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The story of how GameStop went from the verge of a bankruptcy to a $15 billion market value isn’t an easy one to wrap your head around. But it helps to go back to the beginning; almost three years ago, in a subreddit called r/wallstreetbets.Guests: Brandon Kochkodin, reporter at BloombergHostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Back in March, nobody knew how long kids would be learning from home and isolating from their peers. Now, with some kids returning to schools after 10 months away, one school counselor says getting kids back into physical classrooms is just the start to healing from the massive toll the pandemic has had on their mental health. Guest: Jan Desmarais-Morse, school counselor in Goshen, Indiana.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Republicans used to lead the way on environmental legislation. Are they about to come back around on the urgency of climate change? Guest: Carlos Curbelo, former Republican congressman from Florida.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There’s a lot riding on the working relationship of President Joe Biden and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. They are bonded by their service in the U.S. Senate, their ideological flexibility, and their respect for norms -- unless those norms stand in the way of their ambitions. Guest: Alex Thompson, White House reporter for Politico. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Back in 2015, Farai Chideya was a senior writer covering politics at FiveThirtyEight. Her time there was instructive in understanding how the media failed to take Trump’s presidential candidacy seriously. Now that she has her own show, she’s speaking up about how journalists -- and the news outlets that employ them -- could better serve the public. Guest: Farai Chideya, host of Our Body Politic.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most people thought developing the vaccine in record time would be the hard part. That, or shipping millions of doses at subzero temperatures to every corner of the country. But nobody--or, almost nobody--guessed that the biggest barrier between U.S. citizens and vaccination would be … online scheduling. What went wrong with the vaccine websites? And what will it take to get them right?Guests: Raphael Lee, director of USDR’s Health Program Hana Schank, director of Strategy for Public Interest Technology at New AmericaJessica AllenHostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most people thought developing the vaccine in record time would be the hard part. That, or shipping millions of doses at subzero temperatures to every corner of the country. But nobody--or, almost nobody--guessed that the biggest barrier between U.S. citizens and vaccination would be … online scheduling. What went wrong with the vaccine websites? And what will it take to get them right?Guests: Raphael Lee, director of USDR’s Health Program Hana Schank, director of Strategy for Public Interest Technology at New AmericaJessica AllenHostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At his inauguration, President Joe Biden argued that “unity is the path forward.” But it’s still an open question whether he’ll be able to get anything done.Guest: Jim Newell, Slate’s senior politics writer. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new presidential administration begins today. In pivotal moments like this, it’s hard to know what to say. But eight years ago, Richard Blanco was called upon to say something anyway - in front of a million people at Barack Obama’s second inauguration. And eight years later, he has some thoughts about the crossroads we’re at now.Guest: Richard Blanco, author of How to Love a Country and the Inaugural Poet for Barack Obama’s 2012 Inauguration.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Almost two weeks after the siege on the Capitol, Rep. Tim Ryan still has questions about why Congress was left with such meager defenses. How is Congress dealing with the fallout from the attack? And with one day left before Joe Biden’s inauguration, is the nation’s capital safe?Guest: Congressman Tim Ryan (D-OH 13).Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After Facebook and Twitter banned thousands of accounts in the wake of the Capitol riots, fringe groups are flocking to platforms like Signal and Telegram. With the inauguration just days away, and government officials warning of violence, QAnon believers and Stop the Steal protesters are now communicating in encrypted spaces. What, if anything, is being planned? Guest: Will Sommer, politics reporter at the Daily BeastHostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After Facebook and Twitter banned thousands of accounts in the wake of the Capitol riots, fringe groups are flocking to platforms like Signal and Telegram. With the inauguration just days away, and government officials warning of violence, QAnon believers and Stop the Steal protesters are now communicating in encrypted spaces. What, if anything, is being planned? Guest: Will Sommer, politics reporter at the Daily BeastHostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After the storming of the Capitol, Democrats’ victories in Georgia’s runoff Senate races sort of got lost in the shuffle. But Georgia going blue for the first time in nearly two decades is a big deal. And the state's Democratic activists say the moment is still worth recognizing.Guest: Tiffany Roberts, civil rights attorney at the Southern Center for Human Rights, Cliff Albright, co-founder of Black Voters Matter, and Renee Montgomery, activist and player on the Atlanta Dream.