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Hello and welcome to the Slate Political Gab Fest.

I'm David Plotz here in Washington with special guest Bill Smee, Slate v. Executive

Producer.

And joining us from New Haven is the redoubtable Emily Bazelon.

And missing in action today, literally missing in action today is John Dickerson, who was supposed to be with us.

But is on...

He's hung up in an airport in Maine.

I believe the term is a late scratch.

He's a late scratch.

He's a late scratch, yes.

We've gone to the best sixth man in Gabfest, Gabstery, which is Bill.

So today we're going to talk about the usual three topics.

We're going to talk about Afghanistan and also the wonderful, amazing David Road series in the New York Times about his imprisonment there.

We will talk about the new limits on executive

pay, and we're going to talk about the very interesting New Jersey governor's race, which is

extremely tense. And, of course, we'll have cocktail chatter. But first, Emily, tell us about

something exciting that's coming. Something really exciting that's coming is the live performance of the Slate Political Gab Fest.

In Washington, D.C., at the Sixth and I historic synagogue, where we have had our first two really

fun, successful shows, and you should all go and get tickets, or at least as many of you as can make

it to Washington, D.C. on the night of November 10th at 7 p.m. to get tickets, or at least as many of you as can make it to Washington, D.C. on the night

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