Massive Ordnance Penetrator

Massive Ordnance Penetrator

Author: Slate Podcasts June 19, 2025 Duration: 1:04:33

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss whether the US should join Israel’s war on Iran, the tragic Minnesota assassinations and why US political violence is surging now, and the Supreme Court’s unsurprising but willfully obtuse decision to uphold Tennessee’s youth transgender care ban.

Here are this week’s chatters:

 

Emily: A Family Matter by Claire Lynch; The Fall of Affirmative Action: Race, the Supreme Court, and the Future of Higher Education by Justin Driver; A Flower Traveled in My Blood: The Incredible True Story of the Grandmothers Who Fought to Find a Stolen Generation of Children by Haley Cohen Gilliland.

 

John: Mary Cunningham for CBS News: Federal Reserve holds its benchmark interest rate steady at today's FOMC meeting; ABA Banking Journal: Fed’s Powell says some areas of U.S. may be ‘uninsurable’ in next decade

 

David: Trip Gabriel for the New York Times: William Langewiesche, the ‘Steve McQueen of Journalism,’ Dies at 70

 

Listener chatter from Jacob Podell in Chicago, Illinois: Juliana Kim for NPR: Family shows AI video of slain victim as an impact statement – possibly a legal first

 

For this week’s Slate Plus bonus episode, Emily, John, and David discuss the exciting possibilities and likely limitations of using AI tools for historical research and writing.

 

In the latest Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with author Susan Dominus about her new book, The Family Dynamic: A Journey into the Mystery of Sibling Success.

 

Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

 

Research by Emily Ditto


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


You're invited to pull up a chair for the kind of candid, inside conversation that happens when the microphones are off. Political Gabfest brings together the sharp minds and wit of Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz, three seasoned journalists who dissect the week's biggest stories in politics and government without the usual formalities. It feels less like a lecture and more like eavesdropping on the insightful, often irreverent talk you'd hear from friends who really know their stuff after a long week in Washington. This Slate Podcasts production has earned a loyal following, even being called out by Stephen Colbert as essential listening and voted a favorite by Apple Podcasts listeners. Each episode breaks down complex issues into understandable, engaging discussions that are as entertaining as they are informative. For those who want to go deeper, a Slate Plus membership unlocks additional weekly content and an ad-free experience. Tune in for a refreshingly human take on the news cycle, where analysis is served with personality and the stakes of governance are explored through genuine dialogue.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Political Gabfest
Podcast Episodes
Gabfest Reads | The Day the Challenger Fell From the Sky [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:43
David Plotz talks with author Adam Higginbotham about his new book, Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space. They discuss the feats of engineering that took place, the political cynicism and…
What Happens When Government Breaks [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:44
This week, John Dickerson and David Plotz are joined by Juliette Kayyem to discuss how Elon Musk and DOGE are endangering Americans; the Trump administration’s attacks on universities and the arrest of Palestinian activi…
Trump’s Display of Dominance [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:45
This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss President Trump’s authoritarian address to Congress and whipsawing on tariffs; the outright betrayal of Ukraine and alliance with Russia on naked display…
So Europe is Our Enemy Now? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:58
This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the future of the transatlantic alliance and Ukraine in the wake of the UN resolution votes with Zanny Minton Beddoes, editor-in-chief of The Economist; t…
The “Justice Department is Dire“ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:43
This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the apparent corrupt bargain involving NYC mayor Eric Adams and the bonfire of Justice Department resignations; what could possibly go wrong when Musk and…
Trump vs. The Judges [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:58
This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the constitutional crisis developing between President Trump and the courts, the attack on NIH and overhead funding, and political sorting among American…
Elon Musk’s DOGE Rampage [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:13
This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss Elon Musk’s speedy assault on federal agencies, talk to guest David Leonhardt about the widening gap between US prosperity and quality of life, and discus…
Elon Musk’s Fork in the Road [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:10
This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the chaos and coming fight around impoundment of federal grants; the surprise market shakeup around AI and DeepSeek; and talk with Jonathan Rauch about hi…
This Time Trump Knows What He’s Doing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:19
This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss President Trump’s flurry of executive orders on the federal workforce and immigration; the sweeping January 6 pardons; and the overtly symbolic elements o…