What Next | Daily News and Analysis

TBD Tries... Vibe Coding

Sun, 05 Apr 2026 07:00:00 GMT

One of artificial intelligence’s most hyped “abilities” is how it writes computer code. So much so that seemingly anyone can do it. So we figured… why not us?

Guests:

Greg Lavalee, Slate’s Chief Technology Officer.

Clive Thompson, contributing writer for the New York Times

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Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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Why Everyone Is Freaking Out About Private Credit

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 07:00:00 GMT

In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, private credit or “shadow banking” grew as an alternative to the regulations and shared risk that institutional banks operate within. What happens if a crisis hits the trillions of dollars that are outside of those guardrails? We may be about to find out.

Guest: Tracy Alloway, co-host of Bloomberg's Odd Lots podcast.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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

Trump Went to Court—But Left Early

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Even with Trump in attendance, it didn’t look like the Supreme Court was buying his administration’s attack on the 14th amendment and birthright citizenship. But how the justices decide the case could leave the door open for another, savvier attempt to overturn birthright citizenship in the future.

Guest: Jamelle Bouie, opinion columnist at The New York Times.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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We're in an Oil Crisis. Will Renewables Save Us?

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 07:00:00 GMT

The Iran war’s disruption to global oil supplies demonstrates another upside to switching to renewable energy sources. Instead, Europe is considering rolling back carbon regulations.

Guest: Catherine Rampell, economics editor at The Bulwark and anchor at MS NOW.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Where Insider Trading Becomes Treason

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

A flurry of activity in the oil-futures market, minutes before Donald Trump made a big announcement about not striking at Iranian infrastructure, has all the appearance of someone using classified national security information to turn a profit.

Guest: Paul Krugman, Nobel-Prize winning economist and author of paulkrugman.substack.com.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Hollywood vs. A.I. Slop

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 09:00:00 GMT

OpenAI is shutting down its video generator Sora less than six months after it launched, and just three months since it signed a deal with Disney. Is this an A.I. company fine tuning its offerings, or the long-awaited popping of the A.I. bubble?

Guest: Jason Koebler, cofounder of 404 Media.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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How to Rein in ICE and A.I.

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Artificial intelligence is working its way into every aspect of our lives, including law and immigration enforcement, and the industry is spending millions of dollars to ensure it can continue to do so unregulated. But as evidence of bias appears in this nascent tech, this congresswoman wants to ensure we’re not just recreating our historical biases and problems all over again—which is to say, she wants guardrails.

Guest: Summer Lee, U.S. representative for Pennsylvania’s 12th district.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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Social Media’s Big Tobacco Moment

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

What YouTube and Meta’s loss in the “social media addiction trial” could mean for your feed.

Guest: Ryan Mac, business and technology reporter for the New York Times.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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The Iran War Hits Your Pocket

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Trump’s unpredictability injects uncertainty into the economy, foreign policy, and everything else he touches. Even as his war messaging varies wildly moment to moment, the world economy is certain of one thing: it’s bad for the Strait of Hormuz to close.

Guest: Justin Wolfers, professor of economics at the University of Michigan.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Meanwhile in Cuba with Hasan Piker

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Leftist political commentator Hasan Piker feels the Democrats have missed an opportunity to articulate their opposition to Trump’s foreign policy—in Venezuela, Iran, and, from the sound of it, soon enough in Cuba, where Piker just visited.

Guest: Hasan Piker, political commentator on Twitch who recently joined the Nuestra América convoy to Havana, Cuba.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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How ICE Landed At Your Airport

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Kristi Noem is out, and Senator Markwayne Mullin is in (in theory) as the new DHS secretary. Mullin tried to strike a softer tone during his confirmation hearing, nodding towards rolling back controversial policies like entering homes without a judicial warrant—but his reputation as a Senate-floor brawler raises questions about whether that’s just rhetoric. Meanwhile, the partial government shutdown, ongoing since February 14, continues to affect the department, including causing disruptions to airport services.

What do all these developments signal about the direction that DHS is heading?

Guest: Nick Miroff, staff writer for The Atlantic covering immigration.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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You Mailed in Your Ballot. Will It Count?

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

The argument against counting mail-in ballots that arrive after election day is going to involve Supreme Court-pleasing “originalist” language, but is the case really just another way to say that Trump should have beaten Joe Biden in 2020?

Guest: Jay Willis, editor-in-chief of Balls & Strikes.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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War Dot Com

Sun, 22 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Why Palantir cofounder and CEO Alex Karp views working with Western militaries not just as a business opportunity, but as a higher calling.

Guest: Jacob Silverman, journalist and author of “Gilded Rage: Elon Musk and the Radicalization of Silicon Valley.”

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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Hank Green Still Believes

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Hank Green recently pulled a “reverse OpenAI” - he took his education platform Complexly and made it a nonprofit. In a world where outrage, A.I. slop and “brain rot” are all heavily incentivized by platforms, Hank explains why he’d rather make content that leans into the complexity of our world.

Guest: Hank Green, YouTuber, half of Vlogbrothers, host of Crash Course and SciShow and founder of VidCon and Complexly.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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Trump Says We Won. This Former Rep Says We’re Trapped.

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 09:00:00 GMT

The war in Iran is either already over, or almost over, or going to continue until Trump feels it is over in his bones? If you’re Congress, what are you supposed to do with that?

Guest: Adam Kinzinger, former Republican Congressman for Illinois’s 11th and 16th districts, Jan 6 Committee member, former lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Thousands Are Fleeing War in Lebanon. She Flew There.

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Israel and America’s war with Iran has spread, leading to the displacement of nearly 20 percent of people in Lebanon. What does that look like on the ground—and how will the conflict end?

Guests:

Basma Alloush, Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa at the International Rescue Committee.

Joshua Keating, senior correspondent at Vox.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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The GOP Plan to Kill Your Vote

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

The Republican-led Senate prepares this week to tackle an issue that’s very important to the president, his diehards, and hardly anyone else: passing the SAVE Act in order to force people to prove citizenship before voting.

Guest: Ari Berman, national voting rights correspondent for Mother Jones.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Bombing Iran...for Jesus?

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 09:00:56 GMT

If no other explanations for the Iran War seem satisfying, have you considered that the point is to bring about the end of the world and the return of Jesus Christ? The people in power have.

Guest: Tim Dickinson, senior writer and editor at The Contrarian.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Why He Sued Roblox

Sun, 15 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

A half dozen state attorneys general have sued the online gaming platform Roblox after multiple investigations found child predators on the site and more than 20 people were arrested for abducting or abusing children they had met via Roblox.

Guest: Mike Hilgers, Nebraska Attorney General.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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SchadenFriday: A Timothée Chalamet Ballet Melee

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 17:00:00 GMT

On this week’s Slate Plus exclusive, Timothée Chalamet enters the pas de deux between an Oscar-nominated actor and a public itching for a villain. But as one Gen Z star’s public approval goes down, another’s rises, on the strength of a “bixie.”

Guest: Nadira Goffe, Slate culture writer.

This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock exclusive episodes of What Next —you’ll also access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Are We Ready for A.I. Warfare?

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Drone warfare has evolved immensely since Ukraine. The use of artificial intelligence in combat has evolved just since Venezuela.

Guest: Steven Feldstein, political scientist and senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in the Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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No, Really, Why Are We At War?

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Is the Strait of Hormuz safe? Is the U.S. going to put boots on the ground? Did we obliterate Iran’s nuclear facilities? And why are we at war with Iran… at all?

Guest: Tommy Vietor, political commentator on Pod Save America and Pod Save the World, spokesman for Obama and the National Security Council in 2011 and 2012.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Iran’s New Nepo Ayatollah

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Who is the new supreme leader of Iran, and how does he differ from his predecessor father?

Guest: Graeme Wood, staff writer at The Atlantic and a lecturer in political science at Yale.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Her Film Is an Oscar Nominee. It Almost Didn’t Make it to the U.S.

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Nominated for Best International Feature Film at this year’s Academy Awards, The Voice of Hind Rajab uses audio from the actual emergency call with a five-year-old girl in Gaza who was killed by Israeli forces in January 2024.

Guest: Kaouther Ben Hania, director of the Oscar-nominated film, The Voice of Hind Rajab.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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The DOJ Is Trying Protesters As Terrorists. Will They Win?

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

A July ICE protest ended with a police lieutenant shot, 19 people arrested and nine people now on trial. For Trump’s Department of Justice, it’s a chance to see how calling groups “domestic terrorist organizations” performs in a courtroom.

Guest: Leeja Miller, lawyer and YouTuber based in Minneapolis.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Why Hollywood Is Afraid of the Paramount-WBD Deal

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

How does Paramount, an old-guard studio and media institution, buying Warner Bros., another of the same, change the landscape in Hollywood, on cable, and in news?

Guest: Julia Alexander, media correspondent for Puck News.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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War in Iran, Shockwaves in Markets

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 08:00:00 GMT

When you’re sending troops to war, it seems like there are more important things to consider than how it will impact the stock market. However, it doesn’t seem coincidental that this administration waited until the markets closed on a Friday to launch its attacks on Iran.

Guest: Justin Wolfers, professor of economics and public policy at the University of Michigan

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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Can Iranians Rise Up? He Already Tried

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 08:00:55 GMT

As recent demonstrations showed, a sizable segment of the Iranian people already opposes the regime. But when President Trump told them to “take over your government,” it seems unlikely he considered how the regime responded to those protests, or other movements for a more open Iranian society.

Guest: Kian Tajbakhsh, visiting assistant professor at New York University, lecturer at Columbia University, who works on the Committee on Global Thought and in the School of International and Public Affairs.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Nancy Guthrie Is Missing. The Internet Isn't Helping.

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 08:00:00 GMT

How the attention economy, distrust of all authority, and an actual crime turned a suburban Arizona street into the place to be for certain content creators.

Guest: Luke Winkie, Slate staff writer, author of the piece “The Haunting American Scene Unfolding Outside Nancy Guthrie’s House.”

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Can Democrats Mess With Texas?

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 08:00:00 GMT

After a Democrat flipped a state senate seat for a district that Trump had won by a large margin, both parties are closely watching today’s Texas primaries. What are they looking for, and what can the results tell us about the midterm elections this fall?

Guest: Bayliss Wagner, Texas politics reporter.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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The “Peace President” Goes to War

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Over the weekend, in the middle of the night, the Trump administration brought the United States into yet another Middle East war.

Guest: Shane Harris, staff writer at The Atlantic covering national security and intelligence

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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TBD Tries… Wearables

Sun, 01 Mar 2026 08:00:00 GMT

How much would it change your life and approach to health if you had instant access to your quantified biometrics? RFK Jr. and the Department of Health and Human Services have bet the difference would be huge, and loosened regulation on them—leaving TBD no choice but to strap in and give ‘em a try.

Guests:

Nadira Goffe, Slate staff writer.

Mario Aguliar, health tech correspondent for Stat News

Dr. Sandeep Kishore, associate professor at the University of California San Francisco

Dr. Jordana Cohen, associate professor of medicine and epidemiology at University of Pennsylvania.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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SchadenFriday: The Olympic Curler Who Called Out Trump

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Training for the Olympics is a Sisyphean task, but if you’re a curler, pushing a rock is kind of your thing. And who knows? Your big break might come in your 50s.

Guest: Rich Ruohonen, Minnesota curler (and lawyer) who represented the US in the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Anthropic vs. the Pentagon

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

The Pentagon wants Anthropic to hand over its A.I. with no strings attached. Anthropic doesn’t want its products used to surveil Americans or create autonomous machines of war.

Naturally, the Pentagon is mad - so mad, they’re threatening to invoke the Defense Production Act against them. But who has more leverage here?

Guest: Sheera Frenkel, reporter for the New York Times

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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How Hockey Got Drafted into the Culture Wars

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

The gay romance show Heated Rivalry brought an influx of attention to hockey, and gold-medal winning performances from both the women’s and men’s American teams seemed to be priming the NHL for a fresh, diverse group of fans. Then Kash Patel showed up in the men’s locker room.

Guest: Frankie de la Cretaz, writer at the intersection of sports, gender, culture, and queerness, author of Hail Mary: the Rise and Fall of the National Women’s Football League and Out of Your League newsletter.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Mexico’s Cartel War

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

With President Trump’s urging and support from CIA drones, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s more confrontational approach to the drug cartels culminated in the death of “El Mencho,” the most wanted man in both Mexico and the United States.

Guest: León Krauze, Mexican journalist and author covering politics and the cartels.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

She's Skipping the State of the Union

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Why a number of Congressional Democrats are skipping tonight’s State of the Union address—and why some are still going.

Guest: Congresswoman Veronica Escobar, representing Texas's 16th Congressional District in El Paso.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Does Legal Immigration Still Exist?

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Counter to claims that immigrants just need to come to America “the right way,” DHS has begun using the department that administers legal immigration to arrest, detain, and deport people—including those who are following the law.

Guest: Jonathan Blitzer, staff writer at the New Yorker and author of Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here: The United States, Central America, and the Making of a Crisis.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

The Future of Retail is A.I.

Sun, 22 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

You might not think you need artificial intelligence added to your shopping experience. Store employees might not see the point either. So why is it there anyway?

Guest: Mia Sato, reporter at The Verge who covers tech companies, platforms, and users.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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

The A.I. Disruption Is Here

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Tech companies proudly touting that the imminent artificial intelligence revolution are pushing the stock market to ever higher heights, even as workers wonder what their role will be in this brave new world. But outside of the big A.I. players, the rest of the market seems to be wondering the same thing.

Guest: Emily Peck, co-host of Slate Money and national correspondent at Axios.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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

Preview: Epstein, the Ex-Prince, and Consequences

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 20:20:07 GMT

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew, was arrested after a release of Epstein files revealed he had allegedly shared confidential trade reports with the financier.

Guest: Imogen West-Knights, Slate contributing writer.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Stephen Colbert Vs. CBS

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

From the hundreds of Washington Post staffers fired, to Anderson Cooper leaving 60 Minutes, to Stephen Colbert and his own network fighting in public, Trump’s return to the White House is transforming legacy media into something less antagonistic to power—but also less capable of fulfilling its own self-described mission.

Guest: Oliver Darcy, journalist behind the Status substack.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

What Even Is Trump’s “Board of Peace”?

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Trump’s “Board of Peace” emerged from last year’s ceasefire negotiations to govern Gaza after the war. But since then, the board has evolved into a motley group of countries that are willing to pay a billion dollars to join a body that has Donald Trump as its chairman for life. They also have mostly stopped talking about Gaza.

Guest: Gregg Carlstom, Middle East Correspondent at The Economist.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Is She New Jersey’s AOC?

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

An activist and former political director for Bernie Sander’s presidential campaign shocked the field by winning a primary for a special congressional election. Now the favorite to win the solidly blue district, she’s actually excited to work with congressional moderates—and to keep pushing them.

Guest: Analilia Mejía, Democratic nominee for New Jersey's 11th congressional district special election

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Kids Sports Are Now Adult Driven—And Incredibly Expensive

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 10:00:29 GMT

Youth sports have grown into a $40-billion dollar per year industry, where eager parents shell out for private coaches, off-season practice, and travel leagues, in the hopes of giving their child a competitive edge.

Guest: Anna North, senior correspondent at Vox. She writes Kids Today, a newsletter about kids.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Trump Can’t Ruin These Olympics

Sun, 15 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

The Olympics are touted as a moment for the world to come together and celebrate sport and achievement and check their politics at the door—yeah right.

Guest: Justin Peters, Slate correspondent currently covering the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics and author of The Idealist: Aaron Swartz and the Rise of Free Culture on the Internet.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

SchadenFriday: The Week MAGA Turned Cringe

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 18:00:00 GMT

There was a moment, when the tech CEOs and media moguls were lining up to kiss Trump’s ring, when it looked like almost all the demographic arrows were pointing right, where it looked like Trumpism was, if not widely embraced, at least too big to be written off. After a year of Trump back in office, the culture cries out for Woke 2.0.

Guest: Brian Beutler, founder of Off-Message.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

The Senator Going After Data Centers

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Data centers are a hot issue - tech companies say they need them, but communities don’t want to be anywhere near them. Senator Van Hollen stops by the show to share his plan to address the rising costs of energy for consumers that data centers create, as well as his thoughts on ICE and the future of the Democratic Party.

Guest: Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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

No Really, Abolish ICE

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Democrats have a list of demands and reforms they want implemented before continuing to fund the Department of Homeland Security. But DHS doesn’t really need their approval to keep going.

Guest: Garrett Graff, journalist, historian, author of Doomsday Scenario.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

She Led the Trial Against Uber - and Won

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Although sexual assault and rape by rideshare drivers has been widely reported, Uber itself largely avoided legal liability until last week, when a jury decided the company had to pay $8.5 million to a woman who said she was raped by her Uber driver.

Guest: Sarah London, co-Lead and liaison counsel in the multidistrict litigation against Uber.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Markiplier Goes to Hollywood

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Markiplier has been entertaining millions of fans on YouTube for over a decade. But his new movie Iron Lung - which he self-financed, directed, wrote and acted in - was a smash at the box office, not on his YouTube channel. Is it proof that he’s more than a YouTuber? Or is it proof that Hollywood is thinking about the platform and its creators all wrong?

Guest: Mark Fischbach aka Markiplier, YouTuber, filmmaker and director of “Iron Lung.”

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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

Trump Starts the Steal

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Trump has called for elections to be “nationalized,” something neither the president, nor the federal government, has the authority to do. But as he’s already sent the FBI to raid Fulton County, Georgia’s election offices with director of intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and with the midterms on their way, it’s time to ask how much damage a vindictive president could do.

Guest: Ari Berman, voting rights reporter at Mother Jones.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Escape from a Scam Compound

Sun, 08 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Scamming attempts might seem to just come out of nowhere to suddenly appear in your WhatsApp, but a special economic zone in Laos has emerged as a hotbed of cryptocurrency schemes—where victims of human trafficking are trapped and forced to attempt more crime.

Guest: Andy Greenberg, senior writer for WIRED.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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

Elon 3.0

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

He’s discontinuing Tesla’s signature models, taking SpaceX public, and putting more chips on A.I. and robotics. As Elon Musk prepares for his next phase, will he rein in any of his excesses?

And in this week’s Plus segment: Elon in Epstein files.

Guest: Faiz Siddiqui, technology reporter for the Washington Post’s Business Desk, author of “Hubris Maximus: The Shattering of Elon Musk.”

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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

Bad Bunny Has Already Won The Super Bowl

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

What Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show means for Puerto Rico, Latin Americans in the U.S., and his haters.

Guest: Dr. Vanessa Díaz, associate professor of Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies at Loyola Marymount University and co-author of P FKN R: How Bad Bunny Became the Global Voice of Puerto Rican Resistance.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

He Reads the Epstein Files So You Don't Have To

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Another 3 million pages of the Epstein files were released last Friday, with more big names named, more redactions, and more information that should have been redacted left unredacted.

Guest: David Enrich, deputy investigations editor at the New York Times.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Meh-lania

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Melania, the documentary about the First Lady, is a lot like its subject: extremely expensive and fundamentally inscrutable.

Guest: Heather Schwedel, staff writer at Slate, author of “Unfortunately, I Have to Recommend You See Melania”.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

What ICE Doesn’t Want You to See

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 08:05:00 GMT

Congress is supposed to have a legal right to tour ICE detention centers and provide oversight on these facilities, where 32 people died in 2025. But this representative’s attempt to tour a facility in her New Jersey district led to her being charged with assaulting a federal officer and facing a 17-year prison sentence.

Guest: LaMonica McIver is the U.S. representative for New Jersey's 10th congressional district.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Why Dictators Take Out the Internet

Sun, 01 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

The Iranian government cut off nearly all internet access on January 8 as part of a crackdown on protestors, an example of why authoritarians attempt internet blackouts—and why they don’t always work the way authoritarians want them to.

Guest: Steve Feldstein, political scientist and senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in the Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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SchadenFriday: Greg Bovino, You’re Fired…from Minnesota

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 18:00:00 GMT

In the wake of the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti during Trump’s immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota, the closest thing to “accountability” we’ve seen is Border Patrol’s Gregory Bovino being sent back to California. It’s not enough but it’s something.

Guest: Rob Gunther, What Next senior producer.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Can Cell Phones Stop ICE?

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

In the immediate aftermath of the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota, federal authorities presented very different accounts of what happened from what videos from witnesses showed. Did having footage from multiple angles of each shooting make the truth clear?

Guests:

Jake Godin, researcher for Bellingcat.

Julia Angwin, investigative journalist, founder of Proof News and contributing opinion writer for New York Times.

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Sure Looks Like Another Government Shutdown

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 01:57:56 GMT

Just as public sentiment is turning on ICE and Border Patrol’s action in Minnesota, another spending bill is due in the U.S. Senate. Can the Democrats use the opportunity to put some restraints on Trump’s DHS?

Guest: David Dayen, executive editor of The American Prospect.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Are We Ready for the World Cup?

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

When the US won a bid to co-host the World Cup, Trump was midway through his first term. Eight years later, he’s back in office, and giving soccer fans eager to watch the tournament this summer good reasons to squirm.

Guest: Jon Arnold, sports journalist and author of the Getting CONCACAFed substack.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

How Immigration Enforcement Became So Violent

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

How ICE and Border Patrol’s mission became harassing the president’s personal enemies.

Guest: Radley Balko, journalist and the author of Rise of the Warrior Cop: The Militarization of America’s Police Forces and a Substack called The Watch.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Everyone Saw CBP Kill Alex Pretti

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Once again, federal agents have shot and killed a legal observer in Minneapolis. Once again, the shooting is on video. And once again, the Trump Administration has closed ranks around the officers. But could the fallout from Alex Pretti’s death be different? And Minnesotans want to know – when will the feds finally leave?

Guest: Will Stancil, lawyer and observer in Minneapolis

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

David Ellison, Eldest Boy

Sun, 25 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Having already taken over Paramount, David Ellison was vying to add Warner Bros. Discovery to his portfolio. Are his dad’s politics behind his drive to run Hollywood or is there something else going on?

Guest: Reeves Widemann, features writer at New York Magazine.

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

The Right’s Minneapolis Outrage Machine

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

The administration’s justification for their actions in Minneapolis owe a lot to the right-wing influencers—and they seem happy to keep this vicious cycle rolling onto California next.

Guest: Will Sommer, journalist for the Bulwark.

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

President TACO’s Greenland Gambit

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Donald Trump isn’t one for clear policy objectives, but one of his top priorities, apparently, is making Greenland part of the United States–even at the expense of alienating our allies.

Guest: Joshua Keating, senior correspondent at Vox covering foreign policy.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

SCOTUS Might Actually Let Trans Kids on the Field

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

The Supreme Court heard arguments over state-level bans on trans athletes competing in public schools last week. Though it’s hard to imagine the conservative-majority court calling the bans “discriminatory,” trans athletes and allies have reason to hope for a narrow ruling, rather than an expansion of the existing laws.

Guest: Kate Sosin, LGBTQ+ reporter for The 19th.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Care and Feeding | The World Is On Fire. How Do We Tell the Kids?

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

While the What Next team takes the holiday, enjoy this episode from our colleagues at Care and Feeding, featuring a familiar voice. What Next will be back with a new episode tomorrow.

On this episode: Lucy Lopez, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Zak Rosen have been trying to stay on top of the news…but they’re getting bogged down and worried about it impacting their kids. Luckily What Next host Mary Harris’s literal job is keeping up on the news, and she’s got kids of her own. So, they all sit down to talk about how much to share with the kids, how to stay informed but still show up for the kids, ways to moderate your own anxiety, and so much more.

But first, they share their latest triumphs and fails. Mary comes in with a win during the college admission process; Lucy almost crashes a birthday party (but she DOESN’T…so it’s a win); Zak takes his daughter to roller derby; and Elizabeth says yes to a choral concert.

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Video production by Micah Phillips.

Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.

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Minnesota’s AG Will See ICE in Court

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Attorney General Keith Ellison is one of the few top Minnesota officials not being investigated by the DOJ… yet. We ask him why, talk about charges for Jonathan Ross, and ask what it’ll take to get ICE out of Minneapolis.

Guest: Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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ChatGPT, MD

Sun, 18 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Doctors are already using artificial intelligence to take notes while with patients—but are large language models ready to consult?

Guest: Brittany Trang, health tech reporter for Stat News.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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

Bonus SchadenFriday: How a Lefty Journalist Stumbled Into an ICE Job

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 18:00:00 GMT

She just wanted to report on an ICE recruiting session. She didn’t expect to get a job offer.

Guest: Laura Jedeed, journalist who wrote “You’ve Heard About Who ICE Is Recruiting. The Truth Is Far Worse. I’m the Proof” for Slate.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

How and Why to Vaccinate Now

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Where do you turn for vaccination advice for your kids—or yourself—when the government’s own recommendations can’t be trusted anymore?

Guest: Dr. Lauren Hughes, board-certified pediatrician, science communicator, and author of “The Public Hughesletter.”

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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

Would You Die To Stop ICE?

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

The Episcopal bishop of New Hampshire went viral for telling clergy to have their affairs in order as they prepare to defend the most vulnerable, at a prayer vigil for Renee Good. He says, “I’ve said nothing new that I have not said in 35 years of ordained ministry.”

Guest: Bishop A. Robert Hirschfeld,10th Bishop in the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire serving since August 2012.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Should Congress Defund ICE?

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 08:10:00 GMT

Rep. Adam Smith is the ranking member of the House committee that’s supposed to have oversight on the Department of Defense—yes, that’s what he still calls it. But from strikes on Venezuela to ICE surges in Minneapolis, “oversight” isn’t a key function of Congress these days.

Guest: Rep. Adam Smith, ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, representative from Washington’s Ninth District.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

The Case for a Blue Wave

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Midterm elections are typically bad for the president’s party. Given how Trump’s second term is going, do the Democrats have a chance to do something historic?

Guest: David Faris, politics professor at Roosevelt University and a contributing writer for Slate.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Emperor Trump Wants Greenland

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Is Trump genuinely interested in expanding America’s borders or is this all just to further their mission of “looking tough online”? For the people surprised to suddenly find themselves on America’s bad side, does it matter?

Guest: Jonathan M. Katz, journalist and the author of Gangsters of Capitalism: Smedley Butler, the Marines, and the Making and Breaking of America’s Empire and author of theracket.news newsletter.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

How Grok Filled X With Deepfake Porn

Sun, 11 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

To kick off the new year, users on X have been asking Grok to nudify people - and kids - at an astonishing rate. And X leadership is egging them on.

Guest: Jason Koebler, founder of 404 Media and host of the 404 Media Podcast

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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Betting on Venezuela

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

While the U.S. was busy capturing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, someone online was busy placing bets on prediction markets on the ouster. And these well-timed bets may have netted a still-anonymous someone more than $400,000. Was this a case of kind-of-legal insider trading? Or is America going all-out on its efforts to make everything a casino?

We’re going to be talking to pediatrician Dr. Lauren Hughes about the major changes to the CDC vaccine schedule. We want your questions! Hit us up via email at whatnextTBD@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-582-0091.

Guest: Alex Kirshner, Slate contributing writer

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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

Everyone Saw ICE Kill Renee Good

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

After the Trump administration launched a massive Immigrations and Customs Enforcement operation in Minnesota, protesters gathered to defend immigrant neighbors. Renee Nicole Good, a mother of a six year old, showed up with her wife and dog to film altercations between officers and community members. What happened next changed everything.

Guest: Jon Collins, senior reporter on the Minnesota Public Radio News race, class and communities team.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

The Scandal That Took Down Tim Walz

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

How a mixture of real investigations, wild allegations, evidence of actual fraud, and the right-wing echo chamber ended Tim Walz’s governor campaign in Minnesota.

Guest: Deena Winter, Minneapolis City Hall reporter for the Star Tribune.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

The Jan 6ers: Where Are They Now?

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

The investigation into the 2021 attack on the Capitol was the largest in FBI history. Then Trump came back into office—and started undoing it.

Guest: Ryan Reilly, reporter covering the Justice Department and federal law enforcement for NBC News, author of Sedition Hunters: How January 6th Broke the Justice System.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Don’t Call It a Regime Change

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

The Trump administration has a handful of answers to the question “Why did the United States pluck Nicolás Maduro from Venezuela?”—it was for narcoterrorism, or payback, or just oil. They’re even less clear about what’s going to happen with the country now.

Guest: Shane Harris, staff writer covering national security and intelligence for the Atlantic.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Are We Over the Moon?

Sun, 04 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

The Trump administration wants NASA to land astronauts on the moon by 2027. They also want them to do it with their budget slashed, a leadership carousel and competing views that Mars is more important.

Guest: Joel Achenbach, freelance journalist and author of Moondoggle

If you want to support more of this reporting, in 2026 and beyond, consider signing up for Slate Plus. You’ll enjoy ad-free listening across the Slate network, early access to tickets for live events, and you’ll never hit the paywall on the site. Visit Slate.com/whatnextplus to sign up.

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Bonus: What It’s Going to Take

Fri, 02 Jan 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Host Mary Harris appeared on stage a few weeks back to speak in response to a night of “Resistance Theater,” considering how she, as a journalist, is preparing to meet this political moment.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

2025: Dystopian Tech of the Year

Fri, 02 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Artificial intelligence boosters spent the year wedging the tech into our lives – whether we wanted it or not. But one new product brought A.I. from every app and website into the meatspace, forcing you to face it eye-to-eye.

Guest: Nitish Pahwa, staff writer at Slate covering business and technology

Want more What Next: TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/tbdplus to get access wherever you listen.

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2025: The Music of the Year

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 08:05:00 GMT

2025 might not have been a great year —but the music sure was stellar.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

2025: The Advice of the Year

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

With rising authoritarianism, terrifying speech crackdowns, and violence in the streets, this year we found ourselves turning to our friends over at How To for advice on finding peace and excitement in our lives.

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2025: The Movie(s) of the Year

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

If you were to sum up 2025 in a film, which would you pick? The question that nearly wrecked the brain of Slate’s chief movie critic.

Guest: Dana Stevens, Slate’s movie critic.

Dana’s ten best movies of 2025.

Her review of Sinners.

And her review of One Battle After Another.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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2025: The Game of the Year

Mon, 29 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Canada and the United States usually have a pretty good-natured sports rivalry—but from hockey to baseball, that was not the case in 2025.

Guest: Alex Kirshner, contributing writer at Slate, co-host of Hang Up and Listen and the Split Zone Duo podcasts.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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2025: The Meme of the Year

Sun, 28 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

With so much online content, it can be hard for a meme to stay in the collective consciousness for more than a few days. But one meme this year managed to capture seemingly everyone’s attention - and challenge the definition of a meme altogether.

Guest: Kate Lindsay, host of Slate’s ICYMI podcast.

We’re on a mission to get 100 people to join Slate Plus before the new year—and we’re even offering a 50-percent-off deal to folks who join us right now. Visit Slate.com/whatnextplus and use the code TBD50 to get a year of Slate Plus for $59.

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Is the A.I. Bubble Bursting? | 2025 in Review

Fri, 26 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

All this week, What Next and What Next: TBD are re-airing some of our favorite conversations from throughout the year and checking back with the people in those conversations to see how things have – or haven’t – changed. This episode originally aired in September.

We’ve been told that artificial intelligence can write, code, generate images—it can do everything…except feasibly turn a profit. But investing in A.I. has nevertheless become a pillar of the U.S. economy. Where is this leading us?

Guest: Ed Zitron, author of the newsletter Where’s Your Ed At and host of the podcast Better Offline.

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A Rabbi’s Plea for Peace | 2025 in Review

Thu, 25 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

More than a thousand rabbis and Jewish leaders have signed a letter calling for Israel to end “the use and threat of starvation as a weapon of war.” This New York rabbi, who has felt a connection to Israel her whole life, explains why she signed.

Guest: Sarah Reines, rabbi at Temple Emanu-El in Manhattan.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Gutting Our National Parks | 2025 in Review

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

From the Statue of Liberty to the Golden Gate Bridge, and places in between like Yellowstone and the site of the Battle of Gettysburg, the National Park Service has been a point of American pride since its inception. And with a small budget and actually generating revenue, even fiscal hawks had no reason to complain.

So why is the Trump administration cutting their budget?

Guests:

Jon B. Jarvis,18th director of the National Parks.

Kevin Heatley, former superintendent of Crater Lake National Park, Oregon.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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He Wrote About Anti-Fascism—Then Fled the Country | 2025 in Review

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

In an executive order, Donald Trump declared “Antifa” a terrorist organization. As it isn’t an organization, there aren’t leaders to target, so zealous conservatives took aim at Mark Bray, a Rutgers professor who wrote a book about fighting fascism eight years ago. The clumsy attempts to get him fired didn’t bother him—but the doxxing and death threats were enough to convince him he needed to leave America.

Guest: Mark Bray, assistant teaching professor at Rutgers, author of Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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The Flight Attendant Who Wants You to Go on Strike | 2025 in Review

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

The Trump administration’s actions on immigration and firing the federal workforce have drawn condemnation from all sorts of unions—from building trades to graduate students. What happens when labor speaks as one?

Guest: Sara Nelson, international president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL–CIO.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, Isabel Angell, and Rob Gunther.

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We Made a Memecoin | 2025 in Review

Sun, 21 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Memecoins are a niche type of cryptocurrency with no intrinsic value. But they remain a popular form of crypto, as seen earlier this year with President Trump’s own memecoin. And if it worked for him, then why not our little podcast?

Guests:

Azeem Khan, advisor to UNICEF’s crypto fund and cocreator of the blockchain Morph.

Nitish Pahwa, Slate staff writer covering business and tech.

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Bonus: SchadenFriday: Spewing Bile and Susie Wiles

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 18:00:00 GMT

Is the president falling into the very trap that launched him back into office by telling people the economy is actually great when they say it isn’t? Is this partially ballroom’d White House as chaotic as its detractors—and Trump’s chief of staff—say it is?

Guest: Ben Jacobs, political reporter based in Washingon.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Data Center Space Race

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

While the A.I. boom has created a data center boom, rich guys are turning their computing dreams to the skies. With its impending IPO, SpaceX stands to lead the extraterrestrial data center boom. Will it work out for Elon and company?

Guest: Eric Berger, space reporter at Ars Technica

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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Why Antisemitism Is Everywhere

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

It’s not that antisemitism ever went away, but it’s still jarring to watch people spread its oldest and most vile tropes on social media in a way that would’ve been unthinkable ten years ago.

Guest: Isaac Saul, politics reporter in Bucks County, Penn., author of the Tangle newsletter

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

The Unaffordable Economy

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Even though the economy looks to be slowing down, prices are still rising. And while presidents don’t have a ton of control over the economy, there is something in Donald Trump’s power that could help reverse these trends.

Guest: Catherine Rampell, economics editor at The Bulwark and anchor at MS NOW.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Candace Owens at a Turning Point

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s murder, the right-wing commentator Candace Owens didn’t simply blame liberals. Her antisemetic conspiracy theories have become so toxic that Kirk’s widow has called for a private summit this week.

Guest: Will Sommer, senior reporter for The Bulwark.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

The Boot Camps Treating Kids’ Pain

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Are “boot camp” clinics that treat kids and teenagers with chronic pain symptoms helping or inflicting more damage on patients who have trouble advocating for themselves?

Guest: Isobel Whitcomb, science journalist based in Portland, Oregon.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Whole Shopping List

Sun, 14 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Whole Foods based its brand on a certain standard of quality—but there are some things that shoppers nevertheless want. Amazon believes it has found a way to keep the shelves looking like Whole Foods, while getting you the Tide PODS and Cheez-Its you deeply desire.

Guest: Peyton Bigora, staff reporter for Grocery Dive

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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Ready for Chatbot Canvassers?

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

The good news is voters are more persuaded by factual claims than emotional appeals or appeals to fear. But the bad news is that A.I. chatbots, trying to convince you, will keep making factual claims long after it runs out of actual facts.

Guest: David Rand, professor of information science, marketing and psychology at Cornell University

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His Mom Got Deported. Then He Went Viral.

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Today’s TikTok influencers share every aspect of their lives: from their morning routines, to getting ready to go out, to their parents being detained and eventually deported by ICE.

Guest: Tony Vara, TikTok creator @itonyvara

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

The Fight Over The Future of Movies

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Last Friday, Netflix announced that they would be acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery, a massive megamerger that would let the number one streaming service acquire the third biggest streamer (HBO Max), the entire Warner Bros. film catalog, its cable channels, and the Discovery+ streaming service. But before any shareholders could celebrate, Paramount Skydance, the megaconglomerate led by the Trump-favored Ellison family, launched a hostile takeover. Which company will emerge victorious here…will the biggest loser be the cinephile consumer?

Guest: Nitish Pahwa, Slate staff writer covering business and tech.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Healthcare Is Expensive. It’s About To Get Worse.

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 08:01:00 GMT

This week, Senate Democrats will hold a vote on extending expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits to try to prevent health insurance premiums from skyrocketing for millions of Americans. That vote is basically guaranteed to fail.

Where did these credits come from, and what’s likely to happen when they (almost) inevitably lapse?

Guest: Julie Rovner, chief Washington correspondent for KFF Health News and host of the podcast “What the Health?”

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

It’s the Alt-Right’s GOP Now

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 20:05:00 GMT

Ten years ago, the alt-right’s talking points about immigration used to be too toxic to even post on the internet under your own name. So how did they turn into something President Trump regularly fires off on social media?

Guest: Zack Beauchamp, senior correspondent for Vox.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

ChatGOP?

Sun, 07 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Donald Trump—or at least the tech guys who have his ear—is ready to clear the regulatory runway for A.I. but other Republicans aren’t too sure. Can he bring them around? Or will the bubble burst first?

Guest: Gerrit De Vynck, tech reporter for the Washington Post.

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SchadenFriday Plus: Feelin’ Nuzzi

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 18:00:00 GMT

Olivia Nuzzi’s book, American Canto, is out. Somehow it discloses almost nothing and also way, way too much.

Guest: Scaachi Koul, Slate senior writer.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

The AI & Crypto Czar’s Conflicts

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

A tech mogul who made bank from Paypal with his Stanford buddies and has endeared himself to right-wing politicians and enriched himself the same way? No not him; this one’s South African..no, not him either.

Guest: Ryan Mac, reporter for the New York Times.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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The Year of Vaccine Backsliding

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Today, the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee will be meeting to vote on recommendations for childhood vaccinations. But under RFK Jr.’s leadership, this committee looks much different now than it did a year ago.How is the impact from the HHS secretary being seen across America today?

Guest: Dr. Paul Offit, Director of the Vaccine Education Center and professor of pediatrics in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Pardon Me, Mr. President

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Some presidents use their pardons for large groups of people. Some presidents use them for personal reasons. If you were to sum up Donald Trump’s use of the power of the pardon, the only word for it is “brazen.”

Guest: Benjamin Wallace-Wells is a staff writer at The New Yorker.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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A Textbook Example of an Unlawful Order

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Just after the Trump administration threw a fit over a video reminding the military that they have an obligation to refuse unlawful orders, the Washington Post published reporting alleging the orders to blow up a boat in the Caribbean on Sept. 2 were in fact patently unlawful.

Guest: Steven J. Lepper, retired Air Force major general and former deputy legal counsel to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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What Kids Aren't Learning About US History

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Conservatives have long complained that teaching American history with slavery and genocide and systemic oppression is just too negative, and the Trump administration has gone as far as attacking the Smithsonian for focusing too much on “how horrible our country is.” But omitting the shameful aspects of America’s past doesn’t just distort history—it impairs our ability to understand the present.

Guest: Clint Smith, staff writer at The Atlantic and author of How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning With the History of Slavery Across America and the new poetry collection Above Ground.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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If You Give A.I. a Nuke

Sun, 30 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

As the U.S. upgrades and updates its defense and military systems, the question isn’t whether A.I. will be integrated, but where, how much, and how much decision-making are we ceding to the machine?

Guest: Josh Keating, senior correspondent at Vox and a fellow at the Outrider Foundation where he’s reporting on nuclear weapons and AI.

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Rebroadcast: Dupes!

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Note: This episode was originally published on July 27, 2025.

There’s an entire economy devoted to seeing what products are trending—clothing, skin care, even Greek Islands—and delivering you a cheaper knock-off to buy.

Guest: Mia Sato, reporter for The Verge

Podcast production by Evan Campbell and Patrick Fort.

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Decoder Ring | Cozy Autumn Mysteries

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

While the What Next team works their way from preparingfood to sleeping it off, enjoy this episode on fall’s flavorful favorites fromour friends at Decoder Ring. We’ll be back to regular programming on Sunday.

Autumn may have more cozy signifiers than any otherseason—though we all have our own favorites. Maybe for you it’s sweaterweather, football games, spooky season, apple picking, leaf peeping, ormainlining candy corn. Whatever it is, in today’s episode we’re looking closely at three of these autumnal staples.

First, we get to the bottom of a recurring complaint about the taste of the pumpkin spice latte. Then we gaze deep inside the enigma hiding inside colorful fall leaves. Finally we ask some hard-hitting questions about the seasonal availability of an elusive cookie. Snuggle up and enjoy!

In this episode, you’ll hear from author and podcaster Don Martin who has a new audiobook out about loneliness called Where Did Everybody Go?. We also speak with Simcha Lev-Yadun, professor of botany andarcheology; Susanne Renner, botanist and honorary professor ofbiology at Washington University in St. Louis; and Prospect Park Alliance arborist Malcolm Gore. And you’ll also hear from Lauren Tarr, who runs the blog Midlife Moxie and Muscle, and her mother Grace Dewey, along with Caroline Suppiger, brand manager at Mondelēz.

We’d also like to thank Brian Gallagher, Tom Arnold, SylvieRusso, and Laura Robinson.

This episode was produced by Katie Shepherd. Decoder Ringis also produced by Willa Paskin, Max Freedman, and Evan Chung, our supervising producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

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Why You Can't Avoid Wicked

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

With the release of Wicked: For Good, spectacle is back in theaters and back on the press circuit: Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are again “holding space” along with each other’s individual fingers and other quirks they picked up along the way. This is, apparently, how movies are promoted now.

Guest: Michael Schulman, staff writer at The New Yorker and the author of Oscar Wars: A History of Hollywood in Gold, Sweat, and Tears.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Could We Get Peace In Ukraine?

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

The Trump administration has announced a 28-point plan to end the war in Ukraine that involves ceding territory, giving up on joining NATO and reducing its military—in essence an extremely, even suspiciously, friendly deal for Russia and Russian demands.

How does Ukraine play this without losing a powerful ally or the war?

Guest: Fred Kaplan, Slate’s War Stories correspondent.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

How Planned Parenthood Got Defunded

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Between the drastic budget cuts and provisions in the Big Beautiful Bill, the Trump administration has found a way to drain Planned Parenthood and other reproductive health centers and cut off access to abortion services—as well as any other health care those clinics provided.

Guests: Shefali Luthra, reproductive health reporter at The 19th, author of Undue Burden: Life and Death Decisions in Post-Roe America.

George Hill, President and CEO of Maine Family Planning.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

The Surveillance Interstate

Sun, 23 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Tracking a license plate across the country has never been easier, which is good news if your car has been stolen, but in an era of ICE and Border Patrol raids, these warrantless searches feel increasingly invasive—and unconstitutional.

Guest: Joseph Cox, co-founder of 404 Media and host of the 404 Media podcast.

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Bonus: SchadenFriday: Are You Fitter Than an ICE Applicant?

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 18:00:00 GMT

You can have enough ICE recruits or you can have standards for the shape that they’re in, but you can’t have both—this was just one lesson Donald Trump could have learned this week, in between hosting a summit of McDonald’s franchise owners and calling a reporter “piggie.”

Guest: Rebecca Onion, Slate senior staff writer.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Crypto Keeps Criming

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Trump promised to stop the “persecution” of the cryptocurrency industry. He did call off the SEC investigations that began under Biden, and pardoned Binance cofounder and ex-CEO Changpeng Zhao. But is the crypto industry ultimately better off because of that?

Guest: David Yaffe-Bellany, tech reporter for the New York Times.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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

Who Killed the Penny? She Did.

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

People have been talking about how the penny is more trouble than it’s worth for 50 years—so why drop it now? And—other than having nothing to put in our loafers—will it be missed?

Guest: Caity Weaver, writer at The Atlantic.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Sudan on the Brink

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Ongoing civil war in Sudan has left tens of thousands dead, with millions displaced. A country of great natural resources, regional foreign governments have chosen sides—but foreign aid from the US that had mitigated some of the war’s damage is gone.

Guest: David Miliband, president and CEO of the International Rescue Committee, former UK foreign secretary 2007-2010.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Have the Epstein Files Broken MAGA?

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

You can’t really blame Donald Trump for thinking he could just handwave away the Epstein Files. But for the first time in what feels like forever, his base, the GOP, and his own desires don’t quite align.

Guest: Will Sommer, senior reporter at the Bulwark.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

The National Guard Is Asking Questions

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Trump can’t seem to decide if the National Guard is needed in American cities to stop violent crime, or to assist ICE deportations, or something else entirely. And the lack of a clear and present crisis is starting to make some Guard members uncomfortable.

Guest: Kat Lonsdorf, news reporter for National Public Radio.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

How Meta Profits Off Fraud

Sun, 16 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

The parent company of Facebook and Instagram, Meta, doesn’t (just) have a scam problem—with 10 percent of its revenue coming from scam ads, and a third of all successful scams in America using a Meta platform at some point, it’s more an interdependence with scammers.

Guest: Jeff Horwitz, tech reporter for Reuters.

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Data Centers on the Ballot

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

They don’t cut cleanly along party lines, but data centers, and where they get built, became an election issue in Virginia. With so many more data centers to build, are we looking at a new trend?

Guest: Margaret Barthel, reporter covering northern Virginia for WAMU.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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

Wikipedia Enters the Culture Wars

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Why would Elon Musk attempt to replace Wikipedia—which is already quite futuristic, utopian and accurate—with a faulty, hallucinatory A.I.-powered “Grokipedia”? Well, see, he called it “Wokepedia…”

Guest: Stephen Harrison, writer, tech lawyer, author of “Why Editing Wikipedia Is Becoming More Dangerous” for Slate and The Editors, a novel about Wikipedia.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

No, Women Didn't Ruin the Workplace

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

It didn’t take long to go from Beyoncé holding for applause in front of the word “FEMINISM” to a headline in the New York Times asking “Did Women Ruin the Workplace?” How long is this backlash going to last?

Guest: Danielle Kurtzleben, political correspondent at NPR.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

How To Lose a Government Shutdown

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

It has been the longest government shutdown on record. Why did the Democrats choose this moment—right after elections proved how unpopular Donald Trump and his policies truly are—to cave in and end it?

Guest: Jamelle Bouie, New York Times opinion columnist.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Is Special Ed Getting Left Behind?

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Children with disabilities' place in public schools—though legally mandated—has often been tenuous at best. Now the Trump Administration is targeting the department that oversees special ed. What does that mean for kids and their parents?

Guest: Pepper Stetler, author of A Measure of Intelligence: One Mother’s Reckoning with the IQ Test and professor at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Why Tesla Is Paying Elon a Trillion Bucks

Sun, 09 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Tesla shareholders just approved a trillion dollar (with a t!) pay package for Elon Musk. Is it enough incentive to keep him around the company and away from verbal spats with government officials? Because the whole Musk empire is still reeling from that dalliance.

Guest: Faiz Siddiqui, tech reporter at The Washington Post and author of Hubris Maximus: the Shattering of Elon Musk.

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Bonus: SchadenFriday | Muslim, Millennial, Mr. Mayor Mamdani

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 18:00:00 GMT

Well well well. Looks like being a truculent, aging sex pest who clearly hates the constituency he aspires to rule only works in national elections. In New York City, Zohran Mamdani overcame the longshot odds that came from being charismatic, energetic, and actually interested in government.

Guest: Aymann Ismail, Slate staff writer and author of “Mamdani’s Win Is a Reminder of What’s Possible.”

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

The Nick Fuentes Problem

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Nick Fuentes—an openly antisemitic, openly racist, openly sexist type who once was persona non grata in all but the unseemliest of online spaces—sat down with former Fox News star Tucker Carlson this week, setting off a debate between the “whoa whoa whoa, we’re not Nazis over here” branch of conservatives and the “well now, hold on a minute” wing.

Guest: Ali Breland, staff writer for The Atlantic and author of “The Firewall Against Nick Fuentes Is Crumbling.”

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Trump’s Tariffs Have a Constitution Problem

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Trump’s tariffs went before the Supreme Court this week and even the extremely accommodating Roberts court was having trouble seeing how the president’s vast and capricious application of tariffs is constitutional. But that doesn’t mean they’re going away.

Guest: Justin Wolfers, economist and professor at the University of Michigan.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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The Andrew Formerly Known as a Prince

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

How Virginia Giuffre’s accusations of a decade ago finally brought His Royal Highness Prince Andrew, Duke of York, down to simply Andrew.

Guest: Imogen West-Knights, Slate contributing writer.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

She Won the Election. The GOP Won’t Swear Her In.

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

She won a special election on Sept. 23 but still hasn’t been sworn into the House of Representatives—even though new members have been sworn in during government shutdowns in the past. What explains Speaker Mike Johnson’s now record-long delay?

Guest: Adelita Grijalva, representative-elect for Arizona’s 7th congressional district.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

The Redistricting Arms Race Is On

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Fearing a Democratic-led House of Representatives, Donald Trump set off a state-redistricting arms race when he asked Texas to find him five more safe GOP seats. This triggered California to go hunting for five more Democratic seats, and states like North Carolina and Missouri to search for other seats in the margins. But in some states, Trump’s demands are running into rare Republican resistance.

Guest: Ari Berman, voting rights reporter at Mother Jones.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Why Trump Keeps Pardoning Crypto Criminals

Sun, 02 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

President Trump pardoned Changpeng Zhao, the former CEO of Binance who had been convicted for violating anti-money laundering laws, after months of Zhao boosting Trump’s own crypto company. The crypto industry has really nailed the path to Trump’s heart: it was something Joe Biden didn’t like, and it feeds directly to the president’s bottom line.

Guest: Alex Kirshner, contributing writer at Slate.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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

Inside the Goonerverse

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

One legacy of the internet is the millions of subcultures that it helps flourish. Another is pornography—and lots of it. At a “gooner meet-up,” the two collide.

Guest: Daniel Kolitz, author of “The Goon Squad” for Harper’s Magazine.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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How Will We Feed Our Neighbors?

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Why SNAP benefits potentially won’t be replenished Nov. 1, and what happens to the people who depend on them to eat.

Guest: Dr. Lindsay Allen, health economist and policy researcher at Northwestern University.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

The Volunteers Taking on ICE

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Having successfully gotten their photo ops, the National Guard receded from the streets of Los Angeles, but an aggressive border patrol, with an eye on raising arrest numbers, has taken their place. In the South Bay, an activist group has formed to monitor where raids are happening, who’s conducting them, and try to help residents keep themselves safe.

Guest: Alexander Sammon, politics writer for Slate.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Where Sports Betting Got Us

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Last week, the FBI indicted more than 30 people in a series of NBA gambling scandals. The sports leagues are promising drastic action – but with everyone from the states to the owners getting rich off legal sports gambling, is the game rigged?

Guest: Jay Willis, editor-in-chief of Balls and Strikes.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Shutting Down and Finding Out

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Isn’t a government shutdown supposed to be a crisis? The Republicans, in control of the White House, Congress and Supreme Court haven’t taken steps to end it on their own, and the ship may have already sailed on the only real ask from the Democrats. So what now?

Guest: Jonathan V. Last, editor at The Bulwark.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Did The Trump Administration Censor Speech?

Sun, 26 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

For years, conservatives claimed that the Biden administration was pressuring tech companies to censor conservative speech with no solid evidence.

In Trump 2.0, the administration is explicitly bragging about doing the very same thing they accused democrats of. What gives?

Guest: Renée DiResta, Associate Research Professor at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown and author of “Invisible Rulers: The People Who Turn Lies into Reality”

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Bonus: The Scariest Halloween Costume

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 17:00:00 GMT

The streets are full of ghouls, masked horrors, and terrifying make-up—also it will be Halloween soon.

Guest: Luke Winkie, Slate staff writer.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

The AWS Outage is Only the Beginning

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

This week’s AWS outage illustrates just how fragile and vulnerable our interconnected world really is—and how far we’ve fallen from the vision of a decentralized internet.

Guest: Samanth Subramanian, author of “The Web Beneath the Waves: The Fragile Cables That Connect Our World.”

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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

Is the Peanut Allergy Dead?

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Thousands of children may be avoiding peanut allergies thanks to research indicating that early exposure to—rather than avoidance of—the legume is key. Now there’s reason to believe this is true for tons of allergens – and that the great “pandemic” of kid food allergies never needed to happen.

Guest: Dr. David Hill, attending physician with the Division of Allergy and Immunology at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and The Hill Lab.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Why So Many Racist Group Chats?

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Right after JD Vance was done dismissing concerns about racism in a group chat of GOP staffers and Young Republicans, POLITICO released messages from Trump nominee Paul Ingrassia that were so explicitly racist it may cost him the support of what has been an extremely compliant congressional GOP. And lest any vice presidents tell you otherwise, racism is as evident in policy proposals as it is in the chats.

Guest: David A. Graham, staff writer for The Atlantic.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

The Trump Doctrine in Latin America

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

The whole spectrum of Trump’s foreign policy is on display when it comes to South America: The US Navy is gathering off the coast of Venezuela, while the Treasury Department prepares to send tens of billions of dollars to Argentina.

Guest: Brian Winter, editor-in-chief of Americas Quarterly.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Are Democrats Already Fumbling a Win?

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Off-cycle elections generally favor the party that isn’t in the White House. And with a large voting bloc of federal employees, Virginia Democrats were feeling good about the upcoming elections for governor and attorney general. Then texts from their AG candidate hit the news.

Guest: Eva McKend, correspondent covering national politics for CNN.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Why Bands Are Leaving Spotify

Sun, 19 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Paying a fraction of a penny per stream and diminishing the value of music were bad enough for Xiu Xiu, but when Spotify owner Daniel Ek announced an investment in a German defense contractor, they decided it was time to take the music back.

Guest: Jamie Stewart, musician in the band Xiu Xiu.

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

Inside the MAGA Content Mill

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

As Trump throws out journalists and outlets that report anything negative about him, he’s limiting access to a group of right-wing influencers who work to further his agenda.

Guest: Makena Kelly, tech and politics writer for WIRED.

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

He Wrote About Anti-Fascism—Then Fled the Country

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Guest: Mark Bray, assistant teaching professor at Rutgers, author of Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Time for a Blue-State “Soft Secession”?

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

The government shutdown isn’t hitting everywhere equally—infrastructure projects that rely on federal funding have been halted exclusively in states that voted for Kamala Harris. Do blue states have any recourse against a federal government that only functions to punish them?

Guest: David Faris, associate professor of political science at Roosevelt University and the author of It’s Time to Fight Dirty: How Democrats Can Build a Lasting Majority in American Politics.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Everything’s Coming Up Bari

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Bari Weiss has had a successful media career by any metric, save perhaps for broad appeal. But as she takes over as the head of CBS News, the “mass” part of mass media doesn’t matter as much, and the new order of the day—pleasing a few angry old billionaires—is absolutely her sweet spot.

Guest: David Klion, columnist for The Nation and contributing editor to Jewish Currents; author of a forthcoming book on neoconservatism.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Amicus | Dear Justice Kavanaugh, “I’m American, Bro”

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

While the What Next team celebrates Indigenous Peoples’ Day, please enjoy this episode from our colleagues at Amicus, Slate’s legal podcast. Mary will be back with a new episode of What Next tomorrow.

In this week’s episode of Amicus, we delve into the recent Supreme Court shadow docket order in Noem v. Vasquez-Perdomo, which in essence legalized racial profiling by roving ICE patrols, and in practice may have ushered in America’s “show your papers” era for Americans with brown skin, who speak Spanish, and/or go to Home Depot in work clothes. Join Dahlia Lithwick and Ahilan Arulanantham, a longstanding human rights lawyer and law professor, as they unpack what this unargued, unreasoned, unsigned and (in Kavanaugh’s case) uncited decision means for both immigrants and U.S. citizens, for 4th amendment doctrine, and for the lower courts expected to parse SCOTUS’ tea leaves.

Want more Amicus? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes with exclusive legal analysis. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Amicus show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/amicusplus to get access wherever you listen.

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A.I. for Cops

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

At this very moment, police departments can gather more data than they have time to actually go through — audio and video from crime scenes, cell phone and search data, vast digital dragnets. This is where artificial intelligence comes in…as well as the civil rights questions.

Guest: Gerrit De Vynck, tech reporter for the Washington Post.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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Bonus: SchadenFriday: Portland Puts A Frog On It

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 17:00:00 GMT

As troops continue to roll in, unwelcome, to American cities, you can be forgiven for calling the national picture “pretty bleak.” But even now, the news will occasionally let you get off a chuckle or guffaw, even if it isn’t always from your better nature. It’s SchadenFriday; go ahead and indulge.

Guest: Alex Sammon, Slate feature writer.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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The People Suing ICE

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Though ICE, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services denied their Freedom of Information Act requests, these journalists aren’t giving up without a fight—not until they get their hands on a document that outlines how much information Medicaid is sharing with ICE.

Guest: Joseph Cox, cofounder of 404 Media.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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The People Joining ICE

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

ICE needs more agents to meet Trump’s promised deportation numbers. But is loosening standards and shortening training time to get more agents on the street a good idea, when ICE’s work is becoming more controversial, confrontational, and dangerous?

Guest: Robert Klemko, Washington Post reporter covering policing and criminal justice reform.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Inside the Portland “War Zone”

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

It’s clear President Trump wants to send troops to Portland, Oregon. But it’s not clear why—especially to people who live there.

Guests:

Isaac Stanley-Becker, staff writer for The Atlantic.

Elizabeth Lopatto, senior reporter at The Verge.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Is the Gaza Deal Real?

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

It’s been two years since Hamas attacked Israel and set off a devastating war. Since then, talks have fallen apart over and over again. Trump says – this time is different. But should anyone believe him?

Guest: Yair Rosenberg, staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of Deep Shtetl, a newsletter about the intersection of politics, culture, and religion.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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When You’re A Justice They Let You Do It

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

The Supreme Court is back in session, and conservative controlled body again has a docket full of cases that look like 6-3 wins for the Trump agenda.

Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, co-host of Amicus, and senior writer covering courts and the law for Slate.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Saudi Arabia Gets into EA’s Games

Sun, 05 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

How one of the largest video game companies was bought for $55 billion by a group that includes Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund and Jared Kushner.

Guest: Jason Schreier, Bloomberg reporter

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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Who Owns TikTok Now?

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

TikTok exploded to popularity not by giving users what they asked for—but by figuring out what users really were interested in, and serving that.

What happens to this algorithm if Bytedance cedes control of it to the U.S.?

Guest: Emily Baker White, senior writer at Forbes and the author of Every Screen on the Planet: The War Over TikTok

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Actually the Government Shut Down Months Ago

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Donald Trump’s theory of a government shutdown was that it would give him more power to fire federal employees, and cut benefits and healthcare. Of course, if you claim to be an all-powerful executive, aren’t people going to conclude that the shutdown is your fault?

Guest: David Dayen, executive editor of the American Prospect.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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The Department of War…From Within

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth summoned the military’s top brass from all over the world for a meeting to announce…they need to shave and get in shape? And then Trump followed with a speech about how he wants to deploy them in American cities and also Joe Biden sucks. Good talk, everybody.

Guest: Idrees Ali, national security correspondent for Reuters.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Trump’s Revenge Tour Is Here

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

The president’s case against James Comey doesn’t look very strong to outside legal observers. But even the most spurious accusation against the former head of the FBI would matter when it comes from the sitting president.

Guest: Ankush Khardori, senior writer for POLITICO Magazine and former federal prosecutor in the US Justice Department.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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The Gaza Flotilla That’s Under Attack

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

With Gaza cut off from food and aid, activists have taken matters into their own hands, and are attempting to circumvent Israel’s blockade themselves via the Mediterranean.

Guest: Zue Jernstedt, member of About Face: Veterans Against the War and participant on the Veterans Boat of the Global Sumud Flotilla.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Trapped in a Tesla

Sun, 28 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

When you’re getting out of an Uber, Tesla’s unintuitive door handle can embarrass you. In an emergency, getting out of the car quickly can be the difference between life and death.

Guest: Dana Hull, Bloomberg News reporter covering Tesla and Elon Musk

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Bonus: The Senator Calling Trump’s Bluff

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 17:00:00 GMT

The government runs out of money next Tuesday. Trump’s threatened “mass firings” if it shuts down. Earlier this year, Democrats played ball. But now, one Democratic Senator explains why he’s approaching things differently.

Guest: Chris Van Hollen, Democratic Senator from Maryland.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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How Trump Got Obsessed with Autism

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Why would Donald Trump rush to announce that Tylenol is a potential cause of autism, a claim unsupported by the research?

Guest: Dan Diamond, White House reporter for the Washington Post.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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Jimmy Kimmel Got His Job Back. She Didn’t.

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

The First Amendment prohibits Congress from making laws that abridge freedom of speech or of the press, but in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s murder, it’s clear that it doesn’t take a law to attack those rights.

Guest: Karen Attiah, former columnist for the Washington Post and former editor of the Post’s Global Opinions section.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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A Surgeon in Gaza’s “End Game”

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Over three different trips during the war, this doctor saw the chaos of blast injuries in northern Gaza give way to gunshot wounds suffered at aid-distribution sites in the south.

Guest: Dr. Mohammed "Adeel" Khaleel, minimally invasive and complex spinal surgeon with Texas Metroplex Institute for Sports Medicine & Orthopedic Surgery.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Trump’s Attack on Visas

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

American agriculture relies on foreign workers, and they rely on the H-2A visa program to work legally in the United States. Despite a growing number of people applying for visa spots, the Trump administration has proposed cutting the division of the Department of Labor that enforces H-2A rules, leaving workers to choose between being vulnerable to ICE or to exploitation.

Guest: Max Blau, ProPublica reporter covering health care, the environment, agriculture and immigration.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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How Big Media Obeys in Advance

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Media giants like Paramount and Disney have been swift to capitulate to the Trump administration and the tenacious head of the FCC, Brendan Carr. Why new ownership from the likes of the Ellisons is likely to make things worse.

Guest: Nitish Pahwa, staff writer for business and tech at Slate.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Is A.I. Taking Your Job?

Sun, 21 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

If you’re hunting for a job, the odds are increasingly likely you’ll have an interview with an artificial intelligence “recruiter.” And why not? It’s also increasingly likely you’ll be working with A.I. anyway.

Guest: Danielle Abril, technology-in-the-workplace reporter for the Washington Post.

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The Discourse | TikTok Ban: The Final Loop?

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 07:30:00 GMT

TikTok—which was supposed to be banned again on Wednesday but, again, isn’t—may be legal once more. The Trump administration says it’s meeting with Xi Jinping Friday to finalize the agreement, which may involve—get this—a wealthy Trump-supporting tech mogul.

Guest: Nitish Pahwa, staff writer for business and tech at Slate.

This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock exclusive episodes of What Next TBD—you’ll also access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.

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A Very Online Shooter

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

As the Charlie Kirk murder demonstrated, law enforcement, the government, and media all need more internet fluency. But their reactions in the wake of the murder don’t seem to be moving towards a better understanding.

Guest: Ryan Broderick, reporter on online culture, author of the newsletter Garbage Day.

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Trump’s Getting His Economy. Yikes.

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Donald Trump has been calling for the Fed to cut rates to bolster the economy, and yesterday, they announced they would. The bad news is that’s because the economy is going to need a lot more bolstering.

Guest: Justin Wolfers, economist and professor at the University of Michigan

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Can Kash Patel Survive This?

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

What happens to an organization when it purges much of its leadership and ranks irrespective of ability, and hires for sycophantic loyalty instead? The FBI is finding out.

Guests:

Michael Feinberg, former assistant special agent in charge at the FBI’s field office in Norfolk, VA, now a fellow at Lawfare.

Quinta Jurecic, staff writer at The Atlantic.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Who’s Winning the War on Higher Education?

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Conservatives have decried higher education as a center of liberal indoctrination for decades, and under the second Trump administration, colleges and universities are watching their federal funding be withheld or frozen, their presidents step down, and professors lose their jobs.

What can be done to wrest back academic freedom and independence from a vindictive administration?

Guest: Sarah Brown, senior editor of the Chronicle of Higher Education.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Hasan Piker Knew Charlie Kirk

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Hasan Piker was scheduled to debate Charlie Kirk at Dartmouth College later this month, a left-vs-right, Vidal-vs-Buckley for the streaming age. In the wake of Kirk’s shocking death, Piker wants to continue to be clear about who Kirk was, what he stood for, and the reactionary political project he was working to advance.

Guest: Hasan Piker, Twitch streamer and left-wing political commentator.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Her Daughter Killed Herself. Then She Saw the ChatGPT logs.

Sun, 14 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

After their daughter committed suicide, they found her ChatGPT log—and where artificial intelligence helped her write her suicide note.

Guest: Laura Reiley, writer for the Cornell Chronicle.

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Bonus: “We Got Him”

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 17:00:00 GMT

On Friday, authorities announced they had a suspect – and they sure seemed confident they “got him” (to quote Utah Governor Spencer Cox). Mary and Slatester Luke Winkie discuss the press conference – and what happens now.

Guest: Luke Winkie, Slate staff writer.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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You Can't Escape the Charlie Kirk Video

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Graphic, violent videos like the shooting of right-wing pundit Charlie Kirk circulate across social media moments after they happen, finding an audience even among people who have made no effort to seek them out.

Guest: Craig Silverman, journalist and cofounder of Indicator.

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How the Supreme Court Legalized Racial Profiling

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

How a Supreme Court decision from the shadow docket opens the door to racial profiling, creates a nightmare for millions of Latino Americans, and drains dwindling legitimacy from the court itself.

Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, senior writer covering courts and the law for Slate, and the co-host of Amicus.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Trump Blew Up 11 People. Is That Legal?

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Last week, Donald Trump announced the military had blown up what he said was a drug-smuggling boat. This week, we still don’t know why he believes the boat was full of smugglers.

But even if they were trafficking drugs, can the president legally blow up 11 people in international waters?

Guests: Shane Harris, staff writer covering national security and intelligence for The Atlantic.

Ana Vanessa Herrero, journalist based in Caracas, Venezuela and reporting on South America for the Washington Post.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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The Democrats Have Leverage. Will They Use It?

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

With Republicans holding both houses of Congress and the White House, Democrats don’t have a lot of ways to stall Donald Trump’s agenda—except for refusing to further fund the government and triggering a shutdown. They already passed on the opportunity once, but is the situation now so desperate that the opposition party needs to do something—anything?

Guest: Rep. Jamie Raskin, U.S. representative for Maryland's 8th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Can You Get a COVID Vaccine?

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s tenure as HHS Secretary has meant turmoil for the CDC: thousands of employees have either been let go, or are unclear on their employment status; leadership has been stepping down; and there was a shooting at their Atlanta building in August. The result is RFK being yelled at in the Senate, thousands of CDC employees calling for his resignation, and a country less prepared for the next pandemic.

Guest: Apoorva Mandavilli, science and global health reporter at the New York Times.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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End of an Electric Avenue

Sun, 07 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

An Inflation Reduction Act subsidy for electric vehicles is being shut down by the Trump administration at the end of September, and automakers are preparing for sales of EVs to slow. Can this nascent industry survive?

Guest: Ryan Felton, reporter covering the automotive industry for the Wall Street Journal

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Is the A.I. Bubble Bursting?

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Guest: Ed Zitron, author of the newsletter Where’s Your Ed At and host of the podcast Better Offline.

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Decorator-In-Chief

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

From the gold accents going up in the White House, to his orders to bring back classical design to federal buildings, Donald Trump is a president with a very specific aesthetic sensibility—which often is a manifestation of his politics.

Guest: Abdallah Fayyad, policy correspondent at Vox

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Can Congress Stop Trump's Takeover?

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Donald Trump has been working to expand his presidential influence into places that are supposed to operate independently, like the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Federal Reserve, and even into Congress’s constitutionally appointed “power of the purse.” As Congress returns to Washington, is this nominally co-equal branch of government willing to wrest its power back?

Guest: Luke Broadwater, reporter covering the White House for The New York Times.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Presidency for Sale

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

From selling hats, NFTs and cryptocurrency, to stock boosts, swaps and golf-course deals made abroad, the Trumps are taking this presidency to the bank—for what looks to be billions. You can call it distasteful, but has it tipped over into “illegal”?

Guest: David Kirkpatrick, staff writer at the New Yorker.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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ICYMI | The Great Girlboss Comeback

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

While the What Next team celebrates Labor Day, please enjoy this episode from our colleagues at ICYMI, Slate’s internet culture podcast. Mary will be back with a new episode of What Next tomorrow.

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by Slate senior writer Scaachi Koul to talk about the return of the girlboss. Over five years after various exposes exposed their poor management and, in some cases, racism, former it-girls like The Wing’s Audrey Gelman and Outdoor Voice’s Ty Haney are back in the spotlight. Their new projects, however, are falling flat. Is there any room for redemption in 2025, or is time to leave girlbosses behind for good?

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, and Kate Lindsay, with help from Kevin Bendis.

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A24 Meets A.I.

Sun, 31 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

A24 rose from “small budget indie movie studio” to “one of the most respected brands in cinema” on a reputation for treating filmmakers like auteurs. But as the studio is growing and exploring how to integrate artificial intelligence, it’s at odds with some of the very directors who helped A24 establish itself.

Guest: Alex Barasch, culture editor at the New Yorker

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Bonus: I’ll Gav What She’s Gavin

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 17:00:00 GMT

California Governor Gavin Newsom, presumably as a precursor to a run for the presidency, has been getting attention for a very Trump-influenced style of, uh, fighting back against Donald Trump. Is this where American politics is headed? Does it have to be?

Guest: Ben Mathis-Lilley, Slate senior writer.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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The Great Celebrity Spotify Playlist Hack

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

The playlists of dozens of high-level government officials and tech executives were suddenly broadcast to the world on a website called “the Panama Playlists.” But the information wasn’t taken by sophisticated hackers infiltrating any mainframes—it was all already publicly available.

Guest: Mike Isaac, New York Times Silicon Valley correspondent.

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Could Artificial Blood Save Lives?

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Blood has a very short shelf life, even under the best of conditions—and you can picture the less-than-ideal conditions where blood is frequently needed—which is why scientists have been working on a blood alternative. The results are promising.

Guest: Nicky Twilley, host of “Gastropod” podcast and author of Frostbite: How Refrigeration Changed Our Food, Our Planet and Ourselves.

Want more What Next? Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to What Next and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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What the John Bolton Raid Means

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

John Bolton isn’t exactly beloved by the right or the left. But sending the FBI to raid his house fits a pattern: Either tell the president what he wants to hear, or face the consequences.

Guest: Shane Harris, staff writer covering national security and intelligence for The Atlantic.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

The Man Behind Trump’s Firing of Lisa Cook

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Federal Housing Finance Agency director Bill Pulte has led investigations into Senator Adam Schiff, New York Attorney General Leititia James, and the Federal Reserve’s Lisa Cook for mortgage fraud.

With a background a lot like Trump’s—and a little like Mr. Beast’s—who is Pulte? And what kind of damage could a vengeful FHFA director do?

Guest: Rachel Siegel, reporter covering the economics of real estate and housing for the Washington Post.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

The Womanosphere Wants To Make America Hot Again

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Katie Miller, whose husband Stephen Miller is Trump’s right-hand man, launched a new podcast to join the growing ranks of content made specifically for conservative women. But is there enough demand—in listeners and supplement sponsorship—to make the same impact that the conservative manosphere has?

Guest: Emma Goldberg, business features writer at The New York Times.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Trump Vs. Cancer Research

Sun, 24 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

President Trump has proposed cutting $2.5 billion from the National Cancer Institute, which in addition to cuts to the National Institutes of Health and research universities almost makes you wonder: whose side is he on in the fight against cancer?

Guest: Angus Chen, cancer reporter for STAT news

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The CDC Under Fire

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Two weeks ago, a gunman fired over 500 bullets at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention building in Atlanta. Between the anti-public health rhetoric coming from Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at the top, personnel cuts and firings, and now a literal shooting, many employees are reaching their breaking point.

Guest: Lauren Weber, health science accountability reporter for the Washington Post.

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D.C’s Senator Knew This Would Happen

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Donald Trump was able to take over the Metropolitan Police Department and send in National Guard troops and federal agents to patrol the streets due to Washington D.C.’s strange, not-a-state status. One of the district’s (non-voting) Congressional representatives believes D.C. statehood could come in the backlash.

Guest: Ankit Jain, U.S. Senator for Washington, D.C. since 2024.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Can Trump Kill Mail-In Ballots?

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Donald Trump returned from his meeting with Vladimir Putin convinced that mail-in voting is how he was cheated from winning the 2020 election. Though he’s come to this conclusion without evidence, how much damage can he do to American democracy?

Guest: Rick Hasen, UCLA School of Law, Director, Safeguarding Democracy Project, Election Law blog

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Zelensky Brings a Posse to Washington

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

After visiting with Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelensky, and European leaders, where does Donald Trump stand on the Ukraine-Russia war—and where does that leave Ukraine?

Guest: Tim Mak, editor of the Kyiv-based publication The Counteroffensive.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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How Trump Brought Home a Murderer

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Characteristic of this administration’s over-the-top but never-thought-out immigration enforcement, Trump traded more than 250 Venezuelans who had been deported to El Salvador’s notorious CECOT prison for 10 Americans who were being held prisoner in Venezuela—including a man convicted of a triple homicide.

Guest: Jonathan Blitzer, staff writer at the New Yorker and author of Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here: The United States, Central America, and the Making of a Crisis.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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TBD | Down the Text-Scam Rabbit Hole

Sun, 17 Aug 2025 07:05:00 GMT

The scam du jour arrives via a text message, offering you a job. What happens when you accept?

Guest: Alex Sammon, Slate features writer.

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Down the Text-Scam Rabbit Hole

Sun, 17 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

The scam du jour arrives via a text message, offering you a job. What happens when you accept?

Guest: Alex Sammon, Slate features writer.

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Bonus: Kill Tony, Alive and Thriving

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 17:00:00 GMT

A patron and perhaps foremost practitioner of “anti-woke comedy,” Tony Hinchcliffe sits atop his own thriving comedy kingdom in Austin. And when you’re on top, you’ve got nowhere to punch but down.

Guest: Luke Winkie, staff writer at Slate, author of “The Cult of Kill Tony”

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

Trump Dips into NVIDIA’s Chips

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Jensen Huang, cofounder of NVIDIA, finds himself president of a $4 trillion company, at the forefront of A.I. technology, and, consequently, something of an international diplomat, as he charms President Trump and negotiates to sell his powerful chips to China.

Guest: Amrith Ramkumar, reporter for The Wall Street Journal in Washington covering tech and crypto policy.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Ethan Oberman, Patrick Fort, and Elena Schwartz.

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

In Gaza, Journalism Is a Death Sentence

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On Sunday, Al-Jazeera’s entire team in Gaza City were killed by an airstrike. Almost immediately, Israel said it targeted one of them on purpose – Anas al-Sharif. The strike fits a pattern, growing both in Israel and across the world, of targeting journalists—and holding no one accountable afterwards.

Guest: Jodie Ginsberg, head of the Committee to Protect Journalists, a nonprofit organization promoting press freedom worldwide.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Why Washington, D.C.

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Jimmy Carter sent his daughter to its public schools; pictures of Obama still grace businesses’ walls; and now Trump has taken an interest in Washington, D.C…by deploying the National Guard, reassigning FBI agents, vowing to evict the city’s homeless population.

Guest: Jenny Gathright, reporter at the Washington Post covering the D.C. region.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

South Park Understands the Assignment

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

After using a Trump-stand-in during his first administration, South Park has come back from hiatus as vulgar and confrontational as ever, with its aiming firmly fixed on MAGA. Contrary to government sources, the show’s enjoying a renewed cultural relevance in its 27th season.

Guest: David Mack, contributing writer to Slate.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Gutting Our National Parks

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

So why is the Trump administration cutting their budget?

Guests:

Jon B. Jarvis,18th director of the National Parks.

Kevin Heatley, former superintendent of Crater Lake National Park, Oregon.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Here Comes the A.I. Music Slop

Sun, 10 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

It’s hard to make money in the music industry. But if you could flood every streamer with hundreds of “original” songs without having to, you know, write or produce it yourself, there’s money there—and less for everyone else.

Guests:

Chris Molanphy, host of Slate’s Hit Parade podcast.

Kate Knibbs, senior writer at Wired

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

What Happened After Meta Fired Its Fact-Checkers

Fri, 08 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

In January, Mark Zuckerberg announced that Meta was moving from employing professional fact-checkers to letting its users fact-check each other. If you’ve heard that it’s going perfectly, then you, too, have been exposed to misinformation.

Guest: Geoffrey Fowler, tech columnist with the Washington Post

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Ethan Oberman, and Patrick Fort.

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

Donald Trump Vs. Reality Itself

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Donald Trump’s never been all that committed to the truth. But experts are warning that by firing the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics and appointing loyalists across the judiciary, he’s taken his war on facts to another level. How long can he attempt to remake reality before the truth—someday, eventually, but inevitably—hits back?

Guest: David A Graham, staff writer at the Atlantic.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

A Rabbi’s Plea for Peace

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Guest: Sarah Reines, rabbi at Temple Emanu-El in Manhattan.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Don’t Mess With Texas’s Election Maps

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

How Texas redrawing its election maps could set off a gerrymandering arms race across the country—a race the Republicans are likely to win.

Guest: Ari Berman is a voting rights correspondent at Mother Jones.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Was Democracy Voted Out?

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Belief in democracy was, until quite recently, taken for granted in America. But what if democracy is less a static noun, and more of a dynamic ideal we (could be) working towards?

Guest:

Osita Nwanevu, contributing editor at The New Republic, columnist at The Guardian, author of “The Right of the People: Democracy and the Case for a New American Founding.”

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

The A.I. Data Center Push That Wasn't

Sun, 03 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

OpenAI’s Sam Altman, flanked by President Trump and Softbank’s Masayoshi Son, announced a hugely ambitious investment in data centers across America to support all the artificial intelligence we’re going to be using. Months in, the project has been scaled back to a single, power-hungry data center in Ohio.

Guest: Berber Jin, reporter covering A.I. for the Wall Street Journal

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

Bonus: When the French Bombed Greenpeace

Sat, 02 Aug 2025 17:00:00 GMT

Some disputes resist an easy “good vs. evil” dynamic, but when one side calls their plans “Operation Satanique,” it’s not too hard to figure who “the baddies” are.

Guest: Dan Kois, Slate writer.

Articles mentioned in this piece:

Also mentioned: What Next: The Lawsuit Scaring Protesters.

Podcast production by Madeline Ducharme.

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The Death of an Online Whisper Network

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

A shadow app for the dating world had its data hacked and exposed, and it laid bare the perils of creating safe spaces for women online — and of relying on tech companies.

Guest: Kate Lindsay, host of Slate’s ICYMI

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How Elon Musk Colonized NASA

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

How an Obama-era decision to invest in space capitalism handed Elon Musk a monopoly on space.

Guest: Franklin Foer, staff writer at the Atlantic, author of “The Last Politician” and “World Without Mind: The Existential Threat of Big Tech.”

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Why Are So Many Institutions Caving to Trump?

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

As Trump came back to the presidency, one of the first warnings liberals began repeating was “Do not obey in advance.” But from government-agency heads to university presidents to news organizations, people are opting to simply leave their jobs, rather than do the uncomfortable work of standing up to authoritarianism.

Guest: Jonathan Last, editor of The Bulwark.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Trans and Shut Out in Trump’s America

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Trans rights and access to health care have been under attack on the state level for years, but the second Trump administration and the Supreme Court have accelerated a chilling effect at clinics across the country.

Guest: Grace Byron, author of “The Grim State of Trans Health Care” and “The Bureaucratic Nightmares of Being Trans Under Trump” for the New Yorker.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Why The Shelves Aren't Empty (Yet)

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

In May, after Trump announced a thorough regime of tariffs, supply chain experts warned that Americans would be looking at empty shelves by the end of June. But here we are in late July and the stores still seem fully stocked. So what happened?

Guest: Justin Wolfers, professor of economics at the University of Michigan

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Dupes!

Sun, 27 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

There’s an entire economy devoted to seeing what products are trending—clothing, skin care, even Greek Islands—and delivering you a cheaper knock-off to buy.

Guest: Mia Sato, reporter for The Verge

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A Colbert Report

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Was the Late Show too unprofitable, or too political?

Guest: Eric Deggans, NPR TV critic and media analyst, Knight Chair, Journalism and Media Ethics, Washington & Lee University.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell and Patrick Fort.

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

He Says Gaza Is a Genocide

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

What does it change to call Israel’s assault on Gaza a “genocide”?

Guest: Omer Bartov, Dean's Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Brown University and author of the op-ed, “I’m a Genocide Scholar. I Know It When I See It.”

Another article mentioned in this episode:

“The Need to Forget” by Yehuda Elkana

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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How Dead Is the Department of Education?

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

If Trump follows through and successfully shuts down the Department of Education, what does America stand to lose?

Guest: Laura Meckler, national education writer for The Washington Post and author of Dream Town: Shaker Heights and the Quest for Racial Equity.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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On Epstein, Democrats Go Low

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Why the Epstein scandal—more than any of Trump’s other, lengthy list of scandals—is so damaging that even the Democrats can wield it effectively.

Guest: Brian Beutler, author of the Substack “Off Message,” cohost of the podcast Politix.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Getting Anti-Vaxxers To Roll Up Their Sleeves

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Their son was immunocompromised and couldn’t get the measles vaccines. So his dad asked if everyone going to his school would get vaccinated.

And the thing is—people listened.

Guest: Carl and Rhett Krawitt

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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When Bots Go Nazi

Sun, 20 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

It’s kind of strange that Grok, Elon Musk’s chatbot, went full Nazi a few weeks ago, and is just…still out there. But, then again, how are you supposed to hold an LLM accountable?

Guest: Drew Harwell, technology reporter for the Washington Post

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Bonus: A Muslim, a Dad, an American

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 17:00:00 GMT

In this political moment where hostility towards immigrants and outsiders is openly espoused, one of our own colleagues has released a book about growing up as a Muslim-American in the post-9/11 era—and raising his own kids now.

Guest: Aymann Ismail, Slate staff writer and author of “Becoming Baba: Fatherhood, Faith, and Finding Meaning in America.”

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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How The Epstein Files Blew Up MAGAworld

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

The MAGA world has been waiting for Jeffrey Epstein’s client list to be released since the first Trump administration. But with those like Kash Patel and Dan Bongino, who stoked interest in the list literally in power, the administration is now saying that no such list exists. For some MAGA fans, this is finally a bridge too far.

Guest: Anna Merlan, senior reporter at Mother Jones.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell and Patrick Fort.

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Can Trump Bully Russia?

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

For years, Donald Trump was often the only Western leader with anything nice to say about Vladimir Putin.But with Russia and Ukraine still fighting six months into his term, their friendship is on the rocks. Are we seeing a temporary spat – or a real policy shift?

Guest: Michael McFaul, U.S. ambassador to Russia 2012-2014, author of the upcoming book “Autocrats vs. Democrats: China, Russia, America, and the New Global Disorder.”

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Deported—To a Country You've Never Been To

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

His client, Nyo Myint, is a refugee from Myanmar who was deported by the Trump administration—first to Djibouti, then to South Sudan—along with seven other men. His lawyer is now reaching out to the United Nations to intervene.

Guest: Jonathan Ryan, San Antonio-based immigration attorney and author of the Firewall Substack.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Behind the Democrats’ Losing Strategy

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Why the Democrats’ electoral strategy of “hire consultants to tell you which positions poll well enough to take” has run its course—and where they should look to start rebuilding.

Guest: Ben Mathis-Lilley, Slate senior writer and author of “How Strategist Brain Took Over the Democratic Party”.

Cited in this episode:

The Hollow Parties: The Many Pasts and Disordered Present of American Party Politics (Daniel Schlozman and Sam Rosenfeld)

Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community (Robert D. Putnam)

The Unaccountability Machine: Why Big Systems Make Terrible Decisions—And How the World Lost Its Mind (Dan Davies)

Cited in this episode:

The Hollow Parties: The Many Pasts and Disordered Present of American Party Politics (Daniel Schlozman and Sam Rosenfeld)

Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community (Robert D. Putnam)

The Unaccountability Machine: Why Big Systems Make Terrible Decisions—And How the World Lost Its Mind (Dan Davies)

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Who Is Trump Promoting For Life?

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

This week, the Senate Judiciary Committee prepares to vote on Emil Bove, who has been promoted from Trump’s personal lawyer to his current nominee for a lifelong appointment to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. In any other administration, Bove would be a real outlier. But here? He’s par for a very strange course.

Guest: Jay Willis, editor-in-chief of Balls and Strikes.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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When A.I. is Sycophantic

Sun, 13 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

He started using ChatGPT to help with spreadsheets. But their relationship took a turn, and before long it was telling him he could leap off a 19-story building and fly.

Guest: Kashmir Hill, features writer at the New York Times.

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Hot Measles Summer

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

It’s a record-breaking year for America: we’ve now had the most reported cases of measles since the disease was declared “eradicated” in 2000.

How did public health backslide so hard that it undid decades of progress—and is there any hope we can get back on track?

Guest: Dylan Scott, senior health correspondent at Vox.

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Stage Managing Sex in Hollywood

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

In the wake of #MeToo, Hollywood productions began hiring “intimacy coordinators,” people who work to ensure sex scenes are safe and comfortable for performers. How are they working out so far?

Guest: Jennifer Wilson, staff writer at the New Yorker.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Was the Flash Flooding in Texas Preventable?

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

After one of the deadliest floods in American history in central Texas, people are looking at cuts to the National Weather Service and FEMA’s absence contributing to the devastation. But one looming problem is much, much bigger.

Guest: Jeff Goodell, writer covering climate change, author of The Heat Will Kill You First: Life and Death on a Scorched Planet and The Water Will Come: Rising Seas, Sinking Cities, and the Remaking of the Civilized World.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Is Trump Running the Fugitive Slave Act Playbook?

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

A federal force—often defying local governance—coming to take people away without due process has happened before. What lessons can be drawn from parallels between a law that led to the Civil War and what’s happening today with Trump’s hardline immigration enforcement?

Guest: Jamelle Bouie, columnist at the New York Times

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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The Spectacle of “Alligator Alcatraz” Is the Point

Mon, 07 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Built in just eight days, Donald Trump and Kristi Noem toured “Alligator Alcatraz,” a migrant detention facility built on a disused airstrip in the Florida Everglades. Even before Trump touched down in South Florida, branded merchandise was being sold. Soon after he headed back to Washington, the first detainees were brought in.

Guest: Sommer Brugal, Miami reporter for Axios.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

How A.I. Lost (and Won) the Big Beautiful Debate

Sun, 06 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

As the One Big Beautiful Bill bounced around Congress, one provision—the 10-year moratorium on states making laws to regulate artificial intelligence—fell out. But AI-fans don’t need to worry, there’s still plenty of industry support in the bill.

Guest: Will Oremus, technology news analysis writer for the Washington Post.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell and Patrick Fort.

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Bonus: When the Internet Stopped Being Fun

Fri, 04 Jul 2025 17:00:00 GMT

Is anyone having fun on the internet anymore? Let’s all go touch grass.

Guest: Scaachi Koul, Slate senior writer and author of “It’s Time to Log Off.”

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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Rerun: Death of the Weather Forecast?

Fri, 04 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

This episode was originally published on April 27, 2025.

The Trump administration has already begun cutting the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which includes the U.S. National Weather Service. What’s the advantage to understanding the weather less?

Guest: Daniel Swain, weather and climate scientist with the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell and Patrick Fort.

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One Big Deeply Unpopular Bill

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 19:09:00 GMT

Trump wants his “One Big Beautiful Bill” passed by July 4. But the bill is so large and expensive—with deep tax cuts only partially offset by huge cuts to Medicaid and SNAP—there’s something in there for almost every member of Congress to hate.

Guest: David Dayen, executive editor of the American Prospect.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Is This the End of NPR and PBS?

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

The Trump administration’s plans to strip funding from PBS and NPR is the latest in a long line of Republican fights against public broadcasting. The House has already voted to take back over a billion dollars it had previously agreed to pay. Will the Senate sign off on it next?

Guest: Brian Stelter, chief media analyst at CNN.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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We Need to Talk About the Supreme Court

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Last week’s big Supreme Court decisions walked back rights for individuals and the powers of the lower courts—and in aggregate made it ever more difficult to believe the court is anything other than another vehicle for delivering the outcomes favorable to Republicans and the conservative project.

Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, Slate senior writer covering courts and the law.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Why Is ICE Masked Up?

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

ICE agents have begun concealing their identities in masks and plainclothes while making arrests. Experts—including a former ICE official—say that endangers those agents, and violates the trust between law enforcement and the citizenry.

Guests:

Philip Bump, columnist for the Washington Post

Scott Shuchart, ICE’s Assistant Director for Regulatory Affairs and Policy Counselor to the Director, 2022–2025.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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The FTC’s Merger Shakedown

Sun, 29 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Under a normal administration, a merger between two large advertising firms might attract the government’s interest for anti-monopoly reasons. Under this one, the Federal Trade Commission is creating conditions to…ensure that X still gets advertiser dollars?

Guest: Kate Conger, technology reporter for the New York Times.

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The Other Iran-Israel War

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

In addition to the three-dimensional war of bombs and missiles, Iran and Israel—and the US—are squaring off in a cyber battle. With everything from water infrastructure to banking connected to the internet in some way, how much damage can cyberattacks do?

Guest: Maggie Miller, POLITICO cybersecurity reporter

Podcast production by Evan Campbell and Patrick Fort.

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Zohran Mamdani’s Former Boss Weighs In

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

How Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani upset the better-connected, better-funded, better-known candidate in New York’s Democratic mayoral primary—and how he might actually govern if he makes it into office.

Guest: Ross Barkan, contributing writer at the New York Times Magazine, New York Magazine columnist, and Editor-in-Chief of The Metropolitan Review.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Even This Senator Had No Warning About Iran

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

When news broke that the United States had bombed Iran, members of Congress—the only people who can authorize war according to the Constitution—found out at the same time as the rest of us. What can they do to wrest this authority back; and where is this war with Iran headed now?

Guest: Mark Warner, Democratic Senator from Virginia and Vice Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

The Lawsuit Scaring Protesters

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

A jury recently found Greenpeace liable for more than $660 million in damages to the company behind the Dakota Access pipeline for its role in the Standing Rock protests.

But the ramifications extend far beyond Greenpeace. As protests against various Trump administration policies heat up across the country, what does this lawsuit say about how opponents can weaponize the courts to criminalize protesters?

Guest: Alleen Brown, independent investigative reporter, editor at Drilled

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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Trump Bombed Iran. Are We at War?

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

The Trump administration bombed three Iranian nuclear sites. While the Pentagon says these facilities are severely damaged, a diplomatic end to the conflict and a nuclear disarmament agreement feel less possible than ever.

Guests:

⁠Gregory Gause⁠, Visiting Scholar at the ⁠Middle East Institute⁠ and ⁠Professor Emeritus of International Affairs⁠ for the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University

⁠David Faris⁠, ⁠political science professor⁠ at Roosevelt University, ⁠contributing writer⁠ for Slate.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Airlines Are Selling Your Data to the Government

Sun, 22 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

ARC, the data broker owned by the country’s major airlines, has been selling domestic flight data in the US to Customs and Border Protection. But in the contract, they told CBP not to reveal where the data was from… why?

Guest: Joseph Cox, co-founder of 404 Media and the co-host of the 404 Media Podcast.

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Bonus: The All New Electric … Hummer?

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 17:00:00 GMT

Listen to What Next via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, Stitcher, Overcast, Google Play, or iHeart.

America’s most machismo and gas-guzzling car, the Hummer, has been relaunched as an electric vehicle. But who is this electrified megatruck really for?

Guest: Alex Sammon, Slate features writer

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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We Deport. You Laugh?

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

The Trump administration's anti-immigration campaign has become defined by distasteful memes that gleefully portray the mass deportations being carried out across the country. It’s impossible to ignore… which is exactly what the administration wants.

Guest: Drew Harwell, tech reporter at the Washington Post.

Podcast production by Patrick Fort.

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Mighty Real Edition

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

As What Next celebrates Juneteenth, please enjoy this episode ⁠from our colleagues at Hit Parade⁠. What Next will be back in your feed on Monday.

Little Richard was rock ‘n’ roll’s flamboyant architect. Lesley Gore sang that no one owned her. Sylvester was a gender-fluid icon who helped define disco. Freddie Mercury made rock operatic, and George Michael demanded freedom.

What all of these LGBTQ artists had in common was bold hitmaking—and fear of being fully out of the closet. For decades, queer acts topped the charts while cloaking their true identities and paving the way for today’s more openly queer stars.

For Pride Month, join Chris Molanphy as he traces the hidden history of queer hitmakers on the charts—including those that managed to be both out and No. 1, right up through our modern age of Lil Nas X and Chappell Roan. It’s a celebration of these artists’ quest to feel… mighty real.

Want more Hit Parade? Join Slate Plus to unlock monthly early-access episodes, bonus episodes of “The Bridge,” and ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Visit slate.com/hitparadeplus to get access wherever you listen.

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Kristi Noem Understands the Assignment

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

As the head of the Department of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem has made herself the official face of the Trump administration’s military crackdowns on protesters in Los Angeles, raids in majority-Democratic cities, and the deportations of student activists. How has she been able to consolidate so much power so quickly?

Guest: Seth Tupper, Editor-in-Chief of the South Dakota Searchlight

Ahilan Arulanantham, Co-Director of the Center for Immigration Law and Policy at the UCLA School of Law

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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The War Netanyahu Always Wanted

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On Friday, Israel launched massive strikes in Iran, targeting nuclear sites and killing top military leaders in the largest single-day attack on the country since the 1980s. Iran has retaliated, launching ballistic missiles at Israeli cities and killing at least eight people. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is walking a tightrope as it tries to maintain its alliance with Israel and negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran.

How might the war escalate from here? And what does this mean for America’s relationships in the region?

Guest: Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East Correspondent for The Economist.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Vaccine Skeptics Just Scored a Big Win

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired all 17 members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, accusing members of serving industry interests and never recommending against a vaccine. Their role, however, was advising on usage for vaccines that the FDA already approved.

As RFK Jr. restaffs the committee with his own “nonpartisan” members, where does that leave vaccines and the state of American health?

Guest: Noel Brewer, Gillings Distinguished Professor in Public Health at the University of North Carolina.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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Summer Travel Tips To Not Get Detained

Sun, 15 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

A guide to keeping your phone, and your digital life, safe when you’re crossing the border.

Guest: Lily Hay Newman, senior writer for WIRED covering information security.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell and Patrick Fort.

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

New DOGE, New Tricks

Fri, 13 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Elon Musk has ridden off into the sunset acrimoniously (maybe), but the Department of Government Efficiency is just getting started. Will DOGE continue wildly cutting or is something even more chaotic coming next?

Guest: Makena Kelly, senior writer at WIRED.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell and Patrick Fort.

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

Trump’s Brittle Authoritarianism

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Donald Trump is sending the troops to California, while also getting ready for a big birthday parade—for himself and the US Army—in DC. Does grasping for symbols of military strength smack a bit of desperation?

Guests: Jamelle Bouie, columnist at the New York Times

Jeremy Lindenfeld, reporter and Capital and Main local news fellow.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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

Will Israel Starve Gaza Into Submission?

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

In Gaza, two million people are at risk of starvation, as Israeli-controlled aid has been repeatedly interrupted and marked by violence towards aid workers and chaos at distribution sites.

Guests:

Mohammed Mhawish, journalist and writer from Gaza City.

Alex de Waal, Executive Director of the World Peace Foundation at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts, author of the 2017 book, Mass Starvation: The History and Future of Famine.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Isabel Angell, and Rob Gunther.

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

Corporate America Retreats From Pride

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

After years of bigger floats and bigger rainbow-ified logos, corporate sponsorship for Pride Month celebrations is dropping off this year. But, given that Pride is the commemoration of an uprising against police harassment, maybe that’s a good thing.

Guests:

Christina Cauterucci, Slate senior writer and the host of Outward, Slate’s podcast about LGBTQ+ life, and Slow Burn: Gays Against Briggs.

Tessa Skara, comedian, musician, co-host of annual comedy show “⁠Corporate Pride⁠” with ⁠James Tom⁠.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Isabel Angell, and Rob Gunther.

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

Trump Sends in the Troops

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

When immigration raids began in the Los Angeles area last weekend, so did spontaneous protests. On Sunday, Trump federalized 2,000 California national guardsmen in response. While Trump stopped short of invoking the Insurrection Act, he claimed authority to send troops wherever ICE operations might be contested by mass demonstrations.

Guest: Elizabeth Goitein, co-director of the Liberty and National Security Program at the Brennan Center for Justice.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Isabel Angell, and Rob Gunther.

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

The Future of the Internet Hinges on Gail Slater

Sun, 08 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Assistant Attorney General Gail Slater inherited the government’s antitrust case against Google and is eager to follow it through—but likely not for the same reasons as her predecessors.

Guest: Nancy Scola, reporter and contributing writer at POLITICO.

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Main Character: Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 17:00:00 GMT

Sean Diddy Combs’s trial in New York started about a month ago and was expected to take about two months, so here at the halfway mark, we check in with a Slate correspondent who has been on the scene at the courthouse.

Guest: Nadira Goffe, staff writer of culture at Slate.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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Is Palantir Building a Data Big Brother?

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

One of the goals of DOGE was to get rid of the “silos” that keep government agencies from sharing freely amongst themselves efficiently and instead organize data using tools offered by companies like Palantir. The thing is, a lot of those silos are there by design, and removing them could be a nightmare for privacy advocates.

Guest: Sheera Frenkel, tech reporter for the New York Times.

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She Was Tortured. America Shut Her Out.

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Since January, the Trump administration has suspended the right to claim asylum at the southern border. One narrower form of protection—for those who had been tortured by their governments—was supposed to remain. But lawyers have realized that even that appears to be gone.

Guest: Mark Betancourt, freelance reporter covering immigration from DC, who wrote “This Ethiopian Woman Was Tortured by Her Government. The US is Sending Her Home Anyway” for KQED.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Isabel Angell, and Rob Gunther.

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Can Zionism Survive This War?

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

After 20 months of war, with violence erupting far from the Middle East, where is the future of Zionism headed?

Guest: Isaac Saul, Tangle executive editor and author of “I think I’m leaving Zionism, or Zionism is leaving me.”

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Isabel Angell, and Rob Gunther.

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George Floyd Square, Five Years Later

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Five years after George Floyd’s murder sparked nationwide protests, the legacy of that movement is still being written in Minneapolis and America writ large—even as some attempt to erase it.

Guest:

Marcia Howard, president of the teacher chapter of Minneapolis Federation of Teachers

Brandt Williams, senior editor covering race, class and communities for MPR News. 

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Isabel Angell, and Rob Gunther.

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Can the U.S. Learn from the U.K.'s Post-Brexit Mess?

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: voter discontentment at the two major parties is creating an opening for a far-right populist with an anti-immigration, protectionist agenda that economic experts warn would be devastating.

With a Trump trade deal in hand, can Keir Starmer and Labour give British voters something to vote for, rather than just against?

Guest: Anand Menon, professor of European Politics and Foreign Affairs at Kings College London.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Isabel Angell, and Rob Gunther.

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So Long, Elon

Sun, 01 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

His time in Washington was brief, but we’ll be picking up the pieces for a long time. What Elon’s exit signals for the future of DOGE, and Musk’s political career.

Guest: Kate Conger, reporter for the New York Times covering X and other technology companies.

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The Drone Wars

Fri, 30 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

The war between Ukraine and Russia is being fought increasingly via drone —and NATO and US military leadership is training troops for future conflicts that will pit man against machine.

Guest: Jake Epstein, senior defense reporter for Business Insider.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell and Patrick Fort.

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Legally Dead—And Pregnant

Thu, 29 May 2025 12:53:00 GMT

Adriana Smith was nine weeks pregnant when she was declared brain dead in February—far enough along that her fetus showed cardiac activity. The hospital then refused to let her family decide whether or not they want to keep Smith on life support long enough for the fetus to be delivered.

Guests:

Imani Gandy, Editor-at-Large for Rewire News Group, covering law and courts and co-host of the podcast “Boom! Lawyered.”

Mary Ziegler, law professor at UC Davis, author of Personhood: The New Civil War Over Reproduction.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Isabel Angell, and Rob Gunther.

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Does Gavin Newsom Have It All Figured Out?

Wed, 28 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Everyone assumes the reason Gavin Newsom has had right-wingers like Charlie Kirk and Steve Bannon on his podcast is to burnish his credentials for an imminent presidential run. But no podcast episode is going to make Republican voters forget that he’s a California Democrat.

Guest: Marisa Lagos, political correspondent for KQED and co-host of the Political Breakdown podcast.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Isabel Angell, and Rob Gunther.

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What Would You Pay to Stay Alive?

Tue, 27 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

A Revlimid pill costs about 25 cents to make, and about a thousand dollars to buy—but it’s keeping him alive, so what choice does he have?

Guest: David Armstrong, investigates healthcare at ProPublica, author of “The Price of Remission.”

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Isabel Angell, and Rob Gunther.

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The Glaring Problem with Headlights

Mon, 26 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

As What Next celebrates Memorial Day, please enjoy this episode ⁠from our colleagues at Decoder Ring⁠. What Next will be back in your feed tomorrow.

Something seems to have happened to car headlights. In the last few years, many people have become convinced that they are much brighter than they used to be—and it’s driving them to the point of rage. Headlight glare is now Americans’ number one complaint on the road. The story of how and why we got here is illuminating and confounding. It’s what happens when an incredible technological breakthrough meets market forces, regulatory failure, and human foibles.

So if you feel like everyone’s driving around with their high beams on all the time, it’s not your imagination. What once seemed like an obscure technical concern has gone mainstream. But can the movement to reduce glare actually do something about the problem?

In this episode, you’ll hear from ⁠Nate Rogers⁠, who wrote about the “headlight brightness wars” for The Ringer; ⁠Daniel Stern⁠, automotive lighting expert and editor of Driving Vision News; and Paul Gatto, moderator of ⁠r/fuckyourheadlights⁠.

This episode of Decoder Ring was written by Willa Paskin and Olivia Briley, and produced by Olivia Briley and Max Freedman. Our team also includes Katie Shepherd and supervising producer Evan Chung. Merritt Jacob is our Senior Technical Director.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, please email us at ⁠DecoderRing@slate.com⁠, or leave a message on our hotline at 347-460-7281.

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Crypto's Big Win

Sun, 25 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

The crypto industry poured tons of money into the last election cycle. Is the GENIUS Act, which has bipartisan support, their big payoff?

Guest: Hilary Allen, professor at American University’s Washington College of Law.

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Bonus: Main Character: The One Big Beautiful Bill

Fri, 23 May 2025 17:00:00 GMT

Trump’s “one big beautiful bill” cleared the House this week and heads off to the Senate where…actually let’s bring in an expert to explain what happens next.

Guest: Jim Newell, Slate’s senior political writer.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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Inside OpenAI's Empire

Fri, 23 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

OpenAI started as a non-profit dedicated to building safe A.I. Now, they’re obsessed with building artificial general intelligence by any means necessary - even if they don’t quite know what that is.

Guest: Karen Hao, reporter and author of “Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman's OpenAI”

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Can A “Morality Coalition” Succeed Against Trump?

Thu, 22 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Rev. Dr. Barber II is objecting to Republicans’ budget bill on the grounds of morality as much as politics—which is why he’s been praying, protesting, and getting arrested to stick up for those who will be affected by it.

Guest: Reverend Doctor William J. Barber II, pastor of Greenleaf Christian Church, Disciples of Christ in Goldsboro, North Carolina, professor at Yale Divinity School, and founder of the Forward Together Moral Movement.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Isabel Angell, and Rob Gunther.

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If Trump Guts FEMA, Are Tornado Victims On Their Own?

Wed, 21 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

One of the more surprising targets of Project 2025—and now, therefore, the Trump administration—is FEMA. How will proposed changes affect what FEMA can do, as hurricane season begins, and as a changing climate makes weather more unpredictable?

Guest: Thomas Frank, editor for E&E News’ climate finance team.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Isabel Angell, and Rob Gunther.

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Here’s How the GOP Cuts Medicaid

Tue, 20 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

In a return to a classic party policy goal, Republicans want to add “work requirements” to Medicaid to offset costs in Trump’s “one big beautiful bill.” Work requirements for health insurance have been tried before, on the state level, and the end result is a lot of people—including working people—losing their health insurance.

Guest: Leo Cuello, research professor at the Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy’s Center for Children and Families and former Health Policy Director of the National Health Law Program.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Isabel Angell, and Rob Gunther.

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Is Immigration Still Trump’s Strongest Issue?

Mon, 19 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

As Donald Trump strives to deliver on his harsh immigration enforcement campaign promises, the president’s approval rating on the issue has dropped. But very public mistakes—with very real consequences—and dipping polls don’t seem to be slowing the administration down yet.

Guests:

Adrian Carrasquillo, author of the Huddled Masses newsletter from The Bulwark

Primitiva Hernandez, executive director of 805Undocufund, a central California non-profit providing legal and financial assistance to immigrants

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Isabel Angell, and Rob Gunther.

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

You’ve Been Deepfaked

Sun, 18 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

What do you do when your likeness has been turned into A.I.-generated pornography?—it’s a problem people are already facing. But legislation moving through Congress may cause more problems than it would solve.

Guests:

Joanne Chew, actress and visual artist based in LA.

Samantha Cole, cofounder of 404 media and author of “How Sex Changed the Internet and How the Internet Changed Sex.”

Podcast production by Evan Campbell and Patrick Fort.

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TBD | You’ve Been Deepfaked

Sun, 18 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Guests:

Joanne Chew, actress and visual artist based in LA.

Samantha Cole, cofounder of 404 media and author of “How Sex Changed the Internet and How the Internet Changed Sex.”

Podcast production by Evan Campbell and Patrick Fort.

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

The Newarkification of Flying

Fri, 16 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Aging equipment and chronically understaffed air traffic control have made flying in and out of Newark’s Liberty International Airport a delay-snarled mess. And the problems there aren’t entirely unique. Will Congress and the Trump administration be the ones to fix it?

Guest: Will Guisbond, staff reporter covering air traffic control for The Air Current

Podcast production by Evan Campbell and Patrick Fort.

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The Qatari Plane Is Just The Start

Thu, 15 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Between the crypto ventures, real estate deals, and a gift-wrapped tricked-out 747, it feels like Donald Trump is more open-for-business than ever this term. And since no one seems able or willing to stop him, why wouldn’t he be?

Guest: Andrea Bernstein, investigative journalist and host of Trump Inc and author of “American Oligarchs: The Kushners, The Trumps, and the Marriage of Money and Power.”

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Isabel Angell, and Rob Gunther.

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Trump’s Middle East Diplomacy

Wed, 14 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Ahead of his first trip to the region, Donald Trump’s policies toward the Middle East have been full of surprises. He wants sanctions on Syria lifted; he revealed the U.S. has been negotiating directly with Hamas; and he’s considering a new nuclear deal with Iran—and without consulting with Israel.

Guest: Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East correspondent for the Economist.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Isabel Angell, and Rob Gunther.

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

David Hogg Wants Democratic Politicians to Be Afraid

Tue, 13 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

What if the Democratic Party’s problem isn’t just messaging—it’s the Democrats themselves, and “seniority politics” that never call incumbents to account? Is it time for a Tea Party-style cleaning-of-the-house?

Guest: David Hogg, DNC Vice Chair and founder of Leaders We Deserve PAC

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Isabel Angell, and Rob Gunther.

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The War Over Pete Hegseth

Mon, 12 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Despite being perhaps the least experienced person to ever hold his position, Pete Hegseth has set about dramatically reforming the Department of Defense to Donald Trump’s specifications—which seem to have less to do with creating a more effective fighting force, and more to do with window dressing.

Guest: Tom Bowman, Pentagon reporter for NPR.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Isabel Angell, and Rob Gunther.

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

Online and Pregnant

Sun, 11 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

The intimate and extremely personal experience of bringing a child into this world? There’s an app for that…and forums…and so much advice…that contradicts other advice…and a surprising amount of eugenics.

Guest: Amanda Hess, critic at the New York Times and author of the book “Second Life: Having a Child in the Digital Age.”

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Bonus Main Character Syndrome: Your Mom

Fri, 09 May 2025 17:00:00 GMT

As we head into Mother’s Day weekend (there’s still time to get to the florist if you hurry!), we dive into “motherhood in the moment”—where “pro-natalism”, the rising cost of childcare, and, um, Chapelle Roan are making the “Tiger Mom” era of a decade ago seem quaint.

Guest: Jenée Desmond-Harris, staff writer for Slate and host of Dear Prudence.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, Isabel Angell, and Rob Gunther.

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Chatbots All The Way Down

Fri, 09 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Why artificial intelligence isn’t waiting for consumer demand.

Guest: Gerrit De Vynck, tech reporter for The Washington Post.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell and Patrick Fort.

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Yes, Shelves Will Be Empty

Thu, 08 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

The consequences of Donald Trump’s new tariffs are working their way through the supply chain and soon will start showing up for consumers in the form of empty shelves, higher prices, and potentially even layoffs and a recession.

Guest: Christopher Mims, Wall Street Journal tech reporter and the author of Arriving Today: From Factory to Front Door---Why Everything Has Changed About How and What We Buy.

Jessica Berger, CEO of Bundle x Joy.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Isabel Angell, and Rob Gunther.

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The Arts of the Deal

Wed, 07 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

How Donald Trump is attempting to shape the arts to his own liking, from installing himself as head of the Kennedy Center to canceling grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, throwing organizations and projects of all sizes into uncertainty and chaos.

Guests:

Alisa Solomon, director of the Arts & Culture concentration at the Columbia Journalism School

Katy Waldman, staff writer for the New Yorker.

Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Isabel Angell, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

A Marco Rubio for All Seasons

Tue, 06 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Marco Rubio has been collecting titles. In addition to Secretary of State, he’s now also the acting administrator of USAID, the acting archivist for the National Archives and Records Administration—and he just became a National Security Advisor. It fits his career trajectory, wherein Rubio has proven time and time again to be whatever he needs to be.

Guest: Justin Peters, Slate correspondent and author of “What Happened to Marco Rubio?”

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, Isabel Angell, and Rob Gunther.

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

Trump v. the Judiciary

Mon, 05 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Is the arrest of Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan the start of Trump’s open war on judges?

Guest: Jeremy Fogel, retired federal judge and executive director for the Berkeley Judicial Institute.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, Isabel Angell, and Rob Gunther.

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

How Elon Wields Power

Sun, 04 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

What is it about the way that Elon Musk wields power that led 65 percent of Americans to agree he has too much influence on the federal government?

Guest: Faiz Siddiqui, Washington Post tech reporter and author of “Hubris Maximus: The Shattering of Elon Musk.”

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Marc Andreessen’s New Deal

Fri, 02 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

What drove Marc Andreessen’s transformation into a political actor, and what is he looking for from having Washington in his thrall?

Guest: Zoe Schiffer, WIRED journalist covering business and Silicon Valley.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell and Patrick Fort.

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

Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’

Thu, 01 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Many of the policy changes in Trump’s first 100 days have come from the White House—but now, it’s Congress’s turn. Republicans have roughly a month to pass a multi-trillion-dollar bill to advance the president’s domestic agenda. But will the bill’s combination of tax cuts and increases in spending on defense and border security render it unpassable for GOP budget hawks?

Guest: Jim Newell, senior politics writer at Slate.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, Isabel Angell, and Rob Gunther.

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

Inside the ICE Prison Holding Student Detainees

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

After Tufts student Rümeysa Öztürk was abducted off the streets of her district, Rep. Ayanna Pressley is not mincing words when it comes to the Trump administration: “These are the actions of a dictator.”

Last week, Rep. Pressley traveled to Louisiana with a Congressional delegation to visit Öztürk and Mahmoud Khalil in the ICE detention facilities where they’re being held. Now, she’s speaking out about what she witnessed firsthand.

Guest: Ayanna Pressley, US representative for Massachusetts’ 7th district and member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

Will HHS Survive RFK Jr?

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

At his first press conference as head of the Department of Health and Human Services, RFK Jr. gave a glimpse of what the department will look like under his leadership: a smaller overall budget, relitigating settled scientific questions.

Guest: Kiera Butler, senior editor and reporter at Mother Jones and author of Raise: What 4-H Teaches Seven Million Kids and How Its Lessons Could Change Food and Farming Forever.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, Isabel Angell, and Rob Gunther.

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Are Public Schools the Supreme Court's Next Target?

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

The Supreme Court is hearing two cases this month regarding religion in public schools that seem to contradict each other—a public school in Maryland where parents claim books with LGBTQ characters or themes are indoctrination, and a Catholic charter school in Oklahoma arguing it has the right to state funding. Can the court’s religion-friendly majority give them both what they want without falling afoul of the First Amendment?

Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, senior writer for Slate.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, Isabel Angell, and Rob Gunther.

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

Death of the Weather Forecast?

Sun, 27 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Guest: Daniel Swain, weather and climate scientist with the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources.

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The Immigration Data Dragnet

Fri, 25 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

One of DOGE’s goals is to get government data out of “silos” and make it more easily shared across departments. But there are good reasons for some data to be kept apart.

Guest: Vittoria Elliot, WIRED reporter covering platforms and power.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell and Patrick Fort.

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

The Flight Attendant Who Wants You to Go on Strike

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Guest: Sara Nelson, international president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL–CIO.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, Isabel Angell, and Rob Gunther.

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

Fed Up!

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Why Trump wants to ouster his own appointee, Jerome Powell, from the Fed chair—and why the rest of the world is rooting for Powell to stay put.

Guest: Liz Hoffman, Semafor’s business and finance editor, host of Semafor’s World Economy Summit, and author of Crash Landing: The Inside Story of How the World’s Biggest Companies Survived an Economy on the Brink.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

Ciao Papa

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Preaching for empathy and compassion, Pope Francis was at times seen as an agent of dramatic change in the Catholic Church. Did he succeed? Is that even an answerable question before the world knows his successor?

Guest: David Gibson, director of the Center on Religion and Culture at Fordham University

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, Isabel Angell, and Rob Gunther.

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

Why Did Big Law Fold So Easily?

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Some of the nation’s biggest law firms have found themselves in Trump’s crosshairs and have pledged pro-bono legal service to maintain their security clearances and access to government buildings. Others, however, are trying to fight back.

Guest: Ankush Khardori, attorney and former federal prosecutor in the US Justice Department.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

The Baby Monitor Trap

Sun, 20 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

If setting up a baby monitor in the room with your sleeping kids doesn’t allow you to pop out and enjoy the cruise ship, what are they actually good for?

Guest: Stephanie Murray, writer for The Atlantic, the newsletter Family Stuff, who wrote “You’re on Vacation. You Leave Your Kid in Your Hotel Room With a Baby Monitor. What Could Go Wrong?” for Slate.

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The U.S. vs Meta

Fri, 18 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

This week, the FTC and Meta began a trial to determine if—by adding Instagram and WhatsApp to its portfolio with Facebook over a decade ago—the company became a monopoly in social media. If Meta loses, it could be forced to split up, losing Instagram—and its substantial ad revenue.

Guest: Paresh Dave, senior writer at WIRED.

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

Should Hospitals Drug Test New Moms?

Thu, 17 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

In an ongoing opioid epidemic, hospitals drug testing new mothers and their babies has an intuitive logic. But applied unequally, rife with false positives, and prone to disrupting those important early weeks, is it a best practice?

Guest: Shoshana Walter, investigative reporter for The Marshall Project

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

When a State Tells Trump 'No'

Wed, 16 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

In February, Donald Trump and Maine Governor Janet Mills got into a spat over Trump’s executive order on trans athletes, that ended with both parties tersely agreeing to meet in court. Since then, the Trump administration seems to be trying to make an example of the state—cutting off federal funding where it can.

Guest: Callie Ferguson, investigative reporter for the Bangor Daily News.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

Trump’s Weaponized IRS

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On April 7, the Treasury Department and Department of Homeland Security reached an agreement to allow ICE to use confidential tax information to locate undocumented immigrants. Though this group generally pays taxes at a higher rate than comparable U.S. citizens, advocates warn that the IRS-ICE team-up could have a chilling effect. They say it’s likely to endanger the $66 billion in federal tax revenue undocumented immigrants are estimated to contribute, and add to a climate of fear in communities nationwide.

Guest: Francine Lipman, law professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

Project 2025’s Plan for Your Family

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Despite what Trump said on the campaign trail, his administration seems to be working right out of Project 2025, where the first goal is to “Restore the family as the centerpiece of American life—and protect our children.” What does this mean in action? It starts with a very specific type of “family.”

Guest: David Graham, Atlantic staff writer and author of the forthcoming book, The Project: How Project 2025 Is Reshaping America.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

TikTok: Somehow Also Affected by the Tariffs

Sun, 13 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

TikTok was on the verge of being sold to a non-Chinese company when Trump rolled out his new tariff plans. Now everything is thrown into uncertainty and the company has until mid-June to find another buyer—or be banned in the United States.

Guest: Sapna Maheshwari, New York Times reporter covering TikTok, technology and emerging media companies.

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

Trump Tariffs Hit Mushroom Kingdom

Fri, 11 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

The same day Nintendo was officially introducing its latest console, Donald Trump was announcing his new global tariff plan. As a result, gamers were treated to an early preview of what a world bound up in tariffs would look like. Spoiler: It’ll probably cost you a lot more.

Guest: Jason Koebler, a co-founder of 404 Media

Podcast production by Evan Campbell and Patrick Fort.

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Impeachment From the Bottom Up

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Thousands of “Hands Off!” protestors took to the street over the weekend. While it’s clear they were marching against the actions of Elon Musk and President Donald Trump, what would “hands off” look like? If it’s removing these guys from office, why not tell the people with the power to do it?

Guest: Gabe Garbowit, former Senate staffer, current organizer at citizensimpeachment.com

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

A Cancelled Actor Scripts His Comeback

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Jonathan Majors was an actor on the rise—indie credits, prestige television, a Spike Lee joint, a superhero film. But all of that looked like it was over when Majors was found guilty of assault and harassment in 2023.

Now Majors is back on the promotional circuit for the film “Magazine Dreams.” Is this evidence of the #MeToo movement’s waning power, or is it more of the same from an industry that’s always eager for a man’s redemption story?

Guest: CT Jones, culture writer at Rolling Stone

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

The Mass Grave in Gaza

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

While Egypt and the Gulf States submit proposals to rebuild Gaza, Israel is moving forward with President Trump’s plan to displace Palestinians from the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, the war rages on, and Gazans have been struggling to access essentials like food and medical supplies.

Guest: Aya Batrawy, NPR international correspondent based in Dubai.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

The Upside Of Tariffs

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Maybe Trump doesn’t care if the economy tanks—maybe he believes he can play it all to his advantage. And maybe, through a lot of pain, this is the only way America’s going to learn its lesson.

Guest: Jonathan Last, editor of The Bulwark

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

Why Wall Street Can’t Quit Elon

Sun, 06 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Elon Musk’s polarizing persona and antics have created a toxic cloud around his companies, particularly Tesla. But despite that, Wall Street can’t seem to quit him. Why?

Guest: Felix Salmon, host of Slate Money and chief financial correspondent for Axios.

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

Where DOGE Is Taking Us

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

This week, DOGE set its sights and scythe on the Department of Health and Human Services, with a goal of cutting 10,000 federal workers, once again raising the question: what’s their endgame here?

Guest: Makena Kelly, senior writer for WIRED

Podcast production by Evan Campbell and Patrick Fort.

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The Lives Ruined by Trump's Deportation Machine

Thu, 03 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Trump campaigned on deporting dangerous criminals, but in his administration’s haste to deliver on that promise, men with no criminal records or who are in the United States legally have been taken to a prison in El Salvador, which even the administration admits was a mistake.

Guests:

Jonathan Blitzer, staff writer at the New Yorker, author of Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here: The United States, Central America, and the Making of a Crisis.

Nick Miroff, staff writer for The Atlantic covering immigration.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

How the Supreme Court Could Gut Planned Parenthood

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments in Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, a case that will determine whether South Carolina can cut Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood.

But with clear legal precedent stating that they can’t, how did this case even end up before the Supreme Court? And, given how far the court has gone to accommodate the MAGA agenda, is the outcome of this case in doubt?

Guest: Ian Millhiser, senior correspondent at Vox.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

Free Speech? Not If You’re A Foreign Student.

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

As video of federal agents stopping Tufts student Rumeysa Ozturk on the street and taking her away to be detained circulated on social media, people kept asking, “how could this happen here?” The answer involves organizations that claim to help the federal government identify and find activists, and victims whose rights to free speech and due process can be swiftly suspended.

Guest: Aymann Ismail, staff writer at Slate.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

Will Elon Musk Buy Another Election?

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

How an election to the Wisconsin Supreme Court has become a referendum on Elon Musk—and the most expensive state supreme court race ever.

Guest: John Nichols, associate editor at The Capital Times in Wisconsin, contributor on electoral politics and public policy for The Nation, and author of multiple books on media and politics.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

This Is Your Brain On Ketamine

Sun, 30 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Ketamine has gone from a recreational psychedelic to an approved treatment, and it has caught on in Silicon Valley in a big way. Are the long-term effects of using ketamine—recreationally or therapeutically—sufficiently known? Are we witnessing them right now?

Guest: Shayla Love, staff writer for the Atlantic.

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TBD | This Is Your Brain On Ketamine

Sun, 30 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Guest: Shayla Love, staff writer for the Atlantic.

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We Made a Memecoin

Fri, 28 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Guests:

Azeem Khan, advisor to UNICEF’s crypto fund and cocreator of the blockchain Morph.

Nitish Pahwa, Slate staff writer covering business and tech.

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The Group Chat Heard ‘Round the World

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

How former congressman and Air Force veteran, Adam Kinzinger interprets the leaked Signal chat of top Trump administration officials discussing a military strike on Houthi targets.

Guest: Adam Kinzinger, former Republican Congressman for Illinois’s 11th and 16th districts who served on the January 6th select committee, and author of Renegade: Defending Democracy and Liberty in Our Divided Country.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

What Happens To My Student Loans Now?

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Trump’s attempted elimination of the Department of Education has left more than 40 million Americans with student loans wondering how their repayment plans will be affected—and future college students wondering what options will exist when it’s time to go to school.

Guest: Danielle Douglas-Gabriel, higher education reporter at the Washington Post.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

A Tea Party for the Democrats?

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders are holding packed rallies on their “Fighting Oligarchy” tour. The energy is there, but what is the message and how could it translate to a win for the down-and-out Democratic Party?

Guest: David Weigel, national political reporter at Semafor.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

How Colleges Can Fight Back

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

The Trump administration is using federal money—and the withholding thereof—as a way to bring universities like Columbia and Penn to heel. But institutes of higher education have not yet begun to fight, and when they do, they’ve got strong legal arguments against incursions on their academic freedom.

Guest: Lee Bollinger, president emeritus, Columbia University

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

Bezos 2.0

Sun, 23 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

During his first term, President Trump and Jeff Bezos openly sparred with each other. During this second administration, though, it seems like Bezos is trying to endear himself - and his companies - to the White House. So what changed?

Guest: Dana Mattioli, reporter for the Wall Street Journal and the author of The Everything War: Amazon’s Ruthless Quest to Own the World and Remake Corporate Power.

Special thanks to David Maraniss.

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

Trump's War on Scientific Research

Fri, 21 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

The National Institutes of Health is the primary engine of biomedical research around the world, which makes the Trump administration's dramatic cuts to its grant program both confusing and potentially incredibly harmful.

Guest: Katherine J. Wu, staff writer for the Atlantic.

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

Trump’s Animal-Spirit Economy

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

The economy that Donald Trump inherited from Joe Biden had low unemployment, slowing inflation, and a growing GDP. So what is he trying to achieve by imposing heavy tariffs on our allies and trading partners?

Guest: Stephanie Ruhle, NBC business analyst and the host of MSNBC's The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

A "Made for TV" Deportation Policy

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Mass deportations were a big part of Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign and now in office, he’s making good on the wide-sweeping aspects of his policy, though the numbers aren’t yet massive. Most recently, he’s justified these actions through the 1798 Alien Enemies Act which only applies during wartime. When a judge attempted to halt the deportations to evaluate this use of the rarely-utilized law, Trump called for him to be impeached.

Guest: Michelle Hackman, U.S. immigration policy reporter in The Wall Street Journal's Washington bureau.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

Is this the End of Sesame Street?

Tue, 18 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Educational, entertaining, and about as universally beloved as any part of American life, how did Sesame Street find itself cutting staff and searching for a new broadcasting home?

Guest: David Kamp, author of Sunny Days: The Children's Television Revolution That Changed America

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

Democrats Had a Rare Opportunity. They Blinked.

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Last week, Democrats averted a government shutdown—by voting for a MAGA-friendly Continuing Resolution, which may have just handed even greater power to Trump. Why?

Guest: Josh Marshall, editor-in-chief of Talking Points Memo

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

How Trump Is Trying to Kill Press Freedom

Sun, 16 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

With a Trump-friendly Supreme Court and a contentious relationship with the press, could Donald Trump follow through on his 2016 campaign goal of making it easier to sue media companies for libel—and imperil America’s free press?

Guest: David Enrich, business investigations editor at the New York Times and author of “Murder The Truth.”

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

Bonus Main Character: Meghan Markle Could Use a Win

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 17:00:00 GMT

From television, to a royal wedding…and back to TV, Meghan Markle is carving out her own niche.

Guest: Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay, cohosts of Slate’s ICYMI.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Will Tesla Survive Elon Musk?

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

The public’s anger towards Elon Musk and DOGE has found an outlet in the form of Musk’s car company Tesla. How long can the company put up with a sinking reputation and stock price?

Guest: Pranshu Verma, tech reporter for the Washington Post.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell and Patrick Fort.

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

Could DOGE Really Gut Social Security?

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

DOGE cuts have already hit Social Security, with offices closing and employees fired. With Elon Musk calling the program a “Ponzi scheme” and saying entitlements are “the big one to eliminate,” this may be just the beginning of the unraveling of the trusted safety net that millions of Americans rely on.

Guest: Joe Perticone, political reporter at The Bulwark.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

Will Student Protesters Be Deported?

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

The Trump administration’s approach to free speech, immigration, and due process all converge in a crackdown on Columbia University.

Guest: Sarah Brown, news editor at the Chronicle for Higher Education.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

Andrew Cuomo Wanted To Be President. He’ll Settle For Mayor.

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Andrew Cuomo—the hard-headed former governor of New York state —became something of a national hero in 2020 with his no-nonsense press conferences. By 2021, he was mired in a sexual misconduct scandal and the fallout from a public health disaster. How is he polling so well in the Democratic primary for New York’s mayoral race?

Guest: Jimmy Vielkind, New York politics reporter for WNYC.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman and Rob Gunther.

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

Til Trump Do Us Part

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

They were three Harris-supporting women, from across the country, all married to Trump-supporting men—and they were all contemplating divorce.

Guest: Scaachi Koul, Slate senior writer who wrote about women considering leaving their husbands over their support for Donald Trump and the author of Sucker Punch.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

Zuckerberg and the Post-Factcheck Era

Sun, 09 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

After the election, Mark Zuckerberg announced that he was doing away with Facebook’s fact-checking apparatus in the US. With content creators getting paid based on reach, and content spreading wider and faster the more extreme it is, is Facebook the perfect environment for misinformation to flourish?

Guest: Craig Silverman, technology reporter for ProPublica.

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

From 4Chan to Charlottesville to DOGE

Fri, 07 Mar 2025 08:00:00 GMT

To understand the second Trump administration, you have to understand the internet culture that gave birth to it.

Guest: Elle Reeve, CNN correspondent who reported on the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, VA for Vice News.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell and Patrick Fort.

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

How Worried Are Ukrainians?

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Aware of Donald Trump’s reputation as a dealmaker, Ukrainians had some hope as he took office—maybe Trump could break the stalemate with Russia and find peace. Then that Oval Office meeting happened…

Guest: Romeo Kokriatski is the managing editor of New Voice of Ukraine, and co-host of the podcast Ukraine Without Hype.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

The True Cost of Slashing the Government

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Republicans have been talking about cutting the size of the government down for decades. Now that the Trump administration is following through on those plans, the process is laying bare just how much pain this budget hacking is going to inflict on Americans and people across the globe.

Guest:

Jeffrey Okoro, executive director for CFK Africa, a non-profit focusing on public health and financial opportunities based in Nairobi, Kenya.

Hannah Smith-Brubaker, farmer in central Pennsylvania and executive director of Pasa, a non-profit working with farmers on sustainability.

Vincent Pinti, law and public-policy graduate student at the University of Michigan.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

Why Trump Needs Congress

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Congressional Republicans are trying to extend Trump’s first-term tax cuts, appease GOP budget hawks and increase defense spending—all in a single budget. Can it be done?

Guest: Jim Newell, senior politics writer at Slate.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

Why Women Kill

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 08:00:00 GMT

A survey of people incarcerated in California found that 20 percent of women in for homicide had killed their abusive partners. How have self-defense laws failed women in abusive relationships—and how can they be reformed to save lives?

Guest: Rachel Louise Snyder, journalist, author of No Visible Bruises: What We Don’t Know About Domestic Violence Can Kill Us, and professor at American University.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Cracking the Egg Crisis

Sun, 02 Mar 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Everyone’s talking about the price of eggs—so why are they so expensive? And when can we expect—if ever—the price to come back down?

Guests:

Dr. Jada Thompson, associate professor at the University of Arkansas

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

The DOGE Resistance

Fri, 28 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Federal workers in the U.S. Digital Service resigned in protest over what they viewed as indiscriminate, irresponsible firings coming from the DOGE office. While lawsuits are entering the courts and protests are taking to the streets, will any of this make a difference to the chainsaw-minded leaders of DOGE?

Guest: Ryan Mac, tech reporter at the New York Times and co-author of “Character Limit: How Elon Musk Destroyed Twitter.”

Podcast production by Evan Campbell and Patrick Fort.

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

Will Gaza’s Ceasefire Last?

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

The ceasefire between Hamas and Israel has held since January 19. Now, the second phase—negotiating Gaza’s future—is supposed to begin. But anger over the deaths of hostages and intrusions into the West Bank aren’t going to make it easy.

Guest: Yair Rosenberg, staff writer at The Atlantic and author of Deep Shtetl, a newsletter about the intersection of politics, culture, and religion.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

The DOGE Backlash Begins

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

In town halls from Oregon to Georgia, people are letting Republicans know just how angry they are about the dramatic cuts to the federal government. And their displeasure is starting to sink Trump’s approval rating.

Guest:

Greg Bluestein, political reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Ben Mathis-Lilley, senior writer for Slate.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

Barron Mania

Tue, 25 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Barron Trump, the president’s youngest son, isn’t on the public speaking circuit and has no social media presence. But he’s nevertheless become a Gen-Z-aged avatar of Trump masculinity for the MAGA faithful. Where does reality end and speculation begin?

Guest: Dan Adler, staff writer for Vanity Fair.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

What If America Went on Strike?

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

In 2011, a Republican majority in the Wisconsin State House faced massive protests to their plans to strip power from public sector workers. State Democrats fled across the border and the possibility of a general strike loomed.

But the strike fizzled out and the legislation ultimately passed.

And now the situation in the federal government is shaping up in a similar way. Do the workers need to break the glass and do what Wisconsin stopped short of?

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

$Trump

Sun, 23 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

The crypto industry threw its weight and money behind Donald Trump, in hopes of legitimizing the industry. Before his Inauguration Day was over, Donald Trump was already enriching himself via a memecoin, one of the scammier, least legitimate-looking uses of crypto.

Guest: David Yaffe-Bellany, reporter covering cryptocurrency for the New York Times.

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

Elon's Endgame

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

As someone whose companies receive billions of dollars from the government, it’s worth asking why Elon Musk is so zealous about cutting government spending.

Guest: Max Chafkin, features editor and tech reporter at Bloomberg Businessweek and cohost of the Elon, Inc podcast.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell and Patrick Fort.

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

Why This Trump Nominee Has Union Support

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Trump's pick for labor secretary, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, is an outlier: She has experience in federal government, where she was one of three House Republicans to support the “Protecting the Right to Organize Act” to expand employees’ rights to organize and collectively bargain and she was accompanied by the head of the Teamsters when she went to visit Mar A Lago after the election.

What did her hearing tell us about how she would approach being labor secretary—while working in an administration that’s firing huge chunks of its workforce?

Guest: Tammy Kim, contributing writer at the New Yorker.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

A Measles Outbreak and Wake-Up Call

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

When enough people opt out of routine vaccinations for their children, diseases that have been all but eliminated can come roaring back, as is the case with a growing measles outbreak in West Texas.

Guest: Dr. Adam Ratner, pediatrician of infectious disease in New York City and author of Booster Shots: The Urgent Lessons of Measles and the Uncertain Future of Children’s Health.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Rob Gunther, and Ethan Oberman.

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

How Eric Adams Got His Charges Dropped

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

The Justice Department ordered New York federal prosecutors to drop charges against Eric Adams, claiming his indictment was preventing him from aiding in Trump’s immigration crackdown. The move has prompted multiple high level Justice Department officials to resign, and raised concerns of a quid pro quo.

Guest: Jay Willis, Editor-in-Chief of Balls & Strikes.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Rob Gunther, and Ethan Oberman.

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

How To Rebuild Your Life After a Wildfire

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

As What Next celebrates President’s Day, please enjoy this episode from our colleagues at How To. What Next will be back in your feed tomorrow.

Jeff and his family lost their home last month in the L.A. wildfires. Since then, he’s been hyperfocused on insurance claims, an epic to-do list, and finding a “temporary” place to live for the next several years. But Jeff hasn’t experienced the emotional punch of the devastation yet. In fact… he just feels numb. On this episode of How To!, Courtney Martin brings on Laurel Braitman, author of What Looks Like Bravery: An Epic Journey Through Loss to Love. In a moving (and sometimes funny) conversation, Laurel tells Jeff how she’s still processing what she lost in a 2017 wildfire, and they talk about the heartbreak, grief—and glimmers of hope—that follow the sudden loss of your family’s home.

Artwork mentioned: It’s Going Down Like a House on Fire by Nyx Coker.

If you liked this episode check out: How To Survive a Disaster.

Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis.

Want more How To!? Subscribe to Slate Plus to unlock exclusive bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Visit slate.com/howtoplus to get access wherever you listen.

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Can You Pay Attention, Please?

Sun, 16 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

The infinite scroll has no purpose other than keeping your attention. But that doesn’t mean it’s value-neutral.

Guest: Chris Hayes, MSNBC news anchor and author of “The Siren's Call: How Attention Became The World's Most Endangered Resource.”

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

Is Elon Actually Trying to Buy OpenAI?

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Is Elon Musk’s $97.4 billion offer to buy OpenAI genuine—or an irresistible opportunity to troll Sam Altman?

Guest: David A. Fahrenthold, investigative reporter for the New York Times

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

The Award for Messiest Oscar Contender Goes To…

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

As Donald Trump’s campaign of trans panic and anti-Latin American sentiment buoyed him back to the White House, Emilia Pérez looked like a film to meet the moment. Then audiences started actually seeing it and...yikes.

Guest: Michael Schulman, staff writer at The New Yorker and author of Oscar Wars: A History of Hollywood in Gold, Sweat, and Tears.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Trump’s South Africa Fixation

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Among his recent executive orders, Donald Trump moved to halt aid to South Africa over a land law and extended political asylum to South Africa’s white Afrikaner population.

Where does Trump’s seemingly spotty understanding of South Africa come from? How could having close advisors who grew up in apartheid-era South Africa, like Elon Musk, influence him?

Guest: Chris McGreal, writer for The Guardian US who reported from South Africa during the end of apartheid.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Rob Gunther, and Ethan Oberman.

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

The GOP Can't Quit "Stop the Steal"

Tue, 11 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

As Donald Trump has demonstrated, losing an election is no reason to admit you lost an election. In fact, in North Carolina, the Republican challenger, who lost a race for the state’s Supreme Court, is testing a bold new strategy of disqualifying ballots until he gets the result he wants. And if he succeeds, it could start a trend.

Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, Slate senior writer covering courts and the law.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther.

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

Lessons From Hungary

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Donald Trump has a lot of similarities—and something of a bromance—with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. And those who wish to resist Trump’s Orbán-like, right-wing strongman tendencies could learn something from the resistance in Hungary.

Guest: Gábor Scheiring, former member of the Hungarian parliament and assistant professor of comparative politics at Georgetown University Qatar.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Why Trump’s Data Purge is a Digital Book Burning

Sun, 09 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Using Github, you can watch as government websites are brought into compliance with Donald Trump’s executive orders. Out goes the word “equity;” in comes “fair.” And health and science data, once publicly available, disappears.

Guest: Jason Koebler, cofounder of 404 Media.

Jeremy Prokop, data science advisor in the Midwest

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TBD Bonus: The Discourse | Why is Elon Musk Cheating at Video Games?

Fri, 07 Feb 2025 08:15:00 GMT

Elon Musk is supposed to be running several companies and a new government department—so why is he also spending money to pretend to be good at video games?

Guest: Drew Harwell, tech reporter for the Washington Post.

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

Bonus: The Discourse | Why is Elon Musk Cheating at Video Games?

Fri, 07 Feb 2025 08:15:00 GMT

Elon Musk is supposed to be running several companies and a new government department—so why is he also spending money to pretend to be good at video games?

Guest: Drew Harwell, tech reporter for the Washington Post.

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

TBD | Is Elon Musk Unstoppable?

Fri, 07 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

You can’t doubt the enthusiasm of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. You can question the legality of some of their early moves.

Guest: Makena Kelly, senior writer at WIRED.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, and Cheyna Roth.

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

Is Elon Musk Unstoppable?

Fri, 07 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

You can’t doubt the enthusiasm of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. You can question the legality of some of their early moves.

Guest: Makena Kelly, senior writer at WIRED.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell and Patrick Fort.

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

Guantanamo Bay’s Comeback Is a Warning

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Last week, Donald Trump announced that Guantanamo Bay would be used to house the “worst criminal illegal aliens” and claimed that it would be drastically scaled up to hold as many as 30,000 people. In addition to its infamous role in the War on Terror, it’s the latest use of Gitmo as an immigration deterrent—and legal grey zone.

Guest: Andrea Pitzer, author of One Long Night: A Global History of Concentration Camps.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

DOGE V. USAID

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Why did the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which gives money to humanitarian causes around the world and accounts for roughly half of one percent of the federal budget, end up in DOGE’s crosshairs? And is its abrupt closure legal?

Guests: Franco Ordoñez, White House Correspondent for NPR. Fred Kaplan, Slate’s war stories correspondent.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Are Airplane Crashes Inevitable?

Tue, 04 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

America hadn’t had a major commercial airline crash since 2009 until the mid-air collision over the Potomac. Is this a sign of a larger problem that will require government intervention—and will Congress prioritize safety over convenience for their constituents and themselves?

You can read Dan’s 2023 article, “Everyone Seems to Agree a Major Plane Crash is Coming. Why?” on Slate.

Guest: Dan Kois, writer at Slate and author of five books.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Trump’s Anti-Trans Agenda

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Trump and his allies in the House’s flurry of anti-trans legislation and executive orders will soon run into both the law and the reality that our institutions like the military really rely on trans people.

Guests:

Major Alivia Stehlik, Director of Holistic Health and Fitness for the 101st Airborne Division.

Kate Sosin, LGBTQ+ reporter at The 19th.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

The DeepSeek Panic

Sun, 02 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

The artificial intelligence industry was thrown for a loop when the Chinese start-up DeepSeek rolled out a product that was more energy efficient, cheaper to produce, and open source. Where did DeepSeek come from, and are Silicon Valley and Washington right to be panicking?

Guest: Zeyi Yang, senior writer at WIRED.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, and Cheyna Roth.

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

Bonus | Main Character Syndrome: Deepseek

Fri, 31 Jan 2025 18:00:00 GMT

Did the Chinese artificial intelligence start-up Deepseek just blow up the A.I. world as we know it? Or is it just a cheap knock-off?

Guest: Lizzie O’Leary, host of the Slate podcast What Next TBD.

This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock exclusive episodes of What Next—you’ll also access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

RFK Jr. Is a Feature, Not a Bug

Fri, 31 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Tapped by Trump for the role of health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. presents himself as someone willing to say what other politicians won’t. But during his Senate confirmation hearings, both Democrats and Republicans questioned his previous statements about vaccines—and questioned whether he even knows what the job he’s trying to get entails. But his nomination signals that maybe it isn’t about vaccines - it’s about wanting to blow up the whole healthcare establishment.

Guest: Dan Diamond, White House correspondent for The Washington Post

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, and Cheyna Roth.

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

Was Tulsi Gabbard Always Like This?

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Tulsi Gabbard’s political career is truly singular: once a young progressive Democrat on the rise, then a gadfly taking surprise meetings with Bashar al-Assad, now she’s Donald Trump’s nominee to head up National Intelligence. Along the way, Gabbard has given almost everyone a reason not to vote for her.

Guest: Elaine Godfrey, staff writer covering national politics for The Atlantic.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Trump’s DIY Government Shutdown

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Trump’s Office of Management and Budget sent a memo directing federal agencies to “temporarily pause all activities related to … disbursement of all Federal financial assistance,” which threw everything from Meals on Wheels to the rebuilding of a Rhode Island bridge into a state of confusion.

What seems clear is that Congress has already stipulated how this money should be spent—and the president doesn’t have the power to change that.

For more on the legal mess that’ll follow this news, head over to the Amicus feed. Dahlia Lithwick just dropped an emergency episode.

Guest: Karen Tumulty, political columnist for The Washington Post.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Who Will Mourn DEI?

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

The Trump administration’s fight against diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs is underway, and it’s proving to be even broader and further-reaching than anticipated. What’s at stake for these programs—and why are so many Americans glad to see them go?

Guest: Farah Stockman, member of the New York Times Editorial Board, author of American Made: What Happens to People When Work Disappears

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Trump’s Gift to Militias

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Between Trump’s broad pardon for January 6 rioters and Facebook loosening restrictions on its platforms, it’s looking much easier for militia groups like the Oathkeepers and Proud Boys to recruit members, organize, and carry out violence.

Guest: Josh Kaplan, reporter for ProPublica.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

The A.I. Will See You Now

Sun, 26 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Artificial intelligence is coming to a doctor’s office near you—if it isn’t already there, working in an administrative role. Are you ready for generative A.I. to help your doctor diagnose you? Is your doctor ready to listen—with the necessary mix of humility and skepticism?

Guest: Geoffrey Fowler, Washington Post tech columnist.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, and Cheyna Roth.

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

Bonus: The Discourse | The Bro-ligarchs Take Washington

Fri, 24 Jan 2025 15:01:55 GMT

Choice seats for Donald Trump’s second inauguration were filled with tech founders and CEOs, signaling their importance to this presidential term. Then Elon Musk sent another signal of his own…

Guest: Nitish Pahwa, staff writer for business and tech at Slate.

This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock exclusive episodes of What Next TBD —you’ll also access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.

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

TBD Bonus: The Discourse | The Bro-ligarchs Take Washington

Fri, 24 Jan 2025 15:01:00 GMT

Choice seats for Donald Trump’s second inauguration were filled with tech founders and CEOs, signaling their importance to this presidential term. Then Elon Musk sent another signal of his own…

Guest: Nitish Pahwa, staff writer for business and tech at Slate.

This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock exclusive episodes of What Next TBD —you’ll also access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.

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

Department of Government Elon

Fri, 24 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

The Department of Government Efficiency was made to Elon Musk’s specifications, right down to its meme-indebted name. Now that DOGE is shaping up to be an actual part of the government, what can it actually accomplish? And isn’t this all a huge conflict of interest for Elon Musk and his many government contracts?

Guest: Teddy Schleifer, New York Times reporter on billionaires.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, and Cheyna Roth.

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

How Closed Is the Border?

Thu, 23 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Donald Trump talked a lot about immigration while on the campaign trail and as his second term begins, he’s getting to work: declaring a national emergency on the border, designating drug cartels as terrorist organizations, and partially suspending asylum and refugee programs.

Guests:

Jose Olivares, investigative journalist and immigration reporter.

Arelis Hernandez, immigration reporter at the Washington Post, based in Texas.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Can Trump Actually Do All That?

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

On the day he was inaugurated, Donald Trump set about signing executive orders on birthright citizenship, the TikTok ban, and withdrawing from various international bodies, treaties and accords. Has he shown up to test out the awesome powers of the executive branch—or was he just showing off for his fans?

Guest: Deborah Pearlstein, Director, Program in Law and Public Policy and Charles and Marie Robertson Visiting Professor in Law and Public Affairs at Princeton.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Did Democracy Die in Darkness?

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 10:00:00 GMT

Last October, Amazon CEO and billionaire owner of the Washington Post Jeff Bezos swooped in to halt the publication of a Kamala Harris endorsement from the editorial board. Yesterday, he appeared in the front row at Trump’s second inauguration. The paper’s hemorrhaging subscribers—and laying off dozens of staff members—but it seems like the internal unrest has just begun.

Guest: Maxwell Tani, journalist covering media for Semafor.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Hello Trumpworld

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

As Donald Trump and his coterie return to the White House, everyone seems confident they know what levers to pull to get Trump to do what they want. The only issue, then, is what other members of Trumpworld want.

Guest: Ben Mathis-Lilly, senior writer at Slate

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

As Fires Approached LA, Angelenos Turned to Watch Duty

Sun, 19 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Looking for up-to-the-minute updates on where the fires are, LA residents have been turning to the app Watch Duty, rather than getting updates directly from the local or state government, or even local media.

Guests:

David Merritt, cofounder and CTO of Watch Duty

Alyssa Jeong Perry, LA-based producer for Slate.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, and Cheyna Roth.

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

Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta-Morphosis

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Misinformation, disinformation, politics—Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg is not going to shield users from those anymore. What’s behind the abrupt change in direction?

Guest: Sheera Frenkel, New York Times tech reporter

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, and Cheyna Roth.

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

What the Ceasefire Is and Isn’t

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

After being “close to a deal” for so long, Israel and Gaza have officially reached a second ceasefire agreement. Is this the end of the war? And what does it say about Gaza’s future?

Guest: Graeme Wood, staff writer at The Atlantic and lecturer in political science at Yale.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Does Jack Smith’s Jan. 6 Report Matter?

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

How did an investigation into an effort to violently overturn a US presidential election end up coming out as a whimper, well after it could have carried any weight or legal repercussions?

Guest: Jay Willis, editor-in-chief at Balls and Strikes.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Can Trump End Birthright Citizenship?

Tue, 14 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

How could Donald Trump make good on his vow to end birthright citizenship, currently a constitutional right? It starts with a willing judiciary.

Guest: Isabela Dias, immigration reporter for Mother Jones.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Who’s to Blame for the LA Fires?

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

The fires in Los Angeles may end up being one of—if not the most—expensive natural disasters in American history. Everyone is trying to find the party responsible. It isn’t that simple.

Guest: Gabrielle Canon, climate reporter and extreme weather correspondent for The Guardian US.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Why Tech Is Bending the Knee

Sun, 12 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

How the FCC and its incoming head, Brenden Carr, could enact Trump’s top policy goal: punishing anyone who says mean stuff about Trump.

Guest: Drew FitzGerald, telecom reporter for the Wall Street Journal.

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

Will the Supreme Court Save TikTok?

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Will a First Amendment defense keep TikTok running in America?

Guest: Emily Baker White, tech reporter for Forbes.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, and Cheyna Roth.

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

Greenland’s a Distraction

Thu, 09 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

With Republicans holding the House, the Senate, and the presidency, cabinet confirmation hearings may be the most prominent place for Democrats to make a stand.

Guest: Chris Murphy, US senator for Connecticut.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Blake Lively Vs. Hollywood

Wed, 08 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

After a summer on the receiving end of the internet’s ire, Blake Lively is back in the news, as her relationship with her former director and co-star Justin Baldoni has taken a turn for the litigious.

Guest: Heather Schwedel, staff writer at Slate.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Justin Trudeau Steps Down

Tue, 07 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

After nine years as Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau has resigned. Has Canada joined much of the rest of the world by jettisoning its progressive leadership, or does Trudeau’s career tell a different story?

Guest: Jesse Brown, editor and publisher of Canadaland.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Is ISIS Back? Or Did It Never Leave?

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Though their physical caliphate has been gone for more than five years, the terrorist organization ISIS has survived—through propaganda, in chatrooms, and as an inspiration and cheerleader for actions like the New Years’ Eve attack in New Orleans.

Guest: Colin P. Clarke, Director of Research at The Soufan Group, a nonprofit research group focusing on global security, author of “After the Caliphate: The Islamic State and the Future Terrorist Diaspora.”

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Bitcoin Takes the White House

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Cryptocurrency spent generously on this last election cycle, and now they’ve got their top pick in the White House, and wins across Congress. Where is the industry looking to go with these favorable, regulatory winds?

Guest: David Yaffe-Bellany, tech reporter covering the crypto industry for the New York Times.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, and Cheyna Roth.

