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Political Gabfest

Slate Podcasts
Donald Trump
Trump Administration
Supreme Court
Kamala Harris
Democratic Party
Iran
Republican Party
Joe Biden
Trump
Israel
2024 Presidential Election
Gaza
Elon Musk
Tariffs
Political Violence
Congress
RFK Jr.
Democratic National Convention
Government Shutdown
Ukraine

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.

Get more Political Gabfest with Slate Plus. Join to unlock weekly bonus episodes—pl... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes1249Founded20 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
GovernmentNewsPolitics

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Artwork for Political Gabfest

Latest Episodes

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss why the war in Iran has flared back up despite the increasing likelihood of political consequences for Trump and his allies, the promises and perils for the U.K.'s newest Prime Ministe... more

John Dickerson interviews Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan about their new book Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump. Drawing on extensive reporting from inside the White House, they explore how Trump's second term differs r... more

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss how the confirmation hearing for Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is yet another example of Trump trying to force Congress to bend the knee, what is behind the horrific ICE killing... more

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss why an insurgent candidate with so many red flags got so far, how shocking new details about Trump's 2025 income show billions in earnings while those who bought his crypto lost billio... more

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Recent Guests

Jonathan Swan
Co-author on Regime Change, journalist
Axios/S..t e
Episode: Gabfest Reads | The Presidency as Pure Pleasure
Maggie Haberman
Co-author on Regime Change, journalist
The New York Times
Episode: Gabfest Reads | The Presidency as Pure Pleasure
Rob Bonta
Attorney General of California
California Department of Justice
Episode: I'm His Lawyer
Chris Murphy
Senator from Connecticut
U.S. Senate - Connecticut
Episode: Gabfest Reads | Why America Is Spiritually Broken and How to Fix It
Mike Schaffer
City Cast DC executive editor and host of City Cast DC
City Cast DC
Episode: California Is an Embarrassment
Alex Bores
New York state legislator and Democratic candidate in the 12th district
New York State Legislature / Democratic candidate for U.S. House
Episode: They Messed with Texas
Mary Moriarty
Hennepin County Attorney, guest discussing ICE case
Hennepin County Attorney's Office
Episode: Corruption Never Stops
Adrian Wooldridge
Author of The Revolutionary Center
Bloomberg, The Economist
Episode: Gabfest Reads | Why Liberalism Needs to Reclaim the Center
Jane Perlez
Host of Face-Off, US vs. China (produced by Nina Porzucki)
New York Times
Episode: Nevertheless, Xi Persisted

Hosts

David Plotz
Host with Slate Political Gabfest, often driving discussion with sharp, contrarian takes; affiliated with Slate.
Emily Bazelon
Co-host/guest analyst with deep background in law, education, and politics; known for legal analysis and policy context.
John Dickerson
Co-host/analyst with a background in political commentary and reporting; provides historical and strategic perspective.

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 10.6k ratings
  • The Presidency as Pure Pleasure

    To think I almost bypassed this great great great interview by Dickerson of NYT über correspondents Haberman and Swan on the imperial presidency. Awesome in so many ways. Thank you.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Bowed Bookshelf
    United States10 days ago
  • 7.16.26

    Yeah David Plotz, you’re comment on russian soldiers, go tell putin to stop the war pitin started, the invasion that he alone started to just quit your unprovoked russian invasion of Ukraine.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    midwestBlue
    United States10 days ago
  • Too much plotz

    Used to love this but David plotz is becoming insufferable, he’s so pleased with himself and yet the least interesting of the three. Let Emily and John talk. And then having to listen him drone on during the endless ads as well. Unsubscribing till plotz goes away and it can just be John and Emily.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Xander field
    United States19 days ago
  • Good listen ….

