The Gist

On The Gist, treason and bribery.  In the interview, Irish writer and critic Fintan O’Toole talks to Mike about Brexit, the nationalist wave sweeping England, and country’s future without the European Union. His book The Politics of Pain: Postwar England and the Rise of Nationalism is out now.  In the Spiel, scandals and apologies. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, partisanship. In the interview, Brian T. Brown is here to talk about his new book, Someone Is Out to Get Us: A Not So Brief History of Cold War Paranoia and Madness. He and Mike discuss the ways the US and the USSR felt about each other, how those feelings persist today, and the different intelligence structures in the US and Russia. In the Spiel, Republicans and impeachment. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, the new book by the anonymous member of the White House. In the interview, Mike talks to actor Edward Norton about his new film Motherless Brooklyn. They discuss Robert Moses’s complicated legacy in New York, his early beginnings volunteering as a public housing advocate, and working with Alec Baldwin to make this movie come alive. Motherless Brooklyn is in theaters now. In the Spiel, Pete Buttigieg and Black voters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, taxing Bill Gates. In the interview, Gov. Steve Bullock of Montana is here to talk with Mike about his run for the Democratic nomination. They discuss how Bullock’s work on campaign finance reform in Montana, how he alters his message for local and national audiences, and what he thinks of the penny. In the Spiel, Pete Buttigieg’s lack of experience. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, political correctness? In the interview, Mike talks to political scientist James A. Robinson about why some nations have more liberty than others and what nations can do to uphold freedom in the face of political threats. His new book, co-written with Daron Acemoglu, is The Narrow Corridor: States, Societies, and the Fate of Liberty. In the Spiel, popular policies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, it’s not good to agree with Donald Trump, Jr. In the interview, race car driver Michael Waltrip and filmmaker Paul Taublieb are here to talk with Mike about the new documentary Blink of an Eye based on the book of the same name about racing, Waltrip’s his relationship with Dale Earnhardt, Sr., and the fateful day of Earnhardt’s crash. The film is currently available to stream digitally. In the Spiel, Elizbeth Warren’s healthcare plan.  Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, socialism and taxes. In the interview, Thomas Chatterton Williams talks to Mike about why it’s important to reject social constructs like race, how he has reckoned with these categories, and what he has learned about identity as a parent. His new book is Self-Portrait in Black and White: Unlearning Race. In the Spiel, Kellyanne Conway.  Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, Mike went to Politicon this past weekend and moderated the panel What Now Democrats, featuring James Carville, Joe Lockhart, Zerlina Maxwell, Kyle Kulinski and Jess McIntosh. They debate the future of the party, what kinds of issues will matter in 2020, and what they should stop fighting over. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, presidential incompetency at its finest. In the interview, Maria Konnikova is back for “Is That Bullshit?” She and Mike figure out what are really in Impossible and Beyond burgers and if they’re healthier than red meat burgers. Maria’s latest book is The Confidence Game. In the Spiel, the ridiculous world of taxonomy.  Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, ghosts aren’t real. In the interview, Mike talks to Slate writer and Slow Burn host Joel Anderson about the new season, the hidden facts he learned about Tupac and Biggie, and the latest revelations he uncovered documenting the biggest hip-hop legends ever. Listen to Slow Burn here. In the Spiel, guessing what Trump says. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, Melinda Gates and empowering women. In the final part of Mike’s two-part interview with U.S. Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power, they talk about the right and wrong ways to handle human rights atrocities across the world and their love of baseball. To learn more, read her new book The Education of an Idealist: A Memoir. In the Spiel, the Katie Hill scandal continues.  Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, socialism and millennials. In the first part of a two-part interview, Mike talks to Samantha Power, former U.S. Ambassador to the UN, about the early beginnings of the Syrian crisis, her role in trying to stop the Assad regime, and what she has learned from her mistakes during that critical time. Her new book is The Education of an Idealist: A Memoir. In the Spiel, Katie Hill’s resignation.  Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, understanding the differences between Hispanic and Latinx. In the interview, Mike talks to journalist Joel Stein about elitism in 2019, how Trump is really part of the elite, and what the future holds for populism across the world. His new book is In Defense of Elitism: Why I'm Better Than You and You're Better Than Someone Who Didn't Buy This Book. In the Spiel, Trump and pies.  Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, Katie Hill’s throuple. In the interview, Mike talks to writer Coleman Hughes about how his childhood shaped his views on race in America, his case against reparations, and what he’s working on next in the world of philosophy. In the Spiel, how much is Mark Zuckerberg’s time worth? Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, storming the SCIF. In the interview, podcast producer and Canadian Chris Berube is here to talk with Mike about the recent Canadian election, how much shorter their elections are, and the government Trudeau has had to cobble together. Berube is a producer for 99% Invisible.  In the Spiel, Facebook and fact-checking. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, racial slurs and context. In the interview, Maria Konnikova is back for another round of “Is That Bullshit?” This time, she and Mike figure out if sunscreen is good for us, what we should be wary of, and why many of us need more sunlight. Maria’s latest book is The Confidence Game. In the Spiel, the Canadian election. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, Trump is no George Washington. In the interview, Stephen Martin and Joseph Marks are here to discuss their new book Messengers: Who We Listen To, Who We Don’t, and Why. They talk about why the expert isn’t always the best vessel for information, the power dynamics involved, and why famous people often end up with that job. In the Spiel, the indirect language of Trump. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, Gordon Sondland testified before Congress. In the interview, Meghan Daum is here to talk with Mike Pesca about her new book The Problem with Everything: My Journey Through the New Culture Wars. They discuss toughness versus sensitivity, age differences, and how we should appreciate the confusion of this time more. In the Spiel, a dodeca-antentwig. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, what does quid pro quo even mean? In the interview, Mike talks to Ash Carter about his time as the 25th Secretary of Defense, what he would have down if he were Jim Mattis, and what he thinks about Trump’s military strategy in Syria. In the Spiel, Trump and Erdogan are back at it again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, the October CNN democratic debate. In the interview, Mike talks to director and executive producer Nicole Kassell about directing the Watchmen pilot, the show’s many Easter eggs, and how they honor the real-life 1921 riot in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In the Spiel, why no one supports Trump’s strategy with the Kurds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices