The Gist - Too Far For BiIl Barr

The Former Attorney General denied wrong-doing to Lester Holt, but ultimately charged Trump with willful ignorance about the lie of a stolen election. 

On the show Mike interviews Dan Baer, former Obama administration State Department Official on how the US can help the Ukrainians without becoming co-combatants, and how the threat of nuclear weapons overshadows nearly everything

Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara

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The Gist - BEST OF THE GIST: Special Guest…Mike Pesca!

On this week’s special weekend edition of The Gist, we listen back to Mike’s February 15, 2017 interview with then Executive Producer of CBS’s The Late Show with Steven Colbert, Chris Licht. We’re replaying his interview, because this past week, Chris left that job for a very high-profile one as the head honcho at CNN. Also on the show, a 17-minute excerpt from Mike’s February 20, 2022 interview with Meghan Daum, host of The Unspeakable Podcast. But here’s the twist…Pesca is the interviewee! He and Daum discuss his early career at NPR and the current state of newsrooms in a polarized political climate.

Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara

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The Gist - 10 Shots But Not Guilty

Brett Hankison had faced the most serious charges all the police involved in the raid that killed Breonna Taylor. Mike examines the trial and explains why this officer might have walked after others in Minnesota were found guilty. Plus, Mike Sacks has penned a massive faux- autobiography of a right wing blow hard talk show host who is so true-to-life the January 6th commission is probably subpoenaing him as we speak. And it's an Antwentig- time for Lobstars.

Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara

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The Gist - At Least The Seas Are Calm

US Naval dominance has assured an unprecedented age of peace and prosperity on world's waters. Gregg Easterbrook notes the little-observed near-miracle of Pax Marititum. Plus finding hope in the hopeless state of the climate. Here's Mike's Hopeful hint: Just think of it like Cancer!

Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara

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The Gist - Ukraine Could Damn Putin

A slog in Ukraine could be Putin's undoing - what would that look like? Charles Kupchan, former special adviser to President Obama is in touch with Russian officials and insiders, he games out the consequences of Ukraine as Waterloo. Plus Rashida Tlaib's SOTU clap back, and Andrew Cuomo is claiming exoneration in a new 30 second ad.

Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara

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The Gist - Deep Throat Was An Operative

Gerrett Graff author of Watergate: A New History talks about Mark Felt and what really pushed Nixon out

On today’s show Mike concludes his interview with the author of an expansive new history of Watergate, Garrett Graff. Plus a few suggestions for how to describe the State of Our Union (Hangry?) and the debut of the first bonafide jingle of Season Two.


Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara

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The Gist - Are We Crazy To Think Putin Is Crazy?

The Russian President is tough, cruel and ambitious. But now that he's suffered setbacks, we're hearing he's also mad.

On Todays Show Mike considers how useful it is to dwell on Putin's mental health and how accurate it is to tell ourselves that the Ukrainian resistance is indomitable. Plus, Garrett Graff author of Water Gate: A New History stops by to tell us what’s new in the land of Nixon.


Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara

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The Gist - BEST OF THE GIST: The Age Of Charlatans

In this week's Best Of The Gist episode, Mike talks with Moises Naim about the rise of the autocrat, and we time warp back to July 2014 to hear an eerily familiar tale about Putin.

Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara

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The Gist - Glib Punditry Helped Putin

We didn't take Putin's seriousness seriously.

Benjamin Wittes, Editor in Chief of Lawfare, discusses if anything short of Ukrainian sacrificing their lives will keep Putin from keeping Ukraine. Plus, explaining why the Stock Market shrugged off the war.


Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara

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The Gist - A Big, Long War

Chris Miller, author of Putinomics: Power and Money in Resurgent Russia says Putin is out for blood

Putin has said he's rolling into Ukraine to de-Nazify the country which fought the Nazis and whose president is a Jew. But Putin doesn't even care what he says, he cares where he bombs. And in the Spiel the importance of a great nation unable to prevent one war speaks poorly of the same nation unwilling to stop another.


Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara

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