The Gabfest: healthcare.gov Obamacare Sebelius, NSA spying Europe Merkel, Barneys racial profiling shoplifting.

The Gabfest on Obamacare's Ongoing Woes, NSA Spying on Foreign Leaders, and Racial Profiling at Barneys

The Gabfest on Obamacare's Ongoing Woes, NSA Spying on Foreign Leaders, and Racial Profiling at Barneys

Slate's weekly political roundtable.
Nov. 1 2013 10:59 AM

The Maybe the NSA Should Run Healthcare.gov Gabfest

Bazelon, Dickerson, and Plotz on Obamacare's ongoing woes, NSA spying on allied leaders, and racial profiling by New York department stores.

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On this week’s Slate Political Gabfest, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss whether Obamacare is doomed, the NSA's spying on American allies, and the legality of racial profiling by department stores.

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

  • Obama repeatedly said "If you like your plan, you can keep your plan."
  • John and David Auerbach discussed how a real software company would fix healthcare.gov on a Gabfest Extra.
  • White House officials say Obama didn't know about the NSA's spying on U.S.-allied world leaders until this summer.
  • The NSA hacked into Google and Yahoo's internal servers.
  • Sen. Dianne Feinstein, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, is angry that she didn't know about the NSA's spying on foreign leaders.
  • Black shoppers have filed a lawsuit against Barneys New York claiming that they were racially profiled and accused of shoplifting.
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Emily chatters about the I ♥  boobies case.

John chatters about a band of misfit pilots called the Eager Beavers.

David wonders whether men should offer women their seats on crowded trains. What do you think? Weigh in on our Facebook page!

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 Rebecca Cohen.