This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the expanding Iran war and what it means for Trump that news of U.S. missile shortages is leaking from the inside, the blend of conspiracy theory and Rand Paul's personal umbrage that drove the show trial of a Senate hearing with Dr. Anthony Fauci, and various developments that brought medication abortion and FDA restrictions back to the news this week. Here are this week’s chatters:   Emily: Julia Lurie for Mother Jones: Me, Myself, and IUDs [https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/07/hormonal-birth-control-iuds-depression-anxiety-mental-health-tiktok/]   John: Space Daily: Astronauts returning from six-month missions describe a persistent 'observer' sensation — the feeling of watching their own lives from a half-step outside the frame, weeks after they're back on the ground [https://spacedaily.com/sd-v-astronauts-returning-from-six-month-missions-describe-a-persistent-observer-sensation-the-feeling-of-watching-their-own-lives-from-a-half-step-outside-the-frame-weeks-after-theyr/]   David: Jill Lawless for The Associated Press: Glen Hansard, Irish musician who won Oscar for ‘Once,’ dies in motorcycle crash [https://apnews.com/article/glen-hansard-dies-dublin-motorcycle-crash-2df53656c036a9e39f91514d25538311]; Once (2007) Trailer HD | Glen Hansard | Markéta Irglová [https://youtu.be/lXONahAxJSs?si=J4PDahbUXF-fx73c] (YouTube); RTÉ News on YouTube: 'Fairytale of New York' played at Shane MacGowan's funeral [https://youtu.be/6s8lvnSmISc?si=xRjEr4BXF48Z7o8p]; City Cast: Your City Could Be Better [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-city-could-be-better/id1875358857] (podcast); Eli Sabin for New Haven [https://www.elisabin.com/]   Listener chatter from Craig Kujawa in Washington, D.C.: Barbershop Harmony Society: History Made: GQ Wins World Championship [https://www.barbershop.org/2026-gq-champ]; Barbershop Harmony Society: GQ - Mothers & Daughters (Maddie Zahm cover) • 2026 BHS International Quartet Champions (YouTube) [https://youtu.be/237MVL5y8ac?si=9ZWzwibqz_3ibLy1]   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus episode, Emily, John, and David discuss the rise of the Democratic Socialists of America with guest Grace Mausser, Co-Chair of the New York City DSA [https://socialists.nyc/]. They talk about its European-style organizing model, its uneasy alliance with the Democratic Party, the primacy of canvassing and volunteering, and the art of compromise.   In the latest Gabfest Reads [https://slate.com/podcasts/gabfestreads], John Dickerson interviews Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan about their new book Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump [https://www.amazon.com/Regime-Change-Inside-Imperial-Presidency/dp/1668067242/tag=slatmaga-20]. Drawing on extensive reporting from inside the White House, they explore how Trump’s second term differs radically from his first, from his decision-making process to the people surrounding him and his relationship with power, money, and the presidency itself.   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 [https://slate.com/podcasts/political-gabfest].   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 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/political-gabfest/id158004641]and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/2oXS9kkKiXdkkCYB3YfqYZ]. Or visit slate.com/gabfestplus [http://slate.com/gabfestplus] to get access wherever you listen.   Find out more about David Plotz's monthly tours of Ft. DeRussy, [http://secretfortdc.com/] the secret Civil War fort hidden in Rock Creek Park.     Follow @SlateGabfest on X / https://twitter.com/SlateGabfest [https://twitter.com/SlateGabfest] Slate Political Gabfest on Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/Gabfest/ [https://www.facebook.com/Gabfest/] Need to set up your Slate Plus feed? If you subscribed through Slate.com, check out our FAQ [https://slate.com/podcastfaqs#plusbenefits] at slate.com/podcastfaqs for easy instructions. Members subscribed via Apple Podcasts get automatic access—no setup required. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.