The Barcalounger Gabfest
Listen to Slate's show about the Biden/Ryan VP debate, Romney’s surge, and affirmative action at the high court.
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On this week’s Slate Political Gabfest, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and special guest Jacob Weisberg discuss the vice presidential debate, Mitt Romney’s surge in the polls, and affirmative action back at the high court.
Here are some of the links and references mentioned during this week's show:
- John says Joe Biden was both the participant and the guy in the Barcalounger at home yelling at the television.
- David Weigel thought people were underestimating Biden before the VP debate. Find more debate coverage on the Slate Politics page. The Washington Post has a full transcript.
- Emily says the administration keeps changing its explanation of the attack on their Libyan consulate; the Washington Post’s Glenn Kessler fact-checks some of the debate’s Libya exchanges.
- John notes that Romney has improved more in national polls than in state polls; Nate Silver explored this dynamic on FiveThirtyEight.
- Jacob remembers advice from Michael Kinsley—political coverage must change. Here’s Kinsley’s latest reflection on the state of the race.
- Emily has a play-by-play report about her morning covering the affirmative action argument at the Supreme Court.
- Emily also asked readers for stories about their experience with affirmative action.
- Richard Kahlenberg, in a Wall Street Journal op-ed, offers a liberal critique of affirmative action.
Jacob chatters about fun British politics.
John chatters about the encyclopedic History of American Presidential Elections by Facts on File, Inc.
Emily chatters about “The Hit Man’s Tale” by Nadya Labi in The New Yorker.
Topic ideas for next week? You can tweet suggestions, links, and questions to @SlateGabfest.
The email address for the Political Gabfest is gabfest@slate.com. (Email may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Mike Vuolo and Chris Wade. Links compiled by Jeff Friedrich.