Political Gabfest - MAGA’s Epstein Obsession
Slate News
Slate Podcasts
4.5 • 6K Ratings
🗓️ 17 July 2025
⏱️ 78 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the epic MAGA meltdown over the DOJ’s “there’s nothing to see here” Epstein files memo, how the Supreme Court is using the “shadow docket” to bolster Trump’s efforts to dismantle the federal government, and whether rescission will kill NPR and PBS.
For this week’s Slate Plus bonus episode, Emily, John, and David discuss what they are enjoying reading, watching, and cooking so far this summer.
In the latest Gabfest Reads, David talks with author Alison Bechdel about her new book, Spent.
Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Research by Emily Ditto
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hello and welcome to the Slate Political Gab Fest. |
| 0:06.6 | July 17th, 2025, the Magas Epstein Obsession Edition. |
| 0:23.3 | I'm David Plots of Citycast. |
| 0:24.5 | There is a little bump in my voice, a little perk in my voice, a little joy, my voice, |
| 0:29.6 | Lloyd voice, my lois, and in my loins, possibly. |
| 0:34.1 | I'm giddy. |
| 0:35.4 | I'm giddy because I've been very, very lonely the last couple of weeks, like a dog left alone at home for too long. I forgot what John smells like. But we're all back together. Thank goodness. |
| 0:48.6 | By the way, did you see that they did that study of dogs that can determine whether their Parkinson's owners are about to have a collapse? |
| 0:57.9 | And they have like 80% to 95% accuracy in picking those out. |
| 1:03.3 | So dogs in their noses. |
| 1:04.8 | There you go. |
| 1:05.5 | Dogs in their noses. |
| 1:07.3 | That was John Dickerson, co-anchor of the CBSEing News, anchor of CBS Evening News Plus from New York City. |
| 1:13.7 | Missed you, John. |
| 1:14.4 | Hello. |
| 1:15.2 | Oh, my gosh. |
| 1:16.1 | I'm so happy to be back. |
| 1:17.5 | Hello, Emily, David, and to all of you out there in Radio Land. |
| 1:22.6 | And then from New York Times Magazine and Yale University Law School, Emily Bazelon. |
| 1:27.4 | Hello, Emily. Miss, missed you too. |
| 1:29.6 | I am so glad to be here with both of you. |
| 1:32.1 | This week on the Gab Fest, can Trump shut down the Epstein conspiracists? |
... |
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