The Gist

In Part 1 of a two-part interview, Al Franken, now a working standup comedian, analyzes politics and what made him such an effective questioner during Senate hearings. And Mike spiels about a visit from a boring German, and why Mike Pence's rebuke cannot be considered brave. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at [email protected] To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this week's Best Of The Gist episode, Mike Spiels about Joe Rogan's most criticized interview, with insights on the Nuremberg Codes and the shocking accusation that Anthony Faucci conspired to quash evidence, which he definitely didn't do. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at [email protected] To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A project to retell the 1975 film Dog Day Afternoon from a trans character's perspective almost tore Raja Feather Kelly's dance company apart. The Feat3r Collective is ambitious, daring, and, for his recent project Wednesday, embattled. Ultimately, art persevered. Plus, Olympic Parade of Nations oddities, and New York State gerrymanders to the Dems advantage. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at [email protected] To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jeff Maurer is a 5-time Emmy Award-winning writer for HBO's Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, which he says never strayed from the POVs you'd expect, during the six years he wrote for the show. Jeff's proud of the show, but he also realized that there was little opportunity to tackle topics that weren't firmly in the liberal/progressive consensus. So he left. In the Spiel, Mike assesses critics of The New York Times' David Leonhardt. He's cautiously offering a glimpse at a post-Covid conviction, they're accusing him of crimes against humanity. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at [email protected] To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Paul Butler examines how Axie Infinity, a "w3" online game sold as the future of work, is simply reinforcing drudgery. The game's makers say it's more than a game, it's a way to escape poverty. In reality, its part cynical hype and part pitiless grind. In the Spiel, Mike discusses how Jeff Zucker's resignation from CNN isn't a scandal of sex, it's a scandal of boundaries. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at [email protected] To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Part 2 of an interview with Professor Jonathan Gottschall who says Netflix is to narrative what the Golden Corral is to portion control. In the Spiel a listen to all 3 hours of Joe Rogan's most criticized interview, with insights on the Nuremberg Codes and the shocking accusation that Anthony Faucci conspired to quash evidence, which he definitely didn't do. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at [email protected] To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mike talks to Professor Jonathan Gottschall, who speaks about the sheer tonnage of stories that we all absorb, and how this basic human function affects us like a drug. In the Spiel, Mike analyzes Boris Johnson's party proclivities, and addresses if defying Covid lockdowns is a tipple too far for the British public. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at [email protected] To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In our debut Saturday Edition, we pull out a compelling segment you may have missed during the week. Produced by Joel Patterson Email us at [email protected] To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Suzanne Nossel, author of Dare To Speak: Defending Free Speech For All , and President of PEN, on her organization's never-wavering, but not-always-easy, commitment to defend expression. In a conversation recorded almost a year ago, and aired here for the first time, Nossel discusses with Mike the current atmosphere around censoriousness and the conceptions of what free speech means, who it harms and how it should be managed. Mike also talks about Kyle Rittenhouse's play to acquire the rifle that killed two people. Plus, in the Spiel, A Kyiv pet pee-ev. Produced by Joel Patterson Email us at [email protected] To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Neil Young wants Joe Rogan to either burn out or fade away over Covid mis-info. Mike spiels about Neil Young's Criticisms of Joe Rogan's Covid pronouncements. And in the interview, the NYTimes Magazine's Emily Bazelon talks about how the nationwide rise in murders will affect the agendas of progressive prosecutors. Produced by Joel Patterson Email us at [email protected] To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today on the Gist, The former President of Estonia on Russia's aggression and German obstruction. And news that SCOTUS's Breyer will retire inspires a Spiel about domestic obstructionism. Produced by Joel Patterson Email us at [email protected] To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dartmouth professor Brendan J. Nyhan looks at polls showing Americans endorse violence and says those findings are off. But there's still a lot to worry about. And in the Spiel, a troubling but little-remarked-upon argument made in the Derek Chauvin defense resurfaces in the Federal trial of former Minneapolis Police Officers. Podcast production by Joel Patterson Email us at [email protected] To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, America may be poised for revolution. Or not. We're certainly obsessed with talking about it. In the interview, Mike speaks with Stephen Marche, author of The Next Civil War: Dispatches from the American Future. Marche sets the chances of a civil war at 67%. Mike challenges him by asking why this moment is so different from dozens of inflection points since the actual Civil War. In the Spiel, a