Political Gabfest

The “Count Me Out” Edition

Listen to Slate’s show about the New York primary, Paul Ryan’s rejection of a possible presidential nomination, and the fallout from North Carolina’s LGBT-discriminatory law.

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For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, the hosts discuss LBJ’s 1964 anti-Goldwater-for-president ad (don’t worry—it’s more thrilling than you’d think). 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 upcoming New York primary, Paul Ryan’s rejection of a possible presidential nomination, and the fallout from North Carolina’s LGBT-discriminatory law, HB2.

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

  • It’s all about the delegates. John explains the relevance of the Jimmy Carter versus Ted Kennedy delegate fight in the Democratic nomination of 1980.
  • Trump’s favorability poll numbers continue to be unprecedentedly bad.
  • North Carolina faces the consequences of its recent LGBT-discriminatory law. Here’s Emily writing on the significance of the bathroom as a private space.
  • David mentions (not for the first time) Jane Mayer’s piece on the strategized conservative takeover of North Carolina.

Emily chatters about a topical Twitter exchange between David Menchell and John Pfaff about Bill Clinton’s crime bill.

John chatters about George Wallace’s 1968 third-party bid for president, sharing some gems he wasn’t able to include in his Whistlestop podcast this week.

David chatters a reminder about Atlas Obscura Day on Saturday and a case that Ted Cruz took as Texas attorney general in 2007 in which he urged the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold the state’s ban on the distribution of sex toys.

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 Jocelyn Frank. Links compiled by Elle Bisgaard-Church.