This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson discuss Trump’s strange legal maneuvering in the obstruction investigation; what Trump’s second term would do to U.S. democracy; and what voters deserve to know about a candidate’s health.

Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:

Jonathan Rauch for The Atlantic “Trump’s Second Term Would Look Like This”

Age of Innocence, by Edith Wharton

Portrait of a Lady, by Henry James

Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad

Lord Jim, by Joseph Conrad

Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do, by Studs Terkel

This Is Chance!: The Shaking of an All-American City, a Voice That Held It Together, by Jon Mooallem

The Way We Live Now, by Anthony Trollope

Here are this week’s chatters:

John: Ella Koeze, Denise Lu and Charlie Smart for The New York Times: “Can You Gerrymander Your Party to Power?”

Emily: Aaron Byrd, Weiyi Cai, Geoff Macdonald, Emily Rhyne, Noah Throop, Joe Ward and Jeremy White for The New York Times: “The Toss”

David: CityCast DC; Bad Sisters

Listener chatter from Michael Koehler: Christo Grozev for Bellingcat: “Socialite, Widow, Jeweller, Spy: How a GRU Agent Charmed Her Way Into NATO Circles in Italy”

For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and John discuss the non-political books that most influenced their understanding of politics.

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 Kevin Bendis.

Research by Bridgette Dunlap.

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