commitment to keeping the Gist a place free of catastrophizing, while not minimizing the number of very real problems we face. Podcast production by Joel Patterson Email us at [email protected] To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Gist Returns on Monday, January 24 for Season 2. Today, Mike recounts the guiding principles of Season 1 ( i.e. the first 1400 episodes), and delivers a promise of rigor and independence for Season 2. To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, #TedFled. In the Interview, his new documentary has been called "jaw-dropping," "incendiary," "riveting," and "engrossing." Sam Pollard's new film MLK/FBI is about the bureau's surveillance and harassment of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The film delves into new and declassified documents as well as restored footage to reveal the government's long past of targeting Black activists. Pollard tells Mike, "I was just trying to tell a good story. About two men on the same trajectory one with a goal to take his people to the Promised Land, and the other one with a goal to stop that man from doing that." Sam Pollard is an award winning director, editor and producer. He was nominated for an Oscar for his 1997 documentary 4 Little Girls, and has won two Emmys for his documentary editing. In the Spiel, we're worried about the cows in Texas. Hat tip, Moo Muffs! Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley and Cheyna Roth. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, we rush to Limbaugh's judgment. In the Interview, political and media historian, Brian Rosenwald, joins Mike to talk about Rush Limbaugh's rise to popularity in conservative media, his power as a voice and entertainer in talk radio, the influence he had on the Republican party, and who is primed to carry his torch over the AM dial or in podcasting. As a national broadcaster, Limbaugh developed a political perspective over his career that to the left perpetuated harmful ideas, and to the right, uplifted and championed their values. Limbaugh was awarded the presidential medal of freedom February 4, 2020, and died February 17, 2021 of complications from lung cancer at 70 years old. Rosenwald is editor of Washington Post's Made By History blog, scholar in residence at the Partnership for Effective Public Administration and Leadership Ethics at the University of Pennsylvania, and author of Talk Radio's America: How an Industry Took Over a Political Party That Took Over the United States. And we give up the spiel to keep talking to Rosenwald about the aftermath of Limbaugh. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley and Cheyna Roth. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, Southern cold snap! In the Interview, Sonari Glinton is back! Which means we're talking cars. Glinton and Pesca discuss GM's recent proclamation to go electric by 2025. Glinton says that it's not that car makers aren't making profits off of going electric, it's that General Motors' commitment is a sign that the state of things are grave. He projects that automotive companies will be entering into partnerships in an effort to solve environmental problems, and that the new Biden administration in conjunction with the depart of transportation will lead efforts to push the U.S. out of the recession. Glinton is a well-known host in the public radio and podcast realm, and is a former NPR business reporter covering the auto industry and economics. In the spiel, trying to predict the history books. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley and Cheyna Roth. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, Mike lives for the arguments Trump's lawyers are making because, well, they're really bad. In the Interview, "She loves America. For her, she was there showing support for the American political process." SUNY Geneseo political science professor and author Karleen West talks to Mike about her mother's participation in the January 6th insurrection. West has spent years studying insurrections in Latin America, but on January 6th, her personal and professional collided. Mike and West talk about how West's mother is a strong woman, but doesn't consider herself a feminist, the radicalization of her mother, and how her mother is still proud of her...despite not really knowing what her career is. In the spiel, assailing democrats, and two words: Swiss cheese. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley and Cheyna Roth. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, exploring the complexities of the personal stakes of the Senators in the Trump Impeachment trial. In the Interview, it's the second half of our conversation with Jonah Blank, an anthropologist, writer, author, and former policy director for South and Southeast Asia on the staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Blank joins Mike to talk about the Myanmar coup, the default of cheering on populism, conflicts and communal violence, and the threat to democracy. Blank is author of Arrow of the Blue-Skinned God, and Mullahs on the Mainframe, and currently based in Singapore. He'll be back on the show next week. In the spiel, picking apart Lindsey Graham. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley and Cheyna Roth. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, the prosecution in Trump's Impeachment is firing on all cylinders. In the Interview, we take a look inside the FBI's fight against white supremacy and domestic terrorism. Frank Figliuzzi is a 25-year veteran of the FBI. He joins Mike to talk about why the country needs a domestic terrorism law, the January 6th insurrection at the Capitol, and how the FBI is battling the threat from within the United States. Figliuzzi is the author of The FBI Way: Inside the Bureau's Code of Ethics. In the spiel, like Gaston and the guys who went after Frankenstein's monster before him, no matter what his defense says, Trump did incite an angry, pole-bearing mob. