On The Gist, like every week in Trump’s America, this has been a wasted one.
In the interview, Maria Konnikova is back for another round of “Is That Bullshit?” She talks chiropractors, whether or not cracking your back and neck is helpful, and what strokes have to do with it. Then, Mike’s own chiropractor, Jason Fidler, steps in to offer some adjustments to the conversation.
Tommy interviews former San Antonio Mayor and HUD Secretary Julián Castro about his 2020 bid. They discuss immigration, Puerto Rico, housing policy, why Democrats have underperformed with Latino voters and how he plans to make the debates and win. On foreign policy, they discuss the rise of white extremists, whether Saudi Arabia is still an ally, China's muslim reeducation camps, North Korea and Beyonce.
Amanda Holmes reads T. S. Eliot’s poem, “Gus: the Theatre Cat.” Have a suggestion for a poem? Email us: podcast@theamericanscholar.org. If we select your entry, you’ll win a copy of a poetry collection edited by David Lehman.
This episode was produced by Stephanie Bastek and features the song “Canvasback” by Chad Crouch.
On The Gist, Mueller’s report (or much of it) is bound to go public.
In the interview, Wright Thompson has his place on the Mount Rushmore of sports writers, and his signature form is the profile. Tiger Woods, Lionel Messi, Michael Jordan and the like are fascinating in their relationship to fame, but also in their ordinary flaws. “On some level these stories are all about exploring whether or not there is even such a thing as free will,” Thompson says. “I’m fascinated by the way things in our past continue to exert gravitational pull on us now.” Wright’s new book, a collection of his past work, is The Cost of These Dreams: Sports Stories and Other Serious Business.
In the Spiel, a list of all the non-scandals hitting the Democratic 2020 candidates so far. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more.
Trump announces that 2020 will be about health care, Mueller’s team starts leaking, House Democrats fire their subpoena cannons, Wisconsin signals trouble ahead, and Bernie Sanders leads the field in fundraising and polling. Then former White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett talks to Jon about her new book, “Finding My Voice.” Also – Pod Save America is going on tour! Get your tickets now: crooked.com/events.
Piedmont is surrounded on all sides but the city of Oakland, yet has remained an independent city since it incorporated in the the late 1800s. We take a closer look at the wild circumstances that lead Piedmont to form, and discuss some of the tensions that exist between Oakland and Piedmont residents today.
Some heroin users have never injected the drug themselves, and other heroin users know nothing about how to inject safely. Darwin Fisher runs a supervised injection facility, Insite, in Vancouver, BC. He explains why safe injection matters.