Grief, Comedy, and COVID
Last week, comedian Laurie Kilmartin took to Twitter to talk jokingly about something that wasn’t funny –– her mom was dying. JoAnn Kilmartin, Laurie’s mother, had contracted the coronavirus in her nursing home and was on her deathbed only a few miles from Laurie’s home in southern California. The experience put in striking display her grief and anger, but also her wits and charm.With the death toll in the United States passing 120,000 people this week, Laurie’s experience is resonating with those who have lost loved ones to the virus.Guest: Laurie Kilmartin, comedian and author of Dead People Suck: A Guide for Survivors of the Newly Departed.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
24 Jun 202022min
Is Bill Barr Winning?
This past weekend, Geoffrey Berman was suddenly removed from his office as the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. The removal itself began with Barr announcing on Friday night that Berman was resigning. That was a lie. Berman issued his own statement saying as much. This whole confusing two-day episode ultimately came to a close with Berman stepping down after ensuring his successor. So what do the events of this weekend tell us about Bill Barr’s justice department? And what could this mean for cases the SDNY was investigating that reached into Trump’s inner circle?Guest: Jeremy Stahl, senior editor at Slate.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
23 Jun 202018min
TBD | Why Remote Learning Failed
In March, when schools across the country shut down, few people could have guessed that students wouldn’t return until the fall. Schools weren’t equipped to deploy remote-learning curricula, technology was in short supply, and most parents weren’t free to guide their children through lessons during the day.Three months later, little has changed. And all that time out of the classroom has taken a toll on students. Can they recover in time for the fall?Guest: Dana Goldstein, national correspondent at the New York Times HostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
19 Jun 202020min
Why Remote Learning Failed
In March, when schools across the country shut down, few people could have guessed that students wouldn’t return until the fall. Schools weren’t equipped to deploy remote-learning curricula, technology was in short supply, and most parents weren’t free to guide their children through lessons during the day.Three months later, little has changed. And all that time out of the classroom has taken a toll on students. Can they recover in time for the fall?Guest: Dana Goldstein, national correspondent at the New York Times HostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
19 Jun 202020min
The Belated National Embrace of Juneteenth
Companies from Nike to the New York Times have announced that Juneteenth will be a paid day off this year. What does wider observance of the holiday say about the progress we’re making as a country? Guest: Adam Serwer, staff writer for The AtlanticSlate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
18 Jun 202014min
A Politician's Brush with NYPD Abuse
Police reform is not a new cause in New York. The same proposals have been discussed for years. But when people took to the streets in late May, they handed politicians a mandate. This is the story of how the protesters got their first big win. Guest: Zellnor Myrie, New York state senator serving in Brooklyn. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
17 Jun 202029min
A Victory for LGBTQ Americans
On Monday, the conservative Supreme Court extended civil rights protections to transgender and gay Americans. The ruling is not controversial -- supermajorities of polled citizens say discrimination against LGBTQ people should be illegal. But Monday’s decision comes ahead of a flurry of rulings on other closely-watched cases involving the president’s financial records, the DACA program, abortion rights, and more. Does this win for the left clear a path for the court to hand down some bitter pills in the next few weeks?Guest: Slate’s Mark Joseph Stern. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
16 Jun 202021min
Is the Military Turning Its Back on Trump?
In the past couple of weeks, multiple high ranking military members, active and retired, have spoken out against the Trump administration's use of force in Lafayette Square. Usually, military officers prefer to stay silent on political matters. Does this mark a sea change in the way the military deals with President Trump?Guest: Fred Kaplan, Slate’s War Stories Correspondent and the author of The Bomb. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
15 Jun 202020min
