News and Happenings

Andy calls four of his most trusted COVID experts to discuss their favorite memories from the past three years of the show. Dr. Eric Topol, Dr. Ashish Jha, Dr. Katelyn Jetelina and Dr. Bob Wachter candidly reflect on the pandemic. They remember the highs and lows, and spotlight the importance of banding together to fight the virus. They also share the resources you should follow for the latest COVID news after the podcast is over. Plus Andy considers five important lessons he learned from other past guests.

Andy starts the show by making an announcement about what’s next for In The Bubble and a very big show we have coming up next week. Then New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy returns to discuss how the current situation in the Middle East is affecting things here stateside. The governor also talks about why he called for Sen. Bob Menendez to resign, and if Murphy’s wife, Tammy, might seek Menendez’s seat in 2024.

House Republicans still can’t elect a speaker after three weeks of infighting. New York Times columnist David Leonhardt joins Andy to look at what the speaker battle signals for the future of U.S. democracy at a time when the world is in turmoil. They also discuss why Republicans continue to win elections, despite their dysfunction and lack of clear agenda. Plus, David shares why he thinks voters are turned off by some Democratic messaging and end up voting against their self-interest.

California is making a $4.7 billion investment in improving children’s mental health, and the state’s Surgeon General, Diana Ramos, will play an important role in the program’s success. This week, we meet Dr. Ramos and learn how she’s working to help kids recover from the damage of the pandemic. Dr. Ramos also tells Andy about her experience as an OBGYN and the importance of improving maternal health outcomes, especially for BIPOC communities.

CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen sits down with Andy to answer your most pressing questions about this year’s new COVID booster. When will the new vaccine be available to everyone who wants it? How will it hold up against new variants like XBB.1.5, EG.5, and BA.2.86? When should I get vaccinated to best protect me and my loved ones this holiday season? Dr. Cohen answers all this and more. Plus, Andy asks Dr. Cohen about the DeSantis administration’s decision to advise against COVID shots for Florida residents under 65.

Could a united Gen Z hold the keys to a better future? Layla Zaidane, CEO of the Millennial Action Project, says that young politicians agree on many important issues, and her mission is to help young lawmakers to come together and work across the aisle to solve problems. In this special episode, Andy and Layla talk about her efforts to support the next generation of lawmakers and help them learn how things get accomplished, both in state legislatures and in D.C.

As President Joe Biden joins United Auto Workers picketing in Michigan, Andy talks to New York Times Opinion writer Nicholas Kristof to test Andy’s theory that working class people will be the battleground voters in 2024. They discuss how the Democratic Party lost blue collar workers and why highly educated progressives fail to connect with rural voters. They also look at how populism is playing out in the headlines when it comes to the potential government shutdown and funding for Ukraine.

When President Biden took office in 2021, he set out to fix the institution broken by his predecessor. Over his first two years in office, he accomplished many of his policy goals, and The Atlantic reporter Franklin Foer was there to witness it all. This week, Andy and Franklin discuss how history will remember those years, what Biden got right and wrong, why Biden doesn’t get enough credit, and why he’ll be remembered as “The Last Politician.”

Is the new BA 2.86 variant the latest in a wave of deadly outbreaks, or just a “scariant” that is all hype? Will the new COVID booster shots work against this latest variant, and when is the best time to get an updated vaccine to be protected this winter? These are just some of the key questions that Andy asks epidemiologist and In the Bubble fan fave Dr. Katelyn Jetelina on this week’s episode. This episode is everything you’ve wanted to know about COVID for this fall, all in one show.

Author Dan Buettner has spent his career traveling to places where people have lived the longest, healthiest, and happiest lives. He found that much of what we think drives health and happiness is misguided or just plain wrong. This week, Dan shares the secrets to longevity and steps you can take to stack your deck in favor of happiness. Good news: you don’t have to put down your glass of wine or join a gym.