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

Musk vs. MAGA

Fri, 03 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

On Christmas Eve a fracas erupted on X, when Elon Musk posted in favor of H1-B visas for specialized and high-skill workers and was met with anger from the MAGA base who view the visas as a way for immigrants to take American jobs.

Guest: Ryan Mac, tech reporter for The New York Times and the coauthor of the book “Character Limit How Elon Musk Destroyed Twitter.”

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Ethan Oberman, Patrick Fort, and Cheyna Roth.

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

The Struggle to Get Aid to Gaza

Thu, 02 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Dispensing aid in the Gaza Strip is becoming increasingly difficult. No one knows this better than Hani. On a professional level, his employer, UNRWA—the main supplier of food, water, and shelter to Gazans over the last year—is banned from operating come 2025. On a personal note, his brother Mahmoud was killed in what Hani believes to have been a targeted strike while operating a soup kitchen for hungry neighbors.

Guest: Hani Almadhoun, senior director of philanthropy at UNRWA USA.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

How To Exorcise Your Fitness Demons

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Happy New Year! What Next resumes regularly scheduled programming tomorrow, but for the holiday, check out this episode of How To! from December: How To Exorcise Your Fitness Demons.

Sandy is a former college athlete who knows how to exercise—at least, she used to. These days, she’s feeling lost without a coach, a workout plan, or much free time. On this episode of How To!, Carvell Wallace brings on Danielle Friedman, author of Let’s Get Physical and a contributor to the New York Times Well section. Danielle explains how to embrace movement that you love, make it fit into your life—and actually stick with it.

If you liked this episode check out: How To Start Strength Training and How To Stick to Your New Year’s Resolutions.

How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis and Sara McCrea.

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The Trump Restoration

Tue, 31 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

The year is wrapping up and so is The Biden Era—oh who are we kidding? This was, and is, the Age of Trump…and now, apparently, Elon Musk. Brace yourselves.

Guest: Jim Newell, Slate senior politics reporter.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Jimmy Carter’s Legacy

Mon, 30 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Former president Jimmy Carter died on Sunday at age 100. Carter was a born-again evangelical Christian as well as a Democrat. Those two identities existed in harmony for him—but they would diverge in American politics in the wake of his presidency.

Guest: Jim Wallis, chair in Faith and Justice and the founding director of the Georgetown University Center on Faith and Justice.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

The Cost of Suicide Prevention Software

Sun, 29 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Between a third and half of American schoolchildren have a form of “mental health monitoring” software on their school devices, which scans for and flags certain keywords.

While intuitively appealing, is it worth the false positives, privacy issues, and compromised trust?

Guest: Ellen Barry, mental health reporter for the New York Times.

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

TBD | 2024 In Review: Would You Buy Poop On the Internet?

Fri, 27 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

“Fecal microbial transplants” treat someone’s unhealthy gut with poop from someone else’s healthy gut, and proponents of FMT claim it can help treat everything from IBS to autism. But if your doctor isn’t ready to fill you up with someone else’s poop, the internet will happily oblige.

Guest:

Luke Winkie, Slate staff writer who published “The Poop Broker.”

Disclosure in Podcast Description: A Bond Account is a self-directed brokerage account with Public Investing, member FINRA/SIPC. Deposits into this account are used to purchase 10 investment-grade and high-yield bonds. As of 9/26/24, the average, annualized yield to worst (YTW) across the Bond Account is greater than 6%. A bond’s yield is a function of its market price, which can fluctuate; therefore, a bond’s YTW is not “locked in” until the bond is purchased, and your yield at time of purchase may be different from the yield shown here. The “locked in” YTW is not guaranteed; you may receive less than the YTW of the bonds in the Bond Account if you sell any of the bonds before maturity or if the issuer defaults on the bond. Public Investing charges a markup on each bond trade. See our Fee Schedule. Bond Accounts are not recommendations of individual bonds or default allocations. The bonds in the Bond Account have not been selected based on your needs or risk profile. See https://public.com/disclosures/bond-account to learn more.

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2024 In Review: Would You Buy Poop On the Internet?

Fri, 27 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Guest:

Luke Winkie, Slate staff writer who published “The Poop Broker.”

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2024 in Review: What the WNBA Salary Debate Misses

Thu, 26 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

While the What Next team takes some rest, enjoy this episode, originally aired on April 22.

With all eyes on the WNBA as Caitlin Clark was drafted, many were surprised at the star player’s new salary, and how it paled in comparison to that of an NBA rookie. What would it take to address this disparity?

Guest: Lindsay Gibbs, author and founder of Power Plays, “a no-BS newsletter about women’s sports” and co-host of the Burn It All Down podcast.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

2024 in Review: Why Miss USA is Imploding

Wed, 25 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

While the What Next team takes some rest, enjoy this episode, originally aired on May 16.

When Miss USA abdicated her throne, people noticed that the first letters of each sentence of her resignation letter spell out “I am silenced.” Shortly thereafter, Miss Teen USA stepped down with a letter that opens with a quote from Nietzsche.

What’s going on at the Miss USA organization? Has the idea of a national pageant outlived its usefulness?

Guest: Constance Grady, senior Culture correspondent for Vox.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

2024 in Review: Wait, Is JUUL Banned or Not?

Tue, 24 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

While the What Next team takes some rest, enjoy this episode, originally aired on June 12.

Two years ago, the FDA announced it was banning JUUL nicotine vapes from sale in the U.S.—and then quickly announced it was holding off on the ban to allow for review. How did regulating ecigarettes end up playing catch-up?

Guest: Jamie Ducharme, health correspondent at Time, author of Big Vape: The Incendiary Rise of Juul.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

2024 in Review: Would You Die For MrBeast?

Mon, 23 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

While the What Next team enjoys some rest, enjoy this episode, originally aired on August 15.

MrBeast is known for videos that blend stunts and philanthropy, but his new team-up with Amazon and MGM is bringing some of his less savory aspects to light.

Guest: Madison Malone Kircher, reporter covering internet culture for The New York Times

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Influencer vs. Influencer

Sun, 22 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

One influencer working for Amazon sued another influencer who works for Amazon for creating content that looks too similar to theirs. But with how the algorithms work and reward, was this an inevitability? What does this mean for the economics of the influencer position?

Guest: Mia Sato, reporter covering platforms and communities for The Verge.

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TBD | Influencer vs. Influencer

Sun, 22 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Guest: Mia Sato, reporter covering platforms and communities for The Verge.

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Plus | A Karaoke Holiday With What Next

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 08:05:00 GMT

For a very special holiday edition of What Next, Mary chats with Death Sex & Money host Anna Sale about the anthems they’ll be belting out the next time they do karaoke—and they take calls from colleagues and listeners about their own go-to barn-burners for this unsettled moment.

You can find all these anthems (and more) on one Spotify playlist here https://tinyurl.com/whatnextkaraoke

Guest: Anna Sale, host of Slate’s Death, Sex & Money

To hear the rest of this episode, subscribe to Slate Plus. You'll also access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.

Podcast production by Madeline Ducharme.

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Drones!??!!!?!!!

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Reports of flocks of drones, flying overhead nightly, are coming in from New Jersey down to Maryland. Are they UFOs? Nefarious foreign powers? Something even more pernicious? Something even more banal?

Guest: Jon Ostrower, editor-in-chief of The Air Current.

Ben Mathis-Lilly, Slate senior writer

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Can More Grocery Stores Fix Food Deserts?

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

How do you keep a grocery store open in a small or low-income community? The answer might involve regulating big box stores like Walmart and Kroger.

Guest: Molly Parker, investigative reporter for Capitol News Illinois and a Local Reporting Network fellow at ProPublica.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

How Trump Got ABC to Pay Up

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

What ABC’s huge defamation settlement with Donald Trump says about the state of the media, heading into Trump’s second term.

Guest: David Folkenflik, media correspondent for NPR.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

How Shaboozey Broke the Mold

Tue, 17 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

After a tepid embrace of Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter and a back-and-forth over Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road,” country music fans are all in on Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy).” How has this hip-hop-inflected country hit perched atop the charts for a record-tying 19 weeks?

Guest: Chris Molanphy, chart analyst, pop critic, host of the Hit Parade podcast, and author of Slate's “Why Is This Song No. 1?” series and the book Old Town Road.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Make Hollywood Great Again

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

The highest grossing documentary in 2024 was “Am I Racist?” from The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh, and it’s not the only avowedly right-wing movie that’s enjoyed success at the box office this year. Is Hollywood going the way of the White House?

Guest: Barry Hertz, Deputy Arts Editor and Film Editor for The Globe and Mail

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Rob Gunther and Ethan Oberman.

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The Surveillance State Trump Is Inheriting

Sun, 15 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Our lives, and our communication in particular, are increasingly conducted over the internet. This means we are increasingly able to be hacked and monitored, by governments, by the police, and more and more by anyone who can get their hands on the available software.

Guest: Ronan Farrow, investigative reporter and producer of the Max documentary “Surveilled.”

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 TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Cheyna Roth, and Ethan Oberman.

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Elon Musk and Trump’s Shadow Transition Team

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Elon Musk has been down in Florida with Donald Trump, inviting his fellow rich Silicon Valley friends to stop by and weigh in on the next administration. How could policy and personnel be shaped by this input from successful (if totally inexperienced in government) individuals?

Guest: Teddy Schleifer, covering politics for the New York Times.

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Who Can Save the Democrats?

Thu, 12 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

The hunt for the new chair of the Democratic National Committee is on and the winning candidate will be the one that party officials believe can guide Democrats back to the White House. So who’s throwing their hat into the ring?

Guest: Gabriel Debenedetti is a national correspondent at New York Magazine and the author of The Long Alliance: The Imperfect Union of Joe Biden and Barack Obama.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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How Daniel Penny Walked Free

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Daniel Penny’s trial over the death of Jordan Neely hinged on the question of how and when a “reasonable person” would feel threatened. Does the jury’s non-guilty verdict deliver a clear answer?

Guest: Katie Way, writer-editor at Hell Gate.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Why United Healthcare Is Easy to Hate

Tue, 10 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Last week’s killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO prompted an outpouring of glee online. A look into UnitedHealthcare’s business practices—and the American healthcare system as a whole—can help explain why.

Guest: Dan Diamond, national health reporter for The Washington Post.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

The End of Assad in Syria

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

After more than a decade of civil war, Syrian rebels have toppled President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in just about a week. How was the dictator finally deposed, and what comes next for the war-torn country?

Guest: Josh Keating, senior correspondent at Vox covering foreign policy.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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Spotify Trapped

Sun, 08 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Spotify is shaping listening habits, so much so that musicians are shaping themselves for Spotify. It makes your musical world a little more prescribed, a little smaller.

If it feels like everything’s getting a little stale, how do we get out?

Guest: Tiffany Ng, culture and tech writer.

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The Influencer Administration

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

From Dr. Oz to RFK Jr. to Donald Trump himself—the incoming administration looks like it will be populated with pitchmen and influencers. Will anyone take steps to divest from their businesses or avoid conflicts of interest—or will everyone just follow Trump’s lead from last time?

Guest: Drew Harwell, tech reporter for the Washington Post.

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Even Trump Loyalists Are Scared Of Kash Patel

Thu, 05 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

During his first administration, Donald Trump tried naming Kash Patel as deputy director of the FBI, but members of the administration pushed back. Now with the second administration filled with loyalists, Trump has named Patel as his pick for FBI director. What does Trump see in this guy?

Guest: Elaina Plott Calabro, staff writer at The Atlantic.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Martial Law (Briefly) in South Korea

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law late Tuesday, leading South Korea’s parliament to cross barricades to convene and vote it down.

Though this episode resolved quickly and peacefully for the moment, where is the country’s government heading?

Guest: Terence Roehrig, professor of national security affairs at the U.S. Naval War College specializing in Korean and East Asian security issues.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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Did Biden Break the Presidential Pardon?

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

How problematic is it for Joe Biden to pardon his son Hunter after promising, again and again, that he wouldn’t?

Guest: Ankush Khardori, senior writer for POLITICO and a former federal prosecutor at the Department of Justice.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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The House’s Gift to Trump

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

The House already voted to pass the “The Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act.” But with Donald Trump returning to the White House next year, some Democrats are viewing the power that the bill gives the executive branch—to label non-profit organizations as “funding terrorism” and strip them of their non-profit status—in a new light.

But is it too late?

Guest: Emily Tamkin, global affairs journalist and the author of The Influence of Soros and Bad Jews.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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When Your Flight’s GPS Gets Spoofed

Sun, 01 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Anyone stuck in a knotted snarl of interstate clovers knows that GPS is both important and imperfect. But if GPS fails while you’re bringing a 737 in for a landing it could be catastrophic.

Why is “GPS spoofing” on the rise—and how can airlines protect their flights against being caught up in conflict zones.

Guest: Drew FitzGerald, telecom reporter for the Wall Street Journal.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, and Cheyna Roth.

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The Post-Election Social Media Wars

Fri, 29 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Whatever X is, it ain’t the Twitter so many users fell in love with. Since the election, Bluesky has been on the rise, but it’s still only a fraction of the number of users on Twitter—at its peak or even now—or even fellow upstart Threads.

Is Bluesky set to take over the role Twitter used to play, or is it just one of many networks in a Balkanized social media landscape?

Guest: Will Oremus, a technology writer for the Washington Post

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Decoder Ring | If You Give a Mouse a Cookie…Will He Want a Welfare Check?

Thu, 28 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

While the What Next team is having a holiday, take this journey with our colleagues over at Decoder Ring. What Next will be back in your feed on Monday.

Adults have a long history of trying to find morals and lessons in children’s literature. But what happens when a seemingly innocent book about a boy and a hungry mouse becomes fodder for the culture wars? Over the last decade, Laura Joffe Numeroff’s If You Give a Mouse a Cookie has been adopted by some on the right as a cautionary tale about government welfare. In this episode, we explore the origins of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, the history of adults extracting unintended meaning from children’s books, and try to figure out how this particular kid’s book became a Republican battle cry.

This episode was written by Cheyna Roth. It was edited by Katie Shepherd and Evan Chung. It was produced by Sofie Kodner. Decoder Ring is produced by Willa Paskin, Evan Chung, Katie Shepherd and Max Freedman. Derek John is Executive Producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

In this episode, you’ll hear from author Laura Numeroff, book critic Bruce Handy, economist Rebecca Christie and former journalist Max Ehrenfreund.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com

If you haven’t please yet, subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

If you’re a fan of the show, we’d love for you to sign up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to listen to Decoder Ring and every other Slate podcast without any ads. You also get unlimited access to Slate’s website. Member support is crucial to our work. So please go to slate.com/decoderplus to join Slate Plus today.

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Which Came First, the Bird Flu or the Egg?

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

As Thanksgiving approaches the price of eggs is spiking again. But it wasn’t just inflation this time – it was also the rising number of cases of avian flu. How can the USDA, FDA, and CDC contain an outbreak in a country that both hates taking preventative measures and won’t tolerate any disruption in their food supply chain?

Guest: Marcia Brown, food and agriculture reporter at POLITICO.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

A New Strategy for Banning Abortion

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

The Supreme Court threw out the last attempt to ban mifepristone, the “abortion pill,” because they couldn’t figure out who in the case was being injured. Now three states are claiming they are being harmed, because abortion access is preventing population growth for them

Guest: Linda Greenhouse, Supreme Court reporter for the New York Times from 1978 to 2008, author and winner of the 1998 Pulitzer Prize.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

When Jesus Is on the Curriculum

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

New curriculum for Texas public schools teaches vocabulary and reading through stories from the Bible and takes a noticeably Christian point of view towards history. When does teaching stop and preaching begin—and isn’t this a pretty clear violation of the First Amendment?

Guest: Jaden Edison, public education reporter for the Texas Tribune.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Is Sickle Cell Anemia…Cured?

Sun, 24 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Last May, a 12-year-old with sickle cell anemia was the first person to receive a new gene therapy to treat the disease. The process is painful, expensive, and still frightening and uncertain, but biomedical researchers are cautiously calling it a “cure.”

Guests:

Gina Kolata, medical reporter for the New York Times

Deb and Keith Cromer, parents to Kendric Cromer, the first person in the world to go through a commercially approved gene therapy for sickle cell anemia.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, and Cheyna Roth.

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TBD | What's Google Without Chrome?

Fri, 22 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

The Department of Justice has released its recommendations for how Google’s monopoly on web search should be broken up. Top of their wishlist? Spinning off their web browser Chrome.

But with a new administration coming to the White House, will Google have to comply?

Guest: Leah Nylen, antitrust reporter for Bloomberg News

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What's Google Without Chrome?

Fri, 22 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

The Department of Justice has released its recommendations for how Google’s monopoly on web search should be broken up. Top of their wishlist? Spinning off their web browser Chrome.

But with a new administration coming to the White House, will Google have to comply?

Guest: Leah Nylen, antitrust reporter for Bloomberg News

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Mass Deportation How?

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

On the campaign trail, Donald Trump promised to deport millions of “illegal immigrants.” As he prepares to return to the White House, it’s time to figure out how that would work—and who it would include.

Guest: Molly O'Toole, reporter covering immigration and security.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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Trump’s Shadow Cabinet

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Donald Trump’s picks for cabinet positions are causing a lot of rolling of eyes and gnashing of teeth. But even though they don’t have official titles or well-known names, the future of Trump’s agenda might lie with a group of White House-appointed “czars,” who are also being announced with less fanfare.

Guest: David Dayen, executive editor of The American Prospect.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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Welcome to Trump City, USA

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Donald Trump retook the presidency, in part, by doing much better in American cities in 2024 than ever before. Why did these urban Democratic strongholds shift towards Republicans, and are these changes permanent?

Guests:

Henry Grabar, staff writer at Slate.

Ron Kim, representative for New York State’s 40th Assembly District.

We want to hear from you! Submit your answers to our What Next listener survey at slate.com/WhatNextSurvey.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Jamie Raskin: “We Can’t Let The Fear Paralyze Us”

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Rep. Jamie Raskin led the second impeachment of Donald Trump, the effort to get him off the ballot under the 14th amendment, and campaigned to beat him at the ballot box. With Trump heading back to the White House with even fewer guardrails, Raskin’s still not giving up the fight.

Guest: Jamin “Jamie” Raskin is the U.S. representative for Maryland’s 8th congressional district

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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The X-odus

Sun, 17 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Since Elon Musk took over, Twitter—er, sorry “X”—has been slowly deflating. But given that soon you’ll be getting yelled at by right-wing trolls directly from White House press briefings, and your data is being swept up to train A.I., is there any reason to stay on the site at all anymore?

Guest: Nitish Pahwa, Slate business writer.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, and Alyssa Jeong Perry.

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TBD | The X-odus

Sun, 17 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Guest: Nitish Pahwa, Slate business writer.

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The Manosphere That Delivered Trump Back to Power

Fri, 15 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Going on Joe Rogan’s podcast didn’t fit into Kamala Harris’s last month of campaigning, which consisted of a careful diet of traditional media and specifically selected appearances. It came up short against Donald Trump’s “get on mic with that guy and his big following” strategy.

Guest: Makena Kelly, senior writer at Wired.

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Can SNL Meet the Moment?

Thu, 14 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

People praise Saturday Night Live for its political satire…in spite of how toothless a lot of that satire is. Is the show equipped to take on Donald Trump, a former SNL host whose own absurdity often defies parody?

Guest: Sam Adams, senior editor and writer for Slate.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Trump Vs The World

Wed, 13 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

What does Donald Trump’s reelection mean for the wars in Ukraine and Gaza?

Guest: Fred Kaplan, Slate’s “War Stories” correspondent, author of the new novel A Capital Calamity and The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War.

We want to hear from you! Submit your answers to our What Next listener survey at slate.com/WhatNextSurvey.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Protecting Abortion, Electing Trump

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Donald Trump’s position on abortion was opaque enough that even states that passed protections for abortion rights still voted for him by a large margin. But even if a national abortion ban—something JD Vance has spoken in favor of—is probably untenable politically, how else could the incoming administration restrict access to abortion across the country?

Guest: Caroline Kitchener, national reporter covering abortion for the Washington Post.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

How to Prepare for the Worst

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

How are politicians and civil society leaders preparing to meet the challenges of President Trump’s second term? For starters, they’re gaming out the worst-case scenarios.

Guest: Barton Gellman, senior advisor at the Brennan Center.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

The Polls Weren’t Wrong

Sun, 10 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Many folks were surprised at how soundly Donald Trump defeated Kamala Harris in the election, especially since they thought the polls made it seem like a coin flip. The problem is, that’s not quite what the polls were saying.

Guest: Tatishe M. Nteta, Provost Professor of Political Science, Director of UMass Poll

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TBD | The Polls Weren’t Wrong

Sun, 10 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Guest: Tatishe M. Nteta, Provost Professor of Political Science, Director of UMass Poll

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TBD | Elon Wins

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 18:15:12 GMT

As Elon Musk channeled his considerable resources towards Donald Trump’s campaign, there was talk about what his role in the new Trump administration would be. If his stint leading Twitter is any indication, the federal government could be in for a bumpy ride.

Guest: Zoë Schiffer, incoming director of business and industry at Wired, author of Extremely Hardcore: Inside Elon Musk’s Twitter.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, Cheyna Roth and Alyssa Jeong Perry.

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Elon Wins

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Guest: Zoë Schiffer, incoming director of business and industry at Wired, author of Extremely Hardcore: Inside Elon Musk’s Twitter.

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Trump 2.0

Thu, 07 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

It’s not 2016 all over again. With a party now shaped in his image, and a Supreme Court that already gave him immunity, how will a vengeful Donald Trump’s second term go down?

Guest: David A. Graham, staff writer at the Atlantic who wrote “What Trump Understood, and Harris Did Not.”

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

America Can't Quit Trump

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 10:12:00 GMT

Trump has just about done it again—and the country’s largely swinging further to the right on down-ballot candidates and even some ballot initiatives. Why couldn’t the Harris campaign pull it off, and what do other key losses for the Democrats say about what Americans want?

Guest: David Faris, politics professor at Roosevelt University and contributing writer for Slate.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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A Shocking and Predictable Election

Tue, 05 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

It’s been a strange election—Trump being shot at on stage; Biden dropping out—but also a very familiar one, with the same issues, same rhetoric, and same deadlocked, dysfunctional Congress waiting on the other side.

How long will the political Groundhog Day last—and what will it take to break this cycle?

Guests: Osita Nwanevu, contributing editor at the New Republic and columnist at The Guardian.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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What to Watch While Watching Election Results

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

The worst part about the election being tomorrow is knowing that we (almost definitely) won’t know the results tomorrow.

Guests:

Ari Berman, voting rights reporter for Mother Jones

Kadia Goba, political reporter for Semafor

Isaac Saul, founder of the Tangle newsletter

We want to hear from you! Submit your answers to our What Next listener survey at slate.com/WhatNextSurvey.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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u up? Go vote.

Sun, 03 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Voters in swing states are being subjected to constant political messages—on billboards, commercials and, increasingly, via text messages. But are dozens of “make a plan to vote” texts you’re receiving going to make a difference?

Guest: Jacob Neiheisel, political science professor at the University at Buffalo

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What Elon Wants From Trump

Fri, 01 Nov 2024 07:00:00 GMT

How did Elon Musk go from a poster to someone pumping millions of dollars towards Donald Trump? And what’s he hoping to get for doing so?

Guest: Max Chafkin, Bloomberg Businessweek columnist.

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Spoiler Alert: The People Policing Your Vote

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

They believe they are the law. They believe the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump. They’re determined not to let it happen again. Meet the constitutional sheriffs.

Guest: David Gilbert, reports on disinformation, online extremism and election hucksters for WIRED.

We want to hear from you! Submit your answers to our What Next listener survey at slate.com/WhatNextSurvey.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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Spoiler Alert: Almighty Omaha

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

It’s gone to Trump once and Biden once. Now, there’s a slight but very real chance that the entire election will turn based on how Nebraska’s second congressional district—with its singular electoral college vote—goes.

Guest: Paul Kane, congressional reporter at the Washington Post.

We want to hear from you! Submit your answers to our What Next listener survey at slate.com/WhatNextSurvey.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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Spoiler Alert: Undecided Voters

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

The hardest-to-reach portion of the electorate remains “undecided” at this point of the election cycle, but the outcome depends on which campaign can convince them to join their side.

Guest: Michael Podhorzer, Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress (CAP) and author of the substack Weekend Reading.

We want to hear from you! Submit your answers to our What Next listener survey at slate.com/WhatNextSurvey.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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Spoiler Alert: Jill Stein

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

In a presidential race as tight as this one, a few thousand votes—in the right states—could be the difference. Is the Green Party candidate Jill Stein set up to be that difference, like so many Democrats believe she was in 2016?

Guest: Matt Flegenheimer, correspondent for the New York Times specializing in long-form profiles of political figures.

We want to hear from you! Submit your answers to our What Next listener survey at slate.com/WhatNextSurvey.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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Facebook for the Dead

Sun, 27 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

He didn’t find his grandfather. But traveling to, photographing, and uploading his grandfather’s memorial stone gave him something else.

Guest: Tony Tran, senior tech editor at Slate and author of the feature “My Weekends with the Dead.”

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Can TikTok Sway this Election?

Fri, 25 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

This election cycle, TikTok has evolved into a news-and-politics delivery mechanism. Will it make a difference?

Guest: Sapna Maheshwari, reporting on TikTok and other tech for the New York Times.

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Abortion Is on the Ballot. Republicans Have a Plan.

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

When put to the voters, abortion rights have been winning over stricter restrictions even in places like deeply red Kansas. But Florida Republicans are working hard to defeat a ballot measure that would roll back the state’s six-week abortion ban—and they might have found a formula to win.

Guest: Grace Panetta, political reporter at The 19th.

We want to hear from you! Submit your answers to our What Next listener survey at slate.com/WhatNextSurvey.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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When It Comes to the Border, Has Trump Already Won?

Wed, 23 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Donald Trump’s most consistent policy message has been anti-immigration, but according to surveys, more than a quarter of Kamala Harris supporters also support mass deportations. How did American opinions on immigration sour across the political spectrum so quickly?

Guest: Rogé Karma, staff writer at The Atlantic.

We want to hear from you! Submit your answers to our What Next listener survey at slate.com/WhatNextSurvey.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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Why Killing Sinwar Won’t End the War

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Does the death of Yahya Sinwar finally make a ceasefire in Gaza possible?

Guests: Jonathan Dekel-Chen, professor of Soviet and East European Jewry at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and father of Sagui Dekel-Chen, one of the hostages held by Hamas.

Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East correspondent for the Economist.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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Should the Menendez Brothers Be Free?

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Why this closed case from 1989 is suddenly back in the news—and why the brothers may yet be freed.

Guest: Brian Buckmire, ABC Legal Contributor with a segment on GMA3, “Better Call Brian.”

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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How Secure Is Our Election?

Sun, 20 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

America’s head of cybersecurity isn’t worried about the election being hacked or the results being tampered with. But this election cycle does have her worried for our democracy.

Guest: Jen Easterly, Director of Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency

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The Elon-Trump Alliance

Fri, 18 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Elon Musk went from voting for Hillary to supporting Trump so hard that he may have broken election laws. And with Musk influencing both on X and in campaign finance, Democrats are kicking themselves for letting him go. What will his political and financial support actually amount to this election season?

Guest: Teddy Schleifer, New York Times reporter covering campaign finance and billionaire influence on American politics.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, and Cheyna Roth.

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Kamala’s Bid for Black Men’s Votes

Thu, 17 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Though Black voters remain a dependable bloc for the Democrats, the Trump campaign has been attempting to make in-roads with Black men. Can Kamala Harris shore up her coalition in this tight race?

Guest: Kadia Goba, political reporter at Semafor.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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Overdose Deaths Are Going Down. Why?

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

According to a new CDC report, the number of overdoses in America is finally dropping after rising for years. What’s behind this rare good news in the ongoing opioid crisis?

Guest: David Ovalle, reporter covering opioids and addiction at the Washington Post

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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Gambling on Elections, What Could Go Wrong?

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Forget polls—are gambling websites the real way to predict politics?

Guest: Nitish Pahwa, business and tech writer at Slate

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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An Extremely Online Hurricane Season

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Misinformation in the wake of disasters isn’t new, but the media environment today—rife with A.I. images, light on moderation, and eager to point fingers—seems more vulnerable to it than ever.

Guest: Will Oremus, technology writer for the Washington Post.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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23andMe...And a Looming Data Disaster

Sun, 13 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

How did 23andMe go from the peak of the double-helix to a death spiral? And if it goes under, is all of the genetic data it collected at risk?

Guest: Kristen V. Brown, staff writer covering health for The Atlantic.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, and Cheyna Roth.

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TBD | Trump’s Crypto Gurus

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

The crypto project “World Liberty Financial,” which was announced on X by Donald Trump, isn’t a cryptocurrency, nor a crypto-exchange, nor is it actually run by any Trumps. The truth is even stranger.

Guest: David Yaffe-Bellany, New York Times reporter

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Trump’s Crypto Gurus

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Guest: David Yaffe-Bellany, New York Times reporter

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Getting Out Of Lebanon

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

How the State Department is evacuating Americans from Beirut—and how the war is influencing Lebanese-American voters living in a swing state.

Guest:

Amy Fallas, PhD candidate studying history in Beirut for the last year.

Alabas Farhat, Michigan State Representative.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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Diddy Was Indicted. Conspiracies Ran Wild.

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

The accusations against Sean “Diddy” Combs have grown in both number and grimness. Is this the music industry’s moment of reckoning?

Guest: Nadira Goffe, associate culture writer at Slate.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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The Supreme Court’s Back. Uh Oh.

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

The Supreme Court term’s kicked off this week, and the cases in front of the nine justices could reshape American life in public, at home, and in the doctor’s office, for wide swaths of the country. The election, too, could be at the hands of the Court.

Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, Slate senior writer covering courts and the law.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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October 7th, One Year Later

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

A year after the initial Hamas attack on Israel, tens of thousands are dead, bombs are still falling, a regional war is expanding, and there’s no end in sight. Two writers reflect on the destruction, loss, and death.

Guests: Peter Beinart is the Editor-at-Large at Jewish Currents and the author of “The Beinart Notebook” on Substack.

Mohammed R. Mhawish is Palestinian journalist who was evacuated from Rafah to Egypt in May.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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A.I. Goes Nuclear

Sun, 06 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Decades ago, Three Mile Island was shut down after a near catastrophic nuclear meltdown. So why is Microsoft paying over a billion dollars to open it back up?

Guest: Matt Reynolds, senior writer at Wired

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Helene Proves Nowhere is Safe

Fri, 04 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, the idea of a climate haven has been upended. And as the climate change gets worse every year, fewer places will be safe from its devastation.

Guest: Sarah Kaplan, Washington Post climate reporter covering humanity's response to a warming world.

Keith Campbell, managing editor at the Asheville Watchdog

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Experts Feared a Wider War. It's Finally Here

Thu, 03 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

With Israel sending airstrikes on Lebanon and deflecting missiles from Iran, the war has become what experts feared: a regional conflict. How much more will the fighting spread?

Guest: Shane Harris, intelligence and national security reporter for the Washington Post.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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Vance and Walz Debate

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

The second, and likely final, debate of this presidential election was between JD Vance and Tim Walz, two Midwestern men with two very different visions of what government should do—and perhaps what America is.

Guest: David Faris, politics professor at Roosevelt University and contributing writer for Slate.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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How To Debate JD Vance, From His Last Opponent

Tue, 01 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

How Tim Ryan looks back on debating JD Vance in the 2022 Ohio Senate race—and how he would coach Tim Walz to win.

Guest: Tim Ryan, former representative from Ohio who lost a Senate race to JD Vance in 2022.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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Will Eric Adams Cost the Dems the House?

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

The federal indictment of Eric Adams is just the latest in a long line of embarrassing blow-ups, scandals, and unforced errors by the New York Democrats. Can they pull themselves together and deliver for the national party this time?

Guest: Ross Barkan, journalist, essayist, and contributing writer to many places, including Slate, the Nation, and the New York Times Magazine.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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American Life is a Highway

Sun, 29 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

America is caught in a vicious cycle of trying to alleviate traffic by expanding and building more highways, only for them to clog right up with more cars. How do you beat the traffic?

Guest: David Zipper, Senior Fellow at the MIT Mobility Initiative who writes about transportation policy.

Public.com+Public Investing: All investing involves risk. Brokerage services for US listed securities, options and bonds in a self-directed brokerage account are offered by Public Investing, member FINRA & SIPC. Not investment advice. Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank.Cryptocurrency trading services are offered by Bakkt Crypto Solutions, LLC (NMLS ID 1828849), which is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the NYSDFS. Cryptocurrency is highly speculative, involves a high degree of risk, and has the potential for loss of the entire amount of an investment. Cryptocurrency holdings are not protected by the FDIC or SIPC. . See public.com/#disclosures-main for more information.

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Bonus: The Surge | Indicted for Swagger

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 17:00:00 GMT

A throwback week in politics finds New York’s Boss Tweed of Swagger in trouble, a Republican bucking the party line for his constituents and a name Democrats thought they were done with.

Guest: Jim Newell, Slate’s senior politics writer, who writes the weekly newsletter The Surge.

This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock exclusive episodes of The Surge but you’ll also access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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Big Tech Fears Her

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Over the last decade, the European Union has been the vanguard regulating Big Tech, and the push has been led by Margrethe Vestager. As she steps down, Vestager is looking both back at the battles she’s fought, and how the fight will continue.

Guest: Margrethe Vestager, European Commissioner for Competition. the European Commission’s Executive Vice President on a Europe Fit for the Digital Age.

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Will North Carolina Pick The President?

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Winning North Carolina would make Kamala Harris’s path to the White House much easier. And to judge from the huge campaign push, Democrats think the state is in play. Can a strong ground game—and a major Republican scandal—sink Donald Trump’s re-election bid?

Guest: Michael Bitzer, professor of politics and history at Catawba College

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

Public.com+Public Investing Disclosure: Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank. See public.com/#disclosures-main for more information.

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Why More Democrats Are Buying Guns

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Why are more liberals taking up arms? And how could the trend change the conversation about guns in America?

Guest: Cameron McWhirter, national affairs reporter for The Wall Street Journal covering mass shootings, violent protests, and natural disasters across the South and co-author of American Gun: the True Story of the AR-15 with Zusha Elinson.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

The New Rules of Campus Protest

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

How universities and colleges are trying to keep student protests under control—or embracing a raucously political campus.

Guests:

Sophie Hurwitz, politics and social movements reporter at Mother Jones.

Michael S. Roth is the president of Wesleyan University.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

What Was The Point of Israel’s Pager Attack?

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

What message was Israel sending to Hezbollah, its backers, and the population of Lebanon, by blowing up pagers and walkie-talkies last week? And does the international community view this act as a violation of the laws of armed conflict?

Guest: Shane Harris, intelligence and national security reporter at the Washington Post.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Trump Called. Laura Loomer Answered.

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Given Laura Loomer’s history of saying outright offensive and often bewildering things, how did she get into the Trump campaign’s inner circle?

Guest: Ken Bensinger, New York Times politics reporter.

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Bonus: The Surge | 45 Days from Election Day

Fri, 20 Sep 2024 17:00:00 GMT

It’s just 45 days until election day—and the polls are telling us…a little bit of everything. In our first Slate Plus exclusive crossover, Mary sits down with one of the nation’s foremost experts on political nonsense.

Guest: Jim Newell, Slate’s senior politics writer, who writes the weekly newsletter The Surge.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Can Instagram Really Keep Kids Safe?

Fri, 20 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Instagram’s new default privacy settings for teenagers are designed to keep kids safe from strangers online. It’s a worthy endeavor, but are privacy settings enough? And what about all the other hazards teenagers face on social media?

Guest: Natasha Singer, New York Times tech reporter, focused on how technology is affecting childhood and schooling.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, and Cheyna Roth.

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Inside Israel’s October 7th Tourism

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Scores of Jews from around the world are visiting Israel to tour the grounds of the Nova music festival and burned out kibbutzim, bearing witness and reflecting on the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks. The trips are shoring up Israel’s tourism industry after the war brought it to an abrupt halt—but critics say the narrow focus on this tragedy pushes the suffering of Gazans to the periphery, even as bombs drop less than 10 miles away from the tourists.

Guest: Maya Rosen, Israel/Palestine Fellow at Jewish Currents

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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The View from Springfield, Ohio

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

The story of Springfield, Ohio—as told by the people who live there—is nothing like the one heard from the debate stage.

Guest: Aymann Ismail, Slate staff writer.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

When Cops Police Your Vote

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Law enforcement units looking to prevent voter fraud are popping up from Texas to Virginia—but are they trying to solve a problem that doesn’t exist—or simply targeting groups they’d prefer didn’t vote?

Guest: Ari Berman, national voting rights correspondent for Mother Jones, author of “Minority Rule: The Right Wing Attack on the Will of the People and the Fight to Resist It.”

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

The Kamala Endorsement (Taylor’s Version)

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

When Taylor Swift stated she was voting for Kamala Harris, a large segment of Swifties breathed a sigh of relief. How did Swift’s politics become so important—and will her endorsement make a difference in November?

Guest: Brian Donovan, professor of sociology at the University of Kansas who teaches a college course called “The Sociology of Taylor Swift.”

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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Is Boeing Lost in Space?

Sun, 15 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Boeing’s Starliner has now landed successfully—but Butch and Sunny weren’t on it. With a pair of astronauts still stuck on the ISS, when will NASA be ready to bring them back? And how?

Guest: Micah Maidenberg, space business reporter for the Wall Street Journal.

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TikTok Goes to Court

Fri, 13 Sep 2024 07:30:00 GMT

The law has been passed and signed by the president: TikTok’s parent company must sell or divest from the app. But that’s not happening without a legal fight.

Guest: Emily Baker-White, investigative reporter at Forbes.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, and Cheyna Roth.

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The Pandemic Lessons We’ve Forgotten

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Rather than coming out of the pandemic with a new toolkit of public health measures or even personal habits, the response to this summer’s long wave of COVID infections has mostly been to continue with business as usual. But business as usual seems inadequate with mpox and bird flu crises on the horizon.

Guest: Apoorva Mandavilli, science and global health reporter at the New York Times.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Trump and Harris, Head to Head

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 09:30:00 GMT

How did the first debate—with these particular candidates—go? Were minds changed?

Guest: David Faris, politics professor at Roosevelt University and a contributing writer for Slate.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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Her Sister Died in 9-11. She Almost Got Justice.

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

After 12 years of “pretrial proceedings,” and 23 years after the crime in question, prosecutors announced that a plea deal had been reached with Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and two of his accomplices, who were accused of planning the Sept. 11 attacks. When Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin canceled the deal, some relatives of those who died on 9/11 were devastated.

Guest: Terry Kay Rockefeller, founding member of September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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Should Parents Face Charges for Kids’ Crimes?

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

After the school shooting in Georgia last week, charges were brought against the 14-year-old alleged gunman—and also against his father. Who’s really responsible?

Guest: Josie Duffy Rice, journalist focused on prosecutors, prisons, and other criminal justice issues and host of What A Day.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

The Misguided Buzz About Mosquitoes

Sun, 08 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

An outbreak of eastern equine encephalitis in the northeast made headlines, but as far as mosquito-borne illnesses go, EEE is serious but still rare. What’s getting way too common is the mosquito itself.

Guest: Amesh Adalja, doctor and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, and Cheyna Roth.

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US v. Google… Again

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

A month after a federal judge declared that Google was operating as a monopoly because of its search engine, the Justice Department has alleged that Google’s ad business was breaking antitrust law as well.

What if Google loses again?

Guest: Leah Nylen, Bloomberg antitrust reporter.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, and Cheyna Roth.

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

Who—and Why—Israelis Are Protesting

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 04:00:00 GMT

Will the deaths of six hostages mark a turning point in how Israelis view the war in Gaza—and how Netanyahu’s government is conducting it?

Guest: Yair Rosenberg, staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of its newsletter Deep Shtetl

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Could Arlington Cost Trump Military Votes?

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

How much do military voters and their families care about Trump attempting a campaign stop at Arlington National Cemetery?

Guest: Leo Shane III, deputy editor for the Military Times.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Why Shein and Temu Are At War

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Can fast-fashion giant Shein go public while fending off accusations of bad labor practices, the US government, and a back-and-forth war with newcomer Temu?

Guest: Mia Sato, platforms and communities reporter at the Verge.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

How To Put a Toxic Job Behind You

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

While the What Next team enjoys the holiday, we’re proud to feature this episode from our colleagues at How To.

When Elle started a new career as a therapist, she never imagined she would be the one in need of help. After just a few months, her position at a group practice became untenable amid a lack of support from colleagues. Now she’s looking for a new job and wants to avoid a similar scenario. On this episode of How To!, Carvell Wallace introduces Elle to leadership coach Rudhir Krishtel, who helps us rethink our relationships to co-workers—and work itself.

How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis and Sara McCrae.

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Telegram's CEO Just Got Arrested. Huh?

Sun, 01 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Telegram was supposed to be the platform with the freest of free speech, which meant it was also rife with the worst the internet has to offer—"criminal activity” puts it lightly. But are French authorities setting a dangerous precedent with the arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov?

Guest: Joseph Menn, tech reporter for the Washington Post covering privacy and security.

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

Back To School… Without Phones

Fri, 30 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Since the pandemic, schools have been reporting that their students are more anxious and having trouble learning. How much does simply removing cell phones from the classroom address these problems?

Guests:

Laura Meckler, national education writer for the Washington Post

Russell Shaw, head of Georgetown Day School and author of “Why We’re Banning Phones at Our School” for the Atlantic.

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JD Vance’s Anti-Rizz

Thu, 29 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Say what you will about Donald Trump, the man can work a crowd. His running mate on the other hand…

Guest: Sam Adams, Slate writer and senior editor for Slate’s Culture department.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Venezuela’s Opposition Brought Receipts

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Why has this Venezuelan presidential election led to so much violence and controversy?

Guest: Ana Vanessa Herrero, Washington Post correspondent based in Venezuela, reporting on South America.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Is Kamala Harris Progressive?

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Since becoming the nominee, Kamala Harris has renounced some of her more progressive policy goals from her 2020 campaign, tacking closer to the Biden administration line and political center. So far, though, it hasn’t cost her progressive support.

Guest: Pramila Jayapal, U.S. representative for the 7th congressional district of Washington.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

The Georgia Election Laboratory

Mon, 26 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Do Georgia’s new “electoral integrity” laws create more faith in the voting process—or just make it more restrictive?

Guest: Sam Gringlas, politics reporter at WABE in Atlanta.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Who’s Going to Regulate AI?

Sun, 25 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Why are national politicians like Nancy Pelosi lining up alongside artificial intelligence companies to oppose safety regulations on this new industry proposed in California’s state legislature?

Guest: Rachael Myrow, senior editor on KQED’s Silicon Valley news desk.

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

Crypto Courts the 2024 Vote

Fri, 23 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

The last crypto boom left the industry cash-rich and reputation-poor, so they’re doing what any beleaguered industry does—donating to politicians.

Guest: Zeke Faux, investigative reporter for Bloomberg and author of Number Go Up.

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The DNC Is A Party. How Long Will It Last?

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

They swapped candidates, are on the offensive, and almost all in accord. The Democrats are suddenly feeling good.

Guest: Jim Newell, senior politics writer at Slate.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Chicago's Mayor Takes on the Democrats' Toughest Issue

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

What happened when a blue city inherited a red state problem.

Guests:

Brandon Johnson, mayor of the city of Chicago.

Dr. Kenneth D. Phelps, senior pastor at Concord Missionary Baptist Church (CMBC) in Chicago.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Can Kamala Harris Win “Uncommitted” Democrats?

Tue, 20 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Democrats frustrated by Joe Biden’s policy towards Israel and Gaza voted for “uncommitted” in the primaries, notably in the crucial swing state of Michigan. Does Kamala Harris have an opportunity to reach those voters now?

Guest: Yazan “Yaz” Kader, uncommitted DNC delegate from the state of Washington and registered nurse.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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The Gender War Election

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Voters, especially young voters, increasingly split parties along gender lines. Can an “all-disaffected-men” strategy propel the Republicans back to the White House, or is the Democrats’ “freedom” messaging broad enough to win the election?

Guest: Jill Filipovic, journalist, lawyer, and author of OK Boomer, Let’s Talk: How My Generation Got Left Behind and The H-Spot: The Feminist Pursuit of Happiness.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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The Rise of Off-Brand Ozempic

Sun, 18 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy are in high demand and short supply. The internet makes it easy for you to have a compounding pharmacy whip you up a batch—but should you?

Guest: Kate Knibbs, senior writer at Wired.

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Elon Musk’s Bully Pulpit

Fri, 16 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Since Elon Musk took over Twitter - now X - in 2022, he’s increasingly used it to push his conservative views. A suit against a non-profit brand safety group of advertisers and an exclusive interview with former President Trump show that Elon was never interested in keeping Twitter as a town square, but rather, a soapbox for him to push his political agenda.

Guest: Nitish Pahwa, associate writer for business and tech at Slate

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, and Cheyna Roth.

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

Would You Die For MrBeast?

Thu, 15 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

MrBeast is known for videos that blend stunts and philanthropy, but his new team-up with Amazon and MGM is bringing some of his less savory aspects to light.

Guest: Madison Malone Kircher, reporter covering internet culture for The New York Times

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Trump Seems Lost. But Can He Lose?

Wed, 14 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Donald Trump’s presidential opponent has changed—can he? Should he?

Guest: Tom Nichols, staff writer at the Atlantic and professor emeritus at the U.S. Naval College.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

How Boeing Stranded Two Astronauts

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

It was supposed to be the triumphant rollout of Boeing’s new, reusable space taxi. Now NASA’s trying to find some other way to get two astronauts home.

Guest: Joey Roulette, space reporter at Reuters.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

AIPAC Vs. The Squad

Mon, 12 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

A Republican-backed organization is spending millions to unseat progressive Democrats—and it’s succeeding.

Guest: Alexander Sammon, Slate politics writer.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Tesla’s Out of Juice. But Are EVs?

Sun, 11 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

The hype has slowed but electric vehicles aren’t going away—once the infrastructure is in place, they’ll go everywhere.

Guests:

Nitish Pahwa, associate writer for business and tech at Slate.

Paula Gardner, business reporter for Bridge Michigan

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, and Cheyna Roth.

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

Google’s a Monopoly. What About The Rest?

Fri, 09 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Should the other Silicon Valley giants be worried following the Department of Justice’s decisive win against Google?

Guest: Leah Nylen, antitrust reporter at Bloomberg

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, and Cheyna Roth.

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

The Olympics Meet the Culture Wars

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

How Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-Ting—two women boxers fighting in the gender category they were assigned at birth—became the targets of trans panic and subject to another round of “but is she woman enough?” at the Olympics.

Guest: Rose Eveleth, reporter and host of the podcast Tested, from NPR and CBC.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Why It Had to Be Walz

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

How Minnesota Governor Tim Walz slipped past VP-favorite Josh Shapiro and joined Kamala Harris on the Democratic ticket.

Guest: Guest: David Faris, associate professor of political science at Roosevelt University and author of The Kids Are All Left and It’s Time to Fight Dirty.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

How Trump Got Ice Cube

Tue, 06 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Once one of the most politically confrontational artists in music, Ice Cube has become a surprising asset to Donald Trump.

Guest: Joel Anderson, staff writer for Slate and the host of Seasons 3, 6, and 8 of Slow Burn.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Project 2025 Isn't Dead, It's Born Again

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

The Trump campaign washed its hands of Project 2025. A second Trump term would almost certainly be guided by it.

Guest: Sam Adler-Bell, host of the Know Your Enemy podcast.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

If They Can Get Sydney Sweeney They Can Get You

Sun, 04 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Earlier this month, AT&T was hit by the largest telecom hack ever. Not long after, Sydney Sweeney’s phone number was stolen by criminals, who used it to hack her social media and promote a memecoin. With how much sensitive data telecom companies have on us, why is their security so bad? And how can we protect ourselves?

Guests: Joseph Cox, investigative reporter and cofounder of 404 media.

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A Word: “Momala” and “Papa Bear”

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 22:00:00 GMT

Courtesy of our colleagues at A Word, enjoy this a special interview with America's first Second Gentleman, Doug Emhoff.

Many political spouses spend decades preparing for a White House run with their partners. But attorney Doug Emhoff had been married to then-Senator Kamala Harris for just five years when she first ran for the White House. Now, as the first Second Gentleman in history, he’s stepping into the spotlight, sprinting across the country for her whirlwind campaign. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson talks with Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff about his family, his work combating anti-Semitism and other forms of hate, and campaigning with Vice President Kamala Harris.

Guest: Second Gentleman of the United States Doug Emhoff

Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel

Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.

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Why Are More Young People Getting Cancer?

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

The age when you need to start being screened for cancers may need to be updated, as rates among younger people are on the rise. New testing methods could make the process a lot easier than, say, a colonoscopy - but they’re not perfect.

Guest: Dylan Scott, senior correspondent and editor for Vox.

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Israel Targets Hamas in Iran. Now What?

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

As the rumored ceasefire slips further out of headlines, the Gaza war is threatening to boil over into a multiple-front war for Israel—while internal conflicts escalate inside the country.

Guest: Joshua Keating, senior correspondent covering foreign policy at Vox. His piece, "A very dangerous 24 hours in the Middle East," was published on Vox on July 31.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

America’s Avocados; Mexico’s Problem.

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

American consumption of avocados has exploded in the last two decades but keeping up with demand is exacting a toll on the local environment—and on local communities—in the Mexican state where most of the avocados are grown.

Guest: Alex Sammon, politics writer at Slate.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Olympic Gymnastics is Back. But Is It Better?

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

How physical and emotional abuse from coaches still persists in American gymnastics.

Guest: Molly Henseley Clancy, sports writer for the Washington Post.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

The DEI Smear Against Kamala Harris

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Calling Kamala Harris a “DEI hire” is both sexist and racist, and despite the GOP leadership’s pleading, it has quickly emerged as a favored line of attack from the right.

Guest: Dr. Brittney Cooper, professor of gender studies and Africana studies at Rutgers University

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

The Panopticon Olympics

Sun, 28 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

How France changed its own laws to have the safest, most pervasively surveilled Olympics ever—and why some are worried the new security system will stay in place long after the games end.

Guests:

Anne Toomey McKenna, professor, author, and expert in electronic surveillance.

Henry Grabar, covering the Olympics in Paris for Slate.

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

Is Silicon Valley Trump-Vance Country?

Fri, 26 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

For years, Silicon Valley has felt like a liberal enclave.. This election, a handful of powerful voices like Elon Musk and Peter Thiel are expressing support for the Trump-Vance ticket. Is this a shift in ideologies in Silicon Valley, or just a few of the loudest voices?

Guest: Nitish Pahwa, associate writer for business and tech at Slate.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, and Cheyna Roth.

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

Could Biden's Court Reforms Actually Work?

Thu, 25 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Before announcing his exit, Joe Biden expressed interest in reforming the Supreme Court. But, in the spirit of re-balancing the three branches of government, isn’t that a job for Congress?

Guest: Stephen Vladeck, professor at the Georgetown University Law Center and an expert on the federal courts and constitutional law.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Why the Secret Service Director Resigned

Wed, 24 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned after the catastrophic security breakdown during a Trump rally in Butler, Penn. But the assassination attempt was only the latest Secret Service disaster, and the agency’s problems won’t be solved by a simple change in leadership.

Guest: Abdallah Fayyad, policy correspondent at Vox.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Kamala Harris: Meme Queen to Madame President?

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

And just like that, it’s (almost definitely) Kamala. Her rise has fueled a whole species of internet memes—but the questions about her platform are serious.

Guest: Scaachi Koul, Slate senior writer

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Joe Biden Passes the Baton

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Just over three weeks ago, Joe Biden was heading to the stage to debate Donald Trump. Now, he’s out.

Guest: David Faris, Slate contributor, associate professor of political science at Roosevelt University and author of It’s Time to Fight Dirty: How Democrats Can Build a Lasting Majority in American Politics.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

The Conspiracy Theory Election

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

In the hours after the assassination attempt on Donald Trump, conspiracy theories started circulating all over social media, often amplified by powerful voices on both sides of the aisle. It shows a complete breakdown of trust in institutions during a critical election.

Guest: Drew Harwell, technology reporter at the Washington Post.

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America’s Tech Trustbuster

Fri, 19 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

The biggest companies in the world are now tech companies, which is why the biggest antitrust, anti-monopoly fights in recent memory are centered around Silicon Valley.

Guest: Jonathan Kanter, Assistant Attorney General, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice

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

What Republicans Really Want

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

With the presidential ticket set and the platform announced, the GOP of 2024 isn’t defined by fiscal conservatism and fighting to end abortion—although those issues are holding on, further down on the list.

So what are Republicans fighting for now?

Guest: Paul Farrow, county executive for Waukesha County, delegate at the RNC, former chair of the Wisconsin GOP.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther, with help from Cheyna Roth.

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

How to End One-Party Rule

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

A perennial presidential battleground state, Wisconsin became a warning—or blueprint—for how one party can subvert democracy and keep power without winning more votes.

Does the Badger State hold any lessons about how to walk back a gerrymandered, minority rule?

Guest: Ari Berman, Mother Jones’ national voting rights correspondent and author of “Minority Rule: The Right-Wing Attack on the Will of the People―and the Fight to Resist It.”

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

J.D. Vance: You're Hired

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

J.D. Vance, the Yale Law School graduate once hailed by the media as a white working class-whisperer, has been selected as Donald Trump’s running mate. But not too long ago, he was one of the former president’s critics. The former-Marine and San Francisco venture capitalist won over Trump with the hardline, America-first policies he championed in the Senate—and some serious groveling.

Guest: Jim Newell, Slate’s senior politics writer

Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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After the Trump Assassination Attempt

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Former president Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt Saturday during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. While the gunman has been identified, law enforcement have not offered a potential motivation for the attack. The incident comes at a time of heightened political violence, when more Americans think such acts are justifiable.

Guests: Isaac Arnsdorf, national political reporter for The Washington Post, and David Graham, staff writer at The Atlantic.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

The New World of DIY Medical Tests

Sun, 14 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

“Home diagnostics” are a $5 billion industry—and growing. Spurred by social media, people are buying into at-home health tests, without input from their doctors, and often, not even the FDA.

Guest: Elizabeth Dwoskin, reporter for the Washington Post

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Boeing Pleads Guilty

Fri, 12 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Boeing just pled guilty to felony charges of defrauding the federal government, leading to millions of dollars in fines, and new, external oversight. Is this how the company finally turns it around?

Guest: Oriana Pawlyk, POLITICO’s aviation reporter.

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How to Survive This Heat

Thu, 11 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Air-conditioning can feel like the only way to get through increasingly hot summers, but it’s an expensive, power-hungry way to keep cool.

How necessary is it? And how necessary is it to raise our thermostats up from 72 degrees?

Guest: Adam Clark Estes, senior technology correspondent at Vox.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

This Congressman Wants Biden to Drop Out

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Should Joe Biden still be the Democratic nominee in this presidential race? Elected Democrats have almost all said Biden is still the man. But Rep. Mike Quigley put his misgivings on the record.

Guest: Rep. Mike Quigley, Democratic representative for Illinois’ fifth district.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

France Staves Off the Far Right—This Time

Tue, 09 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

France’s far-right looked ready to take control of the National Assembly after the first round of snap elections. But when the dust settled after the second round, the left and center had held.

Though French progressives are celebrating for now, the right-wing National Rally party still took more parliament seats than it’s ever held before.

Guest: Harrison Stetler, freelance journalist based in Paris.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Why Gay Rights Are Under Attack – Again

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

What the fight against the “Briggs Initiative” in 1970s California tells us about the fight for gay rights—and the fight to keep those victories in place.

Guest: Christina Cauterucci, senior writer at Slate and host of Slow Burn Season 9: Gays Against Briggs.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

The Blu-Ray-naissance Is Here. Sort of.

Sun, 07 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

The downsides of the streaming era are coming into focus for movie fans—uncontrollable, changing libraries; lower fidelity; lack of extras and features. Can all of these be solved with a return to physical media?

Guest: Ash Nelson, journalist and author of “The Lost Art of the DVD Extra” for Slate.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, and Cheyna Roth.

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

Elon Says Have More Babies

Fri, 05 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

The world’s population has never been bigger, and it’s still growing. but there’s a movement of “pronatalists” who see the slowing birth rate in wealthy, educated populations as a doomsday scenario in the making—and they’ve found their spokesman in one Elon Musk.

Guest: Sophie Alexander, reporter for Bloomberg

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A Mom's Fight for a Fair Opioid Settlement

Thu, 04 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Last week the Supreme Court ruled a $6 billion settlement between Purdue Pharma and victims of the opioid crisis could not move forward, because it granted immunity to the Sackler family, the principal owners of Purdue. For one of the litigants, a mother who has lost two sons to overdoses, the decision felt like “a sucker punch.”

Guest: Cheryl Juaire, part of the bankruptcy settlement with Purdue Pharma and founder of the non-profit organization Team Sharing, a support group for parents who have lost kids to overdoses.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

The Supreme Court’s Abortion Punt

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

When Roe v. Wade was overturned, a near-total abortion ban was triggered in Idaho, allowing for health exceptions only when “necessary to prevent the death of the pregnant woman.” But a case that found the ban in conflict with a federal law known as “EMTALA” went all the way to the Supreme Court, before being sent back to lower courts—neither overturning nor upholding Idaho’s ban.

Guest: Dr. Stacy Seyb, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist in Boise, Idaho.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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How Bad is the Trump Immunity Ruling?

Tue, 02 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

The Supreme Court has ruled that presidents enjoy “substantial immunity” from prosecution for crimes committed while in office, which includes absolute immunity for “core constitutional duties” and “presumptive immunity” for “official acts.”

All good news for one Donald J. Trump. How bad is it for the rest of us?

Guest: Richard Hasen, law professor at UCLA and director of UCLA Law’s Safeguarding Democracy Project.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

If Not Biden, Then…

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

If you’re questioning the choice of Joe Biden as the Democratic presidential nominee after his debate, uh, performance last week, you’re not alone. But how do you swap candidates this late in the calendar—and who do the Democrats even have as an option?

Guest: David Faris, associate professor of political science at Roosevelt University and author of The Kids Are All Left and It’s Time to Fight Dirty.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Why Are IUDs Still a Mystery?

Sun, 30 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

The story of IUDs is a story of technology, reproductive rights, shortcomings in communication about women’s health, and politics.

Guest: Mia Armstrong-Lopez, managing editor at ASU Media Enterprise and author of a recent piece on IUDs for Slate.

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Why Extreme Weather Keeps Surprising You

Fri, 28 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Saying any one storm or heat wave or weather in general was “caused by climate change” is tricky—summer is, after all, usually pretty hot, and storms happen. But researchers are working on a model that brings “climate change” from abstract into the particular.

Guest: Daniel Swain, climate scientist at the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, studying how extreme events are changing on a warming Earth.

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Buckling Up for the Debate

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

It’s Trump vs. Biden—again. But CNN promises, this time will be different.

Guest: Margaret Sullivan, columnist covering media, politics and culture for The Guardian

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

The OB-GYN Behind the Fight to Ban Mifepristone

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

The Supreme Court’s unanimous decision to uphold access to mifepristone left the door open for another case to be brought to ban the abortion pill. This physician is eager for another chance.

Guest: Dr. Christina Francis, CEO of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists (AAPLOG), associate scholar with the Charlotte Lozier Institute, a board member of Indiana Right to Life, physician member of the Abortion Pill Reversal Network.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Is the Apprentice Movie Fired?

Tue, 25 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

The Apprentice, starring Captain America’s Sebastian Stan and Succession’s Jeremy Strong, was financed in part by the widely-loathed former-Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder. But after the movie premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, Trump’s attorneys sent cease-and-desist letters to the filmmakers—and Snyder seems to be using veto power on an American sale of the rights. Will this controversial cut of the film ever play on the big screen in the States?

Guest: Jake Lahut, political reporter at the Daily Beast, covering Republican campaigns.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Lauren Boebert Will Not Go Away

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 09:00:00 GMT

Lauren Boebert barely won re-election to the House in 2022. Now the gun-loving Freedom Caucus firebrand is running for Congress in a new Colorado district.. Even after a lewd theater scandal threatened to tank her career, how is Boebert still leading in the polls?

Guest: Paul Karolyi, Senior Executive Producer of City Cast Denver

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Is Your Phone Tracking Your Driving?

Sun, 23 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

As cars get smarter, automakers - with the help of third-party apps - are leveraging the new data they’re able to collect on people's driving habits to influence drivers’ insurance prices. The problem? Most people aren’t aware their driving is being monitored.

Guest: Kashmir Hill, tech reporter for the New York Times.

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

Amazon Wants Your Handprint

Fri, 21 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Amazon has installed digital palm readers at Whole Foods. The reader scans your palm, collecting biometric data, and links it to your credit card to pay for your groceries. What does exchanging vein mapping for eggs and butter mean for the future of data security and in-person shopping.

Guest: Emily Moore, freelance tech and food journalist

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, and Cheyna Roth.

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

Homelessness Before the Supreme Court

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

The Supreme Court is soon expected to decide Grants Pass v. Johnson, a case where a town’s efforts to remove unhoused people from its parks became “cruel and unusual,” according to lower courts.

Guest: Dr. Bruce Murray, chief medical officer for the Mobile Integrative Navigation Team (MINT) in Josephine County, Oregon.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Slow Burn: Defend Our Children

Wed, 19 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Happy Juneteenth! What Next resumes regularly scheduled programming tomorrow, but for the holiday, check out this episode of Slow Burn Season 9: Gays Against Briggs.

In 1977, John Briggs was a small-time state senator with big dreams. But Briggs’ plan to ban gay and lesbian teachers from California schools changed the arc of his life and career. Suddenly, he was a right-wing hero, and a villain of the gay rights movement. And his message seemed to be catching on all over the country.

Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock the first five episodes of Slow Burn: Gays Against Briggs. Your subscription also gets you ad-free access to all your favorite Slate podcasts, plus other member exclusive content. Join now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Subscribe” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/slowburnplus to get access wherever you listen.

Season 9 of Slow Burn was written and produced by Christina Cauterucci. Slow Burn is produced by Joel Meyer, Sophie Summergrad, and Kelly Jones.

Josh Levin is the editorial director of Slow Burn.

Derek John is Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts.

Susan Matthews is Slate’s executive editor.

Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director. We had engineering help from Patrick Fort and Madeline Ducharme.

Our theme music is composed by Alexis Cuadrado. Artwork by Ivylise Simones, based on an image of Silvana Nova and a poster designed by Larry Hermsen and the Too Much Graphics Collective.

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

How IVF Became the GOP's Next Battle

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Now that Roe v. Wade has been overturned, the Christian right seems to be setting its sights on banning in-vitro fertilization. But even though the Southern Baptist Convention passed a resolution against IVF, it’s a very popular and widely accepted procedure, which is why Senate Republicans signed a statement in favor of access to IVF, the same day almost all voted against protecting it by law.

Guest: Megan Messerly, health policy reporter at Politico.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

What's Eating the Economy?

Mon, 17 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

The American economy has gotten more consolidated and more reliant on algorithms—while also, according to most people, getting more expensive, slower, and worse. Is there some causality in this correlation?

Guest: Matt Stoller, Research Director for the American Economic Liberties Project and author of Goliath: The Hundred Year War Between Monopoly Power and Democracy.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

The FBI Made a Phone Network. It Was A Trap.

Sun, 16 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

In 2021, one of the largest global law enforcement operations took place. It was all thanks to an encrypted phone service known as Anom, which was secretly run by the FBI.

The program was a wild success. But did the agency take it too far?

Guest: Joseph Cox, investigative reporter for 404 media and author of “Dark Wire, the Incredible True Story of the Largest Sting Operation Ever”

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

Apple Goes Intelligent

Fri, 14 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On Monday, Tim Cook announced Apple was getting into artificial intelligence. Is Apple about to do for A.I. what it did for personal computers and smartphones?

Guest: Gerrit De Vynck, tech reporter for the Washington Post.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, and Cheyna Roth.

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

She Met the Alitos—and Got Them on Tape

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Furtively recorded conversations with Justices John Roberts, Samuel Alito, and Alito’s wife Martha-Ann provided a window into what these powerful figures are saying behind closed doors. But do the means of getting these recordings undermine their ultimate goal?

Guest: Lauren Windsor, journalist and executive producer for “The Undercurrent” and documentary filmmaker of “Gonzo for Democracy.”

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Wait, Is JUUL Banned or Not?

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Guest: Jamie Ducharme, health correspondent at Time, author of Big Vape: The Incendiary Rise of Juul.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Hunter Biden’s Judgment Day

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Is Hunter Biden’s trial proof that the justice system doesn’t care about your last name? Or is the president’s son being targeted?

Guest: Ankush Khardori, attorney and a former federal prosecutor in the US Justice Department.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

What’s Biden Doing with the Border?

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Joe Biden’s new executive order severely limits migrants from seeking asylum at the border. It’s a far cry from his campaign rhetoric and the New York Times called it the most restrictive immigration policy issued by any modern Democrat. What is he trying to accomplish?

Guest: Jonathan Blitzer, staff writer for the New Yorker and author of “Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here: The United States, Central America and the Making of a Crisis.”

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Fee’d Up: A Musician’s Take on Ticketmaster

Sun, 09 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

It’s hard to imagine music fans mourning a break-up of Ticketmaster and its parent company Live Nation, as a Department of Justice lawsuit requests. But even with this monopolistic middleman out of the way, touring musicians still seem destined to struggle financially.

Guest: Laura Jane Grace, musician

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, and Anna Phillips.

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

The Secret Semiconductor War

Fri, 07 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

How well is the Biden administration coaxing semiconductor companies to build their chips in the United States? Compared to Taiwan, South Korea, Japan…or even mainland China, things are just okay.

Guest: Asa Fitch, reporter for the Wall Street Journal, covering the semiconductor industry.

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

The Hollywood Strikes Are Over. No One's Back To Work.

Thu, 06 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

After waiting for two strikes to resolve, film and television crews across Hollywood were hungry to return to work. But the work has been slow to come back. As a number of crew union contracts expire at the end of July, how strong is their negotiating position?

Guests:

Diane Haithman, Senior Entertainment Business Reporter, TheWrap

Diego Mariscal, IATSE local 80 dolly grip

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Rafah Under Fire

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Days after Israeli airstrikes hit Rafah, President Biden touted a potential ceasefire agreement. How far away is the end of the war? And how does Gaza rebuild after this?

Guest: Tariq Kenney-Shawa, U.S. policy fellow at Al-Shabaka and an editor and fact-checker for AJ+.

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

It’s Supreme Court Blockbuster Season

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

It will be another chaotic June at the Supreme Court, as the nine justices race to deliver decisions impacting gun rights, abortion, presidential immunity, and more—all before summer vacation.

Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, Slate senior writer covering law and the courts.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Election Workers in the Crosshairs

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

She was a city clerk for Rochester Hills, Michigan. After Trump lost the state, the threats started coming.

Guest: Tina Barton, Senior Elections Expert, The Elections Group

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

Would You Buy Poop On the Internet?

Sun, 02 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Guest:

Luke Winkie, Slate staff writer who published “The Poop Broker.”

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

He’s Suing Big Tech Over Uvalde

Fri, 31 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

His law firm won a $73 million dollar settlement against Remington on behalf of nine Sandy Hook families. Now he’s filing a lawsuit against the gunmaker Daniel Defense, the video game company Activision, and Instagram’s parent company, Meta, on behalf of families in Uvalde.

Guest: Josh Koskoff, attorney

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, and Anna Phillips.

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

Amicus: Trump Guilty on All 34 Counts

Fri, 31 May 2024 01:33:51 GMT

In light of late-breaking news, we present this conversation from our colleagues at Amicus:

After six weeks of arguments and testimony and a little under 12 hours of deliberation, a Manhattan jury voted to convict former President Trump of 34 felony counts in his hush money trial. Dahlia Lithwick is joined by Slate’s jurisprudence editor Jeremy Stahl who was in court for the historic guilty verdict and has followed the case over the past six weeks.

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

An “Apprentice” Producer’s Mea Culpa

Thu, 30 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

How one producer—now freed from his 20-year non-disclosure agreement—regrets his role shaping Donald Trump’s image on The Apprentice.

Guest: Bill Pruitt, producer for seasons 1 and 2 of The Apprentice.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

The View from Israel

Wed, 29 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

What do Israelis think of the war in Gaza and how their leadership is conducting it?

Guest: Tamar Harrel-Santis, student and combat reservist living in Ramat Yishai, Israel.

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

The Death of Bidenomics

Tue, 28 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

After inheriting a tricky, post-peak-pandemic economy, the Biden administration pulled off the double-feat of stalling inflation while also keeping unemployment low. Wages have risen, and so has purchasing power. But if you ask voters, they’ll tell you the economy is terrible.

Does Biden have a messaging problem or is an economy where the price of everything still seems too high simply impossible to run on?

Guest: Annie Lowery, staff writer at the Atlantic.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Slow Burn: A Hotbed of Homosexuality

Mon, 27 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

While the What Next team observes the holiday, enjoy the first episode of Slow Burn's new season.

In the 1970s, San Francisco became a welcoming home for tens of thousands of new gay residents—and a modern-day Sodom for the American right. With a moral panic sweeping across the United States, a Florida orange juice spokeswoman inspired an ambitious California politician to launch his own campaign against lesbians and gays—one that would change the course of U.S. history.

(If you—or anyone you know—are in crisis, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, anytime: Dial 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.)

Season 9 of Slow Burn was written and produced by Christina Cauterucci. Slow Burn is produced by Kelly Jones, Joel Meyer, and Sophie Summergrad.

Josh Levin is the editorial director of Slow Burn.

Derek John is Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts.

Susan Matthews is Slate’s executive editor.

Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director. We had engineering help from Patrick Fort and Madeline Ducharme.

Our theme music is composed by Alexis Cuadrado. Artwork by Ivylise Simones, based on an image of Silvana Nova and a poster designed by Larry Hermsen and the Too Much Graphics Collective.

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

Why Hospitals Keep Getting Hacked

Sun, 26 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Last year saw a record number of healthcare hacks with more than 700 separate incidents. And with a subsidiary of United Healthcare forking over a $22 billion ransom this year, the problem isn’t going away. With so much sensitive personal information on file, why aren’t hospitals and their ilk better prepared?

Guest:

Dina Carlisle, president of the local nurses union, OPEIU 40 in Michigan.

Justin Sherman, CEO of Global Cyber Strategies.

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

Scarlett Johansson vs OpenAI

Fri, 24 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

When OpenAI showed a demo for the latest version of ChatGPT —the one that you can chat with, you know, with your voice—one of the voices sounded eerily familiar. And instead of a victory lap, it was a reminder of all of the implications for intellectual property and one’s own basic human likeness that this technology carries with it.

Guest: Sigal Samuel, senior reporter for Vox's Future Perfect and co-host of the Future Perfect podcast.

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

Diddy’s Reckoning

Thu, 23 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Allegations about Sean “Diddy” Combs had been circulating, but it wasn’t until surveillance footage of the mogul assaulting his then-partner Cassie began circulating on social media, that his response changed from defensive to apologetic.

Guest: Sidney Madden, reporter for NPR Music and co-host of Louder Than a Riot.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Does Netanyahu Have an Exit Strategy?

Wed, 22 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Seven months into the war in Gaza, both the international community and many Israelis are demanding to know what Benjamin Netanyahu’s “day after” plan is. Observers are also wondering whether charges from the International Criminal Court will influence Israel’s approach—and whether the death of Iran’s president and foreign minister will change how Hamas fights.

Guest: Yair Rosenberg, staff writer at The Atlantic and author of the newsletter Deep Shtetl, about the intersection of politics, culture, and religion.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Is Killing a Protester Still a Crime?

Tue, 21 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Daniel Perry was sentenced to 25 years in prison for murdering Garrett Foster at a Black Lives Matter protest in 2020, but Texas Governor Greg Abbott just pardoned Perry and restored his rights, including the right to own and carry a gun.

Guest: Christopher Hooks, contributing editor at Texas Monthly.

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

What Are Presidential Debates For?

Mon, 20 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Though their influence on voters seems to be between negligible and nonexistent, presidential debates are still important. And even if their past performances were sometimes hard to watch, it’s good for democracy that Trump and Biden will meet on stage this election cycle. But these debates will be a little different this time…

Guest: Alan Schroeder, Professor Emeritus at the Northeastern University School of Journalism with a focus on presidential elections, author of Presidential Debates: Risky Business on the Campaign Trail.

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

The Dark Side of GoFundMe

Sun, 19 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

In theory, crowdfunding sites offer an opportunity for anyone to give to any cause, including, say, strangers facing huge medical bills. In practice, crowdfunding suffers from many of the same inequities that led to someone needing to crowdfund to begin with.

Guest: Nora Kenworthy, author of Crowded Out: The True Costs of Crowdfunding Healthcare, associate professor at the University of Washington, Bothell.

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

Too Stonks Too Furious

Fri, 17 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

The 2021 subreddit-coordinated effort to raise the price of Gamestop stock was, in some ways, a proof of concept: the little guy can get into the market and make some noise. Because even though that “meme stock” rose and fell, the idea of the meme stock went has changed the way our stock market works.

Guest: Alex Kirshner, contributing writer for Slate.

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

Why Miss USA is Imploding

Thu, 16 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

What’s going on at the Miss USA organization? Has the idea of a national pageant outlived its usefulness?

Guest: Constance Grady, senior Culture correspondent for Vox.

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

Can Fox News Still Sway an Election?

Wed, 15 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Hit with an $800 million lawsuit, missing Tucker Carlson and Rupert Murdoch, and facing competition from fanatical fringe-right media, Fox News might look to some viewers like it’s slipping. But election years are the network’s bread and butter, and the old “everything is terrible and the Democrats are why” song still resonates with voters.

Guest: Justin Peters, Slate correspondent and author of The Idealist: Aaron Swartz and the Rise of Free Culture on the Internet.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

The Fight for Joe Manchin’s Seat

Tue, 14 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

What would it take for the Democrats to hold Joe Manchin’s crucial Senate seat in West Virginia?

Guest: Zach Shrewsbury, Democratic primary candidate for U.S. Senate in West Virginia.

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

MAGA Eating Itself Alive

Mon, 13 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

They’re suspicious of the 2020 election results, their donors, and each other. Now, the MAGA wing of the Michigan GOP is in control—and has kneecapped the state Republican party’s ability to fundraise, appoint leaders, and perform its most basic institutional functions.

Guest: Ben Mathis-Lilley, Slate senior writer

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Would You Choose Your Child’s Sex?

Sun, 12 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

The ability to choose the sex of your child through IVF is banned in most of the world. In America, however, parents can—and do—for a price.

Guest: Emi Nietfeld, writer and software engineer, author of “The Parents Who Want Daughters—and Daughters Only” for Slate.

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

Meet the Trump Campaign’s A.I. Guy

Fri, 10 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

You might not know Brad Parscale by name, but you know his work: he was the digital campaign operative behind Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential victory. This election cycle, he’s back—and advising conservatives on how to utilize A.I. in their campaigns.

Guest: Garance Burke, global investigative journalist for the Associated Press.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, Cheyna Roth and Anna Phillips.

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

Stormy Daniels Takes the Stand

Thu, 09 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Spare a thought for the judge in Donald Trump’s hush-money trial. Justice Juan Merchan has gone from holding the former president in contempt of court… to telling Trump’s defense they probably should have objected more during Stormy Daniels’ testimony.

Guest: Jeremy Stahl, Slate’s jurisprudence editor.

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

Conservative Candid Camera in the Darién Gap

Wed, 08 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Crossing the Darién Gap, a 66-mile stretch of jungle in Panama, was hard enough before right-wing influencers began showing up with cameras, trying to bait would-be migrants into providing pro-Trump soundbites.

Guest: Ken Bensinger, New York Times political reporter covering right-wing media and national campaigns.

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

Hamas Agreed to a Ceasefire. Now What?

Tue, 07 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

In a last minute twist, Hamas has agreed to a ceasefire with Israel. But targeted airstrikes are already underway in Rafah. With its infrastructure in shambles, Gaza is facing famine – and worse. What’s next for Gaza’s people?

Guest: Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East correspondent for the Economist.

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

Why Democrats Will Save Mike Johnson’s Job

Mon, 06 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Marjorie Taylor Greene is calling for Mike Johnson’s job—again. But unlike Kevin McCarthy before him, Johnson has support from a surprising place.

Guest: Jim Newell, Slate’s senior politics writer.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Can California Save Journalism?

Sun, 05 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

The California Journalism Preservation Act would make companies like Google and Meta pay publishers for the news content appearing in their feeds and search results—and force news organizations to spend that money on their journalists. How have similar laws worked in Canada and Australia? And could it solve journalism’s on-going revenue problem?

Guest: Matt Pearce, former LA Times journalist, the president of Media Guild of the West.

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

Bird Flu—It’s in Milk?

Fri, 03 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Bird flu isn’t new, you may even remember past outbreaks. But showing up in milk?

Is America ready if it leaps to spreading among humans?

Guest: Katelyn Jetelina, epidemiologist, senior advisor to the CDC

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

Columbia Cracks Down

Thu, 02 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Professor Joe Howley has been working with student protesters for almost a year. When they occupied his building, he got texts from the kids—and nothing from the administration. Now that Columbia’s called the cops, and nearly 100 demonstrators have been arrested, what does that mean for the future of the institution—and for free speech on campus nationwide?

Guest: Joe Howley, associate professor in the Columbia University Classics Department

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

Biden’s Climate Report Card

Wed, 01 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

It’s not that we aren’t making progress slowing our carbon and greenhouse gas emissions; it’s just that we still may not be doing enough—fast enough—to avert catastrophe.

Guest: Umair Irfan, correspondent at Vox writing about climate change, Covid-19, and energy policy.

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

The Man Who Wrote the Trump Playbook—30 Years Ago.

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

In the ‘90s, Pat Buchanan was a fringe figure among Republicans whose positions on immigration and demographic change in the United States were considered too extreme for the party. Now, his ideas are what passes for Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign platform.

Guest: Ari Berman, Mother Jones’ national voting rights correspondent and author of “Minority Rule.”

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

The Jewish Case for Protest

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

As some members of Congress call for crackdowns, how do college administrators ensure the safety of their entire student body – while also respecting its right to free speech?

Guest: Peter Beinart, Editor-at-Large at Jewish Currents and the author of “The Beinart Notebook” on Substack.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

The Failures of ‘Organic’ Farming

Sun, 28 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

There are regulations regarding how farm animals are transported, how they’re auctioned, how they’re slaughtered—but when they’re living on the farm? That’s where things get cloudy.

Guest: Annie Lowrey, journalist writing on politics and economic policy for The Atlantic.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, and Anna Phillips.

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

So ... Is TikTok Banned?

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

The TikTok ban that has been floating around Washington since the last administration has been signed into law. What does that mean for users, creators and the court battles ahead?

Guest:

Louise Matsakis, reporter covering tech and China.

Dillon White, TikToker under the handle @dadchats

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

How Trump Found His Lawyer

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Who is Todd Blanche, Donald Trump’s attorney in the hush-money trial, and how did he end up representing the former president?

Guest: Andrew Rice, features writer for New York Magazine. He’s also the author of The Year That Broke America.

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

Columbia Calls the Cops

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Protests at Columbia University have become a talking point across national media, but does the situation on campus actually resemble the one in the press?

Guest: Aymann Ismail, Slate staff writer.

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

Your Right to Protest? Not the Supreme Court’s Problem.

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

The constitutional right to protest is right there in the First Amendment. So when the Fifth Circuit Court threatened this right across three states, why didn’t the Supreme Court take up the case?

Guest: Ian Milhiser, senior correspondent for Vox.

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What the WNBA Salary Debate Misses

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Guest: Lindsay Gibbs, author and founder of Power Plays, “a no-BS newsletter about women’s sports” and co-host of the Burn It All Down podcast.

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

The Internet Archive Endangered

Sun, 21 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

From the Wayback Machine to the mass-digitization of the history of Aruba, the Internet Archive is a non-profit doing valuable work. But some of its other projects—a pandemic-era lending library and the ongoing digitalization of 78 rpm records—have led to lawsuits now threatening the future of this repository of the past.

Guest: Kate Knibbs, senior writer at Wired.

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

What’s Driving Tesla’s Layoffs?

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Tesla’s market cap has dropped. The company had its biggest round of layoffs ever. The Cybertruck doesn’t seem to be taking off. And Elon’s posting through it. Is Tesla in serious trouble?

Guest: Dana Hull, Bloomberg reporter and contributor to the podcast Elon, Inc.

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

Is It Too Late to Escape “Forever Chemicals”?

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Man-made per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, are found in all sorts of industrial and consumer products, including carpets, rain jackets, and makeup. They’re also in our drinking water—and in our blood.

The EPA has recently announced plans to regulate the amount of certain PFAS in our water supply. But will these rules do enough to control chemicals for which there is no safe level of exposure?

Guest: Esmé E. Deprez, independent investigative journalist.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Will Abortion in Florida and Arizona Decide the Election?

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

How will impending abortion restrictions in Florida and Arizona impact votes this fall?

Guests:

Anna Hochkammer, executive director of the Florida Women’s Freedom Coalition.

Grace Panetta, political reporter for The 19th.

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

What Israel Does Now

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Over the weekend Iran fired flocks of missiles and drones towards Israel, but the damage was minimal. What role did Israel’s new network of regional allies play in tamping down the attack? —and how committed to war was Iran to begin with?

Guest: Graeme Wood, staff writer at The Atlantic.

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Trump In (Criminal) Court

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Donald Trump is appearing in court today as a criminal defendant. Why did this case take so long to go to trial, and what’s at stake for the former president?

Guest: Jeremy Stahl, jurisprudence editor at Slate.

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Is America Ready for Legal Psychedelics?

Sun, 14 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

How the semi-legalization of marijuana has drawn a road map for legalizing psychedelics—and also provided a list of pitfalls to be avoided.

Guest: Jane C. Hu, science journalist and author of the newsletter The Microdose.

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Does Google Suck Now?

Fri, 12 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Why lately our search engines just don’t seem to deliver results.

Guest: Jason Koebler, cofounder of 404 Media and co-host of the 404 Media Podcast.

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

The Judge Protecting Trump

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

How Florida Judge Aileen Cannon is delaying Donald Trump’s trial over classified documents taken to Mar-a-Lago—and what special prosecutor Jack Smith can do to get things moving.

Guest: Lee Kovarsky, professor of law at University of Texas, co-director of the UT Capital Punishment Center

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How the Government Botched Financial Aid

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

How did an attempt to simplify a tedious student-aid form turn into a full-on debacle that has some high school seniors wondering if they will have to delay starting college?

Guest: Danielle Douglas-Gabriel, national higher education reporter for the Washington Post.

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No Labels Is Out. But RFK Jr. Remains.

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

2024 is down to two historically unpopular candidates. That may leave the door open for third-party candidates to make some noise. But Democrats have been burned before – and aren’t going down without a fight.

Guest: Dave Weigel, reporter for Semafor.

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How Young Is Too Young to Work?

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

In response to a spike in child labor violations, some states are strengthening their laws against the practice—while 16 states have weakened laws against child labor. What’s going on?

Guest: Lauren Kaori Gurley, labor reporter for the Washington Post.

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

America Needs More Power

Sun, 07 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

The demand for electricity is surging in the U.S. With increasing amounts of power going towards artificial intelligence, manufacturing and electric vehicles, can the grid keep up?

Guest: Evan Halper, business reporter covering the energy transition for the Washington Post

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Truth Social’s Rocky Week

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Donald Trump got a huge financial boost when Truth Social went public last week—or did he?

Guest: Nitish Pahwa, associate writer on business and tech for Slate.

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How Much Longer Can Netanyahu Hold On?

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Benjamin Netanyahu has been able to count on the support from Israel’s ultra-Orthodox parties. But as the IDF needs additional manpower to continue a two-front war, the military exemption that the ultra-Orthodox enjoy is coming under scrutiny, and could fracture Netanyahu’s hold on power.

Guest: Yair Rosenberg, staff writer for The Atlantic.

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How Gambling Took Over Sports

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Sports betting is now mostly legal, and, if you watch sports, its advertisements are inescapable. Now, a series of scandals has rocked the professional leagues. When everyone bets, odds are – someone will cross a line.

Guest: Jay Caspian Kang, staff writer for “The New Yorker” and author of The Loneliest Americans.

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How a Democrat Flipped a Seat in Alabama

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Democrat Marilyn Lands will be sworn in to the Alabama House of Representatives this week, having won a special election in the deep-red state by 25 points. How did Lands do it—and what can the national Democrats learn from her victory?

Guest: Marilyn Lands, Alabama lawmaker who won a special election for the state’s House of Representatives.

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The Group Behind Christian Conservatives’ Winning Streak

Mon, 01 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

The group that brought the case that overturned Roe v. Wade is back before the Supreme Court arguing for more restrictions on mifepristone, the “abortion pill.” Who are Alliance Defending Freedom, and what are their goals?

Guest: David Kirkpatrick, staff writer for The New Yorker.

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The Psychological Toll of Mars

Sun, 31 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT

From science fiction writers to American presidents to Elon Musk, everyone’s eager to send people to Mars. But, even if you could nail the physical aspects, are Earthlings cut out for life on Mars mentally?

Guest: Nathaniel Rich, contributing writer for New York Times magazine.

Kate Greene, author and poet

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Can Boeing Pull Out of This Tailspin?

Fri, 29 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT

How supply chains, the pandemic, and a steady stream of Wall Street money led to a crisis at Boeing.

Guest: Jon Ostrower, editor-in-chief of the website the Air Current.

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Nickelodeon’s Legacy of Abuse

Thu, 28 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT

A new documentary, “Quiet On Set,” looks back at Nickelodeon’s heyday, and the culture of abuse that many of its child stars were subjected to.

Guest: Kate Taylor, reporter for Business Insider and producer of “Quiet on Set.”

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Will Islamophobia Sink This Judicial Nomination?

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Nominated by Biden for the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, Adeel Mangi has a Harvard education and years as a prominent corporate litigator under his belt. But during his Senate confirmation hearing, the main thing Republican lawmakers wanted to talk about were Hamas’s October 7th attacks. Now, Democrats are weighing filling a seat in the federal judiciary against giving in to Islamophobia.

Guest: Nate Raymond, reporter covering the federal judiciary and litigation for Reuters.

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Has Trump Run Out the Clock?

Tue, 26 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT

With four criminal cases against him, including one that was scheduled to begin this week, Donald Trump and his legal team have successfully muddied the waters in all four trials. With solid odds of winning the presidential election in the fall, has Donald Trump managed to once again wriggle his way out of this one?

Guest: Jeremy Stahl, Slate’s jurisprudence editor.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Madeline Ducharme, Anna Phillips, Paige Osburn, and Rob Gunther.

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

After the Moscow Concert Attack

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT

A concert outside of Moscow was interrupted by gunshot and a fire. Though ISIS claimed responsibility within hours, Putin isn’t letting this crisis go to waste.

Guest: Shane Harris, senior national security writer for the Washington Post.

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The Next Round of the Union Fight

Sun, 24 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT

After organized-labor victories at Amazon, with automakers, and in Hollywood, big corporations are striking back by, among other things, suing the National Labor Relations Board.

Guest: Noam Scheiber, reporter for the New York Times covering working and workers.

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Reddit’s IPO Gamble

Fri, 22 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Despite the blackouts, moderator revolts, and long string of controversies, Reddit remains an active, healthy website. As the site goes public this week, can it remain that way?

Guest: Priya Anand, Bloomberg News tech reporter.

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

How Anti-Abortion Laws Trap Domestic Abuse Survivors

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Experts say domestic violence tends to start or intensify during pregnancy. But since the overturn of Roe v. Wade, terminating a pregnancy—or even advising or helping someone to terminate a pregnancy—has been criminalized in several states which can leave survivors of domestic violence unable to separate from an abusive partner.

Guest: Julianne McShane, writer at Mother Jones covering the intersection of gender and inequity.

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Why We Still Don’t Have a Cease-Fire

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT

When even Israel’s American allies like Biden and Chuck Schumer seem to be growing impatient waiting for a ceasefire in Gaza, what is standing in the way?

Guest: Fred Kaplan, Slate writer and author of The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Madeline Ducharme, Anna Phillips, Paige Osburn, and Rob Gunther.

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

The Trump Veepstakes Is On

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT

It’s hard to imagine anyone changing their opinion on Trump based on a new running mate. But there’s more at stake with this pick than just the 2024 election.

Guest: Benjy Sarlin, Washington Bureau Chief at Semafor

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Haiti’s Power Vacuum

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT

With gangs controlling much of the capital and the prime minister out of office, what is Haiti’s path to stability? What role should the international community play?

Guest: Harold Isaac, independent journalist in Haiti.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Madeline Ducharme, Anna Phillips, Paige Osburn, and Rob Gunther.

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

When Private Equity Gets in to Health Care

Sun, 17 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Private equity firms have been buying up doctors’ offices and hospitals around the country. But if profits are the primary goal, what happens to the cost and quality of healthcare for patients?

Guest: Gretchen Morgenson, senior financial reporter for the NBC News Investigative Unit and co-author of “These Are the Plunderers: How Private Equity Runs—and Wrecks—America”

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, and Anna Phillips.

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Is TikTok Cooked This Time?

Fri, 15 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT

TikTok’s connection to the Chinese government has been a Washington talking point since the Trump administration, but earlier this month lawmakers in the House introduced a bill requiring the app’s parent company to either divest the company into American hands—or be banned.

Guest: Emily Baker-White, technology reporter and senior writer at Forbes.

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

Mexico Is Full Of American Guns. So the Country’s Suing.

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT

How Mexico’s $10 billion lawsuit against American gun manufacturers and distributors could pave the way for new gun control tactics in the U.S. and abroad.

Guest: Champe Barton, reporter for The Trace.

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 Amicus—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.

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Where is Kate Middleton?

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Kate Middleton’s on-going absence has the internet tied in knots, and the heavily edited photo that the royal family released—and then rescinded—only made things worse. What do we know about the Princess of Wales’s whereabouts?

Guest: Imogen West-Knights, contributing writer for Slate based in London.

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Biden's War on Junk Fees

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Extra charges and fees for everything from booking a hotel to buying concert tickets have become an insidious part of daily life. President Biden is hoping that by outlawing so-called “junk fees,” he can win some goodwill with voters before the election. Will it work?

Guest: David Dayen, Executive Editor of The American Prospect, author of Monopolized: Life in the Age of Corporate Power.

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.

Podcast production by Paige Osburn, Elena Schwartz, Rob Gunther, Madeline Ducharme, and Anna Phillips.

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

He Quoted Hitler. Now, He Could Be Governor.

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On Super Tuesday, Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson secured the Republican nomination for governor in North Carolina. His history of anti-semitic, misogynistic, and outright absurd comments wasn’t a problem for MAGA supporters in the state—and it certainly wasn’t a problem for the national Grand Old Party either.

Guest: Jeffrey Billman, politics and law reporter at The Assembly.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Instagram’s Pedophile Problem

Sun, 10 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT

As the debate around child safety online rages on, an investigation by The New York Times found a seedy world of pedophiles interacting with child influencer accounts, often run by their parents, on Instagram.

Guest: Jennifer Valentino-DeVries, investigative reporter at the New York Times.

Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.

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Why TikTok Went Silent

Fri, 08 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Thousands of songs have disappeared from TikTok in recent months as music giant Universal Music Group, or UMG, has pulled its catalog from the app. UMG claims that TikTok is a music platform, and that TikTok needs to pay more to license its music. TikTok claims they're a marketing platform that helps labels promote their artists. But while the two sides argue over contract negotiations for licensing music on the video platform, many artists are left scrambling.

Guest: Ethan Millman, staff writer at Rolling Stone covering the music industry.

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Rep Jayapal Says the Biden Coalition is 'Fractured'

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT

With Biden trailing Trump in the polls and thousands of Democrats casting votes for “uncommitted” in the primaries, can the president make his case for a second term to frustrated progressives at the State of the Union?

Guest: Pramila Jayapal, U.S. representative from Washington's 7th congressional district and the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

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Can Gaza Survive on Airdropped Aid?

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Airdropping aid, food, and supplies is expensive, inexact, and inefficient and usually only a last resort when your enemies have left you no other options. So why is the United States airdropping aid into Gaza, when the borders are controlled by America’s ally, Israel?

Guest: Jane Arraf, reporter for NPR based in the Middle East.

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Why Adam Schiff Is Running Ads for a Republican

Tue, 05 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Nancy Pelosi is no longer in charge of the House Democrats, and Dianne Feinstein’s Senate seat is now up for grabs. Will a new generation of progressives step up in deep blue California? It’s not so simple…

Guest: Alexander Sammon, Slate politics writer.

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Florida's Anti-Vaxxers Won. Then the Measles Surged.

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Measles happens, but this outbreak in Florida is unfolding in a post-pandemic world where mistrust in public health officials and vaccinations is practically the party line.

Guest: Lauren Weber, Washington Post accountability reporter focused on scientific and medical disinformation.

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

Google’s Scam Obituary Problem

Sun, 03 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Why scam obituaries are edging out earnest ones, with the help of artificial intelligence and an adept Google game.

Guest: Mia Sato, reporter for The Verge.

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

The Supreme Court Takes on Content Moderation

Fri, 01 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Is it censorship for social media platforms to moderate their content, or is censorship when the state tells social media platforms how to moderate their content?

Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, Slate writer on courts and the law.

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Biden’s Commitment Problem

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

With Biden losing thousands of votes to “uncommitted” and Trump unable to pull incumbent numbers, the Michigan primaries seemed to show that the electorate isn’t exactly enthusiastic about either candidate. What options remain for two known quantities to win votes?

Guest: David Faris, political science professor and Slate politics writer.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Madeline Ducharme, Anna Phillips, Paige Osburn, and Rob Gunther.

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What Happened to Nex Benedict?

Wed, 28 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Sixteen-year-old Nex Benedict died one day after being beaten in an Oklahoma high school bathroom. His death has drawn attention to the more-than 50 bills that have been introduced in the state legislature targeting queer and trans people.

Guest: Jo Yurcaba, reporter for NBC Out.

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War in Ukraine, Two Years In

Tue, 27 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

The situation for Ukraine is slipping from a stalemate to again losing territory to the Russian invasion. After two years of combat, will American and EU allies support the Ukrainian cause for as long as it takes?

Guest: Fred Kaplan, Slate’s war stories correspondent.

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

Will Trump Take Over the RNC?

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Is RNC chairperson Ronna McDaniel to blame for Republicans’ poor fundraising and recent underperformance in elections?

Guest: Shelby Talcott, reporter covering Trump and national Republicans for Semafor.

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Alabama’s IVF Mess

Sun, 25 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Fertility doctors and their patients trying to conceive via in vitro fertilization (IVF) were stopped in their tracks this week, as the Alabama Supreme Court declared that embryos have the same rights as people. The decision has left doctors wondering if they can be sued for carrying out standard IVF procedures, and experts worry the ruling could have ramifications for IVF around the country.

Guest: Dr. Elizabeth Constance, reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist in Omaha, Nebraska.

Check out Compiler here.

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The Coasts are Sinking

Fri, 23 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Studies have found that, in tiny increments, America’s East Coast is sinking into the ground thanks to climate change. Can a new approach to urban planning mitigate the effect?

Guest: Matt Simon, senior staff writer at Wired.

You can read Matt’s reporting here.

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The Basketball Phenom Shaking Up the NCAA

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Iowa’s Caitlin Clark has scored more points than any other NCAA women’s basketball player in history, but her impact extends even further than her substantial range on the court.

Guest: Hayley McGoldrick, associate editor at Sportsnet.

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Why a Hi-Tech Gun Safety Tool Isn’t Working

Wed, 21 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Shotspotter lost a huge contract and some face when Chicago opted out of its partnership with the gunfire-identification tech company.

Why can’t new policing tech seem to break the old patterns and problems?

Guest: Jim Daley, investigations editor at South Side Weekly

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Who’s Left to Help Migrants?

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

The migrant crisis has come to Denver. With no federal help on the way and temperatures dropping well below freezing, a local church tries to pick up the slack.

Guest: Keith Reeser, pastor at Denver Friends Church in Colorado.

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.

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Alexei Navalny Is Dead. Is His Movement Gone With Him?

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Alexei Navalny died last week at age 47 in the prison where he was serving a 19-year sentence for extremism. With just one month left before a presidential election in which Putin is nearly guaranteed to win, the pro-democracy opposition movement in Russia is more beleaguered than ever.

Guest: Joshua Yaffa, contributing writer at The New Yorker and the author of Between Two Fires: Truth, Ambition, and Compromise in Putin’s Russia.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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

Apple Vision Pro: The Ultimate Surveillance Device?

Sun, 18 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Apple Vision Pro goggles might be a crime against fashion but with the amount of data they can collect—both on the world around the user and on the users themselves—they have the potential to invade privacy right down to where you’re looking and for how long.

Guest: Geoffrey Fowler, Washington Post tech columnist

Check out Compiler here.

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Warfare Enters the A.I. Era

Fri, 16 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

The war in Ukraine reordered the priorities of the country’s growing tech sector, and has become a place for foreign companies to test out new tools with less regulation or scrutiny.

Guests: Vera Bergengruen, senior correspondent at Time

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The Attack on Rafah

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Israeli Defense Forces have extended their campaign to Rafah, the southern-most city in Gaza, and where many Gazans have been gathering to escape the war.

Guest: Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, Middle East political analyst, founder and executive director of Project Unified Assistance

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.

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The American Oligarch Class

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

How did America end up back in a Gilded Age of incredible wealth disparity, and how did a new generation of oligarchs bend society to their vision?

Guest: Tim Murphy, senior reporter for Mother Jones.

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.

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The Fight for George Santos’s Seat

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

The special election for George Santos’s vacated U.S. House seat has attracted tons of spending and a lot of attention—all to hold the position for less than a year. Who’s running, and what can this vote tell us about what to expect in November?

Guest: Mark Chiusano, writer, journalist, and author of The Fabulist: The Lying, Hustling, Grifting, Stealing, and Very American Legend of George Santos.

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.

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Is Biden Too Old?

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

The special prosecutor’s report into Biden’s classified documents case is out… and it says Joe Biden’s memory is too bad for a jury to convict him. Is the report a politically motivated hit job, or an honest assessment of one of the two very old men running for president?

Guest: Ben Mathis-Lilley, Slate senior writer.

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.

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Breaking Up with Dating Apps

Sun, 11 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

For a while, it seemed like the only place to meet potential partners was through an app—Tinder, Hinge, Bumble, etc. But as the apps are trying to monetize their matchmaking—and some users now with a whole decade of striking out under their belts—old-fashioned meet-cutes-in-bars or, say, debutante balls look more and more appealing.

Guests:

Katherine Lindsay, culture writer and cofounder of Embedded

Rachael Stein, dating-app spelunker

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The NFL’s Concussion Settlement Farce

Fri, 09 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

The NFL's concussion settlement was meant to provide financial support and medical help for players who developed traumatic brain injuries from the sport. So why are so many players denied the help they need?

Guest: Will Hobson, sports reporter for the Washington Post.

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How Trump Gets Kicked off the Ballot

Thu, 08 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

The Supreme Court now has to decide if the 14th amendment’s provision to keep insurrectionists off the ballot applies to Donald Trump.

Guest: Jamelle Bouie, New York Times opinion columnist.

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.

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A Mass Shooter’s Mom Found Guilty

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Yesterday, a jury found Jennifer Crumbley guilty of involuntary manslaughter for the mass-shooting carried out by her son Ethan at his high school in Oxford, Michigan.

How will this conviction change the way school shootings are prosecuted? Can future violence be prevented by holding the parents accountable?

Guest: Quinn Klinefelter, host and Senior News Editor for 101.9 WDET in Detroit.

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.

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Inside a Gaza Hospital

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Pediatrician Dr. Seema Jilani’s work has taken her from Sudan to Afghanistan. Last month, she was in Gaza for two weeks, where she worked tending to the wounded in the besieged Al-Aqsa Hospital.

Guest: Dr. Seema Jilani, senior technical adviser at the International Rescue Committee

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.

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The Media Is Missing the Trump Bump

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Donald Trump was, if nothing else, a boon for the news business. But this election cycle, even the “Trump bump” isn’t slowing the shrinking of the audience.

Guest: Max Tani, media reporter at Semafor.

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Streaming Is Cable Now

Sun, 04 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

The number of TV streaming services is going up—and so is the cost and so are the number of ads. Cordcutters are finding themselves back to cable prices and inconveniences. And these changes don’t just impact the TV viewing experience - they impact the types of shows that get made in the first place.

Guest: Alex Cranz, managing editor at the Verge.

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The Taylor Swift Deepfake Saga

Fri, 02 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

For all the promise of the technology, one use-case for artificial intelligence reared its ugly head last week: non-consensual pornographic images. As millions of users saw abusive A.I. generated images of Taylor Swift proliferate across X, the pitfalls of this technology became clear.

Guest: Emanuel Maiberg, journalist and co-founder of 404 Media

Check out Compiler here.

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Vince McMahon: Full-Time Heel

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Vince McMahon is walking away from professional wrestling, again. The WWE looks to continue without the man that built it into an institution—and shrouded it in scandal.

Guest: Dave Scherer, founder of the pro-wrestling news site, PWinsider.com.

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Has Trump Already Beaten Fani Willis?

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

One of Donald Trump’s codefendants in the Georgia election subversion and racketeering case has filed a motion to dismiss his case due to an improper relationship between Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and a prosecutor she has hired to work on the case. How can Willis address the allegations and what does it mean for the case?

Guest: Ankush Khardori, attorney and former federal prosecutor in the U.S. Justice Department.

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Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Madeline Ducharme, Anna Phillips, Paige Osburn, and Rob Gunther with help from Kathryn Fink.

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Inside America’s First Execution By Nitrogen

Tue, 30 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

With the execution of Kenneth Smith, Alabama became the first state to carry out the death penalty with nitrogen gas. According to Smith’s spiritual advisor, who witnessed the execution, this is not a “humane” future for capital punishment

Guest: Rev. Jeff Hood, pastor, theologian and activist living and working in Little Rock, Arkansas, and the Convener of Clergy United Against the Death Penalty

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Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Madeline Ducharme, Anna Phillips, Paige Osburn, and Rob Gunther with help from Kathryn Fink.

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Are Two States Still the Solution?

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Support for a “two-state solution” has been declining among both Israelis and Palestinians for years. If it’s time to give up on that plan, what’s the alternative?

Guest: Dov Waxman, professor of political science and the director of the UCLA Y&S Nazarian Center for Israel Studies.

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Why Is Everybody Sick?

Sun, 28 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Are we still paying off our pandemic-induced “immunity debt,” or is there another reason that it feels like we’re all sniffling and coughing and just feeling sick?

Guest: Keren Landman, senior health reporter at Vox

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Are You Ready for the A.I. Election?

Fri, 26 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

In the days leading up to the New Hampshire primary, voters received a robocall purportedly from Joe Biden. Authorities have now determined the call was likely A.I.-generated.

In the era of A.I., how can voters tell what’s real and what’s not? And will the general election be thrown into chaos by artificial intelligence-created disinformation?

Guest: Makena Kelly, senior writer at Wired covering politics and technology

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Paige Osburn and Anna Phillips.

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Biden Needs Abortion

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Since the overturn of Roe v. Wade, Democrats have found wins after standing up for abortion. But can they ride this issue to a second Biden term, when the administration isn’t offering a clear plan for reproductive rights—and Joe Biden has a history of ambivalence about the issue?

Guest: Grace Panetta, political reporter at The 19th News.

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Trump’s Courtroom Campaign

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

How has Donald Trump managed to turn multiple indictments into a nigh unassailable lead in the Republican primary—and what looks like a dead heat for the general election?

Guest: Isaac Arnsdorf, national political reporter for The Washington Post covering former-president Trump.

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Are We at War in the Middle East?

Tue, 23 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Ships are avoiding the Suez Canal at great expense; Iran has launched attacks in Iraq and Pakistan; Israel is exchanging fire with Hezbollah as well as Hamas—has the regional conflict that leaders were worried about already begun?

Guest: Josh Keating, senior correspondent at Vox covering foreign policy and world news with a focus on the future of international conflict.

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The Fall of Ron DeSantis

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Once, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was Trump’s biggest rival. Now, his campaign is over – and Trump seems to be sailing to the Republican presidential nomination. How did DeSantis squander his lead? And if Trump’s nomination is preordained – what does that mean for the general election?

Guest: Ben Mathis-Lilley, Slate senior writer

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Have Algorithms Ruined Our Culture?

Sun, 21 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

How much of our lives—our tastes, preferences and choices—have been fed to us through an interlocking, impersonal network of algorithms?

Guest: Kyle Chayka, staff writer at the New Yorker and author of Filterworld: How Algorithms Flattened Culture.

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The Great British Library Hack

Fri, 19 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

When a cyberattack knocked the British Library out of commission in October of last year, a nation's researchers, scholars, students, and bookworms were left high and dry. Months later, the library is starting to come back online in limited capacity, but the attack has laid bare just how fragile our digital systems are.

Guest: Sam Knight, staff writer at the New Yorker

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And God Gave Us Trump

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

How American white evangelical Christianity has reshaped itself in the image of Donald Trump.

Guest: Rev. Angela Denker, Lutheran pastor and author of Red State Christians: A Journey into White Christian Nationalism and the Wreckage It Leaves Behind

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Is Israel Committing Genocide?

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

South Africa has accused Israel of committing genocide before the International Court of Justice and is asking the United Nations to intervene and order the Israeli government to cease military operations in Gaza. The ICJ now must decide how to characterize an increasingly bloody campaign.

Guest: Adil Haque, professor of international law at Rutgers University and author of Law and Morality at War.

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Trump Just Won Iowa. Where’s Biden?

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Biden’s poll numbers have been bad pretty much his whole presidency, but going into an election year, he looks especially weak where his party is usually strongest: young voters, Black voters, and Latino voters. What messaging unlocks some—any—enthusiasm for voting for Joe Biden again?

Guest: Alexander Sammon, politics writer for Slate.

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One Year: 1990: Mandrake the Magician

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

It’s a holiday weekend, so the What Next team is taking a little break from the news, and dropping you one of our favorite other Slate podcasts. This time around, we’re listening to One Year: 1990. We'll be back in your feed tomorrow.

A middle-aged single dad in Chicago was outraged by all the cigarette billboards popping up in Black communities. In 1990, he picked up a paint roller and became an anti-tobacco vigilante. And he did it all under a secret identity.

This episode was written by Josh Levin, One Year’s editorial director. One Year’s senior producer is Evan Chung.

This episode was produced by Kelly Jones, Olivia Briley, and Evan Chung. It was edited by Joel Meyer and Derek John, Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts.

Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director. We had mixing help from Kevin Bendis.

Join Slate Plus to get a special behind-the-scenes conversation at the end of our season about how we put together our 1990 stories. Slate Plus members also get to listen to all Slate podcasts without any ads.

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Is Your Car Tracking You?

Sun, 14 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Covered in cameras, full of microphones, and always eager to use location data, our vehicles are “smartphones on wheels”—and privacy nightmares.

Guest: Kashmir Hill, technology and privacy reporter for the New York Times.

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Boeing’s Max Mess

Fri, 12 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Shortly after take off from Portland, OR, the plug exit on a Boeing 737 Max 9 jet blew out – causing an uncontrolled decompression of the plane. Now, accident investigators are hard at work, trying to determine what happened in what's the latest catastrophe for the respected commercial airplane provider.

Guest: Jon Ostrower, Editor-in-chief of The Air Current

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2024’s Primary Season is Already Chaos

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Primaries competing with caucuses; states going rogue; and parties totally out of sync with each other — the 2024 primary season has everything.

Guest: Ari Berman, voting-rights reporter for Mother Jones and author of “Give Us the Ballot: The Modern Struggle for Voting Rights in America.”

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The NRA’s Wayne’s World Era is Over

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Long-time CEO Wayne LaPierre is out and legal challenges and lawsuits are mounting—but does that mean the NRA is losing its influence over American politics?

Guest: Dr. Matthew Lacombe, the Alexander P. Lamis Associate Professor in American Politics at Case Western Reserve University, author of Firepower: How the NRA Turned Gun Owners into a Political Force

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.

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The Anti-Defamation League at War

Tue, 09 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

How the ADL’s commitment to the state of Israel threatens and undermines its ability to fight antisemitism at home.

Guest: Mari Cohen, associate editor at Jewish Currents

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.

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GOP Bets It All on the Border

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

With not one but two spending cliffs on the near horizon—not to mention wars abroad and a crisis at the border—can one of the all-time least productive Congresses get anything done this session?

Guest: Marianna Sotomayor, congressional reporter for The Washington Post

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Tesla's Cybertruck Problem

Sun, 07 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

What the Cybertruck says about safety, regulation, and the degree to which Tesla is beholden to the whims of Elon Musk.

Guest: Edward Niedermeyer, author of Ludicrous: The Unvarnished Story of Tesla Motors

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Why the New York Times Sued OpenAI

Fri, 05 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

If A.I. and chatbots are the next wave of innovation, then the New York Times and other media organizations are determined to get paid this time.

Guest: Megan Morrone, technology editor for the Axios AI+ newsletter

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22 States Hiked the Minimum Wage. Now What?

Thu, 04 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

The federally mandated minimum wage hasn’t gone up since 2009, but across the country states, counties, and cities are raising their minimum wage. Is this long overdue help for America’s poor, or merely a low-risk political win?

Guest: David Neumark, labor economist and professor at University of California-Irvine

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How Ukraine Loses The War

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

How much longer can Ukraine and Russia fight at a stalemate? And does the outcome of the war depend on Biden winning a second term?

Guest: Fred Kaplan, Slate’s “War Stories” correspondent and author of The Bomb.

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.

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The Murder of Wadee Alfayoumi

Tue, 02 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

On Oct. 14, 2023, Wadee Alfayoumi, a six-year-old Arab-American boy, was stabbed to death by his landlord, Joseph Czuba. Months later, his parents are struggling to make sense of it.

Guest: Aymann Ismail, Slate staff writer.

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The Renewable Energy Shell Game

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Buying “renewable energy certificates” is a way for companies to claim to reach their renewable energy goals—instead of, say, putting solar panels on their roof. One of the most enthusiastic consumers of RECs is the federal government. But is this ostensibly environmentally-friendly system actually standing in the way of true sustainability?

Guest: Najib Aminy, producer for Reveal.

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.

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Who’s Afraid of A.I.? | 2023 In Review

Sun, 31 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

While the What Next: TBD team spends some time with their families during the holidays, we revisit some of 2023’s biggest, strangest, and best stories. Regularly scheduled programming resumes in January.

Artificial intelligence—as it already exists today—is drawing from huge troves of surveillance data and is rife with the biases built into the algorithm, in service of the huge corporations that develop and maintain the systems. The fight for the future doesn’t look like war with Skynet; it’s happening right now on the lines of the Writer’s Guild strike.

Guests:

Meredith Whittaker, president of the Signal Foundation, co-founder of the AI Now Institute at NYU

Originally aired May 12th, 2023

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America’s Killer Car Problem | 2023 In Review

Fri, 29 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Pedestrian deaths in America have been rising for the last decade, while dropping in Europe and Japan. What makes the U.S. so dangerous for pedestrians?

Guest: Jessie Singer, author of There Are No Accidents: The Deadly Rise of Injury and Disaster―Who Profits and Who Pays the Price.

Originally aired July 16th, 2023.

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Does Steven Spielberg Have an Oscars Curse? | 2023 In Review

Thu, 28 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

While the What Next team spends some time with their families this week, we revisit some of 2023’s biggest, strangest, and best stories. Regularly scheduled programming resumes Jan. 2.

For all of his success, Steven Spielberg has a spotty record at the Oscars. He’s been nominated 22 times, but he’s only won three. Is it a curse?

This Sunday could mark a shift for the King of Hollywood’s five decades in the industry. And with The Fabelmans this year, it’s personal.

Guest: Michael Schulman, New Yorker staff writer and the author of Oscar Wars: A History of Hollywood in Gold, Sweat, and Tears.

Originally aired on March 9.

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Congress Wants to Know: Do Aliens Exist? | 2023 In Review

Wed, 27 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

While the What Next team spends some time with their families this week, we revisit some of 2023’s biggest, strangest, and best stories. Regularly scheduled programming resumes Jan. 2.

In a recent public hearing, three government officials told Congress that not only are “unidentified anomalous phenomena” real, they’re a major national security concern. But one witness took his testimony even further, claiming the government possesses materials of “non-human origin.” How much do we really know about UAPs – or, as they’re more commonly known, UFOs? And now that Congress is involved, are we about to learn a whole lot more?

Guest: Garrett Graff, contributor at WIRED magazine; author of the forthcoming book, “UFO: The Inside Story of the US Government's Search for Alien Life Here—and Out There”

Originally aired July 7.

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Wait, China’s Taking Our Pandas Back? | 2023 In Review

Tue, 26 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

While the What Next team spends some time with their families this week, we revisit some of 2023’s biggest, strangest, and best stories. Regularly scheduled programming resumes Jan. 2.

Everybody loves pandas—and China knows it. As we say goodbye to the National Zoo’s pandas, we look back at 50 years of “panda diplomacy” and consider its uncertain future.

Guest: E. Elena Songster, author of Panda Nation: The Construction and Conservation of China’s Modern Icon and professor of environmental history of modern China at St. Mary’s College of California.

Originally aired Sept. 27.

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.

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The Plot Against Pope Francis | 2023 In Review

Mon, 25 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

While the What Next team spends some time with their families this week, we revisit some of 2023’s biggest, strangest, and best stories. Regularly scheduled programming resumes Jan. 2.

Not all of the Cardinals who elected Pope Francis are pleased with the changes he’s made, or his vision for where the Catholic Church goes next. Both the 86-year-old Francis and his detractors are preparing for his successor. Who’ll prevail?

Guest: David Gibson, Director of Fordham's Center on Religion & Culture

Originally aired Feb. 2.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Carmel Delshad, and Madeline Ducharme, with help from Anna Phillips, Jared Downing, and Laura Spencer.

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Stephen King Is Just as Confused About Blue Checks as You Are | 2023 In Review

Sun, 24 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Twitter’s “blue check” verification went from something you applied for, to something you could pay for, to something you had to pay for…to something that many celebrities wouldn’t even accept for free. Master of horror Stephen King told us he wouldn’t pay for a blue check, but he’s not going to fight it either—he just doesn’t really understand what’s going on. Does anyone at Twitter understand?

Guests:

Alex Heath, deputy editor of The Verge

Jon Favreau, co-founder of Crooked Media, speechwriter for President Barack Obama

Stephen King, author

Originally aired April 28th, 2023.

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FT News Briefing: Markets, Elections, and A.I. in 2024

Sat, 23 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

From our friends at Financial Times's FT News Briefing:

The FT’s Peter Spiegel, Katie Martin and Elaine Moore preview what could happen in geopolitics, markets and artificial intelligence in 2024.

Listen to the FT News Briefing podcast every Monday through Friday here:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ft-news-briefing/id1438449989

The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon, Sonja Hutson, Kasia Broussalian and Marc Filippino. Additional help by Sam Giovinco, Peter Barber, Michael Lello, David da Silva and Gavin Kallmann. Our engineer is Monica Lopez. Topher Forhecz is the FT’s executive producer. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music.

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Can Hybrid Cars Save Us?

Fri, 22 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Without infrastructure to support all-electric vehicles, consumers have increasingly embraced the hybrid. The lower emissions are good—but are they slowing down our transition into an electric future?

Guest: Patrick George, editor-in-chief of InsideEVs.com, contributor to The Atlantic and The Verge.

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Marvel’s Disastrous Year

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

After his character, Kang the Conqueror, was set up to be the big villain of the next phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Jonathan Majors was dismissed from the franchise after being found guilty of reckless assault and harassment.

Guest: Michael Schulman, staff writer for the New Yorker.

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.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Madeline Ducharme, Anna Phillips, Paige Osburn, and Rob Gunther.

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When a Miscarriage Becomes a Crime

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

In September, Brittany Watts had a miscarriage at her home in Ohio. Prosecutors are now charging her with “abuse of a corpse,” a felony that could result in up to a year in prison.

When does a miscarriage become a felony? And could the anti-abortion movement be using this case as a step towards achieving “fetal personhood”?

Guest: Mary Ziegler, law professor at UC Davis and author of Roe: The History of a National Obsession.

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.

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Oh the Humanities!

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

West Virginia University is wrapping up its first semester following dramatic cuts to undergraduate and graduate programs. Its president calls the “restructuring” an effort to better focus on majors like medicine, nursing, and business – degrees that will lead directly to lucrative jobs. But what is a degree really for? And how do you decide when a diploma is “worth it?”

Guest: Michael Powell, staff writer at The Atlantic.

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.

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Where Do Returned Gifts Go?

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

“Easy returns” are an essential part of the online shopping experience. But 20-30 percent of online purchases get sent “back,” which is to say, they then enter the labyrinth of third-party return facilities, destined for re-evaluation, restocking—or possibly, the garbage.

Guest: Amanda Mull, staff writer at The Atlantic.

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.

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The Case Against CLEAR

Sun, 17 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Going through airport security is a legal requirement. Is it fair for a private company to interject itself in that process—and cut to the front of the line?

Guest: David Zipper, visiting Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School, focused on mobility, cities and technology.

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Shein’s Newest Offering? An IPO

Fri, 15 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Fast-fashion titan Shein is preparing for its initial public offering, even as questions of sustainability and labor practices linger.

Guest: Jordyn Holman, business reporter covering the retail industry and consumerism for The New York Times

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What Texas Abortion Laws Leave Unsaid

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Kate Cox’s fight to abort her pregnancy and save her fertility in Texas says a lot about America’s post-Roe, fractured approach to reproductive rights.

Guest: Selena Simmons-Duffin, health policy correspondent at NPR.

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Some Israeli Hostages Came Home. His Son Didn't.

Wed, 13 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Over 100 hostages being held by Hamas were released during the temporary ceasefire last month. But Sagui Dekel-Chen, a resident of Kibbutz Nir Oz, was not among them. With Gaza under bombardment again, all his father can do is plead with the Israeli government, and wait.

Guest: Jonathan Dekel-Chen, professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, father of Sagui Dekel-Chen, who is presumed to be one of the hostages held by Hamas.

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Pilots' Hidden Mental Health Crisis

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

For pilots facing mental health problems of almost any kind, the cost of getting help might be too much to bear. After a crisis on an Alaska Airlines flight, the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are examining how to make the skies safer, while allowing pilots to get help.

Guest: Pete Muntean, pilot, flight instructor and CNN correspondent covering aviation and transportation.

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War in Gaza; Violence in the West Bank

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

As war rages in Gaza, the Biden administration has begun imposing visa bans on people involved in violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where assaults by Israeli settlers against Palestinians have been on the rise since October 7.

Guest: Dalia Hatuqa, multimedia journalist living in Ramallah, specializing in Israeli-Palestinian affairs.

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Musk's War on Free Speech

Sun, 10 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Elon Musk is suing Media Matters for reporting that advertisers’ content was showing up right next to posts from newly reinstated Nazis on X, something X’s CEO said was impossible. Media Matters is based in D.C, and X is headquartered in California - so why did Musk choose to file the suit in Texas?

Guest: Liz Dye, columnist at Above the Law, Substacks as Law and Chaos Pod, co-hosts the podcast Opening Arguments.

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Spotify Unwrapped

Fri, 08 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Is Spotify’s 2023—ending with layoffs and cancelling critically acclaimed original podcasts—a sign of trouble at the streaming giant, or an adjustment to expectations that’s setting them up for a brighter future?

Guest: Ashley Carman, Bloomberg reporter who covers Spotfiy

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Pickleball vs. Everybody

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Pickleball’s exploding popularity isn’t an organic grassroots rise. According to a reporter’s intrepid Freedom of Information Act inquiries, enthusiastic pickleball ambassadors are employing the “USA Pickleball tool kit” and harrying local park departments to elbow out their tennis-and-basketball-playing neighbors.

Guest: Jason Koebler, cofounder of 404 Media and host of the 404 Media Podcast, former editor-in-chief of Motherboard.

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The Supreme Court Takes On Opioids

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

The Sacklers were set to pay $6 billion in exchange for immunity from any future lawsuits over their role in the opioid crisis. But the Supreme Court will now decide whether bankruptcy law can be wielded in this manner to protect the very wealthy—and trump the very-American right to sue for damages.

Guest: Brian Mann, reporter on addiction at NPR.

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Nikki Haley’s Surge to Second

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Last week, former UN ambassador and South Carolina governor Nikki Haley scored a coveted endorsement from Charles Koch’s political advocacy group. She’s passed Ron DeSantis in the polls—and now, she’s the top, non-Trump Republican candidate for president. But is there any hope of winning over Trump voters—or is this a race to be the candidate who steps in if the former president goes to jail?

Guest: Alexandra Ulmer, reporter at Reuters covering the 2024 U.S. presidential race, with a focus on Republicans, donors and AI.

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Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Madeline Ducharme, Anna Phillips, Paige Osburn, and Rob Gunther.

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Is Amazon Too Big To Regulate?

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Jeff Bezos said Amazon will be “Earth’s safest place to work.” But state and federal investigators are looking into the online retailer’s rates of on-the-job injuries. Is working in an Amazon warehouse inherently unsafe, or is the number of accidents unavoidable for the US’s second largest employer, as the company contends? Given OSHA’s limited powers, does the government have any options other than taking their word for it?

Guest: Caroline O'Donovan, Washington Post reporter covering Amazon

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They See You When You’re Shopping

Sun, 03 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Though navigating the internet involves spraying your data pretty indiscriminately, you actually have more control over it than you think—it’s just a pain to rein it in.

Guest: Geoffrey Fowler, Washington Post tech columnist.

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A Moral War for A.I.

Fri, 01 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Artificial intelligence seems predestined to become a bigger part of our lives. To what extent is the A.I. push being led by Sam Altman and the OpenAI team a cause for concern?

Guest: Karen Hao, journalist, data scientist and contributing writer for the Atlantic.

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Eric Adams May Not Get Out of This One

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 05:00:00 GMT

Eric Adams’ political career has been heavy on soundbites and low-simmering scandals. But now, as mayor of New York, he might have finally risen far enough to fall.

Guest: David Freedlander, New York Magazine contributor and the author of The AOC Generation: How Millennials Are Seizing Power and Rewriting the Rules of American Politics.

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Mental Health Treatment—by Court Order

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

California’s new “CARE courts” are designed to help people struggling with psychotic disorders to get the help they need. But is having judges mandate treatment a step in the right direction?

Guest: April Dembosky, health correspondent for KQED.

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The Cops Don’t Want You Listening In

Tue, 28 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Citing the risks from criminals listening in and pranksters interfering in their channels, the NYPD is the latest and biggest police department moving to encrypt their radio communications. But what about the reporters who rely on the police scanner—and the public who rely on those reporters?

Guests:

Todd Maisel, contributing editor at AMNewYork and photojournalist

Adam Scott Wandt, associate professor of public policy at John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

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What Comes After the Ceasefire?

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began this weekend in Gaza, as hostages and prisoners were freed by both sides. But any end to the immediate conflict still remains in doubt.

Guest: Peter Beinart, professor of journalism and political science at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York, editor-at-large at Jewish Currents, and author of The Beinart Notebook on Substack.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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The Race (Back) to the Moon

Sun, 26 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

The first steps on the moon were in the name of “all mankind.” But with more countries—and the private sector—competing to not only return, but to tap into the moon’s resources, we’re going to need some ground rules.

Guest: Chris Davenport reports on NASA and the space industry at the Washington Post.

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Where Scams Are Born

Fri, 24 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

An app for open money laundering, a corridor of massive casinos in the middle of nowhere, and the global scamdemic.

Guest: Cezary Podkul, reporter for Propublica

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Decoder Ring: The Forgotten Video Game About Slavery

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

While the What Next team celebrates the holiday, enjoy this episode from our colleagues at Decoder Ring.

In 1992, a Minnesota-based software company known for its educational hit The Oregon Trail released another simulation-style game to school districts across the country. Freedom! took kids on a journey along the Underground Railroad, becoming the first American software program to use slavery as its subject matter.

Less than four months later, it was pulled from the market. In this episode, we revisit this well-intentioned, but flawed foray into historical trauma that serves as a reminder that teaching Black history in America has always been fraught.

This episode was written by Willa Paskin. Decoder Ring is produced by Willa Paskin and Katie Shepherd. This episode was also produced by Benjamin Frisch, and edited by Erica Morrison. Derek John is executive producer. Joel Meyer is senior editor-producer and Merritt Jacob is senior technical director.

We’re grateful to Julian Lucas for his expertise, reporting, and generosity, without which this episode would not have been possible. His New Yorker article, “Can Slavery Reenactments Set Us Free?,” revisits the Freedom! story as part of an exploration of the live Underground Railroad re-enactments that Kamau Kambui pioneered.

Thank you to Jesse Fuchs for suggesting this topic. Thanks also to Coventry Cowens, Brigitte Fielder, Bob Whitaker, Alan Whisman, Wayne Studer, Alicia Montgomery, Rebecca Onion, Luke Winkie, and Kamau Kambui’s children: Yamro Kambui Fields, Halim Fields, Mawusi Kambui Pierre, Nanyamka Salley, and Kamau Sababu Kambui Jr.

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How Israel-Hamas Has Divided Democrats

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

The war in Gaza has laid bare some deep fault lines within the Democratic party when it comes to Israel policy. How might that impact next year’s elections?

Guest: Alex Sammon, Slate politics writer.

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Inside OpenAI's Implosion

Tue, 21 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

OpenAI was the hottest startup in Silicon Valley off the success of ChatGPT. Then, the board fired Sam Altman.

Guest: Mike Isaac, technology reporter at the New York Times.

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Moms for Liberty Tanked at the Polls. This Guy Called It.

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Over the past few years, ultra-conservative activists took aim at school boards, trying to shape curriculums to match their beliefs. But this year, from Pennsylvania to Iowa, “parental rights candidates” lost handily. What happened?

Guest: Adam Laats, Professor of Education and History at Binghamton University.

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Bedbugs Are Back, Baby!

Sun, 19 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

The bedbug break-out during Paris fashion week this fall was obviously horrifying, but the bad news doesn’t stop there. Bedbugs are on the rise—and on the move.

Guest: Benji Jones, senior environmental reporter at Vox.

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How Deepfake Porn Infected a School

Fri, 17 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Girls at a New Jersey high school were early victims of a novel and growing problem: their images were taken from social media without consent to create “deep-fake pornography.”

Guest: Julie Jargon, Wall Street Journal family and tech columnist.

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What If Gaza Boils Over?

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

As Palestinian allies like Hezbollah and Iran voice their support, is there a danger of more countries being pulled into the war in Gaza?

Guest: Gregory Gause, head of the Department of International Affairs at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University, specialist in Middle East politics.

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Trump’s Second Term

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

If you want to imagine what Donald Trump’s second presidential term would look like, look at what he left unfinished from his first—and listen to his long list of personal grievances.

Guest: Susan Glasser, staff writer at The New Yorker, co-author of The Divider, a history of Donald Trump in the White House.

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How the Israel-Gaza War Rages in America

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

A Jewish writer and Muslim journalist sit down to discuss the power dynamics, tribalism, and role of empathy in a far-away conflict that hits close to home in America.

Guests:

Aymann Ismail, Slate staff writer

Emily Tamkin, writer and author of The Influence of Soros and Bad Jews.

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The Rise of a Red State Democrat

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Andy Beshear, Kentucky’s Democratic governor, maintained a Biden-like moderate image and rode it to victory in this year’s election. His state knows him best as the “infrastructure governor”—but his support for abortion rights might be the biggest takeaway for other Democrats staring down challenging 2024 races.

Guest: John Nichols, national affairs correspondent for The Nation.

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Will A.I. Take My Job?

Sun, 12 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

A review website became suddenly flush with new bylines, right as the newsroom was negotiating with management. But information on their new contributors was hard to find—were they people at all, or was this the first clumsy incursion of A.I. into their newsroom?

Guest: Will Sommer, Washington Post media reporter

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Tesla vs. the Swedes

Fri, 10 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

In late October, Tesla mechanics in Sweden began to strike after the company refused to sign a collective agreement. This week, the country's other major unions joined in the fight as well.

Can Sweden’s robust labor culture force Tesla to make concessions?

Guest: Melissa Eddy, Berlin correspondent for the New York Times.

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The Real Goal of Trump's Indignant Testimony

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

When Donald Trump took the stand in his civil trial in New York this week, maybe he wasn’t trying to convince the judge who will decide this case—maybe he was playing for the MAGA audience outside, who will be headed to the polls in a year.

Guest: Barbara McQuade, law professor at the University of Michigan and a former U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan.

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Israeli Life Will Never Be the Same

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

A month after the October 7 attack by Hamas, how do Israelis view what happened, their country, neighbors, and the future?

Guest: Iris Zaki, Israeli filmmaker whose latest, ‘I Don’t Have That Empathy. It’s Not in Me Anymore.’ What Israeli Survivors Believe Now, was featured in the New York Times.

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Abortion on a Red-State Ballot

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Since the overturn of Roe v. Wade, reproductive rights have remained popular among voters—even in red states like Ohio. As the state votes today on whether to add the right to an abortion to the state constitution, the Ohio GOP has been trying to reframe the issue.

Guest: Carter Sherman, reproductive health and justice reporter at The Guardian.

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Mitt Romney Reflects, Regrets, and Retires

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

As Mitt Romney heads into retirement, is the idea of a moderate Republican being retired as well?

Guest: McKay Coppins, staff writer at The Atlantic, author of Romney: A Reckoning

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Sam Bankman-Fraud

Sat, 04 Nov 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Sam Bankman-Fried was found guilty on seven charges of wire fraud, conspiracy and money laundering and is facing a 110-year sentence.

Cryptocurrency, itself, has lost an ambassador, a lot of value, and quite a bit of credibility.

Guest: Nitish Pahwa, associate business and tech writer covering the trial for Slate.

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Biden Goes After AI

Fri, 03 Nov 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Biden’s executive order on A.I. indicates his administration is taking it seriously. Does it go far enough?

Guest: Cecilia Kang, covering technology and policy for the New York Times.

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Can Hamas Actually Be Destroyed?

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 07:00:00 GMT

What does the history of Hamas tell us about where the Israel-Palestine conflict could go from here?

Guest: Mohammed Hafez, professor who studies Islamist movements, political militancy, and violent radicalization at the Naval Postgraduate School and author of Why Muslims Rebel and Suicide Bombers in Iraq: The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom.

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How to Catch an Insurrectionist

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 07:00:00 GMT

The FBI was overwhelmed trying to ID people who stormed the Capitol on January 6th. An online group picked up the slack and helped catch hundreds of rioters.

Guest: Ryan Reilly, Justice reporter at NBC News, and author of Sedition Hunters: How January 6th Broke the Justice System.

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Can Threat Assessment Stop Mass Shootings?

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

After mass shootings, one refrain becomes, “We don’t need gun control to treat a mental health problem.” But in a case like the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine, there were mental health interventions and red flags raised by the military and the shooter’s family. Why didn’t it work—and what’s a better way forward?

Guest: Mark Follman, national affairs editor at Mother Jones and the author of Trigger Points: Inside the Mission to Stop Mass Shootings in America.

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What Survived in Lahaina, Maui

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

In early August, wildfire tore across West Maui. Months later, the tourism economy is struggling to get back to speed, while residents remain displaced.

Guest: U’i Kahue, cultural practitioner and the co-owner of Maui Grown 808, LLP.

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SBF Takes the Stand

Sat, 28 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

The man at the center of it all takes the stand in his own defense—but what’s left to say?

Guest: Nitish Pahwa, associate business and tech writer covering the trial for Slate.

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Self-Driving Cars Crash Into Reality

Fri, 27 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

In August, California regulators voted to allow self-driving car companies like Cruise and Waymo to expand their operations and start offering robotaxi services. 2 months later, after a litany of mistakes, Cruise is pulling all of its driverless cars off the road.

Is this an existential threat to the entire AV industry?

Guest: David Zipper, visiting fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School

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How Extremists Won the Speaker Fight

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Is new House Speaker Mike Johnson a palatable face on the same hard-right politics?

Guest: Tim Miller, political consultant and writer.

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The State Dept. Official Who Quit Over Israel

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Why one State Department official who worked in weapons transfers quit over America’s policy towards Israel and Gaza—and what that says about U.S. policy in the Middle East.

Guest: Josh Paul, former State Department official working in arms transfers to foreign powers, who resigned on Oct. 18.

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Why We Still Don’t Have a Speaker of the House

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Weeks after Kevin McCarthy was ousted, Republicans are still scrambling to elect a new Speaker of the House. After failed runs by Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan, the candidate pool keeps growing. Who is in the running now, and will anyone be able to snag the 217 votes needed?

Guest: Joseph Zeballos-Roig, Congress reporter at Semafor.

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Abortion Providers in the Line of Fire

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Before the new abortion clinic even opened in Casper, Wyoming, it was set ablaze. But to the clinic’s founder, property damage and violence aren’t new.

Guest: Julie Burkhart, founder of Wellspring Health Access

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Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard Takeover

Sat, 21 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Since Microsoft announced its bid to buy Activision Blizzard last year, regulators around the world sounded the alarm that the merger would suppress competition in the industry.

Now that the deal has officially gone through, should gamers be worried?

Guest: Jason Schreier, covering the video game industry for Bloomberg

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Inside Hamas' Social Media Strategy

Fri, 20 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Since war broke out, Hamas has been efficient in getting its message out on social media - both in providing crucial information to refugees fleeing the area, and in waging psychological warfare. How can platforms meet the need for open lines of communication without spreading propaganda?

Guest: Sheera Frenkel, covering tech for the New York Times

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Biden to Israel; Bombs to Gaza

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

With bombs falling in Gaza, President Biden traveled to Israel to make a show of support. But as meetings with allied government leadership around the region were canceled, is the president doing more harm than good?

Guest: Yousef Munayyer, Palestinian-American political analyst and writer and Senior Fellow at the Arab Center Washington DC.

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.

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Bob Menendez: Secret Foreign Agent?

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez, who was the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was charged with conspiring to act as a foreign agent for the Egyptian government. This follows on the heels of an indictment for bribery and federal corruption. But Menendez says he isn’t stepping down.

Guest: Jessica Taylor, Senate-and-governors editor at The Cook Political Report.

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Does Trump’s Violent Rhetoric Matter?

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Donald Trump has been saying shocking—even violent—things for so long, it barely registers as news anymore. But after January 6, and with Trump again leading the field of Republican candidates for president, is there a real-world danger to what he’s saying?

Guest: Robert A. Pape, professor of political science and the director of the University of Chicago’s project on security and threats

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Israel’s New Wartime Government

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

While mounting a military response to Hamas, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been forced to unite his far-right wing with his political rival, centrist Benny Gantz, a former military Chief of Staff. The plans for retaliation that are emerging are unlike any of Israel’s past skirmishes with Hamas.

Guest: Dov Waxman, director of the UCLA Y&S Nazarian Center for Israel Studies.

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The $30,000 Zelle Scam

Sat, 14 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Zelle has exploded in popularity as a fast, convenient way to send and receive money. But the story of a couple who was scammed out of a pool shows there are problems with safety on the platform.

Guest: Devin Friedman, journalist and senior correspondent for GQ magazine.

You can read Devin’s piece here.

Check out Compiler here: https://link.chtbl.com/compiler?sid=podcast.whatnext.2023

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The Israel-Hamas War Instantly Broke X

Fri, 13 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

When the Arab Spring was unfolding, Twitter was hailed as a way for on-the-ground reporting to reach the public. But when fighting between Hamas and Israel broke out over the weekend, X became flooded with misinformation.

Guest: Casey Newton, founder and editor of the technology newsletter Platformer.

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Could Student Debt Relief Still Happen?

Thu, 12 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

After their first plan to forgive billions of dollars of student debt was thwarted by the Supreme Court, the Biden administration is quietly searching for other ways to help borrowers.

Guest: Jeremy Bauer-Wolf, senior higher education reporter for Higher Ed Dive.

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Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Madeline Ducharme, Anna Phillips, Paige Osburn, and Rob Gunther.

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A Bipartisan Border Wall?

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

President Biden’s administration announced plans to resume construction of a wall on the southern border, contradicting a contrast then-candidate Joe Biden drew between himself and his opponent in 2020,

Guest: Muzaffar Chishti, senior fellow at the Migration Policy Institute at NYU’s School of Law

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Where Israel Vs Hamas Is Heading

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is vowing a complete blockade of Gaza after Hamas militants killed more than 700 Israelis this weekend. The surprise attack caught Israeli intelligence completely off-guard, and has thrown the region into disarray, on the eve of landmark talks between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

What’s the next stage of this already-volatile conflict? And what’s next for civilians in the Gaza Strip?

Guest: Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East correspondent for The Economist

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One Year 1955: Siberia, USA

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

While the What Next team enjoys today's holiday, we are proud to present this episode on viral misinformation in 1955 from our colleagues at Slate's One Year. What Next will be back tomorrow.

When Alaskans wanted their own mental-health facility, a rumor took hold all over America. This week, Evan Chung traces the origins of that far-right conspiracy theory: that the government was building a concentration camp where Americans would get imprisoned for their political beliefs. Get ready for a strange tale that involves a brainwashing manual, Scientology, and a vast network of Communist-hunting housewives.

Josh Levin is One Year’s editorial director. One Year’s senior producer is Evan Chung.

This episode was produced by Kelly Jones and Evan Chung, with additional production by Sophie Summergrad.

It was edited by Josh Levin, Joel Meyer, and Derek John, Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts.

Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director.

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The Man Who Turned You Into Data

Sat, 07 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Hank Asher was a lot of things: a Florida condo maven, a drug runner, a DEA informant—and a tech visionary who created the mixed blessing of turning everyone’s online activity into an unshakable shadow profile.

Guest: McKenzie Funk, reporter for Pro Publica and the author of The Hank Show

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Sam Bankman-Fried—and Crypto—on Trial

Fri, 06 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

As the trial begins, SBF is making the case that what he did is typical in the world of crypto. But when the government paints a much bleaker picture of FTX—one riddled with fraud and deception—what does that say about the industry?

Guest: Nitish Pahwa, associate business and tech writer at Slate.

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Who Is Trump Without Trump Tower?

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

For once, Donald Trump is going to court for things that have nothing to do with his presidency. As Trump defends himself and his businesses against charges of fraud, what does his conduct in New York tell us about how his other trials may go?

Guest: Zach Schonfeld, courts and legal reporter for The Hill.

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The Fall of Kevin McCarthy

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

After an arduous series of votes to get the job, it only took one vote to remove Kevin McCarthy from his position as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Guest: Todd Zwillich, deputy Washington bureau chief, VICE News

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Dianne Feinstein’s Replacement Is Here. Who Is She?

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

California Democrats were already jockeying to run for Dianne Feinstein’s Senate seat next year and Governor Gavin Newsom sidestepped the contenders by announcing he would appoint Laphonza Butler to the seat.

While Newsom made good on his vow to appoint a Black woman to the Senate, does Butler’s job offer come with a poison pill?

Guest: Alex Sammon, Slate politics writer.

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Where the Supreme Court Can Do the Most Damage

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

One case on the Supreme Court’s docket could upend federal regulatory bodies’ ability to regulate at all.

Guest: Jay Willis, editor-in-chief of Balls & Strikes

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Inside Crypto's House of Cards

Sun, 01 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

The trial of Sam Bankman-Fried marks the end of an era where crypto rose to dizzying, Super-Bowl-commercial heights. Where does the industry go from here?

Guest: Zeke Faux, investigative reporter for Bloomberg and author of Number Go Up: Inside Crypto’s Wild Rise and Staggering Fall.

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Who Will Pay For A COVID Vaccine?

Sat, 30 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

After years of being a rare spot of universal, American-government-funded health care, this fall’s new COVID-19 vaccine is hitting the commercial market for the first time. So far, the rollout has been mired by hiccups and confusion.

Guest: Jen Kates, senior vice president at KFF

Podcast production by Evan Campbell and Anna Philips.

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Is Amazon a Monopoly?

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Amazon evolved from a place to get cheap used books to the “everything store”—one encompassing warehouses, logistics and shipping.

But with the FTC now run by Lina Khan—who wrote the essay ‘Amazon’s Antitrust Paradox” while at Yale Law School—a new contender for “antitrust trial of the century” has begun.

Guest: Leah Nylen, antitrust reporter for Bloomberg

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Can Marriage Fix America?

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Why is everyone—on the left and the right—suddenly touting the benefits of a married two-parent family? And what is it about this institution that appeals to a certain class of politicians and pundits as means to address American poverty, even as it loses popularity?

We consider the public meltdown over lower marriage rates and the renewed interest in ending no-fault divorce.

Guest: Rebecca Traister, author of All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation and writer-at-large for New York magazine.

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.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Madeline Ducharme, Anna Phillips, Paige Osburn, and Rob Gunther.

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Wait, China’s Taking Our Pandas Back?

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Everybody loves pandas—and China knows it. As we say goodbye to the National Zoo’s pandas, we look back at 50 years of “panda diplomacy” and consider its uncertain future.

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.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Madeline Ducharme, Anna Phillips, Paige Osburn, and Rob Gunther.

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The Writer’s Strike Is Over: Who Won?

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

After five long months, the WGA and major Hollywood studios have reached a tentative agreement to end the strike—well, that one anyway. Who won what and where do the actors stand?

Guest: Michael Schulman, staff writer at The New Yorker.

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Rupert Murdoch and the Future of Fox

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

At 92, Rupert Murdoch is retiring and handing the reins over to his son. Will Lachlan Murdoch watch over a period of managed decline—or will he chase the audience Fox News has been losing to the even-more extreme right?

Guest: Nicole Hemmer, Director of the Roger Center for the American Presidency at Vanderbilt University.

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What Instacart’s IPO Means for Tech

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

As other tech companies that rode the pandemic to success started sinking, Instacart managed to stay above water—they turned a profit and even made it to an IPO. But a stubbornly static stock price has some asking if Instacart—and the whole gig economy—hasn’t already peaked.

Guest: Erin Griffith, who reports on tech startups and venture capital for the New York Times

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Did AirBnB Need to Go?

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

The sword of regulation, which has been swinging over New York AirBnBs for over a decade, is falling at last. But will new laws for short-term rentals have the effect housing advocates are hoping for? And after many failed efforts, can these laws actually be enforced?

Guest: Heather Tal Murphy, Slate writer covering tech and business.

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The Case For Harm Reduction—And Beyond

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Following “The Call,” our series on the opioid epidemic continues in Seattle.

Harm reduction focuses on meeting people where they are, including enabling them to use drugs safely when experiencing addiction. But some advocates are asking, what happens when you think bigger?

Guest: Lisa Daugaard, criminal justice reform activist and Co-Executive Director of the nonprofit organization Purpose. Dignity. Action.

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.

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How Wisconsin is a “Laboratory for Destroying Democracy”

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Wisconsin has been something of a model for Republicans looking to entrench themselves in the state legislature, and one key move has always been to draw the electoral map as favorably as possible. But now, the state Supreme Court has swung to the left – for the first time in 15 years. The GOP is scrambling to keep this battleground state deeply gerrymandered—and keep power in their own hands.

Guest: Ari Berman, national voting rights correspondent for Mother Jones.

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The UAW Enters the Ring

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Thousands of members of the United Auto Workers walked off the line at Midwestern auto plants Friday, putting an exclamation mark on a summer where labor—from screenwriters to UPS drivers—flexed its muscles. But is this a true resurgence of the broader U.S. labor movement?

Guest: Barry Eidlin, associate professor of sociology at McGill University

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McCarthy’s Impeaching Biden to Keep His Job

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

House speaker Kevin McCarthy announced the opening of an impeachment inquiry into President Biden, but members of the Freedom Caucus—a group of right-wing Republicans with a taste for dramatic, extreme actions—had already moved on to fighting the next spending bill, potentially steering the government to another shutdown.

Guest: Jim Newell, Slate’s senior politics writer.

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Can Politicians Keep Kids Safe Online?

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

The bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act has noble-sounding intentions, but has been called one of the most dangerous bills in years by the digital rights group, the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Guest: Richard Blumenthal, senior United States senator from Connecticut.

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Google Makes Its Case

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

A trial a decade in the making has started, as the U.S. Justice Department’s antitrust case against Google and its unrivaled position as the top search engine begins. Is this the beginning of the government “taking on Big Tech” and the end of Google as we know it?

Guest: Leah Nylen, covering antitrust for Bloomberg.

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The Case Against Harm Reduction

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Following “The Call,” our series on the opioid epidemic continues in Harlem. Inside a safe-consumption site, addiction is destigmatized—outside, however, the neighbors feel differently.

Guest: Syderia Asberry-Chresfield, co-founder of the Greater Harlem Coalition and a former Vice President for JP Morgan Chase.

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.

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Fighting “Disaster Fatigue”

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

It feels like we live in a world of near constant environmental disasters. Whether it’s living through an emergency, or consuming coverage in the media, collective trauma takes a mental toll. What steps can we take to be ready—for ourselves, our communities, and to help the recovery?

Guest: Dr. Tara Powell, associate professor, School of Social Work, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

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How DeSantis Turned New College into a Circus

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Back in January, Ron DeSantis appointed six new trustees to the board of Florida’s New College, who swiftly set about remaking the school according to a much more conservative vision of what college should be. Now, as the new school year begins, we’re starting to see what that vision actually looks like.

Guest: Sam Greenspan, freelance journalist who attended New College of Florida from 2004 to 2008 and reported on the college for Reveal in June.

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.

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Prison for the Proud Boys. Now What?

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Proud Boys leader Henry “Enrique” Tarrio was just sentenced to 22 years in prison for his role in the January 6th insurrection. With much of their leadership, and that of the Oath Keepers, now behind bars, has their movement hit a dead end? Or is this just more grist for the anti-government outrage mill?

Guest: Brandi Buchman, independent journalist covering the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys trials

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This American Life: The Call

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 00:00:00 GMT

As the opioid overdose crisis continues, a group of volunteers started a hotline with one mission—not to encourage people to go to rehab, not even to discourage them from using—just to keep them alive for one more day.

A collaboration with This American Life.

Guests:

Stephen Murray, paramedic and overdose researcher at Boston Medical Center.

Jessie, a registered nurse who answers calls on the Never Use Alone hotline.

Kimber, a caller to the hotline.

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.

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Bad Air, Worse Vibes

Sat, 09 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

COVID’s still here but the public’s appetite for masking, social distancing, or remote learning is long gone. One palatable way to stop the spread: improving air circulation indoors.

Guest: Apoorva Mandavilli, science and global health reporter for the New York Times

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Tech Disrupts the School Bus

Fri, 08 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

When Howard County signed a $27 million contract with the start-up Zum, the company promised to modernize the way schools provide transportation. But when the school year started, that’s not what happened.

Guest: Daniel Zawodny, covering transportation for the Baltimore Banner and corps member of Report For America.

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Can Kids Catch Up After the Pandemic?

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Math and reading scores plummeted during the year of virtual learning. Kids are now back in the classroom—but they aren’t back on track. What will it take to catch up a generation —and do schools have the will and resources to make it happen?

Guest: Alec MacGillis, reporter for ProPublica.

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.

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Our Aging Congress Is a Problem

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

The problem with a Congress that is statistically so much older than the country it represents is systemic and—like almost everything in Washington—much of the issue can be traced back to money in politics.

Guest: Walt Hickey, Deputy editor for data and analysis for Insider who worked on their “Red, White, and Gray” reporting project.

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.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Madeline Ducharme, Anna Phillips, Paige Osburn, and Rob Gunther.

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To Impeach a Republican In Texas

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

The impeachment trial of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is slated to begin in the state Senate today. Though Paxton’s history of scandals is long and storied, this could be the first time he’s faced accountability—and all it took was leaving taxpayers on the hook for a $3.3 million bill.

Guest: Sergio Martinez-Beltran, political reporter with NPR’s The Texas Newsroom, a public radio collaborative.

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.

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One Year: The Team Nobody Would Play

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

In honor Labor Day, What Next proudly presents the opening salvo from our colleagues at One Year: 1955. We'll be back in your feed tomorrow.

The Cannon Street All-Stars dreamed of playing in the 1955 Little League World Series. Their biggest obstacle didn’t come on the field. In the year that Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a public bus, these Black 12-year-olds became unlikely civil rights pioneers—and faced the wrath of a white society that wasn’t ready to change.

Josh Levin is One Year’s editorial director. One Year’s senior producer is Evan Chung.

This episode was produced by Kelly Jones and Evan Chung, with additional production by Sophie Summergrad.

It was edited by Joel Meyer and Derek John, Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts.

Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director.

Join Slate Plus to get the first three episodes of One Year: 1955 right away—and a bonus 1955 story at the end of the season. Slate Plus members also get to listen to all Slate podcasts without any ads. Sign up now to support One Year.

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Social Media’s Pivot from News

Sun, 03 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

It wasn’t long ago when social media was a place to go for up-to-the-minute updates in an emergency. But even as internet access is more widespread than ever—and natural disasters more frequent—Twitter and Facebook are less useful than ever. As hubs for news, that era appears over.

Guest: Will Oremus, tech reporter for the Washington Post.

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Is LinkedIn...Cool Now?

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

As Twitt—sorry, X—continues to go through tumult, an unlikely, long-time player is emerging as the last acceptable place to post.

Guest: Sarah Frier, tech editor at Bloomberg Businessweek.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell.

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Best of 2023 | Fighting for the Right to Die

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

As the What Next team catches its breath at the end of summer, we’re revisiting some of the biggest stories of the year. This story originally ran on April 27. What Next will resume regular programming next week.

A self-described activist had late-stage, fallopian tube cancer. She didn’t live in one of the 11 jurisdictions that allows terminally-ill patients the choice to medically end their own lives. But rather than relocating, she argued Vermont’s residency restrictions were unconstitutional.

Guest: Lynda Bluestein, a 75-year-old woman seeking to end her life on her terms, who successfully sued Vermont over their residency requirement in their “Patient Choice At End of Life” law.

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Best of 2023 | What Texas' Attacks on Trans Healthcare Did to One Family

Wed, 30 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

As the What Next team catches its breath at the end of summer, we’re revisiting some of the biggest stories of the year. This story originally ran on Nov. 9, 2022. What Next will resume regular programming next week.

As Texas laws have become more discriminatory against trans individuals and their families, many wonder if they can even stay in the Lone Star State, especially when parents could be investigated as child abusers for providing healthcare to their children. This family made the difficult decision to move to Colorado.

Guests:

Katie Laird, social justice blogger.

Noah Laird, high school student.

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Best of 2023 | He Couldn’t Teach ‘Slavery Was Wrong.’ So He Quit.

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

As the What Next team catches its breath at the end of summer, we’re revisiting some of the biggest stories of the year. This story originally ran on April 17. What Next will resume regular programming next week.

Iowa was one of the first states in the country to pass legislation against teaching that the United States is systemically racist — an idea some equate with “critical race theory.” But when one social studies teacher asked how he could teach U.S. history without running afoul of the new law, he didn’t get any clarity — or help.

What happens when legislation targets teachers? And as America’s teacher shortage grows — what will this mean for the country’s kids?

Guest: Greg Wickenkamp, former eighth grade social studies teacher in Fairfield, Iowa.

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Best of 2023 | The Diagnosis Was Fatal. She Couldn't Get an Abortion.

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

As the What Next team catches its breath at the end of summer, we’re revisiting some of the biggest stories of the year. This story originally ran on March 30. What Next will resume regular programming next week.

Two weeks after Roe v. Wade was overturned, Lauren Hall found out the baby she was carrying had a fatal condition: her head and skull weren’t properly developing. Texas’s three overlapping bans on abortion forced her to fly to Washington to terminate the unviable pregnancy. With the Center for Reproductive Rights, she became one of thirteen plaintiffs suing the state, so no one else will have to go through what she did.

Recently, a district court judge decided in their favor, but the state of Texas immediately appealed, leaving pregnant Texans in limbo until the appeals process finishes.

Guest: Lauren Hall, plaintiff suing the state of Texas over its abortion bans.

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The Cost of "Sustainable" Pet Food

Sun, 27 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Most pet food is made from the byproducts of the meat that we, humans, eat. Recently, there’s been a rise in high-end pet food products - including things like lab-grown meat - that are touted as sustainable options for your furry friend. But a closer look raises questions about whether or not this food is actually better for the environment.

Guest: Chloe Sorvino, writer for Forbes and the author of the book Raw Deal: Hidden Corruption, Corporate Greed, and the Fight for the Future of Meat.

Special thanks to Patrick Fort and Garbanzo.

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TikTok's Shady Deal with the U.S.

Fri, 25 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

In the spring, it looked like TikTok was on the verge of being banned in America. Since then, it’s continued operating business as usual.

But this week, it was revealed that ByteDance and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States came close to striking a deal that would allow TikTok to continue operating in the U.S. The negotiations give a glimpse into how social media—and by extension speech itself—could be regulated on the internet.

Guest:

Emily Baker-White, tech reporter and senior writer at Forbes

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From a Texas Bus to the New York Subway

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Over the past year, a growing number of women and children started appearing on New York City subway platforms and trains, selling candy. Their stories illuminate a country in turmoil a continent away—and an ongoing migrant crisis at home.

Guest: Jordan Salama, author of “The Candy Sellers: The lives and livelihoods of some of the city’s newest migrant children” for New York magazine.

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What’s Vivek Ramaswamy’s Deal?

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Polls show Vivek Ramaswamy pulling even with Ron DeSantis in the Republican presidential primary, trailing only Donald Trump (albeit substantially).

How did Ramaswamy go from anonymous multimillionaire to a potential Trump alternative in just six months? And what would a Ramaswamy administration look like?

Guest: Mini Racker, staff writer covering politics for TIME Magazine.

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Why The Blind Side's Narrative Fell Apart

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Last week, retired NFL lineman Michael Oher sued the Tuohy family and revealed a gulf between real life and how he and the family were portrayed in 2009’s The Blind Side.

Guest: Santul Nerkar, reporter on sports and business for the New York Times.

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Why Tuition’s So Damn High

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Over the last 20 years, the average college student at a public university has seen prices go up 64 percent, as schools spend more and more on amenities to attract students and raise their own rankings.

Guest: Melissa Korn, higher education reporter at the Wall Street Journal.

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Digital Life After Death

Sun, 20 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Sorting through a loved one’s things after they’ve died can be an emotional, difficult chore. But now, added to that, people have to sort through the deceased’s password-protected online presence.

Guests:

Kate Lindsay, author of the internet culture newsletter Embedded and the article “My Mom Will Email Me After She Dies” in the Atlantic.

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How Crypto Fails Sex Workers

Fri, 18 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

At first, cryptocurrency seemed like the solution to the problems sex workers have had with traditional banks. But as the US moves to regulate the crypto industry, many are finding it hasn’t worked out like they hoped.

Guests:

Joel Khalili, reporter at Wired

Liara Roux, sex worker, organizer, and writer

You can check out Joel’s reporting in Wired here.

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Who Failed Hawaii?

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Hawaii is in flames, with the death toll from fires on Maui exceeding 100. Now, the search for where the failure—or multiple failures—occurred begins.

Guest: Brianna Sacks, reporter covering climate change and extreme weather for the Washington Post.

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Fani Willis Takes on Trump

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

The fourth shoe dropped this week, when Fulton County DA Fani Willis announced Donald Trump’s latest indictment, charging the former president, along with 18 others, for engaging in a sprawling criminal conspiracy to disenfranchise Georgia voters. Trump has been responding by lashing out against Willis and voters in Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Milwaukee.

Guest: Rick Hasen, professor of law at UCLA and director of the Safeguarding Democracy Project.

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The Trials of Hunter Biden

Tue, 15 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Earlier this summer, it looked like Hunter Biden’s legal team had reached a plea deal. But last week, the Justice Department announced a special counsel was being appointed to his case. What happened in between? Is the president's son getting singled out—or special treatment?

Guest: Ankush Khardori, attorney and a former federal prosecutor in the US Justice Department.

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Trump’s Spiraling Legal Fees

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

With every indictment, Donald Trump’s legal fees grow—but so do his campaign donations. Money is leaving faster than its arriving—how long can he keep this up?

Guest: Ben Kamisar, deputy political editor for the NBC political unit.

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Tech's Mask Off Moment

Sun, 13 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

When conservative writer Richard Hanania’s old posts, originally published under a pseudonym, came to light, people were shocked at just how racist and reactionary they were. Perhaps less shocking were the tech moguls who were revealed to be supporting him.

Guest: Anil Dash, technologist and writer, and the head of Glitch

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Can Smart Guns Save Lives?

Fri, 11 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

A “smart gun” is designed to only work in the hands of the gun’s proper owner. With the first smart gun potentially coming to market later this year, can the tech deliver on its promise?

Guests:

Champe Barton, reporter at The Trace

Kai Kloepfer, founder and CEO of Biofire

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Justice for the Gilgo Beach Murder Victims

Thu, 10 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

In December of 2010, four bodies were discovered in Gilgo Beach, Long Island. Nearly 13 years later, police now say they’ve identified the killer.

Though the victims’ family members are relieved, they’re also left wondering what took so long.

Guest: Robert Kolker, author of Lost Girls.

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Haiti’s Kidnapping Crisis

Wed, 09 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

What’s behind a recent uptick in kidnappings and gang violence in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, and how did Kenya end up being the country stepping up to help?

Guest: Jacqueline Charles, Caribbean correspondent at The Miami Herald.

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Judges on the Trump Trials

Tue, 08 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Who are the judges presiding over Donald Trump’s trials and what can the prosecution—and defense—expect, based on what’s happened already?

Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, senior writer covering courts and the law for Slate Magazine

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Florida Public Schools' New Anti-Woke Partner

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

In July, Florida approved the use of Prager U materials in its classrooms. The organization claims its videos offer an alternative to the prevailing left-wing ideology in the classroom. Its founder told a sympathetic audience that what they offer is indoctrination. What impact could these videos have in public schools? And where could they be heading next?

Guest: John Knefel, senior writer for Media Matters for America.

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Another Summer of COVID

Sun, 06 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

After a quiet spring, COVID is surging back for the fourth consecutive summer. So, is this just life now?

Guest: Katherine Wu, staff writer at the Atlantic

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Tesla's Big Lie

Fri, 04 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Tesla sold a vision of how electric vehicles would work: just like gas-powered cars, but cleaner, better. But as a scandal about misrepresented battery life and driving range unfolds, and the price of their cars remains high, it increasingly looks like the transition will be anything but seamless—if it happens at all.

Guest: Edward Niedermeyer, author of Ludicrous: The Unvarnished Story of Tesla Motors.

You can check out Reuters reporting on Tesla’s range scandal here.

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It’s Hot as Hell. Why Are Pools Closed?

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

The temperature is going up, but the number of open, public pools isn’t. It’s not just a summer bummer; it’s turning into a public health crisis.

Guest: Mara Gay, member of the New York Times editorial board, focused on New York State and local affairs.

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U.S. vs Trump

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

We’re eight months into the year—and former president Donald Trump has now been indicted three times. On Tuesday, a federal grand jury charged Trump with three counts of conspiracy and one count of obstruction. But what exactly does that mean? And can someone really run for president…while juggling three different trials?

Guest: David Graham, staff writer for “The Atlantic”

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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After the Strike

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

In December, University of California graduate students went on strike for six weeks. It was the largest higher education strike in U.S. history. But even after the new contract was signed and the strikers were back at work, they found the fight didn’t stop.

Guest: Peter Lucas, a writer covering labor and politics.

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Congress Wants to Know: Do Aliens Exist?

Mon, 31 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Guest: Garrett Graff, contributor at WIRED magazine; author of the forthcoming book, “UFO: The Inside Story of the US Government's Search for Alien Life Here—and Out There”

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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America’s Downtown Ghost Towns

Sun, 30 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

It’s 2023 – and less than half of all Americans have returned to the office full time. That means U.S. downtowns from San Francisco to New York are emptier than they’ve been in decades. Offices are actually trending away from policies that mandate returning five days a week. So, how can cities get creative – and develop some new ways to boost the local economy?

Guest: Henry Grabar, Slate staff writer

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Washington vs. A.I.

Fri, 28 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

At a White House summit late last week, some of the biggest names in tech - including Meta, Google and OpenAI - signed “voluntary” commitments to safeguard artificial intelligence. In Congress, Senate Leader Chuck Schumer recently introduced a “legislative framework” for A.I. law… but as they debate and deliberate, the A.I. train continues to move full steam ahead. It’s clear the government’s paying attention, but can they keep up with the technology?

Guest: Makena Kelly, politics reporter at The Verge

Don Beyer, U.S. representative for Virginia's 8th congressional district

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 Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.

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Jason Aldean’s “Dog-Whistle Anthem”

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Country music’s Jason Aldean has been around for years. But he didn’t crack the Billboard Top 5 until he released “Try That in a Small Town” – a controversial hit that portrays American city living as a gauntlet of violence and crime. CMT pulled down the song’s video, which featured Aldean singing at a former lynching site. But “Try That” is more popular than ever. Why? And what does its ubiquity say about modern country music?

Guest: Jason Lipshutz, senior director of music at Billboard

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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Has Netanyahu Lost Control?

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, Israel’s far-right coalition government voted to strip the Supreme Court of the power to overturn “unreasonable” government actions and appointments. Protesters and experts alike worry it's the first step in a broader push towards gutting the judiciary altogether. Is Israel on the brink of authoritarianism?

Guest: Yair Rosenberg, staff writer at The Atlantic, author of its “Deep Shtetl” newsletter

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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How Far Will Texas Go?

Tue, 25 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

The Justice Department just sued the state of Texas over a floating barrier in the Rio Grande. It’s also investigating accusations from a state trooper that agents were told to push a group of migrants - including children - back into the water. What is happening at the southern border? And how did it get so dire?

Guest: Ben Wermund, Washington correspondent for the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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Climate Change Goes to Court

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Around the United States and around the world, people are suing their governments and governments are suing fossil fuel companies over the changing climate—revealing what they knew and when they knew it. But even if these lawsuits succeed, what difference can they make for a problem with a literal global scale?

Guest: Dharna Noor, fossil fuels and climate reporter at The Guardian.

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Why Tech Lays Women Off First

Sun, 23 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

When the tech industry started rounds of layoffs this year, almost half of the people let go were women—even though they make up a much smaller percentage of the workforce. What does this say about women in tech, and efforts to diversify the industry overall?

Guest: Emma Goldberg, a reporter who covers the future of work for the New York Times.

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America’s $5 Trillion Grid Problem

Fri, 21 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

To keep places like Phoenix habitable, we need to have air-conditioning. But to have air-conditioning, we need a functional, modern electrical grid. With America’s grid already aging—and more demand coming in the form of electric cars and more A/C for hotter weather—what will it take to keep it going as the weather gets more extreme?

Guest: Dr. Joshua Rhodes, research scientist at the University of Texas at Austin studying energy systems and how they interact with our environment, climate, and life.

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Judging the Supreme Court

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

The Senate Judiciary Committee is considering a code of ethics for the Supreme Court—but Chief Justice John Roberts doesn’t believe they have the right to impose one.

But with the Court’s legitimacy in question - and its popularity down the tubes - who should hold the Justices accountable?

Guest: Judge Jeremy Fogel, executive director of the Berkeley Judicial Institute.

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The Indefensible Defense Bill

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Even with Congress famously gridlocked, it reliably passes the National Defense Authorization Act. But this year, hardline conservative Republicans in the House of Representatives added amendment after amendment that were less concerned with national defense and more in line with their own culture war grievances.

How can a government function when even the simple things become impossible?

Guest: Melanie Zanona, Capitol Hill reporter at CNN

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How Hollywood Shot Itself in the Foot

Tue, 18 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Actor Lea DeLaria knew Orange is the New Black was a hit. But Netflix made sure their paychecks didn’t reflect it. Fast forward ten years and this business model is the norm for nearly all working American actors.

So now, the actors are joining the writers on strike, something that hasn’t happened in Hollywood since 1960, when television was the new, upstart technology. Today the double strike is about streaming services and artificial intelligence.

Guests:

Alissa Wilkinson, Vox senior correspondent covering film and television.

Lea DeLaria, comedian and an actor best known for playing Big Boo on Orange is the New Black.

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Thousand-Year Floods, Annually

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

You can be forgiven for not thinking of Vermont as a place prone to catastrophic flooding. But as the climate changes, we have update our expectations—and our floodplain maps.

Guest: Anna Weber, senior policy analyst focused on the current and future effects of flooding and sea level rise at the NRDC.

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America’s Killer Car Problem

Sun, 16 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Pedestrian deaths in America have been rising for the last decade, while dropping in Europe and Japan. What makes the U.S. so dangerous for pedestrians?

Guest: Jessie Singer, author of There Are No Accidents: The Deadly Rise of Injury and Disaster―Who Profits and Who Pays the Price.

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Will UPS Workers Join "Hot Strike Summer?"

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Contract negotiations between the Teamsters and UPS broke down last week and now a strike looms. With time running out, can both sides reach a deal?

Guest: Noam Scheiber, labor reporter for the New York Times.

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QAnon Goes to the Movies

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Beat it, Barbie; outta the way, Oppenheimer—this summer’s biggest box office surprise is “The Sound of Freedom,” a low-budget search-and-rescue thriller that Hollywood doesn’t want you to see—or so the implication goes.

Guests:

Sam Adams, Slate senior editor

Will Sommer, media reporter at the Washington Post and author of Trust the Plan The Rise of QAnon and the Conspiracy That Unhinged America.

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What Homelessness Is Really Like

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Despite holding only twelve percent of Americans, the state of California is home to nearly one-third of the nation’s people experiencing homelessness. A landmark study from UCSF—the California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness— produced an intimate look at who is living on the streets and in their cars in California, how they got there, and what actual aid would look like.

Guests:

Claudine Sipili, co-leader of UCSF’s Lived Expertise Advisory Board for the California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness.

Ethan Ward, founder of HEATDRAWN Media, and the host of Reputation, a podcast which challenges preconceived notions about the homelessness crisis.

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Can’t Stand the Heat

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

The 4th of July was the hottest day yet—not just of the summer but of recorded human history. Between waves of Canadian wildfire smoke, malaria reappearing in the United States, and deaths from heat, this might be the year that we’re forced to reckon with what life will be like on our newly hotter planet.

Guest: Jeff Goodell, contributing writer at Rolling Stone and the author of the upcoming book The Heat Will Kill You First: Life and Death on a Scorched Planet.

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Can Moms for Liberty Swing an Election?

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Moms for Liberty call themselves a “parent’s rights group,” but the Southern Poverty Law Center calls them an “anti-government extremist” group. Even if they don’t all have kids, these “moms” do have goals for the future of education in America—and quite a bit of clout.

Guest: Kiera Butler, senior editor at Mother Jones reporting on how purveyors of disinformation target online communities of women.

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Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Madeline Ducharme, Anna Phillips, Paige Osburn, and Rob Gunther.

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Is Your Son Watching Andrew Tate?

Sun, 09 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Andrew Tate’s gross mix of self-help, toxic masculinity and misogyny captured the minds of young boys on the internet. It also led to indictments in Romania on human trafficking and rape charges.

Guest: Lisa Miller, contributing editor at New York magazine.

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Threads vs. Twitter

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

It seems like with each new Musk innovation, a new Twitter replacement appears in response. But Threads is backed by Meta and available in just a few clicks for an Instagram user. Could it be the one?

Guest: Mike Isaac, technology reporter for the New York Times.

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Is Biden To Blame for the Student Debt Mess?

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

The Biden administration’s plan to forgive federal student loan debt has been stalled, perhaps indefinitely, by the Supreme Court’s decision in Biden v. Nebraska.

Was their plan to help borrowers always doomed, or was there another way? And after the Roberts court delivered such a broad-sweeping decision, what options does Biden have left?

Guest: Jed Shugerman, professor at Boston University School of Law.

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.

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Beyond Biden vs. Trump

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

America’s winner-take-all electoral system casts third-party candidates as spoilers—but what would it take to open the door to not just a third party, but a fourth or more?

Guest: Lee Drutman, senior fellow in the Political Reform program at New America, author of Breaking the Two-Party Doom Loop.

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.

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Slow Burn: A National Disgrace

Tue, 04 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

In honor of the holiday, enjoy this episode from our colleagues at Slow Burn. What Next resumes regular programming tomorrow.

Anita Hill’s accusations launched urgent and heated conversations about racism and sexual harassment. They also stoked an anger in Clarence Thomas that’s never stopped raging.

Season 8 of Slow Burn is produced by Joel Anderson, Sophie Summergrad, Sam Kim, and Sofie Kodner.

Josh Levin is the editorial director of Slow Burn.

Derek John is Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts.

Susan Matthews is Slate’s executive editor.

This episode was edited by Josh Levin, Derek John, Sophie Summergrad, and Joel Meyer.

Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director.

Our theme music is composed by Alexis Cuadrado. Artwork by Ivylise Simones.

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Justice Roberts Takes Back the Court

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Unpopular decisions and multiple scandals involving lavish, undisclosed gifts from conservative megadonors have the Supreme Court handing down decisions under a cloud of public outcry and controversy—but that hasn’t stopped the conservative majority from acting just as hardline as its critics feared.

Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, court watcher and senior writer at Slate.

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.

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Turning Your Face Into Your Ticket

Sun, 02 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Even if you like the convenience of your phone unlocking after it reads your face, there are reasons to be wary of the TSA bringing facial recognition technology to the airport.

Guest: Geoffrey Fowler, technology columnist for the Washington Post.

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The Never-Ending Cancer Drug Shortage

Fri, 30 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

A shortage of basic chemotherapy drugs to treat cancer is jeopardizing the care of hundreds of thousands of patients. The drugs aren’t expensive, or patented—so where are they?

Guest: Ed Yong, science journalist at The Atlantic.

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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Would You Join the Army for US Citizenship?

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

To shore up sagging enrollment, the U.S. military is doing what American industry does—looking to immigrants to fill out their numbers. Once a faster way to citizenship, serving in the armed forces has become another place where being an immigrant can carry harsh penalties—and can instead be a step on the way to deportation.

Guest: Sofya Aptekar, associate professor of urban studies, school of labor and urban studies, CUNY. Author of Green Card Soldier: Between Model Immigrant and Security Threat

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.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Madeline Ducharme, Anna Phillips, Paige Osburn, and Rob Gunther with help from Laura Spencer.

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Why We Have to Take RFK Jr. Seriously

Wed, 28 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s politics, such as they can be parsed, are a mix of conspiracy theories and vibes. But in a post-Trump landscape, and with RFK polling at 20 percent among Democratic presidential candidates, cranky contrarians have to be taken seriously—right?

Guest: Vera Bergengruen, investigative correspondent at Time magazine.

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.

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We Need to Talk About Kevin McCarthy

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Kevin McCarthy has always had his eyes on one job - Speaker of the House. But after Republicans won Congress’s lower chamber by a razor thin majority, the party’s right wing extracted major concessions before handing over the gavel. When the GOP accepted a deal with the Biden administration to raise the nation’s debt ceiling, House hardliners felt betrayed. Now McCarthy faces renewed attacks on his leadership from within his own party. With important legislation that still needs to be passed, and little wiggle room for dissent, how does McCarthy hang on?

Guest: Rachael Bade, POLITICO Senior Washington Correspondent

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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The Failed Coup in Russia

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

For months, Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin has been railing against his own country’s military leadership. It all came to a head this weekend – when the mercenary leader gathered his troops, took over a Russian city, and started to march towards Moscow. Then – as suddenly as it began – it stopped. Russia says Prigozhin has fled to Belarus, and his troops will all be granted amnesty. But an independent Russian journalist in exile doubts the official narrative, and speculates on Vladimir Putin’s future..

Guest: Mikhail Zygar, Russian journalist and author of the upcoming book, “War and Punishment: Putin, Zelensky and the Path to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine”

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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Can Ozempic Cure Addiction?

Sun, 25 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Semaglutide, better known by its brand name Ozempic, has been making headlines as a weight loss drug – despite only having FDA approval to treat diabetes. Now, some say it doesn’t just quell cravings for food – it helps quiet cravings for alcohol, drugs, and other compulsive behaviors. For years, researchers have been studying semaglutide's effectiveness as an addiction cure in animals. What have they found? And – does it actually work?

Guest: Sarah Zhang covers health and medicine for The Atlantic

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 Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.

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The U.S. vs Amazon Prime

Fri, 23 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On Wednesday, the Federal Trade Commission sued Amazon, accusing the online giant of “tricking and trapping people into recurring subscriptions.” The complaint says Amazon “knowingly duped millions of consumers into unknowingly enrolling in Amazon Prime."

With murmurs of a larger antitrust probe against Amazon just around the corner, how serious is this suit for the tech giant?

Guest: Leah Nylen, antitrust reporter at Bloomberg

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 Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.

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Is Planned Parenthood Stepping Up?

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Saturday marks the one-year anniversary of the end of Roe – a historic decision that’s led to long lines, clinic closures, and a flood of abortion bans across the country. Planned Parenthood has always been in the political crosshairs… but now, their role is arguably more important than ever. What does America’s largest abortion provider look like in the post-Roe era? We sit down with its CEO to find out.

Guest: Alexis McGill Johnson, CEO of Planned Parenthood

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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Why There’s a Cop at Your Kid’s School

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

It’s been one year since the Uvalde school shooting – and while Texas hasn’t passed any gun control legislation, it has passed a measure aimed at “hardening schools.” Last week, Governor Greg Abbott signed HB-3 into law, requiring every public school to have an armed officer on campus. The legislation comes even as a former sheriff’s deputy is on trial in Florida for failing to protect students when a gunman opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018.

Do school safety officers stop school shootings? And if they don’t – what do they do instead?

Guest: Anya Kamenetz, education reporter and author of "The Stolen Year: How Covid Changed Children’s Lives, And Where We Go Now."

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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They Pledged to Stop Sex Abuse. Instead, They Targeted Women.

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Last week, the Southern Baptist Convention held its annual meeting in New Orleans – and its main order of business was to tighten the reins on what women can, and can’t, do in the church. It’s the result of a years-long push from the SBC’s ultraconservative wing to reverse what it calls a “liberal drift.” As the nation’s largest Protestant denomination prepares to crack down on gender roles, what does that mean for American evangelicals – and for the rest of us?

Guest: Beth Allison Barr is a history professor at Baylor University. She’s also the author of “The Making of Biblical Womanhood.”

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.

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Slow Burn: America's Blackest Child

Mon, 19 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

In honor of the Juneteenth holiday, What Next presents the first episode of the new season of Slate's Slow Burn, "Becoming Justice Thomas." What Next will be back tomorrow.

Growing up in Georgia, Clarence Thomas wanted to make his mark. His dream was to become his hometown’s first Black Catholic priest. But after Martin Luther King’s assassination, he abandoned that plan. Instead, he embraced campus activism and the teachings of Malcolm X.

Season 8 of Slow Burn is produced by Joel Anderson, Sophie Summergrad, Sam Kim, and Sofie Kodner.

Josh Levin is the editorial director of Slow Burn.

Derek John is Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts.

Susan Matthews is Slate’s executive editor.

Editorial direction by Josh Levin, Derek John, and Joel Meyer.

Merritt Jacob is Slate’s senior technical director.

Our theme music is composed by Alexis Cuadrado. Artwork by Ivylise Simones.

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The George Soros Succession

Sun, 18 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

One son was preparing to take over George Soros’s multi-billion-dollar empire. Then, there was a falling out, and a new heir-apparent was chosen.

Who is Alex Soros? And, as he takes over for one of the most influential figures in American politics, what can we expect from him?

Guest: Gregory Zuckerman, special writer at the Wall Street Journal

Host: Emily Peck

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Reddit’s Rolling Blackouts

Fri, 16 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Across Reddit, thousands of forums have gone “private” and effectively disappeared. Users are protesting the site’s plan to capitalize on its data, which has been enjoyed for free by people making third-party apps for Reddit, as well as some of the world’s biggest companies training their A.I.

Guest: Sarah Needleman, reporter for the Wall Street Journal who writes about interactive entertainment and social media

Host: Emily Peck

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After They Testified: The Rabbi Leading an Interfaith Fight for Trans Rights

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Red-state resident, religious, and proud of his trans son, a Missouri rabbi has testified more times than he can count in front of the state government over the years, and is both dispirited and confused by the changes he’s seeing in his state lawmakers—from attitudes towards anti-Semitism, to the disappearance of business-focused Republicans who care if anti-trans legislation is going to cost the state millions.

This is the third installment in What Next’s Pride Month series. “After They Testified” is about the Americans who’ve shown up in the last year to speak out against anti-queer legislation, how it felt to do so, and what came next.

Guest: Rabbi Daniel Bogard, from Central Reform Congregation in St. Louis, Missouri.

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.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Madeline Ducharme, Anna Phillips, Paige Osburn, and Rob Gunther.

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The Culture Wars Curriculum

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Homeschooling is more popular than ever — and for decades, it’s been seen as a haven by a movement of conservative Christians. But isolating children from the world doesn’t just mean tribalism and fear of “government schools” — the lack of regulation can also lead to abuse. We talk to one former home school student about the conservative Christian world that raised him, and how some of its tenets have now gone mainstream.

Guests:

Peter Jamison, enterprise reporter with the Washington Post.

Aaron Bealls, former homeschooler and public-school parent in Loudoun County, Virginia

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.

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How This Trump Trial Is Different

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Donald Trump heads back to court, facing federal charges over the handling of sensitive documents after his presidential term ended. While the indictment looks bad for Trump, and he lost two lawyers from his team on Friday, there are silver linings for the ex-president.

Guest: Ankush Khardori, attorney and a former federal prosecutor in the U.S. Justice Department.

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.

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The Liberal Case Against Affirmative Action

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

If the Supreme Court rules against affirmative action for certain racial groups, as expected, how will colleges and other institutions create diverse student bodies and address racial disparities?

Guest: Richard Kahlenberg, non-resident scholar at Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy

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.

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Are You Ready For A.I. Generated Actors?

Sun, 11 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

As “deep fakes” have demonstrated, it’s getting easier and easier to swap an actor for a digital likeness—something that contributed to the Screen Actors Guild voting to authorize joining the writers on strike.

Guest: Heather Tal Murphy, Slate writer covering tech, business, and A.I.

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

Check out AWS Insiders here: https://link.chtbl.com/awsinsiders?sid=podcast.whatnexttbd

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Amicus: Did John Roberts Really Just Save Voting Rights?

Sat, 10 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

With a surprising decision on voting rights coming down this week from the Supreme Court, What Next is presenting this special bonus episode from our colleagues at Slate's Amicus.

This episode is a part of Opinionpalooza. Slate’s coverage of Supreme Court decisions. We consider this coverage so essential that we’re taking down the paywall for all of it. If you would like to help us continue to cover the courts aggressively, please consider joining Slate Plus. And sign up for the pop-up newsletter to see the latest every week in your inbox.

Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern join forces for this Opinionpalooza extra episode of Amicus discussing a seismic Supreme Court decision on voting rights. In his majority opinion in Allen v Milligan, Chief Justice John Roberts pushes back against his own long-standing stance on voting rights. Join Dahlia and Mark in this bonus episode to find out why.

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Is Crypto Toast?

Fri, 09 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, the SEC sued Binance, the largest crypto exchange in the world, and Coinbase, the largest crypto exchange in the US. Is it a sign that the glory days of crypto are gone?

Guest: Stacy-Marie Ishmael, managing editor for crypto at Bloomberg News

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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After They Testified: The Drag King Who Loves Performing for Kids

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Deep in the heart of Texas, they performed in drag, for kids and enthusiastic crowds. But as state legislation moved to ban drag performances, they stopped lip syncing and spoke for themself—and the queer people who depend on them at their day job.

This is the second installment in What Next’s Pride Month series. “After They Testified” is about the Americans who’ve shown up in the last year to speak out against anti-queer legislation, how it felt to do so, and what came next.

Guest: Jay Thomas, AKA Bobby Pudrido, an Austin, Texas-based drag king and care coordinator.

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.

This Pride Month, make an impact by helping Macy’s and The Trevor Project on their mission to fund life-saving suicide prevention services for LGBTQ youth. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

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How Putin’s Chef Became Putin’s Butcher

Wed, 07 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

How Yevgeny Prigozhin and his Wagner Group became essential to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine—and one of Russia’s most vocal critics.

Guest: Brian Taylor, political science professor at Syracuse University, with a focus on Russian politics.

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.

This Pride Month, make an impact by helping Macy’s and The Trevor Project on their mission to fund life-saving suicide prevention services for LGBTQ youth. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

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Can the Feds Lower Your Rent?

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Housing prices have skyrocketed, from the usual hot spots in New York and San Francisco, out to the until-recently-affordable places like Boise, Idaho and Charlotte, North Carolina.

Sen. Brian Schatz proposed an $85 million program to entice cities and suburbs to enact “fair housing policies,” but is that enough to address a nationwide problem?

Guest: Henry Grabar, Slate writer and author of Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World.

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.

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Do Work Requirements Work?

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Last week, Congress finally passed a debt ceiling deal. Part of that deal included expanding the work requirements for government assistance programs like SNAP, specifically for people ages 50 to 54.

Where did the idea of work requirements come from? And do work requirements actually help keep people in the workforce?

Guest: Pamela Herd, professor of public policy at Georgetown University and co-author of Administrative Burden: Policymaking by Other Means.

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.

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Tech’s Newest Trillion Dollar Company

Sun, 04 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Until recently, Nvidia was a company known for graphics cards—a brand name among gamers but not necessarily the general public. But as part of the A.I. boom, Nvidia’s stock has skyrocketed, putting the company in Silicon Valley’s trillion-dollar valuation class with Apple, Meta, and Alphabet—briefly, at least.

Guest: Don Clark, freelance reporter specializing in chips and enterprise tech.

Host: Emily Peck

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When Your Childhood Was Their Content

Fri, 02 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

When someone posts a photo of you online without your consent, it should be easy to have it taken down or confront the person who posted it. But what if the poster is your parent, and it’s not just one photo, but your entire childhood that’s readily available online? And as social media algorithms evolve to push content in front of as many people as possible, what happens when a temper tantrum goes viral?

Guest: Kathryn Lindsay, technology and culture writer.

Host: Emily Peck

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After They Testified: The Trans Pharmacist Who Went Viral

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

As the fight for trans rights, including gender-affirming medical care, heads through state legislation, activists and medical providers are stepping up to testify. While explaining her perspective as a medical professional, a Little Rock pharmacist, who is trans, was asked about her genitalia in the middle of the Arkansas general assembly.

This is the first installment in What Next’s Pride Month series. “After They Testified” is about the Americans who’ve shown up in the last year to speak out against anti-queer legislation, how it felt to do so, and what came next.

Guest: Gwen Herzig, owner and pharmacist at Park West Pharmacy in Little Rock, Arkansas, president and executive director of The Prism Foundation.

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.

This Pride Month, make an impact by helping Macy’s and The Trevor Project on their mission to fund life-saving suicide prevention services for LGBTQ youth. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

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New Sex Abuse Charges Roil the Catholic Church

Wed, 31 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

After a long-delayed five-year investigation, the Illinois attorney general Kwame Raoul released the report on sexual abuse in the Illinois Catholic church. Where does this case fit in in the long history of abuse in the Catholic Church? And over two decades after the infamous Boston Globe investigation into the Catholic Church, has anything changed?

Guest: Robert Herguth, investigative reporter at the Chicago Sun-Times, part of the Watchdogs team.

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.

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Covering the Supreme Court

Tue, 30 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Right-wing activists have been waiting for a Supreme Court like this one, willing to hand down unpopular, reactionary opinions on guns, abortion, and voting rights. Meanwhile, the general public’s opinion of the court is cratering, and this year’s docket doesn’t look like it will help.

Guest: Jay Willis, editor-in-chief of Balls and Strikes.

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.

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Decoder Ring: Why You Can’t Find a Damn Parking Spot

Mon, 29 May 2023 04:00:00 GMT

From our colleagues at Decoder Ring:

Parking is one of the great paradoxes of American life. On the one hand, we have paved an ungodly amount of land to park our cars. On the other, it seems like it’s never enough.

Slate’s Henry Grabar has spent the last few years investigating how our pathological need for car storage determines the look, feel, and function of the places we live. It turns out our quest for parking has made some of our biggest problems worse.

In this episode, we’re going to hunt for parking, from the mean streets of Brooklyn to the sandy lots of Florida. We’ll explore how parking has quietly damaged the American landscape—and see what might fix it.

This episode was written by Henry Grabar, author of Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World. It was edited by Willa Paskin, who produces Decoder Ring with Katie Shepherd. We had extra production from Patrick Fort and editing help from Joel Meyer.

Your regular What Next programming resumes Tuesday.

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The Trouble With TikTok Songs

Sun, 28 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

How the music streaming business opened the door to billions of dollars in fraud.

Guest: Ashley Carman, Bloomberg News reporter covering the podcasting, music, and audio beat.

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TBD | Tweetering on the Glass Cliff

Fri, 26 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

How Twitter’s new CEO Linda Yaccarino finds herself on the edge of “the glass cliff”: when a woman is sent in to fix a big mess.

Guest: Vittoria Elliot, reporter for Wired, covering platforms and power

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Tweetering on the Glass Cliff

Fri, 26 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

How Twitter’s new CEO Linda Yaccarino finds herself on the edge of “the glass cliff”: when a woman is sent in to fix a big mess.

Guest: Vittoria Elliot, reporter for Wired, covering platforms and power

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

DeSantis Makes It Official

Thu, 25 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

The Florida governor has finally officially entered the Republican presidential primary. With electoral wins and culture war conflicts under his belt, does Ron DeSantis actually have a chance at beating Donald Trump?

Guest: Molly Ball, Time magazine’s national political correspondent.

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.

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Republicans' Stealth Plan to Ban Abortions

Wed, 24 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

A national ban on abortion remains so unpopular that even Republican presidential candidates won’t commit to one. However, a law from the 1870s, depending on how it's interpreted and enforced, could ban both abortion pills and the procedure across America.

Guest: Mary Ziegler, law professor at UC Davis and author of Roe: The History of a National Obsession.

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.

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The Navajo Fight for Water

Tue, 23 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

The Supreme Court is currently hearing a case that will determine whether or not the government is obligated to ensure water access for Native American tribes. The arguments in the case, Arizona v. Navajo Nation, hinge upon whether or not the government has violated past treaties with the tribe by not providing adequate water.

Guest: Heather Tanana, assistant professor of law at the University of Utah and citizen of the Navajo Nation.

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.

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How the Next Pandemic Starts

Mon, 22 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Bats have been linked to a “greatest hits” list of infectious diseases—not just COVID-19, but SARS, Marburg, and even ebola. And now, 1.8 billion people are living in “jump zones” where the next viral spillover may occur.

Guest: Ryan McNeill, London-based deputy editor for the Reuters global data-journalism team.

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A Tipping Point for Digital Tipping

Sun, 21 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

From the coffee shop to the salon to the grocery store, Americans feel like they’re being prompted and prodded for tips more than ever—and they’re starting to resent it.

Guest: Kelly Phillips Erb, tax and law reporter for Forbes.

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Why Sports Are All in on Betting

Fri, 19 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Out of the smoky backrooms, Vegas and clandestine dens, and straight to your phone—how did gambling on sports go from forbidden to inescapable seemingly overnight?

Guest: John Holden, associate professor at Oklahoma State’s Spears school of business

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North Carolina’s Rush to Restrict Abortion

Thu, 18 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

When a Democratic pro-choice representative defected from her party, North Carolina Republicans instantly secured a veto-proof supermajority in the state legislature. Then, they quickly sent a bill that restricts abortion to their Democratic governor’s desk, and overrode his veto, ending North Carolina’s time as an abortion destination in the southeastern United States.

Guest: Rebecca J. Kreitzer, associate professor of public policy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and expert on abortion politics and policy.

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The Roots of Latino White Supremacy

Wed, 17 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

The shooter who killed 8 people at an Allen, Texas mall had Nazi tattoos and left behind an online diary filled with white supremacist beliefs. He also was Latino.

Guest: Tanya Katerí Hernández, professor of law at Fordham University School of Law and author of Racial Innocence: Unmasking Latino Anti-Black Bias and the Struggle for Equality

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How Erdogan Stays in Power

Tue, 16 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has run Turkey in some capacity for 20 years. Even after his government’s slow, incompetent response to an earthquake and an ongoing economic crisis, the presidential election is heading to a run-off in two weeks. How does Erdogan keep hanging on? And could he finally be unseated?

Guest: Suzy Hansen, author of Notes on a Foreign Country: An American Abroad in a Post-American World

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Trump Is Back. Is the Media Ready?

Mon, 15 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Much of the media world looked on with a sinking feeling as Donald Trump held forth in a primetime CNN event. More than most candidates, Trump seems to feed off media attention. Journalists have a responsibility to cover the leading Republican presidential candidate—so how can they do it responsibly?

Guest: David Folkenflik, NPR’s media correspondent.

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Space After NASA

Sun, 14 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Space might seem to be heading from the domain of big government programs to a playground for billionaires. But just below the surface, a world of start-ups are getting ready to launch.

Guest:

Ashlee Vance, business columnist and author of When the Heavens Went on Sale: The Misfits and Geniuses Racing to Put Space Within Reach.

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Who’s Afraid of A.I.?

Fri, 12 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Guests:

Meredith Whittaker, president of the Signal Foundation, co-founder of the AI Now Institute at NYU

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Debt Ceiling Dinner Theater

Thu, 11 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced that June 1 is the “drop dead date” by which the American government has to either raise the debt ceiling or run out of money to pay its obligations. Can President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy come to an agreement that will mollify their bases and keep the government working? And why does it feel like we have to go through this ritual every couple of years?

Guest: Jordan Weissmann, Washington editor at Semafor.

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The Border's New Normal

Wed, 10 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Activated during the Trump administration in 2020, Title 42 is a controversial border policy that makes it easier to quickly expel asylum seekers. Even though Biden campaigned on moving away from Trump’s anti-immigration stance,, his administration has also leaned on Title 42 to control the border. . Now that the policy is being lifted this week, pressure is on the Biden administration to answer the practical question: “What does a fair and humane asylum system look like in America?”

Guest: Arelis Hernández, immigration reporter at the Washington Post

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Why Richard Glossip Has Escaped Execution Nine Times

Tue, 09 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Richard Glossip has been on death row for 26 years and stared down nine execution dates. The 1997 killing that sent him to death row has been investigated numerous times and the actual killer—who brutally bludgeoned a motel owner with a baseball bat—has even sought to recant his testimony against Glossip. Over the decades, anti-death penalty activists and a growing number of lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have spoken out to save Richard Glossip. But now his case is in the Supreme Court’s hands.

Guests:

Liliana Segura, investigative journalist at The Intercept focused on prisons and harsh sentencing.

Mark Joseph Stern, Slate senior writer covering courts and the law.

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Can DeSantis Beat Disney?

Mon, 08 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

To hear Ron DeSantis tell it, “Disney” represents “wokeness.” To the state of Florida, though, the company represents tourist dollars and tax revenue. As the war between Mickey and the Florida governor heads to the courts, Disney CEO Bob Iger doesn’t seem worried. Is DeSantis?

Guest: Lori Rozsa, the Washington Post’s Florida correspondent.

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What's Going on at Meta?

Sun, 07 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Meta’s reached a sort of mid-life crisis. Between the layoffs, the stagnant metaverse and Facebook’s dwindling profile, does Zuckerberg have a plan here?

Guests:

Naomi Nix, Washington Post reporter

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What the Writers' Strike Is Really About

Fri, 05 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

When television and screenwriters went on strike in 2007, Netflix had just started offering the option to stream content. This week, the Writer’s Guild of America went on strike to update pay structures for the streaming era—and to get ahead of A.I. and the changes it may bring.

Guests:

Michelle Dean, television writer and journalist

Anousha Sakoui, entertainment industry writer for the Los Angeles Times

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Charles In Charge

Thu, 04 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

It’s the first British coronation in 70 years and along with the celebration, questions abound: What kind of king will Charles be? Who is Charles anyway? And why even have a king?

Guest: Imogen West-Knights, writer and Slate contributor

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America’s Rich History of Gun Control

Wed, 03 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

It's been nearly a year since the Supreme Court set a precedent that gun control laws should be judged against “America's historical tradition.” That ruling has opened the door to more than 100 legal challenges — and dozens of gun control laws being overturned. But experts say when it comes to actual U.S. history... lax gun laws are the exception, not the rule. What's the truth behind America's history with firearms? And what can America's present learn from its past?

Guest: Robert J Spitzer, professor emeritus at SUNY Cortland, author of The Gun Dilemma.

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What E. Jean Carroll Is Fighting For

Tue, 02 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Author E. Jean Carroll has accused Donald Trump of raping her in a dressing room in the mid-1990s—and she’s suing him for battery and for defamation in response to his claims that she’s lying and “mentally sick.” The trial began on Tuesday, April 25th, in federal court in Manhattan.

What’s at stake in this latest trial against the former president?

Guest: Christina Cauterucci, Slate senior writer and host of Outward.

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War in Ukraine: The View Behind Closed Doors

Mon, 01 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

What a slew of documents leaked via Discord reveal about Ukraine’s war against Russia—both from Ukraine’s and Washington’s perspectives.

Guest: Shane Harris, senior national security writer at the Washington Post

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Is Your Uber Drivers' Pay Rigged?

Sun, 30 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Two gig workers standing side-by-side can be offered the very same job and get offered two different wages. Set by an algorithm and based on calculations that are never explained to the workers themselves, this unequal pay for equal work is already subject to lawsuits that call it a form of price fixing and wage discrimination, but the tech is being tested in other industries.

Guests: Veena Dubal, law professor at the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco

Sergio Avedian, senior contributor at The Rideshare Guy

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Stephen King Is Just as Confused About Blue Checks as You Are

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Guests:

Alex Heath, deputy editor of The Verge

Jon Favreau, co-founder of Crooked Media, speechwriter for President Barack Obama

Stephen King, author

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Fighting for the Right to Die

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Guest: Lynda Bluestein, a 75-year-old woman seeking to end her life on her terms, who successfully sued Vermont over their residency requirement in their “Patient Choice At End of Life” law.

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The Ballad of Tucker Carlson

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Tucker Carlson has now completed the holy trinity of cable TV news: joining — and leaving — MSNBC, CNN, and now Fox News. Why did Fox oust him so abruptly? And how did he create a feedback loop that made Fox millions — and changed American politics forever?

Guest: Nicole Hemmer, Director of the Rogers Center for the Study of the Presidency at Vanderbilt University.

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Beyond Stand Your Ground

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

“Stand Your Ground” laws have expanded across the country over the past 20 years, allowing people to use deadly force even when they could safely retreat from a perceived threat. But when someone shoots a person standing on their porch, or as they turn around in a driveway, or in a crowd, the claim that these laws exist for self-defense doesn’t seem to wash.

Guest: Tamara Lave, professor of criminal law at the University of Miami and a former public defender.

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Why Evan Gershkovich Went to Russia

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Evan Gershkovich is the first foreign journalist arrested in Russia as a spy since the Cold War. When the war in Ukraine began, Evan - like most journalists - left the country. But then, he went back. Why?

Guest: Drew Hinshaw, senior reporter at the Wall Street Journal

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"Crap Apps": Why Weather Apps Suck

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Weather apps can be frustrating. And with how much we rely on them to know if we should wear pants or shorts, they'll still leave you in the rain. But as the climate gets wilder, the questions of how to tell people what they need to know—and quickly—can be an issue of life or death.

Guest: Charlie Warzel, staff writer at the Atlantic

Daniel Swain, UCLA climate scientist

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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Will A.I. Close Off the Internet?

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Reddit announced it will start charging companies to use its huge, ever-growing trove of text to train A.I. chatbots. It’s another expense for the fledgling tech and another knock against the “open internet” ideals that Reddit once embodied.

Guest: Mike Isaac, tech reporter for the New York Times.

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So Fox News, What Did We Learn?

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Just as the defamation trial was set to begin, Fox News settled with Dominion Voting Systems at a cost of $787.5 million. While not nearly as expensive as a Rupert Murdoch divorce, surely the settlement and the airing of their texts and emails has taught them something valuable—right?

Guest: Justin Peters, Slate correspondent.

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Dianne Feinstein's Last Stand

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

The 89-year-old Dianne Feinstein has stated she plans to retire at the end of her term, but her health-related absences have stymied the Democrats’ ability to confirm judges—one of the few things the party can actually do in a divided government.

Guest: Joe Garofoli, senior political writer at the San Francisco Chronicle, covering national and state politics.

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Fox News Goes to Court

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

The defamation trial between Dominion Voting Systems and Fox News is slated to start this week. Though Dominion uncovered a trove of texts and emails from people at Fox News who knew calling the 2020 election stolen was a lie, proving “defamation” is a high bar in the United States. Can Dominion win the case? And even if Fox News can win the legal case, is their reputation shot?

Guest: Erik Wemple, Washington Post media critic

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He Couldn’t Teach ‘Slavery Was Wrong.’ So He Quit.

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

What happens when legislation targets teachers? And as America’s teacher shortage grows — what will this mean for the country’s kids?

Guest: Greg Wickenkamp, former eighth grade social studies teacher in Fairfield, Iowa.

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Will Banning Social Media Help Kids?

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

A new law in Utah that goes into effect next year states that anyone under 18 needs parental permission to use social media. Is it a necessary step to protect children from harms associated with social media, or are we blunting a tool of expression for the youth?

Guest: Dr. Mitch Prinstein, chief science officer at American Psychological Association

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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How Gamers Leaked Classified Pentagon Docs

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Discord is a place to share a community online. Most often, it's for gaming. So why did classified intelligence from the Pentagon end up on a small server whose main interests seem to be video games, military equipment and memes? And how?

Guest: Shane Harris, intelligence and national security reporter for the Washington Post.

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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Do Abortion Pills Actually Need FDA Approval?

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Last week a federal judge in Texas refuted the FDA approval for mifepristone, a pill used for medication abortions, which would suspend that approval across the country.

But some experts say - plenty of drugs don’t have FDA approval, and are still widely distributed… from baby formula, to multivitamins.

Guest: Rachel Rebouché, dean and James E. Beasley professor of law at the Temple University Beasley School of Law and faculty fellow at the Center for Public Health Law Research.

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Narcan Over the Counter

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

The FDA just approved a version of Narcan, the most commonly used version of the overdose prevention medicine naloxone, for over-the-counter sales. The move comes in response to overdose deaths steadily rising since the late ‘70s and around 100,000 Americans dying from overdose just last year. What took so long?

Guest: Nancy D. Campbell, department head at Rensselaer’s department of science and technology studies, author of OD: Naloxone and the Politics of Overdose.

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Tennessee’s House Divided

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

The Tennessee House, which has a Republican supermajority, voted last week on motions to expel three Democratic members for “disorderly behavior” after they led protest chants from the floor of the chamber.

Two Black lawmakers, Rep. Justin Jones and Rep. Justin Pearson—both in their late 20s and new to the House this session—were ousted. The motion to boot the other Rep. Gloria Johnson, who’s white, failed by one vote.

Guest: Melissa Brown, state politics reporter for The Tennessean.

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Clarence Thomas’s Friends in High Places

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

A ProPublica investigation revealed that Justice Clarence Thomas has been gifted luxury vacations by Republican donor and billionaire Harlan Crow. For over two decades, Justice Thomas has taken private jets, gone on yachts and stayed at private resorts alongside powerful Republican donors, all funded by Crow. For the most part, Justice Thomas did not disclose these vacations.

The investigation raises questions on the legality of these types of gifts, as well as the lack of oversight and ethics standards for the Supreme Court. Did these vacations break the law? To what extent could Justice Thomas’s court rulings have been influenced by Crow and other people on these trips? And even if some of these gifts may not have been illegal, why doesn’t the Supreme Court have more oversight and ethical guidelines to prevent potential conflicts of interest?

Guest: Justin Elliot, reporter at ProPublica.

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Why Flying Is So Bad Now

Sun, 09 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

U.S. air travel is being strained on all sides—travel demand is back to 2019 levels, but the number of pilots and planes and ground crew hasn’t caught back up, and a rash of close calls are raising safety concerns about America’s aging flying infrastructure.

Guest: Jon Ostrower, editor in chief of The Air Current.

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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Wait, TikTok Has a Sister App?

Fri, 07 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

While TikTok’s parent company, Bytedance, is fighting to keep its flagship app from being banned in the United States, it’s also pushing a new app into the marketplace—Lemon8. One part Pinterest, one part Instagram and a dash of its sister app, Lemon8 is most likely saddled with the same security concerns that led lawmakers to consider banning TikTok.

Guest: Sapna Maheshwari, business reporter for the New York Times.

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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How Scared Should Trump Be?

Thu, 06 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Is the Manhattan DA’s case against Donald Trump something he can wriggle out of, or is the former president in real legal trouble this time? Some are already dismissing Alvin Bragg’s investigation as weak and small potatoes. But others are more optimistic. What’s the case for indicting - on these charges?

Guest: Norm Eisen, senior fellow at Brookings Governance, CNN legal analyst.

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Preventing Preventive Care

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

A federal judge has struck down a provision in the Affordable Care Act requiring private insurers to provide preventive care—screenings and the like—at no cost to patients.

But preventive care is a good investment for insurance companies and for national health. It’s something Americans already don’t get enough of — but is anyone willing to step in and save it?

Guest: Julie Rovner, chief Washington correspondent Kaiser Health News, host of the “What the Health” podcast

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Wisconsin’s High-Stakes Supreme Court Race

Tue, 04 Apr 2023 09:00:00 GMT

In Wisconsin, the state Supreme Court election is breaking records when it comes to campaign spending on a judicial race. With abortion rights for Wisconsinites, their state’s electoral geography, and potentially the fate of the 2024 presidential election on the line, that big ticket spending makes sense. But will it make a difference in who gets the seat?

Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, senior staff writer for Slate.

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Trump Heads to Court

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

In a history-making move, a grand jury voted to indict a former president. We’ll have more answers about the details of the charges after Donald Trump’s Tuesday arraignment, but what this means for the GOP nomination, the 2024 race, and for future presidents in politically-hostile states is still up in the air.

Guest: Ankush Khardori, former federal prosecutor for the U.S. Department of Justice.

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Seeking Asylum Via App

Sun, 02 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

CBP One, U.S. Customs and Border Protection's app that is supposed to make crossing the border more efficient, is littered with bugs. But even a perfectly functional smartphone app would pose problems for people seeking asylum on the southern U.S. border.

Guest: Arelis Hernández, Washington Post reporter

Gia Del Pino, director of communications at the Kino Border Initiative

Felicia Rangel Samponaro, director of the Sidewalk School

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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When A.I. Denies Your Health Care

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 07:00:00 GMT

As Medicare Advantage plans have increased their reliance on software to determine what their customers require—and, therefore, receive—elderly patients are being denied coverage for care they need. What happens when an algorithm — not a doctor — decides how much care you need and it’s not enough?

Guest: Casey Ross, national technology correspondent at STAT

Host: Emily Peck

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The Diagnosis Was Fatal. She Couldn't Get an Abortion.

Thu, 30 Mar 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Two weeks after Roe v. Wade was overturned, Lauren Hall found out the baby she was carrying had a fatal condition: her head and skull weren’t properly developing. Texas’s three overlapping bans on abortion forced her to fly to Washington to terminate the unviable pregnancy. With the Center for Reproductive Rights, she’s now one of five plaintiffs suing the state, so no one else will have to go through what she did.

Guest: Lauren Hall, plaintiff suing the state of Texas over its abortion bans.

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March Madness Comes to Capitol Hill

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Two years ago, the NCAA changed their rules to allow college athletes to make money from their “name, image and likeness.” It was a stop-gap measure at best, and some folks even want to see athletes gain employee status. But, the NCAA has taken to Capitol Hill today to try to prevent just that.

Guest: Dan Murphy, staff writer at ESPN and author of Start By Believing.

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Why Israelis Are Protesting

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Israel ground to a halt on Monday after a series of massive protests against planned judicial reforms. Though Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the reforms will be delayed, getting them passed is a top priority for his far-right coalition government. How can the government—and country—move forward?

Guest: Dahlia Scheindlin, international political and strategic consultant and fellow at Century International in Tel Aviv.

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Will Crime Decide Chicago’s Mayoral Race?

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 07:00:00 GMT

In Chicago, a city plagued by recent crime concerns from its citizens, a progressive former Teachers Union organizer faces an opponent who has described himself in the past as “more of a Republican than a Democrat.”

Guest: Gregory Pratt, Chicago Tribune reporter covering Mayor Lori Lightfoot and City Hall.

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Tesla’s Full Self-Driving Woes

Sun, 26 Mar 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Elon Musk has been promising fully self-driving Teslas to the public for years and the beta version of Full Self-Driving is already in over 300,000 cars. But as a recent recall attests, the software still isn’t ready to take the wheel—and Musk himself may be a big reason why.

Guest: Faiz Siddiqui, tech reporter for the Washington Post

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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The Case Against TikTok

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 07:00:00 GMT

To most of its 150 million American consumers, TikTok is a fun app. To some creators, TikTok is a job and their platform. But to members of the US government, TikTok is a national security risk. As the fight over TikTok’s future comes to Capitol Hill this week, what’s next for the embattled social media platform?

Guest: Emily Baker-White, senior writer, tech reporter at Forbes

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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Why Biden Broke his Promise on Drilling

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Despite his campaign promises, President Biden has signed off on the Willow Project, an $8 billion plan to extract 600 million barrels of oil from public lands in Alaska. But how useful might this 30-year project be with the country continually prioritizing electric energy?

Guest: Ben Lefebvre, energy reporter at Politico.

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Why Is Adderall So Hard to Find?

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Since last summer, it’s been difficult to fill an Adderall prescription. The shortage is driving some people to try other ADHD medications—causing shortages of those medications too—while others are sourcing their medication on the “gray market.”

Why is such a common drug nowhere to be found?And why has the FDA been so mum on the subject?

Guests:

Ike Swetlitz, health journalist for Bloomberg News

Sheila McClear, writer for Los Angeles magazine

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Atlanta's Battle Over "Cop City"

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 07:00:00 GMT

The Atlanta Police Foundation’s $90 million police training facility, a mock-urban space with a nightclub, convenience store, and even homes, has drawn the ire of police reform activists, environmentalists, and even advocates for the homeless. The months-long effort by forest-dwelling protesters to prevent the construction of this facility has left an advocate dead, a state trooper shot, 35 individuals facing terrorism charges, and a community divided.

Guest: Madeline Thigpen, criminal justice reporter at Capital B Atlanta.

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Could Trump Be Arrested Over Stormy Daniels?

Mon, 20 Mar 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This weekend, former President Trump warned supporters on Truth Social he could be arrested on Tuesday, and called for them to “TAKE OUR NATION BACK!” Although it’s unclear whether Trump is facing imminent arrest, many observers believe legal proceedings focused on Trump’s “hush money” payment to Stormy Daniels suggest an indictment is coming soon.

How strong is this case, and how likely is it that Trump will face real legal consequences?

Guests:

Dahlia Lithwick, host of Slate’s Amicus, and author of “Lady Justice: Women, the Law, and the Battle to Save America.”

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, and Madeline Ducharme, with help from Jared Downing and Laura Spencer.

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When A.I. Steals Your Voice

Sun, 19 Mar 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Using just what you’ve posted to social media, generative A.I. can create a “puppet version” of your voice—one that’s close enough to scam your family into paying thousands in, say, bail money. And imitating public officials to create “deep fakes” who say whatever they’re told is even easier.

Guest: Pranshu Verma, tech reporter for the Washington Post.

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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Where Is Silicon Valley Going to Bank Now?

Fri, 17 Mar 2023 07:00:00 GMT

The economy is doing well almost every but in tech, where headlines about layoffs have been replaced with news about Silicon Valley Bank’s demise. The collapse of “the central artery for the tech industry” looks like the end of an era. Where do venture capitalists, start-ups—and the industry writ large—go now?

Guest: Priya Anand, reporter at Bloomberg covering venture capital and start-ups.

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

Podcast production by Evan Campbell and Patrick Fort.

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Is the SAT Done For?

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Colleges are dropping the SAT as a requirement in their admissions process, citing studies that what the test measures best is simply how well you’ve prepared for the test. But the question at the heart of the matter remains: how do you create a fair and equitable college admissions process? And can a test-optional system help foster a more equal playing field when there’s still so much inequality built into our school systems?

Guest: Jeremy Bauer-Wolf, senior reporter at Higher Ed Dive.

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Why Silicon Valley Bank Collapsed

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 07:00:00 GMT

The downfall of Silicon Valley Bank marks the second largest bank collapse in American history.

Why and how did SVBgo under? Where were the regulators? And how do we stop this from happening again?

Guest: Annie Lowery,staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of Give People Money.

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How Anti-Trans Legislation Cost Rural South Dakota a Doctor

Tue, 14 Mar 2023 07:00:00 GMT

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has made anti-trans legislation a trademark of her term, but singling out trans people—and those who provide them medical care—comes at a cost to the state and its residents. It left the tiny rural town of Webster with only one physician.

Guest: Mayson Bedient, a family medicine and gender-affirming care specialist in Fargo, North Dakota

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A Disability Rights Icon’s Long Legacy

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Judy Heumann devoted her life to advocating for Americans with disabilities and was a fixture at protests, sit-ins, and activist meetings, eventually becoming a presidential advisor. After passing away at 75, her work continues through her friends and those she fought for.

Guest: Sandy Ho, founder of Disability and Intersectionality Summit and disability policy researcher.

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Would You Let A.I. Date For You?

Sun, 12 Mar 2023 07:00:00 GMT

The online dating world can be brutal and repetitive—just the kind of thing you might want to automate. But, in one tech writer’s experience, artificial intelligence isn’t ready to make real connections—at least, not without a lot of help.

Guest: Heather Tal Murphy, covers business and technology at Slate

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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When Meta Tells Law Enforcement About Your Abortion

Fri, 10 Mar 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Just weeks before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, a Nebraska woman and her daughter were charged with performing an illegal abortion, thanks to information that law enforcement uncovered by going through their Facebook accounts.

Guest: Johana Bhuiyan, senior reporter on tech and surveillance for The Guardian

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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Does Steven Spielberg Have an Oscars Curse?

Thu, 09 Mar 2023 08:00:00 GMT

For all of his success, Steven Spielberg has a spotty record at the Oscars. He’s been nominated 22 times, but he’s only won three. Is it a curse?

This Sunday could mark a shift for the King of Hollywood’s five decades in the industry. And with The Fabelmans this year, it’s personal.

Guest: Michael Schulman, New Yorker staff writer and the author of Oscar Wars: A History of Hollywood in Gold, Sweat, and Tears.

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Why Child Labor is an Immigration Issue

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 08:00:00 GMT

The New York Times published an exposé on immigrant children illegally employed to do dangerous jobs across the country. To one U.S. representative, it’s not just a labor issue; it’s symptomatic of the larger problems in the immigration system. Fixing it, then, will require once again taking up the fight to overhaul immigration.

Guest: Rep. Hillary Scholten, U.S. representative from Michigan’s 3rd congressional district.

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Food Stamps Face Their Biggest-Ever Cut

Tue, 07 Mar 2023 08:00:00 GMT

The federal government ended the COVID-19 increase to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program this month. What does this mean for people who depend on SNAP to put food on the table?

Guests: Helena Bottemiller Evich, reporter and founder of Food Fix, a publication on food policy.

Jennifer Barnes, founder of Solidarity Sandy Springs in Georgia.

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The Fight To Return Native Remains to Their Tribes

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 08:00:00 GMT

The “Native American Graves and Repatriation Act” passed more than 30 years ago, with the goal of returning human remains, which were taken from native burial sites, back to their tribes. But museums and universities still hold the remains of thousands of people—UC Berkeley alone has nearly 10,000.

Guest: Mary Hudetz, Propublica reporter focusing on tribal issues throughout the Southwest.

Make an impact this Women’s History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund girls in STEM. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

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The Hollywood Weight Loss Wonder Drug

Sun, 05 Mar 2023 08:00:00 GMT

The diabetes medication Ozempic has exploded in popularity, particularly amongst those in Hollywood looking to lose a few extra pounds. But a silver bullet for weight loss leads to a number of questions: Is “buying weight loss” via injection somehow worse than diet and exercise? Are so many people buying and using this drug that people who need it for its intended purpose are missing out? What happened to body positivity?

Guest: Matthew Schneier, feature writer for New York Magazine.

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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What Would Convince a Lab Leak Skeptic?

Fri, 03 Mar 2023 08:00:00 GMT

It was reported this week that the U.S. Department of Energy now believes, “with low confidence,” that the COVID-19 virus came from a lab. But is there enough evidence for the “lab leak theory” to convince those who believe the virus emerged from animals in a wet market?

Guest: Angela Rasmussen, virologist at the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada.

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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Will SCOTUS Kill Student Loan Relief?

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 08:00:00 GMT

President Biden’s student loan debt relief plan goes before the Supreme Court this week. Though the court’s conservative majority seems opposed to the program, debt-relief detractors are struggling to answer a major question: who does this program harm?

Guests:

Mark Joseph Stern, Slate senior writer covering the courts

Alice Turner, hospital pharmacist and compounder

Make an impact this Women’s History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund girls in STEM. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

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Why Insulin Prices Keep Rising

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 08:00:00 GMT

It’s a rare bi-partisan point of agreement: the price of insulin is too high—and it’s still rising. With the stakes literally life-or-death for millions of Americans, what can be done?

Guest: Bram Sable-Smith, Midwest correspondent for Kaiser Health News.

Make an impact this Women’s History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund girls in STEM. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

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When Politicians Need Mental Healthcare

Tue, 28 Feb 2023 08:00:00 GMT

When John Fetterman checked himself into a hospital for clinical depression in mid-February, he was praised by both parties and public health officials for his bravery. But not long ago, being diagnosed with depression or taking time for your mental health were seen as disqualifying for those seeking public office.

Guest: Jason Kander, President of National Expansion at Veterans Community Project, author of Invisible Storm: A Soldier's Memoir of Politics and PTSD, and co-host of Crooked Media’s podcast Majority 54.

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Beijing’s Crackdown on Hong Kong Dissidents

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 08:00:00 GMT

When Beijing passed a new law that harshly penalized protests in Hong Kong, activists and dissident groups had to choose whether to shut down or get out. Now, 47 pro-democracy activists are facing charges and likely prison time, and a generation of dissent may be quelled.

Guest: Emily Feng, NPR’s Beijing correspondent.

CORRECTION (March 2, 2023): A previous version of this episode misidentified this trial as a closed trial.

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Is a 25-Year-Old’s Brain Mature?

Sun, 26 Feb 2023 08:00:00 GMT

New understandings of how our brains develop are changing how the law considers who is mature and who isn’t. But If our brains are still developing, when can the law treat us like adults?

Guest: Jane C. Hu, independent science journalist.

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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Why A.I. Says the Darndest Things

Fri, 24 Feb 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Microsoft has been testing out their new artificial intelligence on their long-ridiculed search engine Bing. The results? A chatbot that lies brazenly and confidently, and has a penchant for manipulation. What are the risks and rewards of letting bots loose on the world?

Guest: Drew Harwell, Washington Post tech reporter covering artificial intelligence

Host: Emily Peck

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Ukraine’s War Is Its New Normal

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 08:00:00 GMT

The sound of air raid sirens in Kyiv are almost comforting to one Ukrainian journalist—it means the air defense system still works. But even with the Russians running low on weaponry, he doesn’t see how the war ends while Vladimir Putin is alive.

Guest: Romeo Kokriatski, managing editor of New Voice of Ukraine, and co-host of the podcast Ukraine Without Hype

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When an Earthquake Hits a Civil War

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 08:00:00 GMT

How getting recovery aid and assistance to Turkey and northern Syria has been complicated by on-going aftershocks from the earthquake and the reverberations of the Syrian civil war.

Guests:

Louisa Loveluck, Baghdad bureau chief for the Washington Post.

Dr. Ahmad Dbais, Operations Director and Disaster Management Team Leader for UOSSM (Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations).

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The Ohio Trainwreck Blame Game

Tue, 21 Feb 2023 08:00:00 GMT

How a derailed train and the dark cloud of chemical burn off over East Palestine, Ohio, came to confirm everything you think is wrong with everything.

Guest: Ben Mathis-Lilley, Slate staff writer

Make an impact this Black History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund UNCF scholarships for HBCU students. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

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Amicus: The “Stop the Steal” Fight That Never Ended

Mon, 20 Feb 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Enjoy this episode of Slate's Amicus, while the What Next team enjoys the holiday.

Wisconsin’s State Supreme Court heard one of the landmark cases of the 2020 presidential election. During oral arguments in Trump v Biden in December 2020, Justice Jill J Karofsky participated in proceedings via Zoom from her office inside the state capitol in Madison. Outside her office window, she could see armed protesters gathered in what she later viewed as a dry run for January 6th. In a 4-3 decision, with one Republican justice siding against Trump, the Wisconsin Supreme Court voted to uphold Biden’s victory in the state. On this week’s Amicus, Justice Karofsky speaks for the first time about the fallout from that case: Fallout in her personal life, for herself and loved ones. Fallout in her professional life, with an investigation and the threat of sanction for her line of questioning in oral argument. And beyond all that, the fallout for democracy—and for the role of jurists within that democracy.

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The Baby-Sleep Industrial Complex

Sun, 19 Feb 2023 05:00:00 GMT

The tech-laden, luxury bassinet “Snoo” has been presented as preventing Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, helping babies sleep longer, and a totally reasonable way to spend $1,700. Is any of that true?

Guest: Kate Taylor, senior features correspondent for Business Insider

John Collins, Lizzie’s husband.

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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What Made the Balloon Drama Pop Off?

Fri, 17 Feb 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Come to think of it, a giant balloon seems like a pretty conspicuous way to spy on another country. So what was that Chinese spy balloon doing above the U.S.—and what have American planes been shooting down since?

Guest: Shane Harris, Washington Post reporter covering intelligence and national security.

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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Will Abortion Pills Be Banned?

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 08:00:00 GMT

A judge in north Texas is considering a lawsuit that could make access to abortion pills more difficult across the country. While anti-abortion activists can point to a string of recent successes, the existence of another, widely-used abortion medication would make medical abortions nearly impossible to ban outright.

Guest: Christina Cauterucci, Slate senior writer and host of Outward.

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Is Nikki Haley the GOP’s Future?

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Former South Carolina governor and UN ambassador Nikki Haley announced that she is running to be president in 2024—challenging Donald Trump for the Republican nomination. How will she define herself in contrast to the former president—her former boss—without losing his base?

Guest: Ed Kilgore, political columnist for New York magazine.

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Why the West Bank Is at a Boiling Point

Tue, 14 Feb 2023 08:00:00 GMT

With hard-right, pro-settler representatives in the Israeli government, and the Palestinian Authority losing credibility with Palestinians, illegal settlements in the West Bank have become flashpoints in the ever-present yet still-escalating tension in the region.

Guest: Yair Rosenberg, staff writer at the Atlantic and the author of its newsletter, Deep Shtetl, about the intersection of politics, culture, and religion.

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The Mass Shooter Database

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Why does someone become a mass shooter? Researchers are interviewing perpetrators and their victims—and those who narrowly averted committing a mass shooting—and discovering a common thread of psychological despair. Can their work be applied to the prevention of future violence?

Guest: Jillian Peterson, forensic psychologist, violence researcher, and author of The Violence Project.

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Contraband Tech Behind Bars

Sun, 12 Feb 2023 08:00:00 GMT

It’s hard to put a number on it but judging from the number of videos emerging online, there are more and more contraband cell phones finding their way into the hands of people in prison, who use them to record TikTok dances, take online courses, and alert the outside world to what’s happening on the inside.

Guest: Keri Blakinger, criminal justice reporter at the Los Angeles Times, author of Corrections in Ink.

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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Why Ban TikTok?

Fri, 10 Feb 2023 08:00:00 GMT

TikTok was banned on government agency devices in December; several schools and universities have banned it on their devices and wifi networks, and the governor of Texas unveiled a plan to ban it in the state. Can “Project Texas” stem the anti-TikTok tide? And would banning the app actually achieve…anything?

Guest: Louise Matsakis, reporter for Semafor covering tech and China

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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How Florida’s School Censorship Spreads

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Governor Ron DeSantis canceling the rollout of AP African-American Studies course in Florida is more than just another salvo in the culture war. It has implications across public education, across the country—and its chilling effect is already evident.

Guests: Jeremy Young, historian and Senior Manager of Free Expression and Education at PEN America.

Chyna-Lee Hunter, a 12th grade student at Robert Morgan Educational Center in Miami, Fla.

Make an impact this Black History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund UNCF scholarships for HBCU students. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

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The Russian “Collaborators”

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 08:00:00 GMT

For Ukrainians who remained behind when the war began, choices made in the fog of occupation come under scrutiny when the invading army leaves, and neighbors once divided by the Russians again must live side by side.

Guest: Joshua Yaffa, contributing writer at The New Yorker and the author of “Between Two Fires: Truth, Ambition, and Compromise in Putin's Russia.”

Make an impact this Black History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund UNCF scholarships for HBCU students. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

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His Son Died in Uvalde. He’s Still Fighting.

Tue, 07 Feb 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Immediately following a mass shooting, public officials will say that “now is not the time” to discuss what changes—for example, making it more difficult to get an assault weapon—could have prevented the shooting, yet once the media cycle moves on, so does the momentum for change. But Brett Cross, whose son was killed in the Robb Elementary School shooting in Texas, won’t give up his fight for accountability and reform.

Guest: Brett Cross, father of Uziyah Garcia, who was killed at Robb Elementary School in May 2022.

Update, Feb. 7, 2023, a 1:10 p.m.: Brett Cross will not be attending the State of the Union address.

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Georgia Takes on Trump

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 08:00:00 GMT

A special grand jury in Georgia may soon announce whether Donald Trump will face criminal charges, including racketeering, for a phone call to Georgia secretary of state Brad Raffensperger following the 2020 election.

Guest: Tamar Hallerman, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's lead reporter covering the Fulton County special grand jury investigation.

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Did a Twentysomething Con America’s Biggest Bank?

Sun, 05 Feb 2023 08:00:00 GMT

JP Morgan Chase is getting an education on FAFSA and financial aid–which would’ve been helpful before they acquired a now, quite dubious seeming start-up.

Guest: Ron Lieber, New York Times journalist, author of the “Your Money” column.

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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How COVID Changes Our Immune Systems

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Last fall it seemed like everyone got sick—not just with COVID, but from a slew of respiratory diseases, from the mild to the severe. Researchers are trying to untangle how our immune systems have changed in the COVID era, and if we’re paying back an “immunity debt” or are victims of “immunity theft.”

Guest: Tim Requarth, contributing writer to Slate.

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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The Plot Against Pope Francis

Thu, 02 Feb 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Guest: David Gibson, Director of Fordham's Center on Religion & Culture

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The Hysteria Over D.C.’s New Crime Bill

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 08:00:00 GMT

The Revised Criminal Code Act is a major overhaul to D.C.’s criminal code that critics say will clog the courts with low-level crimes and fill the streets with criminals. Slate’s legal expert doesn’t see the data to support any of that.

Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, Slate senior writer covering courts and the law.

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From Rodney King to Tyre Nichols

Tue, 31 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT

The video of Tyre Nichols being fatally beaten by Memphis police officers was made public on Friday. How does this latest high-profile incident of police brutality echo the killing of George Floyd or the beating of Rodney King? And 30 years after the latter, what’s still standing in the way of police reform?

Guest: Joel Anderson, staff writer at Slate, host of Seasons 3 and 6 of Slow Burn.

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Who Doesn’t Have Classified Documents?

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT

At this point, classified documents have been uncovered in the homes of former President Trump, former Vice President Mike Pence, and President Biden. But there are more practical issues with how the government treats classified documents than just whose garage they’re sitting in.

Guest: Elizabeth Goitein, co-director of the Liberty and National Security Program at the Brennan Center for Justice

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Did A.I. Write This Headline?

Sun, 29 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT

The proliferation of chatbots and A.I.-generated art has consumers and tech companies alike convinced that artificial intelligence is ready to be integrated into consumer electronics, products, homes, and across industry. In fact, it’s already in progress. What’s the worst that can happen?

