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Our Favorite Things, 2024

2024/12/23
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Strict Scrutiny

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Kate Shaw
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Leah Littman
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Melissa Murray
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Kate Shaw: 对首席大法官约翰·罗伯茨的评价褒贬不一。有人认为他去年展现了他并非制度主义者的真实面目,在"特朗普诉美国"和"洛珀·布莱特"案中的判决,揭示了他真实的政治立场。也有人认为他是世界上最精明的政治家,因为他成功地重新掌控了法院,展现出高超的政治策略和手腕。此外,还有人欣赏他的发型。 对克拉伦斯·托马斯的评价:有人认为他因为个人原因短期内不会离开最高法院;有人认为他公开接受额外收入的做法很坦率;也有人认为他擅长暗示并获得自己想要的东西。 对塞缪尔·阿利托的评价:有人认为他是她们的"反派",也有人认为他保养得比较好,并且支持妻子。 对索尼娅·索托马约尔的评价:有人敬佩她即使在同事们陷入疯狂时,仍然认真负责地完成工作,对每一个案件和当事人都给予了充分的关注;也有人欣赏她在去年的一个具有争议性的判决中写下的异议意见;还有人认为她总是试图在她同事身上寻找优点。 对艾琳娜·卡根的评价:有人欣赏她的俏皮和坦率,也有人欣赏她对同事和下级法院法官的愚蠢和拙劣行为表达的沮丧之情,以及她激励人心的写作风格。 对尼尔·戈萨奇的评价:有人认为他为法院带来了地域多样性,并且他的自满情绪使其成为讽刺的对象;也有人认为他写了一本书,值得写一篇精彩的批判性书评。 对布雷特·卡瓦诺的评价:有人认为他在口头辩论中努力讨好别人的行为有时可能会有用;也有人认为他在缺乏真正天赋和智慧的情况下取得了成就,这令人鼓舞;也有人认为他是一位优秀的运动员。 对艾米·科尼·巴雷特的评价:有人欣赏她一丝不苟的工作作风,也有人认为她对同事的幻想令人赞赏。 对凯坦吉·布朗·杰克逊的评价:有人认为她是第一位登上百老汇舞台的最高法院大法官;也有人认为她能够很好地平衡积极性和愤怒;还有人欣赏她丈夫对她无条件的爱戴。 Melissa Murray: 对首席大法官约翰·罗伯茨的评价:认为他在"特朗普诉美国"和"洛珀·布莱特"案中的判决,揭示了他真实的政治立场,并认为他公开接受额外收入的做法很坦率。 对克拉伦斯·托马斯的评价:认为他公开接受额外收入的做法很坦率。 对塞缪尔·阿利托的评价:认为他是她们的"反派"。 对索尼娅·索托马约尔的评价:认为她对每一个案件和当事人都给予了充分的关注,并总是试图在她同事身上寻找优点。 对艾琳娜·卡根的评价:欣赏她对同事和下级法院法官的愚蠢和拙劣行为表达的沮丧之情。 对尼尔·戈萨奇的评价:认为他写了一本书,值得写一篇精彩的批判性书评。 对布雷特·卡瓦诺的评价:认为他在缺乏真正天赋和智慧的情况下取得了成就,这令人鼓舞。 对艾米·科尼·巴雷特的评价:认为她对同事的幻想令人赞赏。 对凯坦吉·布朗·杰克逊的评价:认为她能够很好地平衡积极性和愤怒。 Leah Littman: 对首席大法官约翰·罗伯茨的评价:欣赏他的发型和政治策略。 对克拉伦斯·托马斯的评价:认为他因为个人原因短期内不会离开最高法院。 对塞缪尔·阿利托的评价:认为他保养得比较好,并且支持妻子。 对索尼娅·索托马约尔的评价:欣赏她在去年的一个具有争议性的判决中写下的异议意见。 对艾琳娜·卡根的评价:欣赏她的俏皮和坦率。 对尼尔·戈萨奇的评价:认为他为法院带来了地域多样性,并且他的自满情绪使其成为讽刺的对象。 对布雷特·卡瓦诺的评价:认为他是一位优秀的运动员。 对艾米·科尼·巴雷特的评价:欣赏她一丝不苟的工作作风。 对凯坦吉·布朗·杰克逊的评价:欣赏她丈夫对她无条件的爱戴。

Deep Dive

Key Insights

Why is Chief Justice John Roberts no longer seen as an institutionalist?

