The Gist

On the Gist, the McCloskeys in Missouri. In the first part of this two-part interview, John McWhorter is here to dig into definitions with Mike. They discuss how the meanings of racism and white supremacy have changed over the years, and what that says about the ways culture is shifting. McWhorter is the host of Lexicon Valley, and his latest piece is "The Dictionary Definition of Racism Has to Change," in the Atlantic. In the spiel, a professional bullshit artist. 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, there is no question these men needed to breathe. In the interview, Maria Konnikova is back for "Is That Bullshit?" She and Mike discuss the scientific preprints published on Covid-19 and call out the credible and those rife with misinformation. How can you trust them? Maria's newest book called The Biggest Bluff, is already a New York Times bestseller. In the spiel, how Trump consumes news. 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, paying the Taliban and not believing the New York Times. In the interview, the around-the-clock news cycle turns 40 years old this summer. With the advent of cable television and a bright idea from an American media mogul, CNN was born. Journalist and author, Lisa Napoli, talks with Mike about her unauthorized biography, Up All Night: Ted Turner, CNN, and the Birth of 24-Hour News, and explains how the station became a trailblazing force in transforming the ways we consumed media at the end of the 20th century. In the spiel, Trump is the worst. But he's not gone yet. 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, Disney's Splash Mountain. In part two of their interview, Mike continues to talk with Matthew Barge about the failure of police departments to gather data and statistics that would help create and enforce meaningful policing policy change. Barge is a lawyer, a principal consultant with 21CP Solutions, and federal court-appointed monitor overseeing federal consent decrees in Cleveland, Ohio and Baltimore, Maryland. 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, Biden is in the lead. In the first part of a two-part interview, Mike talks with police practices and civil rights expert Matthew Barge about how policy has failed to change how law enforcement agencies police communities, how police unions have played a huge role in where we find ourselves now, and what role consent decrees play in changing police behavior. Barge is a lawyer, a principal consultant with 21CP Solutions, and federal court-appointed monitor overseeing federal consent decrees in Cleveland, Ohio and Baltimore, Maryland. In the spiel, the Covid-19 yo-yo. 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, interruption by ring knocking. In the interview, Mike is joined by Lawrence Douglas, author of Will He Go?: Trump and the Looming Election Meltdown in 2020, a page-turning book of what-ifs and premonitions of constitutional chaos if Trump decides to give America a hard time at the end of his term. Douglas is the James J. Grosfeld Professor of Law, Jurisprudence and Social Thought at Amherst College. He is the prize-winning author of seven books, most recently The Right Wrong Man: John Demjanjuk and the Last Great Nazi War Crimes Trial. In the spiel, undeniable progress. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley, Daniel Schroeder and Joel Patterson. 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, refocusing our attention to local democracy. In the interview, Mike talks with Seth Stevenson, author of Grounded: A Down to Earth Journey Around the World and host of Slate's newest business podcast Thrilling Tales of Modern Capitalism. Seth's new podcast delves into the backstories of iconic brand, from Purell to Victoria's Secret, and he joins Mike to talk about Carnival Cruises, one of the biggest players in an industry that jumps from one disaster to another. And yes, the expression "poop cruise" is mentioned. In the spiel, objectivity as a punching bag. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley, Daniel Schroeder and Joel Patterson. 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, lack of humor in the Trump administration. In the interview, Mike talks with Maria Konnikova, star of our bi-weekly segment "Is That Bullshit?" This time, however, Maria is here to discuss her newest book about becoming a professional poker player. Already a New York Times bestseller, it's called The Biggest Bluff. In the spiel, "yuge" crowd psychology. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley, Daniel Schroeder and Joel Patterson. 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 ignorance. In the interview, Mike talks with Josh Levin, Slate's national editor. A co-host of the sports podcast Hang Up and Listen, Levin is also the author of The Queen: The Forgotten Life Behind an American Myth. Mike and Josh discuss Levin's latest audio project as host of Season 4 of Slow Burn, which over the course of several episodes, dissects David Duke's rise into the political mainstream and explores how Duke maintained his status as one of the most famous white supremacists in the U.S. In the spiel, impediments to true justice. Email us at [email protected] Podcast production by Margaret Kelley, Daniel Schroeder and Joel Patterson. 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 officer cooperates. In the interview, Mike talks with co-host of Slate's Political Gabfest, CBS 60 Minutes correspondent and contributing editor at the Atlantic, John Dickerson. His new book on the American Presidency, The Hardest Job In The World, details that there are no blueprints around the challenges of governing, and how we need to evaluate candidates and nominees for the job. In the spiel, a song gets cancelled. 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, fireworks and progress. In the interview, Mike talks with data scientist Jeffery Morris of the University of Pennsylvania. They talk data analysis and models related to Covid-19, his predictions for states' reopening, and his interpretations of updated CDC guidelines. You can follow his work at his site Covid-19 Data Science. In the spiel, Asian borders. 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 doesn't want to confront sins, he would rather perpetuate them. In the interview, Mike talks with incumbent Rep. Don Bacon from Nebraska's 2nd District about how Covid-19 has altered his campaign strategy leading up to the election. They also discuss the protesting and looting in Omaha, as well as his recent statement following Gen. Mattis' piece published in the Atlantic. Having served under him in Iraq, Bacon mostly agrees with Mattis, but says he and his constituents will likely support Trump on several key issues come November. In the spiel, the Sundees! Our awards for the Sunday shows. 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 stock market is on a coronavirus coaster. In the interview, Dr. Christina Greer of Fordham University is here to talk with Mike about politics and police reform. They discuss Joe Biden, if police unions should continue to exist, and what the future of policing could look like. Greer is the host of FAQ NYC. In the spiel, a good-faith effort to hear out the bad-faith arguments. 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, dominating the streets with compassion. In the interview, John Pfaff, professor of law and criminology at Fordham University and author of Locked In: The True Causes of Mass Incarceration-and How to Achieve Real Reform, joins Mike to talk about police reformation, and why politicians touting low crime under their watches could lead to more dysfunction. As one of the foremost experts on incarceration in America, Pfaff argues that we need to rethink how the system and budgets are organized. In the spiel, Christopher Columbus and his mixed legacy. 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, Mississippi. In the interview, Ben Smith from the New York Times is here to discuss the recent ousting of editor James Bennet over an op-ed by Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas. They talk about the cultural divides it highlighted, what it means for the Times, and the future of opinion on the internet. Smith's latest piece is "Inside the Revolts Erupting in America's big Newsrooms." In the spiel, Cops is canceled. 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 anti-ANTIFA provocateur in Buffalo, NY. In the interview, Emily Oster, professor of economics at Brown University and NY Times bestselling author of Cribsheet and Expecting Better, joins Mike to talk about kids' summer camps, weighing options as states begin to reopen, and assessing risk when it comes to coronavirus. In the spiel, de Blasio tries again. 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 Barr know what chemicals are? In the interview, New York Times opinion columnist and CBS News political analyst Jamelle Bouie joins Mike to talk race and policing in America. His latest column is, "The Police Are Rioting. We Need to Talk About It." In the spiel, defining police reformation. 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, Joey Baloney. In the interview, New School Professor and MSNBC contributor, Maya Wiley is here. She is also the former chair of the NYC Civilian Complaint Review Board - an independent oversight agency of the NYPD. She and Mike talk about how civilians and police officers hold the force accountable, how they've failed and the level of complaints they take seriously. In the spiel, can we defund the police? 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, what's happening in Omaha. In the interview, Slate's Joel Anderson is here to talk with Mike about the parallels between the current protests and those in Ferguson, MO. They discuss the different tactics used by activists and police, how Ferguson organizers have now grown into leaders of a movement, and dissect why people loot. 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, Mark Esper's lost honor. In the interview, Fr. James Martin, a Jesuit priest, author, and the editor-at-large of America magazine, a journal of faith and culture, joins Mike to talk about his latest piece: "The Holy Spirit is moving us to act against racism." Fr. Martin and Mike also discuss President Trump's manipulation of the bible during religious photo ops in front of St. John's Episcopal Church and the St. JPII Center in Washington, D.C. In the spiel, Merrick, Long Island. 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, daytime and nighttime America. In the interview, the Atlantic's David Frum joins Mike to talk about his Trumpocracy follow-up, Trumpocalypse: Restoring American Democracy. Frum explains that Trump is a victim of distraction as much as he is a practitioner, that the consequences of COVID-19 will be one of the deciding factors of the election in November, and that the GOP will eventually get over being on the wrong side of Trump. In the spiel, America is on edge. 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 and violence. In the interview, Jody Avirgan and Nicole Hemmer are here to discuss their new podcast This Day in Esoteric Political History. Mike talks to them about Hands Across America, the Johnstown flood, and the meaning of esoteric. In the spiel, what is reasonable, and do we need to hear from 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, Joe Biden's statement gets a B minus. In the interview, we've got the second half of Mike's conversation with Dave Eggers. They discuss Eggers' experience writing The Parade and The Captain and the Glory, his last two books, at the same time, the film Idiocracy, and the NRA. In the spiel, the mayor of Minneapolis on brick and mortar symbolism and Donald Trump makes things worse. 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, assholes. In the interview, Mike talks with author Dave Eggers about his book, The Parade. He and Mike discuss pavement, the writing process, and the terseness of Bruce Springsteen. In the spiel, the death of George Floyd and the Minneapolis protest. 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, wheeling and dealing with Hong Kong. In the interview, Mike talks to Dr. Leana Wen about the measures States are taking to reopen safely or remain closed. Wen is an emergency physician and public health professor at George Washington University, a contributing columnist for The Washington Post, and previously served as Baltimore's Health Commissioner. In the spiel, postal headaches and heedlessness. 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 won't back down from accusing Joe Scarborough of murder. In the interview, Mike talks to a water expert about how to manage a pandemic if too many people cannot wash their hands. Mary Grant, Director of Public Water for All, and a policy analyst on U.S. water utility privatization details which states have placed moratoriums on utility shutoffs, and which cities are setting examples for the rest of the country when it comes to access to clean and affordable water. In the spiel, the smart cowards and courageous idiots. 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, Tara Reade. In the interview, Mike talks with author and journalist Michael Lewis about his foray into podcasting with AGAINST THE RULES, his series with Pushkin Industries. The focus of the recently launched season two is coaching, not just in sports. They look at coaches who help with finances, college admissions, and even coaches for executives. Michael explores how a good coach can make an impact, and the roles they play psychologically for adults and kids. His latest book is The Fifth Risk. In the spiel, the one with Mike Pompeo. 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, if you look at the stats, the U.S. is doing the worst. In the interview, part two of Mike's interview with Dr. Paul Offit, who as an infectious disease expert, and pediatrician, made some false predictions about the pandemic at first. He and Mike also discuss his new book, Overkill: When Modern Medicine Goes Too Far. In the spiel, arguments are easier to read. 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, judging a judge. In the interview, Dr. Paul Offit is here. In the first part of his two-part interview, he and Mike discuss his new book, Overkill: When Modern Medicine Goes Too Far. They talk about why we should be skeptical of things like vitamin D and testosterone, and how we might not need to take painkillers for a fever. Tomorrow he and Mike will get into the Covid-19 crisis. In the spiel, the diversity reversifier. 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 cabinet meeting is not unlike a hot tub time machine. In the interview, Maria Konnikova is back for another round of "Is That Bullshit?" This time she and Mike discuss UV light, inside and outside the body. Maria is a New York Times bestseller and the author of The Biggest Bluff, a journey to learning and winning at poker. In the spiel, morbidly presidentially orbit. 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 Karl Rove drive-by. In the interview, Dan Heath is here to talk about his new book Upstream: How to Solve Problems Before They Happen. He and Mike discuss the idea of upstreaming, looking behind problems to find alternative solutions, and how we need to recalibrate so successfully predicting and preventing disaster becomes the goal. In the spiel, In the spiel, framings and shadings: the meaning of mobilization in 2020. 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, Tara Reade again. In the interview, journalist Molly Ball is here to discuss Pelosi, her new biography of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. She and Mike talk about Pelosi's past, how she wields her power, and why she's so smart when it comes to making a deal. In the spiel, lobstar of the antantwig. 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, bail out the pigs. In the interview, Mike discusses how the novel coronavirus has exposed some weaknesses in the global supply chain. Joel Schulman of Ecomax Wholesale Lighting in D.C., breaks down how demand for PPE has changed his relationships with factories in China, and why his company has decided to pivot to masks for the time being. In the spiel, death rates of people of color being inadequately understood. 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, where to wear face masks. In the interview, comedian Myq Kaplan is the cerebral type, who instead of doing stand-up is now performing what he calls, "stand-down." Mike talks with him about his philosophy on how be funny, and his likeness to Marc Maron during quarantine times. In the spiel, Jared Kushner is on the fence about the election moving forward on November 3rd. 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, lengthening your femur. In the interview, Azi Paybarah, writer of the New York Today column for the New York Times, speaks with Mike about New York State and City leadership, Mayor Bill de Blasio's progressive missteps, and Gov. Andrew Cuomo's taking control of the messaging. In the spiel, Fauci's warning as he goes before the Senate. 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 tells a reporter to call China. In the interview, The Atlantic's Olga Khazan is here to talk about her new book, Weird: The Power of Being an Outsider in an Insider World. She and Mike talk about the ways weirdness has changed in America, and what's good about being the oddball. In the spiel, Trump wants to distract the public from testing capacities. 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.

In the Gist, Steve Mnuchin wasn't mad at Axl Rose. In the interview, Mike calls up Robert Smith, host of NPR's Planet Money, to talk about the influx of coronavirus podcasts. There are a lot in production right now. Mike and Robert discuss some of the best (and worst) covering the pandemic. In the spiel, the subtext of what Kayleigh McEnany says speaks loudly. 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, Tara Reade and Megyn Kelly on Instagram. In the second half of our interview with Dr. Nina Fefferman from the University of Tennessee, she and Mike discuss the types of analysis used in predictive modeling, why it's an essential part of the crisis response, and what the future holds as the models continue to change. In the spiel, Sweden's loose measures yielded grim results, and that should be a warning. 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 new White House Press Secretary reiterates that the media sometimes gets it wrong. In the first half of this two-part interview, Mike talks with Dr. Nina Fefferman from the University of Tennessee Knoxville about predictive modeling and the Covid-19 crisis. Today, they focus on the difficulty of making projections when the government is actively disregarding expert guidance, and Dr. Fefferman's ideas about food distribution adaptations for restaurants during this time. In the spiel, a canadian kerfuffle but with license plates. 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.

In the Gist, the Texas Governor admits what everyone knows to be true. In the interview, Mike talks with Tomas Pueyo about his now famous Medium piece in which he coins the Hammer and The Dance theory: a choreographed end to quarantine. In the spiel, Tara Reade and belief. 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.

In the Gist, we get no further with Biden. In the interview, Mike discusses moral judgments and how they relate to both domestic and foreign policy with none other than Joseph Nye, one of the most influential political scientists of our time, and one who co-founded the theory of neoliberalism. Nye's book, Do Moral's Matter? Presidents and Foreign Policy from FDR to Trump is the topic of their conversation. In the spiel, the Mississippi mindset. 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.

In the Gist, Georgia is opening back up. In the interview, Mike talks with Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and bestselling author Jon Meacham about his new podcast with Cadence13 - Hope, Through History – a documentary series on confronting and triumphing over crises in America. In the spiel, the end of irony? 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.

Slate is dark, and its staff are taking a much needed and deserved breath. And with that, Team Gist has gone dark for a day, too, so we bring you two old interviews from the fall of 2014. First, an interview with biologist and mathematical modeler Nina Fefferman, who at the time this was recorded was based at Rutgers University and working on predicting the spread of Ebola. Now she's at the University of Tennessee and modeling Covid-19. The second interview is about the power of analogies with author John Pollack who chats with Mike about his book Shortcut: How Analogies Reveal Connections, Spark Innovation, and Sell Our Greatest Ideas. 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, grades at New York City schools. In the interview, Nate Duncan and Ben Taylor of the Covid Daily News podcast talk to Mike about how two basketball analysts started covering the latest developments in this crisis, and the parallels to be drawn between basketball and Covid-19 data. Nate Duncan is the host of the Dunc'd On Basketball NBA podcast, and Ben Taylor is the host of Thinking Basketball. In the spiel, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio is frequently giving offense. 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, consolidation. In the interview, Mike talks with Matthew Dickinson, author and professor of political science at Middlebury College, about the 1976 Gerald Ford controversy regarding the threat of a global pandemic with swine flu, as well as Richard Neustadt and Harvey Fineberg's examination of the political failures around an approaching pandemic that never actually materialized. In the spiel, the democratic nominating process didn't work so well. 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 award Trump deserves. In the interview, Slate's Henry Grabar is here to discuss Covid-19 and spending time outdoors. He and Mike talk about contact tracing, normalizing mask culture, and why we should all be going back outside. In the spiel, advertisers soothe in these uncertain times. 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, sarcasm. In the interview, Mike talks with celebrity chef, restaurateur, and political activist Tom Colicchio about founding the Independent Restaurant Coalition, and how they are fighting to save local restaurants and small businesses affected by COVID-19 in reaction to the government's assistance program. In the spiel, fleeing to the country house. 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 virtual, but actual NFL draft. In the interview, Mike talks with Josh Dean, the executive director of Human.NYC, a homeless advocacy group, about their Covid-19 campaign #HomelessCantStayHome, and the solutions officials aren't taking to move the most vulnerable off the street, out of shelters, and into vacant hotel rooms during this unprecedented time. In the spiel, infections at the polls. 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're not all in the same boat. In the second part of Mike's interview with Dr. J. Alex Navarro, the co-editor-in-chief of The American Influenza Epidemic of 1918-1919 : A Digital Encyclopedia, they discuss politicians who, at the time, refused to comply to closure orders, and how Woodrow Wilson's response was somewhat removed. In the spiel, the mayor of Las Vegas and concerning ideas show on television. 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 always politicizing at pressers. In the first half of a 2-part interview, Mike talks with Dr. J. Alex Navarro, the co-editor-in-chief of The American Influenza Epidemic of 1918-1919 : A Digital Encyclopedia. Navarro explains how citizens responses 100 years ago weren't that different from now; there was extreme compliance and tension on the ground. Yes, there were anti-maskers in 1918. In the spiel, what if we weren't at each other's throat's all the time? 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.