This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss Kamala Harris’s voter outreach to black and Hispanic men; the close races for Republican senators in Nebraska, Texas, and Florida; and the conspiracy theories that endanger FEMA and aid for hurricane victims. And it’s never too early to send us your Conundrums at slate.com/conundrum.

For this week’s Slate Plus bonus episode, Emily, John, and David talk about Glossip v. Oklahoma, the recent death-penalty case argued before the U.S. Supreme Court. 

In the latest Gabfest Reads, David talks with Elizabeth Strout about her new book, Tell Me Everything: A Novel. 

 Email your chatters, questions, and comments to [email protected]. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth

Research by Julie Huygen

Want more Political Gabfest? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Political Gabfest show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/gabfestplus to get access wherever you listen.

Disclosure in Podcast Description: A Bond Account is a self-directed brokerage account with Public Investing, member FINRA/SIPC. Deposits into this account are used to purchase 10 investment-grade and high-yield bonds. As of 9/26/24, the average, annualized yield to worst (YTW) across the Bond Account is greater than 6%. A bond’s yield is a function of its market price, which can fluctuate; therefore, a bond’s YTW is not “locked in” until the bond is purchased, and your yield at time of purchase may be different from the yield shown here. The “locked in” YTW is not guaranteed; you may receive less than the YTW of the bonds in the Bond Account if you sell any of the bonds before maturity or if the issuer defaults on the bond. Public Investing charges a markup on each bond trade. See our Fee Schedule. Bond Accounts are not recommendations of individual bonds or default allocations. The bonds in the Bond Account have not been selected based on your needs or risk profile. See https://public.com/disclosures/bond-account to learn more.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the close race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump; Why Legal Experts Are Worried About a Second Trump Presidency; and Hurricanes Helene and Milton and climate change. And it’s never too early to send us your Conundrums at slate.com/conundrum.

For this week’s Slate Plus bonus episode, Emily, John, and David talk about media endorsements of political candidates. 

In the latest Gabfest Reads, David talks with Elizabeth Strout about her new book, Tell Me Everything: A Novel. 

Email your chatters, questions, and comments to [email protected]. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth 

Research by Julie Huygen

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 This week, Jamelle Bouie of The New York Times joins John Dickerson and David Plotz to discuss the vice-presidential debate between Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. JD Vance; the deadly conflict between Israel and Iran with Nathan Guttman of Israeli public television; and the federal indictment of New York City Mayor Eric Adams. 

For this week’s Slate Plus bonus episode, Jamelle, John, and David talk with WyoFile’s Maya Shimizu Harris about the fight between the Wyoming Freedom Caucus and traditional Wyoming Republicans. 

In the latest Gabfest Reads, David talks with Elizabeth Strout about her new book, Tell Me Everything: A Novel. 

Email your chatters, questions, and comments to [email protected]. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

 Podcast production by Cheyna Roth

 Research by Julie Huygen

Disclosure in Podcast Description: A Bond Account is a self-directed brokerage account with Public Investing, member FINRA/SIPC. Deposits into this account are used to purchase 10 investment-grade and high-yield bonds. As of 9/26/24, the average, annualized yield to worst (YTW) across the Bond Account is greater than 6%. A bond’s yield is a function of its market price, which can fluctuate; therefore, a bond’s YTW is not “locked in” until the bond is purchased, and your yield at time of purchase may be different from the yield shown here. The “locked in” YTW is not guaranteed; you may receive less than the YTW of the bonds in the Bond Account if you sell any of the bonds before maturity or if the issuer defaults on the bond. Public Investing charges a markup on each bond trade. See our Fee Schedule. Bond Accounts are not recommendations of individual bonds or default allocations. The bonds in the Bond Account have not been selected based on your needs or risk profile. See https://public.com/disclosures/bond-account to learn more.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss what’s happening with the Kamala Harris v. Donald Trump race, what to expect with the Tim Walz v. JD Vance debate, how crazy Mark Robinson’s gubernatorial campaign in North Carolina has become, and whether college can survive careerism. 

For this week’s Slate Plus bonus episode, David, Emily, and John discuss the all-important Electoral College vote of Nebraska’s 2ndcongressional district. 

In the latest Gabfest Reads, David talks with Elizabeth Strout about her new book, Tell Me Everything: A Novel. 

Email your chatters, questions, and comments to [email protected]. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth

Research by Julie Huygen

Public.com+Public Investing Disclosure: Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank. See public.com/#disclosures-main for more information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this month’s edition of Gabfest Reads, Political Gabfest host David Plotz talks with author Elizabeth Strout about her new book, Tell Me Everything. They discuss how Strout conceives of interconnected stories and characters across her work, including the return of beloved characters like Olive Kitteridge. They also dig into the importance of listening and the ways ordinary lives can be extraordinary. 

Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss political violence and its consequences; the state of the presidential race; and The Rise of Fox News with Slow Burn’s Josh Levin. 

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth

Research by Julie Huygen

Public.com+Public Investing: All investing involves risk. Brokerage services for US listed securities, options and bonds in a self-directed brokerage account are offered by Public Investing, member FINRA & SIPC. Not investment advice. Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank.Cryptocurrency trading services are offered by Bakkt Crypto Solutions, LLC (NMLS ID 1828849), which is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the NYSDFS. Cryptocurrency is highly speculative, involves a high degree of risk, and has the potential for loss of the entire amount of an investment. Cryptocurrency holdings are not protected by the FDIC or SIPC. . See public.com/#disclosures-main for more information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss Kamala Harris’ win against Donald Trump in the presidential debate; the Harris endorsements by Taylor Swift and Dick and Liz Cheney; and election integrity with Professor Nathaniel Persily of Stanford Law School.

Here are this week’s chatters:

Emily: Willa Paskin and Cheyna Roth for Decoder Ring: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie… Will He Want a Welfare Check? and Wangjie Hu et al. in Science: Genomic inference of a severe human bottleneck during the Early to Middle Pleistocene transition

John: Sasha Weiss for The New York Times Magazine: The Prince We Never Knew; Mike Wall for Space.com: New record! 19 people are orbiting Earth right now; and Black Fire by Sonni Cooper 

David: Hemispheres

Listener chatter from Curt Fonger in Daphne, Alabama: Caity Weaver for The New York Times Magazine: America Must Free Itself from the Tyranny of the Penny

For this week’s Slate Plus bonus episode, David, Emily, and John continue their conversation with Nate Persily on election integrity. 

In the latest Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Joshua Leifer about his book, Tablets Shattered. 

Email your chatters, questions, and comments to [email protected]. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth

Research by Julie Huygen

Public.com+Public Investing Disclosure: Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank. See public.com/#disclosures-main for more information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the state of the presidential race; the possibility of a hostages-for-Gaza-ceasefire deal with Ruth Margalit of The New Yorker; and foreign interference in U.S. politics.

In the latest Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Joshua Leifer about his book, Tablets Shattered. 

Email your chatters, questions, and comments to [email protected]. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth

Research by Julie Huygen

Public.com+Public Investing: All investing involves risk. Brokerage services for US listed securities, options and bonds in a self-directed brokerage account are offered by Public Investing, member FINRA & SIPC. Not investment advice. Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank.Cryptocurrency trading services are offered by Bakkt Crypto Solutions, LLC (NMLS ID 1828849), which is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the NYSDFS. Cryptocurrency is highly speculative, involves a high degree of risk, and has the potential for loss of the entire amount of an investment. Cryptocurrency holdings are not protected by the FDIC or SIPC. . See public.com/#disclosures-main for more information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the Kamala Harris-Donald Trump debate and other campaign goings-on; the January 6th and classified documents cases brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith; and the national housing shortage with Conor Dougherty of The New York Times. 

Here are this week’s chatters:

Emily: Wayne Homes: The Great Debate: Front Porch vs. Back Porch; Mariah Timms for The Wall Street Journal: Lawsuits Fly Over Election Rules and Who Gets to Vote; Fin Gómez and Nidia Cavazos for CBS News: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton raids Latino Democrats’ homes, including those of LULAC members; and Frederka Schouten and Tierney Sneed for CNN: Democrats sue to block new GOP-backed Georgia election certification rules

John: Glenn Thrush for The New York Times: Would-Be Trump Assassin’s Interest in Violence Went Back to 2019

David: Jonathan Shaw for Harvard Magazine: Mapping the Human Brain

Listener chatter from Adam Webb in Chicago: Paul Collins in The Believer: Why Can’t My Son Vote?

For this week’s Slate Plus bonus episode, David, Emily, and John will talk about the Kamala Harris-Tim Walz interview. Bonus content this week will be available on Friday.

In the latest Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Joshua Leifer about his book, Tablets Shattered. 

Email your chatters, questions, and comments to [email protected]. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth

Research by Julie HuygenPublic.com+Public Investing Disclosure: Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank. See public.com/#disclosures-main for more information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, John Dickerson returns and joins Emily Bazelon and David Plotz to discuss the Democratic National Convention; presidential polls; and overtourism. 

Here are this week’s chatters:

John: @jdickerson on Threads: Background Sounds on iPhone

Emily: Tablets Shattered by Joshua Leifer; Gabfest Reads: Where Does the American Jewish Experience Go from Here?; and Ginia Bellafante for The New York Times: A Bookshop Cancels an Event Over a Rabbi’s Zionism, Prompting Outrage

David: David Wade for WBZ News: How do you stop political texts on your phone?; Presumed Innocent by Apple TV+ and Presumed Innocent by Warner Bros.; and Road House by Prime Video and Road House by United Artists 

Listener chatter from Scott Rada in La Crosse, Wisconsin: ChatGPT’s Slate pitches for 3,000 B.C. 

For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, available Friday, August 23, David, Emily, and John talk about Kamala Harris’s nomination acceptance speech.

In the latest Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Joshua Leifer about his book, Tablets Shattered. 

Email your chatters, questions, and comments to [email protected]. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman

Research by Julie Huygen

Hosts

Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz

Follow

Slate Political Gabfest on Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/Gabfest/ 

@slatepoliticalgabfest on Threads / https://www.threads.net/@slatepoliticalgabfest

@SlateGabfest on X / https://twitter.com/SlateGabfest

Slate Political Gabfest on YouTube / https://www.youtube.com/@slate/podcasts

Want more Political Gabfest? Subscribe to Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/gabfestplus to get access wherever you listen.

Public.com+Public Investing: All investing involves risk. Brokerage services for US listed securities, options and bonds in a self-directed brokerage account are offered by Public Investing, member FINRA & SIPC. Not investment advice. Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank.Cryptocurrency trading services are offered by Bakkt Crypto Solutions, LLC (NMLS ID 1828849), which is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the NYSDFS. Cryptocurrency is highly speculative, involves a high degree of risk, and has the potential for loss of the entire amount of an investment. Cryptocurrency holdings are not protected by the FDIC or SIPC. . See public.com/#disclosures-main for more information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices