Political Gabfest
Slate Podcasts
Voted “Favorite Political Podcast” by Apple Podcasts listeners. Stephen Colbert says "Everybody should listen to the Slate Political Gabfest." The Gabfest, featuring Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz, is the kind of informal and irreverent discussion Washington journalists have after hours over drinks.Want more Political Gabfest? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Political Gabfest show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/gabfestplus to get access wherever you listen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books
39 snips
May 7, 2026 • 55min
Are Republicans Actually Souring on Trump?
They debate whether the Iran war and rising gas prices are sapping Republican enthusiasm and hurting Trump’s standing. They unpack renewed fights over access to the abortion pill and what a Louisiana lawsuit could mean for enforcement. They review a study finding school cellphone bans do not boost test scores but change classroom life. Short cultural picks close out the conversation.
36 snips
Apr 30, 2026 • 1h 3min
King Me
Juliette Kayyem, Harvard Kennedy School professor and CNN national-security analyst, weighs in on security and legal risks. They tackle the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting and hotel security. They unpack the Supreme Court’s Louisiana v. Callais decision and its effects on minority representation. They also examine recent TPS oral arguments and what they mean for immigrants' protections.
44 snips
Apr 23, 2026 • 1h 1min
Trump and the Iranians Deserve Each Other
Beverly Gage, Yale historian and co-chair of a committee on trust in higher education, talks about a controversial Yale report and its recommendations. She discusses recentering universities on knowledge creation, political diversity among faculty, and practical fixes like grade policies and classroom norms. The conversation probes how to rebuild public confidence in colleges.
Apr 18, 2026 • 40min
Gabfest Reads | The Unlikely Rise of Judy Blume
Mark Oppenheimer, journalist and author of Judy Blume: A Life, unpacks how a restless New Jersey housewife became a cultural phenomenon. He explores Blume’s frank voice about bodies and sex, the progressive family that shaped her, the radical portrayal in Forever, her scandalous adult novel Wifey, and her decades-long defense of challenged books.
49 snips
Apr 16, 2026 • 1h 3min
How Many Divisions Has the Pope?
Anne Applebaum, historian and Atlantic columnist, explains why Viktor Orbán’s defeat matters for Europe and NATO. She describes how grassroots unity toppled an entrenched illiberal regime. Conversation also ranges from the Pope’s rebuke of war to U.S. blockades, DHS upheavals, and the ripple effects for international institutions.
52 snips
Apr 9, 2026 • 1h 7min
TACO Tuesday
Antonia Hitchens, a New Yorker feature reporter who covered online extremism, joins to unpack the Groypers, a young, transgressive far-right insurgency reshaping Republican circles. She traces their online culture, recruitment tactics, and how their ideas seep into mainstream politics. The conversation also touches on U.S.-Iran tensions and debates over mandatory Bible readings in Texas schools.
60 snips
Apr 2, 2026 • 1h 10min
"Subject to the Jurisdiction Thereof"
They dig into the Supreme Court fight over birthright citizenship and unpack the fraught meaning of "subject to the jurisdiction." They analyze Trump’s primetime Iran messaging and its economic and strategic consequences. The conversation shifts to tight Senate fights in Maine and Texas and whether vibes or strategy win. Lighter moments cover trade effects, a teen who buys storage units, and reflections on moral tradeoffs.
62 snips
Mar 26, 2026 • 55min
Airplane Travel is a Nightmare
A lively take on why U.S. air travel is collapsing, from staffing shortages to runway mishaps and tangled politics. A deep dive into a Supreme Court fight over mail‑in ballot deadlines and the stakes for 2026 voting. New jury verdicts against major platforms spark discussion about legal theories to hold social media accountable for harms to children.
Mar 21, 2026 • 25min
Gabfest Reads | The Real Succession
Gabriel Sherman, investigative journalist and author of Bonfire of the Murdochs, digs into the Murdoch family’s rivalries and power plays. Short scenes cover Rupert’s manipulation of his children, the Nevada trust battle that reshaped control, and sketches of Elisabeth, Lachlan, and James. They compare Murdoch and Trump dynasties and debate whether the empire can survive Rupert’s exit.
46 snips
Mar 19, 2026 • 1h 5min
Degenerate Gambler
McKay Coppins, staff writer and author who tested sports betting firsthand for The Atlantic. He describes a $10,000 experiment that morphed into compulsive wagering. Short scenes show how early wins, industry tactics, and lax rules fuel addiction. Conversation also covers political indifference, legislative fights, athlete harassment, and the risks mobile betting poses to communities.
