611 episodes

Voted “Favorite Political Podcast” by Apple Podcasts listeners. Stephen Colbert says "Everybody should listen to the Slate Political Gabfest." The Gabfest, featuring Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz, is the kind of informal and irreverent discussion Washington journalists have after hours over drinks.

Political Gabfest Slate Podcasts

    • News
    • 4.4 • 8K Ratings

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Voted “Favorite Political Podcast” by Apple Podcasts listeners. Stephen Colbert says "Everybody should listen to the Slate Political Gabfest." The Gabfest, featuring Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz, is the kind of informal and irreverent discussion Washington journalists have after hours over drinks.

Listen on Apple Podcasts
Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher

    John Dickerson’s Navel Gazing: The Power of Four Numbers

    John Dickerson’s Navel Gazing: The Power of Four Numbers

    This episode will be available for free starting April 27th

    In this week’s essay, John discusses the art of attention and how to develop the skill of slow-looking.

    Notebook Entries:

    Notebook 75, page 8. September 2021
    1016

    Notebook 1, page 54. June 1990
    - Magna carta 1215 at Salisbury
    - Girls skipping
    - The Haunch of Venison
    - Chris


    References:

    Georgia O’Keeffe Museum
    A Little History of the World by E.H Gombrich
    Artist Jeff Koons
    “The Art of Divination: D.H. Lawrence on the Power of Pure Attention” by Maria Popova for The Marginalian
    “Gabfest Reads: A Woman’s Life in Museum Wall Labels” for Political Gabfest
    One Woman Show by Christine Coulson
    “Grammy-winning artist Jason Isbell talks about the craft of songwriting and his latest music” for CBS News
    A Journey Around My Room by Xavier De Maistre
    “Just think: The Challenges of the Disengaged Mind” by Timothy Wilson, et.al for Science
    “Our Rodent Selfies, Ourselves” by Emily Anthes for the New York Times
    One Man’s Meat by E.B. White

    Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
    Email us at navelgazingpodcast@gmail.com

    Election Fraud Pure and Simple

    Election Fraud Pure and Simple

    This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the testimony of prosecution witness David Pecker in Donald Trump’s criminal trial, student protests against Israel’s war in Gaza, and the Supreme Court argument on presidential immunity. 
     
    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: 
    Matthew Haag for The New York Times: David Pecker, Ex-National Enquirer Publisher, Details How He Aided Trump
    Richard L. Hasen in the Los Angeles Times: Opinion: Why it’s hard to muster even a ‘meh’ over Trump’s New York criminal trial
    J. David Goodman, David Montgomery, Jonathan Wolfe, and Jenna Russell for The New York Times: Campus Protests Over Gaza Intensify Amid Pushback by Universities and Police
    Spectator Editorial Board for the Columbia Spectator: Is Columbia in crisis?
    Minouche Shafik in The Wall Street Journal: Columbia University President: What I Plan to Tell Congress Tomorrow
    David Schizer in CNN: Opinion: To combat antisemitism, start by following the law
    Michael C. Dorf for Verdict: Federal Antidiscrimination Law Does Not Require Campus Crackdowns
    J Oliver Conroy for The Guardian: ‘Media firestorm’: Israel protest at professor’s home sparks heated free-speech debate
    C-SPAN: Supreme Court Hears Case on Former President Trump’s Immunity Claim
    Ann Marimow for The Washington Post: Supreme Court seems poised to allow Trump trial, but not immediately
    Ian Millhiser for Vox: Donald Trump already won the only Supreme Court fight that mattered

    Here are this week’s chatters:
    John: Stephen Clark for Ars Technica: Recoding Voyager 1—NASA’s interstellar explorer is finally making sense again
    Emily: Abbie VanSickle for The Washington Post: Supreme Court Appeals Sharply Divided in Emergency Abortion Case and Angela Palermo for The Spokesman-Review: Idaho has lost 22% of its practicing obstetricians in the last 15 months, report say
    David: Exploring a Secret Fort on airbnb; City Cast: Work with us.; and Eve O. Schaub for The Washington Post: Don’t waste your time recycling plastic
    Listener chatter from Michael Starr in New York City: Patrick Page in All The Devils Are Here; Richard the Third by Paul Murray Kendall; and Nancy Shute for NPR: No Hunch Here: Richard III Suffered From Scoliosis Instead
     
    For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, John, and Emily talk about a question before the Supreme Court: can a city regulate homelessness? See Amy Howe for SCOTUSblog: Court divided over constitutionality of criminal penalties for homelessness; Esteban L. Hernandez and Meira Gebel for Axios: Supreme Court weighs case that could affect Denver’s approach to homelessness and Alayna Alvarez: Denver’s urban camping ban brings 10 years of turmoil; and Eli Saslow and Todd Heisler for The New York Times: A Sandwich Shop, a Tent City and an American Crisis. 
     
    In the latest Gabfest Reads, John talks with David E. Sanger about his new book, New Cold Wars: China’s Rise, Russia’s Invasion, and America’s Struggle to Defend the West.
     
    Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
     
    Podcast production by Cheyna Roth
    Research by Julie Huygen
     
    Hosts
    Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    • 1 hr 8 min
    John Dickerson’s Navel Gazing: Remembering George and Defending the Morning

    John Dickerson’s Navel Gazing: Remembering George and Defending the Morning

    In this week’s essay, John dives deep into the loss of his beloved dog, George, the essayist’s dilemma, the comfort of quiet mornings, and more.
     
    Notebook Entries:
    Notebook 75, page 5. September 5, 2021
    I go to the morning alone.
     
    Notebook 75, page 6. September 6, 2021
    Phantom nails on the stairs
     
     
    References:
    “Every Dog Is a Rescue Dog” by John Dickerson for The Atlantic
    “Oxytocin-gaze positive loop and the coevolution of human-dog bonds” by Miho Nagasawa et.al for Science
    Haikus by Jennifer Gurney
    “Which Pet Will Make You Happiest?” by Arthur C. Brooks for The Atlantic
    “The Family Dog Is in Sync With Your Kids” by Gretchen Reynolds for The New York Times
     
    Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
    Email us at navelgazingpodcast@gmail.com
      
    Want to listen to Navel Gazing uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Navel Gazing and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/navelgazingplus to get access wherever you listen.

    Host
    John Dickerson
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    • 27 min
    Gabfest Reads: Can America Survive Its Relationships with Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin?

    Gabfest Reads: Can America Survive Its Relationships with Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin?

    John Dickerson talks with author David E. Sanger about his new book, New Cold Wars. They discuss how Russia and China came to reach their new levels of power, the role the Middle East and Obama Administration played in all of this, and more.

    Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

    Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    • 41 min
    Could You Be A Trump Juror?

    Could You Be A Trump Juror?

    This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss Donald Trump’s first criminal trial and the Supreme Court argument on a criminal charge related to another Trump case and talk with The Atlantic’s Mark Leibovich about his profile of Governor Gavin Newsom. 
     
    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:
    Norman Eisen for CNN: Don’t call it a ‘hush money’ case
    Brian Beutler for the Politix podcast: Alvin Bragg’s Liberal Critics Are Wrong
    Ben Protess, Jonah E. Bromwich, Maggie Haberman, and Wesley Parnell for The New York Times: Prosecutors and Defense Lawyers Begin to Seat Jurors for Trump Trial and Maggie Haberman: A Weary Trump Appears to Doze Off in Courtroom Ahead of Criminal Trial
    David Bauder for AP: Trump trial: Why can’t Americans see or hear what is going on inside the courtroom?
    Ann E. Marimow for The Washington Post: Supreme Court divided over key charge against Jan. 6 rioters and Trump
    Michael C. Dorf for Dorf On Law: The Ejusdem is Loose -- SCOTUS Insurrectionist Case Edition
    Mark Leibovich for The Atlantic: Gavin Newsom Can’t Help Himself
    HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher: Gov. Gavin Newsom

    Here are this week’s chatters:
    Emily: Uri Berliner in The Free Press: I’ve Been at NPR for 25 Years. Here’s How We Lost America’s Trust.; David Folkenflik for NPR: NPR editor Uri Berliner resigns with blast at new CEO; Alicia Montgomery for Slate: The Real Story Behind NPR’s Current Problems; A24’s Civil War; and HBO’s The Last of Us
    John: The Annie E. Casey Foundation; diversitydatakids.org by Brandeis’s Heller School for Social Policy and Management: Child Opportunity Index (COI); Aliya Schneider for The Philadelphia Inquirer: ‘They’re cheating.’ President Biden floats higher tariffs on Chinese imports in Pittsburgh speech; John Dickerson for Slate’s Navel Gazing podcast; and CBS News Prime Time with John Dickerson
    David: Trevor Aaronson, Sam Eifling, and Michael Mooney for Audible’s Hold Fast podcast and Jacques Billeaud for AP: Backpage founder will face Arizona retrial on charges he participated in scheme to sell sex ads
    Listener chatter from Josh in Brisbane, Australia: Ross Scott’s website Stop Killing Games
     
    For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, John, and Emily talk with Anna Sale about her podcast, Death, Sex & Money, which is now on Slate. See Death, Sex & Money podcast: A Sociopath’s Guide to Death, Sex, and Money and Patrick Page in All The Devils Are Here. 
     
    In the latest Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Tana French about her book, The Hunter: A Novel.
     
    Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
     
    Podcast production by Cheyna Roth
    Research by Julie Huygen
     
    Hosts
    Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    • 1 hr 2 min
    John Dickerson’s Navel Gazing: Sending our Son to College

    John Dickerson’s Navel Gazing: Sending our Son to College

    In this week’s essay, John remembers dropping his son off at college, and trying to hold onto moments and feelings while you can. 
     
    Notebook Entries:
    Notebook 75, page 6. September 2021:
    They chose you.
     
    Notebook 15, page 4. April 2004:
    Sitting with Brice by waterfall. Throwing rocks in stream. Loading sand from dump truck and loader and back again.
     
    References:
    What Got You Here, Won’t Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith
    Songwriter Nick Cave
    Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
     

    Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
    Email us at navelgazingpodcast@gmail.com
      
    Want to listen to Navel Gazing uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Navel Gazing and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/navelgazingplus to get access wherever you listen.
     
    Host
    John Dickerson
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    • 28 min

Customer Reviews

4.4 out of 5
8K Ratings

8K Ratings

doogald ,

Why the extras?

I’ve been listening from the beginning and this would be 5 stars if it wasn’t for the extra stuff in the feed - gabfest reads, and now navel gazing. If I want to subscribe to those shows, I’ll subscribe to those shows. Don’t put that stuff in the main feed (except for maybe the first episode- that would be fine.) I keep having to delete the stuff I don’t care to hear.

pwestes ,

Navel gazing with John Dickerson

Very good program. John Dickerson never disappoints. 🌼

Norwich42 ,

Thanks

"Navel gazing" is lovely, generous writing. Look forward to more

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