The Gist

On the Gist, Trump isn't helping you. In the interview, the second part Mike's conversation with author and former FBI counter-terrorism staffer Clint Watts on QAnon. They talk about how might time we should give QAnon, how to help those in our own life, and if we eventually have to just let these people flame out in office. He is the author of Messing With the Enemy: Surviving in a Social Media World of Hackers, Terrorists, Russians, and Fake News. In the spiel, who gets to think things aren't so bad? Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder, Margaret Kelley, and Lori Galarreta. 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's Nobel nomination. In the interview, author and former FBI counter-terrorism staffer Clint Watts is here to talk about QAnon. He and Mike discuss the rise of the conspiracy theory and movement, why its belief structure is so murky, and the oddities of its marketing and merchandising arm. Watts will be back tomorrow for the second half of this conversation. His is the author of Messing With the Enemy: Surviving in a Social Media World of Hackers, Terrorists, Russians, and Fake News. In the spiel, Woodward's words wouldn't have mattered. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder, Margaret Kelley, and Lori Galarreta. 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 police chiefs are stepping down. In the interview, Academy Award-winning documentarian Barbara Kopple is here to talk about her latest film, Desert One. Through new archival footage and the various perspectives of key players, the film reveals the true story behind the secret mission to free hostages captured during the 1979 Iranian revolution. She and Mike discuss how she approaches the stories she tells, the narrative problems she had to solve in this film, and how persistent she had to be to get Jimmy Carter on camera. Desert One is available to stream online and in select theaters. In the spiel, Trump's taxpayer-funded legal defense. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder, Margaret Kelley, and Lori Galarreta. 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, gender reveal parties. In the interview, NPR's Jacob Goldstein is here to talk about his new book, Money: The True Story of a Made-Up Thing. They discuss how Andrew Jackson made mistakes about national banking, why we should never return to the gold standard, and if cash is on the way out. Goldstein is a host of NPR's Planet Money. In the spiel, Trump hates sacrifice. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder, Margaret Kelley, and Lori Galarreta. 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, COVID-19 deaths continue to rise. In the interview, the second half of Mike's discussion with Dr. Rashawn Ray, a sociologist studying new methods of measuring implicit bias using virtual simulations of police officer decision-making at the Lab for Applied Social Science Research at the University of Maryland, College Park. He and his team are encouraged that by researching and educating law enforcement with real life social interaction training, they might be able to incite change in outcomes between officers and civilians. Ray is a Brookings Institution fellow and associate professor of sociology at UMD. Part one of their conversation is today. In the spiel, the Trump Biden ratio. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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 sigh. In the interview, Mike talks to Dr. Rashawn Ray, a sociologist studying new methods of measuring implicit bias using virtual simulations of police officer decision-making at the Lab for Applied Social Science Research at the University of Maryland, College Park. He and his team are encouraged that by researching and educating law enforcement with real life social interaction training, they might be able to incite change in outcomes between officers and civilians. Ray is a Brookings Institution fellow and associate professor of sociology at UMD. Part one of their conversation is today. In the spiel, vote twice, felony once. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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, believing catchy rhyming couplets or policies. In the interview, writer, lawyer and author, Jill Filipovic joins Mike to talk about her latest book, OK Boomer, Let's Talk: How My Generation Got Left Behind. Filipovic explains that the millennial generation has it worse than most, the relationship between millennials and their boomer parents, and how those boomers were afforded more social programs, leaving millennials with disastrous consequences. In the spiel, the charges against Rittenhouse. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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 visits Kenosha. In the interview, the Wall Street Journal's Gerald Seib is here to discuss his new book, We Should Have Seen It Coming: From Ronald Reagan to Trump—A Front-Row Seat to a Political Revolution. He and Mike talk about how the GOP has changed since the time of Reagan and paved the way for Trump's ascendence. They also touch on why Mitch McConnell keeps blocking relief packages, and how worried we should be about the future. In the spiel, not paying attention to politics. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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 is back. He starts with republicans who dismiss the Hatch Act. In the interview, Mike chats with the creators and executive producers of the animated adventure Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe. Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh explain how they expanded the usual tropes of their short episodes into a feature film, the provenance of their beloved creations, and how their work on The Simpsons together and their shared sense of humor influenced them creatively. The movie is available now on Disney Plus. In the spiel, the chaos candidate. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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.

Today, we welcome Sonari Glinton is back as guest host. A well-known podcast and public radio voice, former NPR business reporter covering the auto industry and economics, and currently hosts the podcast Bring Back Bronco. On the Gist, sports and activism. In the interview, Sonari talks to screenwriter Patricia Resnick about her experience writing the film 9 to 5 starring Jane Fonda, Dolly Parton, and Lily Tomlin. They discuss how the film became more than just a vehicle for workplace rights activism, its legacy, and how she seems to have been erased from its history by Jane Fonda. In the spiel, no faith in the jobs numbers. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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.

Today, we welcome Sonari Glinton as guest host. A well-known podcast and public radio voice, former NPR business reporter covering the auto industry and economics, Glinton is also a big music nerd and record collector. On the Gist, RNC bingo. In the interview, Sonari discusses how Covid-19 has affected the auto industry with Scotty Reiss, the founder of A Girls Guide to Cars, a site focused on empowering women to be smarter car owners. Reiss talks about Covid-19's impact on the global supply chain, the increased diversity at corporate management level across the industry, And she offers some predictions for the future of mobility and what to look out for post-pandemic. In the spiel, racial disparity and traffic. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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.

Today, Kate Klonick is back as the guest host. She is an assistant professor at St. John's Law School, a fellow at the Information Society Project at Yale Law School, and researcher of the intersection between law and tech. She's also co-host of a daily YouTube series called In Lieu of Fun. On the Gist, in 2020, every online company has a community of standards and manually reviews user content. In the interview, Kate talks to Harvard law professor Noah Feldman about his idea for Facebook to create a Supreme Court to adjudicate disputes over speech. They discuss how he came up with the idea and pitched it to Sheryl Sandberg and Mark Zuckerberg, the influences it draws from political systems, and the size of the case it should choose as its first. Feldman hosts the podcast Deep Background. In the spiel, Facebook's oversight board could be the start of something revolutionary within big tech. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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.

We are halfway through our guest hosting week. Today, Kate Klonick takes the mic. She is an assistant professor at St. John's Law School, a fellow at the Information Society Project at Yale Law School, and researcher of the intersection between law and tech. She's also co-host of a daily YouTube series called In Lieu of Fun. On the Gist, how Kate found herself on a daily live show during quarantine. In the interview, Kate talks to Ben Wittes, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, co-founder and editor-in-chief of Lawfare, and Kate's co-host on In Lieu of Fun. They discuss how the global pandemic spurred a need for intelligent discussion in a less than lateral way. Guests on their show have ranged from apiarists to the former president of Estonia. Wittes wanted to build something that welcomed a community, allowing for audience input around guest selection and conversation topics. Along the way, he found an avenue that continues to forge new friendships without the stale in-person meet and greets we so often find at happy hours. In the spiel, what it's like to build an online community during this crisis. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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.

For the next week, Mike passes the mic to a few guest hosts. Today, Annie Duke, former professional poker player, cognitive scientist, and author of Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don't Have All the Facts is in the seat again. On the Gist, remembering information. In the interview, Annie talks to Katherine Milkman, a researcher and professor at the University of Pennsylvania who studies behavior, about how the pandemic has thrown everybody out of their old habits and forced the creation of new ones. They discuss how sticky any of these new habits might be, and that we should be aware of how quickly we can forget all that we've learned. In the Spiel, the national misremembering of truth. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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.

For the next week, Mike passes the mic to a few guest hosts. Today, Annie Duke, former professional poker player and author of Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don't Have All the Facts takes the helm. On the Gist, Annie recaps the unifying messages from Sen. Sanders and V.P. Biden from the virtual 2020 Democratic National Convention. In the interview, Annie talks with Jay van Bavel, an associate professor of psychology and neuroscience at NYU, about how extreme partisanship occurs when traditional beliefs are not updated in rational ways, especially when it comes to wearing a mask during the global pandemic. Prof. van Bavel explains how a partisan mind interprets information in a way that affirms their identity, and how that might lead them to stray from the path of facts. In the Spiel, the consequences of partisanship. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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, 24 hours of weird utterances. In the interview, political strategist and CNN commentator Jess McIntosh joins us as we continue our coverage of the virtual 2020 Democratic National Convention. McIntosh and Mike discuss the DNC's short-sightedness with not allowing Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez a major platform, and how Elizabeth Warren's policy speech on the childcare economy could become a centerpiece of a future President Biden's progressive agenda. McIntosh also explains why Biden will champion more progressive causes if he is elected. Jess co-hosts the Signal Boost show on SiriusXM. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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 trying to steal the mail. In the interview, New York Times opinion columnist Michelle Goldberg is here as we keep discussing the Democratic National Convention this week. She and Mike talk about the sorts of progressive policies Biden might adopt from his primary opponents, and if a future Biden administration should follow up on the prosecutions Trump's DOJ ignored. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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, political television. In the interview, Slate's Will Saletan is here to discuss the first night of the Democratic National Convention. He and Mike unpack how the party is positioning itself as the party of normalcy while still acknowledging the ways progressives like Bernie Sanders pushed the party forward. They look at how conservatives might flip any of the democrats talking points on them, and the coronavirus of it all. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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 supposedly benevolent association supports a malevolent force. In the interview, we mark the beginning of the virtual 2020 Democratic National Convention with a slightly different format; no spiel and more conversation. Mike talks with Charlie Sykes, a republican who will be voting for Joe Biden in November. Author of "How the Right Lost Its Mind," host of the Bulwark Podcast, and an outspoken critic of the Trump administration, Sykes explains how the DNC will be unlike anything we have ever experienced in politics, dissects never-Trumpism, and shares his thoughts on why the GOP needs to reevaluate their base. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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, Pence's meat scares. In the interview, actor Kyle MacLachlan is here to discuss his performance as Thomas Edison in the new film Tesla. He and Mike talk about his approach to the role, and how this film differs from the other kinds of historical dramas he's done. They also get into some of MacLachlan's other work like Dune, Showgirls and Twin Peaks. Tesla will be released on August 21 by IFC Films. In the spiel, Marjorie Taylor Greene. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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 close family members of politicians. In the interview, journalist, historian, and former public radio host Tom Weber is here to discuss his new book, Minneapolis: An Urban Biography. In it, Weber explores the social and political history of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and how it's responsible for the city's present-day racial inequities. Weber is also the Second Gentleman of Minnesota; he is the spouse of the state's lieutenant governor. In the spiel, election forecasting. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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, Kamala and bussing. In the interview, creator of the TV series Love on the Spectrum, Cian O'Clery is here to talk with Mike about his new dating reality series telling the stories of people on the autism spectrum looking for love. He and Mike discuss the origins of the series, how this stands apart as a piece of documentary, and the refreshing change of watching a dating show with guileless subjects. Love on the Spectrum is available to stream on Netflix. In the spiel, over and under-policing. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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 spotlight on Joe Biden's running mate. In the interview, Mike talks with Lisi Raskin, a professor and the chair of the Sculpture Department at Rhode Island School of Design about the meaning of sculpture in light of the removal of confederate monuments and statues. Raskin is an artist whose large-scale abstract works are reminiscent of the environment of the Cold War. In the spiel, Trump on fall sports leagues. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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, pronouncing names. In the interview, Mike is joined by Ed Yong of the Atlantic. As a science writer, not only did he warn of an epidemic in 2018, but he has been covering the coronavirus in a clear and vital way. In his latest piece, "Immunology Is Where Intuition Goes to Die," Yong articulates how this tragedy could have been prevented, and explains why America isn't defeating the virus any time soon; it has defeated America. In the spiel, do Trump's lies still work? Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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, TikTok block. In the interview, Dr. Eddie Glaude, Jr. of Princeton University joins Mike to talk about his newest book and its release in the context of the recent civil uprisings. Begin Again: James Baldwin's America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own poses a fundamental argument around how getting it wrong culturally has hurt the fabric of our nation. Glaude helps make sense of where we are today, and explains that Baldwin understood our messy and uneven economic, social and political lives are simply a reflection of our individual selves. In the spiel, one third of Americans are wrong. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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, New York's elections are not unlike Georgia's. In the interview, our resident vexillologist Ted Kaye is back to talk about the latest in flag news. He fills Mike in on what's happening in Mississippi as they try to swiftly get a new flag design added to the ballot in November, and the recent proliferation of the 'thin blue line' American flag. Kaye's book is Good Flag, Bad Flag. In the spiel, Trump's mispronunciations. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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 Beirut blast. In the interview, we've got the second half of Jesse Eisenberg's interview on his new Audible original, When You Finish Saving the World. He and Mike continue discussing the creative process and Jesse's personal connection to the project, and the difficulty of creating things like future slang. In the spiel, Trump's lies are pushing voters into the arms of Democrats. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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, does Biden need a progressive VP? In the interview, Jesse Eisenberg is here for the first half of a two-part interview on his new Audible original, When You Finish Saving the World. Through a series of connected monologues, Eisenberg stitches together the portrait of a family and explores issues of issues of intimacy, growing up, and social change. He and Mike discuss his writing process and the origins of the project. In the spiel, teachers are inessential. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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, staying hopeful, but realistic. In the interview, author, podcast host, and magazine editor Kurt Andersen joins Mike to talk about his new book, Evil Geniuses: The Unmaking of America: A Recent History. In it, Andersen explains how big business ran unchecked during the final decades of the 20th century allowing greed to ascend and the working person to feel powerless, all while unraveling the fabric of middle class normalcy. In the spiel, Trump tapped Anthony Tata. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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, NBA jerseys. In the interview, In the interview, filmmaker Mark Duplass is here to talk about his anthology series Room 104 currently airing on HBO. He and Mike discuss the use of rules in the creative process, why the series seems to defy genre, and the experience of growing up with your brother as your artistic partner. Room 104 airs on Friday nights on HBO. In the spiel, Trump misunderstands the suburbs. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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, Rep. John Lewis and his legacy. In the interview, Mike checks in with Oregon Public Broadcasting's Jonathan Levinson. As a multimedia reporter and producer, Levinson has been on the ground nightly in Portland following the protests, getting tear gassed in the process. Levinson says that it's more than just support for the BLM movement, its boiling frustration around governmental systemic failure. In the spiel, because of John Lewis, we have Barack Obama. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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, anti-maskers are getting the coronavirus. In the interview, Dr. Jennifer Mercieca is here to discuss her new book, Demagogue for President: The Rhetorical Genius of Donald Trump. She and Mike talk about the origins of Trump's verbal tactics, and how he's been able to manipulate information. They also touch on the variety of ways presidents appeal to the people, and Joe Biden's best route forward in that regard. In the spiel, making a case for uppercase. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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, gambling the nation's health on professional sports. In the interview, Mike talks with Capt. Lawrence Hunter, a retired commanding officer from the Waterbury Police Department in Connecticut, about policing in America. Hunter spent the majority of his career in law enforcement as a high-ranking officer, and as an educator and instructor. In his retirement, he has launched his own series, Captain Hunter's Podcast, which seeks to "bridge the gap between police and the communities they serve," expanding his emphasis on education and encouraging a reckoning with racism. In the spiel, Bill Barr just lets the Democrats rant. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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 Republicans are misers. In the interview, Zephyr Teachout is here to discuss her new book Break 'Em Up: Recovering Our Freedom From Big Ad, Big Tech, and Big Money. She and Mike discuss how monopolies have come to dominate so many of our industries, the work that needs to be done to break them up, and why it's a multi-pronged solution. They also touch on Gov. Cuomo's response to the pandemic and how her team might have been different if she'd won office. In the spiel, baseball tried. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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, losing all the stuff. In the interview, Mike heads to the Lone Star State to speak with Scott Braddock, editor and Texan political analyst at the Quorum Report. Braddock is also host of Texas Take, a podcast from the Houston Chronicle. They dissect Gov. Abbott's coronavirus response, his backtracking, and why he paused the state's reopening. And they get into how the state isn't as securely Republican as many think it is. In the spiel, the Lobstar of the Antentwig. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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's mind. In a break from our normal format, Virginia Heffernan of Trumpcast is here with Mike to analyze the most aggressive anti-mask rants out there. From across the nation, people who suffer from a touch of the QAnon are unleashing their unsound mask fears on us all, blaming anything from the Deep State to 5G. We're going to figure out what makes for the most entertaining version of these conspiracy theorists, and what, if anything, we should take seriously. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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, Life of Kanye. In the interview, Princeton History and Public Affairs Professor Julian Zelizer joins Mike to discuss his latest book on former speaker of the house, Newt Gingrich. With the help of Gingrich's own congressional documents, Burning Down the House: Newt Gingrich, the Fall of a Speaker, and the Rise of the New Republican Party explains the ways Newt seized an opportunity to use C-Span cameras and modern technology to his advantage, how he gave rise to partisanship, and his plans to conquer Congress through his appetite for disruption. In the spiel, Republicans embarrassing themselves. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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 attempts to convince the MAGA nation to wear masks. In the interview, journalist Anne Applebaum is here to talk about her new book Twilight of Democracy: The Seductive Lure of Authoritarianism. She and Mike discuss how democracies can give way to authoritarian leaders, the delicacy of political systems, and how essential our institutions are for protecting a functioning government. In the spiel, what's happening in Portland, Oregon. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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, John Kasich at the Democratic National Convention. In the interview, legal professor and modern Chinese law research scholar Neysun Mahboubi joins Mike to discuss the uprisings in Hong Kong and the extradition bill which would have undone Hong Kong's independence from mainland China. Mahboubi explains the clashes between protesters and counter-protesters which began nearly a year ago, how the Chinese government has used the Covid-19 crisis as a moment to more aggressively assert control over citizens of Hong Kong, and what U.S. involvement could mean. Professor Mahboubi is the host of the University of Pennsylvania's Center for the Study of Contemporary China's flagship podcast. In the spiel, without a microphone Trump can't shout down facts. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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've got something a little different. In this episode, Mike has brought together the New Republic's Osita Nwenavu, and Yascha Mounk, a contributor to the Atlantic and the founder of Persuasion, to debate the state of public discourse. They discuss the complexities of platform regulation, whether or not the concerns rise to a level of social contagion, and how social media factors into the reactions on all sides. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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 lost in the numbers. In the interview, former mayor of Minneapolis Betsy Hodges joins Mike to talk about her most recent op-ed in the New York Times, "As Mayor of Minneapolis, I Saw How White Liberals Block Change." In it, Hodges challenges white liberals to confront the status quo of comfort and move the horizon of racial disparity that breeds police brutality. In the spiel, is the scientific method white? The Smithsonian seems to think so Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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 full of beans. In the second half of a two-part interview, novelist Curtis Sittenfeld is continues talking her new novel Rodham. She and Mike discuss the critiques of Hillary within the book, the final choices in the book, and how it might relate to modern superhero stories. In the spiel, the need for tough follow-ups with Trump. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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, renaming in Burlington, New Jersey. In the first half of a two-part interview, novelist Curtis Sittenfeld is here to discuss Rodham, her new novel exploring an alternative history where Hillary Clinton never married Bill. She and Mike discuss the origins of the novel, how her skills aren't in the public part of politics, and what it's like to create such a fiction. In the spiel, Joe Biden keeping quiet. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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 Washington football team have more work ahead than they realize. In the interview, Washington Post columnist Alexandra Petri joins Mike to chat about her recently published book Nothing Is Wrong and Here Is Why. A hand-picked anthology of her some of her best essays that are mockingly sharp, and unsettlingly cheerful, it showcases the satirist's gleefully distorted take on our political and social realities. In the spiel, educational idiocy. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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's bullying worked. In the interview, Olympic champion Usain Bolt is here to talk with Mike about the new documentary series Greatness Code on Apple TV+. They discuss Bolt's love of the 200 meter race, training, and how he might feel when people start coming for his record. All episodes of Greatness Code are available to stream now on Apple TV+. In the spiel, the parent-teacher mob. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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, guns in the U.K. and the U.S. In the interview, we share part two of our conversation with Barry Friedman, founder of the Policing Project at NYU Law, author and legal scholar. Friedman suggests that a hurdle to creating new policies and training is the lack of accountability and uniform data gathering processes provided from police departments around the country. The central idea to the project is how to create good police departments. In the spiel, J.K. Rowling. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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, Karens receiving informal justice. In the interview, Mike speaks with Barry Friedman, one of two investigators appointed by New York State Attorney General Letitia James to investigate the NYPD's actions in protest activity. Founder of the Policing Project at NYU Law, Friedman is a legal scholar and author. In part one of the conversation, Professor Friedman discusses backend versus front end accountability within policing, the executive research forum standards and their guiding principles for use of force, as well as how to diversity police departments. Stay tuned for part two in tomorrow's episode. In the spiel, New York crime during Covid-19. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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, crime in unpoliced camps. In the interview, comedian Tom Papa is here to talk with Mike about his new book You're Doing Great! and his Netflix special of the same name. He and Mike discuss the choice of happiness, getting stuck, and why we should listen to young people more. In the spiel, cancel culture. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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 at Mount Rushmore. In the interview, making a strong case for reparations among descendants of enslaved African Americans is economist William Darity, Jr in his new book, From Here to Equality: Reparations for Black Americans in the Twenty-First Century. Darity suggests that that in order to close the racial wealth disparities, America must confront injustices and offer a detailed fiscal plan for providing financial gifts to Black Americans to aid their economic well-being. In the spiel, renaming a football team. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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 greatness that will remain long after we're gone. In the interview, we present part two of Mike's conversation with John McWhorter on the linguistics of race, defining 'Defund the Police,' and how words we use today will morph over time. WcWhorter is the host of Lexicon Valley and a professor at Columbia University. Find his most recent piece in the Atlantic: "The Dictionary Definition of Racism Has to Change." In the spiel, historical truths versus myths. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. 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.