Guest: Will Oremus, technology reporter for the Washington Post

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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Will Google Get Broken Up?

Fri, 27 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT

The U.S. Department of Justice announced this week that it is suing Google over its ad technology. What do they contend Google has been doing? And does this mean Alphabet is headed for a Bell Telecom-style bust-up?

Guest: Leah Nylen, reporter covering antitrust for Bloomberg News

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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Election Deniers Shot at Her

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT

A newfound commitment to never accepting election results you don’t like is taken to the extreme in New Mexico, where a string of shootings targeting elected officials led to 12 bullet holes in a state senator’s Albuquerque home.

Guest: Linda Lopez, state senator in New Mexico’s Bernalillo County.

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The "Other NRA" Fighting Restaurant Workers

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT

How COVID-stress, a tipped minimum wage locked in since 1991, and lobbying from the National Restaurant Association have pushed restaurant workers—and the industry as a whole—to the brink of crisis.

Guest: Saru Jayaraman, President of One Fair Wage and the Director of the UC Berkeley Food Labor Research Center.

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Will the Debt Ceiling Cave in This Time?

Tue, 24 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT

The U.S. has hit the debt ceiling—again And with Congress divided, it’s unclear when or how the government will get approved to borrow more.Why is this perennial fight coming back around now? And what happens—locally and to the world economy—if the U.S. Treasury defaults?

Guest: Jordan Weissmann, Washington editor for Semafor.

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Cities’ Wetter, Wilder Future

Mon, 23 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT

California going from drought-to-downpour this month was a vivid illustration of the future we’re facing: with more dramatic weather in a warmer, wetter climate. But how can cities—built for a world where hundred-year floods happened only once a century—adjust to a new reality?

Guest: Henry Grabar, staff writer for Slate, author of Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World.

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Does Meta Even Care When Its Users Get Hacked?

Sun, 22 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT

It can feel very personal to have your Facebook or Instagram page hacked—they’re your pictures and your friends after all. But Meta, the social media parent company, handles hacks with anything but a personal touch.

Guest: Kirstin Grind, investigative reporter for the Wall Street Journal.

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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An Antivax Dog Whistle Goes Viral

Fri, 20 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT

The idea that COVID-19 vaccines are linked to sudden deaths among young people has no scientific support, but the theory nevertheless has a lot of traction on social media.

How can public health officials educate the public—especially on subject like vaccines, where their effectiveness renders them effectively invisible?

Guest: Katelyn Jetelina, epidemiologist and data scientist

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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Latin America’s Lost Decade

Thu, 19 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT

In the early 2000s, economic growth exploded in South America—and the citizens of Brazil, Peru, Chile and elsewhere enjoyed increasing prosperity. But over the last decade, the churn of the world economy has made it hard for leaders across the region to meet their people’s raised expectations.

Guest: Brian Winter, editor-in-chief of Americas Quarterly, former foreign correspondent for Reuters in Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico.

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The Spike at the End of “Zero COVID”

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT

In the wake of mass protests and a depressing effect on its economy, China has ended its “zero COVID” policy. But with cases now rising, is the country ready for the upcoming Spring Festival, a huge holiday for travel that could spread the virus to its remotest corners?

Guest: Dake Kang, reporter for the Associated Press Beijing bureau.

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Hospice for Profit

Tue, 17 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Since the 1980s, hospice has been covered by Medicare, and it’s come to be an expected part of the healthcare that millions of Americans receive at the end of their lives. But beneath the pamphlets of patients living out their days in comfort lies an uglier reality: a cottage industry that frequently misappropriates taxpayer dollars in the name of profit.

Guest: Ava Kofman, investigative reporter for ProPublica.

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How To!: End Political Violence (From an Ex-Gang Leader)

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT

In the wake of the anniversary of the January 6th insurrection, and now similar riots in Brazil’s capital, we’re picking up our conversation about how to reduce political violence. In the first episode of our two-part series, we heard from Dr. Rachel Kleinfeld, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. This week, we’re talking with Curtis Toler, director of outreach at Chicago CRED. After joining his first street organization at the age of 9, Curtis went from a gang leader to a violence interrupter. He talks about how to reach people entrenched in cycles of conflict, how to get to the peace table, and what Congress (and all of us) can learn from his success on the streets of Chicago.

Resources:

Chicago CRED

A Savage Order: How the World’s Deadliest Countries Can Forge a Path to Security by Rachel Kleinfeld

An Ex-Gang Leader’s Advice for Deescalating Violence in Politics by Amanda Ripley

If you liked this episode, check out: “How To Talk Politics With Your Dad (Without Yelling) Part 1 and Part 2.”

Do you have a question without an answer? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.

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Tesla’s No Good, Very Bad Year

Sun, 15 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Elon Musk was promising an “epic” Q4 at Tesla last year. But 2022 ended closer to what might be considered an “epic fail,” with the stock price down 65 percent. In an uncertain economic environment like this one, how much blame goes to Musk for unloading $40 billion worth of stock and focusing on his shiny new social media network? Or are these just growing pains that every company goes through as they mature?

Guest: Dana Hull, automotive and technology reporter for Bloomberg News in San Francisco

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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Why the Feds Want to Kill Noncompetes

Fri, 13 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT

You might think of noncompete agreements as mostly limited to highly skilled, highly paid tech workers to protect trade secrets. But one-third of workers bound by noncompetes make $13/hour or less: fast-food workers, security guards, and the like.

Noncompete clauses not only give employers leverage over their employees—both during and after their employment—but studies have shown the agreements are a weight on the economy, which is why the FTC is angling for a federal ban.

Guest: Elizabeth Wilkins, director of the Office of Policy Planning, Federal Trade Commission

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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How They Got El Chapo’s Son

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Ovidio Guzmán, the son of Sinaloa cartel head Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzmán, was arrested last week in a huge sting by the Mexican government. Who is Ovidio and how does his arrest affect the cartel?

Guest: Luis Chaparro, journalist and producer who moves between Texas and Mexico covering narcos, drugs and immigration.

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A Sex Crimes Lawyer's New Mission

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT

New York’s new Adult Survivor’s Act has opened a “lookback window”—a year-long suspension of the civil statute of limitations—to allow people who may have been assaulted a long time ago the chance to go to court and demand compensation. For those who choose to pursue legal action, what can they expect?

Guest: Carrie Goldberg, victim rights lawyer specializing in sex crimes and author of Nobody’s Victim: Fighting Psychos, Stalkers, Pervs, and Trolls.

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Mr. Santos Goes to Washington

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT

How far can you go on a lie? Looking at the career of George Santos, United States Representative, it can take you at least to the congressional floor. But now, firmly in the public eye, his resume unraveling, is Santos’ political career about to be derailed before it starts? And how did it get this far in the first place?

Guest: Azi Paybarah, national reporter covering campaigns and breaking politics news at the Washington Post.

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McCarthy’s Road to Speaker

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT

On Friday night, Representative Kevin McCarthy was elected Speaker of the House—but not before a far-right revolt kept Congress in a weeklong deadlock. As he begins his tenure as Speaker, will these sorts of standoffs be the rule, not the exception?

Guest: Jim Newell, Slate’s senior politics writer.

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.

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How War in Taiwan Could Short-Circuit U.S. Tech

Sun, 08 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Roughly 95 percent of advanced semiconductor chip manufacturing happens in Taiwan, leaving the U.S. vulnerable to supply chain shocks and national security threats. Is the Biden administration’s $280 billion bill, signed in August last year, enough to boost domestic chip manufacturing?

Guest: Don Clark, freelance reporter specializing on chips and enterprise tech.

Host: Emily Peck

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Will Southwest Be Held Accountable?

Fri, 06 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Over the holidays, thousands of passengers were left stranded or delayed when Southwest Airline’s outdated re-booking software broke down. Who can be held accountable, and why don’t airlines invest more in their own infrastructure?

Guest: Heather Tal Murphy, business and technology reporter for Slate.

Host: Mary C. Curtis

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Trapped on the Streets of El Paso

Thu, 05 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Enacted at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Title 42 allows border patrol to expel migrants from the U.S. before they have a chance to apply for asylum. Denied the opportunity to apply for asylum, and unable to travel, migrants are left to fend for themselves on the streets of El Paso in winter.

Guest: Bob Moore, founder and CEO of El Paso Matters

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The "Grooming" Panic's Real Origins

Wed, 04 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT

For decades it felt like society was growing more accepting of the LGBTQ community, but in the past few years, hospitals have faced bomb threats, drag story hours have been beset by armed protestors, and queer spaces have been violently targeted. What happened?

Guest: David Mack, senior breaking news reporter for Buzzfeed News.

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Nancy Pelosi’s Legacy

Tue, 03 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Villainized by the right, protested from the left, Nancy Pelosi led the Democrats through the Iraq War, the fight for Obamacare, and two impeachments. As Congress resumes, she will step down from leading the House Democrats, leaving behind a complicated legacy—and a list of hard-fought accomplishments.

Guest: Rachael Bade, political analyst for CNN and the co-author of Politico’s “Playbook” newsletter.

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One Year 1942: The Black-Japanese Axis

Thu, 29 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT

As we catch our breath over the holidays, enjoy this episode of Slate's One Year podcast. What Next returns next week.

In 1942, federal officials targeted a group of Black Americans who were allegedly hoping for a Japanese invasion. They uncovered a plot that included stockpiles of weapons and secret passwords—but was any of it true? This week, Joel Anderson tells the story of a shadowy organization in East St. Louis, Illinois, the group’s mysterious leader, and an alleged conspiracy against America during World War II.

This episode of One Year was produced by Evan Chung, Sophie Summergrad, Sam Kim, Joel Anderson, Sol Werthan, and Josh Levin.

Derek John is executive producer of narrative podcasts and Merritt Jacob is senior technical director.

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One Year 1942: When Internment Came to Alaska

Wed, 28 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT

As we catch our breath over the holidays, enjoy this episode of Slate's One Year podcast. What Next returns next week.

Six months after Pearl Harbor, Japan launched another attack on the United States. This time, Axis forces actually invaded, turning the Aleutian Islands into a battleground. What the country did next, in the name of “protecting” Alaska’s Indigenous people, is a shameful chapter of the war. And it’s one the nation has never fully reckoned with.

This episode of One Year was produced by Evan Chung, Sophie Summergrad, Sam Kim, Sol Werthan, and Josh Levin.

Derek John is senior supervising producer of narrative podcasts and Merritt Jacob is senior technical director.

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One Year 1942: The Info Wars of World War II

Tue, 27 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT

As we catch our breath over the holidays, enjoy this episode of Slate's One Year podcast. What Next returns next week.

In March 1942, a new nightly radio show hit the American airwaves. The stated goal of Station Debunk was to correct all the lies getting tossed around about America’s involvement in the war. But the real story was a whole lot stranger and more devious than it appeared.

One Year is produced by Evan Chung, Sophie Summergrad, Sam Kim, and Josh Levin.

Derek John is senior supervising producer of narrative podcasts and Merritt Jacob is senior technical director.

Slate Plus members get to hear more about the making of One Year. Get access to extra episodes, listen to the show without any ads, and support One Year by signing up for Slate Plus for just $15 for your first three months.

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One Year 1942: The Year Everyone Got Married

Mon, 26 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT

As we catch our breath over the holidays, enjoy this episode of Slate's One Year podcast. What Next returns next week.

There were 1.8 million weddings in 1942, the most that had ever been recorded in a single year in American history. But how many of them would last? 98-year-old Millie Summergrad tells the story of one that did: her own. And a pair of brothers explain what it was like to grow up inside the busiest chapel in Yuma, Arizona—the wedding capital of the United States.

One Year is produced by Evan Chung, Sophie Summergrad, Sam Kim, and Josh Levin.

Derek John is senior supervising producer of narrative podcasts and Merritt Jacob is senior technical director.

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One Year - 1942: The Most Hated Man in America

Fri, 23 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT

At the beginning of World War II, the greatest threat to the American war effort wasn’t the Nazis or the Japanese—it was runaway inflation. The man in charge of stopping it was the country’s “price czar,” Leon Henderson. In 1942, he controlled how much coffee ordinary people could drink and how many tires they could buy. Those rules made him a nationwide villain. But would they save the country?

One Year is produced by Evan Chung, Sophie Summergrad, Sam Kim, and Josh Levin.

Derek John is senior supervising producer of narrative podcasts and Merritt Jacob is senior technical director.

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2022 Retrospective | Dua Lipa’s Copyright Problem

Thu, 22 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT

This week we look back on some of our favorite stories from a year that had us asking—sometimes with excitement and sometimes with exasperation—"What Next”? This episode originally aired March 29.

After more than 70 weeks on the Billboard U.S. Hot 100, Dua Lipa and her song “Levitating” have run into trouble: two separate copyright complaints claiming the pop star ripped off other artists in writing her hit. These aren’t the first lawsuits to test the boundaries of what counts as plagiarism in the musical realm; and if either suit succeeds, it will have far-reaching consequences for creativity in the industry.

Guest: Jeremy Orosz, associate professor of music theory at the University of Memphis.

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.

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2022 Retrospective | How Soccer's Best Women Finally Got Paid

Wed, 21 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT

This week we look back on some of our favorite stories from a year that had us asking—sometimes with excitement and sometimes with exasperation—"What Next”? This episode originally aired June 1.

If you want to understand the way inequality is baked into the systems and structures all around us, examining the pay equity issue in U.S. soccer is a pretty good place to start. But after a six-year battle, the U.S. Women’s National Team struck an agreement with U.S. Soccer, ensuring equal pay for equal work for the men’s and women’s teams — another victory for a team that doesn’t take no for an answer.

Guest: Christina Cauterucci, senior writer at Slate and a former middle school soccer star.

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.

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2022 Retrospective | Amazon Gets Its First Union

Tue, 20 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Few were betting that a group of workers on Staten Island could win union recognition at their Amazon warehouse. Now that they’ve done it, can they replicate this win at other shops across the country? And what will the nation’s largest unions do to help Amazon workers join the labor movement?

Guest: Steven Greenhouse, senior fellow at the Century Foundation and author of Beaten Down, Worked Up: The Past, Present, and Future of American Labor.

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.

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2022 Retrospective | What the Sackler Family Won

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT

This week we look back on some of our favorite stories from a year that had us asking—sometimes with excitement and sometimes with exasperation—"What Next?" This episode originally aired March 21.

A very strange bankruptcy case is coming to a close. Its settlement hinges not on payments rendered or bills neglected, but on the pain of millions of American families who slid into the jaws of the opioid crisis. Now, the people who set off the crisis are about to settle their debts.

Guest: Brian Mann, reporter on addiction for NPR.

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.

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Are You Ready For Lab-Grown Meat?

Sun, 18 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT

The Food and Drug Administration gave an important thumbs up to lab-grown chicken, which means we could start seeing it in stores as soon as next year. While billions of dollars have been spent developing lab-grown meat, important questions remain: Is the production of it actually greener than raising livestock? Can it be made affordably? Is it healthy? And will anyone eat it?

Guest: Chloe Sorvino, staff writer on food and agriculture at Forbes, and the author of Raw Deal: Hidden Corruption, Corporate Greed and the Fight for the Future of Meat.

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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SBF's Worst Week Yet

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Even in a crazy year for crypto, Sam Bankman-Fried’s story is undeniably the most bananas. And even in the context of the implosion of FTX, getting arrested has got to make this week his worst yet. What charges does SBF face?

Guest: Stacy-Marie Ishmael, managing editor on crypto for Bloomberg News

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

Sponsored by Saks.com. Check out the Holiday Gift Guide on saks.com

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Germany Cribs From the QAnon Playbook

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT

The Reichsbürger movement is the group behind the plot to overthrow the German government that was disrupted last week. Their grievances are both specific to their country—that the German government is illegitimate and the Reich needs to be reestablished—and familiar to right-wing extremist watchers in the U.S.. They have been radicalized by lockdowns, vaccine requirements, and Qanon. How is this American conspiracy exporting itself?

Guest: Josh Keating, global security reporter at Grid focused on conflict, diplomacy, and foreign policy.

Sponsored by Saks.com. Check out the Holiday Gift Guide on saks.com

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Inside the Right-Wing Judicial Machine

Wed, 14 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Since its founding in the 1980s, the Federalist Society has been advancing right-wing judges through the American judicial system. One of their most ardent critics called up a member to talk about how.

Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, Slate senior writer.

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The Magic of Messi

Tue, 13 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Argentina and Croatia face off in the World Cup semifinals today, and all eyes are on Lionel Messi. At 35, Messi is trying to put a cap on a legendary career and bring a World Cup championship to his home country.

How did he get to the top of the soccer world? And what will be his legacy if Argentina loses?

Guest: Jasmine Garsd Garcia, host of NPR’s soccer podcast “The Last Cup.”

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The Last Time NYC Tried to Hospitalize the Homeless

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT

In an effort to address New York’s growing problem of unhoused people living on the streets, Mayor Eric Adams announced that the city would start involuntarily hospitalizing people. It’s a strategy the city tried back in the ‘80s as well. Why didn’t it work then?

Guest: Sam Tsemberis, founder and executive director of Pathways to Housing, and associate clinical professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at UCLA.

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San Francisco’s Self-Driving Mess

Sun, 11 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Self-driving cars and robotaxis are starting to appear on the streets of San Francisco. While we have a whole regulatory system in place for drivers, who’s making sure these new cars are safe?

Guest: David Zipper, Visiting Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School's Taubman Center for State and Local Government

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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Let’s Talk, Chatbots

Fri, 09 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Artificial intelligence is growing in leaps and bounds, and everywhere from Big Tech companies like Google to small teams like OpenAI are developing more and more convincing chatbots. Is the world ready for convincing, talking computers?

Guest: Alex Kantrowitz, host of the Big Technology podcast.

Host: Emily Peck

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Can Iran's Protest Movement Survive?

Thu, 08 Dec 2022 10:00:00 GMT

Toomaj Salehi, an Iranian rapper known for criticizing the regime with his music, has been arrested by the Iranian government. His friends and family now worry he could face the death penalty.

Guest: Nahayat Tizhoosh, Producer at the CBC.

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What It Took for a Red State to Pause Executions

Wed, 07 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Three botched lethal injections in Alabama have once again highlighted the practical complexity and possible illegality of the death penalty. Even states that are adamantly in favor of capital punishment are being stalled on a purely pragmatic level.

Guest: Elizabeth Bruenig, staff writer at The Atlantic

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The Last Senate Race

Tue, 06 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Even after a campaign awash in scandals, gaffes, and the occasional speculation on werewolves vs. vampires, Herschel Walker still can’t be counted out in the run-off election to represent Georgia in the U.S. Senate. What can the parties take away from the last race of the 2022 midterms?

Guest: Jim Newell, Senior Politics Writer for Slate.

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Out of Afghanistan

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT

The U.S. has welcomed thousands Afghan refugees since pulling out of Afghanistan in 2021. Safe from the Taliban, but without social security numbers,credit ratings, or even sometimes basic English, they have to make a new life relying on a patchwork of volunteers and their wits.

Guests:

Elena MacFarlane, volunteer with the Immigrant and Refugee Outreach Center and assistant Professor in the Johns Hopkins Department of Genetic Medicine.

Lila and Basheer, Afghan refugees living in Maryland.

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Big Tech’s Boogeymen In Washington

Sun, 04 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT

The Biden administration’s Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission are both staffed with accomplished progressives who are proving more aggressive than their predecessors in either the Trump or Obama eras. But can Big Tech be tamed?

Guest: Leah Nylen, reporter for Bloomberg News

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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Twitter's Vulnerabilities, Exposed

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Dating back to the Arab Spring, Twitter’s potential for real-time organizing has been a selling point. But trying to find information on China’s “Zero COVID” protests reveals just how vulnerable the now-understaffed platform is to manipulation.

Guest: Joseph Menn, cybersecurity reporter for the Washington Post.

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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China’s Revolt Against “Zero COVID”

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT

For nearly three years, people in China have endured their government’s “Zero COVID” policies to prevent cases from overwhelming their hospital system. But after a fire in Urumqi broke out and videos spread of fire rescue having trouble reaching the building, people have taken to the streets in defiance of orders and even gone as far as demanding President Xi Jinping’s resignation.

Guest: Matthew Brazil, co-author of Chinese Communist Espionage: An Intelligence Primer and a fellow at the Jamestown Foundation.

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It Isn't Time to Negotiate in Ukraine...Yet

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 08:00:00 GMT

With no clear path to advance and winter settling in, what would it take for Russia to negotiate an exit from Ukraine?

Guest: Fred Kaplan. Slate’s war stories correspondent

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Is This the End of College Rankings?

Tue, 29 Nov 2022 08:00:00 GMT

With Yale and Harvard law schools withdrawing from U.S. News & World Report’s annual law school rankings, others have followed suit. With the rating system for all colleges taking criticism, being “gamed,” and beset by scandal, is this the beginning of the end of the influential college-ranking system?

Guest: Colin Diver, the Charles A. Heimbold, Jr., Professor of Law and Economics Emeritus at the University of Pennsylvania, former Dean of Penn Law School and president of Reed College, 2002 through 2012.

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Hakeem Jeffries’ House

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Hakeem Jeffries appears set to take over as Nancy Pelosi steps down as the head of the House Democrats. As a member of the Progressive Caucus who has often sided against progressives with party leadership, what will the House Democrats look like with Jefferies at the helm?

Guest: Alex Sammon, politics writer at Slate.

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The Trap of Buy Now, Pay Later

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 08:00:00 GMT

The option to “buy now and pay later” over installments exploded over the past two years, thanks to people being flush with stimulus cash and shopping online during the pandemic. But is this new, underregulated industry a useful line of credit or another path into debt?

Guest: Paulina Cachero, personal finance reporter for Bloomberg.

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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Ticketmaster's Swift Meltdown

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 08:00:00 GMT

When presale tickets for Taylor Swift’s upcoming tour effectively broke the internet last week, Ticketmaster emerged as the villain…again. The media behemoth has been reviled since the ‘90s, but it has continued to grow, through a merger with Live Nation. What can a Department of Justice antitrust investigation, buoyed by Swifties, actually do?

Guest: Jason Koebler, editor-in-chief of Motherboard at Vice.

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Why Outlawing Slavery Won't Outlaw Slavery—Yet

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 08:00:00 GMT

During the 2022 midterms, four states voted to ban slavery, which is still legal—and practiced—in the form of forced prison labor. The ballot initiatives are designed to keep people from having to work against their will and could provide prisoners with the opportunity to sue for higher wages, and better working conditions, including medical exemptions for those who are pregnant and postpartum.

Guest: Candace Bond-Theriault Esq., Director of Racial Justice Policy & Strategy at Columbia Law School’s Center for Gender & Sexuality Law.

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The Real Danger of Fentanyl

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Fentanyl has been a right-wing boogeyman and ostensible reason for Republicans to rail for more security at the U.S.-Mexico border. As the opioid crisis continues, the danger fentanyl poses has become vividly clear. While stopping overdoses is important, resurfacing nasty drug war tropes isn’t helping.

Guest: Brian Mann, NPR correspondent covering addiction

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The End of the Tech Boom

Sun, 20 Nov 2022 08:00:00 GMT

After decades as America’s booming industry, tens of thousands of tech workers have been laid off in November alone. Is the venture-capital, low-interest-rate wind leaving the sails temporary or is this the end of the hunt for “the next big thing?”

Guest: Timothy B. Lee, reporter for Full Stack Economics covering labor markets, technology, and housing.

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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The Case Against Climate Reparations

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 08:00:00 GMT

At this year’s annual UN conference on climate change, they are discussing “climate reparations,” wherein the rich countries that grew their wealth burning fossil fuels pay money to poorer and more vulnerable countries. It sounds sensible, but is the UN capable of administering something like this? And how much money are we talking here?

Guest: Vijay Vaitheeswaran, global energy and climate innovation editor at The Economist.

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

Thanks Avast.com! Learn more about Avast One at Avast.com

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The Shiny New Target for Political Spending

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 08:00:00 GMT

State supreme court elections, for a long time, were an afterthought; filler for the ballot’s second page. But with questions of abortion rights on the line, this year both parties started pouring money and attention on the races across the country. Even where the races are explicitly “non-partisan,” the partisan political machine has arrived.

Guest: Erik Ortiz, staff writer for NBC News focusing on racial injustice and social inequality.

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Will SCOTUS Take Native Children Away From Their Families?

Wed, 16 Nov 2022 08:00:00 GMT

The Supreme Court case Brackeen v. Haaland concerns how adoption placement currently works under the Indian Child Welfare Act. The law prioritizes placing Native children with Native families. But depending on how the court rules, striking down or changing ICWA could affect not only adoption but Indian tribes’ entire status as sovereign nations.

Guest: Elizabeth Hidalgo Reese, Stanford law professor and scholar of American Indian tribal law, federal Indian law, and constitutional law.

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How New York Democrats Blew It

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 08:00:00 GMT

After bracing themselves for a “red wave,” the Democrats will keep their Senate majority after the midterms. However, the Republicans will likely, narrowly take the House, thanks in part to gains made in deep blue New York State. How did the party bungle this so badly? And why do some Democrats say it’s Andrew Cuomo’s fault?

Guest: Jimmy Vielkind, reporter for the Wall Street Journal covering New York State politics and government.

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The Far Right’s Alarming Rise in Israel

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Though just last year he was ousted from office amidst corruption charges, Benjamin Netanyahu has returned to power, leading a coalition of three hard right-wing parties. Palestinians inside Israel are concerned that some of their leaders are now emboldened in their goal of expelling Arabs from the country.

Guest: Peter Beinart, professor of journalism and political science at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York and an editor-at-large at Jewish Currents.

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Is This The Cryptocalypse?

Sun, 13 Nov 2022 08:00:00 GMT

The (once) third-largest cryptocurrency exchange, FTX, collapsed in stunning fashion this week, highlighting why consumers really do want regulation, and why old financial institutions remain wary of crypto.

Guest: Felix Salmon, host of Slate Money, chief financial correspondent for Axios.

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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Senator Chris Murphy on Elon's Acquisition of Twitter

Fri, 11 Nov 2022 08:00:00 GMT

The second largest investor in Twitter, after Elon Musk, is the Saudis, which raises questions about what kinds of “free speech” Musk is really committed to. But it also raises questions around national security in the U.S.

Guest: Chris Murphy, U.S. Senator from Connecticut

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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Did Trump Crash the Red Wave?

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 08:00:00 GMT

The dust still hasn’t settled from the midterm elections. But some themes have begun emerging: the GOP underperformed; the right to abortion won on state-level votes; Florida has gone red, but Democrats won gubernatorial races across the old “blue wall.” And it may be time for Republicans to consider who they are, apart from the party of Trump.

Guest: Jamelle Bouie, columnist at the New York Times.

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What Texas' Attacks on Trans Healthcare Did to One Family

Wed, 09 Nov 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Guests:

Katie Laird, social justice blogger.

Noah Laird, high school junior.

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The Frightening Rise in Political Violence

Tue, 08 Nov 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Paul Pelosi joined a growing list of Congress members and their families who have been targets of violent political attacks. What can be done about the growing safety risk of being in the public eye? And what does living under threat do to the people charged with running the government?

Guest: Liz Goodwin, Congress reporter at the Washington Post.

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How the Dems Win Back the Rust Belt

Mon, 07 Nov 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Trump won Ohio handily, and it’s been expected that JD Vance would cruise into a Senate seat this fall. But Democratic candidate Tim Ryan seems to have struck a chord with the very demographics that have been drifting away from his party. Does he have what it takes to win in Trump country? And could his success be replicated across the Midwest?

Guest: Alec MacGillis, politics and government reporter at ProPublica.

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Why Are So Many Little Kids Sick Right Now?

Sun, 06 Nov 2022 08:00:00 GMT

It’s been a rough autumn for parents of little kids, as non-COVID respiratory diseases are taking advantage of the first fall since 2019 where schools and daycares are full again, and America’s strained pediatric health care system is once again put to the test.

Guest: Katherine Wu, science writer for The Atlantic.

Host: Lizzie O’Leary.

Podcast production by Madeline Ducharme.

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So How’s It Going, Elon?

Fri, 04 Nov 2022 07:00:00 GMT

One week in as head honcho of Twitter and Elon Musk is in a tight spot: how do you balance the desires of advertisers with your ostensible zeal for free speech? How do you make something for which you’ve already overpaid turn a profit? How do you convince Stephen King to pony up for a blue check?

Guest: Alex Kirshner, contributing writer at Slate.

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

Podcast production by Madeline Ducharme.

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The Stakes of Nevada’s Latino Vote

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Democrats have been winning reliably in Nevada, but between the lack of enthusiasm for Joe Biden among Latino voters, and a lackluster voter-turnout effort from Vegas’s hospitality union, it’s very possible that the face of Nevada’s “Stop the Steal” effort may win a Senate seat.

Guest: Jon Ralston, CEO and Editor in Chief of The Nevada Independent.

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Can an Anti-Trump Republican Still Win?

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Joe Biden won Colorado by 13 points, which is why Jim O’Dea is running for the Senate as a moderate Republican—one who will stand up to Donald Trump. It’s a message that isn’t winning support from Democratic voters, and may well be undermining his appeal to Republicans.

Guest: Jim Newell, senior politics writer at Slate.

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SCOTUS Reviews Affirmative Action…Again

Tue, 01 Nov 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Yesterday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in two cases challenging race-conscious admissions programs. If the justices decide that affirmative action is unconstitutional—as they seem poised to do—how can universities still create diverse student bodies?

Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, senior writer at Slate covering the Supreme Court.

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Should You Panic Over America's Test Scores?

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT

According to the recently released results of the National Assessment of Educational Progress, American students across the country are scoring lower on math and reading. But before we panic, it’s important to put those results in context, and consider what evaluations can actually tell us.

Guest: Jack Schneider, associate professor of education at the University of Massachusetts Lowell and co-host of the education policy podcast “Have You Heard.”

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Big Brother, Big Tech and China

Sun, 30 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT

There are some 400 million surveillance cameras installed in China, one for every three to four civilians. Built with the help of American tech companies, the surveillance state was pitched to the public as a way to make society safer and more efficient. But after severe lockdowns during COVID, the public has been objecting out of the eye of the camera lens. Protests are being written on bathroom walls.

Guest: Josh Chin, deputy bureau chief, China, for the Wall Street Journal

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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Twitter Is Dead; Long Live Twitter

Fri, 28 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Twitter has been a lot of things—where you posted your lunch, where you met your people, where you were subjected to a harassment campaign. Now, as Elon Musk prepares to take the reins, where is it headed?

Guest: Will Oremus, technology reporter for the Washington Post.

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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When Child Protective Services Gets It Wrong

Thu, 27 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT

An investigation into child welfare agencies around the country uncovered that the vast majority of searches of home environments happen without anything like a warrant, increasing the stress for parents as well as the children whose welfare is supposed to be being protected.

Guest: Eli Hager, ProPublica reporter covering issues affecting children and teens in the Southwest.

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The True Origins of the U.K.’s Political Mess

Wed, 26 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT

The truth is, no one ever had a workable plan for Brexit. And as Liz Truss becomes the fourth Prime Minister to resign since the referendum and Rishi Sunak steps in as tribute, it’s an important lesson for voters on any side of the Atlantic: You can’t stake your party—or your country’s future—on a lie.

Guest: Felix Salmon, host of Slate Money, chief financial correspondent at Axios.

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Is Fetterman's Disability Anyone’s Business?

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Reporters have questioned whether Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman, who had a stroke in May, is competent to serve in the U.S. Senate. The attention on his apparent aphasia – or ability to process conversation and speak clearly – reveals the biases that keep many disabled people from disclosing their conditions or even running for office in the first place.

Guest: Sara Luterman, caregiving reporter for The 19th News.

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How DeSantis Redrew Florida’s Map

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Ron DeSantis broke with tradition when he rejected the Florida legislature’s redistricting map and presented his own. But by splitting a majority Black district in northern Florida into four other districts, he may have violated both Florida and federal laws against gerrymandering.

Guest: Joshua Kaplan, reporter at ProPublica.

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Can We Make an Alzheimer’s Drug That Works?

Sun, 23 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Alzheimer’s treatment hasn’t changed much in the past two decades, and the way researchers have been thinking about and approaching the disease may be to blame.

Guest: Damian Garde, reporter for Stat covering the biotech industry.

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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When An Algorithm Raises Your Rent

Fri, 21 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT

One company’s software is helping set prices for apartments across the country. But when does an algorithm telling landlords how much to charge—by drawing on property data—cross the line from “handy tool” to “illegal price-fixing”?

Guest: Heather Vogell, reporter with ProPublica

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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What Happened to Kanye West?

Thu, 20 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT

You can divide the career of the artist formerly known as Kanye West into chapters using off-script televised moments—announcing “George W. Bush doesn’t care about Black people” during a Hurricane Katrina telethon; interrupting Taylor Swift on stage at the VMAs; calling 400 years of slavery a choice in the TMZ offices. Now his Tucker Carlson appearance and subsequent bans from social media for antisemitic posts have Ye entering the “buying Parler phase” of his career. Fans of the “old Kanye” are missing more than just his choice samples.

Guest: Nitish Pahwa, staff writer and web editor at Slate.

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GOP to Cities: Drop Dead

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Republican rhetoric paints America’s cities as cesspools of crime, homeless and, uh, out-of-touch elites, and the party has largely given up courting urban voters. The GOP may be able to hold on to power thanks to voting systems that favor rural areas, but legislating as though their responsibilities stop at the city lines is a growing concern for the Americans who actually live there.

Guest: Henry Grabar, staff writer at Slate.

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Five Years of #MeToo

Tue, 18 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Five years after exposés in the New Yorker and New York Times, Harvey Weinstein is in jail—but a major rallying point of #MeToo was just how widespread this sexual harassment, abuse, and violence really is in workplaces across industries. Looking back, from the top of media to blue- and pink-collar work, how much has the #MeToo movement changed?

Guest: Christina Cauterucci, senior writer at Slate.

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An American Surgeon in Wartime Ukraine

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT

As a Syrian American surgeon living in Chicago, Dr. Samer Attar felt compelled to be of service during the Syrian civil war, when doctors were being driven underground by Syria’s Russia-backed military. When Russian bombs began raining down in Ukraine this year, Dr. Attar once more raised his hand to cross the border and treat the war-wounded.

Guest: Dr. Samer Attar, associate professor of surgery at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

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Are You Ready to Be Composted When You Die?

Sun, 16 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT

The idea of composting a human body may seem unsettling—or even gross—and it runs counter to the normal American funeral rites of embalming and internment, which preserve the body. But advocates say it’s a greener and more peaceful way to return our bodies to the Earth.

Guest: Eleanor Cummins, science journalist

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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The Next Amazon Union Fight

Fri, 14 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Following their victory in Staten Island, the Amazon Labor Union is still facing an uphill battle. Both the company and the union are closely watching the organizing vote at a warehouse outside of Albany, NY.

Guest: Noam Scheiber, labor reporter for the New York Times.

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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How Bad Is the Economy Going to Get?

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT

With inflation up and unemployment down, the Federal Reserve is raising interest rates and signaling that they’re willing to risk a lot to stall the rising price of everything. But is Jerome Powell doing too much—or is he already too late to avoid a painful recession?

Guest: Jordan Weissmann, senior editor at Slate reporting on economics, politics, and public policy.

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How Is Herschel Walker Still in This?

Wed, 12 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Herschel Walker’s campaign for the U.S. Senate has been rocky to say the least, with revelations of heretofore-unmentioned children, accusations of domestic abuse, and multiple abortions paid for by the aggressively pro-life candidate. Yet the race remains close with Reverend Raphael Warnock—and the outcome could determine which party controls the Senate.

Guest: Greg Bluestein, political reporter at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

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Roger Stone’s January 6th

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT

When the January 6 committee reconvenes, one their first orders of business will likely concern longtime GOP operative and Trump ally Roger Stone. What have lawmakers discovered in the raw footage from a Danish documentary team, and Stone’s personal text messages? And what does it reveal about January 6?

Guest: Josh Meyer, USA Today’s domestic security correspondent.

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Amicus: Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson Gives SCOTUS a History Lesson

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT

What Next is still enjoying the three-day weekend, so we proudly present this special episode of Amicus.

Dahlia Lithwick is joined by two key players from this week’s consequential voting rights cases at the US Supreme Court. The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund’s senior counsel Deuel Ross argued part of Merrill v Milligan at the High Court on Tuesday, and Evan Milligan of Alabama Forward is the named plaintiff in one of a pair of cases that argued that Alabama’s congressional maps are racially gerrymandered in violation of Section II of the Voting Rights Act. They take listeners inside the arguments, and provide vital context for the challenges faced by residents of Alabama’s Black Belt in accessing healthcare, infrastructure and not coincidentally, political representation.

Next, Dahlia is joined by Sam Sankar, Senior Vice President of Programs at Earth Justice to discuss what went down in Sackett v EPA, a case argued Monday that could have wide-ranging effects on the waters and wetlands of the United States.

In this week’s Amicus Plus segment, Dahlia is joined by Mark Joseph Stern to talk about the new dynamics of arguments with Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson taking her seat at the High Court, the conservative reaction to their favorite text and history rubric being applied by the first African American woman on the court (huh, they don’t love it?), and what to expect from a new filing in the Mar A Lago investigation that’s on its way to 1, First Street. Sign up for Slate Plus now to listen and support our show.

Dahlia’s new book Lady Justice: Women, the Law and the Battle to Save America, is also available as an audiobook, and Amicus listeners can get a 25% discount by entering the code “AMICUS” at checkout.

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When Your Church Surveils Your Phone

Sun, 09 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Churches are using accountability apps to keep tabs on their members' behavior. But if your pastor wants to monitor your phone, can you truly consent?

Guest: Dhruv Mehrotra

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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Could the Supreme Court Kill the Internet As We Know It?

Fri, 07 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Twenty-six words defined the internet as we know it today. What happens if they’re deleted?

Guest: Jeff Kosseff

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

The Twenty-Six Words That Created the Internet

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Putin Is in a Dangerous Spot

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT

With the war turning towards Ukraine’s favor, Vladimir Putin is becoming more isolated and more dangerous. Can Ukrainians expel the Russians—or the Russians expel Putin—while avoiding the worst-case scenario?

Guest: Bryan Bender, senior national correspondent for POLITICO.

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Congress Can't Quit the Stock Market

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT

A bipartisan effort to prevent members of Congress from trading stock while in office is wildly popular. But so far, no such bill has gained much traction on Capitol Hill. Why?

Guest: Sam Brodey, congressional reporter for The Daily Beast.

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The Baby Formula Crisis Is Still Happening

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT

The drastic shortage of infant formula this spring revealed how flaws in food regulation and the supply chain can threaten this most vulnerable part of our population—and everyone else.

Guest: Helena Bottemiller Evich, founder of Food Fix, a publication about food policy.

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What Venezuelan Migrants Are Fleeing

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Venezuela has lost about a fifth of its population since its economic collapse in 2014. Roughly 6.8 million people have fled the country, creating one of the largest refugee crises in the world. Why does Venezuela’s free-fall continue? And how is the U.S. government responding to increasing numbers of Venezuelan refugees?

Guest: Cindy Arnson, a distinguished fellow at The Wilson Center and former director of its Latin American Program.

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The Philosopher With Silicon Valley's Ear

Sun, 02 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Longtermism, the idea that positively influencing the future is a key moral priority of our time, is hot in Silicon Valley. But does it miss the bigger picture?

Guests: William MacAskill, Robert Wright

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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When Climate Change Makes You Sell Your House

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 07:00:00 GMT

With disaster relief funds from Hurricane Harvey, Houston's Harris County instituted a mandatory buyout program for residents in flood-prone areas. But some residents didn't want to leave.

Guest: Amal Ahmed, Dolores Mendoza

Host: Mary C. Curtis

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Does the NBA Have a Bully Problem?

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Last week, Robert Sarver, the owner of the NBA’s Phoenix Suns and the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, announced he would be selling both teams. The decision came after ESPN revealed nearly two decades of harassing behavior by Sarver, and after the NBA slapped him with a one-year suspension and $10 million fine. How was Sarver’s bullying able to go unchecked for so long? Does his departure signal a positive step forward for professional U.S. basketball, or a continuation of the status quo?

Guest: Amira Rose Davis, assistant professor of Black studies at the University of Texas at Austin, and co-host of the feminist sports podcast, Burn It All Down.

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What Iranian Protesters Need Now

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 07:00:00 GMT

What began as a revolt in the wake of an overstep by Iran’s morality police has evolved into a mass movement calling for “death to the dictator.” Protests in Iran are nothing new, but these demonstrations strike at the heart of the Islamic Republic’s repressive regime. Could the nascent movement change a sclerotic regime?

Guest: Gissou Nia, Director of the Atlantic Council’s Strategic Litigation Project.

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Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Elena Schwartz, Carmel Delshad, and Madeline Ducharme, with help from Anna Phillips and Jared Downing.

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What’s Up With the Midterms?

Tue, 27 Sep 2022 13:51:45 GMT

For decades, the conventional wisdom surrounding the midterm elections has been that the party in the White House will lose the seats in the House, Senate, or both. Earlier this year, skyrocketing gas prices and Biden’s sinking approval rating portended misfortune for Democrats, particularly those in swing districts. But now, the fall of Roe and some snappy social media campaigns have shaken up most politicos’ predictions.

Guest: Amy Walter, publisher and editor-in-chief of the Cook Political Report.

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Election Fraud Evangelists Coming to a Town Near You

Mon, 26 Sep 2022 07:00:00 GMT

The 2022 midterms are about to happen, but many Republicans still cling to the big lies that Donald Trump won the 2020 presidential election, or that Joe Biden could have only won through massive fraud. How do you hold an election when a large number of voters, officials, and even candidates are convinced the whole thing is rigged? How do you fight misinformation when it rolls into town like a circus?

Guests:

Annie Gowen, Midwest correspondent for the Washington Post.

Robyn Holmes, county clerk, Otero County, New Mexico

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.

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Can Nuclear Power Be Green?

Sun, 25 Sep 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Nuclear technology has become more important than ever, thanks to a global energy crisis and climate change. But it also has a complicated history.

Guest: Joshua Keating

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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The Fight Over Online Speech Headed to the Supreme Court

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Conservative lawmakers in Florida and Texas are taking aim at content moderation on social media, with implications that go far beyond just the platforms.

Guest: Mark Joseph Stern

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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Puerto Rico Without Power, Again

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 07:00:00 GMT

When Hurricane Maria hit in 2017, it destroyed Puerto Rico’s power grid, leaving vast swathes of the island in the dark and claiming almost 3,000 lives. $9.5 billion was set aside to rejuvenate the island’s power grid and the government-run utility company was taken over by a private one. But five years later, before Hurricane Fiona even hit, the island lost electricity. How could this happen—again?

Guest: Gloria Gonzalez is the Deputy Energy Editor at POLITICO

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.

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A Student Ran For School Board … and Won

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Public schools have become hotly debated—what’s on the curriculum and what isn’t; which books are allowed and which aren’t. But one voice frequently missing from these debates is that of the people most affected: students.

One high school senior in Idaho decided to speak up by running for school board, and he won by unseating an incumbent who had been endorsed by right-wing extremists.

Guest: Shiva Rajbandari, senior at Boise High School and recently elected member to the Boise School District Board of Trustees

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Is Hunter Biden’s Laptop Actually a Big Deal?

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 07:00:00 GMT

An obsession with Hunter Biden’s laptop has been written off as the byproduct of a right-wing media bubble—but the reality is that what you don’t know can hurt you. It’s past time for Democrats and their supporters to confront some uncomfortable facts.

Guest: Olivia Nuzzi, Washington Correspondent for New York magazine.

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Abortion Can’t Be Settled by the States

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 07:00:00 GMT

For years anti-abortion activists have argued that Roe v. Wade wasn’t just immoral, it was federal overreach, and abortion laws should be written on the state level. Only months after Roe’s overturn, district courts are hearing cases that demonstrate why that won’t work—and Republican senators are proposing a national ban on abortions after 15 weeks.

Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, senior writer covering courts and the law for Slate.

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The Hidden Abuse Behind Those Spam Texts You're Getting

Sun, 18 Sep 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Victims of a new and high tech kind of human trafficking are forced to scam people all around the world.

Guest: Cezary Podkul

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

Human Trafficking’s Newest Abuse: Forcing Victims Into Cyberscamming

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How Big Internet Keeps Small Communities Disconnected

Fri, 16 Sep 2022 07:00:00 GMT

A small parish in Louisiana tried to get affordable, fast internet. An incumbent ISP stopped them.

Guest: Issie Lapowsky, Wanda Manning

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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The Master of Monkeypox Messaging

Thu, 15 Sep 2022 07:00:00 GMT

One of the many things laid bare by COVID-19 was the importance of public health messaging—and the many ways it can fail. So when monkeypox began spreading in the U.S., the White House found someone who understands just how important it is to know your audience.

Guest: Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, White House National Monkeypox Response Deputy Coordinator and former director of the CDC Division of HIV Prevention.

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If Russia Loses the War

Wed, 14 Sep 2022 07:00:00 GMT

A Ukrainian counteroffensive has pushed Russian forces back to the east surprisingly quickly and effectively. Military experts are now wondering if Ukraine will win the war outright and avoid the stalemate that seemed likely only a few weeks ago. But if Vladamir Putin starts to feel the heat both in the field and from citizens at home, what is he capable of? And lacking a mechanism to remove their leader from office, what can Russians do?

Guest: Fred Kaplan is Slate’s war stories correspondent and author of The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War.

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The U.K.’s Actual Leadership Crisis

Tue, 13 Sep 2022 07:00:00 GMT

The United Kingdom is saddled with an energy crisis, a pandemic-weary national health service, and continued economic fallout from Brexit. For now, the country is observing an official mourning period, after losing its longest-serving monarch. But soon it will be time for King Charles and newly-installed Prime Minister Liz Truss to show what they’ll do to lead the U.K. through what’s expected to be a grim winter.

Guest: Charlotte Ivers, political correspondent for Times Radio, and columnist for the Sunday Times.

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The Starbucks Unions' Next Fight

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Unions have won more elections in 2022 than they have in nearly 20 years, and they’re making in-roads in high-turnover, retail and service jobs like Starbucks, Chipotle and Amazon. As corporate leaders close down stores, fire union stalwarts, and stall bargaining, unionized workers fear they may never get a contract.

Guest: Rani Molla, senior correspondent at Recode covering business, technology, and the future of work.

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The Chaos That Made YouTube a Juggernaut

Sun, 11 Sep 2022 07:00:00 GMT

An inside look at the rise of YouTube into a social media behemoth.

Guests: Mark Bergen and Claire Stapleton

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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Can A.I. Make Great Art?

Fri, 09 Sep 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Technology is transforming the creative economy and ideas about what "art" even is.

Guest: Drew Harwell

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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The DeSantis Ally on the School Board

Thu, 08 Sep 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Under Governor Ron DeSantis, the Parental Rights in Education Act—what critics call the “Don’t Say Gay” bill—and “curriculum transparency” laws are going into effect in Florida schools. Supporters say the laws are there to protect students and keep them from being “indoctrinated.” But the state now faces a “critical teacher shortage” and teachers are pointing to state intervention as a reason for low morale.

Guest: Bridget Ziegler, Sarasota County school board member and co-founder of Moms for Liberty.

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An Out Teen in the “Don’t Say Gay” State

Wed, 07 Sep 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Today’s high schoolers have lived in an America with legally recognized gay marriage for nearly half of their lives, but this fall, Florida students are starting the first school year under the “Parental Rights in Education” law, a.k.a. “Don’t Say Gay,” and LGBTQ students are bracing for a very different classroom experience.

Guest: Will Larkins, a 17-year-old senior at Winter Park High School, Florida and cofounder of the school’s Queer Student Union.

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The Christian College Upending Florida's Schools

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 07:00:00 GMT

In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis has encouraged a small Christian college to exert an unusual amount of influence over education policy. Hillsdale College is an institution growing in notoriety among conservative luminaries. Now, Hillsdale is using Florida public schools as a laboratory for its plans to reshape public education across the country.

Guest: Anita Carson, a former sixth-grade teacher in Florida, and Sommer Brugal, education reporter for the Miami Herald.

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One Year - 1986: The Ultimate Field Trip

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 09:00:00 GMT

We’ve got something special for you this Labor Day: an episode from the new season of Slate’s narrative history podcast One Year. Evan Chung tells the story of the American teachers who competed for an unprecedented prize: a spot on the January 1986 launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger. Three of the finalists describe the grueling selection process and the tragedy that killed one of their own.

One Year is produced by Evan Chung, Sophie Summergrad, Sam Kim, Madeline Ducharme, and Josh Levin.

Derek John is Sr. Supervising Producer of Narrative Podcasts and Merritt Jacob is Sr. Technical Director.

Slate Plus members get to hear more about the making of One Year. Get access to extra episodes, listen to the show without any ads, and support One Year by signing up for Slate Plus for just $15 for your first three months.

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The Summer Vaccine of the Future

Sun, 04 Sep 2022 07:00:00 GMT

LYMErix, the first vaccine against Lyme, was pulled from the market amid poor sales and pressure from the public. Now, over 20 years later, a new vaccine is in late-stage trials.

Guest: Cassandra Willyard

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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A.I. Made to Fight Child Porn Ensnared an Innocent Dad

Fri, 02 Sep 2022 07:00:00 GMT

A father took a photo of his son for their doctor. He wound up being investigated by the police.

Guest: Kashmir Hill

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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Best Of 2022 | The Michigan Democrat Who Said “Enough”

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Michigan state Senator Mallory McMorrow went viral in April for striking back at an extreme characterization made by a Republican colleague. The video of McMorrow’s speech—viewed over 14 million times—tells a bigger story about how national political rhetoric is affecting local political debates. But is the senator really demonstrating how to reset the terms of debate? Or is she just one more person who went viral for speaking to her echo chamber?

As summer winds down, we're replaying some of our favorite episodes from this year. This episode originally aired on May 3, 2022.

Guest: Mallory McMorrow, Michigan state senator representing Grand Oak and the suburbs north of Detroit.

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Best Of 2022 | When Your Book Gets Banned By the School Board

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Banning books in schools is on the rise. Around the country, parents are lobbying to banish from libraries and curriculums any work they deem to be “graphic” or “offensive,” often sweeping up books centered on queer or POC experiences in the process. Some authors say that’s no coincidence - nor is it surprising that this is happening just as the publishing industry is remaking itself to tell more diverse stories. The question is, what’s the best way to respond to the outrage?

This week as we wind down the summer, we're replaying some of our favorite episodes of this year. This episode originally aired on February 13, 2022.

Guest: Ashley Hope Pérez, author of three YA novels, including Out of Darkness, and professor of literature at Ohio State University.

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Best Of 2022 | The NFL’s Race Problem

Tue, 30 Aug 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Until last month, Brian Flores was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins, and one of only three Black head coaches among the NFL’s 32 teams. That number has since dropped to one.

On Tuesday, Flores announced he was suing the NFL, alleging that the league's hiring practices are racist. His suit comes almost 20 years after the creation of the Rooney Rule, which requires teams to interview ethnic-minority candidates for senior positions, and eight years after Colin Kaepernick was black-balled from the sport for kneeling during the national anthem—begging the question of how much has really changed in that time.

This week as we ease out of summer, we are replaying some of our favorite episodes from the last year. This episode originally aired February 7, 2022.

Guest: LZ Granderson, columnist for the Los Angeles Times and host of ABC News’ “Life Out Loud with LZ Granderson.”

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Best Of 2022 | Ginni Thomas Wanted a Revolution

Mon, 29 Aug 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, is a fervent right-wing activist. She was also a supporter of the attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results, as evidenced by a batch of texts shared with the congressional committee investigating January 6th.

The Ginni Thomas texts create a conflict of interest for Justice Clarence Thomas as he hears cases pertaining to the insurrection. But the Supreme Court is not expected to do much to dispel notions of bias. Why?

Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, senior writer covering courts and the law for Slate.

This week as we ease out of summer, we are replaying some of our favorite episodes from the last year. This episode originally aired March 30, 2022.

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The Streaming TV Bloodbath

Sun, 28 Aug 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Shows are disappearing. Staff are getting axed. Is It greed, or necessary for the networks' survival?

Guest: Julia Alexander

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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The Hacker Blowing the Whistle on Twitter

Fri, 26 Aug 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Legendary hacker Peiter "Mudge" Zatko’s reputation in the cybersecurity world is unmatched. His allegations against Twitter’s security are all the more damning because of it.

Guest: Joseph Menn

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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How Serena Transcended Tennis

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 07:00:00 GMT

After winning 23 Grand Slam singles titles, four Olympic gold medals, and over $100 million in prize money, this month Serena Williams announced the end of her professional tennis career. While her on-court accomplishments and longevity put her in the sporting pantheon, her cultural impact is just as remarkable.

Guest: Amira Rose Davis, assistant professor of Black studies at the University of Texas Austin and co-host of the feminist sports podcast Burn It All Down.

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Abuse in the Southern Baptist Convention

Wed, 24 Aug 2022 07:00:00 GMT

The Department of Justice announced this month that they were investigating allegations that leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention mishandled sexual abuse accusations for decades. How have abusers exploited the church’s decentralized structure and notions of forgiveness to avoid accountability, and how have church teachings about sexuality and “purity culture” allowed the abuse to continue?

Guest: Robert Downen, reporter at the Houston Chronicle.

Jules Woodson, co-Founder & COO of Help;Hear;Heal, a nonprofit providing therapy funding for survivors of sexual abuse.

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Oklahoma's Upcoming Execution Spree

Tue, 23 Aug 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Despite its fraught history of botched executions, the state of Oklahoma is preparing to begin a 29 month execution spree this week. 25 dates have been set for men with severe mental illness, personal histories of childhood abuse, inadequate legal representation, or claims of innocence. Though these inmates have been deemed "the worst of the worst," activist nun Sister Helen Prejean implores the world to look at fuller pictures of their lives, and seek out an alternative to the death penalty.

Guest: Sister Helen Prejean, anti-death penalty activist and author of Dead Man Walking, The Death of Innocents, and River of Fire.

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The Migrants Texas Sent to New York City

Mon, 22 Aug 2022 07:00:00 GMT

As part of a stunt to protest the Biden administration’s immigration policies, the governors of Texas and Arizona have been sending bus-loads of migrants to DC and New York without any support. Immigrant advocate groups are scrambling to take care of these people, who were vulnerable well before being used as political props.

Guest: Murad Awawdeh, Executive Director at New York Immigration Coalition & NYIC Action

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We're Expecting the Wrong Things From the CDC

Sun, 21 Aug 2022 07:00:00 GMT

There's no way to remove politics from public health.

Guest: Tim Requarth

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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What All That Money for Green Tech in the Climate Bill Is Buying

Fri, 19 Aug 2022 07:00:00 GMT

The Inflation Reduction Act is spurring progress towards new climate technology that, at times, sounds like something out of a science fiction movie. Will it make a dent in the fight against climate change?

Guest: Pranshu Verma

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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The Red States Punishing Green Businesses

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 07:00:00 GMT

State treasurers in red states have been banding together to punish companies that are trying to divest themselves from the fossil fuel industry. But it isn’t clear if, say, BlackRock needs West Virginia more than West Virginia needs BlackRock. And this new front in the culture war may come with a bill that taxpayers have to pay.

Guest: David Gelles, correspondent on the Climate desk at The New York Times, covering the intersection of public policy and the private sector.

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Will Kentucky Fail Breonna Taylor Again?

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 07:00:00 GMT

When Kentucky attorney general Daniel Cameron investigated the night Breonna Taylor was killed, his office concluded that the two officers who shot Taylor acted in good faith while executing the warrant provided. The Department of Justice’s investigation, however, suggests the warrant itself had false information, without which officers would never have been at Taylor’s home in the first place. Now a candidate for governor, will Cameron pay for his inattention in this high-profile case?

Guest: Tessa Duvall, Frankfort bureau chief for the Lexington Herald-Leader.

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What the DOJ Should Do About Trump

Tue, 16 Aug 2022 07:00:00 GMT

After an FBI search of Mar-a-lago last week, it was revealed that Donald Trump is being investigated for federal crimes including violating the Espionage Act, obstruction of justice, and criminal handling of government records. How can the Justice Department do its job with the former president calling the investigation a hoax and his supporters demonstrating a willingness to respond violently? Who should be worried here?

Guest: Ankush Khardori, contributing writer for New York Magazine's Intelligencer, and contributing editor at POLITICO Magazine.

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Who Influences the Influencers?

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 07:00:00 GMT

During his presidency, Donald Trump demonstrated the power that social media can have in politics. Now, influencers are taking money to spread messages from across the spectrum. Unlike political ads in older media, though, influencers don’t have to disclose who is paying them—or even that they’re being paid at all.

Guest: Ben Wofford, writer based at Stanford Law School, contributor to Wired.

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Big Pharma’s Bet on Psychedelics

Sun, 14 Aug 2022 07:00:00 GMT

The psychedelic renaissance is here. But not everyone’s on board.

Guest: John Semley

Host: Sonari Glinton

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Crypto Could Leave Texas in the Dark

Fri, 12 Aug 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Crypto mining is booming in Texas. Will the power grid be able to handle it?

Guest: Russell Gold

Host: Sonari Glinton

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The Crisis of Trust That Dobbs Created

Thu, 11 Aug 2022 07:00:00 GMT

New abortion restrictions following the repeal of Roe v. Wade have turned some reproductive care into a criminal liability. After a traumatic ectopic pregnancy, one Texas woman is wondering whether state laws delayed her diagnosis and treatment, ultimately leaving her with a ruptured fallopian tube.

Guest: Fatima Abdelwahab of Houston, Texas.

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Is This Climate Bill Worth the Wait?

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 07:00:00 GMT

After decades of dragging their feet on action to slow climate change, the Senate passed what is modeled to be the most impactful climate policy yet. What’s in the Inflation Reduction Act, and how did Democrats finally get the mercurial Joe Manchin on board?

Guest: Robinson Meyer, staff writer at The Atlantic and author of the newsletter The Weekly Planet.

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The Taliban vs. the Press

Tue, 09 Aug 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Afghan women and LGBTQ+ people immediately felt the impact of the Taliban’s return to power last year. But journalists trying to tell their stories could face intense and even violent backlash from the extremist group—like what happened to Lynne O’Donnell.

Guest: Lynne O’Donnell, columnist at Foreign Policy and former Afghanistan bureau chief for Agence France-Presse and the Associated Press.

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The New Era of Child Labor

Mon, 08 Aug 2022 07:00:00 GMT

With an ongoing labor shortage, companies turn to third-party labor brokers to fill jobs. But with little oversight and a surge of immigrants, the line between “ recruiter” and “ trafficker” gets blurred as vulnerable children are sent to work in dangerous conditions.

Guest: Mica Rosenberg, national immigration reporter for Reuters.

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The Monkeypox Vaccine Monopoly

Sun, 07 Aug 2022 07:00:00 GMT

It makes intuitive sense for companies that develop a technology to hold its intellectual property rights. But in the case of vaccines and medical treatments, IP laws slow down manufacturing and distribution and give private companies the power to make huge decisions that affect public health globally.

Guest: Zain Rizvi, researcher for advocacy group Public Citizen, specializing in pharmaceutical innovation and access to medicine.

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The Homes We Forgot to Build a Decade Ago

Fri, 05 Aug 2022 07:00:00 GMT

The US has been in a housing shortage for decades. Can it ever be fixed?

Guest: Conor Dougherty

Host: Emily Peck

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The Democrats’ MAGA Gambit

Thu, 04 Aug 2022 07:00:00 GMT

In the primaries of purple states like Michigan, Arizona, and Pennsylvania, Trump-backed, far-right candidates have been getting a boost from a surprising source: the Democrats. Calculating that it will give their party the edge in general elections, local and national Dems have spent thousands elevating extremists. But will the strategy pay off?

Guest: Jim Newell, senior politics writer for Slate

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Is It Time to Free the “Merchant of Death”?

Wed, 03 Aug 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Known as the “Merchant of Death,” Viktor Bout illegally ferried weapons, diamonds, and even UN peacekeepers around the world. The man who wrote the book on Bout thinks it’s time to send him home, if it can free Brittney Griner.

Guest: Douglas Farah, co-author of Merchant of Death: Money, Guns, Planes and the Man Who Makes War Possible.

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Kansas's Sketchy Abortion Vote

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Following a 2017 state supreme court decision, the right to an abortion is recognized by Kansas’s state constitution. But with some suspect scheduling and seemingly deliberately confusing language, citizens of Kansas are voting today on whether to return control over reproductive healthcare to the state’s deeply Republican legislature.

Guest: Stephen R. McAllister, former U.S. district attorney and University of Kansas law professor.

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The Jan. 6 Rioter Whose Son Turned Him In

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Like many families during the Trump years, the Reffitts fought about politics. But not many families had a son calling the FBI on his father. Now Guy Reffitt is facing a 15-year sentence for domestic terrorism for his actions on Jan. 6 while his loved ones pick up the pieces.

Guest: Ilya Marritz, senior reporter at WNYC, co-host of the Wondery podcast “Will be Wild”.

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The Dark Web of Online Spider Sales

Sun, 31 Jul 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Researchers have untangled a world of illicit trade that threatens ecosystems and endangers species.

Guest: Dr. Alice Hughes, Richard Stewart

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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Paging Dr. Bezos

Fri, 29 Jul 2022 07:00:00 GMT

In buying One Medical, Amazon is primed to be your doctor. Are they disrupting health care, or just collecting more data?

Guest: Rebecca Pifer

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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Why Adoption Isn’t Enough

Thu, 28 Jul 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Adoption is often invoked as an alternative to abortion. But looking back at how adoption worked before Roe v. Wade—and looking at how it works now—the option is cold comfort for many people facing unintended pregnancies.

Guest: Ann Fessler, author of The Girls Who Went Away: The Hidden History of Women Who Surrendered Children for Adoption in the Decades Before Roe v. Wade.

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The Fight to Defend Gay Marriage

Wed, 27 Jul 2022 07:00:00 GMT

The “Respect for Marriage Act” protects same-sex marriages nationwide and already has bipartisan support. If put to a vote in the Senate, it seems likely to pass. So why aren’t Democrats making it a priority?

Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, senior writer at Slate.

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The Worst Drought in 1,200 Years

Tue, 26 Jul 2022 07:00:00 GMT

The American southwest is in a megadrought. Water levels in lakes are dropping, threatening the local environment as well as agriculture, hydroelectric power, and the people living there. As global temperatures rise, it could be a preview of worse things to come.

Guest: Dr. Jason Smerdon, ocean and climate physicist, and Lamont research professor at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University and co-director at the Earth Institute Faculty.

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The Price Liz Cheney Will Pay

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Liz Cheney rose through Republican leadership based on her conservative bona fides, but thanks to her prominent role in the Jan 6th committee, she’s gained donors and admirers from across the aisle. Her constituents back in Wyoming aren’t so enthusiastic though, throwing her future in Congress into doubt.

Guest: Bob Beck, news director of Wyoming Public Radio.

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Smart City: Dumb Idea?

Sun, 24 Jul 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Toronto’s Quayside project is a telling example of how smart cities have failed. Could it also show how to make them better?

Guest: Ben Green, Jennifer Keesmaat

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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Europe Is Burning

Fri, 22 Jul 2022 07:00:00 GMT

The continent's deadly heat wave is only the tip of the melting iceberg.

Guest: Henry Grabar

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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Three Theories on Joe Manchin

Thu, 21 Jul 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Is there any climate-saving legislation that could win the vote of U.S. Senator Joe Manchin?

Guest: Jim Newell, senior politics writer at Slate.

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A Different Kind of Pollution

Wed, 20 Jul 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Animals navigate the world using echolocation, ultraviolet vision, and a sensitivity to sounds and scents that humans can only imagine. That means things like light pollution or the noise of a highway can impact them in ways we might not readily consider. But with an empathic ear—and eye, and nose—we can make small changes to be much better neighbors to our fellow species.

Guest: Ed Yong, science writer at the Atlantic and author of An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us.

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The Prosecutors Stuck With Abortion Bans

Tue, 19 Jul 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Abortion is now illegal in eight states, and more trigger laws banning the procedure are expected. The new state policies usher in an era of criminalized abortion. In Missouri, one liberal prosecutor is still struggling to predict how strictly these laws will be enforced.

Guest: Jean Peters Baker, elected prosecutor of Jackson County, Missouri.

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The Biden Problem

Mon, 18 Jul 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Joe Biden broke through the Democratic primaries as the safe choice, the one to beat Trump and get stuff done by reaching across the aisle. But two years into his presidency, his approval rating has plunged, his own party has stymied most of his agenda, and the most effective political body in Washington is the conservative-majority Supreme Court. What’s Biden’s plan here?

Guest: Perry Bacon Jr., columnist for the Washington Post.

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Silicon Valley's Hidden Discrimination

Sun, 17 Jul 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Thenmozhi Soundararajan was scheduled to give a talk at Google for Dalit History Month. It led to vicious attacks against her from some of its employees.

Guest: Thenmozhi Soundararajan

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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Can Twitter Sue Elon Musk Into Submission?

Fri, 15 Jul 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Dysfunction is nothing new to Twitter. But Elon Musk pulling his offer to buy the company adds a new layer of chaos.

Guest: Alex Kantrowitz

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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The Proud Boys' New Plan for Power

Thu, 14 Jul 2022 07:00:00 GMT

The Proud Boys started as a loose coalition of men who filtered misogyny and racism through an ironic, “just joking” veneer. But once Donald Trump told them to “stand back and stand by” from the debate stage, it became clear that something more serious was happening. After taking part in the Jan. 6 insurrection, the Proud Boys have become even more active in GOP politics, choosing candidates, and even running candidates from their own ranks.

Guest: Andy Campbell, Senior Editor at HuffPost and author of upcoming book We Are Proud Boys.

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The Real Risks of Monkeypox

Wed, 13 Jul 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Doctors feel confident they can deal with the ongoing monkeypox outbreak. But, once again, our public health agencies have been stumbling to get a hold of this virus before it spreads widely.

Guests: Matt Ford and Shannon Palus, Slate senior editor.

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The Russians Invaded. The Opera Played On.

Tue, 12 Jul 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Persistent Russian missile strikes since February and an ongoing blockade have silenced Odesa’s normally busy port—but not its 19th century opera house. Performances now end with a singing of the Ukrainian national anthem.

Guest: Ekaterina Tsymbalyuk, a soloist at the Odesa Opera.

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The War on LGBTQ+ Rights

Mon, 11 Jul 2022 07:00:00 GMT

As anti-gay and anti-trans politics become more mainstream, the Trevor Project has a unique perspective. They run a hotline where queer kids are talking about how Republican rhetoric is meeting reality. Bullying once thought to be confined to high schools has made its way to mainstream politics.

Guest: Sam Ames, civil rights lawyer and director of advocacy and governmental affairs at The Trevor Project.

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Paxlovid's Mysteries

Sun, 10 Jul 2022 07:00:00 GMT

There's still a lot unknown about COVID's new wonder drug.

Guest: Rachel Gutman-Wei

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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Can FEMA Keep Up With Climate Change?

Fri, 08 Jul 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Climate change is causing unprecedented severe weather. Is the agency prepared for it to get worse?

Guest: Craig Fugate and Ashley Nerbovig

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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How to Fix the Economy

Thu, 07 Jul 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Last month, inflation hit a new 40-year high. Americans are feeling it in their grocery bills, at the gas pump, in airline tickets, electrical bills, and rental costs. What can be done to combat rising prices in the current economy – and at what price?

Guest: Jordan Weissmann, senior editor and writer at Slate focused on economics, politics, and public policy.

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The Supreme Court Needs an Upgrade

Wed, 06 Jul 2022 07:00:00 GMT

The Supreme Court treated its most recent term like the opening salvo in a conservative revolution, approving prayer in schools, establishing a constitutional right to conceal and carry a firearm, and eliminating the constitutional right to abortion. What options do President Biden and Congress have to check the power of this co-equal branch of government?

Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, Slate senior writer.

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A Fight to Put Abortion on Arizona’s Ballot

Tue, 05 Jul 2022 07:00:00 GMT

After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the question of abortion rights became a state issue. Although Arizona was one of 26 states with so-called “zombie laws” that banned abortion when Roe was struck down, it’s also one of three states that lets its citizens write l amend the state’s constitution. Now, abortion rights activists are racing to collect more than 350,000 signatures by July 7 to put the question of abortion rights in the hands of Arizona voters.

Guest: Shasta McManus, activist and treasurer of Arizonans For Reproductive Freedom.

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Slow Burn - Roe v. Wade: Roe Against Wade

Mon, 04 Jul 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Harry Blackmun wasn’t Richard Nixon’s first choice to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court. But after Blackmun was confirmed, he got the assignment of a lifetime: writing the majority opinion in Roe v. Wade. His approach to that case would have consequences he never imagined.

Season 7 of Slow Burn is produced by Susan Matthews, Samira Tazari, Sophie Summergrad, and Sol Werthan.

Derek John is Sr. Supervising Producer of Narrative Podcasts.

Editorial direction by Josh Levin, Derek John, and Johanna Zorn. Merritt Jacob is our Technical Director.

Our theme music is composed by Alexis Cuadrado. Artwork by Derreck Johnson based on a photo provided by Robert Wheeler.

The season’s reporting was supported by a grant from the International Women’s Media Foundation’s Howard G. Buffett Fund for Women Journalists.

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The Good Hackers

Sun, 03 Jul 2022 07:00:00 GMT

According to the Justice Department, there’s a right way — and a wrong way — to be a hacker.

Guest: Josephine Wolff

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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TikTok’s Mental Health Influencers

Fri, 01 Jul 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Social media makes mental health information accessible. But it's not a perfect solution.

Guest: Lindsay Lee Wallace

Host: Mary C. Curtis

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The Shocking Jan. 6 Hearing Was Not a Slam Dunk

Thu, 30 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMT

A surprise session of the House’s Jan. 6 committee featured testimony from Cassidy Hutchinson, the former executive assistant to White House chief of staff Mark Meadows. Hutchinson was inside the White House as the Jan. 6 riot happened, and she testified that Trump knew an armed crowd was chanting “hang Mike Pence”—the thing that upset him most was not being able to join them.

Hutchinson’s testimony was the bombshell the committee had been waiting for. Is it enough to actually hold Donald Trump accountable?

Guest: Ben Mathis-Lilley, senior writer at Slate.

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What Texas Can’t Forget

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMT

One tragedy replaces another in the headlines—that’s just how things go.

The Texas state legislature isn’t scheduled to convene until January 2023, when the shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde will no longer be fresh in people’s minds, and the momentum for changing Texas’s gun laws will be long gone. One state senator, however, won’t accept that.

Guest: Roland Gutierrez, Democratic Texas State Senator for District 19, which includes Uvalde.

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The State That Brought Down Roe

Tue, 28 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMT

How did Mississippi go from resoundingly voting down a “fetal personhood” amendment in 2011 to being the state that brought down Roe v. Wade? Outsiders have long viewed the state as a potential fulcrum to overturn abortion laws in America, to the point where three different legislators introduced three identical bills to ban abortion 15 weeks after fertilization in 2018.

Guest: Ashton Pittman, senior reporter for the Mississippi Free Press.

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Your Body, Their Choice

Mon, 27 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMT

For years the conservative justices slow rolled abortion restrictions, limiting how the procedure is done and who can perform an abortion, making accessing reproductive health care harder and harder. Now, with a majority of justices agreeing to completely overturn Roe v. Wade, the slow roll is over.

Guest: Susan Matthews, Slate’s news director and host of Slow Burn Season 7: Roe v. Wade.

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Does Crypto Investment Need to Be Regulated?

Sun, 26 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Fidelity made headlines when they announced you could invest your retirement savings in Bitcoin. Then the crypto market crashed.

Guest: Anthony Lee Zhang

Host: Sonari Glinton

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TBD | Does Crypto Investment Need to Be Regulated?

Sun, 26 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Fidelity made headlines when they announced you could invest your retirement savings in Bitcoin. Then the crypto market crashed.

Guest: Anthony Lee Zhang

Host: Sonari Glinton

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Can the Law Keep Up With the Internet?

Fri, 24 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMT

The openness of the internet is its greatest strength. Or a glaring weakness, depending on who you ask. Does something need to change?

Guest: Jared Schroeder

Host: Sonari Glinton

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The Poll Workers Targeted by Trump

Thu, 23 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMT

The third week of the House of Representatives investigation into the Jan. 6 riot is focusing on the weeks-long pressure campaign waged by Trump and his allies. Individuals around the country were harassed by Trump loyalists in order to change the election outcome. Trump’s “stochastic terrorism” campaign set the stage for what would happen at the capitol come January.

Guest: Ben Mathis-Lilley, Slate senior writer

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Why Biden Can’t Ice Out Saudi Arabia

Wed, 22 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMT

On the campaign trail, Joe Biden called Saudi Arabia a “pariah” and said its ruling regime should be held accountable for the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. But now, rising oil prices have caused President Biden to soften his tone and plan a visit to Saudi Arabia next month. How much can the U.S. really demand of its allies?

Guest: Gregory Gause, head of the Department of International Affairs at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University.

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An Overlooked Tool to Stop School Shootings

Tue, 21 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMT

A school with armed teachers and every door locked sounds a lot more like a prison than a nourishing educational environment. How does the discussion around school shootings change when you change your starting point from “how can we stop this?” to “what kind of world do we want to live in?”

Guest: Ron Avi Astor, professor of public affairs, social work, and education at UCLA.

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Slow Burn - Roe v. Wade: Women vs. Connecticut

Mon, 20 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Soon after Ann Hill arrived at Yale Law School in 1968, she realized she was pregnant. Her options were limited: she could give birth—or get an illegal abortion. The decision she faced inspired her to take on Connecticut’s abortion ban. The legal battle that followed would set the stage for Roe v. Wade.

Season 7 of Slow Burn is produced by Susan Matthews, Samira Tazari, Sophie Summergrad, and Sol Werthan.

Derek John is Sr. Supervising Producer of Narrative Podcasts.

Editorial direction by Josh Levin, Derek John, and Johanna Zorn. Merritt Jacob is our Technical Director.

Our theme music is composed by Alexis Cuadrado. Artwork by Derreck Johnson based on a photo provided by Robert Wheeler.

The season’s reporting was supported by a grant from the International Women’s Media Foundation’s Howard G. Buffett Fund for Women Journalists.

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From the Vault: It's Hot. It's Flooding. Is This the New Normal?

Sun, 19 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMT

This episode originally aired in July 2021.

Last year, North Americans saw record-breaking heat, droughts, wildfires, and floods. The science is clear: we are living through the effects of climate change. Now scientists are trying to answer: is this the new normal?

Guest: Daniel Swain, climate scientist at UCLA

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The Culture War Over Electric Cars

Fri, 17 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMT

One state wants to stop people from buying one. But can electric vehicles be stopped?

Guest: Ryan Cornell

Host: Sonari Glinton

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Bill Barr Calls B.S. on Trump

Thu, 16 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMT

The hearings have started for the House select committee investigating the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol. The televised hearings have already circled in on a major, and possibly criminal theme: Donald Trump would not accept that he lost the election and was willing to listen to any theory or allegation—no matter how little evidence there was to support it—that would let him stay in office. Why are former Trump officials finally willing speak out against the former president?

Guest: Jeremy Stahl, Slate senior editor.

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The Real Lesson of San Francisco's D.A. Recall

Wed, 15 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMT

San Francisco is all but short-hand for “liberal American city,” but their progressive district attorney Chesa Boudin just got booted from office in a not-so-close recall. Elected as part of a wave of progressive prosecutors, why is Boudin now out, while his reformer-minded peers remain popular? And what does it mean for criminal justice reform in America?

Guest: Jessica Brand, founder and co-director of the Wren Collective, a consulting service focused on transforming the criminal justice system.

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The Killing of Shireen Abu Akleh

Tue, 14 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Last month, Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was shot and killed while reporting on an Israeli military raid of a Palestinian refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. Multiple media investigations say the evidence suggests Abu Akleh was killed by targeted Israeli fire, not stray bullets from a chaotic skirmish. Meanwhile, the U.S. has called for an impartial investigation into Abu Akleh’s death, but has stopped short of leading such a probe.

Guest: Dalia Hatuqa, a journalist specializing in Israeli/Palestinian affairs and regional Middle East issues.

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Does Gun Violence Need an Emmett Till Moment?

Mon, 13 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMT

To the people who deal with the reality of bullet wounds, the aftermath of shootings aren’t so abstract. If politicians and the public had to see what military weaponry actually does to the body, would that change the conversation around gun control?

Guest: Dr. Amy Goldberg, interim dean of the Lewis Katz School of Medicine and surgeon-in-chief at the Temple University Health System.

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Sheryl Sandberg’s Complicated Legacy

Sun, 12 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMT

She wanted to be an icon for working women. What went wrong?

Guest: Sheera Frenkel

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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Bots! What Are They Good For?

Fri, 10 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Elon Musk isn't wrong that Twitter has a bot problem. But he's kind of missing the point.

Guest: Samuel Woolley

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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What The Jan. 6 Hearings Are Really About

Thu, 09 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMT

The House hearings to examine the events of Jan. 6, 2021, begin this week and the party lines are drawn. Republicans are calling the hearings a distraction from issues that voters care about—inflation, rising prices of gas and food. Democrats are trying to remind voters which party tried to override American democracy. Will it be enough to stem the “red tide” projected for fall midterms?

Guest: Jim Newell, senior politics writer at Slate.

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Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Elena Schwartz, Carmel Delshad, Anna Rubanova and Sam Kim.

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Can 20 Years of Oversight Reform a Police Department?

Wed, 08 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMT

In the early 2000s, following a civil lawsuit with over 100 plaintiffs against a group of Oakland police officers known as “the Riders,” the Oakland PD was put under federal oversight. Now after nearly two decades of reforms, backslides into scandals, and close watch from activists and the feds, Oakland can enter a probationary period. But has the culture of the department really changed?

Guest: Darwin BondGraham, News Editor of the Oaklandside and co-author of a forthcoming book about the Oakland police department. He and his partner Ali Winston have been covering the OPD for almost two decades.

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.

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The Right’s Poll-Watcher Army

Tue, 07 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Republicans who still haven’t accepted that Joe Biden beat Donald Trump in 2020 are recruiting “a volunteer army” of poll watchers and poll workers for upcoming elections. For those who want transparent and fair elections, an influx of enthusiasm is theoretically a good thing. But if new poll workers and poll watchers have an agenda— chasing after fraud that didn’t happen—can they hurt more than they help?

Guest: Alexandra Berzon, investigative reporter for the New York Times.

Guest hosted by Mary C. Curtis, columnist at Roll Call and host of its Equal Time podcast.

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Does Proof Matter at the Supreme Court?

Mon, 06 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMT

The Sixth Amendment is supposed to guarantee the right to a fair trial—including a lawyer, even if the defendant can’t afford one. But Indigent Defense is woefully underfunded and, sometimes, State-appointed lawyers are nowhere near as competent as Federal attorneys. A new Supreme Court ruling makes it more difficult to use exonerating evidence discovered on a federal level to prove innocence, even if state counsel didn’t look for it.

Guest: Leah Litman, law professor at University of Michigan, specializing in constitutional law and federal courts, and co-host of the podcast Strict Scrutiny

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Is Elon Musk Any Good at Business?

Sun, 05 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Some call him revolutionary. Others call him a hack. Is his success warranted?

Guest: Ashlee Vance

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

Thanks Avast.com!

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Can an Algorithm Spot a Shooter?

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Schools have spent millions to detect threats online. It mostly doesn’t work.

Guest: Arijit Sen

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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How Gun-Makers Are Arming the Culture War

Thu, 02 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMT

After a mass shooting, gun manufacturers follow a set playbook—they offer “thoughts and prayers,” go quiet, and wait for the bump in sales driven by fear of new gun restrictions. The company Daniel Defense’s products were used in Uvalde and in the 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas. Do they have a responsibility for how they market their rifles—or how their weapons are used?

Guest: Todd C. Frankel is an enterprise reporter on the Washington Post's Financial desk, covering people and policy.

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How Soccer's Best Women Finally Got Paid

Wed, 01 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Guest: Christina Cauterucci, senior writer at Slate and a former middle school soccer star.

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Reporting on Guns from Texas

Tue, 31 May 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Following the shooting in Uvalde, we talked to a Texas reporter who has covered mass shootings for five years. The Lone Star state remains a GOP strong-hold, which means Texas Republicans tailor their messaging and legislation to avoid being primaried from the right. This impacts how gun laws are written and how mental health is instead elevated, leaving both underserved.

Guest: Lauren McGaughy, investigative reporter, the Dallas Morning News.

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Online Privacy in a Post-Roe World

Sun, 29 May 2022 07:00:00 GMT

What can current surveillance infrastructure tell us about online privacy after the fall of Roe?

Guest: Lily Hay Newman

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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TBD | Will Bitcoin Ruin El Salvador?

Fri, 27 May 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Is El Salvador heading for default after going all in on crypto?

Guest: Anna-Cat Brigida

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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Will Bitcoin Ruin El Salvador?

Fri, 27 May 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Is El Salvador heading for default after going all in on crypto?

Guest: Anna-Cat Brigida

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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A Sandy Hook Parent Speaks

Thu, 26 May 2022 07:00:00 GMT

The school shooting in Uvalde, Texas was the deadliest since the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut nearly a decade ago. Today, we’re re-airing an interview with a parent who lost her child at Sandy Hook and went on to channel her grief into activism. In February, she and a group of other Sandy Hook families announced a $73 million settlement with Remington Arms, forcing the gunmaker to accept responsibility for marketing its weapons to disaffected young men.

Guest: Nicole Hockley, co-founder and CEO of the Sandy Hook Promise Foundation.

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The End of Ending the Pandemic

Wed, 25 May 2022 07:00:00 GMT

More than a million people have died of COVID in America, and infection rates across the country are climbing again. But public officials seem reluctant to enact mask mandates or lockdowns this time around.

Doctors and scientists who work in public health are hoping that “harm reduction” techniques, which were developed to treat addiction and chronic illnesses, can tamp down this latest wave.

Guest: Dr. Deepika Slawek, assistant professor of medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and an attending physician at Montefiore Comprehensive Family Care.

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New York State’s Redistricting Mess

Tue, 24 May 2022 07:00:00 GMT

An effort to counterweight GOP-friendly maps in Ohio and Florida in New York state has backfired on the Democrats.

How did Democratic state politicians bungle their redistricting process? Will the error cost the party nationally?

Guest: Dave Wasserman, U.S. House editor of the nonpartisan @CookPolitical Report.

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Biden’s Student Loan Ambivalence

Mon, 23 May 2022 07:00:00 GMT

President Biden ran on a promise to forgive $10,000 in student loans back in 2020—but so far, there hasn’t been much movement on that front. Between the pros, the cons, and the politics, one thing is clear: fixing higher education will take more than an executive order.

Guest: Jordan Weissmann, writer and editor focused on economics, public policy, and politics at Slate.

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North Korea's Hacking Army

Sun, 22 May 2022 07:00:00 GMT

They’ve stolen billions of dollars. Is the U.S. ready to crack down?

Guest: Jason Bartlett, research associate in the Energy, Economics, and Security Program at the Center for a New American Security

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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TBD | North Korea's Hacking Army

Sun, 22 May 2022 07:00:00 GMT

They’ve stolen billions of dollars. Is the U.S. ready to crack down?

Guest: Jason Bartlett, research associate in the Energy, Economics, and Security Program at the Center for a New American Security

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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How Buffalo Could Transform Social Media

Fri, 20 May 2022 07:00:00 GMT

The shooting in Buffalo raises questions about the effectiveness of content moderation. Is the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism the answer to how social media can moderate extremist content?

Guest: Emma Llansó, director of the Free Expression Project at the Center for Democracy and Technology

Host: Ray Suarez

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TBD | How Buffalo Could Transform Social Media

Fri, 20 May 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Guest: Emma Llansó, director of the Free Expression Project at the Center for Democracy and Technology

Host: Ray Suarez

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China’s Zero-COVID Policy

Thu, 19 May 2022 07:00:00 GMT

When China first instituted its zero-COVID policy, it was a success: as other countries struggled with soaring infection rates and overburdened hospitals, life for many Chinese citizens began to look normal again within months—so long as they weren’t infected. But the omicron variant changed the game. Now, people are speaking out against draconian lockdown measures they say are inappropriate to face the current level of threat.

How did zero-COVID evolve from being the most effective virus prevention strategy in the world to a disproportionate and punitive system? And how has that evolution expanded state control?

Guest: Dake Kang, journalist in the Beijing bureau of the Associated Press.

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No Lone Wolves

Wed, 18 May 2022 07:00:00 GMT

A shooting Saturday at a supermarket in a predominantly-Black neighborhood in Buffalo left at least 10 people dead and three more injured. The suspected shooter left a manifesto riddled with racist ideology, laying out plans to specifically target Black people and citing the so-called “great replacement theory” as his motivation.

How much will white supremacist violence be a part of the everyday lives of Americans — and what’s being done to stop it?

Guest: Wesley Lowery, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist covering race in America.

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How Corporations Are Taking Advantage of Inflation

Tue, 17 May 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Consumers are paying higher prices almost everywhere as inflation continues to rise. But corporate earnings calls have revealed that many companies are using inflation as a cover to jack up prices and increase profits — all on the backs of customers.

Guest: Lindsay Owens, executive director of the Groundwork Collaborative.

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The Evolution of Pro-Choice Messaging

Mon, 16 May 2022 07:00:00 GMT

The likely end of Roe v. Wade marks a bitter setback for the pro-choice movement. But the success of abortion legalization campaigns in Ireland and Argentina may be models for a way forward.

What are the ingredients for effective public messaging? What can American activists learn from the examples of international movements?

Guest: Anat Shenker-Osorio, communications researcher and campaign advisor, host of the podcast “Words To Win By.”

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Inside Trump’s Twitter Clone

Sun, 15 May 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Trump's Truth Social network was supposed to be the right's answer to Twitter. What happens to the company if Elon takes over?

Guest: Drew Harwell, reporter for the Washington Post

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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Can A.I. Know What You're Feeling?

Fri, 13 May 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Companies are developing and selling A.I. products intended to tell your boss or your teacher how you're feeling.

Guest: Kate Kaye, reporter for Protocol

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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The Future of IVF Post-Roe

Thu, 12 May 2022 07:00:00 GMT

As the country awaits a final decision on whether the Supreme Court will overturn Roe. v Wade, fertility doctors are sounding the alarm about what that could mean for the future procedures like IVF.

Guests: Dr. Natalie Crawford, OBGYN and reproductive endocrinologist at Fora Fertility in Austin, Texas.

Emily, an IVF patient in West Virginia. Emily asked Slate to withhold her last name so she could speak freely about her fertility treatments.

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Russia’s Next Target?

Wed, 11 May 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Curious explosions in a Russian stronghold of Moldova have the world wondering if Putin is making his next play. Why is a tiny country on Ukraine’s western border of such strategic importance?

Guest: Monika Pronczuk, Brussels-based reporter for the New York Times.

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Ukrainian War, American Intelligence

Tue, 10 May 2022 07:00:00 GMT

It’s not unusual for the U.S. to lend intelligence to another country. It’s a little more unusual for the U.S. to talk about it.

Why is the American military confirming reports that it’s helping Ukraine vanquish Russian targets? Could that candidness lead to an expansion of the war? Or will it be the deciding factor in finishing the conflict?

Guest: Shane Harris, reporter covering intelligence and national security for the Washington Post.

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How Connecticut Became An Abortion Safe Haven

Mon, 09 May 2022 07:00:00 GMT

In the wake of a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion indicating that Roe v. Wade will soon be a thing of the past, some states are rushing to fortify the right to an abortion within their borders. Nowhere has gone as far as Connecticut, though, which has expanded the field of people permitted to perform abortions and created legal protections for anyone who aids in the procedure. But will it make a difference when abortion will likely soon be outlawed in half the country?

Guest: Matt Blumenthal, State Representative for Connecticut’s 147th District.

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Is Free Speech Online Just a Myth?

Sun, 08 May 2022 07:00:00 GMT

A conversation with one of the smartest First Amendment lawyers in the country.

Guest: Jameel Jaffer

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

Thanks Avast.com!

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Can the Internet Rescue Abortion Access?

Fri, 06 May 2022 07:00:00 GMT

The pandemic changed the way abortion care could be provided online. So what happens now?

Guest: Dr. Mai Fleming, family medicine physician and Fellow with Physicians for Reproductive Health.

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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Depp v. Heard

Thu, 05 May 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Johnny Depp’s defamation case against ex-wife Amber Heard is making headlines—not just for the spectacle taking place within the courtroom, but for its implications for victims of domestic violence.

In a case of domestic ugliness, is it possible to know the truth? And does trying to uncover it through legal action serve anyone’s best interests?

Guest: John Culhane, professor at the Delaware Law School.

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The Supreme Court Tips Its Hand

Wed, 04 May 2022 07:00:00 GMT

This week, Politico published a shocking leak from within the Supreme Court, indicating that a majority of the judges have voted to overturn Roe v. Wade. Beyond who leaked the draft opinion, questions remain about what the rollback of the landmark constitutional law will mean for abortion rights in America.

Guest: Dahlia Lithwick, Slate courts and law writer and host of the podcast Amicus.

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The Michigan Democrat Who Said “Enough”

Tue, 03 May 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Guest: Mallory McMorrow, Michigan state senator representing Grand Oak and the suburbs north of Detroit.

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Mexico’s Disappearing Women

Mon, 02 May 2022 07:00:00 GMT

The body of 18-year-old Debanhi Escobar was discovered in late April, inside a water tank in a motel on the outskirts of Monterrey, Mexico—weeks after she went missing. The identity of her killer is still unknown.

The case has prompted a national outcry over the Mexican government’s consistent failure to deliver justice for missing women. But femicide in Mexico isn’t new, and past protests haven’t yielded meaningful change. Will this time be any different?

Guest: Oscar Lopez, reporter for the New York Times based in Mexico City.

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The Fantasy of Internet for All

Sun, 01 May 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Can Starlink ever fulfill its promise of connecting the world, especially places left behind by traditional internet? Or will it be just another toy for the rich?

Guest: Meaghan Tobin, reporter at Rest of World

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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What Elon Wants With Twitter

Fri, 29 Apr 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Twitter is the platform of choice for politicians, journalists, academics, and many other agenda-setters. Twitter influences conversations that take place in newsrooms and statehouses. What happens if the company’s placed in the hands of a pugnacious, provocative plutocrat like Elon Musk?

Guest: Will Oremus, tech reporter for the Washington Post

Host: Seth Stevenson

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L.A.’s Alarming Latino Mortality Rate

Thu, 28 Apr 2022 07:00:00 GMT

People may want to throw their masks in the trash, but in communities with the highest COVID-19 mortality rates, the pandemic is not over.

Guest: Dr. Don Garcia, medical director at Clínica Romero in Los Angeles.

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The Crisis in Special Education

Wed, 27 Apr 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Federal law guarantees that students with disabilities have access to special educators. But widespread teacher shortages mean that these students are often being taught by people without the mandated qualifications – or by no one at all.

Guest: Dylan Peers McCoy is an investigative reporter on WFYI’s education team.

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Florida’s Most Powerful Flack

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 07:00:00 GMT

How one spokesperson with an itchy Twitter-finger is sparking a moral panic.

Guest: Ben Mathis-Lilley, a senior writer at Slate.

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The Librarians Fighting Book Bans

Mon, 25 Apr 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Carolyn Foote was furious when Republican lawmakers in Texas singled out hundreds of books about race or sexuality for removal from school libraries. So she and a group of other librarians stepped into the fray to push back against what they see as harmful censorship.

Guest: Carolyn Foote, former librarian for schools outside Austin, Texas.

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A New High-Tech Weapon in Ukraine

Sun, 24 Apr 2022 07:00:00 GMT

The conflict between Ukraine and Russia is uncovering new wartime applications for facial recognition technology.

Guest: Aric Toler, director of research and training at Bellingcat

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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The COVID Data Disaster

Fri, 22 Apr 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Are we facing down yet another COVID wave right now? Does it matter?

Guest: Katherine Wu, staff writer for The Atlantic

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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Putin’s Hunger for Money

Thu, 21 Apr 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Bill Browder has been sounding the alarm about Vladimir Putin for decades. Formerly one of Russia’s largest foreign investors, Browder has made it his life's work to expose corruption in the country. Unsurprisingly, he’s one of Putin's personal targets. Browder believes that money is what's really driving the war in Ukraine.

Guest: Bill Browder, founder and CEO of Hermitage Capital Management. Browder ran the largest foreign investment firm in Russia until 2005, when he was kicked out of the country. His new book is Freezing Order: A True Story of Money Laundering, Murder, and Surviving Vladimir Putin's Wrath.

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Biden's Immigration Mess

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Pro-immigration advocates had high hopes when the Biden administration came to office that some of the harsher policies imposed by Trump would ease. Instead, immigration policy has been a mess inside the White House. The move to rescind Title 42 – a health policy that the Trump administration used to restrict migration at the U.S.-Mexico border is now further dividing Democrats.

Guest: Tyler Moran, former deputy assistant to President Biden and senior advisor for migration. Moran co-founded the Immigration Hub and has 20 years of experience developing and implementing immigration policy.

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A Caseworker Quits Over Texas’ Trans Kids Policy

Tue, 19 Apr 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Morgan Davis saw his job as an investigator in the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services as a calling. As a transgender man, he joined the child welfare agency to be the advocate he never had while growing up. But Davis eventually quit, following Governor Greg Abbott’s order to investigate the families of transgender children. While Abbott’s order is currently paused due to an injunction, many families are still left in limbo due to open cases – and other child welfare workers are handing in their notices.

Guest: Morgan Davis, investigator at the Travis County office of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.

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Cracking Down on Ghost Guns

Mon, 18 Apr 2022 07:00:00 GMT

The Biden Administration recently announced a new policy aimed at cracking down on ghost guns—homemade weapons without serial numbers, making them harder to trace. But with gun violence on the rise, will this particular move make a meaningful difference?

Guest: David Chipman, senior policy advisor at Giffords, a gun violence prevention organization.

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How TurboTax Tricks Taxpayers

Sun, 17 Apr 2022 07:00:00 GMT

How did Intuit build its TurboTax empire?

Guest: Justin Elliott, reporter for ProPublica

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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Elonnnnnnnnnnnnn!

Fri, 15 Apr 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Is Musk's bid to take Twitter private a genuine attempt to mold the social network in his image? Or is he just going to have some fun, make some money, and walk away?

Guest: Felix Salmon, host of Slate Money and chief financial correspondent for Axios

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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Is France About to Elect a Far-Right President?

Thu, 14 Apr 2022 07:00:00 GMT

In the French presidential election five years ago, Marine Le Pen lost badly to Emmanuel Macron. Now, Le Pen is back for a rematch—and this time, polls are pretty tight.

Guest: Henry Grabar, staff writer at Slate.

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Disney vs. DeSantis

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the Walt Disney Company are at odds over a controversial Florida law dubbed “don’t say gay,” which would limit instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in public schools. While DeSantis is a big supporter of the legislation, Disney’s CEO Bob Chapek eventually came out against it, vowing to work to repeal the law and setting up a showdown between the governor and the entertainment giant.

Guest: Mary Ellen Klas, Capitol bureau chief for the Miami Herald in Tallahassee, Florida.

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Pennsylvania’s Nutty Senate Race

Tue, 12 Apr 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Pennsylvania’s got a U.S. Senate seat up for grabs, and the primary is shaping up to be a showdown between moderate, establishment candidates and those on the fringes of each party.

Guest: Jonathan Tamari, national political writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer.

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From Homeless to Housing Reporter

Mon, 11 Apr 2022 07:00:00 GMT

How the experience of living in his car years ago helped reporter Ethan Ward focus his coverage of homelessness and housing in Los Angeles.

Guest: Ethan Ward, unhoused communities reporter for KPCC and LAist.

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Uber Makes Nice With Cabs

Sun, 10 Apr 2022 07:00:00 GMT

The rideshare company's founder once called taxis “evil.” Now, Uber might need them to survive.

Guest: Preetika Rana

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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TBD | Uber Makes Nice With Cabs

Sun, 10 Apr 2022 07:00:00 GMT

The rideshare company's founder once called taxis “evil.” Now, Uber might need them to survive.

Guest: Preetika Rana

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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Elon Trolls the SEC

Fri, 08 Apr 2022 07:00:00 GMT

With 9.1% ownership of Twitter—and a board seat—Elon Musk is the new master of Twitter's future. Why did the wealthiest man in the world just take over the world's most influential platform?

Guest: Ranjan Roy, writer of the Margins newsletter

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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Who Can Hold Russia Accountable?

Thu, 07 Apr 2022 07:00:00 GMT

In a speech before the United Nations, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of the worst war crimes since World War II. But whether there will be accountability on the international stage is a separate question—especially with Russia sitting permanently on the UN Security Council.

How difficult would it be to prove war crimes have in fact been committed in Ukraine? And even if they were, would Putin ever actually be punished?

Guest: Stephen Rapp, former United States Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues in the Office of Global Criminal Justice under President Obama.

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Amazon Gets Its First Union

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Guest: Steven Greenhouse, senior fellow at the Century Foundation and author of Beaten Down, Worked Up: The Past, Present, and Future of American Labor.

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The Fight Over Free Lunch

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 07:00:00 GMT

At the beginning of the pandemic, Congress loosened the rules around school lunch programs, and approved additional funding to help schools provide more meals to more kids. But those allowances are set to expire on June 30th, leaving schools desperate for help as they anticipate a future of less funding and less flexibility.

Guest: Helena Bottemiller Evich, senior food and agriculture reporter at POLITICO.

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Marjorie Taylor Greene vs. Everyone

Mon, 04 Apr 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has become an avatar of the Republican far-right. But that has its downsides. It makes you a target. But Greene isn’t running scared.

Guest: Charles Bethea, staff writer at the New Yorker.

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A Conversation With Europe's Top Tech Cop

Sun, 03 Apr 2022 07:00:00 GMT

For nearly a decade, Margrethe Vestager has led Europe's efforts to rein in big tech. One newspaper article described Vestager as putting the fear of God into Silicon Valley. How is she thinking about fairness in tech in 2022?

Guest: Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for a Europe fit for the Digital Age

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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The White House's Favorite Tech Billionaire

Fri, 01 Apr 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Why did Ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt spend over a decade building relationships with the most powerful Democrats in America?

Guest: Alex Thompson, reporter at Politico

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NATO, Back From the Brink

Thu, 31 Mar 2022 07:00:00 GMT

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is having a moment. The alliance dates back to the early years of the Cold War, and ever since, it has seesawed in and out of favor with Western leaders. But now, as Russia continues to wage its attack on Ukraine, NATO has assumed some of its old relevance.

Guest: Mary Elise Sarotte, professor of Historical Studies at the Henry A. Kissinger Center for Global Affairs at Johns Hopkins University. She’s also a research associate at Harvard University's Center for European Studies. Her most recent book is Not One Inch: America, Russia, and the Making of Post-Cold War Stalemate.

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Ginni Thomas Wanted a Revolution

Wed, 30 Mar 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, senior writer covering courts and the law for Slate.

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Dua Lipa’s Copyright Problem

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Guest: Jeremy Orosz, associate professor of music theory at the University of Memphis.

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Where is Brittney Griner?

Mon, 28 Mar 2022 07:00:00 GMT

In February, WNBA star Brittney Griner was arrested at an airport near Moscow for allegedly possessing hash oil in her carry-on luggage. She’s been held in a Russian prison ever since — and a court recently extended her detention until May 19.

Why is Russia pursuing charges so vigorously against an American basketball player with a large Russian fanbase? And how long could it be until Griner gets to go home?

Guest: Meredith Cash, sports reporter for Insider.

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The Cost of Going Off-Grid

Sun, 27 Mar 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Going off-grid can seem appealing in lots of ways. But are there consequences if everyone unplugs from the system? Are there costs we haven’t considered?

Guest: Ivan Penn, renewable energy correspondent for the New York Times

Host: Seth Stevenson

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Why the Zelensky Deepfake Failed

Fri, 25 Mar 2022 07:00:00 GMT

The FBI warned that Russia would use deepfakes to support its invasion of Ukraine. Are they missing the real threat?

Guest: Noah Giansiracusa, professor of math and data science at Bentley University.

Host: Seth Stevenson

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Syria Was Putin’s Testing Ground

Thu, 24 Mar 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Russia’s indiscriminate shelling of civilian targets in Ukraine is eerily reminiscent of its involvement in the war in Syria, where the goal was to crush civilian morale amid an uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. How did top global powers allow Russian President Vladimir Putin to be successful in Syria? Are there signs that he’ll enjoy similar success now, in Ukraine?

Guest: William Wechsler, senior director of the Rafik Hariri Center and Middle East Programs at the Atlantic Council.

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Congress Is In Denial About COVID

Wed, 23 Mar 2022 07:00:00 GMT

The White House and Senate Republicans are at an impasse when it comes to passing a $15 billion pandemic relief package. And there are growing concerns about money running out for COVID-19 response essentials like tests, therapeutic treatments and vaccines.

This week, some of those pandemic relief federal funds will start drying up. What does that mean for America's state of pandemic readiness – especially if another wave is on the horizon?

Guest: Dan Diamond, national health and policy reporter at The Washington Post.

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A Stalemate in Ukraine

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 07:00:00 GMT

It’s been more than three weeks since Russia declared war on Ukraine. Here’s how each country is preparing for the next brutal stage of this conflict.

Guest: Fred Kaplan covers national security for Slate and is the author of The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War.

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What the Sackler Family Won

Mon, 21 Mar 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Guest: Brian Mann, reporter on addiction for NPR.

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The Startup Delivering Adderall

Sun, 20 Mar 2022 07:00:00 GMT

In just two years, the mental-health startup Cerebral has grown to operate in 50 states, registered more than 200,000 patients, and reached a $4.8 billion valuation. Has it prioritized growth over patient care?

Guest: Caleb Melby

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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Hong Kong’s Covid Crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Hong Kong's zero-COVID policy got enviable results, but inadvertently set the stage for disaster. What will it take to change course?

Guest: Dr. Karen Grépin, Associate Professor at the School of Public Health at the University of Hong Kong

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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What It Takes to Get an Abortion in Texas

Thu, 17 Mar 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Last week, the Texas Supreme Court handed down a decision: Abortion providers can no longer sue state medical licensing offiicials to challenge Texas’ six-week abortion ban. Senate Bill 8, as it’s known, went into effect six months ago with ongoing legal battles in local, state and federal courtrooms. As abortion access is further restricted in the state, abortion rights advocates are doing everything they can to continue their work – including flying women out of state to get care – while navigating geographic constraints at the southern border.

Guest: Cathy Torres, organizing manager for Frontera Fund, an abortion fund for the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas.

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The Russian Media Crackdown

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Russian state propaganda has kicked into overdrive as its war on Ukraine continues. State news depicts Ukrainians as the aggressors and the Kremlin’s military as a heroic force. In times like these, how can Russians get accurate information?

Guest: Kevin Rothrock, managing editor of the English side of Meduza and host of the podcast “The Russia Guy.”

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What Banning Russian Oil Really Means

Tue, 15 Mar 2022 07:00:00 GMT

While the U.S. ban on Russian oil correlates with rising prices in the U.S., it’s still subject to a global market that was on the upswing anyway. In the long run, could the rising prices, whether the result of the ban or not, actually help accelerate decarbonization efforts and move the U.S. to more sustainable forms of energy?

Guest: Robinson Meyer, staff writer at The Atlantic. He is the author of the newsletter The Weekly Planet, and a co-founder of the COVID Tracking Project at The Atlantic.

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The Persistence of Anti-Asian Violence

Mon, 14 Mar 2022 07:00:00 GMT

In early 2020, reports of violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders began to go up. More alarming is that two years later, the attacks don’t seem to be going anywhere. Why, after so much time passed, hasn’t the story changed?

Guest: Jo-Ann Yoo, Executive Director of the Asian American Federation.

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How Minnesota Spied On Protesters

Sun, 13 Mar 2022 07:00:00 GMT

When Minnesota's Operation Safety Net, a coordinated effort among nine Minnesota law enforcement agencies, was announced in February 2021, its mission was to ensure the trial of Derek Chauvin would proceed peacefully. It also promised to protect people's right to gather and demonstrate peacefully.

Did Operation Safety Net keep its promise?

Guest: Tate Ryan-Mosley, reporter for MIT Tech review

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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Putin's Internet Crackdown

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Vladimir Putin has always regarded the internet with suspicion. Now, with western tech companies pulling out of Russia and control of the war narrative slipping, he sees an opening. Will Putin wall off Russia from the rest of the digital world?

Guests:

Yana Pashaeva, Moscow-based journalist

Justin Sherman, fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Cyber Statecraft Initiative

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On the Ground With a Ukrainian Journalist

Thu, 10 Mar 2022 08:00:00 GMT

What it’s been like for one Ukrainian-American journalist to cover the Russian attack on his homeland: “The first couple of days of the war, I threw myself into work, and then after that, I couldn't function for a day or two. And I quickly figured out that if I keep working, then I have to abstract it on some level.”

Guest: Romeo Kokriatski, managing editor of The New Voice of Ukraine and co-host of the podcast Ukraine Without Hype.

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The January 6th Case Against Trump

Wed, 09 Mar 2022 08:00:00 GMT

The congressional committee investigating January 6th has outlined potential criminal charges against former President Trump. Why did the Department of Justice let someone else beat them to it?

Guest: Ankush Khardori is a DC-based lawyer and a former federal prosecutor who specialized in financial fraud and white-collar crime. He’s a contributing writer for Intelligencer and a contributing editor at Politico.

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How Zelensky Met the Moment

Tue, 08 Mar 2022 08:00:00 GMT

How Volodymyr Zelensky went from being one of Ukraine’s most successful entertainment moguls to its much-heralded wartime president.

Guest: Franklin Foer, staff writer at the Atlantic.

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The New New Phase of the Pandemic

Mon, 07 Mar 2022 08:00:00 GMT

The Biden administration’s new pandemic rules and countermeasures intend to bring us into a “new phase of the pandemic.” The CDC also released new guidelines for masking, and now about 70% of Americans can go mask free. What do these new guidelines actually say about what stage of the pandemic we’re in?

Guest: Megan Ranney, emergency room doctor at Brown Emergency Medicine.

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When Your Retina Needs a Software Update

Sun, 06 Mar 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Second Sight restored partial vision to hundreds of patients around the world through retinal implants. Then, on the verge of bankruptcy, they abandoned the project. Now, over 300 patients with Second Sight technology in their bodies are asking: what will happen to us?

Guest: Eliza Strickland, senior editor at IEEE Spectrum

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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Ukraine’s Information War

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Up against one of the world's most effective propaganda operations, Ukraine has taken control of the online narrative. With Russian troops closing in, how important is winning the information war?

Guest: Casey Newton, writer at Platformer

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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Europe’s Refugee Hypocrisy

Thu, 03 Mar 2022 08:00:00 GMT

As hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians flee to safety in neighboring countries and beyond, the UN says this may become Europe’s largest refugee crisis this century. But it’s hard not to notice the stark difference between how the EU is welcoming Ukrainian refugees versus the non-European refugees who came before them.

Guest: Serena Parekh, professor at Northeastern University in Boston and the director of its politics, philosophy and economics program.

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Putin Alone

Wed, 02 Mar 2022 08:00:00 GMT

No one knows what’s going on in Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s head – and while that’s a worrisome idea during the best of times, it’s an especially grim one during a war of his own creation. Putin is increasingly isolated, away from his inner circle and the oligarchs who once had some influence with him.

Guest: Ben Judah is a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and the author of This Is London and Fragile Empire: How Russia Fell In and Out of Love With Vladimir Putin.

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Texas’s Attack on Trans Kids

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Texas’s Republican governor and attorney general are pursuing a new crackdown on trans kids and their families. Their directive compelling Child Protective Services to treat gender-affirming care as child abuse is raising alarms among trans rights advocates, who say the order, if enforced, will prove dangerous for a vulnerable population.

Why did Republican leaders pick this moment to trumpet an anti-trans effort? How does it fit into a wider culture war—or perhaps a larger effort to drive trans people from public life?

Guest: Katelyn Burns, columnist at MSNBC and co-host of the podcast Cancel Me, Daddy.

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President Biden’s First Supreme Court Pick

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 08:00:00 GMT

President Biden has nominated Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to fill Justice Breyer’s seat on the Supreme Court. If confirmed, she would be the first Black woman to hold a seat on the court. What does her backstory say about her as a jurist?

Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, senior writer for Slate.

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The Long View on Russia’s Invasion

Sun, 27 Feb 2022 15:51:00 GMT

Russia went all in last week, sending troops across the border with Ukraine and raining shells on the country. Experts are saying Putin’s brash invasion of his neighbor is shifting the world order in significant ways. In the face of this aggression, how should NATO respond? Can history serve as a guide?

Guest: Fred Kaplan, Slate’s War Stories correspondent.

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Peter Thiel, Patron of the Populist Right

Sun, 27 Feb 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Peter Thiel spent the better part of two decades molding the tech industry in his image. Now, he's leaving Facebook behind and turning his attention to politics. Is Thiel the next kingmaker for the populist right?

Max Chafkin, writer for Bloomberg and is the author of The Contrarian: Peter Thiel and Silicon Valley's Pursuit of Power

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Russia's Other Battlefront

Fri, 25 Feb 2022 08:00:00 GMT

For seven years, Ukraine has served as a virtual testing ground for a generation of cyber weaponry capable of taking down power grids, networks, and supply chains. With an invasion of Ukraine underway, will these weapons come into play?

Guest: Andy Greenberg, senior writer at WIRED and the author of the book Sandworm: A New Era of Cyberwar and the Hunt for the Kremlin's Most Dangerous Hackers

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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The Anti-Government Blueprint in California

Thu, 24 Feb 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Earlier this month in Northern California, a militia-backed anti-government group won a recall vote that will effectively give it control over a county’s local government. The recall ousted a Republican politician from his supervisor seat and was preceded by two years of threats and contentious county meetings stemming from pandemic precautions. Could this style of government takeover become a blueprint for other far-right groups nationwide?

Guest: Doni Chamberlain is a former newspaper reporter and the founder of A News Cafe, a website covering Shasta County in Northern California..

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Putin’s Obsession With Ukraine

Wed, 23 Feb 2022 08:00:00 GMT

President Vladimir Putin has begun sending Russian soldiers into Ukraine after spending months massing troops on the country’s borders. Why is Putin risking so much to take the Donbas region? And does this latest incursion signal a failure of the west’s foreign policy approach to Russia?

Guest: Josh Keating, global security reporter at Grid.

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The Path to the Sandy Hook Settlement

Tue, 22 Feb 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Last week, the Remington Arms Company reached a $73 million dollar settlement with the families of nine victims killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre—the largest payout by a gun manufacturer in a mass shooting case.

Federal law protects manufacturers from a broad swath of liability in civilian shootings, so the families’ legal team took an interesting tack: they sued under Connecticut’s consumer protection laws and exposed the reckless way Remington marketed their weapons.

Guest: @NicoleHockley is co-founder and CEO of Sandy Hook Promise Foundation.

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The COVAX Fantasy

Sun, 20 Feb 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Over two years into the pandemic, much of the world remains either unvaccinated, partially vaccinated, or lacking access to mRNA vaccines entirely. How did the leading effort to vaccinate the world go so wrong?

Guest: Achal Prabhala, coordinator of the AccessIBSA project and a fellow of the Shuttleworth Foundation, in Bangalore.

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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TBD | The COVAX Fantasy

Sun, 20 Feb 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Guest: Achal Prabhala, coordinator of the AccessIBSA project and a fellow of the Shuttleworth Foundation, in Bangalore.

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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"Rampant Racism" at Tesla

Fri, 18 Feb 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Last week, California's Department of Fair Employment and Housing sued Tesla. It accuses the electric vehicle maker of fostering a workplace rife with racism and discrimination.

What's happening inside Tesla's Fremont plant?

Guest: Dana Hull, reporter for Bloomberg

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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The Olympics’ Latest Doping Scandal

Thu, 17 Feb 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Olympic athletes and commentators were stunned this week to learn that 15-year-old Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva will be allowed to compete in Beijing’s Winter Games, despite testing positive in December for a banned substance. The controversy has kicked up raw feelings about Russia’s history of doping and the fecklessness of Olympics officials to apply rules evenly across countries.

Guest: Justin Peters, Slate correspondent and the author of The Idealist: Aaron Swartz and the Rise of Free Culture on the Internet.

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A Trump Protege Auditions for 2024

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Florida governor, Ron DeSantis has been on a tear promoting hyper-conservative policies – from his “Stop Woke Act” to gerrymandering, he’s shocking even fellow Republicans. Is this his way of preparing for a 2024 presidential run?

Guest: Mary Ellen Klas is the Miami Herald Capitol Bureau Chief.

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Sarah Palin v. the New York Times

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 08:00:00 GMT

For decades, the press has enjoyed a wide latitude when writing about public figures. But the high legal standard for defamation may be coming in for some scrutiny in the libel suit of Sarah Palin versus the New York Times.

Guest: Slate contributor Seth Stevenson. Read his latest coverage of the trial of Sarah Palin v. New York Times.

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Where Does Minneapolis Go Now?

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Old wounds are open again in Minneapolis. The city is struggling to investigate a police shooting from earlier this month, when officers carried out a “no-knock” search warrant and fatally shot a 22-year-old Black man in bed. The victim, Amir Locke, was not a suspect in the crime police were investigating. The shooting comes months after city voters rejected a plan to defund the police, and some city officials are struggling to figure out a path forward with a police force that’s been difficult to reform and an electorate that has little appetite for radical change.

Guest: Jeremiah Ellison, member of the Minneapolis City Council.

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The Rise of a Fast Fashion Juggernaut

Sun, 13 Feb 2022 08:00:00 GMT

In just a few short years, the Chinese fast fashion company Shein upended the way countless young women shop online. It’s approach could soon shape the way everyone else shops, too.

Guest: Louise Matsakis, freelance technology reporter

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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How Safe is the Metaverse?

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Facebook’s first crack at the metaverse has a problem: kids. Underage users seem to be flooding Horizon Worlds, potentially putting themselves at risk.

Is Meta doomed to repeat Facebook’s mistakes?

Guest: Will Oremus, technology news analysis writer for the Washington Post.

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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What You Don’t See At The Olympics

Thu, 10 Feb 2022 08:00:00 GMT

As the Winter Olympics unfold in Beijing, a darker reality remains: China’s abuses against the Uyghurs, an ethnic minority in the country’s Xinjiang region. While much of the world remains glued to the sports coverage, Uyghurs in the diaspora are calling on people to pay attention to China's treatment of their family members back home.

Guest: Gulchehra Hoja, a Uyghur journalist with Radio Free Asia.

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The Canadian Trucker Revolt

Wed, 09 Feb 2022 08:00:00 GMT

The Ottawa truckers protest is neither exclusive to Ottawa nor strictly composed of truckers. And its supporters are hoping to head to a city near you.

Guest: Jesse Brown, editor-in-chief of Canadaland.

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When Planned Parenthood Burns Down

Tue, 08 Feb 2022 08:00:00 GMT

With Roe v. Wade on the chopping block, abortion access is under fire in states around the country. At Planned Parenthood’s Knoxville location, the clinic faced that literally when an arson attack burned the building to the ground. How will providers rebuild when the things they stand for are so threatened?

Guest: Tory Mills, director of community engagement for Planned Parenthood’s Knoxville Health Center.

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The NFL’s Race Problem

Mon, 07 Feb 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Until last month, Brian Flores was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins, and one of only three Black head coaches among the NFL’s 32 teams. That number has since dropped to one.

Guest: LZ Granderson, columnist for the Los Angeles Times and host of ABC News’ “Life Out Loud with LZ Granderson.”

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The Code That Runs Your Life

Sun, 06 Feb 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Banks, healthcare providers, and retailers around the world still rely on COBOL, a programming language originally developed in the 1960s. By all accounts the code is powerful, practical, and very rarely problematic. But the small group of people who still know the language are aging out of the workforce.

What happens when there are no more COBOL coders left?

Guest: Clive Thompson, journalist and author of "Coders: The Making of a New Tribe and the Remaking of the World."

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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Spotify’s Joe Rogan Mess

Fri, 04 Feb 2022 08:00:00 GMT

For Spotify, the last month has seen a cascade of controversies around its exclusive podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience. Is it time for the streaming service to rethink its role as a podcast publisher? And is it even possible to moderate podcast misinformation?

Guest: Evelyn Douek, lecturer at Harvard Law School, and Affiliate at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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A New Kind of Gun Control

Thu, 03 Feb 2022 08:00:00 GMT

A popular, outgoing liberal mayor in Silicon Valley is taking on gun rights groups with a splashy municipal ordinance fashioned to curb gun violence—and be the first of its kind. Gun rights groups are foretelling doom for the new law, and the NRA called it a “ridiculous publicity stunt.”

Does this city’s initiative have the hallmarks of a breakthrough on gun violence prevention? Will lawsuits tank it before anyone has the chance to find out?

Guest: Sam Liccardo, mayor of San Jose, California.

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The Mineral The Future Is Built On

Wed, 02 Feb 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Cobalt is the most important mineral of the future. It’s a key part of lithium-ion batteries, which power cell phones and laptops, not to mention electric cars. That demand is giving rise to a mining industry in Idaho, which sits atop a giant cobalt deposit. But the environmental costs of extraction raise questions about what “clean energy” really means.

Guest: Michael Holtz, freelance journalist and author of “Idaho Is Sitting on One of the Most Important Elements on Earth.”

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The Life and Death of the Expanded Child Tax Credit

Tue, 01 Feb 2022 08:00:00 GMT

The expanded Child Tax Credit slashed childhood poverty in the U.S. by an estimated 30%. Why won’t congress revive it?

Guest: Jordan Weissmann, writer and editor at Slate focused on economics, politics, and public policy.

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How China Is Spinning the Olympics

Mon, 31 Jan 2022 08:00:00 GMT

No one is happy with the way this year’s Winter Olympics are unfolding. Athletes are frustrated with China’s excessive pandemic precautions. Diplomatic tensions are rising. Are the second COVID games on thin ice?

Guest: Henry Bushnell, features writer for Yahoo Sports.

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The Downfall of One of the World's Biggest Brains

Fri, 28 Jan 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Ten years ago, IBM made a gamble. Through a monumental advertising and PR campaign, it promised that its AI technology–Watson–would transform the health care industry as we know it. A decade and billions of dollars later, Watson Health is being sold for parts.

What went wrong with IBM’s “moonshot?” And what does Watson’s failure tell us about the promise of AI for health care?

Guest: Casey Ross, national technology correspondent for STAT

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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Bye Bye, Breyer

Thu, 27 Jan 2022 08:00:00 GMT

This week, Justice Stephen G. Breyer is expected to announce his plan to retire from the Supreme Court at the end of its term this summer. Breyer’s signal comes after a year-long pressure campaign from the political left and others anxious to ensure that Democrats control who replaces the court’s most senior liberal justice.

Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, who covers courts and the law for Slate.

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Putin’s Plan

Wed, 26 Jan 2022 08:00:00 GMT

The odds of a Russian invasion of Ukraine are increasing, with thousands of Russian troops stationed near the two countries' border. Vladimir Putin is set on ensuring Ukraine gives up its ambitions to join NATO and the European Union, and it’s unclear how much he’s willing to risk to meet that objective.

How far will the Russian leader go to get what he wants? Is there any way to end the standoff without violence?

Guest: Amy Mackinnon, national security and intelligence reporter at Foreign Policy.

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Policing-for-Profit

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Over the last few years, a sleepy southern town has seen its arrest rate grow more than 1100%. It’s not because of a spike in crime in Brookside, Alabama; instead, the town’s law enforcement has adopted a policing-for-profit model that treats citizens as revenue generators and cracks down on them accordingly. In turn, some residents enter debt spirals as the town’s police force rakes in more cash, with no signs of stopping anytime soon.

Guest: John Archibald, columnist for AL.com and the Birmingham News.

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Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Danielle Hewitt, Elena Schwartz, and Carmel Delshad.

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How the Texas Synagogue Survived

Mon, 24 Jan 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Stuart Frisch gave security training to the members of Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas, less than six months before they found themselves under siege and held hostage—a training the rabbi cited when explaining how they managed to escape.

How does Frisch approach protecting spaces that aren’t meant to be fortresses? Can faith and security coexist?

Guest: Stuart Frisch, advisor for the Secure Community Network.

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Why Does Matt Damon Want Me to Buy Crypto?

Fri, 21 Jan 2022 09:00:00 GMT

A recent advertisement for crypto.com, featuring Matt Damon, was met with widespread mockery online. But Damon’s ad is only the most visible example of a much broader—and more insidious—trend of celebrity cryptocurrency endorsements. Is the partnership between crypto and Hollywood really dangerous? And what separates the trend from run-of-the-mill salesmanship?

Guests: Jacob Silverman, staff writer for the New Republic and Ben McKenzie, actor, writer, and director.

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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Is Biden Flunking COVID?

Thu, 20 Jan 2022 08:00:00 GMT

President Biden, unlike his predecessor, was able to spend some time planning his COVID-19 response. One year in, is the plan working?

Guest: Dan Diamond, national health reporter for the Washington Post.

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The Supreme Court, Unmasked

Wed, 19 Jan 2022 08:00:00 GMT

The Supreme Court heard two challenges to the Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccination mandates this month. It blocked one mandate and upheld another, giving some observers whiplash.

How did the court come to such different rulings on similar workplace mandates, and what do the rulings say about how the court views the federal government as a whole?

Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, staff writer covering courts and the law for Slate.

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The New King of Conservative Media

Tue, 18 Jan 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Conservative talk radio host Dan Bongino sits atop a media ecosystem that is fueling the fervor behind Trump and his big lie.

Guest: Evan Osnos is staff writer at The New Yorker and a fellow at the Brookings Institute. He’s also the author of Wildland: The Making of America’s Fury.

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Where Are The Little Kids' Vaccines?

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 05:00:00 GMT

Today on What Next TBD: What is going on with little kids' vaccines? Why don’t they seem to be a priority for the government or the pharmaceutical companies, while parents are stressed to a breaking point? We discuss with Meg Tirrell, health and science correspondent for CNBC, and co-host of the Readout Loud podcast.

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TBD | Where Are The Little Kids' Vaccines?

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 05:00:00 GMT

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Should Democrats Compromise on Election Reform?

Thu, 13 Jan 2022 08:00:00 GMT

For the past year, Democrats have been touting the importance of passing two huge federal voting protections bills. If those plans can’t pass, should the party tackle straight-up election subversion?

Guest: Rick Hasen, professor of law and political science at the University of California–Irvine School of Law and author of Election Meltdown: Dirty Tricks, Distrust, and the Threat to American Democracy.

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Greg Abbott’s PR Play at the Border

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Back in March, Texas Governor Greg Abbott sent a couple hundred members of the Texas National Guard to the U.S.-Mexico border to counteract what he called President Biden’s “open border policies.” Almost a year later, around 10,000 troops are stationed there at Abbott’s command. Many guardsmen have had to upend their lives for a mission that seems to have little purpose.

Guest: Davis Winkie, staff reporter for Army Times.

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Chicago’s Public School Meltdown

Tue, 11 Jan 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Chicago Public Schools canceled classes for three consecutive days this year, following a vote by the teachers union to defy in-person teaching orders amid a rise in COVID-19 cases. The union wants additional safety measures in place as teachers and students return to school. Meanwhile, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the union’s actions are “illegal,” and the public schools system said the refusal to teach in-person amounted to a strike.

How will the showdown end? And when will students get back into the classroom?

Guest: Sarah Karp, education reporter at WBEZ in Chicago.

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J.D. Vance’s Long Game

Mon, 10 Jan 2022 08:00:00 GMT

J.D. Vance became a sought-after cultural translator when he published Hillbilly Elegy. Now, he’s a rhetorical bomb-thrower running for the Republican nomination for Senate in Ohio. But underneath Vance’s transformation is a relatively consistent appreciation for a new strain of conservatism still in the process of defining itself. Could Vance’s candidacy advance this intellectual movement on the political right?

Guest: Simon van Zuylen-Wood, who wrote about J.D. Vance for the Washington Post Magazine.

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The Aftermath of Elizabeth Holmes

Fri, 07 Jan 2022 05:00:00 GMT

Elizabeth Holmes was found guilty of defrauding investors this week in federal court. The former CEO, wunderkind, and blood mogul has been the subject of intense legal interest and public fascination ever since her company, Theranos, was beset by scandal in 2015. Today on What Next: TBD we follow-up with Rebecca Jarvis, host of “The Dropout” podcast and ABC News Chief Business, Technology & Economics Correspondent. We dig into the verdict and ask if Silicon Valley will finally confront the elements of its culture that allowed Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos to run wild with investor’s money, and patient’s health. You can listen to “The Dropout: Elizabeth Holmes on Trial” now wherever you get your podcasts.

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Rapid Test Blues

Thu, 06 Jan 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Back in March of 2020, a scientist working at MIT developed a rapid test for the novel coronavirus. It wasn’t quite as accurate as a PCR, but would have gone a long way in detecting infectious cases during the emerging pandemic. But her test was never approved—and today, the U.S. is still behind other developed countries in our mass testing scheme.

Guest: Lydia Depillis, reporter for ProPublica.

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Is the Pandemic Getting Better... Or Worse?

Wed, 05 Jan 2022 08:00:00 GMT

It's easy to look at the latest pandemic-related disruptions and assume we're careening into another full-blown COVID crisis. But in many ways, we’re getting better at combating this coronavirus.

Guest: Dan Diamond, national health reporter for the Washington Post.

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The Coup Next Time

Tue, 04 Jan 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Months before the attack on the Capitol, Bart Gellman predicted that the 2020 election would usher in a make-or-break year for American democracy. He was correct. Now, he’s trying to sound the alarm again. This time he says American democratic institutions and systems are being broken before our eyes, and the people in power aren’t doing enough to stop it.

Guest: Barton Gellman, staff writer at The Atlantic.

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The Capitol Rioters, A Year Later

Mon, 03 Jan 2022 08:00:00 GMT

The Justice Department’s criminal investigation into the January 6th insurrection is unprecedented. More than 700 rioters face charges, and federal prosecutors are still adding names to the pile. As cases work their way through the courts, judges are sparring over the proper approach to sentencing rioters. How do you hold an individual responsible for a collective event?

Guest: Zoe Tillman, senior legal reporter with BuzzFeed News.

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Best of 2021: It’s Time to Talk About U.F.O.s

Fri, 31 Dec 2021 08:00:00 GMT

This episode originally aired in July 2021

Last week, the U.S. government released a new report that attempts to categorize 144 verified sightings of unidentified aerial phenomena, or U.A.P. They could only definitively explain one of them.

The new report signals a shift in the way we think about U.A.P. As technology has advanced and evidence of these encounters have increased, the question has become more urgent: what exactly is happening in our skies?

Guest: Shane Harris, intelligence and national security reporter for the Washington Post

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TBD | Best of 2021: It’s Time to Talk About U.F.O.s

Fri, 31 Dec 2021 08:00:00 GMT

This episode originally aired in July 2021

Last week, the U.S. government released a new report that attempts to categorize 144 verified sightings of unidentified aerial phenomena, or U.A.P. They could only definitively explain one of them.

Guest: Shane Harris, intelligence and national security reporter for the Washington Post

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Best of 2021 | When Your Town Burns Down

Thu, 30 Dec 2021 08:00:00 GMT

We’re re-running some of our favorite episodes from the past year. This episode originally aired in August 2021.

Last week, the northern California mountain town of Greenville was wiped out by the Dixie Fire, which lasted for two months and is now the second largest wildfire in California history. As Greenville residents assess the damage to their homes and businesses, is it safe to rebuild? Is it even ethical, when wildfires are expected to only get worse?

Guest: Margaret Garcia, also known as Meg Upton, reporter at Plumas News.

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Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Danielle Hewitt, Elena Schwartz, Davis Land, and Carmel Delshad.

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Best of 2021 | Will the NFL Finally Support Gay Players?

Wed, 29 Dec 2021 08:00:00 GMT

We’re re-running some of our favorite episodes from the past year. This episode originally aired in June 2021.

The Las Vegas Raiders’ defensive end, Carl Nassib, came out in an Instagram post back in June, making him the first openly gay active player in NFL histroy. The league immediately posted in celebration of Nassib’s announcement. But given the NFL’s sorry history of standing by players on the vanguard, will the league really put its money where its mouth is this time?

Guest: LZ Granderson, LA Times opinion columnist and host of ABC News’ “Life Out Loud with LZ Granderson.”

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Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Danielle Hewitt, Elena Schwartz, Davis Land, and Carmel Delshad.

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Best of 2021 | How Should We Remember Colin Powell?

Tue, 28 Dec 2021 08:00:00 GMT

We’re re-running some of our favorite episodes from the past year. This episode originally aired in October 2021.

Thirty years after his rise to national prominence, Powell’s death has prompted reflections on the Iraq War and his role in using false intelligence to justify the U.S. invasion.

Guest: Fred Kaplan, Slate’s War Stories columnist.

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Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Danielle Hewitt, Elena Schwartz, Davis Land, and Carmel Delshad.

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Best of 2021 | God Doesn’t Want Me Vaccinated

Mon, 27 Dec 2021 08:00:00 GMT

We’re re-running some of our favorite episodes from the past year. This episode originally aired in September 2021.

Who are the people seeking a religious exemption to the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate? What are their religious claims? And how do workplaces decide who has a real claim to belief versus a convenient letter from a pastor-for-hire?

Guest: Ruth Graham, reporter for The New York Times.

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Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Danielle Hewitt, Elena Schwartz, Davis Land, and Carmel Delshad.

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Best of 2021: Are We Getting COVID Testing All Wrong?

Fri, 24 Dec 2021 08:00:00 GMT

This episode originally aired in September.

In the U.S., the PCR test is the gold standard for COVID testing. Common knowledge would have it that the test is more accurate—and therefore more effective at containing the spread of the disease—than the rapid antigen test.

What if that isn’t quite true?

Guest: Michael Mina, assistant professor of epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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TBD | Best of 2021: Are We Getting COVID Testing All Wrong?

Fri, 24 Dec 2021 08:00:00 GMT

This episode originally aired in September.

What if that isn’t quite true?

Guest: Michael Mina, assistant professor of epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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Best of 2021 | When the Culture War Comes For Your Job

Thu, 23 Dec 2021 08:00:00 GMT

We’re re-running some of our favorite episodes from the past year. This episode originally aired in July 2021.

Brittany Hogan worked in diversity and inclusion for the Rockwood School District for eight years. As public debate intensified over the way race is discussed in schools and threats were made against her, Hogan eventually was pushed to resign.

Guest: Brittany Hogan, former director of educational equity and diversity for the Rockwood School District in St. Louis County.

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Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Danielle Hewitt, Elena Schwartz, Davis Land, and Carmel Delshad.

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Best of 2021 | One Woman’s Year Protecting George Floyd Square

Wed, 22 Dec 2021 08:00:00 GMT

We’re re-running some of our favorite episodes from the past year. This episode originally aired in May 2021.

A year after the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, residents near the intersection of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue—now dubbed George Floyd Square—continue to keep the area closed off. The city wants to reopen the intersection, but activists say they aren’t giving in until the community’s demands for justice are met.

Guest: Marcia Howard, security volunteer and organizer in George Floyd Square.

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Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Danielle Hewitt, Elena Schwartz, Davis Land, and Carmel Delshad.

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Best of 2021 | The Plight of the Delivery Worker

Tue, 21 Dec 2021 08:00:00 GMT

In the last few years, New York City’s delivery workers have become a key part of the food industry’s infrastructure, allowing restaurants to do business with customers who are too stressed to leave their desks, or too cautious to leave their homes. But a spate of violent attacks and bike thefts has shown that the people delivering your Grubhub and Seamless orders are deeply vulnerable. Why are these essential workers being exploited by apps and abandoned by the police, forced to band together just to get by?

Guest: Josh Dzieza, an investigations editor and feature writer at The Verge covering technology, business, and climate change.

We’re re-running some of our favorite episodes from the past year. This episode originally aired in September of 2021.

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Joe Biden's Putin Problem

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 08:00:00 GMT

What does a massing of Russian troops on the Ukrainian border mean? And could this conflict be defused yet by diplomacy?

Guest: Slate’s Fred Kaplan, author of The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War.

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The Carbon Capture Fantasy

Fri, 17 Dec 2021 08:00:00 GMT

Using experimental technology to pull gigatons of carbon out of the air and bury it deep beneath the Earth sounds like a bad sci-fi plot point. If things don’t change soon, it also might be one of our only options.

Guest: Clive Thompson, journalist and author of Coders: The Making of a New Tribe and the Remaking of the World

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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What Mark Meadows Knew

Thu, 16 Dec 2021 08:00:00 GMT

After initially cooperating with the select committee investigating the events of January 6, former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows reversed course, deciding instead to assert executive privilege. But Meadows had already handed over documents and text messages relating to that day—painting a picture of how Trump’s inner circle reacted as the Capitol was under siege.

What happens to Meadows now that he’s been held in contempt of Congress? And could possible criminal charges for defying the committee spur other witnesses to speak?

Guest: Nicholas Wu, congressional reporter for Politico.

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Why Didn’t Maryland Democrats Go For the Jugular?

Wed, 15 Dec 2021 08:00:00 GMT

Maryland Democrats had a shot at an 8-0 gerrymander this redistricting cycle. To the frustration of the national Democratic party, they stopped just shy of that number. Should Maryland Democrats have just taken the total low road on partisan gerrymandering?

Guest: Jim Newell, senior politics reporter for Slate. Sign up for his weekly newsletter, The Surge.

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Abrams vs. Kemp vs. Perdue

Tue, 14 Dec 2021 08:00:00 GMT

When Georgia Governor Brian Kemp announced his intent to run for reelection, he knew he was facing down a rematch with voting rights activist and former state lawmaker Stacey Abrams. What he likely didn’t expect was a challenge from the right in the form of David Perdue, a local businessman, former senator, and good friend who was encouraged to run against him by Donald Trump. Now, the question is whether Trumpism can be a winning argument in Georgia—or whether Democrats might be able to exploit Republicans’ division to score a win in the deeply purple state.

Guest: Greg Bluestein, reporter covering state politics for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

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When Your Book Gets Banned By the School Board

Mon, 13 Dec 2021 08:00:00 GMT

Guest: Ashley Hope Pérez, author of three YA novels, including Out of Darkness, and professor of literature at Ohio State University.

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Who Online Justice Leaves Behind

Fri, 10 Dec 2021 08:00:00 GMT

The U.S. civil court system doesn’t get as much attention as the criminal courts, but it would be hard to overstate its importance. In 2018, for example, 47 percent of respondents to a Pew survey said they had dealt with the system in one way or another; from eviction proceedings, to debt collection, to child-support modifications.

What happened when the pandemic upended such an important pillar of the justice system? Did new technologies fix existing problems—or just create new ones?

Guest: Qudsiya Naqui, officer at the Pew Charitable Trust

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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The School Shooting Down the Street

Thu, 09 Dec 2021 08:00:00 GMT

Michigan state Senator Rosemary Bayer has been fighting for years to get safe storage laws on the books in her home state. In the wake of the shooting at Oxford High School, a school that sits in her district, her mission has become that much more urgent.

Guest: Rosemary Bayer is a state senator in Michigan. She represents the northern suburbs of Detroit.

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What Peng Shuai Started

Wed, 08 Dec 2021 08:00:00 GMT

When Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai accused a former Chinese Vice Premier of rape, what came next was darkly predictable: the athlete disappeared from public view while the government scrubbed all mentions of her allegations and censored searches for her name. But few expected the Women’s Tennis Association to strike back, suspending all future tournaments in China and Hong Kong.

As the WTA stands up to China - leaving millions of dollars on the table - will other sports organizations follow suit and hold the government to account over its human rights abuses?

Guest: Ben Rothenberg, senior editor of Racquet Magazine and host of the tennis podcast No Challenges Remaining.

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House Democrats’ Long-Shot Plan to Dodge Disaster

Tue, 07 Dec 2021 08:00:00 GMT

All signs point to rough congressional elections next year. What are House Democrats doing to hold their majority?

Guest: Rep. Sean Maloney (D-N.Y.), chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

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The 30-Year Plan to End Roe

Mon, 06 Dec 2021 08:00:00 GMT

After oral arguments last week, the Supreme Court looks ready to overturn Roe v. Wade. How did conservatives get to this moment when the majority of Americans favor legalized abortion? And do liberals have the patience to keep the fight alive?

Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, staff writer at Slate covering the Supreme Court.

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Did @jack Ruin Twitter?

Fri, 03 Dec 2021 08:00:00 GMT

On Monday, Jack Dorsey stepped down as CEO of Twitter. It’s not the first time he’s left the job.

Is this really the end for the man who guided Twitter through the Trump era? And how will the platform change without him at the helm?

Guest: Nick Bilton, special correspondent at Vanity Fair

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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Why No One Told Chris Cuomo No

Thu, 02 Dec 2021 08:00:00 GMT

CNN anchor Chris Cuomo was recently placed on indefinite leave by the network for his involvement in the damage control operations of his brother, former NY governor Andrew Cuomo, over the last year. A trove of documents revealed that Chris had overstepped ethical lines to help protect Andrew while he was under fire for allegations of sexual harassment.

Why did the younger Cuomo wade into the political muck, putting his job at risk? And will CNN hold him accountable?

Guest: Erik Wemple, media critic for the Washington Post.

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Everything We (Don’t) Know About Omicron

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 10:00:00 GMT

In November, South Africa alerted the world to Omicron, a new strain of COVID-19. Then, as cases began to pop up worldwide, the World Health Organization labeled it a “variant of concern.” What do we know about Omicron, and just how worried should we be?

Guest: Dr. Katelyn Jetelina, assistant professor with the School of Public Health at UTHealth and author of Your Local Epidemiologist on Substack.

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Are the Democrats Making Child Care Even Worse?

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Child care has long been a “textbook example of a broken market,” as Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said this fall. How have government efforts so thoroughly failed to fix this industry? And does Biden’s infrastructure bill threaten to hamper child care businesses even more?

Guest: Claire Suddath, writer for Bloomberg Businessweek.

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RIP to the SAT

Mon, 29 Nov 2021 08:00:00 GMT

If you had to take the SAT for your college admissions process, you largely have the University of California System to thank for that. When the university adopted the test in 1968, hundreds of other colleges followed suit. But now, U.C. has decided not to use standardized tests in admissions anymore. Could the decision spur a retooling of the college admissions process more broadly?

Guest: Teresa Watanabe, education reporter for the Los Angeles Times.

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Best of 2021: Inside the Subreddit That Blew Up GameStop

Fri, 26 Nov 2021 10:00:00 GMT

This episode originally aired in January 2021

The story of how GameStop went from the verge of a bankruptcy to a $15 billion market value isn’t an easy one to wrap your head around. But it helps to go back to the beginning; almost three years ago, in a subreddit called r/wallstreetbets.

Guests:

Brandon Kochkodin, reporter at Bloomberg

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TBD | Best of 2021: Inside the Subreddit That Blew Up GameStop

Fri, 26 Nov 2021 10:00:00 GMT

This episode originally aired in January 2021

Guests:

Brandon Kochkodin, reporter at Bloomberg

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Whose Second Amendment Is It?

Wed, 24 Nov 2021 08:00:00 GMT

The Supreme Court is considering a case that may strike down New York state’s strict restrictions on carrying a gun in public. Some public defenders think that might be a win for criminal justice reform.

Guest: Sharone Mitchell Jr., Chief Defender for the Cook County Public Defenders.

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Was the Kyle Rittenhouse Verdict Inevitable?

Tue, 23 Nov 2021 08:00:00 GMT

Last August, then-17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse and fatally shot two people and wounded another with a semi-automatic rifle during a protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Rittenhouse’s lawyers leaned heavily on the teenager’s right to defend himself. In Wisconsin, that means the prosecution had to disprove self-defense beyond a reasonable doubt. Was it inevitable that Rittenhouse would walk free? And how did the community react when he did?

Guest: Stacy St. Clair, reporter for the Chicago Tribune.

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Inflategate

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 08:00:00 GMT

How many times a day do you hear the word “inflation” now? Many items are getting more expensive, but what’s actually driving those price increases? And are we heading towards a repeat of the 1970s wage-price spiral, or is this a temporary blip?

Guest: Jordan Weissmann, senior editor at Slate.

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Space Junk! (And Space Wars?)

Fri, 19 Nov 2021 08:00:00 GMT

Over the weekend, Russia tested a new weapon—a type of missile that can fly into space and destroy a satellite in orbit.

The test created thousands of pieces of debris, which will hurtle around the Earth’s orbit for years to come. What’s the real risk of the rapid increase in space junk? And is there anything to be done about it?

Guest:

Laura Grego, Stanton Nuclear Security Fellow at MIT

Host: Seth Stevenson

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Can Beto O’Rourke Fail Up?

Thu, 18 Nov 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Beto O’Rourke is running to replace Greg Abbott as governor of Texas. Though it’s his first time in this particular race, you’d be forgiven for thinking, “again?”

Where does this habitually-losing smooth-talking Irish-guy-with-a-bordertown-nickname fit into a state with changing demographics and an incumbent governor under assault from both the right and left? Is Beto building a coalition, or heading for a third and final defeat?

Guest: Patrick Svitek, political correspondent for the Texas Tribune.

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The Battle Over San Francisco’s Schools

Wed, 17 Nov 2021 08:00:00 GMT

After dragging its feet on reopening schools this winter, the San Francisco Unified School District school board is under fire. Their every decision is being scrutinized by angry parents and three of its members are facing recall elections. What happens when the school board debate comes to the Bay?

Guest: Jill Tucker, education writer for the San Francisco Chronicle.

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Is the FBI’s Surveillance of Muslims Really a State Secret?

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 08:00:00 GMT

Members of an Orange County mosque noticed a new convert was asking some strange questions. He turned out to be an FBI informant. Will the Supreme Court allow the bureau to be held accountable?

Guest: Rowaida Abdelaziz, national reporter covering Islamophobia & immigration for HuffPost.

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“I Quit My Job Today”

Mon, 15 Nov 2021 08:00:00 GMT

You’ve likely heard about the great resignation -- this moment when millions of workers across the country have handed in their notice. Sometimes, people left because they were overworked. Sometimes, it’s because they wanted to change paths, or make more money elsewhere. But for every employee quitting, there’s an employer being quit on. These are stories from the great resignation: Who’s quitting, who’s hiring, and how long this moment is likely to last.

Guests:

Betsey Stevenson, professor of public policy and economics at the University of Michigan.

Rachel, a recently resigned employee from Massachusetts.

Julia James, co-owner of Radish and Rye Food Hub in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

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The Kid-Vaccine Holdouts

Fri, 12 Nov 2021 08:00:00 GMT

A recent poll showed that about a third of parents of younger children would get their kids vaccinated, a third would not, and the final third said they wanted to wait and see how the vaccines worked.

Public health officials are asking: what will it take to convince that third group that now is the time to vaccinate?

Guests:

Julie Hamill

Dr. Aaron Carroll, pediatrician and professor of pediatrics at Indiana University School of Medicine

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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The Astroworld Tragedy

Thu, 11 Nov 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Last Friday, a surging crowd killed at least eight people and left hundreds injured at Travis Scott’s music festival Astroworld in Houston. Public uproar over the needless deaths has placed responsibility at the rapper’s feet - and at those of police officers who failed to intervene and shut the show down.

How did Scott’s signature “raging” spill over into a mass casualty event? And how do we tease out blame between Scott himself, and the way music festivals are run?

Guest: Tom Breihan, senior editor at Stereogum.

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A Controversial New Plan to Fight Homelessness

Wed, 10 Nov 2021 10:00:00 GMT

The Los Angeles City Council has passed a new policy giving Council members the power to target specific encampments for cleanup. While the effort might eventually result in less visible homelessness in some parts of the city, critics say it might be more in service of political gain than anything else.

Guest: Benjamin Oreskes, reporter at the LA Times.

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Has Minneapolis Given Up on Police Reform?

Tue, 09 Nov 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Minneapolis voters have rejected a referendum to dissolve and replace their police department by a dramatic 12-point margin. The election result reflects a different mood from what the city saw a year ago, when protesters booed the mayor for resisting the movement to defund the police.

Why were the planned police reforms so unpopular in the city where George Floyd’s murder sparked an international movement for justice? And what lessons should activists for and against the measure take from this moment?

Guest: Jon Collins, senior reporter for MPR News.

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Do Vaccine Mandates Work?

Mon, 08 Nov 2021 10:00:00 GMT

In mid-October, Mayor Bill DeBlasio announced that New York City municipal workers would have just nine days to get the COVID vaccine or risk being put on unpaid leave. Thousands of workers showed up the next week to protest the mandate. A week after the hammer came down, did Mayor DeBlasio correctly call their bluff?

Guest: Eric Lach, staff writer for The New Yorker.

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How Schools Surveil Your Kids

Fri, 05 Nov 2021 10:00:00 GMT

In schools across the country, tighter digital controls were put in place to keep kids on task during the pandemic. Are they here to stay?

Guests: Priya Anand, reporter at Bloomberg

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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Is It Time for Democrats to Panic?

Thu, 04 Nov 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Democrats suffered major losses in local and state elections this week. Are the results a harbinger for the party’s fate heading into the 2022 midterms?

Guest: Jim Newell, Slate’s senior politics writer.

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White Supremacy on Trial in Charlottesville

Wed, 03 Nov 2021 09:00:00 GMT

It’s been over four years since white supremacists gathered in a violent and deadly demonstration in Charlottesville, Virginia. Now, nine people are suing the organizers and groups involved with the Unite the Right rally as they try to prove the protest was a conspiracy to commit racially-motivated violence. This isn’t the first time white supremacists have been taken to court -- but could this trial spell real consequences?

Guest: Kathleen Belew, a historian at the University of Chicago, and the author of Bring the War Home: The White Power Movement and Paramilitary America and A Field Guide to White Supremacy.

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A Rust-Belt City Might Elect a Socialist

Tue, 02 Nov 2021 09:00:00 GMT

India Walton won the Democratic primary for Mayor of Buffalo, New York, in June. Her victory put her on track to become the first socialist mayor in the city’s history, and the first nationwide in more than half a century. The only problem is, her opponent - current mayor Byron Brown - refuses to bow out, and is waging a well-funded write-in campaign in the hopes of keeping his post.

How has a self-styled socialist gotten so close to running Buffalo? And why are some Democrats standing in her way?

Guest: Ross Barkan, a contributing writer to The Nation and the author of The Prince: Andrew Cuomo, Coronavirus, and the Fall of New York.

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How Long Can Mark Zuckerberg Be King?

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 09:00:00 GMT

The public scrutiny applied to Facebook has been building for years, as the company grows its user base faster than its ability to regulate its content. But distrust among Facebook employees is also building, as evidenced by the remarkable disclosure of internal Facebook documents by whistleblower Frances Haugen. A crisis of trust could be what undoes Mark Zuckerberg’s plans to dominate the internet of the future.

Guest: Steven Levy is editor-at-large at WIRED and author of numerous books, including, most recently, Facebook: The Inside Story.

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Why Are Bots Buying Sneakers?

Fri, 29 Oct 2021 10:00:00 GMT

The bots aren’t just buying cool sneakers. They’re buying concert tickets. Tickets to basketball games and Broadway shows. At the beginning of the pandemic, they were buying hand sanitizer and face masks. And later, they were booking vaccine reservation spots.

Why are bots taking over certain markets? And is there anything we can do to slow them down?

Guests:

Derreck Johnson, designer at Slate

Eric Budish, economics professor at the University of Chicago

Host: Seth Stevenson

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TBD | Why Are Bots Buying Sneakers?

Fri, 29 Oct 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Why are bots taking over certain markets? And is there anything we can do to slow them down?

Guests:

Derreck Johnson, designer at Slate

Eric Budish, economics professor at the University of Chicago

Host: Seth Stevenson

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Why I Quit Advising Kyrsten Sinema

Thu, 28 Oct 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Last week, five members of Senator Kyrsten Sinema’s Veterans Advisory Council publicly stepped down. In their resignation letter, they claimed that they were just “window dressing for her image” and called her “one of the principal obstacles to progress.” One of those veterans explains why she finally said enough.

Guest: Sylvia González Andersh, former member of Senator Kyrsten Sinema’s Veterans Advisory Council.

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Is Bill Gates to Blame for Lagging Vaccinations?

Wed, 27 Oct 2021 09:00:00 GMT

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation funds many, if not most, of the world’s global health initiatives, so much so that the Foundation has become one of the most influential deciders of global health policy. With the distribution of vaccines to developing countries all but completely failing, how do we assess the Gates’ culpability? And is it time to imagine another model for global health cooperation?

Guest: Tim Schwab, investigative reporter.

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The Afghans Who Got Out

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Sharifa Abbasi knows exactly what it’s like to board a plane to a new country. She immigrated from Afghanistan to the U.S. with her family in 1993. Now, she’s helping other Afghans navigate the complicated red tape of American immigration law after the Taliban takeover. For these immigrants, coming to America wasn’t easy -- being able to stay here might prove even harder.

Guest: Sharifa Abbasi, immigration lawyer at The HMA Law Firm.

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A Brazen Kidnapping in Haiti

Mon, 25 Oct 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Last weekend, 17 foreign missionaries living in Haiti were taken hostage by a criminal gang demanding million-dollar ransom payments. Kidnappings have become routine in Haiti over the past two years, as the national government has weakened in the wake of years of foreign influence, corruption, persistent poverty, natural disasters, and political upheaval. But the latest mass abduction of so many Americans is a provocation that could prompt an international intervention, in spite of the long history of botched foreign meddling in Haiti.

