Slate News

Former NFL Media journalist, Jim Trotter, talks about racial discrimination and retaliation in the NFL, questioning the league's lack of diversity. Topics include the consequences of the racial reckoning, lack of diversity in the NFL, significance of diversity in newsrooms, confronting the league, players' reluctance to speak out against racism, and fighting for change in the NFL.

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz take the show on the road and gab live with Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers; discuss the new Speaker of the House Mike Johnson; and review the former lawyers and Chief of Staff who will testify against Donald Trump.  Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:City Cast Madison podcast and Madison Minutes newsletterJennifer Rubin for The Washington Post: “Wisconsin Dems’ big wins for the rule of law might be an inflection point”Scott Bauer for AP: “Wisconsin Supreme Court asked to draw new legislative boundaries over Republican objections”James Hohmann for The Washington Post: “In Wisconsin, Tony Evers made a virtue of being dull”Amy Gardner and Michael Kranish for The Washington Post: “New speaker Mike Johnson’s 2020 election denial could have 2024 implications”Carl Hulse for The New York Times: “The Far Right Gets Its Man of the House”Ours Was the Shining Future: The Story of the American Dream by David Leonhardt Katherine Faulders, Mike Levine, and Alexander Mallin for ABC News: “Ex-Chief of Staff Mark Meadows granted immunity, tells special counsel he warned Trump about 2020 claims: Sources”Paul Blumenthal for HuffPost: “The Guilty Pleas In Trump’s Georgia Indictment Are Starting To Roll Uphill”David French for The New York Times: “Trump’s Lawyers Are Going Down. Is He?” Here are this week’s chatters:John: Mark Shanahan for The Boston Globe: “The Great Molasses Flood of 1919 was Boston’s strangest disaster“ and Dark Tide: The Great Molasses Flood of 1919 by Stephen Puleo  Emily: Hesket Oslo podcast by Arnon Degani; This Is Palestine podcast by the Institute for Middle East Understanding; and The Ezra Klein Show podcast: “The Jewish Left Is Trying to Hold Two Thoughts at Once”David: Vocal coach Karen Harris and “Jersey Girl” by Tom WaitsListener chatter from Jake Sinderbrand: University of Wisconsin-Madison: “Wisconsin Idea” and Babcock Dairy StoreListener chatter from Mike Duncan: The Storm Before the Storm: The Beginning of the End of the Roman Republic; Hero of Two Worlds: The Marquis de Lafayette in the Age of Revolution; The History of Rome podcast; and Revolutions podcastFor this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Emily, John, and David answer questions from the Madison audience.In the latest Gabfest Reads, David talks with Kristi Coulter about her book, Exit Interview: The Life and Death of My Ambitious Career. Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Tim Peterson. Special thanks to Katie Rayford.Research by Julie Huygen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Slate's Jurisprudence Editor, Jeremy Stahl, discusses the legal landscape of Trump's courtroom battles. They cover the civil and criminal cases involving Trump, absurd apologies in criminal cases, lawsuits related to election subversion, impact on Trump's reputation, and Team Trump's messaging strategy.

Nitish Pahwa, a business and tech writer, covers the trial of Sam Bankman Freed, former CEO of Cryptocurrency Exchange FTX. Topics discussed include Freed's defense testimony, FTX's treatment of customer assets, an interview about FTX's usage of customer deposits and bar lending, and the anticipation of upcoming events in the trial.

The hosts discuss people's perception of the economy, the recent GDP growth in the US, billion-dollar oil mergers, and the transition to clean energy. They also debate the pointlessness of coins, Taylor Swift's net worth, and trade restrictions.

David Zipper, visiting fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School, explores the recent suspension of Cruise's permits and the implications for the future of self-driving cars. Topics discussed include questionable behavior of self-driving cars, expansion of services in San Francisco, issues with the DMV, and safety concerns surrounding autonomous vehicles.

Tim Miller, political consultant and writer, discusses the unexpected rise of Mike Johnson as Speaker of the House and his erosion of trust. They also explore the evolution of Republican identity, the rise of Maggah Republicans, and key issues driving the party.

Former school shooter turned mental health reform advocate, Jon Romano, discusses his controversial presence on TikTok and the possibility of redemption for those who commit violent acts. Dr. Teiahsha Bankhead, an expert in restorative and racial justice, joins the conversation to explore restorative justice principles as an alternative to punitive approaches.

Former State Department official Josh Paul discusses his resignation over US policy towards Israel and Gaza, highlighting moral compromises and the negative impact of the American response. They delve into the role of arms transfers in US national security goals, disappointment with the violation of conventional arms transfer policy, and the aftermath of their resignation.

Explore the challenges of social media during times of conflict, including the pressure to speak up or stay silent. Discussing the importance of informed activism, debunking misinformation, and the power of posts. Encouraging thoughtful engagement and empathy in conversations about Israel and Palestine.