Political Gabfest
Where sharp political analysis meets informal and irreverent discussion.
About the Show
Voted “Favorite Political Podcast” by Apple Podcasts listeners. Stephen Colbert says, “Everybody should listen to the Slate Political Gabfest.” The Gabfest is hosted by Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz. Listen for the debates, stay for the cocktail chatter.
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The “MAGA’s Epstein Obsession” Edition
MAGA melts down over the Epstein files; the Supreme Court rubber stamps Trump’s continued disassembly of the federal government; and the GOP Senate passes funding cuts for PBS, NPR, and foreign aid.
Bonus: The “Beach Reads” Edition
The hosts share their favorite reads, shows, and recipes of the summer so far
The “Who Wants a Third Party, Anyway?” Edition
Musk founds the “America Party” via social media post; the US erratically zags again on aid for Ukraine against Putin; and Trump’s latest plot twist in the tedious tariff saga.
Bonus: Should ICE Agents Wear Masks?
Masks prevent doxxing of federal agents, but they also enable abuse of power without accountability
The “Is Trump’s Reckless Bill Unpopular?” Edition
Senate passes a massively irresponsible budget bill; last anti-Trump Republicans abandon Congress while Musk teases third-party idea; and Paramount sells out journalists to settle with Trump.
Bonus: Proud to be an American?
Recent data show declines in American pride largely along partisan and generational lines
The “Let’s Plunge, New York” Edition
Trump brings US into Israel’s war and bombs Iranian nuclear facilities; Mamdani crushes Cuomo in the NYC mayoral race; and a whistleblower report exposes ethical breaches.
Bonus: Being a Supreme Court Justice Can Be a Miserable Job
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson uses her voice
The “Massive Ordnance Penetrator” Edition
Trump debates whether to join Israel’s war by bombing Iran; a vigilante impersonates police in a chilling political assassination in Minnesota; and the Supreme Court upholds Tennessee’s youth transgender care ban.
Bonus: AI and (Re)Writing History
AI crunches data, finds new patterns, and introduces new biases in historical research
The “Very Heavy Force” Edition
Trump sends National Guard and Marines to LA to quell mostly peaceful protests; RFK Jr. fires the entire CDC vaccine advisory board; and the Supreme Court makes it easier to win “reverse discrimination” cases.
Bonus: You Should Be Watching Hacks
A legendary stand-up comedian and a young comedy writer clash and bond in this original series from HBO Max
The “Why Destroy Harvard?” Edition
The Supreme Court endorses maximalist presidential power in an unsigned opinion off the shadow docket; Trump escalates attacks on Harvard and international students; and the complexities of male friendships.
Bonus: An Update on Trump v. Big Law Firms
A third judge strikes down the president’s executive orders against law firms as unconstitutional
The “Big and Beautiful or Huge and Horrendous” Edition
The House rushes to pass its massive budget-busting tax bill; sinister shifts in the DOJ that distort rather than promote justice; and “Project Esther” as Trump’s blueprint for labeling dissent as antisemitism.
Bonus: The Ashli Babbitt Settlement
Family of Jan. 6 rioter Ashli Babbitt to settle with U.S. for nearly $5 million
The “Just a Modest $400 Million Gift” Edition
Crypto deals and fancy airplanes underscore Trump’s huge corruption as he visits the Middle East; the Supreme Court hears arguments for limiting birthright citizenship; and revelations in the coverup of Biden’s decline.
Bonus: Preferred Refugees
The Trump administration removed deportation protections from Afghan refugees while expediting entrance and resettlement for White South Africans
The “Trump Backlash, Australian-Style” Edition
Canada and Australia both vote against Trumpism; the administration asks a judge to dismiss an abortion-pill case; and the painful fallout from looming Medicaid cuts.
Bonus: Donald Trump’s “Joke” About a Third Term
Whether and how to pay attention and respond
The “Only 100 Days” Edition
The Trump administration marks 100 days of frenetic chaos; the prognosis of US health under RFK Jr.; and the Supreme Court sounds open to a religious charter school in Oklahoma.
Bonus: Farewell to Pope Francis
John Dickerson reflects on covering the pope’s funeral for CBS Evening News
The “One Thing Even Trump Won’t Do” Edition
Trump threatens to fire Fed Chair Powell and backtracks when markets plunge; religious parents are likely to get a big Supreme Court win; and SecDef Hegseth escalates his clown show of chaos and incompetence.
Bonus: Henry Blodget’s AI Experiment (Or Stunt)
The positives and pitfalls of building a “native-AI newsroom”
The “Trump vs. Harvard” Edition
Harvard stands up against Trump’s overreaching attack; the escalating constitutional brinksmanship between Trump and the courts over deportation cases; and how tariffs and exemptions invite corruption.
Bonus: The White House vs. The Associated Press
The White House cuts wire services seat from the press pool to punish the AP
The “Bond Market Shrieks” Edition
The ongoing fallout after Trump’s complex tariffs and partial retreat; the Supreme Court’s tepid responses to deportation cases leave questions open; and the NC GOP tries to steal a state Supreme Court seat.
Bonus: Art in Times of Turbulence
The hosts discuss favorite artworks they turn to when world news is chaotic.
The “Democrats Had A Good Day” Edition
Liberal handily wins the biggest electoral showdown of Trump 2.0 presidency so far; Trump imposes massive,nearly-universal tariffs; and the government refuses to fix mistakes in deporting alleged gang members.
Bonus: Mad House with Annie Karni and Luke Broadwater
New book explores “clown car” of dysfunction in the 118th Congress
The “Houthi PC Small Group” Edition
The jaw-dropping accidental sharing of attack plans by Trump’s advisers with a journalist; the swift and dangerous capitulation of Big Law; and the similar onslaught on U.S. higher education by the Trump administration.
Bonus: Michigan State Senator Mallory McMorrow Talks the Future of the Democratic Party
McMorrow discusses her new book Hate Won’t Win: Find Your Power and Leave This Place Better Than You Found It
The “Constitutional Crisis Is Here” Edition
The government responds defiantly to court orders in showdown over mass deportation; what the data says about why Trump won in 2024; and slow-motion capitulation in a long call between Trump and Putin.
Bonus: Midwives and Post-Roe Abortion Laws
A Houston midwife was arrested and charged under Texas’s near-total abortion ban
The “What Happens When Government Breaks” Edition
DOGE’s cuts are endangering American lives; Trump tests limits of free speech with attacks on universities and the arrest of Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil; and the politics of the Texas measles outbreak.
Bonus: Elon Musk and Taking Your Kids to Work
Great, weird, terrible, or all of the above?
The “Trump’s Display of Dominance” Edition
Trump addresses Congress and plays chicken with tariffs in a show of power; Trump and Vance betray Ukraine’s Zelensky to his face and align with Russia; and we all grapple with the ways Covid changed America.
Bonus: Cuomo Attempts a Comeback
Andrew Cuomo enters the NYC mayoral race and hints at national ambitions
