I know Nate, you have to get to London so that you can mourn the queen who I know is really important to you personally.

Yes.

How does it feel to have lost such a dear friend?

You can ask me on a segment.

Hello and welcome to the 538 Politics Podcast. I'm Gaelin Druke.

The death of Queen Elizabeth II has been a news event with little comparison.

There's been wall-to-wall coverage across the globe, and the news has led all major papers in the US.

Domestic sports teams have honored her, corporations tweeted out their condolences, and even local politicians have released statements.

Today we're going to try to pin down why this is such a significant story.

Is it a political story, a cultural or celebrity story?

We're also going to ask why fewer candidates are debating their opponents in competitive elections this year.

The thinking laid out in a recent political report is that while you can't win an election in a debate, you can lose one.

Is that true? And does this say something broader about our politics?

And we're also going to check in on the continuing debate within the Republican Party over how many restrictions to put on abortion.

There's currently disagreement in states like South Carolina, Nebraska, and West Virginia over how far to go.

And Republicans in competitive races this fall have started to shift their positions.

Here with me to discuss our editor-in-chief Nate Silver. Hey Nate, how's it going?

Hey everybody.

Also with us is politics editor sir, for all sense and hey Sarah, how are you?

Good, good. Hey y'all.

And senior writer Amelia Thompson to bow. Hey Amelia, how's it going?

Hello, I'm doing well. Thank you.

...