

What Next | Daily News and Analysis
Slate Podcasts
The problem with the news right now? It’s everywhere. And each day, it can feel like we’re all just mindlessly scrolling. It’s why we created What Next. This short daily show is here to help you make sense of things. When the news feels overwhelming, we’re here to help you answer: What next? Look for new episodes every weekday morning. Get more of What Next with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus episodes of What Next and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or visit slate.com/whatnextplus for access wherever you listen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 20, 2021 • 21min
One Senator’s Decades-Long Fight for Universal Childcare
Patty Murray began her career in the Senate pushing for a landmark piece of legislation: the Family and Medical Leave Act. Now, nearly 30 years later, she’s putting her weight behind a plan to grant universal access to affordable childcare.Guest: U.S. Senator Patty Murray of Washington state. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 19, 2021 • 28min
A Cuomo Accuser on Watching Him Stay Put
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo faces two investigations regarding accusations of sexual harassment and a culture of bullying in his office. Despite multiple calls to resign, the governor has clung to his office, hoping to ride out the scandals. Guest: Karen Hinton, former press secretary and adviser to Andrew Cuomo.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 18, 2021 • 24min
Our Very Weird Economic Recovery
After the passage of Joe Biden’s big coronavirus stimulus package, economists expected to see a huge jobs report in May. In the end, only a quarter of the expected 1 million new jobs materialized. Why is that? And what are the chances that $1.9 trillion in stimulus funding is backfiring?Guest: Jordan Weissmann, Slate’s senior business and economics correspondentIf you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Davis Land, Danielle Hewitt, Elena Schwartz and Carmel Delshad. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 17, 2021 • 25min
Mask Off?
On Thursday, the CDC announced that unvaccinated people can go unmasked in most situations. The decision was followed with many private companies dropping their mask requirements but not everyone is ready to go barefaced just yet. Guest: Megan Ranney, ER Doctor at Brown Emergency MedicineIf you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 14, 2021 • 20min
How the World’s Great Vaccination Hope Crashed
The Serum Institute of India was supposed to supply vaccines not just to India, but to the entire Global South. Now, with cases surging, there aren’t nearly enough vaccines for India’s population, not to mention the many countries that are relying on it. How did such a successful institution come up so short? And what are the costs of that failure?Guest: Samanth Subramanian, senior reporter at QuartzHostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 14, 2021 • 20min
TBD | How the World’s Great Vaccination Hope Crashed
The Serum Institute of India was supposed to supply vaccines not just to India, but to the entire Global South. Now, with cases surging, there aren’t nearly enough vaccines for India’s population, not to mention the many countries that are relying on it. How did such a successful institution come up so short? And what are the costs of that failure?Guest: Samanth Subramanian, senior reporter at QuartzHostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 13, 2021 • 26min
The Palestinian Perspective
This week’s violence across Israel and the occupied territories points to a new era in Israeli-Palestinian relations. Palestinian observers find themselves wondering: Is it a changing diplomatic paradigm, thanks to a growing movement to acknowledge the human rights of Palestinians and find lasting peace? Or is it something more frightening, more deafening -- is it the beginning of unbridled war?Guests: Yousef Munayyer, a fellow at the Arab Center Washington, and Mariam Barghouti, a writer based in Ramallah. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 12, 2021 • 21min
Why Liz Cheney Had to Go
Does the looming ouster of a devoted Trump critic from House GOP leadership mean the party remains in thrall to the former president? Or does it just mean that Republican political leaders don’t want to keep talking about him?Guest: Eliana Johnson, Editor-in-chief at the Washington Free Beacon. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 11, 2021 • 27min
Arizona’s Bonkers Recount
A complete recount of ballots from the 2020 election is underway in Maricopa County, where Arizona Senate Republicans still question the results of the general election. There’s no timeline or budget for the manual audit, and election experts say this effort is highly prone to errors.Guest: Andrew Oxford, reporter for the Arizona Republic. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Davis Land, Danielle Hewitt, Elena Schwartz, and Carmel Delshad. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 10, 2021 • 33min
I Was a Teenager in a Syrian Prison
Omar Alshogre survived years of detainment in Syria when he was just a teenager. Now, he’s in the U.S. and is telling his story of survival so you don’t look away.Guest: Omar Alshogre, a Georgetown Student and the Director of Detainee Affairs at the Syrian Emergency Task Force.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Davis Land, Danielle Hewitt, Elena Schwartz, and Carmel Delshad. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


