Blue Wave or Blue Ripple?
Summary
Hosts David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Emily Bazelon analyze the 2026 midterm elections, noting that while polls favor Democrats due to low Republican approval and high voter enthusiasm, the "Blue Wave" may be limited by redistricting and candidate quality. The episode also examines the Cornell fraternity rape case, with Bazelon detailing the complex evidence, the university's Title IX response, and the cultural failures of the fraternity system.
Topics discussed
Introduction and host banter
Episode preview and live show announcement
Sponsorships: Slate Plus, Squarespace, Monday.com
Midterm polls and Republican vulnerabilities
Analysis of key Senate races in Texas and NC
Democratic candidate quality and party unity
Voter enthusiasm and the midterm wave
Polling in red states and positive messaging
Culture war silence and election integrity concerns
Sponsorships: Bombas, Vanguard, Built
Cornell fraternity sexual assault case details
Investigation failures and legal challenges
Fraternity culture and media comparisons to Duke/UVA
Political interference in the Cornell case
Daylight saving time history and Trump's stance
Health impacts and state-level time zone confusion
Trump releasing Tom Cotton's phone number
Justice Alito's essay on originalism
Cocktail chatter: Trump contracts, Vicksburg, and TV
AI hallucination incident and Slate Money promo
Listen ad-free on Castria