This week, David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Emily Bazelon discuss Nikki Haley’s presidential campaign; the legal history likely to lead to the end of affirmative action; and Amanda Ripley’s reporting on the congressional committee that got things done.
Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:
Emily Bazelon for The New York Times Magazine: “Why Is Affirmative Action in Peril? One Man’s Decision.”
Amanda Ripley for The Washington Post: “These Radically Simple Changes Helped Lawmakers Actually Get Things Done”
Julia Ioffe for The New Yorker: “Russia on Fire”
Becky Sullivan for NPR: “What To Know About The Train Derailment in East Palestine, Ohio”
Here are this week’s chatters:
John: CBS Sunday Morning: “Almanac: Abraham Lincoln's Beard”
Emily: John J. Lennon for The New York Review of Books: “Peddling Darkness”
David: David French for The New York Times: “Men Need Purpose More Than ‘Respect’”; City Cast DC live
Listener chatter from Tim Anderson: CNN: “Johannes Vermeer Exhibition Stuns With Scientific Revelations”
For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment David, John, and Emily discuss the derailment of a train carrying hazardous materials in Ohio.
 Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Tori Dominguez. 
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