<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0" xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd"><channel><title>Political Gabfest (Ad-Free)</title><description>Ad-free version of Political Gabfest

Voted “Favorite Political Podcast” by Apple Podcasts listeners. Stephen Colbert says "Everybody should listen to the Slate Political Gabfest." The Gabfest, featuring Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz, is the kind of informal and irreverent discussion Washington journalists have after hours over drinks.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.&lt;hr /&gt;&lt;p style="color: grey; font-size: 0.75em;"&gt; Hosted on Acast. See &lt;a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: grey;" target="_blank"&gt;acast.com/privacy&lt;/a&gt; for more information.&lt;/p&gt;</description><link>https://my.slate.com/podcasts/feeds/political-gabfest/</link><itunes:image href="https://assets.pippa.io/shows/696568de9ab39048a63ed7f7/show-cover.jpg" /><item><title>Gabfest Reads | The Unlikely Rise of Judy Blume</title><guid>1000761333913</guid><pubDate>Sat, 18 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0000</pubDate><itunes:duration>2415</itunes:duration><enclosure url="https://alfarolabs-macbook-pro.tailf5737a.ts.net/audio/political-gabfest/1000761333913/processed.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="39324359" /><description><![CDATA[This episode includes a deep dive into the life and work of iconic author Judy Blume, exploring her revolutionary approach to writing about puberty and sex for young people. It covers her personal journey as a second-wave feminist, her prolific career, and her unwavering activism against book banning, as well as insights into key novels like "Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret" and her adult novel "Wifey." The discussion also touches on the recent movie adaptation of "Margaret" and the under-theorized nature of children's literature.]]></description></item><item><title>How Many Divisions Has the Pope?</title><guid>1000761857320</guid><pubDate>Thu, 16 Apr 2026 21:00:00 -0000</pubDate><itunes:duration>3770</itunes:duration><enclosure url="https://alfarolabs-macbook-pro.tailf5737a.ts.net/audio/political-gabfest/1000761857320/processed.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="63154720" /><description><![CDATA[This episode includes a discussion on a series of geopolitical and domestic issues, beginning with the latest Iran tensions under Trump's administration and his controversial approach involving a blockade and a public feud with Pope Leo. It delves into Emily Bazelon's new article examining changes under Trump at the Department of Homeland Security, with a specific focus on immigration enforcement and internal agency dynamics. Additionally, the episode touches on Viktor Orbán's electoral defeat in Hungary and the implications it holds for Europe, NATO, and authoritarian governance models.]]></description></item><item><title>TACO Tuesday</title><guid>1000760498603</guid><pubDate>Thu, 09 Apr 2026 21:00:00 -0000</pubDate><itunes:duration>4023</itunes:duration><enclosure url="https://alfarolabs-macbook-pro.tailf5737a.ts.net/audio/political-gabfest/1000760498603/processed.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="72304683" /><description><![CDATA[This episode includes an analysis of a recent military conflict involving the United States and Iran, highlighting President Trump's controversial rhetoric and its implications for international law and military conduct. The discussion also covers a rise in far-right, anti-Semitic movements among young Republicans and the potential mandatory inclusion of Bible lessons in Texas public schools, sparking a debate on religious influence in education. Additionally, the hosts delve into the broader political and economic consequences of these issues.]]></description></item></channel></rss>