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley and Cheyna Roth. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, the Belknap case is clear precedent. In the Interview, it's round two of vaccine talk. Mike and Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a former Detroit health director and epidemiologist, talk about equity and the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine. They also discuss why we shouldn't heroicize the pharmaceutical industry, using the issue of the sixth dose as a compelling example. El-Sayed's new book Medicare for All: A Citizen's Guide is out now. He's also the host of America Dissected from Crooked Media, among many other projects. In the spiel, Trump's defense tested a few losing arguments. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley and Cheyna Roth. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, ads for "The Big Game" are given the Pesca treatment. In the Interview, it's vaccine talk. Mike sits down remotely with Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a former Detroit health director and epidemiologist about the COVID-19 vaccine. They talk about how social media has spread both information and misinformation, how the response to the coronavirus is eerily similar to climate change, and how Canadians have managed to get things right. Plus, when politics and health collide: El-Sayed's new book Medicare for All: A Citizen's Guide is out now. He's also the host of America Dissected from Crooked Media, among many other projects. In the spiel, George Shultz' legacy as a public servant. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley and Cheyna Roth. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, cost of living and minimum wage around the U.S. In the Interview, journalist David Gilbert from Vice News joins Mike to talk about QAnon, the cult of disinformation, it's propulsion into 2021, and how people from all walks of life are susceptible to believing. Plus, Gilbert translates Marjorie Taylor Greene's floor speech, and explains why it wasn't a disavowing of Q or the conspiracy theories she still believes in. In the spiel, it's the first lobstar of the antentwig of 2021! Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley and Cheyna Roth. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, stripping Majorie Taylor Greene of her committee membership, but Republicans still want to keep her around. In the Interview, it's coup talk. It's part one of an interview with Jonah Blank, an anthropologist, writer, author, and former policy director for South and Southeast Asia on the staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Blank joins Mike to talk about the Myanmar coup, the default of cheering on populism, conflicts and communal violence, and the threat to democracy. Blank is author of Arrow of the Blue-Skinned God, and Mullahs on the Mainframe, and currently based in Singapore. He'll be back on the show next week. In the spiel, Representatives Nancy Mace and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are fighting. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley and Cheyna Roth. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, importing walkie-talkies into Myanmar. In the Interview, we're coming into a new constitutional cycle, and it means Democrats could take quite a bit of power. Well, if they don't blow it. We've been in the same Republican-dominated cycle for decades, according to Jack Balkin, author of The Constitutional Cycles of Time. Balkin and Mike talk about the extreme political polarization not seen since the Civil War, constitutional rot, and, just for fun, delve into conservative complaints about de-platforming and free speech. Balkin is a Knight Professor of Constitutional Law and the First Amendment and Director for The Information Society Project at Yale Law School. In the spiel, delving into the Trump files ahead of the Impeachment trial. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley and Cheyna Roth. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, Alexei Navalny's sentence. In the Interview, it's part two of a conversation with historian Jill Lepore about her latest book: If Then: How the Simulmatics Corporation Invented the Future. Jill discusses that with data mining and analysis there is greater potential for the demeaning of democratic processes, and why in 2021, accepting social media and twitter as a proxy for public opinion and polling could be risky. Lepore is an author, a New Yorker writer, and historian. She is also host of a podcast called The Last Archive from Pushkin. In the spiel, looking for relief? Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley and Cheyna Roth. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, once a Nobel Peace Prize winner, now a war criminal. In the Interview, writer Jill Lepore joins Mike for part one of their conversation on her latest book: If Then: How the Simulmatics Corporation Invented the Future, a precursor to data and polling companies. If Then is an account on the mid-century boom in the advertising industry and its overlap with political marketing. Lepore articulates the deep prejudice in polling at the time, the rise of awareness of computers, and how Simulmatics' people machine's duplicity was made legible. In the spiel, the GameStop/Wall Street debacle starring the usual suspects. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley and Cheyna Roth. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, an Arizona Representative has a plan to win - throw out votes. In the interview, it's all about the voice; John Colapinto's new book, This is the Voice, that is. From sexy baby voice to deep baritones, Colapinto talks about his linguistic journey in writing his new book about the importance of the sounds and the musicality of voice that come out of our mouths, and how a good bedside manner can save you from lawsuits. Colapinto is a staff writer at the New Yorker. In the spiel, crackpot as croackpots. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley and Cheyna Roth. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, what happens when a conservative pundit and a famous quarterback make a podcast: Bolling with Favre. In the interview, it's been a lonely year, and an especially difficult 10 months to try and find love. But Logan Ury's new book, How to Not Die Alone just may hold the key. Putting psychology first, Ury seeks to give readers a guide to finding and keeping relationships. Spoiler alert: Stop focusing on the spark! Ury explains an approach to dating that is more psychology than yenta, the non-fluffiness of behavioral science, and what goes on in a "Love Lab." Ury is the co-founder of the Irrational Lab at Google, and is the Director of Relationship Science for the dating app Hinge. In the spiel, three horrible truths and a half terrible truth about Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley and Cheyna Roth. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, you can't trouble us with your labels. In the interview, what is In & Of Itself? The new Hulu special by Frank Oz and Derek DelGaudio is so much more than just a made-for-TV version of DelGaudio's live show. As creators, Oz and DelGaudio discuss the stigma of illusion, an art form which relies on sleight of hand and audience participation, and talk about how they were able to bring to life their special for people sitting at home. Both Oz and DelGaudio elucidate the assumptions around their respective careers, professions which have historically been viewed as sitting lower on the performing arts totem pole, and urge viewers to refrain from taking things simply on face value. In & Of Itself is available now on Hulu. In the spiel, understanding the difference between lies and delusions. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley and Cheyna Roth. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, Impeachment logic games. In the interview, it's part two of a conversation with Oscar award winning documentarian and director Bryan Fogel about his latest film The Dissident. The film centers around Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi's brutal murder, and its broader human rights implications. The Dissident is available in theaters, and now via premium video-on-demand. Today, Fogel and Mike focus on Fogel's experiences putting the documentary together, and how he got unlikely sources to sit down for interviews. In the spiel, use code RUDY today! Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley and Cheyna Roth. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, Larry King, 'Hello!' In the interview, it's part one of a conversation with Oscar award winning documentarian and director Bryan Fogel about his latest film The Dissident. The film centers around Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi's brutal murder, and its broader human rights implications. Fogel discusses how he seeks to right wrongs through his investigative filmmaking, and details how he put his own life on the line to tell Khashoggi's story. The Dissident is available in theaters, and now via premium video-on-demand. Part two of Fogel's conversation is tomorrow. In the spiel, Rand Paul versus reality. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley and Cheyna Roth. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, Trump is deserving of a trial, and a lot more. In the interview, what are the consequences of putting Trump through a Senate trial? Mike does some game theory with Joe Lockhart about the possible implications for Republicans and Democrats when it comes to voting for, and possibly convicting the former president. Lockhart is former press secretary for President Clinton, partner at strategic comms group Rational360, and a CNN political analyst. In the spiel, mask on, mask off. But seriously keep your mask on. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley and Cheyna Roth. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, before he jetted off to the sunshine state, Trump had a last bit of business to attend to. In the interview, Mike talks to Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, senior associate dean of leadership programs, and the Lester Crown Professor in the Practice of Management for the Yale School of Management. He is also founder and president of the Chief Executive Leadership Institute. Mike and Sonnenfeld discuss C.E.L.I., a nonprofit educational and research institute focused on CEO leadership and corporate governance, and Trump's influence on their decision making. In the spiel, oh the people he pardoned. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley and Cheyna Roth. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, a decent man gives a speech. In the interview, Mike talks to Sarada Peri about now President Joe Biden's inaugural speech. The former President Barack Obama speechwriter says Biden, "knocked it out of the park." They talk about the most effective moments and the importance of speaking directly about racism and white supremacy. Peri also discusses why Biden addressing the American people as "folks" is not only a favorite colloquialism of his, but a necessary way to relate. In the spiel, Republicans will likely continue to republican. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley and Cheyna Roth. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, Trump is getting traded. In the interview, we bring in Chris Molanphy to discuss the music hits of 2020. They talk about how All I Want For Christmas is You keeps coming back to the top of the charts and the unexpected timeliness of Rockstar by DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch. Molanphy is a pop-chart analyst, the writer of Slate's "Why Is This Song No. 1?" series, and host of the podcast Hit Parade. Come for the deep dive on an unusual year in music, stay for Mike explaining what W.A.P. stands for. In the spiel, we remember Trump for the last time. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley and Cheyna Roth. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, the QAnon Shaman's lawyer. In the interview, John Fetterman, also known as Lieutenant Governor Stone Cold, talks to Mike about his potential Senate run. The Pennsylvania native talks about his origin story from son of teenagers to Harvard graduate, his thoughts on gun control and incarceration, and the woes of being six-foot-nine. (Not enough suits.) In Remembrances of Things Trump: so many Seans, so little time. In the spiel, supposed contradictions of pro-free speech. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley, Cheyna Roth, and Jasmine Ellis. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, Republicans use their voices to complain about not having a voice. In the interview, Melissa Murray joins Mike to discuss what the articles of impeachment can teach us about constitutional law as we review the events of last week at the Capitol Building. Murray is a professor at NYU Law, co-host of Strict Scrutiny podcast, and a contributor on MSNBC. In Remembrances of Things Trump: Goofy, Sleepy, Crazy...no those aren't Snow White's friends. They are Trump's favorite nicknames. In the spiel, the Trump push for Lisa Montgomery's execution in the final week of his tarnished presidency. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley, Cheyna Roth, and Jasmine Ellis. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, the gavel was quick and sure during the impeachment hearing. In the interview, what risks lie ahead for 2021? Mike sits down with political scientist Ian Bremmer. They talk about what went wrong in 2020 (hint COVID-19 managed to make a lot of Bremmer's predictions come true). And for 2021 - China, oil and Biden, oh my! Bremmer is the president and founder of Eurasia Group, a firm that helps investors and businesses understand the impact of politics on their investments. In Remembrances of Things Trump, Trump attacks a dead man because Trump has a problem with women. In the spiel, bearing the stain of being impeached twice. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley, Cheyna Roth, and Jasmine Ellis. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, this is actually who we are because we wouldn't have let it happen. In the interview, Katie Meyer, political reporter at WHYY in Philadelphia joins Mike to talk about the Pennsylvania state legislature, and today's federal ruling on the contested state senate race. In Remembrances of Things Trump, back to the days when Trump was able to tweet, and retweet. In the spiel, defining incitement. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley, Cheyna Roth, and Jasmine Ellis. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, several Republicans predicted years ago Trump's actions would lead to violence, but they're sticking with him anyway. One of them is Ted Cruz. In Remembrances of Things Trump, Trump denounces a Swedish terrorism attack that never happened. In the interview, Mike is joined by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. They talk about insurrection at the Capitol building in D.C., and in Michigan, and how rallies and big talk got them there. Nessel also explains her decision to seek sanctions against attorneys who filed lawsuits claiming debunked election fraud in the state. In the spiel, Trump may be off Twitter, but his supporters don't have to go far to get their message out. It's called podcasting. Ever heard of it? Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley, Cheyna Roth, and Jasmine Ellis. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, how do 39% of registered voters "approve" of Trump's performance? 39%; really? In the interview, Mike is joined by Stan Barnes to talk all things Arizona. Arizona just gave its two Senate seats to Democrats in a shocking upset for the long-time red state. Barnes is a former Republican state senator turned party consultant for the Copper State. He talks to Mike about the impact of Wednesday's Capitol chaos on the Republican party and how there's no "putting Humpty Dumpty back together again." And, today in Remembrances of Things Trump, the people who left the Trump administration before it became en vogue. In the spiel, a slew of resignations following the chaos. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley, Cheyna Roth, and Jasmine Ellis. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, the assault on the Capitol through extremist corners of the internet. In the interview, Mike is joined by U.S Rep. Dan Kildee of Michigan's 5th Congressional District, and Chief Deputy Whip of the House Democratic Caucus. Rep. Kildee was on the House floor when violent pro-Trump extremists overtook the Capitol, causing a lockdown. Kildee shares his experience of what it was like inside the chambers before and after the electoral vote count had been certified, and what he's hearing from his constituents in Michigan. In the spiel, we continue our walk through the insurrectionist rampage at the Capitol. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley, Cheyna Roth, and Jasmine Ellis. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, the Capitol is breached by pro-Trump extremists. In the interview, Mike is joined by Slate's senior politics writer, Jim Newell, from Washington, D.C. While sequestered from inside the Capitol Building, Newell discussed the safety measures put in place to protect those remaining in the House chambers and its locked corridors, while police made desperate attempts at corralling the violence. In the spiel, the Georgia runoff and what this means for American politics. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley, Cheyna Roth, and Jasmine Ellis. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, we return to the infamous Bean Dad. And, today in Remembrances of Things Trump: All the president's less than capable men. In the interview, it's part two of a conversation with David Shor, a researcher and consultant for democratic politicians. Dubbed a political data analyst prodigy, Shor developed a voter registration system as a teenager, then at age 20 subsequently moved on to work for the Obama campaign where he oversaw forecasting. Shor shares more of his experiences collaborating with more seasoned colleagues and explains how humbling it was in the process. In the spiel, needling the needle truthers ahead of the Georgia runoff. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley, Cheyna Roth, and Jasmine Ellis. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, President Trump made a phone call and blew apart the life of a private citizen. And, today in Remembrances of Things Trump: teleprompter stumble. In the interview, it's part one of a conversation with David Shor, a researcher and consultant for democratic politicians. Shor discusses the value trade-offs parties have to make in order to win an election. From his analysis, he explains that when a political party's values are out of sync with what a median voter believes, issues inevitably arise at the polls. He stresses that it's not just the messaging, it's about how it is disseminated and used to persuade. In the spiel, the answer is: This former Jeopardy! contestant is facing Twitter backlash. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley, Cheyna Roth, and Jasmine Ellis. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, Fauci guess-timates. And, today in Remembrances of Things Trump: dead ducks and poisoned undies. In the interview, Harvard professor Michael McCormick is here to tell Mike about the worst year in recorded history. According to him, it's 536 A.D., a year when a volcanic eruption blocked out the sun, a bubonic plague that recurred every few decades began, and Ireland was without bread for four years. He and Mike discuss how we're able to pinpoint so precisely the date of these events, how it affected humanity, and that sometimes the history lesson is things can always get worse. McCormick is the Frances Goelet Professor of Medieval History at Harvard University. In the spiel, if our ancestors got through, so can we. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder, Margaret Kelley, and Cheyna Roth. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, sorting out how undemocratic of our democracy is. In the interview, the Atlantic's James Fallows contends that while 2020 has been bad, 1968 was actually quite worse. The Vietnam War was raging, young men were being drafted, and in 1968 the North Vietnamese and Vietcong forces launched their Tet Offensive. Not to mention, Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy were both assassinated. Fallows and Mike discuss how the assassinations compounded on the stress of the war, how shooting targets have shifted from politicians to schools, and compare the civil unrest of 1968 with 2020. Fallows' piece in the Atlantic is "Is This the Worst Year in Modern American History?" In the spiel, we're not getting those $2,000 checks...which leads to a Remembrances of Things Trump where the president likes a certain phrase about talking and action. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder, Margaret Kelley, and Cheyna Roth. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Editor's note: This episode mistakenly identifies Martin Luther King Jr. as having been assassinated "when he was in his early 40s." King died at the age of 39 on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, we're experiencing some loner white terrorist burnout. In the interview, we're talking rural Republicans. Ross Benes gives us insight to Nebraska's Republican party, and how they can help to understand Republicans everywhere. He talks about where Democrats are going wrong outside the cities, the difference between an old fashioned Republican and a Trump Toadie, and what makes rural voters tick—sometimes despite their own best interests. Benes is a journalist and analyst at eMarketer, and the author of Rural Rebellion: How Nebraska Became a Republican Stronghold. In the spiel, remembering what Trump said he'd do for the Carrier plant. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder, Margaret Kelley, and Cheyna Roth. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the Gist, Republican Grinches are scratching their heads while Santa Trump calls for more stimulus money. And, today in Remembrances of Things Trump: This president. He hasn't talked so good. In the interview, we have Georgia on our mind yet again with Georgia Public Broadcasting's Bill Nigut. He talks about the upcoming Georgia runoff including the impact of Republicans crying foul after the 2020 election, the (slim) chance that Republicans could blow an election that's theirs to lose, and a deep cut involving a political jingle. Nigut is the host and executive producer of the Georgia politics podcast, Political Rewind. He's also a program host and producer at Georgia Public Broadcasting. In the spiel, that rare feeling of togetherness that now comes with waiting on line for a COVID-19 test. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder, Margaret Kelley, and Cheyna Roth. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.