week’s cocktail chatters:John: Keith Johnston for Independent Voter News: “The 18th-Century Reason Biden's VP Pick Should Be a Night Owl”Emily: Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of The Dead by Olga Tokarczuk ; Honeyland David: Erin Berger for the New York Times: “Meet the National Parks’ ‘Ranger of the Lost Art’”Listener Qiyu Liu @BlueSuedeQ: the Ikea Museum’s collection of 70 years of catalogues.Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Gabfest each week, and access to special bonus episodes throughout the year. Sign up now to listen and support our show. For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and John discuss what they wanted to be when they grew up and how close they came.You can tweet suggestions, links, and questions to @SlateGabfest. Tweet us your cocktail chatter using #cocktailchatter. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) The email address for the Political Gabfest is [email protected]. (Email may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank.Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week, the Trump administration used shaky reasoning to pursue additional sanctions against Iran. The proposal was rejected by nearly the entire U.N. Security Council, including close allies like the U.K and France. It was just the latest example of how “America First,” and the rejection of multilateralism under Trump, has turned the U.S. into a loner state on the world stage.Guest: Fred Kaplan, Slate’s War Stories columnist. Fred is the author of The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the past two weeks, Belarus has been gripped by political protest. The country’s longtime authoritarian president, Alexander Lukashenko, is courting Russian intervention as a worried European Union looks on. Guest: Julia Ioffe, GQ correspondent. Read her latest column on Belarus. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Getting tested for the coronavirus has never been as easy as it should be in the U.S. We’ve seen equipment shortages, long delays for test results, and even mixed messages about who should be getting tested.But there is a way to fix America’s inadequate testing. And experts say it could return some normalcy even before we have a reliable vaccine.Guest: Robinson Meyer, a staff writer at The Atlantic. Read his latest story, The Plan That Could Give Us Our Lives Back.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The pandemic hasn’t stopped the flow of migrants to the U.S.-Mexico border. But it has prompted an emergency crackdown on asylum seekers, and critics of the Trump administration say the policy is violating U.S. law. Guest: Adolfo Flores, reporter for BuzzFeed News. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Anna Szymanski discuss the finances of the USPS, the fate of brick and mortar retail after the pandemic, and Citigroup’s $900 million payment to Revlon lenders...that they sent by accident.And in the Plus segment: Productivity in lockdown. Email: [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli.Twitter: @felixsalmon, @Three_Guineas, @EmilyRPeck Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the early days of the pandemic, countries around the world invested heavily in new technologies that would help track the movement of the virus. Now, six months later, contact tracing apps are all but an afterthought in the fight to contain COVID-19. What happened? The U.K. provides some answers. The country put its faith in technology to contain the virus, and paid the price.Guest:Gus Hosein, executive director at Privacy International HostCeleste Headlee Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the early days of the pandemic, countries around the world invested heavily in new technologies that would help track the movement of the virus. Now, six months later, contact tracing apps are all but an afterthought in the fight to contain COVID-19. What happened? The U.K. provides some answers. The country put its faith in technology to contain the virus, and paid the price.Guest:Gus Hosein, executive director at Privacy International HostCeleste Headlee Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emily, John and David discuss the Democrats’ virtual convention, the U.S. Postal Service, and the bipartisan Senate report exposing more Trump ties to Russia.Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:PowerToThePolls.orgVote-absentee.comElection Protection HotlineHere are this week’s cocktail chatters:John: Keith Johnston for Independent Voter News: “The 18th-Century Reason Biden's VP Pick Should Be a Night Owl”Emily: Claire Cain Miller for the New York Times: “‘I’m Only One Human Being’: Parents Brace for a Go-It-Alone School Year”David: Shtisel Listener Rich Bravo: “Hieronymus Bosch Butt Music” Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Gabfest each week, and access to special bonus episodes throughout the year. Sign up now to listen and support our show. For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and John talk about the first concerts they attended.You can tweet suggestions, links, and questions to @SlateGabfest. Tweet us your cocktail chatter using #cocktailchatter. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) The email address for the Political Gabfest is [email protected]. (Email may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank.Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New York Attorney General Letitia James surprised many when she announced plans to dissolve the National Rifle Association. James accused the gun lobby, which is headquartered in New York, of mismanaging their finances – claiming top executives “looted” NRA assets. With the organization’s finances in trouble, and the State AG investigating them for financial misconduct, could this be the end of the National Rifle Association?Guest: Tim Mak, investigative reporter at NPR.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week in Georgia’s 14th congressional district runoff, a Republican candidate who believes in the dangerous and baseless QAnon conspiracy theory came out on top. Marjorie Taylor Greene is now a shoo-in to win a seat in Congress. How did her candidacy get this far? And what does it mean for the Republican party?Guest: Greg Bluestein, political reporter at the Atlanta Journal ConstitutionSlate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Having the Democratic National Convention in Wisconsin was supposed to be a way for the Democrats to atone for 2016. Hillary Clinton was the first presidential candidate from either party to not campaign in the state since Richard Nixon in 1972.Wisconsin flipped from blue to red in the last presidential election as rural voters voiced their disaffection with the Democratic Party and supported Donald Trump for president. Now, four years later, the Democrats are hoping they can use Trump’s record in office to win them back.Guest: Dan Kaufman is Contributing Writer at The New Yorker and author of The Fall of WisconsinSlate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One day last month, Samuel Chu woke up to the news that the Chinese government wanted him in jail. Chu doesn’t think he’s in danger -- he’s a U.S. citizen, living in Los Angeles. So how did he wind up on the wrong side of Chinese authorities? Simple: He’s lobbying Congress to support democracy in Hong Kong. Guest: Samuel Chu, founder of the Hong Kong Democracy Council. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In July, Slate published "The Class of RBG,” a print piece and two podcast episodes about the nine other women in Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Harvard Law School class. June Thomas talked to Dahlia Lithwick and Molly Olmstead about the making of the package on the July 26 episode of Working, Slate’s podcast about the creative process. We thought Amicus listeners would enjoy a slightly extended version of that interview. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Felix Salmon, Emily Peck and Anna Szymanski are joined by Edmund Lee of the New York Times to discuss Fortnite versus Apple, the reliability of statistics, and the life of Sumner Redstone. And in the Plus segment: Stock splits. Email: [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli.Twitter: @felixsalmon, @Three_Guineas, @EmilyRPeck Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the early days of internet search engines, Google set itself apart by providing a simple service. A list of links, inviting you to explore the websites that best matched your query. It was a portal to the rest of the internet. But over the last two decades, that mission has changed.Does Google search still take you to the best result for your query? Or does it point users back to its own suite of products?Guest:Adrianne Jeffries, investigative journalist at The Markup. HostCeleste Headlee Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the early days of internet search engines, Google set itself apart by providing a simple service. A list of links, inviting you to explore the websites that best matched your query. It was a portal to the rest of the internet. But over the last two decades, that mission has changed.Does Google search still take you to the best result for your query? Or does it point users back to its own suite of products?Guest:Adrianne Jeffries, investigative journalist at The Markup. HostCeleste Headlee Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David, John and Josie Duffy Rice discuss the Biden-Harris ticket, stimulus gridlock, and rapid, ubiquitous coronavirus testing-- with guest Dr. Michael Mina.Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:Monica Potts for The New York Times: "In the Land of Self Defeat" Zak Cheney-Rice for New York Magazine: "Tara Reade Is Making It Harder to Hide Joe Biden"This Week in Virology, “Episode 640: Test Often, Fast Turnaround, with Michael Mina”Here are this week’s cocktail chatters:John: Denise Lu for the New York Times: “The True Coronavirus Toll in the U.S. Has Already Surpassed 200,000”; Jamie Gangel and Elizabeth Stuart for CNN: “Details, Title and Cover Revealed for Bob Woodward's Upcoming Book on Trump”Josie: Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close by Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman; WorthRises.org, dismantling the prison industry and ending the exploitation of those it targetsDavid: Carla Marinucci for Politico: “San Francisco Becomes First County in the Nation to Offer Free Calls to Jail Inmates”Listener Tim Anderson @TimAnderson_r2: Mark Johanson for the BBC: “How a Long-Forgotte Word Rallied a Nation”Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Gabfest each week, and access to special bonus episodes throughout the year. Sign up now to listen and support our show.For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Josie, David, and John talk about what they would do with their time if the world was free from the pandemic for one day.You can tweet suggestions, links, and questions to @SlateGabfest. Tweet us your cocktail chatter using #cocktailchatter. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)The email address for the Political Gabfest is [email protected]. (Email may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank.Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kamala Harris is having an historic moment. What does it mean?Guest: Jason Johnson, political science professor at Morgan State University. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The pandemic moves quickly. The scientific consensus changes slowly. Did we waste time waiting for data when we could have adopted low-cost safety measures? Guest: New York Times reporter Apoorva Mandavilli. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The U.S. Census Bureau has faced setback after setback. And, this year, who makes it into the official population count is going to be a lot more complicated. Guest: Hansi Lo Wang covers the 2020 Census for NPR. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This year, the election runs through the Post Office. And we have reasons to be concerned. Guest: Jordan Weissmann, Slate’s senior business and economics correspondent. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Felix Salmon and Anna Szymanski are joined by Jim Tankersley of the New York Times to discuss his book The Riches of This Land: The Untold, True Story of America's Middle Class, TikTok, and the digital future of media. And in the Plus segment: The economy in the Trump era. Email: [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli.Twitter: @felixsalmon, @Three_Guineas, Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the past five months, city blocks have been slipping away. Bars are closed; restaurants are half-empty; retail is shuttered. As the country returns to varying states of lockdown, how long can these blocks hold on? This week: how one commercial strip on Chicago’s South Side is weathering the pandemic. Guests:Nedra Sims Fears, executive director of the Greater Chatham InitiativeBrian d'Antignac, The WoodshopJaidah Wilson-Turnbow, Frances Cocktail LoungeZoie Reams, Brown Sugar Bakery HostHenry Grabar Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the past five months, city blocks have been slipping away. Bars are closed; restaurants are half-empty; retail is shuttered. As the country returns to varying states of lockdown, how long can these blocks hold on? This week: how one commercial strip on Chicago’s South Side is weathering the pandemic. Guests:Nedra Sims Fears, executive director of the Greater Chatham InitiativeBrian d'Antignac, The WoodshopJaidah Wilson-Turnbow, Frances Cocktail LoungeZoie Reams, Brown Sugar Bakery HostHenry Grabar Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Messing with the census, undermining the election, and guest Juliette Kayyem on competent crisis response.Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:Alex Thompson for Politico: “Trump’s Campaign Knocks on a Million Doors a Week. Biden’s Knocks on Zero.”Ben Smith for the New York Times: “How the Media Could Get the Election Story Wrong”Franklin Foer for the Atlantic: “Putin Is Well on His Way to Stealing the Next Election”Alice Miranda Ollstein for Politico: “Lawmakers Demand Explanation for Cutting Federal Funding to States for National Guard Deployments”Juliette Kayyem for The Atlantic: “Reopening Schools Was Just an Afterthought”Here are this week’s cocktail chatters:John: Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson Emily: Deep Cover: The Drug WarsDavid: This Week in Virology, “Episode 640: Test Often, Fast Turnaround, with Michael Mina”; Elian Peltier for The New York Times: “3 Men Marooned in the Pacific Are Rescued After Writing SOS in the Sand”Listener Carol Palmer, @AgnetaAnderso: Larry Kanter for Medium “Inside the Company Trying to Solve the Global Bicycle Shortage”Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Gabfest each week, and access to special bonus episodes throughout the year. Sign up now to listen and support our show.For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and John talk about missing their work friends.You can tweet suggestions, links, and questions to @SlateGabfest. Tweet us your cocktail chatter using #cocktailchatter. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) The email address for the Political Gabfest is [email protected]. (Email may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank.Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Even before the pandemic child care was a long, simmering crisis. With the fall approaching and school reopenings in flux, many parents are asking themselves the same question: what am I going to do with my kid? America has solved a child care crisis before, the question is whether the country can muster up the energy (and money) to do so again.Guest: Betsey Stevenson is a Professor of Public Policy and Economics at the University of Michigan.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Schools in Oklahoma are preparing to reopen, but special education teacher Nancy Shively won’t be among the teachers going back to school. Shively, who has pre-existing medical conditions, has been forced to choose between her own health and the education of her students. She says President Trump’s response to the coronavirus has led her to question her support for him and the Republican Party. Guest: Nancy Shively, a teacher from Skiatook, Oklahoma Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday’s Kansas Senate primary has Republican party leadership concerned. Polls show that Barbara Bollier, a former Republican turned Democrat, stands a chance in the general election against one of the leading Republicans in the primary, Kris Kobach. So much so in fact that a pro-Democrat super PAC has been running ads in favor of Kobach, hoping to face off against him in November. How would a Kobach win on Tuesday upend the battle for control of the Senate? And what are Republicans doing to stop him?Guest: Dave Weigel covers politics for the Washington Post.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.