Guest: Jacqueline Charles, Caribbean correspondent for the Miami Herald.

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Honey, I Sold the House to Zillow

Fri, 22 Oct 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Between April and June of this year, Zillow bought nearly 4,000 homes. And they had no intention of holding onto them. The plan was to flip houses, often and at scale, joining the ranks of companies like Opendoor and Offerpad, also known as iBuyers.

So, why did Zillow put their plans on pause last weekend? Can online middlemen really change the way we buy and sell houses?

Guests:

Tony Santos, homeowner

Patrick Clark, reporter at Bloomberg

Host: Henry Grabar

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TBD | Honey, I Sold the House to Zillow

Fri, 22 Oct 2021 10:00:00 GMT

So, why did Zillow put their plans on pause last weekend? Can online middlemen really change the way we buy and sell houses?

Guests:

Tony Santos, homeowner

Patrick Clark, reporter at Bloomberg

Host: Henry Grabar

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How Immunity for Cops Ends

Thu, 21 Oct 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Once an obscure legal doctrine, the practice of qualified immunity for police has drawn widespread public scrutiny in the past year. But as mainstream support for ending qualified immunity grows, police unions are amping up their opposition.

Guest: Kimberly Kindy, national investigative reporter for The Washington Post.

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Is Trump Still On Virginia’s Ballot?

Wed, 20 Oct 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Virginia’s gubernatorial election is just weeks away, with former Virginia governor, Democrat Terry McAuliffe, vying against newcomer Republican Glenn Youngkin. Many polls show a slim margin between the two candidates, as they spar over issues like critical race theory and Trump’s legacy in an election seen as a bellwether for the upcoming midterm elections.

Guest: Ben Paviour, state politics reporter at VPM.

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How Should We Remember Colin Powell?

Tue, 19 Oct 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Colin Powell, known as a “trailblazer” and “pathbreaker” in his military career, leaves behind a complicated legacy. The four-star general became a household name during the first Gulf War as the first Black chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and later the first Black secretary of state. Thirty years after his rise to national prominence, Powell’s death has prompted reflections on the Iraq War and his role in using false intelligence to justify the U.S. invasion.

Guest: Fred Kaplan, Slate’s War Stories columnist.

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No One's Got Mail

Mon, 18 Oct 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Democrats spent months fretting last year about the Postal Service and the fate of democracy. Now the Democrats are in charge. So why is the mail slowing down? And could planned changes fix what ails the Postal Service?

Guest: Jacob Bogage, business reporter for the Washington Post.

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The Return of Hacktivism

Fri, 15 Oct 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Over the last month, the domain company Epik and the streaming service Twitch have fallen prey to massive-scale hacks. The hackers revealed not just email addresses, but detailed personal information too. For Twitch, it was the entire source code for their site.

But the attackers aren’t holding this data for ransom. In fact, they don’t seem to want much of anything. What’s motivating this new wave of activist hacks? And who suffers?

Guest: Drew Harwell, tech reporter at the Washington Post

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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TBD | The Return of Hacktivism

Fri, 15 Oct 2021 10:00:00 GMT

But the attackers aren’t holding this data for ransom. In fact, they don’t seem to want much of anything. What’s motivating this new wave of activist hacks? And who suffers?

Guest: Drew Harwell, tech reporter at the Washington Post

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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The Strike That Could Paralyze Hollywood

Thu, 14 Oct 2021 09:00:00 GMT

For as glamorous as Hollywood often seems, the workers behind the scenes rarely experience the star treatment. They do everything from sound design and makeup to cinematography and lighting, and they’ve had enough with the industry’s dizzying production pace and long hours that stretch into the early morning. Motivated by shifts in the industry due to the pandemic, workers from the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees union are gearing up for a strike that could halt movie and show productions alike.

Guest: Anousha Sakoui, entertainment industry writer for the Los Angeles Times.

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Is Someone Brain-Zapping American Operatives?

Wed, 13 Oct 2021 09:00:00 GMT

The Havana Syndrome sounds like something straight out of a spy novel: microwaves are being directed towards U.S. embassies, causing hearing loss, headaches, and in some cases, permanent brain damage. The Biden administration is taking these “anomalous health incidents” very seriously. Should we?

Guest: Michael Wilner, a Senior National Security and White House Correspondent for McClatchy.

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When Airbnb Takes Over Your Neighborhood

Tue, 12 Oct 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Galveston is a small island off the south east coast of Texas. It’s become a hot spot for short term rentals through start-ups like Airbnb but what the city has gained in tourism dollars, they’ve lost in actual residents.

Guest: Peter Holley is a senior editor at Texas Monthly.

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Will the Facebook Whistleblower Make a Difference?

Fri, 08 Oct 2021 10:00:00 GMT

The last month has seen a steady drip of leaked documents from inside Facebook, each seemingly more damning than the next. This week, the whistleblower behind the leaks revealed her identity.

What motivates Frances Haugen? And can she do real damage to the social media giant?

Guest: Jeff Horwitz, tech reporter at the Wall Street Journal.

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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Congress Plays Chicken

Thu, 07 Oct 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Congressional Republicans are forcing Democrats into a game of chicken over the debt ceiling where the stakes are the well-being of the global economy. It’s a showdown that has played out time and again since 2011, but it doesn’t have to be this way.

Guest: Jordan Weissmann, senior editor for Slate

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Are We Ready for the Next Pandemic?

Wed, 06 Oct 2021 09:00:00 GMT

You might think that the wreckage caused by COVID-19 would be enough to make the U.S. take pandemic planning seriously. But a close look at current pandemic preparedness efforts reveals that’s far from the truth. It’s not too late, though, to get ready for the next Big One - if we’re willing to make serious investments beyond fighting germs.

Guest: Ed Yong, a staff writer at The Atlantic covering science.

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Democrats’ Gerrymandering Dilemma

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 09:00:00 GMT

With the results of the 2020 census in hand, all 50 states have begun the process of redistricting. Extremely thin margins in the House of Representatives mean that this hyper-local process has big implications on the balance of power at a national scale.

After aggressive Republican gerrymandering in the 2011 redistricting cycle, many Democrats came out in favor of creating non-partisan commissions to draw new voting maps. But how much of a moderating force are they really? And what happens if either side decides not to play by the commissions’ rules?

Guest: Nick Riccardi, a western political writer for AP.

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The Supreme Court Confronts Its Critics

Mon, 04 Oct 2021 09:00:00 GMT

As the U.S. Supreme Court begins a new session, several justices are trying to reassure the public of the court’s nonpartisanship. But, as Slate’s Dahlia Lithwick argues, when you dig into the recent decisions of the court, you’ll see it becoming steadily more political.

Guest: Dahlia Lithwick writes about the courts and the law for Slate and hosts the podcast Amicus.

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What Instagram Does to Teens

Fri, 01 Oct 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Since 2018, internal research teams at Facebook have been studying the effect on Instagram on mental health. Their results couldn’t be more clear: Instagram is causing problems, especially for teen girls.

Why has it taken so long for their research to surface? And what can be done to improve the relationship between kids and the platform?

Guest: Georgia Wells, tech reporter at the Wall Street Journal.

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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TBD | What Instagram Does to Teens

Fri, 01 Oct 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Why has it taken so long for their research to surface? And what can be done to improve the relationship between kids and the platform?

Guest: Georgia Wells, tech reporter at the Wall Street Journal.

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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The Vaccine Holdouts in the NBA

Thu, 30 Sep 2021 09:00:00 GMT

The 2021-2022 NBA season will be underway in less than a month. The league has set strict testing and distancing rules for unvaccinated players. Largely, that strategy has worked but there are some vocal holdouts.

Guest: Bomani Jones is an ESPN commentator and the host of the Right Time with Bomani Jones podcast.

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Why a Hollywood #MeToo Organization Imploded

Wed, 29 Sep 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Time’s Up was founded in 2018 in the wake of the #MeToo movement to fight sexual harassment and gender discrimination in the workplace. How, then, was the organization felled by accusations of a toxic work environment and close associations with abusers?

Guest: Lili Loofbourow, staff writer at Slate.

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A Doctor’s Hardest Call

Tue, 28 Sep 2021 09:00:00 GMT

It’s hard to imagine, but many states had a plan for how they would make tough calls about the distribution of scarce medical resources during a pandemic. As our present crisis has dragged on, and hospitals have become overwhelmed, those plans are beginning to go into effect -- with some interesting caveats.

Guest: Sheri Fink, correspondent at The New York Times.

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Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Davis Land, Danielle Hewitt, Elena Schwartz, and Carmel Delshad.

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Death and Desperation at Rikers Island

Mon, 27 Sep 2021 09:00:00 GMT

In the past year, twelve inmates on Rikers Island have died and it’s corrections staff has started refusing to come to work. The jail is slated for closure in 2027, but what can be done now to alleviate its problems?

Guest: Jan Ransom is a metro investigative reporter focused on criminal justice for the New York Times.

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Are We Getting COVID Testing All Wrong?

Fri, 24 Sep 2021 10:00:00 GMT

What if that isn’t quite true?

Guest: Michael Mina, assistant professor of epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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TBD | Are We Getting COVID Testing All Wrong?

Fri, 24 Sep 2021 10:00:00 GMT

What if that isn’t quite true?

Guest: Michael Mina, assistant professor of epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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How Biden’s Agenda Could Fall Apart

Thu, 23 Sep 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Congressional Democrats are struggling to bring together their moderate and progressive factions to pass an infrastructure bill and its gigantic sidecar, a budget plan filled with tax hikes, climate-related legislation, and social spending. With the party divided, is Biden’s agenda about to hit the skids?

Guest: Jim Newell, Slate’s senior politics writer and author of the weekly newsletter, The Surge.

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The Haitian Refugees Blocked at the Border

Wed, 22 Sep 2021 09:00:00 GMT

By last weekend, nearly 14,000 migrants primarily from Haiti had amassed along the border in Texas. Then the Biden administration began a massive deportation effort.

Now, Haitians facing violence and instability at home are caught at the intersection of multiple disasters and an American president whose immigration goals remain murky, with many migrants saying they were never given the chance to make an asylum claim in the first place.

Guest: Jacqueline Charles, Caribbean correspondent for the Miami Herald.

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Did Gen. Milley Go Too Far?

Tue, 21 Sep 2021 09:00:00 GMT

General Mark Milley, the nation’s top military officer, is making sure the press knows about the role he played in safeguarding democracy under President Trump. How singular were his efforts? And what do they reveal about our governmental institutions?

Guest: Fred Kaplan, Slate’s War Stories correspondent and author of the book, The Bomb.

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God Doesn’t Want Me Vaccinated

Mon, 20 Sep 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Guest: Ruth Graham, reporter for the New York Times.

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China vs. Video Games

Fri, 17 Sep 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Recently, China restricted video game playing to just three hours a week for its young people: 8pm to 9pm, Friday through Sunday.

And that’s not the only change. Over the last few months, private tutors, diehard celebrity fans, and tech giants have all faced fresh restrictions from Beijing. What’s behind this new wave of crackdowns?

Guest: Brenda Goh, technology correspondent for Reuters

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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TBD | China vs. Video Games

Fri, 17 Sep 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Recently, China restricted video game playing to just three hours a week for its young people: 8pm to 9pm, Friday through Sunday.

Guest: Brenda Goh, technology correspondent for Reuters

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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The Plight of the Delivery Worker

Thu, 16 Sep 2021 09:00:00 GMT

In the last few years and particularly during the pandemic, New York City’s delivery workers have become a key part of the food industry’s infrastructure, allowing restaurants to do business with customers too stressed to leave their desks or too afraid of catching a dangerous virus to show up themselves. But a growing incidence of violent attacks and bike thefts has laid bare just how vulnerable the people who bring you your takeout are. Why is it that such essential workers have been exploited by the apps that rely on them, abandoned by the police and the city, and forced to band together just to get by?

Guest: Josh Dzieza, an investigations editor and feature writer at The Verge covering technology, business, and climate change.

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Steve Bannon’s “War Room” is Mobilizing

Wed, 15 Sep 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Listeners of Steve Bannon’s “War Room” podcast have mobilized to take over the GOP from the ground up. Convinced the 2020 election was stolen, many far-right Republicans are moving to run elections themselves as precinct officers.

Guest: Isaac Arnsdorf, national politics reporter for ProPublica.

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Why College Professors Have Had It

Tue, 14 Sep 2021 09:00:00 GMT

As the fall semester begins at U.S. universities, faculty and staff and institutions of higher education are at a breaking point. Widespread feelings of burnout were laid bare by the coronavirus pandemic, but the conditions leading to them were present long before.

Guest: Lindsay Ellis, senior reporter at The Chronicle of Higher Education.

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Empty Shelves Everywhere

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 09:00:00 GMT

The coronavirus pandemic has left no part of the world untouched, including global manufacturing supply chains. The complex system that keeps goods moving throughout the world has struggled to catch up ever since it was disrupted in early 2020. Now, 18 months later, product delays aren’t going anywhere.

Guest: Austen Hufford, U.S. manufacturing reporter for The Wall Street Journal.

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Can This River Be Saved?

Fri, 10 Sep 2021 10:00:00 GMT

The Colorado River Basin is experiencing its 22nd year of drought. Its reservoirs are at their lowest-ever levels. The water stored in the system is at just 40 percent of its capacity. How did the situation on the Colorado become so dire? And what does the shortage mean for the 40 million people who rely on its waters?

Guest: Abrahm Lustgarten, senior investigative reporter at ProPublica

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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TBD | Can This River Be Saved?

Fri, 10 Sep 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Guest: Abrahm Lustgarten, senior investigative reporter at ProPublica

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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What 9/11 Did to My Life

Thu, 09 Sep 2021 09:00:00 GMT

For Muslim Americans, the 20th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks marks a full generation of routine Islamophobia. In the years that followed, the war on terror wounded the nation’s Muslim communities in ways that still feel fresh today.

Guest: Aymann Ismail, staff writer at Slate.

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Dying of COVID to Own The Libs

Wed, 08 Sep 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Four conservative talk radio hosts have died of COVID-19 this summer, further revealing the consequences of a politicized pandemic. Why aren’t prominent right-wing figures doing more to embrace the coronavirus vaccine?

Guest: Brian Rosenwald, fellow at the University of Pennsylvania and author of Talk Radio’s America.

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The Texans Fighting for Abortion Access

Tue, 07 Sep 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Texas has passed a new law banning abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, enforced by citizens launching lawsuits against anyone suspected of “aiding and abetting” the procedures. And the Supreme Court has declined to stop it - effectively ending the precedent set by Roe v. Wade. How are Texas organizations supporting reproductive rights adapting?

Guest: Anna Rupani, Co-Executive Director of Fund Texas Choice.

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The Rush for Ivermectin

Fri, 03 Sep 2021 10:00:00 GMT

A medicine meant to treat parasites is the latest unproven COVID treatment craze. With warnings from the FDA, and prescribers clamping down, some are going to extreme lengths to get their hands on the drug. What’s behind Ivermectin’s sudden rise?

Guest: Brandy Zadrozny, senior reporter for NBC News

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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TBD | The Rush for Ivermectin

Fri, 03 Sep 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Guest: Brandy Zadrozny, senior reporter for NBC News

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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The Last-Ditch Effort to Get Afghans Out

Thu, 02 Sep 2021 09:00:00 GMT

U.S. officials announced the end of the American military presence in Afghanistan this week, but thousands of people desperate to leave — American citizens and Afghans alike — remain in the country. A loose collection of volunteers is working to get them out.

Guest: Matt Pelak, soldier in the Army National Guard and veteran of the war in Iraq.

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Why Paid Family Leave Might Finally Happen

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 09:00:00 GMT

The United States is the only rich industrialized nation without a universal paid family leave policy. But as child and home care costs balloon, and the pandemic continues to leave families in precarious work situations, many caretakers have hit a wall. Congress might finally be ready to do something about it.

Guest: Chabeli Carrazana, economy reporter for the 19th.

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Why Flying Sucks Lately

Tue, 31 Aug 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Flying has been a drag for years now. But there’s an extra level of stress on commercial flights this summer. Why is flying so terrible at this moment? And what’s a traveler to do?

Guest: Scott McCartney, the Middle Seat columnist for the Wall Street Journal.

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Afghanistan’s Power Vacuum

Mon, 30 Aug 2021 09:00:00 GMT

On Friday, in the midst of the effort to evacuate thousands of people from Kabul, two suicide bombers attacked the Kabul airport, killing about 160 people. A jihadi group ISIS Khorasan, or ISIS-K, claimed responsibility. Who are these extremists? And how do they impact the Taliban’s plans to govern after the U.S. completely pulls out of Afghanistan?

Guest: Colin Clarke, a Senior Research Fellow at the Soufan Center and the author of After the Caliphate: The Islamic State & the Future Terrorist Diaspora.

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TBD | Elizabeth Holmes on Trial

Fri, 27 Aug 2021 10:35:00 GMT

Elizabeth Holmes convinced countless people that her company would change the world. Can she convince 12 jurors that she didn’t intend to deceive her company’s patients and investors?

Guest: Rebecca Jarvis, host of “The Dropout” podcast and ABC News Chief Business, Technology & Economics Correspondent

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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Elizabeth Holmes on Trial

Fri, 27 Aug 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Elizabeth Holmes convinced countless people that her company would change the world. Can she convince 12 jurors that she didn’t intend to deceive her company’s patients and investors?

Guest: Rebecca Jarvis, host of “The Dropout” podcast and ABC News Chief Business, Technology & Economics Correspondent

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

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The OnlyFans Debacle

Thu, 26 Aug 2021 09:00:00 GMT

OnlyFans, a website famous for empowering sex workers, decided to ban -- and then unban-- sexual content. According to Charlotte Shane, sex workers find this story all too familiar.

Guest: Charlotte Shane, co-founder of the TigerBee Press. Author of the memoir, Prostitute Laundry.

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What Does Haiti Actually Need?

Wed, 25 Aug 2021 09:00:00 GMT

The compounding crises in Haiti aren’t a product of bad luck. They are the result of hundreds of years of international interference and poorly-designed aid programs.

Guest: Jonathan M. Katz, author of the forthcoming book, Gangsters of Capitalism: Smedley Butler, the Marines, and the Making and Breaking of America’s Empire. Check out his Substack newsletter, The Long Version.

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Will R. Kelly Survivors Finally Get Justice?

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Celebrated R&B star R. Kelly is accused of using his music empire to sexually exploit women and minors for decades. Currently on trial in New York, the singer also faces federal charges in Illinois, and state charges in both Illinois and Minnesota. But will Kelly finally be brought to justice? And if he is, what took so long?

Guest: Jim DeRogatis, co-host of Sound Opinions and the author of Soulless: The Case Against R. Kelly.

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California's Recall Nightmare

Mon, 23 Aug 2021 09:00:00 GMT

With just a month left, the California recall election is looking a little too close for comfort for Democrats. Governor Gavin Newsom’s approval rating is doing alright at the moment, but because of the way California conducts its recalls, if more than 50% of voters vote to oust Newsom, he loses his office, and whichever candidate garners even a small plurality of votes becomes his replacement.

How likely is it that California swears in a new executive next month? And how would the state fare under potential new leadership?

Guest: Guy Marzorati, politics and government reporter for KQED.

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Will Booster Shots Make a Difference?

Fri, 20 Aug 2021 10:00:00 GMT

The Biden administration says a third dose of vaccines for all American adults will end the pandemic faster. And experts say there is evidence of waning vaccine effectiveness against mild-to-moderate disease. But globally, what’s the best use of the next available dose?

Guest: Saad Omer, director of the Yale Institute for Global Health.

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

This episode was produced by Alyssa Edes.

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TBD | Will Booster Shots Make a Difference?

Fri, 20 Aug 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Guest: Saad Omer, director of the Yale Institute for Global Health.

Host: Lizzie O’Leary

This episode was produced by Alyssa Edes.

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The Afghans Who Couldn’t Get Out

Thu, 19 Aug 2021 09:00:00 GMT

The rapid collapse of the Afghan government has left tens of thousands of people struggling to leave their country. Afghans who helped U.S. forces were promised a life in the states, but many of them have been mired in paperwork as they try to obtain their visas. What hope do they have now that they’ll be able to leave before an expected Taliban crackdown?

Guest: Ahmadullah Sediqi of No One Left Behind, a group trying to secure visas for Afghan and Iraqi interpreters who worked for the U.S.

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A Texas Standoff

Wed, 18 Aug 2021 09:00:00 GMT

The Texas state legislature is at a standstill. A month ago, House Democrats fled to DC to prevent the passage of a restrictive voting law but as time ticks by it’s becoming clear that they might have to go back to the drawing board -- and back to Texas.

Guest: Ashley Lopez, Senior Reporter at KUT

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How Afghanistan Ended Like This

Tue, 17 Aug 2021 09:00:00 GMT

American forces are leaving Afghanistan after 20 years of fighting the country’s longest war. Following a hasty withdrawal of U.S. forces, the Taliban now controls most of the country, including the capital of Kabul. The U.S.-backed government has fled, leaving many civilians desperate to find a way out. How did things get so bad so quickly?

Guest: Fred Kaplan, Slate’s War Stories columnist. Kaplan is the author of The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War.

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Mask Wars and the Start of School in the South

Mon, 16 Aug 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Masks were uncontroversial for many state leaders at the onset of the pandemic last year. But now, masks have become politicized, and in Mississippi, Governor Tate Reeves has reversed his previous stance, refusing to order a mask mandate and leaving local school districts to fend for themselves during a massive surge in COVID cases.

Guest: Nick Judin, reporter for the Mississippi Free Press.

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What's Taking the FDA So Long?

Fri, 13 Aug 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Experts say that a “fully approved” designation for the vaccines could have sweeping effects. Broader vaccination mandates, inclusion for new age groups, and reassurance for those hesitant to take a vaccine without the designation. As calls for approval grow louder and more urgent, the Food and Drug Administration is yet to give its blessing. What’s happening inside the FDA as they work toward this milestone?

Guest: Sarah Owermohle, health care reporter at Politico

Host:

Lizzie O’Leary

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TBD | What's Taking the FDA So Long?

Fri, 13 Aug 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Guest: Sarah Owermohle, health care reporter at Politico

Host:

Lizzie O’Leary

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When Your Town Burns Down

Thu, 12 Aug 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Last week, the northern California mountain town of Greenville was wiped out by the Dixie Fire, which has lasted for nearly a month and is now the largest wildfire in California history. Greenville residents have just begun to assess the damage to their homes and businesses. Is it safe to rebuild? Is it even ethical, when wildfires are only expected to get worse?

Guest: Margaret Garcia, also known as Meg Upton, reporter at Plumas News.

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A DOJ Lawyer’s Attempt to Overthrow the Election

Wed, 11 Aug 2021 09:00:00 GMT

We’re still learning the details about how Donald Trump and his supporters tried to get the 2020 presidential election results overturned. One scheme involved attorneys general across several states, and lawyers deep in the Department of Justice. This is the story of one of those lawyers, Jeffrey Bossert Clark, and his desperate attempts to keep Trump in power.

Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, staff writer for Slate on the courts and law.

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The Latest Blow to American Workers

Tue, 10 Aug 2021 09:00:00 GMT

For decades, Richard Trumka was the head of the country’s largest labor federation. Widely considered to be the face of the American labor movement while workers faced a surge in union busting campaigns, Trumka presided over an organization that was diverse and fractious. Last week, he passed away.

What is the state of the labor movement without its longtime leader? And how can his successor steer workers to safer waters?

Guest: Erik Loomis, a labor historian at the University of Rhode Island and the author of A History of America in Ten Strikes.

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A Doctor in the Middle of the Florida Surge

Mon, 09 Aug 2021 09:00:00 GMT

The delta variant is making its way through the country, becoming the leading strain of the coronavirus and increasing case counts as it goes. In few places is the crisis more severe than in Florida, where new daily case counts are hitting all-time highs and vaccination rates have leveled out around 50%. Gov. Ron DeSantis has refused to instate a mask mandate and insists that the spike is just a “seasonal wave” -- even as healthcare workers are pushed to the brink trying to care for ill patients.

Guest: Bernard Ashby, a vascular cardiologist in Miami and the Florida director of the Committee to Protect Healthcare.

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Can America Fix Its Trains?

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 10:00:00 GMT

America used to be at the vanguard of railroad technology. What went wrong? And can the new infrastructure bill fix our broken system?

Guests: Alon Levy and Eric Goldwyn of the Marron Institute at NYU

Host

Henry Grabar

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TBD | Can America Fix Its Trains?

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 10:00:00 GMT

America used to be at the vanguard of railroad technology. What went wrong? And can the new infrastructure bill fix our broken system?

Guests: Alon Levy and Eric Goldwyn of the Marron Institute at NYU

Host

Henry Grabar

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Washington’s Most Broken Institution?

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 09:00:00 GMT

The Federal Election Commission can barely get anything done. With its commissioners stuck in partisan gridlock, one is finding new ways to make sure election law is upheld.

Guest: Ellen Weintraub, commissioner at the FEC.

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Cuomo vs. Everyone

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 09:00:00 GMT

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is back on his heels again, following the release of the state attorney general’s extensive report on his pattern of sexually harassing women working around him. Now, even former allies of the governor are calling for him to resign or face impeachment. How long can Cuomo hang onto his office?

Guest: Brigid Bergin, political reporter for WNYC.

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Why Republicans Compromised

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 09:00:00 GMT

After months of negotiation, an infrastructure bill is finally on its way to the Senate floor. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are touting their one big successful bipartisan move, but what’s actually in the legislation? And why are Republicans willing to sign off on a win for Joe Biden?

Guest: Jordan Weissmann, Slate’s senior business and economics correspondent.

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Take This Job, Please!

Mon, 02 Aug 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Why aren’t people returning to jobs they lost during the pandemic? The answer is more complicated than generous unemployment checks.

Guest: Bram Sable-Smith, investigative reporter at Wisconsin Watch.

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I Bought It. Why Can't I Fix It?

Fri, 30 Jul 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Whether it’s a phone screen or a coffee machine, why is it so hard to fix our own stuff? And what can we do to make it a bit easier?

Guest: Jason Koebler, editor-in-chief of Motherboard and contributor to the CYBER podcast

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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TBD | I Bought It. Why Can't I Fix It?

Fri, 30 Jul 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Whether it’s a phone screen or a coffee machine, why is it so hard to fix our own stuff? And what can we do to make it a bit easier?

Guest: Jason Koebler, editor-in-chief of Motherboard and contributor to the CYBER podcast

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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

Will the Jan. 6 Hearings Accomplish Anything?

Thu, 29 Jul 2021 09:00:00 GMT

This week, four officers from the U.S. Capitol Police and D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department testified in front of a bipartisan House select committee investigating the events of January 6. They each gave powerful and emotional statements, describing the harrowing moments the Capitol was attacked. But what can the committee actually do about it?

Guest: Jeremy Stahl, senior editor at Slate.

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What Happened to Simone Biles?

Wed, 28 Jul 2021 09:00:00 GMT

On Tuesday morning, Simone Biles, the most decorated gymnast of all time, withdrew from the team all-around competition at the Tokyo Olympics citing mental health concerns. Biles’ move shocked most watchers but may reveal a deeper cultural shift happening within USA Gymnastics.

Guest: Rebecca Schuman, former gymnast and the author of Schadenfreude, A Love Story.

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So... What Is COVID Now?

Tue, 27 Jul 2021 09:00:00 GMT

The delta variant is now the most-prevalent strain of COVID-19, causing a handful of so-called “breakthrough” infections in fully-vaccinated people. Unvaccinated people account for 97% of severe cases of the virus. How worried should you be about infections as the delta variant continues to dominate? And is it time to mask up again?

Guest: Susan Matthews, Slate’s news director.

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On the Front Lines of California’s Wildfires

Mon, 26 Jul 2021 09:00:00 GMT

The fires raging across the American West are like the climate crisis itself: Too big and too extreme to understand all at once. So today, we’re zooming in on some of the people fighting those fires: crews of incarcerated women. In California, they risk their lives for abysmal pay, and officials are just starting to realize how essential they are to the state’s fire response.

Guest: Jaime Lowe, author of Breathing Fire.

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How Spyware Mercenaries Hack Your Phone

Fri, 23 Jul 2021 10:00:00 GMT

This week, Amnesty International and a French journalism nonprofit named Forbidden Stories revealed that technology from a spyware firm called NSO Group is being deployed on a massive scale. The spyware, called Pegasus, gives the user access to every part of a victim’s smartphone -- notes, messages, photos, and recordings.

What’s it like for security researchers to see their worst fears about digital spying play out? And what are they worried about next?

Guests:

John Scott Railton, Senior Researcher at the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto

Siddharth Varadarajan, Founding Editor of the Wire

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TBD | How Spyware Mercenaries Hack Your Phone

Fri, 23 Jul 2021 10:00:00 GMT

What’s it like for security researchers to see their worst fears about digital spying play out? And what are they worried about next?

Guests:

John Scott Railton, Senior Researcher at the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto

Siddharth Varadarajan, Founding Editor of the Wire

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The Rise of Kristi Noem

Thu, 22 Jul 2021 09:00:00 GMT

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has a problem. She’s ready to get beamed up to national political stardom, but she’s polling near the bottom among 2024 GOP presidential hopefuls. What issues can she use to raise her political profile? The answer came swiftly this year: anything and everything.

Guest: Joe Sneve, political reporter for the Argus Leader in South Dakota.

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Punishing the Capitol Rioters

Wed, 21 Jul 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Six months after the Capitol riot, plea deals from cases against the rioters have begun to trickle in. Will the courts be able to do what Congress couldn’t, and insist on a shared version of events on January 6th?

Guest: Zoe Tillman, senior legal reporter at BuzzFeed News.

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The Right Wing War on Vaccines

Tue, 20 Jul 2021 09:00:00 GMT

It’s becoming harder to get all Americans vaccinated. While millions of people still get the shots each week, some conservatives are becoming more difficult to convince, and some politicians are increasingly hostile towards the public health departments tasked with helping fight COVID-19.

Guests: Michelle Fiscus, former medical director for vaccine-preventable diseases and immunization programs at the Tennessee Department of Health, and Dan Diamond, health policy and politics reporter at The Washington Post.

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The Unhoused Don’t Want to “Go Back to Normal”

Mon, 19 Jul 2021 09:00:00 GMT

At the height of the pandemic, New York city put up some of its homeless population in the city’s empty hotels. Now, as the city comes back to life, the program is ending -- but the city’s unhoused population doesn’t want to go “back to normal”

Guest: Jacquelyn Simone, Senior Policy Analyst for the Coalition for the Homeless.

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It's Hot. It's Flooding. Is This the New Normal?

Fri, 16 Jul 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Over the last month, North Americans have seen record-breaking heat, droughts, wildfires, and floods. The science is clear: we are living through the effects of climate change. Now scientists are trying to answer: is this the new normal?

Guest: Daniel Swain, climate scientist at UCLA

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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TBD | It's Hot. It's Flooding. Is This the New Normal?

Fri, 16 Jul 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Guest: Daniel Swain, climate scientist at UCLA

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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When the Culture War Comes for Your Job

Thu, 15 Jul 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Brittany Hogan worked in diversity and inclusion for the Rockwood School District for eight years. As public debate intensified over the way race is discussed in schools, and threats were made against her, Hogan eventually was pushed to resign.

Guest: Brittany Hogan, former director of educational equity and diversity for the Rockwood School District in St. Louis County.

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Texas Democrats' Last Stand?

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Texas Dems are on the lam. After walking out of their regularly scheduled legislative session to block an extremely restrictive election security bill, they’ve decided to go bigger. At the start of the special session called by Governor Greg Abbott to get that bill passed, 51 of 67 House Democrats broke quorum and fled to DC in a last-ditch effort to thwart the bill and spur national Democrats into action. Will it make any difference?

Guest: Jessica Huseman, Editorial Director of Vote Beat.

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How Exxon Gets Its Way

Tue, 13 Jul 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Oil-giant Exxon says publicly that it supports initiatives to fight climate change. But a new undercover investigation reveals the company’s quiet lobbying effort to stymie environmental protection legislation.

Guest: Lawrence Carter, Senior Reporter & Special Projects Editor at Unearthed, a journalism project from Greenpeace U.K.

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Drugs and the Olympics

Mon, 12 Jul 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Olympics officials have created an anti-doping system to crack down on cheaters. We have no idea if it’s working. And it’s ensnaring athletes for seemingly bizarre infractions.

Guest: Lindsay Crouse, writer and producer for the New York Times Opinion section.

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Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Davis Land, Danielle Hewitt, Elena Schwartz, and Carmel Delshad.

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So, What Happens to WFH Now?

Fri, 09 Jul 2021 10:00:00 GMT

For many white-collar workers, the full-time work from home era is coming to an end. Some are going back into offices five days a week. Many others will be expected to split the week between home and the office.

As the new rules are laid down, office workers are asking themselves: do we want work to go back to the way it was? Or is it time, finally, to try something different?

Guest: Brigid Schulte, director of the Better Life Lab at New America

Host

Henry Grabar

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TBD | So, What Happens to WFH Now?

Fri, 09 Jul 2021 10:00:00 GMT

As the new rules are laid down, office workers are asking themselves: do we want work to go back to the way it was? Or is it time, finally, to try something different?

Guest: Brigid Schulte, director of the Better Life Lab at New America

Host

Henry Grabar

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It Didn’t Start With Nikole Hannah-Jones

Thu, 08 Jul 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Last year, UNC Chapel Hill began courting Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones to come teach at the Hussman School of Journalism. But when her tenure recommendation landed in front of the school’s board of trustees, they refused to take a vote, leaving her application in limbo. After months of public pressure and lobbying by students and faculty, Hannah-Jones was offered tenure - but not before she’d decided to teach at Howard University instead.

How did UNC’s board of trustees cost the school such a coveted appointment? And how deep did the political divisions over Hannah-Jones’ hiring get?

Guest: Joe Killian, investigative reporter at NC Policy Watch.

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SCOTUS Lurches to the Right

Wed, 07 Jul 2021 09:00:00 GMT

The Supreme Court just completed its first term with new justice Amy Coney Barrett. With a conservative supermajority now seated, what does this term spell for the future of America’s legal landscape?

Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, reporter on courts and the law for Slate.

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The War Over Critical Race Theory

Tue, 06 Jul 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Critical Race Theory was created in the 1970s by a Harvard Professor seeking to describe the way racism is baked into the legal system. Half a century later, CRT is now the weapon of choice for right-wing pundits looking to silence conversations about race.

From an academic discipline to a conservative scare tactic, how did critical race theory become the dominant culture war in American politics? And what does CRT actually stand for?

Guest: Adam Harris, staff writer at The Atlantic.

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It’s Time to Talk About UFOs

Fri, 02 Jul 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Last week, the U.S. government released a new report that attempts to categorize 144 verified sightings of unidentified aerial phenomena, or UAP. They could only definitively explain one of them.

The new report signals a shift in the way we think about UAP. As technology has advanced and evidence of these encounters has increased, the question has become more urgent: What exactly is happening in our skies?

Guest: Shane Harris, intelligence and national security reporter for the Washington Post

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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TBD | It’s Time to Talk About UFOs

Fri, 02 Jul 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Last week, the U.S. government released a new report that attempts to categorize 144 verified sightings of unidentified aerial phenomena, or UAP. They could only definitively explain one of them.

Guest: Shane Harris, intelligence and national security reporter for the Washington Post

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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

What’s Kyrsten Sinema’s Deal?

Thu, 01 Jul 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema has become a constant source of consternation for the left wing of the Democratic party. But early in her career, she was a vocal proponent of progressive ideals. How did she turn into one of the party’s staunchest defenders of bipartisan compromise?

Guest: Amanda Becker, Washington Correspondent for the 19th.

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What Really Happened in the Miami Tower Collapse

Wed, 30 Jun 2021 09:00:00 GMT

The Champlain Tower South building in Surfside Florida collapsed early last Thursday morning, seemingly out of the blue. But reporting shows that the condo board members were aware the building was structurally unsound for years.

Right now the death toll stands at 12, with 149 people still unaccounted for. How did such a preventable tragedy take place?

Guest: Daniel Rivero, reporter for WLRN in Miami.

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#FreeBritney Is Just the Beginning

Tue, 29 Jun 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Pop star Britney Spears spoke out in court last week about the conservatorship she’s been under for 13 years, shedding light on all the restrictions she’s lived under. In doing so, Spears opened up a world rarely-seen outside of courtrooms and the reality for an estimated 1.3 million people living under a court-ordered guardianship.

Guest: Sara Luterman, freelance journalist covering disability policy, politics and culture.

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Will the NFL Finally Support Gay Players?

Mon, 28 Jun 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Last week, Las Vegas Raiders defensive end, Carl Nassib, came out in an Instagram post, making him the first openly gay active player in NFL histroy. The league immediately posted in in celebration of Nassib’s announcement. But given the NFL’s sorry history of standing by players on the vanguard, will the league really put its money where its mouth is this time?

Guest: LZ Granderson, LA Times opinion columnist and host of ABC News’ “Life Out Loud with LZ Granderson.”

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Welcome to Bitcoin Beach

Fri, 25 Jun 2021 10:00:00 GMT

For nearly two years, an unprecedented experiment has been taking place in the town of El Zonte in El Salvador. Funded by a mysterious donor, the town’s residents built a Bitcoin economy, using the cryptocurrency to purchase just about anything.

Now, El Slavador has passed a new law making it the first country to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender. Can they replicate El Zonte’s success at a national scale?

Guest: Ezra Fieser, reporter at Bloomberg

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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

TBD | Welcome to Bitcoin Beach

Fri, 25 Jun 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Now, El Slavador has passed a new law making it the first country to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender. Can they replicate El Zonte’s success at a national scale?

Guest: Ezra Fieser, reporter at Bloomberg

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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

Delta Variant: BFD or NBD?

Thu, 24 Jun 2021 09:00:00 GMT

COVID’s Delta variant is on the rise in the U.S. The data suggest we have room for optimism -- so why are we seeing dire messages from public health experts?

Guest: Dr. Monica Gandhi, infectious diseases and HIV doctor at UCSF/San Francisco General Hospital.

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Are the Democrats Blowing It on Voting Rights?

Wed, 23 Jun 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Senate Democrats tried to open up debate on sweeping voting rights legislation Tuesday but were stopped by a lack of support from their Republican counterparts. Would a more incremental approach have succeeded?

Guest: Rick Hasen, professor of law and political science at the University of California–Irvine School of Law and the author of Election Meltdown: Dirty Tricks, Distrust, and the Threat to American Democracy.

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Can Lina Khan Really Take On Monopolies?

Tue, 22 Jun 2021 09:00:00 GMT

America has gone soft on monopolies. A small number of businesses control an ever-increasing market share with only muted protests from the Federal Trade Commission, the supposed antitrust watchdog of the U.S. government. But that all might be about to change with Lina Khan’s appointment as FTC chair.

Guest: Matt Stoller, director of research at the American Economic Liberties Project and the author of Goliath: The Hundred Year War Between Monopoly Power and Democracy. Stoller also writes the Substack newsletter, BIG.

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The Fight Over Evangelicals’ Future

Mon, 21 Jun 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Fears that an ultra-conservative faction would take control of the country’s largest organization of evangelicals did not come to fruition at the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting this year. But it was only a narrow loss, and, like conservatives around the country, the group remains sharply divided.

Guest: Bob Smietana, national reporter for Religion News Service.

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What Cops Are Doing With Your DNA

Fri, 18 Jun 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Ever since police used a DNA platform called GEDmatch to crack the Golden State Killer case in 2018, police departments around the country have rushed to use genetic genealogy to crack their own cold cases. The result? Hundreds of violent cases solved.

So--why are some states passing new laws to limit this new technology?

Guest: Nila Bala, senior staff attorney at the Policing Project at NYU Law.

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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

TBD | What Cops Are Doing With Your DNA

Fri, 18 Jun 2021 10:00:00 GMT

So--why are some states passing new laws to limit this new technology?

Guest: Nila Bala, senior staff attorney at the Policing Project at NYU Law.

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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

Whom the Vaccines Leave Behind

Thu, 17 Jun 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Around the country, states are casting off pandemic restrictions. But for millions of immunocompromised people, the pandemic isn’t nearly over.

Guest: Dr. Lindsay Ryan, internist at San Francisco General Hospital and San Francisco VA Medical Center in California.

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The Looming Eviction Crisis

Wed, 16 Jun 2021 09:00:00 GMT

The clock is winding down on the CDC’s eviction moratorium. The moratorium will lift in less than two weeks, marking an end to the pandemic-era protection. What happens to vulnerable tenants when the clock runs out?

Guest: Henry Granville Widener, rent strike organizer in Maryland

Alieza Durana, reporter for Princeton’s Eviction Lab

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The Fight Over Rising Prices

Tue, 15 Jun 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Turn on your favorite business news channel, and it seems like all anyone can talk about is inflation. Prices are rising, but is it anything to worry about in the long term?

Guest: Jordan Weissmann, Slate’s senior business and economics correspondent.

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WTF, DOJ?

Mon, 14 Jun 2021 09:00:00 GMT

As U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland approaches 100 days of leading the Department of Justice, the department’s recent legal positions in support of former President Trump have mystified onlookers. Is the department lost at sea, and can Garland right the ship?

Guest: Ankush Khardori, attorney and former federal prosecutor.

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What Space Billionaires Cost Us

Fri, 11 Jun 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Over the last decade, billionaires like Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and Richard Branson have come to embody the future of space travel and exploration. What does it mean when the ideas and ambitions of a few powerful men come to dominate the conversation so thoroughly?

Guest: Lucianne Walkowicz, astronomer at the Adler Planetarium and founder of the Just Space Alliance

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

This episode is sponsored by Teamistry. You can listen here

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TBD | What Space Billionaires Cost Us

Fri, 11 Jun 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Guest: Lucianne Walkowicz, astronomer at the Adler Planetarium and founder of the Just Space Alliance

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

This episode is sponsored by Teamistry. You can listen here

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

Conor Lamb Is Losing His Patience

Thu, 10 Jun 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Conor Lamb has been one of the most reliable moderates and institutionalists among the House Democrats. The Capitol breach on January 6th changed that. Now, the Pennsylvania congressman says his focus is shifting to “not allowing things like respect and bipartisanship to be something that hides the truth.”

Guest: Congressman Conor Lamb, Democrat from Pennsylvania.

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Does NYC Want a Cop for a Mayor?

Wed, 09 Jun 2021 09:00:00 GMT

In the last year, New York City has experienced a surge in violent crime, reflecting a trend across major cities nationwide. In a heated race to be the city’s next mayor, one candidate, former New York police captain Eric Adams, is using the issue of public safety to his advantage.

Guest: Eric Lach, staff writer at The New Yorker.

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Is Kamala Harris Being Set Up to Fail?

Tue, 08 Jun 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Vice President Kamala Harris reportedly urged the Biden administration to give her a portfolio -- a clear way to contribute to the work of the White House while also building her political reputation. But now that she’s been tasked with the immigration crisis and the protection of voting rights, is she getting more than a vice president alone can handle?

Guest: Edward-Isaac Dovere, reporter for The Atlantic.

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The NFL’s Race-Norming Problem Is All Over Medicine

Mon, 07 Jun 2021 09:00:00 GMT

The NFL recently announced it would stop using “race norming” when assessing who would receive a share of their recent $1 billing settlement for former players. The practice, which assumed Black players started with lower cognitive function and made it harder to collect their share, is standard in many areas of medicine.

Guest: Darshali Vyas, Physician at Massachusetts General Hospital

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The App That Sparked a Manhunt

Fri, 04 Jun 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Two weeks ago, as wildfires burned north of Los Angeles, the crime app Citizen offered $30,000 for information that would lead to the arrest of a suspected arsonist. They had the wrong guy.

Why is Citizen offering bounties in the first place? And what does this bounty debacle say about the app’s aspirations for the future?

Guest: Joseph Cox, reporter at Motherboard

Host

Henry Grabar

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

TBD | The App That Sparked a Manhunt

Fri, 04 Jun 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Two weeks ago, as wildfires burned north of Los Angeles, the crime app Citizen offered $30,000 for information that would lead to the arrest of a suspected arsonist. They had the wrong guy.

Why is Citizen offering bounties in the first place? And what does this bounty debacle say about the app’s aspirations for the future?

Guest: Joseph Cox, reporter at Motherboard

Host

Henry Grabar

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

The Battle For Voting Rights In Texas Isn’t Over

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Texas Republicans, sensing the state’s slow, leftward drift, barreled ahead with legislation to make voting more cumbersome this week. Democratic lawmakers did the one thing they could to resist it: They refused to show up for a vote. But the fight over voting rules isn’t over in Texas, and Republicans maintain the upper hand.

Guest: Alexa Ura, reporter for the Texas Tribune.

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How the Capitol Riot Commission Died

Wed, 02 Jun 2021 09:00:00 GMT

After the Capitol riot on January 6th, Republicans proposed a bipartisan commission to investigate what took place as an alternative to impeaching then-President Trump. But last Friday, Senate Republicans led by Mitch McConnell killed the bill to establish that commission.

Why was the bipartisan commission dead on arrival? And is there a way for an investigation to move forward without one?

Guest: Jim Newell, senior politics writer at Slate.

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Will the Olympics Be a Fiasco?

Tue, 01 Jun 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Despite the pandemic, the Tokyo Olympics are set to kick off in late July. Many Japanese citizens are worried that such a large-scale event might worsen the pandemic in their country but the International Olympic Committee insists on pushing forward. Will the Olympics this year be a disaster?

Guest: Henry Bushnell, features writer for Yahoo Sports.

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Apple and Epic’s Battle Royale

Fri, 28 May 2021 10:00:00 GMT

After years of careful planning and public spats, Apple and Epic—the maker of Fortnite—have spent the last three weeks in court, fighting over the future of mobile gaming. What happens if, for once, Apple loses?

Guest: Elizabeth Lopatto, deputy editor at the Verge

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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

TBD | Apple and Epic’s Battle Royale

Fri, 28 May 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Guest: Elizabeth Lopatto, deputy editor at the Verge

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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

Why the Skyjacking Succeeded

Thu, 27 May 2021 09:00:00 GMT

On Sunday, authorities in Belarus took a prominent opposition journalist into custody by flagging down a commercial flight with a fighter jet and a false bomb threat. Since then, the small country has garnered international condemnation - though it’s evoked little contrition from President Alexander Lukashenko. What does this hijacking signal about the steadfastness of authoritarianism in Belarus and around the world?

Guest: Julia Ioffe, correspondent for GQ

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Does Roe v. Wade Stand A Chance?

Wed, 26 May 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Abortion bills are making their way through the statehouses of the U.S. Last Wednesday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed into law a ban on abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. Before that, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson instituted a ban on abortions from fertilization. And in the midst of these fights at the state level, the Supreme Court has announced it will take up a case challenging Roe v. Wade out of Mississippi.

With a conservative supermajority on the court, how imperiled is abortion access? Is it time to prepare for a world without Roe v. Wade?

Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, reporter on courts and the law for Slate.

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One Woman's Year Protecting George Floyd Square

Tue, 25 May 2021 09:00:00 GMT

A year after the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, residents near the intersection of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue - now dubbed George Floyd Square - continue to keep the area closed off. The city wants to reopen the intersection, but activists say they aren’t giving in until the community’s demands for justice are met.

Guest: Marcia Howard, security volunteer and organizer in George Floyd Square.

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A Small but Momentous Shift on Israel

Mon, 24 May 2021 09:00:00 GMT

U.S. support for Palestinians seems to have swelled this past month, especially among progressive Democrats. With fighting between Israel and Hamas on hold, what will it take to shift U.S. policy?

Guest: Peter Beinart, editor-at-large at Jewish Currents.

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The Hackers Who Took Down the Colonial Pipeline

Fri, 21 May 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Last week, a hacker group called DarkSide shut down the Colonial Pipeline, which supplies 45 percent of the fuel consumed on the East Coast. Gas prices skyrocketed, people started hoarding gas, and DarkSide walked away with over $4 million in Bitcoin. How did they do it? And what makes this hack different from those we’ve seen before?

Guest: David Uberti, cybersecurity reporter at the Wall Street Journal

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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

TBD | The Hackers Who Took Down the Colonial Pipeline

Fri, 21 May 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Guest: David Uberti, cybersecurity reporter at the Wall Street Journal

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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

One Senator’s Decades-Long Fight for Universal Childcare

Thu, 20 May 2021 09:00:00 GMT

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.

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A Cuomo Accuser on Watching Him Stay Put

Wed, 19 May 2021 09:00:00 GMT

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.

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Our Very Weird Economic Recovery

Tue, 18 May 2021 09:00:00 GMT

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 correspondent

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Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Davis Land, Danielle Hewitt, Elena Schwartz and Carmel Delshad.

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Mask Off?

Mon, 17 May 2021 09:00:00 GMT

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 Medicine

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How the World’s Great Vaccination Hope Crashed

Fri, 14 May 2021 10:00:00 GMT

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 Quartz

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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

TBD | How the World’s Great Vaccination Hope Crashed

Fri, 14 May 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Guest: Samanth Subramanian, senior reporter at Quartz

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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

The Palestinian Perspective

Thu, 13 May 2021 09:00:00 GMT

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.

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Why Liz Cheney Had to Go

Wed, 12 May 2021 09:00:00 GMT

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.

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Arizona’s Bonkers Recount

Tue, 11 May 2021 09:00:00 GMT

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.

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Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Davis Land, Danielle Hewitt, Elena Schwartz, and Carmel Delshad.

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I Was a Teenager in a Syrian Prison

Mon, 10 May 2021 09:00:00 GMT

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.

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Oversight Board to Facebook: Nice Try

Fri, 07 May 2021 10:00:00 GMT

The question of Donald Trump’s banned account--to keep it blocked, or reinstate it--is one of the toughest that Facebook has ever faced. But the social network had a plan: punt the decision to its newly minted Oversight Board, a semi-independent “Supreme Court” tasked with making hard decisions about what content stays up, and what comes down.

Did that plan just backfire?

Guest: Kate Klonick, professor at St. John’s University School of Law

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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

TBD | Oversight Board to Facebook: Nice Try

Fri, 07 May 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Did that plan just backfire?

Guest: Kate Klonick, professor at St. John’s University School of Law

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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

The Gates Divorce

Thu, 06 May 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Divorces aren’t usually major news events. But in the case of Bill and Melinda Gates, the state of their union is in the public interest. For the last 20 years, the two have led one of the most influential philanthropic organizations in the world.

What happens to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation once its founders are broken up? And what does it say about society’s dependence on billionaires that we even have to ask?

Guest: Teddy Schleifer, reporter on money and influence for Recode at Vox.

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Going After the Opioid Middlemen

Wed, 05 May 2021 09:00:00 GMT

West Virginia was - and still is - decimated by the opioid addiction crisis. Now, one county is fighting to hold drug distributors accountable and get treatment for its residents.

Guest: Eric Eyer, senior investigative reporter at Mountain State Spotlight.

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What Sex Workers Want

Tue, 04 May 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance recently announced the end to prosecuting some charges related to sex work, following decisions in other New York City boroughs. But is this policy shift something sex workers actually want? And does it go far enough?

Guest: Melissa Gira Grant, staff writer at The New Republic and the author of Playing the Whore: The Work of Sex Work.

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How Will the Recall of Gavin Newsom End?

Mon, 03 May 2021 09:00:00 GMT

California Governor Gavin Newsom faces a newly-qualified recall petition, with 1.6 million people saying they want to see an election held over whether the governor should be replaced. But the anger that motivated so many of those signatures now seems to be fading away. Is it enough to save Newsom’s political career?

Guest: Guy Marzorati, reporter and producer on KQED’s Politics and Government desk.

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Tim Apple vs. Mark Facebook

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 10:00:00 GMT

There was a time—back when Steve Jobs ran Apple and Mark Zuckerberg was in his early days as Facebook’s CEO— that Apple and Facebook were friends.. Or, at worst, frenemies. But as the companies grew, so did two competing views of how the internet should work.

What led to the rift between Mark Zuckerberg and Tim Cook? And will Apple’s new privacy rules undercut Facebook’s vision for the internet?

Guest:

Mike Isaac, tech reporter at the New York Times

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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TBD | Tim Apple vs. Mark Facebook

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 10:00:00 GMT

What led to the rift between Mark Zuckerberg and Tim Cook? And will Apple’s new privacy rules undercut Facebook’s vision for the internet?

Guest:

Mike Isaac, tech reporter at the New York Times

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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Inside India’s COVID Wards

Thu, 29 Apr 2021 09:00:00 GMT

India started 2021 with government officials repeatedly declaring victory over COVID-19. But the virus has overrun hospitals and crematoriums, in part due to massive gatherings and a slow vaccination rollout.

Guest: Chahat Rana, health reporting fellow at The Caravan magazine.

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A Better Way to Talk About Gun Violence

Wed, 28 Apr 2021 09:00:00 GMT

The national conversation about gun violence in America almost always focuses on mass shootings -- but these events tend to overshadow the more day-to-day violence that makes up the bulk of gun deaths in the U.S. What would our policy conversation look like if more attention was paid to the kind of gun violence that’s most prevalent?

Guest: Abené Clayton, reporter for Guns and Lies at the Guardian.

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The Invasion of Lake Tahoe

Tue, 27 Apr 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Tech workers from the Bay Area happily left their expensive apartments for Lake Tahoe during the pandemic, hoping to get some fresh air and a change of scenery. Towns around the lake soon became "Zoom-towns" -- areas where remote workers moved in and never left, raising prices and driving out longtime residents. Now, locals are fighting back.

Guest: Rachel Levin, San Francisco-based journalist.

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The Case for Going Maskless Outdoors

Mon, 26 Apr 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Masks are crucial to stopping the spread of COVID-19, especially indoors and during prolonged close contact. But after a year of the pandemic, evidence is growing that it’s time to rethink rules on wearing masks outdoors.

Guest: Shannon Palus, senior editor at Slate.

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What's Causing the Tesla Crashes?

Fri, 23 Apr 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Last week, a Tesla Model S crashed into a tree in a neighborhood north of Houston. Both men inside the car were killed. But according to police, neither of them was in the driver’s seat.

This is not the first crash in which Tesla’s “autopilot” feature has likely played a role. Should we really be trusting this technology?

Guest:

Missy Cummings, professor of electrical and computer engineering at Duke University

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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TBD | What's Causing the Tesla Crashes?

Fri, 23 Apr 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Last week, a Tesla Model S crashed into a tree in a neighborhood north of Houston. Both men inside the car were killed. But according to police, neither of them was in the driver’s seat.

This is not the first crash in which Tesla’s “autopilot” feature has likely played a role. Should we really be trusting this technology?

Guest:

Missy Cummings, professor of electrical and computer engineering at Duke University

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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Patriot or Outcast?

Thu, 22 Apr 2021 09:00:00 GMT

The country remains divided over the January 6th Capitol riot. The division is reflected in voter surveys, news coverage, and millions of social media posts. But the tension is also on display in small, idiosyncratic communities who realized some of their own were at the Capitol attack and may have cheered it on.

Guest: Matthew Rosenberg, reporter for the New York Times.

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The Chauvin Verdict

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 09:00:00 GMT

After just 10 hours of deliberation, jurors found former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin guilty in the murder of George Floyd. This is what happened inside the courtroom and out on the streets.

Guests: Jon Collins, criminal justice reporter at MPR News.

Aymann Ismail, staff writer at Slate.

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The Putin Problem

Tue, 20 Apr 2021 09:00:00 GMT

The Biden administration is under no illusions that Russia President Vladimir Putin can be a willing partner of the U.S. But what tools remain to check Putin’s ambitions?

Guest: Josh Keating, senior editor at Slate and the author of Invisible Countries.

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Fear and Paranoia in American Policing

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 09:00:00 GMT

What makes a police officer shoot when a suspect’s hands are up? To understand this, it helps to examine police training, and the predominant lesson that many young officers receive: Any encounter could be your last.

Guest: Michael Sierra-Arévalo, assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin.

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Seduced by Substack

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Like countless venture-funded start-ups before it, Substack is “disrupting” the media industry. The newsletter service is siphoning off high-profile talent with a promise of independence and bigger paychecks. But the platform’s influence might reach far beyond the media. Will Substack change the way we think about online creators and their audiences? Can it create a new kind of relationship between them?

Guest:

Charlie Warzel, writer of Galaxy Brain

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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TBD | Seduced by Substack

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Guest:

Charlie Warzel, writer of Galaxy Brain

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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The Confusion Over Johnson & Johnson

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Federal officials have recommended halting distribution of the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine, citing rare but potentially severe blood clots. Now, health officials are trying to find out whether or not the clots are connected to the vaccine, creating confusion and sometimes panic for recipients. While the process may seem backwards for some, others say it’s science working the way it’s supposed to.

Guest: Tara Haelle, science journalist and author.

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Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Davis Land, Danielle Hewitt, Elena Schwartz and Carmel Delshad

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How Republicans Weaponized Cancel Culture

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Republicans are smart to lean in on “cancel culture” as a campaign issue to unite voters. Dan Pfeiffer of Pod Save America says Democrats have the power to make that a losing strategy for the GOP.

Guest: Dan Pfeiffer, co-host of Pod Save America.

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The Lab Leak Theory

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 09:00:00 GMT

How one theory about COVID-19’s origins went from the fringes to the mainstream -- and why it just might be plausible.

Guest: Alina Chan, postdoctoral fellow at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.

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What's Different About the Chauvin Trial

Mon, 12 Apr 2021 09:00:00 GMT

As Derek Chauvin stands trial for the murder of George Floyd, prosecutors are determined to show the justice system is going to work in this case. Beyond the courtroom, the future of Minneapolis’s relationship with its police department is an open question.

Guest: Jon Collins, class and criminal justice reporter at Minnesota Public Radio.

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The Rise of the Therapy Apps

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Since the start of the pandemic, usage of apps like BetterHelp and Talkspace has skyrocketed. These apps might make mental health care more accessible, but are the products they sell really the same as therapy?

Guest:

Molly Fischer, features writer for the Cut at New York Magazine

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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TBD | The Rise of the Therapy Apps

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Guest:

Molly Fischer, features writer for the Cut at New York Magazine

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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One Man’s Mission to Protect Chinatown

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 09:00:00 GMT

In February 2020, Karlin Chan began a group called the Chinatown Block Watch to patrol his New York City neighborhood and act as a “visual deterrent” to anti-Asian attacks. One year and one pandemic later, Chan’s Block Watch is still patrolling the streets, and taking an expansive view of what it means to keep the community safe.

Guest: Karlin Chan, founder of the Chinatown Block Watch.

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How Worried to Be About Michigan

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Michigan is currently home to 13 of the worst performing metro areas when it comes to the coronavirus. They recently surpassed 10,000 new cases and their curve has “gone vertical”. With vaccine distribution ramping up across the country, is the Michigan surge a warning for the rest of the country?

Guest: Abdul El-Sayed, host of America Dissected

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Biden’s Big Swing

Tue, 06 Apr 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Last week, President Biden rolled out an ambitious infrastructure plan that relies on increased taxes on corporations to fund big changes to America’s infrastructure. His plan goes beyond putting pavement on the ground, and lays out a different vision for what "infrastructure" really means.

Guest: Jordan Weissmann, Slate’s senior business and economics correspondent.

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The Bizarre Origin Story of the Gaetz Scandal

Mon, 05 Apr 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Last week, The New York Times reported that Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz was under investigation by the Justice Department over his relationships with women recruited online for sex, and whether he had sex with a 17-year-old girl. Gaetz gained national attention for his trollish, Trumpian antics and fiery loyalty to the then-president. What happens if the Trump playbook doesn’t work for the 38-year-old congressman?

Guest: Jeff Weiner, Criminal Justice and Public Safety Editor for the Orlando Sentinel

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Introducing: ICYMI

Sun, 04 Apr 2021 12:00:00 GMT

ICYMI is Slate’s new podcast about internet culture. It’s a show for people who have a healthy relationship with the internet, made by people who really, really don’t. It’s hosted by Slate’s Madison Malone Kircher and Rachelle Hampton. Twice a week they’ll explore what’s trending at the top of your feeds, investigate the ghosts of internet past, and help you sound like the smartest person in your group chat.

In the episode you’re about to hear, they take you on an all-access tour of Clubhouse, the invite-only audio app that already has millions of users, including everyone from Elon Musk and Drake to Oprah and Joe Rogan. Madison somehow ends up taking a shower with hundreds of other users? The app also doesn’t allow people to record and publish audio, so this episode will probably get them banned.

If you like what you hear, or you want to be the first to know whether Madison gets kicked off Clubhouse, subscribe to ICYMI wherever you get your podcasts.

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TBD | The Fight Over Vaccine Passports

Fri, 02 Apr 2021 10:00:00 GMT

There are at least 17 different “vaccine passport” initiatives underway in the United States. And leaked documents reveal that the Biden administration fears that “a chaotic and ineffective vaccine credential approach could hamper our pandemic response by undercutting health safety measures, slowing economic recovery, and undermining public trust and confidence.”

Without coordination, a chaotic and ineffective approach seems likely. So, what can, and what should, the Biden administration do to avoid this outcome? And what are the risks and rewards of coordinating an effort that divides Americans along the lines of vaccination status?

Guest:

Dan Diamond, health policy and politics reporter for the Washington Post

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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The Fight Over Vaccine Passports

Fri, 02 Apr 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Guest:

Dan Diamond, health policy and politics reporter for the Washington Post

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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LA’s Housing Crisis Hits A Boiling Point

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Los Angeles’s Echo Park Lake is home to swan boats, running trails and space for members of it’s rapidly gentrifying community to gather during the pandemic. Up until last week, it was also home to over 100 people living in tents on the west side of the park. The encampment became the focal point of LA’s housing affordability crisis when the housed members of the Echo Park neighborhood called for it to be cleared.

Guest: Benjamin Oreskes, metro report for the Los Angeles Times.

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The Wedge Issue of Republicans’ Dreams

Wed, 31 Mar 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Most kids in the country aren’t back to school in any way we’d recognize as normal. Republicans have noticed. Now, they’re launching a few trial balloons this year to see if “reopen the schools” can become their next winning campaign slogan.

Guest: Edward-Isaac Dovere, staff writer at the Atlantic. Read his story, “Democrats Are Failing the Schools Test.”

Dovere is the author of the forthcoming book, Battle for the Soul: Inside the Democrats’ Campaigns to Defeat Trump.

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Can a Highway Be Racist?

Tue, 30 Mar 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Houston residents and elected officials are trying to stop the largest urban highway project of their lifetimes -- one that would clear out more than 1,000 homes in primarily Black and Latin neighborhoods and, they say, introduce additional flooding and health risks. Now, residents have a powerful new ally in Washington: the Biden administration. The fate of I-45 may tell us something about what 21st-century infrastructure will look like.

Guests: Tomaro Bell, Houston resident and community leader, and Oni Blair, executive director of LINK Houston.

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Should Florida Cancel Spring Break?

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has become a Republican celebrity for his notably lax coronavirus policies, keeping the state mostly open during the pandemic. But in Miami Beach, tourists are using the lack of restrictions to their advantage, exposing the difficulty of managing a world that isn’t quite done with COVID-19, but desperately wants to be.

Guest: Verónica Zaragovia, healthcare reporter at WLRN.

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The AstraZeneca Saga

Fri, 26 Mar 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Back in April 2020, AstraZeneca was hailed as a frontrunner in the race to get an effective vaccine to market. A year later, after a series of trial pauses, communication blunders, and PR problems, the vaccine is on the cusp of FDA approval.

By all accounts, the company succeeded in making a safe, effective vaccine. So why has there been so much confusion about its rollout?

Guest:

Peter Aldhous, science reporter at Buzzfeed News

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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TBD | The AstraZeneca Saga

Fri, 26 Mar 2021 10:00:00 GMT

By all accounts, the company succeeded in making a safe, effective vaccine. So why has there been so much confusion about its rollout?

Guest:

Peter Aldhous, science reporter at Buzzfeed News

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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One Colorado Man’s Crusade Against Gun Violence

Thu, 25 Mar 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Colorado Rep. Tom Sullivan counts the number of Fridays since his son was killed in the Aurora theater shooting in 2012. The latest mass shooting in Boulder, which left 10 people dead, was yet another reason Sullivan says he’s continuing his quest to curb gun violence in the state.

Guest: Colorado State Rep. Tom Sullivan.

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Migrant Families Are Still Being Separated

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 09:00:00 GMT

After four years of President Trump’s harsh immigration policies, many advocates for Central American migrants welcomed a change in administration. But after two months in office, President Biden has given a clear message to people arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border: “don’t come.” Still, thousands of people, including an increasing number of unaccompanied children, are making the trek and forcing Biden to face his first big immigration test.

Guest: Adolfo Flores, national security for immigration correspondent at Buzzfeed.

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One Month Without Water

Tue, 23 Mar 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Residents of Jackson, Mississippi, were left without water for weeks after a deep freeze hit the south, bursting pipes and forcing people to rely on bottled or collected rain water. But even though the water is back on, Jackson’s next water crisis might not be so far off.

Guest: Nick Judin is a reporter at the Mississippi Free Press.

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Why Don’t We Know More About the Atlanta Victims?

Mon, 22 Mar 2021 09:00:00 GMT

On March 16, a white gunman killed eight people - six of them Asian-American women - during shootings at three different spas in Georgia. The shooter claims he was driven by a “sex addiction,” but his actions fall into a complicated legacy where race, sex, and the fetishization of Asian women all intersect. That legacy is now in full view as the nation grapples with this latest tragedy and a rise in anti-Asian violence. .

Guest: Lisa Hagen is a reporter for WABE in Atlanta and the co-host of No Compromise, a podcast about a grassroots movement for gun rights.

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Hate, Lies, and AI

Fri, 19 Mar 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Facebook’s failure to contain the spread of dangerous misinformation is no secret. For years, the company has pledged publicly to fix the problem. But in the wake of the Capitol riots, it’s clear that there’s more work to be done. So, why isn’t the social media giant using its powerful AI to contain hate and lies?

Guest:

Karen Hao, senior AI reporter at MIT Technology Review

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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TBD | Hate, Lies, and AI

Fri, 19 Mar 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Guest:

Karen Hao, senior AI reporter at MIT Technology Review

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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Why Cuomo Won’t Resign

Thu, 18 Mar 2021 09:00:00 GMT

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo faces calls to resign over accusations of sexual harassment and allowing a toxic workplace culture to persist. But to the people who know him best, it’s unlikely the governor will ever bow to those demands.

Guests: Jimmy Vielkind, Wall Street Journal reporter covering New York politics & government.

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Our Year: Emergency Mode Can’t Last Forever

Wed, 17 Mar 2021 09:00:00 GMT

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed crucial gaps in the public health system, including the government’s inability to gather data quickly and accurately. After a year of lockdowns and isolation, a return to life resembling normalcy is in sight, but how will we know when we get there?

Guests: Alexis Madrigal, co-founder of The COVID Tracking Project, and staff writer at The Atlantic.

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Our Year: 1 Out of 530,000

Tue, 16 Mar 2021 09:00:00 GMT

When it comes to the past year, we’ve all lost something -- or someone. Time with friends and family. A job. A loved one. But when we think about the 530,000 people in the U.S. who died because of COVID-19, the magnitude makes it hard to see the individuals. Today, we remember one loss, out of many.

Guests: Alicia Montgomery, executive producer of podcasts at Slate, and her cousin, Yvonne Tilghman.

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Our Year: Who's “Essential” Now?

Mon, 15 Mar 2021 09:00:00 GMT

When the coronavirus pandemic shut down cities across the U.S. and forced many people to work from home, others deemed “essential” still had to show up for their jobs. A year later, the gap between the need for essential workers and the way they’re treated is all too apparent.

Guests: Henry Grabar, staff writer at Slate.

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Does Google Actually Want to Hire Black Engineers?

Fri, 12 Mar 2021 11:00:00 GMT

Back in 2014, Google released in-depth diversity data for its workforce for the first time. 1.1 percent of its tech team identified as Black. Six years later, after millions of dollars spent and a much-hyped partnership program with historically Black colleges and universities across the country, that number is up to 2.4 percent.

How did such a promising effort yield such incremental change?

Guest: Nitasha Tiku, tech culture reporter at the Washington Post

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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TBD | Does Google Actually Want to Hire Black Engineers?

Fri, 12 Mar 2021 11:00:00 GMT

How did such a promising effort yield such incremental change?

Guest: Nitasha Tiku, tech culture reporter at the Washington Post

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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The Fight to Reopen Schools in Memphis

Thu, 11 Mar 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Why did schools stay closed for so long in Memphis? And why weren’t parents clamoring for them to reopen? To answer those questions, you have to tell a longer story about the relationship between a majority-Black, Democratically-controlled city and a largely white, Republican-controlled state.

Guest: Laura Faith Kebede, reporter for Chalkbeat Tennessee.

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White, Republican, and Vaccine Skeptical

Wed, 10 Mar 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Nearly a third of republican voters say they’re not interested in getting a COVID-19 vaccine. What does that mean for the spread of the virus?

Guest: Dan Diamond, national health reporter for the Washington Post.

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Who Gets to Work on Capitol Hill?

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 10:00:00 GMT

The 117th U.S. Congress is the most diverse ever. But that distinction does not extend to senior staff on the Hill. How does the makeup of Congressional staff influence legislation?

Guest: Maya King, author of Politico’s Recast newsletter on how race and identity shape politics, policy, and power.

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Derek Chauvin on Trial

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 10:00:00 GMT

George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police last year sparked an international protest movement and amplified calls for police accountability. Now, as the former police officer Derek Chauvin goes on trial, Minneapolis is preparing for another public reckoning.

Guest: Jon Collins, senior reporter for Minnesota Public Radio.

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The Failing Lifeline for Low-Income Americans

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 11:00:00 GMT

The federal Lifeline program was intended to bridge the gap between Americans who could comfortably pay for phone and internet service, and those who couldn’t. But in the midst of the pandemic, Lifeline is falling woefully short.

How did a program meant to help connect low-income Americans with phone and internet service ended up making them second-class digital citizens at the worst possible moment?

Guest:

Tony Romm, senior tech policy reporter at the Washington Post, author of

“How the Federal Lifeline Program Failed Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic”

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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TBD | The Failing Lifeline for Low-Income Americans

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 11:00:00 GMT

How did a program meant to help connect low-income Americans with phone and internet service ended up making them second-class digital citizens at the worst possible moment?

Guest:

Tony Romm, senior tech policy reporter at the Washington Post, author of

“How the Federal Lifeline Program Failed Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic”

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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

Good Luck Voting in Georgia Next Election

Thu, 04 Mar 2021 10:00:00 GMT

After Joe Biden’s surprising win in Georgia, Republicans in the state started in on legislation to limit voting access in the state. Their efforts mirror what’s happening in state houses across the country. Is there any way to slow down these efforts to limit access to the ballot?

Guest: Ari Berman, writer for Mother Jones and the author of Give Us the Ballot: The Modern Struggle for Voting Rights in America.

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A National Wave of Anti-Trans Bills

Wed, 03 Mar 2021 10:00:00 GMT

As legislative sessions begin across the country, a rash of anti-trans bills have been brought to the floor by Republican legislators. Many of the proposals target trans youth -- both in sports, and access to medical care. If any of these bills become law, what will it mean for trans rights across the country?

Guest: Kate Sosin, Reporter for the 19th

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Biden’s First Foreign Policy Test

Tue, 02 Mar 2021 10:00:00 GMT

President Joe Biden has said he wants to focus his foreign policy on rebuilding international alliances and standing up to China and Russia. But just five weeks into the new administration, the Middle East has already started to demand Biden’s attention.

Guest: Josh Keating, senior editor at Slate.

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Texans Can't Catch a Break

Mon, 01 Mar 2021 10:00:00 GMT

The power’s back on in Texas, but many residents are still struggling to clean up after a disastrous winter storm. The cold snap knocked out electricity for several days and froze water lines. Some Texans are still without water; others are bailing out flooded homes. But this storm was just the latest in a series of catastrophes to hit Texas in the past several years, leaving the state’s most vulnerable residents in ever more precarious positions.

Guest: Amal Ahmed, reporter at the Texas Observer.

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Australia’s Kinda-Sorta Win Over Big Tech

Fri, 26 Feb 2021 11:00:00 GMT

Over the last year, the Australian government has been waging a quiet war against Facebook and Google. Through a new law, it plans to force the big tech companies to pay news outlets in exchange for linking to their sites.

Will this new law have the intended effect? Or will it set a dangerous precedent that cedes even more power over to the tech giants?

Guest:

JR Hennessy, editor at Business Insider Australia

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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TBD | Australia’s Kinda-Sorta Win Over Big Tech

Fri, 26 Feb 2021 11:00:00 GMT

Will this new law have the intended effect? Or will it set a dangerous precedent that cedes even more power over to the tech giants?

Guest:

JR Hennessy, editor at Business Insider Australia

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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

A Biden Pick in Trouble

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 10:00:00 GMT

After years of policy work in Washington, Neera Tanden is more than qualified to serve as Biden’s Director of the Office of Management and Budget. But her open scorn for conservatives and progressives alike, often expressed through aggressive Twitter barbs, has made her confirmation the most tenuous of the new president’s picks.

Guest: Jim Newell, Slate’s senior politics writer.

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The Marines’ Sexual Assault Problem

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 10:00:00 GMT

The U.S. military has long had a sexual assault problem. And the Marine Corps - the final service branch to gender-integrate - is no exception. Though multiple scandals have rocked the Marines, continued abuses make it clear that deeper changes are needed to make all service people safe.

Guest: Erin Kirk-Cuomo, founder of #NotInMyMarineCorps.

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Should Student Debt Be Canceled?

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Democrats are divided over student debt forgiveness. President Joe Biden is trying to get $10,000-per-borrower canceled, while more progressive members of the party want $50,000 wiped out. So whom would these proposals help? And what can be done to keep the student debt crisis from happening all over again?

Guest: Jordan Weissmann, Slate's senior business and economics correspondent.

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Will Andrew Cuomo Say Sorry?

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 10:00:00 GMT

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has attracted national praise for his buck-stops-here leadership throughout the pandemic. But he's made some major missteps in his coronavirus response - the lack of transparency around COVID-related deaths in nursing homes is only the latest example. And his efforts to evade scrutiny have drawn fire from critics and constituents.

Guest: Jimmy Vielkind, reporter for the Wall Street Journal covering New York politics and government.

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Why Texas Went Dark

Fri, 19 Feb 2021 11:00:00 GMT

Over the last week, millions of Texans have been forced to live without power or heat. At least 16 have died since Monday. In a state that’s no stranger to extreme weather and high power demand, how did it all go so wrong?

Guest:

Josh Rhodes, research associate at the Webber Energy Group at the University of Texas at Austin

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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