Political Gabfest

Emily Bazelon talks with author Peter Singer about his updated and re-released book, Animal Liberation Now. The classic text has been an integral part of the animal rights movement since its publication in 1975. They discuss what we’ve learned about animals in the last several decades, including the intelligence of animals, why people should become vegan to help with climate change, and what we've learned about animals over the last four decades.Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (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 the federal case against Donald Trump involving national-security documents, Atlanta’s Cop City training facility, and Elizabeth Gilbert’s decision to delay her next book situated in Soviet-era Russia.  Join us for a live taping! Political Gabfest Live in Washington, D.C., Wednesday June 28, 7:30 p.m., Sixth & I. In-person and virtual tickets on sale now. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America by Maggie HabermanJonathan Swan, Charlie Savage, and Maggie Haberman for The New York Times: “The Radical Strategy Behind Trump’s Promise to ‘Go After’ Biden”Esteban L. Hernandez for Axios: “Denver’s STAR set to expand amid tension over its future” Patrick Quinn for Atlanta News First: “’Stop Cop City’ Sen. Warnock interrupted during commencement address”Eat Pray Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia by Elizabeth GilbertMark Healy for GQ: “Women’s Favorite Author to Women: Don’t Get Married!”Elizabeth Gilbert on Twitter: “Important announcement about THE SNOW FOREST.”Mike Dash for Smithsonian Magazine: “For 40 Years, This Russian Family Was Cut Off From All Human Contact, Unaware of World War II”Philip Kennicott for The Washington Post: “Ukraine wants a boycott of Russian culture. It’s already happening.”Franklin Foer for The Atlantic: “Eat, Pray, Pander”Peter Beaumont for The Guardian: “Author resigns from PEN America board amid row over Russian writers panel”Imogen West-Knights for Slate: “The Saga Over Elizabeth Gilbert’s “Russian Novel” Has an Uncomfortable Lesson—and It’s Not for Her”The Enigma of Clarence Thomas by Corey Robin  Here are this week’s chatters:John: Simrin Singh for CBS News: “Phosphorus, essential element needed for life, detected in ocean on Saturn’s moon”; William Harwood for CBS News: “New evidence of water plumes on Jupiter’s moon Europa; could it support life?”Emily: The Forgotten Girls: A Memoir of Friendship and Lost Promise in Rural America by Monica Potts; When Crack Was King: A People’s History of a Misunderstood Era by Donovan X. RamseyDavid: Muster Dogs on The ABC: “Five graziers from across Australia are given five Kelpie puppies from the same litter and set with the challenge of transforming these uniquely Australian dogs into champion muster dogs.”Listener chatter from Phil: Jay Caspian Kang for The New Yorker: “Notes on Losing”; Winning Ugly: Mental Warfare in Tennis—Lessons from a Master by Brad Gilbert and Steve Jamison; John Dickerson for Slate: “Risk” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, Emily, and John discuss with Joel Anderson @byjoelanderson his podcast, Slow Burn: Becoming Justice Thomas. In the next edition of Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Peter Singer @PeterSinger about his book, Animal Liberation Now: The Definitive Classic Renewed.  Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com or Tweet us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna RothResearch by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a Gabfest Special Edition, David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Emily Bazelon discuss Donald Trump’s indictment on charges relating to classified documents and the Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision on Alabama racial gerrymandering. Here are some notes and references from today’s show:The Washington Post: “Live Updates: Trump criminal indictment is unsealed, shows he faces 37 charges”Robert Barnes for The Washington Post: “Supreme Court: Alabama’s voting maps unfair to Black residents”Join us for a live taping! Political Gabfest Live in Washington, D.C., Wednesday June 28, 7:30 p.m., Sixth & I, 600 I St. NW. Tickets are on sale now.  Email your questions and chatters to gabfest@slate.com or Tweet us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna RothResearch by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the latest three Republicans battling for the presidential nomination; Oklahoma’s approval of a Catholic public-charter school; and Saudi sportswashing in golf and soccer.  Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:Andrew Prokop for Vox: “Trump’s next indictment is looming – and the evidence against him is trickling out” Sean Murphy for AP: “Oklahoma school board approves what would be the 1st taxpayer-funded religious school in US” The Guardian: “Changing their tune: what golf’s powerbrokers said then and now” Lauren Chooljian for New Hampshire Public Radio: “He built New Hampshire’s largest addiction treatment network. Now, he faces accusations of sexual misconduct.”David Enrich for The New York Times: “A Reporter Investigated Sexual Misconduct. Then the Attacks Began.” John Dickerson for Slate: “Where’s My Subpoena?” Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Kate Brumback for AP: “Bond granted for 3 activists whose fund bailed out people protesting Atlanta ‘Cop City’ project” John: David Lerman, Laura Weiss, and Avery Roe for Roll Call: “Still steaming over debt deal, conservatives derail House action”David: Washington and Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park; Dan Chabanov for Bicycling: “What Is a Randonnée—and Why Should You Sign Up for One?”; Paris-Brest-Paris RandonneurListener chatter from Greg Hoffman: Genghis Blues For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, Emily, and John discuss the attacks and libel suit against a journalist for her reporting.  In the next edition of Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Peter Singer @PeterSinger about his book, Animal Liberation Now: The Definitive Classic Renewed.  Join us for a live taping! Political Gabfest Live in Washington, D.C., Wednesday June 28, 7:30 p.m., Sixth & I, 600 I St. NW. Tickets are on sale now.  Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com or Tweet us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna RothResearch by Julie HuygenThis Pride Month, make an impact by helping Macy’s and The Trevor Project on their mission to fund life-saving suicide prevention services for LGBTQ youth. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the debt-ceiling deal; the Russia-Ukraine war with the Atlantic’s Kori Schake @KoriSchake; and the impeachment of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:John Wagner for The Washington Post: “Senate racing to pass debt ceiling bill ahead of Monday default deadline”The Last Politician: Inside Joe Biden’s White House and the Struggle for America’s Future by Franklin FoerKori Schake for The Atlantic: “Biden Is More Fearful Than the Ukrainians Are”Anatoly Kurmanaev, Ivan Nechepurenko, and Eric Nagourney for The New York Times: “Drone Strike in Moscow Brings Ukraine War Home to Russians”Erin Douglas and Robert Downen for The Texas Tribune: “God, money and Dairy Queen: How Texas House investigators secured the impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton”Succession theme song by Nicholas BritellHere are this week’s chatters:John: New York Post: “Woman wins bizarre ‘cheese-rolling race’ – despite being knocked unconscious”; Cheese Rolling in GloucesterEmily: I’ve Just Seen a Face: A Practical and Emotional Guide for Parents of Children Born with Cleft Lip and Palate by Amy Mendillo, MPPDavid: Nat Hentoff for The New Yorker: “What Bob Dylan Wanted at Twenty-Three”; join David at a live taping of City Cast DC on Saturday June 3 at 1 p.m., Right Proper Brewing's Brookland production house and tasting room. Tickets are free. RSVP here. Listener chatter from James Carey: Recipe of Dwight D. Eisenhower for Vegetable SoupFor this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, Emily, and John discuss HBO’s “Succession”.In the latest edition of Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Curtis Sittenfeld @csittenfeld about her book, Romantic Comedy.Join us for a live taping! Political Gabfest Live in Washington, D.C., Wednesday June 28, 7:30 p.m., Sixth & I, 600 I St. NW. Tickets are on sale now. Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com or Tweet us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)Podcast production by Jared Downing and Cheyna RothResearch by Julie HuygenHostsEmily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David PlotzThis Pride Month, make an impact by helping Macy’s and The Trevor Project on their mission to fund life-saving suicide prevention services for LGBTQ youth. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the imminent X Date when the United States hits the debt ceiling and could default; the presidential campaign announcements of Ron DeSantis and Tim Scott; and the possibilities of regulating artificial intelligence.  Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:Ezra Klein for The New York Times: “Liberals Are Persuading Themselves of a Debt Ceiling Plan That Won’t Work”J. Baxter Oliphant for Pew Research Center: “Top tax frustrations for Americans: The feeling that some corporations, wealthy people don’t pay fair share”John Dickerson for CBS News Prime Time: “Former Google executive speaks out against AI” Emily Conover for Science News Explores: “A new supercomputer just set a world record for speed” Here are this week’s chatters:John: Oliver Whang for The New York Times: “A Paralyzed Man Can Walk Naturally Again With Brain and Spine Implants”; Henri Lorach, et al., for Nature: “Walking naturally after spinal cord injury using a brain-spine interface”Emily: Charlotte Lytton for The Washington Post: “Long-hidden ruins of vast network of Maya cities could recast history”David: NatureSweet Twilights tomato; join David at a live taping of City Cast DC on Saturday June 3 at 1 p.m., Right Proper Brewing's Brookland production house and tasting room. Tickets are free. RSVP here.  Listener chatter from Bob Rosner: Inti Pacheco for The Wall Street Journal: “The Monks Who Make Chartreuse Don’t Care About Your Fancy Cocktails” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, Emily, and John discuss Harlan Crow’s collections and Graeme Wood’s article in The Atlantic: “Inside the Garden of Evil.”  In the latest edition of Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Curtis Sittenfeld @csittenfeld about her book, Romantic Comedy. Join us for a live taping! Political Gabfest Live in Washington, D.C., Wednesday June 28, 7:30 p.m., Sixth & I, 600 I St. NW. Tickets are on sale now.  Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com or Tweet us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted 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, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the John Durham report on the FBI investigation of the 2016 Trump campaign; the mifepristone case heard by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and the 12-week abortion ban in North Carolina; and the legal showdown between Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Disney.  Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:David Frum for The Atlantic: “A Sinister Flop: Special Counsel John Durham served up not an investigation, but an excuse for future partisan abuses.”Emily Bazelon for The New York Times: “How a 150-Year-Old Law Against Lewdness Became a Key to the Abortion Fight”Debra Michals for the National Women’s History Museum: “Margaret Sanger Stephen Neukam for The Hill: “Rick Scott on Disney-DeSantis feud: ‘Cooler heads have to prevail’”Will Saletan for The Bulwark: “The Corruption of Lindsey Graham: A case study in the rise of authoritarianism.” Here are this week’s chatters:John: Rebecca Morelle and Alison Francis for BBC News: “Titanic: First ever full-sized scans reveal wreck as never seen before”; Lilit Marcus and Sania Farooqui for CNN: “Sherpa breaks record with 27th Mount Everest summit”Emily: Divide Me By Zero by Lara Vapnyar David: The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David Grann; join David at a live taping of City Cast DC on Saturday June 3 at 1 p.m., Right Proper Brewing's Brookland production house and tasting room. Tickets are free. RSVP here.  Listener chatter from Jon: “Trappisten verlassen Abtei Engelszell” [Trappists leave Engelszell Abbey] For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, Emily, and John discuss with The Bulwark’s Will Saletan @saletan his book, “The Corruption of Lindsey Graham: A case study in the rise of authoritarianism.” In the latest edition of Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Curtis Sittenfeld @csittenfeld about her book, Romantic Comedy. Join us for a live taping! Political Gabfest Live in Washington, D.C., Wednesday June 28, 7:30 p.m., Sixth & I, 600 I St. NW. Tickets are on sale now.  Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com or Tweet us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted 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, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz, discuss the $5 million jury verdict for E. Jean Carroll and against Donald Trump; joined by New York Times Mexico bureau chief Natalie Kitroeff @Nataliekitro, the end of Title 42 and the flow of migrants at the border; and the looming crisis of raise the debt ceiling or default. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:Kara Scannell, Dan Berman, and Nicki Brown for CNN: “Key moments from the video of Trump’s deposition in E. Jean Carroll trial released to the public”Isaac Arnsdorf, Josh Dawsey, and Marianne LeVine for The Washington Post: “Sexual abuse verdict renews Republican doubts about Trump’s electability”Natalie Kitroeff and Julie Turkewitz for The New York Times: “What’s Driving Record Levels of Migration to the U.S. Border?”Natalie Kitroeff, Christine Zhang, Miriam Jordan, and Eileen Sullivan for The New York Times: “Who Gets In? A Guide to America’s Chaotic Border Rules.”John Dickerson and Jeff Stein for CBS News Prime Time: “14th Amendment and debt ceiling connection explained”Here are this week’s chatters:Emily: Pam Belluck for The New York Times: “F.D.A. Advisers Say Benefits of Over-the-Counter Birth Control Pill”John: Ray A. Smith for The Wall Street Journal: “Workers Now Spend Two Full Days a Week on Email and in Meetings”David: “Exploring a Secret Fort” with David through airbnb; Museo Nacional de Antropología, Mexico City, MexicoListener chatter from Eric: Ironic Sans on YouTube: “The Most Remade Movie in History”For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, Emily, and John discuss a listener’s moral dilemma: continue to teach in the LGBTQ-supportive learning environment of an arts high school or change jobs and teach in a parochial school. In Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Curtis Sittenfeld @csittenfeld about her latest book, Romantic Comedy.Mark your calendars for the return of Political Gabfest Live! Wednesday, June 28 in Washington, D.C. Further information coming soon… Email your questions and chatters to gabfest@slate.com or Tweet us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)Podcast production by Jared Downing and Cheyna Roth Research by Julie HuygenHostsEmily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David PlotzMake an impact this Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund APIA Scholars. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Bazelon talks with author author Curtis Sittenfeld about her new book Romantic Comedy.  They discuss why ordinary guys get to be with famous women, but usually not the other way around, the fun of writing a fictional version of Saturday Night Live, and how to write witty email exchanges.  Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (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 the New York Times’s Jamelle Bouie @jbouie discuss the battle between President Joe Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy on raising the debt ceiling; the courtroom drama of E. Jean Carroll v. Donald J. Trump; and the power of Republican supermajorities in state legislatures.  Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:Nick Mourtoupalas and Derek Hawkins for The Washington Post: “Washington is running out of workdays to strike a debt ceiling deal” Jacob Bogage for The Washington Post: “Debt ceiling showdown: 5 possible outcomes”Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United StatesLola Fadulu for The New York Times: “In Trump Trial, a Lawyer Pushes, and E. Jean Carroll Pushes Right Back”Jamelle Bouie for The New York Times: “A Sinister New Page in the Republican Playbook” and “Republicans Did Something Most People Don’t Like, So They’re Changing the Rules”Article IV, Section 4 of the Constitution of the United StatesMovement Advancement Project: “Snapshot: Democracy Ratings By State”Michael Waldman for the Brennan Center for Justice: “The Great Resignation … Of Election Officials”James Madison: “Federalist No. 10”  Here are this week’s chatters:Jamelle: the films of Seijun Suzuki, including Tokyo Drifter and Branded to KillJohn: using ChatGPT to simplify text, such as statements by the Federal Reserve and George Washington’s farewell addressEmily: Eleanor Klibanoff for The Texas Tribune: “Three Texas women are sued for wrongful death after allegedly helping friend obtain abortion medication” and “Women accused of facilitating abortion in Galveston wrongful-death lawsuit file countersuit” Listener chatter from Ted Hogeman: Community Media Center, Institute for Contemporary Art, Virginia Commonwealth University For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Jamelle, John, and Emily discuss cooking, including roast chicken with bread, Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking by Toni Tipton-Martin, broccoli and cauliflower salad with curried dressing, broccoli salad with peanuts and tahini-lime dressing, and Soom tahini. In the next Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Curtis Sittenfeld @csittenfeld about her latest book, Romantic Comedy. Email your questions and chatters to gabfest@slate.com or Tweet us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie HuygenMake an impact this Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund APIA Scholars. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices