This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson discuss potential polling inaccuracy, Brett Favre and the larger scandal of states misusing federal welfare funding, and Ruth Ben-Ghiat’s take on Italy’s neo-fascist future Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Nate Cohen for The New York Times: “Yes, The Polling Warning Signs Are Flashing Again” Anna Wolfe and Mississippi Today’s coverage of the Mississippi welfare scandal. Annie Lowry for The Atlantic: “The Time Tax” Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present, by Ruth Ben-Ghiat Here are this week’s chatters: John: Adrienne LaFrance for The Atlantic: “What It's Like to Fly Into the Eye of a Hurricane” Emily: Roya Hakakian for The Atlantic: “The Bonfire of the Headscarves” David: The Guardian, YouTube: “Michael Sheen Gives Rousing Speech for Wales Football Team on A League of Their Own” Listener chatter from Meredith Francis: Paul Fairie’s Twitter thread of "A List of Things People Blamed on Jazz."  For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and John discuss NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test.   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected] (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson New York’s massive fraud case against the Trumps; Ron DeSantis’ treatments of asylum seekers; and Dahlia Lithwick’s Lady Justice.   Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Trading Barriers: Immigration and the Remaking of Globalization, Margaret E. Peters Lady Justice: Women, the Law, and the Battle to Save America, by Dahlia Lithwick Ruth Igielnik for The New York Times: “Trump Support Remains Unmoved by Investigations, Poll Finds” Here are this week’s chatters: John: It was supposed to be...The Philosophy of Modern Song, by Bob Dylan Emily: Somebody Somewhere; Reservation Dogs David: The Space Force Anthem Listener chatter from Danny Edgel: Frank Vaisvilas and Sarah Volpenhein for The Green Bay Press-Gazette: “Oneida Nation Steps In To Defend Indian Child Welfare Act In Us Supreme Court Case” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and John discuss the vacation of Adnan Syed’s murder conviction.   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected] (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Dickerson talks with author Ada Calhoun about her new memoir, Also a Poet: Frank O’Hara, My Father, and Me. What started as Calhoun’s attempt to finish the biography of Frank O’Hara that her father started, turned into a gripping story of Calhoun’s relationship with her father. Calhoun and Dickerson talk about not pulling punches when it comes to how nice family members are, why you can’t pre-plan a happy ending, and what her father thought of the book.  Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected] (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

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson discuss Ukraine’s advances with Anne Applebaum; Lindsey Graham’s national abortion ban bill; and the controversy over requiring religious schools in New York to meet minimum educational standards. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Anne Applebaum for The Atlantic: “It’s Time to Prepare for a Ukrainian Victory” Anne Applebaum for The Atlantic: “The Other Ukrainian Army” Red Famine: Stalin's War on Ukraine, by Anne Applebaum Shtisel Fill The Void Here are this week’s chatters: John: A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life, by George Saunders  Emily: Shaila Dewan for The New York Times: “Philadelphia Prosecutor Is Found in Contempt by State Representatives” David: Mosaic Magazine: “The Royal Mohel and the House of Windsor’s Relationship with the Jews” Listener chatter from Andrea: NPR’s Planet Money: “Best By, Sell By, Use By” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and John discuss the Death of Queen Elizabeth II.   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected] (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson discuss the inexplicable success of Trump’s special master gambit in the Espionage Act investigation, Biden calling out anti-democratic elements of the electorate; and the roots of the Jackson, MS water crisis. Here are this week’s chatters: John: Professor Vejas Gabriel Liulevicius for The Great Courses: Turning Points in Modern History Emily: Jerusalem Demsas for The Atlantic: “What’s Causing Black Flight?” David: Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse Hearty White Bread Listener chatter from Cynthia Lerner: Ruth Marcus for The Washington Post: “I Usually Ignore The Sexism And Ageism Directed at Me. Now I’m Calling It Out.” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily and David interview John about his new streaming nightly news show, CBS News Primetime.   Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected] (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Kevin Bendis. Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices