Slate staff writer Aymann Ismail gets “On the Call” with host Kai Wright to share his reporting on the “uncommitted” Democrats pushing Kamala Harris for an arms embargo on Israel — and the awkward scene he found at the Republican National Convention. Plus, they talk about the nominee’s notorious “I’m speaking” moment at a rally in Detroit in response to interruptions from pro-Palestinian protestors, and the work the Harris-Walz campaign has to do to engage voters who are dismayed at the White House response to Israel’s war in Gaza.

Companion listening: A 9/12 Story: ‘I Forgot I Was a Muslim Kid’

Ismail talks about his post-9/11 childhood in northern New Jersey, and what he learned about his identity as an adult. How did September 11, 2001, and its aftermath, affect the way anyone perceived as Muslim fit inside the American experiment?  

Perhaps you’ve noticed: the news is newsing in overdrive lately. Notes from America is meeting the moment with an extra podcast drop on Thursdays like this one. It's a pop-up series of conversations about politics, voters and democracy right now that we're calling “On the Call.”

Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.

Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.