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Hello and welcome to the Slate Political GabFest for September 6th, 2013, the Now I Asked You So Nicely to Go to War Edition.

I'm David Plotz, the editor of Slate, here in our D.C. studio.

We are taping a day early this week because of the Jewish New Year.

So please, world, don't do anything really interesting or exciting on Thursday.

Here with me, John Dickerson, John Dickerson, I was thinking about you.

I thought you're the gin and tonic of Washington journalists. We're so refreshing, a little bit eccentric, full of delight. That was my insight as I was on the train yesterday. I feel like John doesn't really drink gin and tonic that much. That's so nice. I don't drink gin and tonic that much, but I drink gin a lot. So that's very nice of you to say, David.

And then I was trying to think about you, Emily, and I decided that you were a, you were like a champagne, you were a great champagne, you were very confident and forthright, a little bit bubbly, not excessively bubbly. That's where I put you. That's really nice, David. Now I have to come up with a good one for you.

I don't know what that would be.

With that beard, I don't even know what's in it, but I'm thinking he's a Harvey

Wallbanger.

I'll have to look up.

...