Month: August 2022

Tim Scott is a rare bird: He is the only black Republican in the Senate. But the quality that makes him arguably more unique at the moment is his optimism.

Much of that optimism comes from his own story. Scott’s grandfather picked cotton in the segregated south. He never learned to read or write. Within two generations, without money or connections, his grandson became a U.S. senator from South Carolina.

Scott is frustrated at all the pessimism, including from inside his own party— and he’s frustrated at the notion that America is in decline. Or that perhaps we are heading for some kind of crack up. Or civil war. He makes the case for optimism in his new book: America, A Redemption Story.

I hope Scott is right. But also, as you’ll hear in our conversation, I see very, very good reasons for Americans to be fed up with the state of the union and deeply worried about the future of our democracy.

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

With lots of COVID treatments now available, how do you know which one, if any, is right for you? Andy found himself just as confused as the rest of us when he fell ill with the virus. Using his own experience as a case study (as well as the slightly more high profile case of President Biden), Andy seeks answers from UCSF Department of Medicine Chair Dr. Bob Wachter and UVA Critical Care and Infectious Disease Physician Dr. Taison Bell. They run through the four main treatment methods, which one works the best, and examine the link between Paxlovid and rebound cases.

Keep up with Andy on Twitter @ASlavitt.

Follow Dr. Bob Wachter and Dr. Taison Bell on Twitter @Bob_Wachter and @TaisonBell.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium. 

Support the show by checking out our sponsors!

• Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows: https://lemonadamedia.com/sponsors/ 

Check out these resources from today’s episode: 

• Read Andy’s piece in the Atlantic about the three COVID developments he’s holding out hope for: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/08/covid-variant-spread-immunity-outcome/671024/
• Check out “The Boys,” a new novel written by Bob’s wife, Katie Hafner: https://www.spiegelandgrau.com/theboys
• Find vaccines, masks, testing, treatments, and other resources in your community: https://www.covid.gov/
• Order Andy’s book, “Preventable: The Inside Story of How Leadership Failures, Politics, and Selfishness Doomed the U.S. Coronavirus Response”: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250770165 

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. 

For additional resources, information, and a transcript of the episode, visit lemonadamedia.com/show/inthebubble.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.