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The coronavirus crisis has risen to new levels in California. Even as vaccines get distributed, hospitals are maxing out their ICU capacity, and sick people in ambulances wait outside for a bed to open up. Amidst the nightmare, one first responder explains how he’s making it through. Guest: Dr. Clayton Kazan, an emergency physician in Torrance, CA, and the medical director at the L.A. County Fire Department. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With just over a week left in the Trump presidency, Congressional Democrats are asking Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment and strip President Trump of his power. Is that the right way to hold the president accountable? Guest: Brian Kalt, law professor at Michigan State University. His latest book is Unable: The Law, Politics, and Limits of Section 4 of the Twenty-Fifth Amendment. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2009, Department of Homeland Security official, Daryl Johnson, warned the government that right-wing extremists were building power. After his report leaked to conservative media outlets, the agency sidelined Johnson and his investigations. In the meantime, right-wing extremists have only grown their ranks.Guest: Daryl Johnson, former senior analyst for domestic terrorism at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, in the wake of violent protests at the Capitol, the social media platforms took unprecedented steps to rein in the president. Facebook banned his account at least through Inauguration Day. Twitter removed tweets and locked his account for 12 hours. Will these measures really make a difference? And how is it that two CEOs came to have so much power over the president’s reach?Guest: Danielle Citron, professor at UVA Law School and vice president of the Cyber Civil Rights InitiativeHostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, in the wake of violent protests at the Capitol, the social media platforms took unprecedented steps to rein in the president. Facebook banned his account at least through Inauguration Day. Twitter removed tweets and locked his account for 12 hours. Will these measures really make a difference? And how is it that two CEOs came to have so much power over the president’s reach?Guest: Danielle Citron, professor at UVA Law School and vice president of the Cyber Civil Rights InitiativeHostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Wednesday, as Democrats celebrated wins in Georgia that gave them control of the Senate and as U.S. lawmakers convened to certify Joe Biden’s election win, President Trump addressed supporters gathered outside the White House. He told them to walk to the Capitol and tell Republicans to “take back our country.”Two Slate correspondents were there -- one walking with the violent mob as it stormed the Capitol, and another in the building as it went on lockdown. Guests: Aymann Ismail, staff writer for Slate, and Jim Newell, Slate’s senior politics writer.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Congress will meet in a joint session to confirm Joe Biden’s election as the 46th president of the United States. Even though the process is ceremonial, some Republicans are using it as a last-ditch effort to vindicate President Trump and burnish their own Trumpist bona fides. Guest: Jim Newell, Slate’s senior politics reporter.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

So far, the vaccine roll out in the United States has been underwhelming. States are scrambling to get doses out to patients before they expire. We won’t be behind schedule on vaccine distribution forever, but to make matters worse, a more infectious variant of COVID-19 has increased the urgency. Guest: Apoorva Mandavilli is a health and science reporter with the New York Times.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Tuesday, Georgia voters will decide which party holds the majority in the United States senate. Activists like Nse Ufot have been criss crossing the state trying to rally new voters to the polls. Will this flurry of activity flip Georgia blue again? Guest: Nse Ufot, CEO of the New Georgia Project Cleve Wootson, National Political Reporter for the Washington PostSlate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Larry Kramer always made sure you heard him loud and clear. He was a playwright, a novelist, but he was perhaps best known for his work as an AIDS activist. In the 1980s and 1990s, Kramer sought to wake up the world to the plague that was killing millions of people through provocative demonstrations, fiery essays, and righteous anger. A world class troublemaker, Kramer died last week leaving a body of work that could serve as a lesson for this moment in American history.Guest: Mark Harris, a journalist and writer at New York Magazine.For a closer look at the history of ACT UP check out: United in Anger: A History of ACT UP.This episode originally aired June 2020. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Friday, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away at the age of 87. Her work as a lawyer and a judge forever changed how women are viewed under United States law. As the nation mourns, her absence sparks a fight in the senate about who is going to choose the next Supreme Court Justice. Guest: Dahlia Lithwick, host of Slate’s Amicus podcast. This episode originally aired September, 2020. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the summer, comedian Laurie Kilmartin took to Twitter to joke about something that wasn’t funny: Her mom was dying. JoAnn Kilmartin, Laurie’s mother, had contracted the coronavirus in her nursing home and was on her deathbed only a few miles from Laurie’s home in southern California. Guest: Laurie Kilmartin, comedian and author of Dead People Suck: A Guide for Survivors of the Newly Departed.We’re re-running some of our favorite episodes from the past year. This episode originally aired in June, 2020. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hybrid learning is a massive educational experiment playing out in schools across the country. No two classrooms are alike. We took a look at one teacher’s experience. Guest: Christopher Pinto, a high school math and statistics teacher outside Houston, Texas. This episode originally aired in September, 2020. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The images are familiar now. The police in their face shields, armed with batons and cans of pepper spray. The protestors, sporting bruises, pouring milk on each others’ faces. What happened in the spring might make you feel uncomfortable and angry. Kellie Carter-Jackson says: that’s the point. And she says that a nice, peaceful protest may not accomplish the structural change America needs.Guest: Kellie Carter-Jackson, PhD, a professor at Wellesley College and the author of Force & Freedom: Black Abolitionists the Politics of Violence.This episode originally aired in June, 2020. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The coronavirus that gave rise to our present pandemic started in China as a bat virus that eventually made contact with humans. Researchers say this leap between species was highly predictable – so why were communities and governments caught flat-footed? Guest: Peter Daszak, president of EcoHealth Alliance.This episode originally aired in March, 2020.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Congress has agreed on another stimulus package, but to do so both Republicans and Democrats had to give up on high-priority demands. Why did this bill take so long, and why isn’t anyone all that excited about it?Guest: Jordan Weissmann, Slate's senior business and economics correspondentSlate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The United States is contending with a computer hack unprecedented in scope, and it could take months or even years to understand exactly what happened. But the hack has roots in vulnerabilities understood since the beginning of the internet, so why and how did this happen? Guest: Fred Kaplan, Slate’s "War Stories" columnist Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since the presidential election, local Republicans in states that Joe Biden flipped blue have been arguing about what went wrong. The difference in Georgia is, the election isn’t totally over - and the upcoming runoff election will decide which party controls the Senate.So with all eyes on Georgia, why do the state's Republicans seem just as intent on tearing into each other as holding onto their seats?Guest: Rusty Paul, Mayor of Sandy Springs, Georgia.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement played an outsized role in manifesting Trump’s hard-line immigration policies. How might ICE change under Biden?Guest: Hamed Aleaziz, immigration reporter at BuzzFeed News.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

All year, we’ve seen how COVID-19 surges can persuade state officials to take the pandemic seriously. But the resistance in Florida is something special: There, Governor Ron DeSantis has been particularly opposed to sharing case data or imposing measures to minimize viral spread.Guest: Mary Ellen Klas, reporter for the Miami Herald. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recently, one of the world’s leading AI ethics researchers, Timnit Gebru, left Google. Google says she resigned. Timnit says she was fired. In the days since, Timnit’s departure has turned into a public relations crisis for the search giant, prompting its CEO to issue a public apology. What happened behind the scenes at Google that led to Timnit’s dismissal? Guest: Timnit Gebru, AI ethics researcher, and the co-founder of Black in AI. HostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recently, one of the world’s leading AI ethics researchers, Timnit Gebru, left Google. Google says she resigned. Timnit says she was fired. In the days since, Timnit’s departure has turned into a public relations crisis for the search giant, prompting its CEO to issue a public apology. What happened behind the scenes at Google that led to Timnit’s dismissal? Guest: Timnit Gebru, AI ethics researcher, and the co-founder of Black in AI. HostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After months of anticipation, the first FDA-authorized coronavirus vaccine has begun distribution. But even with an effective vaccine in hand, big questions remain. How are vaccines being distributed? And with so many lives on the line, who gets it first?Guest: Sarah Owermohle, reporter for Politico and the Prescription Pulse newsletter. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, the FTC and more than 40 state attorneys general brought antitrust lawsuits against Facebook. And they’re not pulling their punches. They are calling for Facebook to spin off Instagram and WhatsApp into independent companies. In other words, breakup.The lawsuits represent some of the most significant antitrust action in the United States in the last 40 years. Will they get results?Guest:Tony Romm, tech policy reporter at the Washington PostHostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, the FTC and more than 40 state attorneys general brought antitrust lawsuits against Facebook. And they’re not pulling their punches. They are calling for Facebook to spin off Instagram and WhatsApp into independent companies. In other words, breakup.The lawsuits represent some of the most significant antitrust action in the United States in the last 40 years. Will they get results?Guest:Tony Romm, tech policy reporter at the Washington PostHostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Joe Biden assembles his cabinet, he has an opportunity to remake America’s image on the global stage. What if the US was seen as a cooperative partner rather than a big-footed global leader? Guest: Peter Beinart, contributing opinion writer to the New York Times and editor-at-large for Jewish Currents. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Teachers unions are catching flack for obstructing a return to in-person school. The president of the American Federation of Teachers, Randi Weingarten, says teachers want to be in school. The question still is, can it be done safely? Guest: Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As COVID ravages the American plains, the Cherokee nation stands alone – an example of how government might work to contain the virus. The tribe long ago gave up waiting for the federal government to come through on its promise of fully-funded health care, and invested in state-of-the-art healthcare infrastructure, just in time. But as winter sets in, Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr. worries his community can’t remain an island forever.Guest: Chuck Hoskin, Jr. is the Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the NFL has asserted that they would continue with their regular season this fall. They’ve kept their word. They’ve also had significant outbreaks -- and the virus keeps interrupting the season. What explains the NFL’s determination to white-knuckle it through the year? Guest: Bomani Jones, host of The Right Time with Bomani Jones podcast, from ESPN. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ransomware attacks--when hackers break into digital systems, encrypt files, and demand payment to unlock them, isn’t new. But 2020 has seen an explosion in the frequency of these hacks, which are often targeted at schools and hospitals. Who is behind this recent spate of attacks? And is there anything schools and hospitals can do to protect themselves?Guests:Jessica Beyer, teacher at Baltimore County Public SchoolsDave Uberti, cyber security reporter at the Wall Street JournalHostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ransomware attacks--when hackers break into digital systems, encrypt files, and demand payment to unlock them, isn’t new. But 2020 has seen an explosion in the frequency of these hacks, which are often targeted at schools and hospitals. Who is behind this recent spate of attacks? And is there anything schools and hospitals can do to protect themselves?Guests:Jessica Beyer, teacher at Baltimore County Public SchoolsDave Uberti, cyber security reporter at the Wall Street JournalHostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the last month, multiple drug companies have announced highly effective vaccines for the coronavirus. But getting everyone vaccinated will be a challenge - not just logistically, but also from a PR standpoint. With distribution on the horizon, how can we build vaccine trust?Guest: Heidi Larson, director of the Vaccine Confidence Project and author of Stuck: How Vaccine Rumors Start -- and Why They Don't Go Away.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The assasination of a top Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh has made a difficult situation even harder for the incoming Biden administration. Re-entering the Iran nuclear agreement was already going to be an uphill battle. Now, as tensions mount, only a big swing might save the day.Guest: Trita Parsi, co-founder and Executive Vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft and author of Losing an Enemy & Treacherous Alliance.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Janet Yellen’s is a name most Americans will recognize, even if they’re not quite sure why. She’s the former chair of the Federal Reserve and the former chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, and now, she’s been nominated to serve as Joe Biden’s Treasury Secretary. If confirmed, Yellen will assume her new role during one of the greatest economic crises in a century. How would she guide Biden through the storm?Guest: Jordan Weissman, Slate’s senior business and economics correspondent.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

North Dakota has the highest COVID-19 case rate in the country. As infections spiked, contact tracers struggled to keep up. Eventually, their bosses told them to stop trying. Guest: Kailee Leingang, a nursing student and contact tracer in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Hyde Park store owner supported his neighborhood through a pandemic this spring. The favor was returned during a summer of protests. But this winter will be tough.Guest: Eric Williams, owner of The Silver Room.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Danielle Hewitt, and Elena Schwartz, with help from Frannie Kelley. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 2020 election has a lot of Democrats asking: What happened? As it turns out, it’s a question one outgoing member of Congress has been asking herself, too.Guest: U.S. Representative Donna Shalala, Democrat from Florida. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.