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The pardon power was designed to be a tool for correcting wrongs. Any system of justice applied to a whole nation is going to have failures. A pardon is there to correct miscarriages of justice—and injustice. It was always believed that if a president abused his pardon authority, it would be so appalling to so many, at such a gut level, that the checks on the President would instantly kick in: He'd be impeached, forced to resign, voted out. Trump pushed this theory. And the results were worrisome—to say the least.

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Masks are crucial to stopping the spread of COVID-19, especially indoors and during prolonged close contact. But after a year of the pandemic, evidence is growing that it’s time to rethink rules on wearing masks outdoors. 

Guest: Shannon Palus, senior editor at Slate.

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In the wake of the conviction of former police officer Derek Chauvin in the murder of George Floyd, journalism professor Allissa Richardson joins Dahlia Lithwick to discuss what it is to bear witness while Black in America, and why the media needs to stop airing the videos. (This is the interview with Vanita Gupta that Dahlia mentions.

In our Slate Plus segment, Mark Joseph Stern and Dahlia probe the duplicity at the high court in this week's shocking juvenile life without parole decision, why justices insisting they're best friends really isn't the answer to calls for court reform, and a look ahead to the biggest case so far this term that you probably haven't heard much about.

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Podcast production by Sara Burningham.

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Peter Thal Larsen of Breakingviews joins Felix Salmon and Emily Peck to talk about the mess with soccer’s Super League, what happened with Greensill, and the state of the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe.

In the Plus segment: Immersive Vincent Van Gogh exhibits.

Mentioned in the show:

“They Hacked McDonald’s Ice Cream Machines—and Started a Cold War,” by Andy Greenberg for Wired. 

“Dueling Van Gogh Exhibits Cause Confusion Across America,” by Selene San Felice for Axios. 

Email: [email protected]

Podcast production by Jessamine Molli.

Twitter: @felixsalmon, @EmilyRPeck

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Last week, a Tesla Model S crashed into a tree in a neighborhood north of Houston. Both men inside the car were killed. But according to police, neither of them was in the driver’s seat. 

This is not the first crash in which Tesla’s “autopilot” feature has likely played a role. Should we really be trusting this technology?

Guest: 

Missy Cummings, professor of electrical and computer engineering at Duke University

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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Last week, a Tesla Model S crashed into a tree in a neighborhood north of Houston. Both men inside the car were killed. But according to police, neither of them was in the driver’s seat. 

This is not the first crash in which Tesla’s “autopilot” feature has likely played a role. Should we really be trusting this technology?

Guest: 

Missy Cummings, professor of electrical and computer engineering at Duke University

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emily, John and David discuss the verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial with guest Dwayne Betts; Andrew Yang’s campaign for Mayor of New York City; and why the U.S. invaded Iraq with guest Noreen Malone (host of the Slow Burn podcast).

Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:

Netflix Is A Joke: “Richard Pryor's 1979 Joke About Police Still Applies”

“When I Think of Tamir Rice While Driving” by Reginald Dwayne Betts

Jack Shafer for Politico: “How Substack Revealed the Real Value of Writers’ Unfiltered Thoughts”

The Million Book Project

Felon by Reginald Dwayne Betts

A Question of Freedom: A Memoir of Learning, Survival, and Coming of Age in Prison by Reginald Dwayne Betts

Slow Burn Season 5: The Road to Iraq

Here’s this week’s chatter:

John: The Ezra Klein Show: “That Anxiety You’re Feeling? It’s a Habit You Can Break”; Bob Yirka for Phys.org: “Teaching Children to Play Chess Found to Decrease Risk Aversion”; Joe Trippi’s Twitter thread about Walter Mondale

Emily: PBS’s Philly D.A.

David: Michael E. Ruane for the Washington Post: “Harriet Tubman’s Lost Maryland Home Found, Archaeologists Say”; Peter Jamison for The Washington Post: “An ‘Insane’ Covid Lockdown Two Miles From the Capitol, With No End in Sight”

Listener chatter from Adam Siegel: The Economist: “How spooks are turning to superforecasting in the Cosmic Bazaar”

Slate Plus members get great bonus content from Slate, a special segment on the Gabfest each week, and access to special bonus episodes throughout the year. Sign up now to listen and support our show. For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Dwayne Betts recites his poem, “When I Think of Tamir Rice While Driving.”

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

Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank.

Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap.

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The country remains divided over the January 6th Capitol riot. The division is reflected in voter surveys, news coverage, and millions of social media posts. But the tension is also on display in small, idiosyncratic communities who realized some of their own were at the Capitol attack and may have cheered it on. 

Guest: Matthew Rosenberg, reporter for the New York Times. 

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After just 10 hours of deliberation, jurors found former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin guilty in the murder of George Floyd. This is what happened inside the courtroom and out on the streets.

Guests: Jon Collins, criminal justice reporter at MPR News.

Aymann Ismail, staff writer at Slate.

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The Biden administration is under no illusions that Russia President Vladimir Putin can be a willing partner of the U.S. But what tools remain to check Putin’s ambitions?

Guest: Josh Keating, senior editor at Slate and the author of Invisible Countries. 

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