Hello and welcome to the Slate Political Gab Fest for Thursday, May 5th.

The End of Row is Nye edition.

No David and no John this week, but I actually think that's a virtue because I have here with me

two people who I am so eager to discuss this week's incredible legal and political news.

James Foreman Jr. is Professor Egil Law School and the faculty director of the Center for

Law and Racial Justice. James, welcome. Thank you so much for

joining us today. Thank you. Great to be here, Emily. And Ruth Marcus is Deputy Editorial

Page Editor for The Washington Post, where she writes a weekly column. Welcome, Ruth. Hi, Emily. How

long did it take me to say yes to you? I want to do nothing but talk about this week.

I was so grateful that you responded quickly. It was a load off my mind yesterday. So on this week's show,

we are going to talk about the leak of all leaks from the Supreme Court, Justice Samuel Alito's

draft of a majority opinion,

overturning Roe versus Wade, which, if it goes into effect, would end the constitutional right to abortion in the United States.

Our second topic will be about how this potential ruling, and really even just this draft opinion is affecting American politics.

And our third topic, we'll be talking about the Republican primary victory for J.D. Vance in the Ohio Senate race.

And the continuing problem that Republicans have in Madison Cawthorne, the young congressman from North Carolina.

Okay, so our first topic, let's start with Alito's opinion.

The case is Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. That is a challenge to a near ban on

abortion after 15 weeks in Mississippi. But in Alito's hands, this case is a vehicle not only for

allowing that restriction to stand, but also for a returning row entirely.

According to this opinion, which this draft that we have from February claims to be a majority opinion,

it's clear that states would be able to make abortion illegal full stop.

...