Political Gabfest


Unlock weekly bonus episodes + ad-free listening
$9.99/mo or $99.99/yr after trial
Voted “Favorite Political Podcast” by Apple Podcasts listeners. Stephen Colbert says "Everybody should listen to the Slate Political Gabfest." The Gabfest, featuring Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz, is the kind of informal and irreverent discussion Washington journalists have after hours over drinks. Want more Political Gabfest? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Political Gabfest show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/gabfestplus to get access wherever you listen.
Shows with Subscription Benefits
Hosts & Guests
Love the gabfest. But a little more respect for teachers and educators would go a long way.
Apr 26
longtime listener and big fan of the gabfest. That’s why I’m here making this comment. In this week’s episode, I found myself wondering, where is respect for and faith in teachers? I found the lack of any mention of teachers in your discussion of the Montgomery County school system case this week a gross oversight. These books (even the very upsetting ones) are read with a trained human being on the other end who’s job it is to help children process what they are reading and make connections from the literature to their own lives in events, themes, and feelings. Literature should be treated as mirrors, doors, and windows. As an early childhood educator, I am disappointed by the lack of acknowledgement that teachers are equipped with developmental knowledge and expertise and care for the children they work with, that they are flexible, observant, and bring nuance to these conversations.
My favorite
Mar 13
Look forward to it every week! One of my main sources for understanding what’s going on in politics.
Canceled My Slate Subscription
Apr 26
Last Thursday’s discussion (4/24/2025) on the Supreme Court case really disappointed me. In that episode they mentioned how the US has treated LGBTQ people poorly, and this episode is just a long line of perpetuating the groomer panic by religious fundamentalists. I’ve read the books in question in the school curriculum in the Mahmoud v. Taylor case, and Emily’s framing of these books as not age appropriate would make Anita Bryant proud. These books are absolutely age appropriate, and innocuous to anyone who isn’t a bigot. It’s one thing to make the case that schools shouldn’t make these books mandatory reading and not let parents opt out, but to frame this as “just a difference in religious values,” without spelling out those values are rooted in homophobia is irresponsible. It’s because these religious families believe being gay or trans is a sin, and they don’t want their kids seeing any representation of lgbtq people in their education. This is promoting conversion practice, and it’s disgusting. I won’t be listening to this podcast anymore.
3.27.25
Mar 28
David Plotz, correct yourself you said stupid musk was an engineer and you are 100% wrong!! musk does not have an engineering degree! that’s the point. he didn’t create tesla, a couple of men did all musk did was buy the company. i thought you were smart enough to have read that but i guess not! you lied, retract it.
About
Information
- Channel
- CreatorSlate Podcasts
- Years Active2006 - 2025
- Episodes734
- RatingExplicit
- Copyright©2018 The Slate Group
- Show Website
- ProviderThe Slate Group LLC
More From Slate Podcasts
- SportsUpdated Weekly
- News CommentaryUpdated Weekly
- News CommentaryUpdated Daily
- ParentingUpdated Semiweekly
- HistoryUpdated Weekly
- HistoryWeekly Series
- News CommentaryComplete Series
You Might Also Like
- News CommentaryUpdated Weekly
- PoliticsUpdated Semiweekly
- PoliticsUpdated Semiweekly
- Society & CultureUpdated Semimonthly
- News CommentaryUpdated Daily
- GovernmentUpdated Weekly
- PoliticsUpdated Daily