The “Greatest Hits” Edition

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz revisit several favorite segments from Gabfests past to celebrate their 20th anniversary: the consequential and eye-opening “don’t call the police” debate, the segment in which John shows Bill Clinton how to apologize with his characteristic eloquence and grace, and that time a data scientist definitively answered the important question: which host interrupts the others the most?

Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:

“Don’t Call the Police” Segment

7/18/14: The “So Sue Me” Edition

Jessica Grose for Slate: Parents Are Now Getting Arrested for Letting Their Kids Go to the Park Alone

“John Shows Bill Clinton How to Apologize” Segment

6/7/18: The “I Beg My Pardon” Edition

Carmen Russo for Slate: Stephen Colbert Confronted President Clinton About His “Tone-Deaf” #MeToo Comments

“Interruptions” Segment

10/21/21: The “Great Resignation” Edition

Lindsay Lee: Does David Plotz interrupt Emily Bazelon too much on Slate’s Political Gabfest?

Here are this week’s chatters:

David: “Stroads” Segment

7/28/22: The “Did You Apologize to Manchin Yet?” Edition

Marin Cogan for Vox: The deadliest road in America

For this week’s Slate Plus bonus episode, Emily, John, and David revisit one more favorite segment from 20 years of the Political Gabfest: that time in 2008 they fought about the John Edwards love affair scandal.

In the latest Gabfest Reads, David Plotz talks with Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales about his new book The Seven Rules of Trust: A Blueprint for Building Things That Last. They discuss how Wikipedia’s culture of assuming good faith and shared purpose became a model for building trustworthy digital communities — and what lessons that holds for companies, social media, and politics today.

Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Podcast production by Nina Porzucki

Research by Emily Ditto

You can find the full Political Gabfest show pages here.

Want more Political Gabfest? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Political Gabfest show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or visit slate.com/gabfestplus to get access wherever you listen.

Find out more about David Plotz’s monthly tours of Ft. DeRussy, the secret Civil War fort hidden in Rock Creek Park.

Bonus Episode

Bonus: The Notorious Fight

In a notorious segment from 2008, the hosts have an entertaining fight.