Today on The Gist, former Rep. Barney Frank explains how he was able to be so frank and still survive in Congress. His new autobiography is Frank: A Life in Politics from the Great Society to Same-Sex Marriage. For the Spiel, Mike points out the only time we ever note raids taking place.

Today’s sponsor: Shari’s Berries. Treat your mom to something sweet this Mother's Day with a gift from Shari's Berries. Fresh berries dipped in chocolate start at $19.99. Visit berries.com, click on the microphone, and use the code GIST.

Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.slate.com/gistplus.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices