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On this week's Slate Political Gabfest, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and special guest Yale history professor Beverly Gage discuss the Republican presidential debate, liberals losing faith in President Obama, and the current economic turmoil.

Here are some of the links and references mentioned during this week's show:

John's Slate piece on this week's GOP presidential debate in Iowa.
A Politico piece on Mitt Romney's claim during the debate that "corporations are people."
The "crazy-eyed" Michele Bachmann Newsweek cover released this week.
Ryan Lizza's New Yorker profile of Michele Bachmann.
A New York Times piece on Rick Perry, who is expected to enter the GOP presidential race on Saturday.
Drew Westen's New York Times op-ed on how President Obama has lost his passion since Inauguration Day.
Jonathan Chait's New Republic piece responding to Westen's op-ed.
A New York Times piece on how this week's economic "aftershock" is similar to what happened in the 1930s.
Beverly chatters on a recent court order to unseal Richard Nixon's grand jury testimony.
Emily chatters on the debate over whether Bert and Ernie should get married.
John chatters on the book The Happiness Hypothesisby Jonathan Haidt.
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 Aug. 12 by John Griffith at 5:21 p.m.

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