The McKinsey War Gabfest
Listen to Slate's review of the week in politics.
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Become a fan of the Political Gabfest on Facebook. We post to the Facebook page throughout the week, so keep the conversation going by joining us there.
You can download the program here or you can subscribe to the weekly Gabfest podcast feed in iTunes.
Sign up for an Audible.com 14-day free trial membership through the Gabfest, and you'llreceive a credit for one free audiobook. This week, listener Jeffrey Cuvilier recommends the entire Stieg Larsson Millenium detective series.
On this week's Slate Political Gabfest, John Dickerson, Emily Bazelon, and David Plotz discuss the Obama administration's upcoming decision on Afghanistan, the president's dropping approval ratings, and a few reflections on Thanksgiving.
Here are some of the links and references mentioned during this week's show:
President Obama's approval rating dips below 50 percent.
Emily chatters about a vote by the Baltimore City Council requiring crisis pregnancy centers to post signs stating they do not provide abortion services.
David talks about the Gabfest effort to collect the best Political Gabfest episodes of 2009 and asks for help from listeners on our Facebook page or via e-mail. He also chatters about Frances Trollope's "Domestic Manners of the Americans"
John chatters about a story by Politicoon the unprecedented use by President Obama of the word unprecedented.
The e-mail address for the Political Gabfest is gabfest@slate.com. (E-mail may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Posted on Nov. 27 by Amman Sood at 10:02 a.m.
Nov. 19, 2009
Become a fan of the Political Gabfest on Facebook. We post to the Facebook page throughout the week, so keep the conversation going by joining us there.
You can download the program here, or you can subscribe to the weekly Gabfest podcast feed in iTunes.
Gabfest sponsor Audible.com is offering a special Thanksgiving gift to Slate podcast listeners. If you aren't currently an Audible member, you can visit a special Web site between Nov. 22 and Nov. 26, 2009, and download a free audiobook with no credit card required. Visit Audible's Thanksgiving Free Audiobook Giveawaysite for more details and a list of available free titles.
And if you'd like to sign up for a monthly membership, you can get your free 14-day Audible trial, which includes a credit for one free audiobook. This week, listener Alissa Perlman recommends Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese. You'll find links to this and previous Gabfest recommendations on our new Audible RSS feed.
On this week's Slate Political Gabfest, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the planned trials of five terrorists in New York City; the confusing, conflicting new information about mammograms; and Sarah Palin's effort to turn a new page.
Here are some of the links and references mentioned during this week's show:
David Feige's piece in Slate on why civilian terrorist trials could set bad legal precedents.
Jake Tapper's ABC News article about President Obama's bow in Japan.
John Dickerson's piece in Slateabout political deadlines.
Emily chatters about an article in the Wall Street Journal about Goldman Sachs' profiteering during the recession.
John references Eliot Spitzer's piece in Slatefrom March in which he details AIG's relationship to Goldman Sachs.
David chatters about the CALM Act, which requires commercials to be quieter than the programs during which they are aired.
John chatters about new hunger statistics.
The e-mail address for the Political Gabfest is gabfest@slate.com. (E-mail may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Posted on Nov. 20 by Amman Sood at 5:15 p.m.
Nov. 12, 2009
Become a fan of the Political Gabfest on Facebook. We post to the Facebook page throughout the week, so keep the conversation going by joining us there.
Listen to the Gabfest for Nov. 12 by clicking the arrow on the audio player below:
You can download the program here or you can subscribe to the weekly Gabfest podcast feed in iTunes.
Get your free 14-day trial membership of Gabfest sponsor Audible.com, which includes a credit for one free audiobook. Listener Karen Iker gives us two recommendations this week. Her recommendation for children is Henry and Ribsy by Beverly Cleary, narrated by Neil Patrick Harris. Her other more adult-friendly recommendation is Michael Chabon's Manhood for Amateurs. You'll find links to this and previous Gabfest recommendations on our new Audible RSS feed.
On this week's liveSlate Political Gabfest, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz dissect health care reform, the Obama presidency, and the shootings at Fort Hood.
Here are some of the links and references mentioned during this week's show:
Arianna Huffington's piece about David Plouffe's The Audacity To Win: The Inside Story and Lessons of Barack Obama's Historic Victory.
Bob Herbert's column in the New York Times regarding President Obama's misplaced priorities.
President Obama's speech at Fort Hood.
David Brooks' column in the New York Times about the "shroud of political correctness" around the Fort Hood shooter.
Dorothy Rabinowitz's column in the Wall Street Journal about the Fort Hood shooter.
Emily chatters about the biography of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia by Joan Biskupic.
David chatters about a personal ethical dilemma. Listen in for more details.
John chatters about an interesting tidbit from David Plouffe's new book where it's revealed that the Obama campaign leaked news of John Edwards' $400 haircut to the press.
The e-mail address for the Political Gabfest is gabfest@slate.com. (E-mail may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Posted on Nov. 12 by Amman Sood at 4:27 p.m.
Nov. 5, 2009
Become a fan of the Political Gabfest on Facebook. We post to the Facebook page throughout the week, so keep the conversation going by joining us there.
We'd like to invite all readers to a special, live taping of the Gabfest on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 7 p.m. The event will take place at the Sixth & I Historic Synagogue in Washington, D.C.
We'll discuss the one-year anniversary of President Obama's historic election, what the president has accomplished and what he hasn't, and the hot stories of the week. There will be cocktail chatter (of course!) and a vigorous conversation between the Gabbers and the audience. And there will be surprises! Reserve your tickets now at the Sixth & I Web site. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. Please join us!
You can download the program here or you can subscribe to the weekly Gabfest podcast feed in iTunes.
Get your free 14-day trial membership of Gabfest sponsor Audible.com,which includes a credit for one free audiobook. We've got two recommendations for you this week. The first comes from listener Jim Bosiljevac recommending Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer by Novella Carpenter, which tells the story of a woman who turned a small garden in a vacant lot into a working farm with its own slaughterhouse. The second recommendation comes from Robert Sloan, who suggests Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, narrated by the wonderful Juliet Stevenson.You'll find links to this and previous Gabfest recommendations on our new Audible RSS feed.
On this week's Slate Political Gabfest, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz dissect Tuesday's election results from New Jersey, Virginia, upstate New York, and Maine and tell us what it all means.
Here are some of the links and references mentioned during this week's show:
John's piece inSlate about how this week's elections reflect on Obama.
Politico on how most members of Congress being investigated by the House ethics committee are black.
Emily chatters about the Supreme Court hearing two cases involving juveniles who were sentenced to life in prison without parole.
David chatters about a new HBO documentary called By the People, which David found to be one of the worst pieces of film he's ever seen.
The e-mail address for the Political Gabfest is gabfest@slate.com. (E-mail may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Posted on Nov. 5 by Amman Sood at 2:15 p.m.
Oct. 30, 2009
Listen to the Gabfest for Oct. 30 by clicking the arrow on the audio player below:
You can download the program here or you can subscribe to the weekly Gabfest podcast feed in iTunes.
Get your free 14-day trial membership of Gabfest sponsor Audible.com, which includes a credit for one free audio book. This week's recommendation comes from our very own David Plotz, who enthusiastically endorses Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. The novel tells the story of the pragmatic Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII's right hand man. You'll find links to this and previous Gabfest recommendations on our new Audible RSS feed.
On this week's Slate Political Gabfest, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss how health care reform is limping forward, how much damage (political and otherwise) the shortage of swine flu vaccinations is creating, and marriage and basketball in the Obama White House.
Here are some of the links and references mentioned during this week's show:
Timothy Noah's piece in Slate about "trigger options."
The Obama marriage as portrayed by Jodi Kantor in the New York Times Magazine.
Mark Leibovich on the "boys club" of the Obama White House in the New York Times.David chatters about Adrian Chen's piece in Slate on "graving."
Emily chatters about how kids find debunking magic tricks more interesting than the magic itself.
John chatters about former Obama political strategist David Plouffe's book about the 2008 Obama presidential campaign.
The e-mail address for the Political Gabfest is gabfest@slate.com. (E-mail may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Posted on Oct. 30 by Amman Sood at 7:37 p.m.