    The three hosts have their ears to the ground and are usually ahead of the outside the beltway news cycle. Particularly good on legal issues. Entertaining and informative

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    TypoPaperRandom
    United Statesa month ago
  • Bazelon, Dickerson, and Plotz, in that order

    June 26 2026 “New York is Red” episode:

    Holy hell, if Plotz didn’t fully insert his head up his arse in this episode defending the disaster of what trump is doing to DC I don’t know how much more off base he can get. Such an idiot. This is already down the queue in my weekly podcasts. If Emily and John don’t start reining the clown in, it might be time to unsubscribe. June 19 2026:

    Plotz defending MMA as not a domination sport (or whatever he was attempting) another reason for less than one s... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    j footprint
    United Statesa month ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Balanced, thoughtful political analysis with sharp humor.
Long-running and has a loyal listener base that values depth over sugar-coated takes.
Episodes mix serious policy with light, cocktail-chat segments.
Hosts sometimes talk over each other, which some listeners find distracting.
Guests bring strong expertise, especially on foreign policy and constitutional topics.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#63
United States/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#187
United States/News
Apple Podcasts
#92
Canada/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#130
United Kingdom/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#247
Canada/News
Apple Podcasts
#101
Australia/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

I'm His Lawyer
Q: Why is Rob Bonta arguing against the Paramount-Warner Brothers merger and what three markets define the antitrust concerns?
He argues the merger would raise prices, reduce competition, and diminish content diversity, identifying three markets—wide-release theatrical films, blockbuster films, and licensing of basic cable channels—to show illegal concentration; he insists antitrust analysis should comprehensively evaluate these markets rather than rely on streaming-centric narratives.
Gabfest Reads | Why America Is Spiritually Broken and How to Fix It
Q: What concrete steps would you take if you gained full control of Congress?
Pass disclosure and public financing reforms, ban stock trading by members of Congress, scrutinize dark money, and promote broad civic engagement such as universal national service to strengthen social bonds.
Gabfest Reads | Why America Is Spiritually Broken and How to Fix It
Q: What is the core message of Crisis of the Common Good beyond the politics of the moment?
The core message is that the country is experiencing a spiritual crisis driven by economic and cultural forces, and that meaningful reform requires changing the rules that govern money in politics as well as rebuilding local community ties.
Trump and the Iranians Deserve Each Other
Q: Why is Trump framing this as a victory, and what does that mean for domestic politics?
Trump frames victories to bolster political support, but the panel notes a gap between rhetorical claims and public perception, suggesting that this theatrics-first approach may undermine credibility and complicate both foreign and domestic policy.
Trump and the Iranians Deserve Each Other
Q: What does a 'better' Iran deal actually look like compared to JCPOA?
The panel debates zero enrichment versus limited enrichment with strong verification, and questions who would enforce any agreement if the U.S. steps back from a broad coalition, concluding that while some terms may look better on paper, real-world enforcement and consequences are complex and potentially destabilizing.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
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Frequently Asked Questions About Political Gabfest

What is Political Gabfest about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A sharp, policy-forward discussion with a trio of Washington journalists that blends rigorous analysis of current political events with lighter, cocktail-chat segments. Common threads include how power is exercised in real-time, the dynamics of Congress and the judiciary, and the practical implications of foreign policy and domestic reforms. Guests range from senior scholars to journalists and government officials, enriching episodes with diverse perspectives while maintaining an irreverent, accessible tone. The show often features deep dives into constitutional questions, elections, and major policy debates, plus timely book recommendations and live commentary that make complex topics approachable for a broad, engaged audience.

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Which podcasts are similar to Political Gabfest?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Political Gabfest:

1. Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts
2. The Political Scene | The New Yorker
3. The Ezra Klein Show
4. Pod Save America
5. Slate News

How many episodes of Political Gabfest are there?

Political Gabfest launched 20 years ago and published 1249 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Political Gabfest?

Recent guests on Political Gabfest include:

1. Jonathan Swan
2. Maggie Haberman
3. Rob Bonta
4. Chris Murphy
5. Mike Schaffer
6. Alex Bores
7. Mary Moriarty
8. Adrian Wooldridge

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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