The "Now, I Asked You So Nicely to Go to War" Gabfest
Listen to Slate's show about Obama’s Syria gamble, states defying the feds on guns and pot, and why campaign journalism is broken.
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Live “Dear Prudence”! Washington, D.C., Sept. 11, 7p.m. Join David as he questions Slate’s “Dear Prudence” columnist Emily Yoffe about her most memorable letters. Tickets.
Live DoubleX Gabfest! Washington, D.C., Sept. 18, 7p.m. Tickets.
On this week’s Slate Political Gabfest, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the significance of President Obama’s surprise decision to seek congressional approval for a military mission in Syria. They also discuss the gun and pot laws provoking new fights about federalism. Finally, they talk about a new report that condemns the state of campaign journalism.
Here are some of the links and references mentioned during this week's show:
- John counted 18 kinds of Syria bombing opponents in Congress, and 12 kinds of bombing supporters; John also thinks the administration should stop pretending the mission will be easy.
- Fred Kaplan supports Obama’s decision to seek congressional approval.
- While liberals are fighting federal marijuana laws, they’re also scorning state challenges to federal gun laws—Emily wrote about what distinguishes the two fights over federalism.
- Peter Hamby, a CNN political reporter and Shorenstein Center fellow during the spring of 2013, is the author of “Did Twitter Kill the Boys on the Bus? Searching for a better way to cover a campaign”.
John chatters about the greatest keyboard shortcut ever.
Emily chatters about ironing tablecloths. Check out Slate’s new Entertaining blog, about new rules for hosts and guests.
David chatters about The Smartest Kids in the World: And How They Got That Way by Amanda Ripley.
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. Links compiled by Jeff Friedrich.