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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
Ukraine
Government Shutdown

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

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes1257Founded20 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PoliticsGovernmentNews

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Artwork for Political Gabfest

Latest Episodes

David Plotz interviews John Lanchester about his new novel Look What You Made Me Do, a darkly funny psychological thriller about two couples in modern-day London whose lives collide in a story of infidelity, obsession, and revenge. The book explores ... more

This week, Emily Bazelon, David Plotz, and guest host Juliette Kayyem discuss the security calculations behind Trump’s plane switch operation; the White House’s attempts to circumvent Supreme Court rulings in its continued obsession with ‘birth touri... more

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss what Abdul El-Sayed's Michigan primary win signals about the future of the Democratic Party, Todd Blanche's march toward confirmation as attorney general and how opposition to AI data ... more

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the expanding Iran war and what it means for Trump that news of U.S. missile shortages is leaking from the inside, the blend of conspiracy theory and Rand Paul's personal umbrage that ... more

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Recent Guests

John Lanchester
Author of Look What You Made Me Do
Author
Episode: Gabfest Reads | Look What You Made Me Do
Juliette Kayyem
Gabfest guest host; CNN security analyst
Harvard Kennedy School; CNN
Episode: Air Faux One
Abdul El-Sayed
Democratic candidate, Michigan
Politics
Episode: Data Center Backlash
Janine Pirro
U.S. Attorney? (discussion subject)
Government
Episode: Data Center Backlash
Grace Mausser
NYC DSA co-chair invited on the show for a guest segment
New York City Democratic Socialists of America
Episode: Unhinged Obsession
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
Ruth Marcus
New Yorker legal writer
The New Yorker
Episode: America Has a King Now

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 10.7k 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 Statesa month 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 Statesa month 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 Statesa month 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 States2 months 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 States2 months 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
#58
United States/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#179
United States/News
Apple Podcasts
#76
Canada/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#167
United Kingdom/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#169
Canada/News
Apple Podcasts
#60
Italy/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
Gender Skew
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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. Slate News
5. Pod Save America

How many episodes of Political Gabfest are there?

Political Gabfest launched 20 years ago and published 1257 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. John Lanchester
2. Juliette Kayyem
3. Abdul El-Sayed
4. Janine Pirro
5. Grace Mausser
6. Jonathan Swan
7. Maggie Haberman
8. Rob Bonta

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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