On The Gist, Sarah Vowell tells us about Gen. Lafayette, the French teen who befriended George Washington and became a symbol for the French alliance during the American Revolution. Her new book is called Lafayette in the Somewhat United States. In The Spiel, Mike solves politics with the help of Michele Bachmann, Clay Aiken, Jordan Klepper, Dennis Kucinich, James Carville, and Michael Steele. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus.

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