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For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, the hosts discuss whether New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie should be ashamed of his violation of Amtrak’s Quiet Car etiquette. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gabfestplus.
On this week’s Slate Political Gabfest Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the third GOP debate and whether it marks the end of Jeb Bush’s White House aspirations, the two-year budget agreement shepherded by outgoing House Speaker John Boehner and whether it is a victory for President Obama, and yet another troubling encounter between a white police officer and a black citizen—this time involving a high school student in her classroom—and what it means for education policy and race relations in America.
Here are some of the links and references mentioned during this week’s show:
- The third Republican debate (including the undercard) was hosted by CNBC, this week at the University of Colorado in Boulder (watch it here in 90 seconds). It focused on fiscal policy and was full of contentious exchanges (mostly with the CNBC moderators). Who won?
- With Ben Carson maintaining his soporific cool and Donald Trump largely quiet, the pundits declared Sen. Marco Rubio the clear winner and decried Jeb Bush as the biggest loser. Is Jeb’s campaign really in a “death spiral” and is he probably toast, or is it just a case of where perception is reality? (And was Sen. Ted Cruz the real winner?)
- John explains why Rubio won the debate. Jamelle Bouie argues that Jeb died on that stage.
- Read more of Slate’s coverage of the GOP primary
- Led by outgoing Speaker John Boehner and over the objections by Paul Ryan and many in the GOP caucus, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a crucial bipartisan budget deal (read more about the deal here and here). The Senate passed the deal early Friday morning.
- Is the deal—the “clean” exit that Boehner sought—a victory for President Obama or simply a strategic ploy by Republicans and a harbinger of things to come (such as “symbolic stuff”)?
- Will new Speaker of the House Paul Ryan be able to control disgruntled Republicans or is the GOP really in disarray?
- Read more of Slate’s coverage of news and politics
- Ben Fields was fired this week after video showed him flipping and slamming a student for failing to comply with a teacher’s request regarding her cellphone (his attorney has since defended his actions). Could this incident have been avoided?
- Why does school discipline differ for girls based on race and hue, why are black children treated so differently than white children, and why are black students disciplined and suspended and expelled disproportionately across the country (including preschoolers)? Why are black boys viewed as older and less innocent than white boys, and why are myths about racial differences in behavior so prevalent and persistent?
- Is our education system separate and unequal, what does it all mean for the school-to-prison pipeline, and what can be done to remedy these issues?
- Jamelle Bouie examines implicit bias and the lessons of brutality from this disturbing incident.
Emily chatters about Reginald Dwayne Betts’ book of poetry Bastards of the Reagan Era.
John chatters about the power of President Obama’s bully pulpit.
David chatters about Atlas Obscura’s Into the Veil event at the Green-Wood Cemetery, the “Indian Princess” Do-Hum-Me, and the touching story of the restoration of her grave.
If you’re a fan of Slate’s podcasts, you can’t miss out on our one-night-only show in New York City on Nov. 16! We’re combining Slate’s most popular personalities from the Political Gabfest, the Culture Gabfest, and Hang Up and Listen into a blowout event called Superfest on Broadway at Manhattan’s Town Hall. After the event, we will be holding an exclusive afterparty with the talent, Slate staff, and Panoply partners at an undisclosed location. You can buy your show ticket or a show and afterparty package by visiting slate.com/superfestnyc. Doors open at 6 p.m. for the show and 9 p.m. for the afterparty.
Also, as a special thank you to our Slate Plus members, each show at the Superfest—the Political Gabfest, the Culture Gabfest, and Hang Up and Listen—will be raffling off a gift basket full of very cool swag curated by the hosts themselves! Slate Plus members may email superfestraffle@gmail.com with your name to be entered into the raffle. And if you’re not already a Slate Plus member, you can enter the raffle for just $5 or become a member at slate.com/plus for $50 for a yearlong membership. As a Slate Plus member you’ll also get ad-free versions of all of our podcasts, along with special bonus segments and special access to Slate Live events.
Topic ideas for next week? You can tweet suggestions, links, and questions to @SlateGabfest (#heygabfest). (Tweets may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Jason De Leon. Links compiled by Tarik Barrett.
