The Republican convention, violence in Kenosha, and whether the Falwell and Conway families’ dramas matter. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Thomas B. Edsall for the New York Times: “‘I Fear That We Are Witnessing the End of American Democracy’” Omar Wasow for the Washington Post: “The Protests Started Out Looking Like 1968. They Turned Into 1964.”  Black Lives Matter Protests in Wisconsin: Charles Franklin Marquette Law School Poll 2020-08-26 Here are this week’s cocktail chatters: John: Keith Johnston for Independent Voter News: “The 18th-Century Reason Biden's VP Pick Should Be a Night Owl” Emily: Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of The Dead by Olga Tokarczuk ; Honeyland  David: Erin Berger for the New York Times: “Meet the National Parks’ ‘Ranger of the Lost Art’” Listener Qiyu Liu @BlueSuedeQ: the Ikea Museum’s collection of 70 years of catalogues. Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Gabfest each week, and access to special bonus episodes throughout the year. Sign up now to listen and support our show. For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and John discuss what they wanted to be when they grew up and how close they came. You can tweet suggestions, links, and questions to @SlateGabfest. Tweet us your cocktail chatter using #cocktailchatter. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   The email address for the Political Gabfest is gabfest@slate.com. (Email may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices