The Gist

Meryl Streep and Barbecue

There are few things that unite the affections of bipartisan America. In 1824, the French aristocrat Marquis de Lafayette was on that list.

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You can always spot a Sarah Vowell book cover.

From the cover of Lafayette in the Somewhat United States by Sarah Vowell

Listen to Episode 363 of Slate’s The Gist:

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On The Gist, Sarah Vowell tells us about Gen. Lafayette, the French teen who befriended George Washington and became a symbol for the French alliance during the American Revolution. Her new book is called Lafayette in the Somewhat United States. In The Spiel, Mike solves politics with the help of Michele Bachmann, Clay Aiken, Jordan Klepper, Dennis Kucinich, James Carville, and Michael Steele.

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