John Roberts demonstrated his true colors by not only joining but writing major decisions like Trump v. United States and Loper Bright, which revealed his political instincts and long-term machinations.

What is significant about Justice Thomas's recent behavior regarding his tenure on the court?

Despite expectations that he might step down to make room for a younger appointee, Justice Thomas's ego and secure alternative funding from billionaires have likely kept him on the court.

Why is Justice Sotomayor's approach to her job admirable?

Justice Sotomayor is known for her meticulous attention to detail and every litigant, even as her colleagues descend into madness. She also writes powerful dissents, such as her immunity decision, which remain impactful.

What makes Justice Kagan's writing and persona so energizing?

Justice Kagan's writing and demeanor during oral arguments are both cheeky and profoundly frustrating, which can be invigorating. Her way of both eviscerating and lifting up advocates makes her a compelling presence on the court.

Why is Justice Jackson's approach to the court unique and positive?

Justice Jackson brings a balance of energy and positivity to her oral arguments while maintaining a sense of righteous indignation towards her colleagues' actions. She also secures and discloses tickets to highly sought-a such as Beyoncé fter events,concerts.

What are some recommended alternatives to Amazon Prime for online shopping and delivery?

Local grocery delivery apps like Mercado and consignment stores like The RealReal offer alternatives to Amazon Prime. Mercado supports local businesses, and The RealReal provides luxury items at a discount.

Why are group chats important in digital life according to the hosts?

Group chats are important because they provide intimate, fulfilling spaces for communication among friends and family, free from the scrutiny of strangers and the pressure of public platforms.

What are some highly recommended books to read during the holidays and in 2025?

Books recommended include 'Vigilante Nation' by John Michaels and David Knoll, 'The Interbellum Constitution' by Alison LaCroix, 'Anti-Democratic' by David Daly, 'Bright Young Women' by Jessica Knoll, 'The Beautiful Poetry of Donald Trump' by Rob Sears, and 'King, A Life' by Jonathan Eig.

What are the hosts' favorite podcasts to listen to?

The hosts recommend 'Ear Witness,' a podcast about an innocent man on Alabama's death row, and 'Less Radical,' a documentary about Dr. Bernie Fischer, who revolutionized breast cancer treatment. They also mention 'Yacht Rock' as a fantastic Netflix documentary.

Why are the hosts grateful to their listeners?

The hosts appreciate their listeners for their support, especially in challenging times. They empower listeners to be court watchers and provide a sense of community and hope in the face of legal and political challenges.

Chapters
The hosts of the Strict Scrutiny podcast share their opinions on each Supreme Court Justice, highlighting both their positive and negative attributes. Their comments range from serious observations about judicial behavior to more lighthearted remarks about appearances and personal lives.
  • Positive and negative attributes of each Supreme Court Justice are discussed.
  • The discussion includes both serious and lighthearted observations.
  • The hosts' opinions are subjective and based on their own observations and interpretations.

Shownotes Transcript

Translations:
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Mr. Chief Justice, may it please the court. It's an old joke, but when a man argues against two beautiful ladies like this, they're going to have the last word. She spoke, not elegantly, but with unmistakable clarity. She said, "I ask no favor for my sex. All I ask of our brethren is that they take their feet off our necks."

Hello, and welcome back to Strict Scrutiny, your podcast about the Supreme Court and the legal culture that surrounds it. We're your hosts. I'm Melissa Murray. I'm Leah Littman. And I'm Kate Shaw. Every year for the last few years, we have done a Favorite Things episode, and we wanted to keep up that tradition. So per usual, we're going to offer some gift-giving ideas. You can find us on Instagram at

kind of guides of our own you can use if they're helpful. But we're also adding, and we've added a bit over the years, and we're going to continue to add today, some hopefully fun new traditions that, if they work, will add some levity, some warmth, maybe some joy to what has been a trying few months. So we hope you enjoy the episode.

So first up, we are going to start a new tradition, and it's going to be a go-around game. And we are going to say our favorite things about each justice. So should we go in order of seniority? Sure. Okay. Let's start with the chiefy chief. I love that he showed his true colors last year.

Wow, that's a good one, Kate, that he's really not an institutionalist. I think it's hard for anyone with a straight face to claim that now. And I appreciate that the wool has fallen away from the eyes of all. And by not only joining, but actually writing the insanity that it was Trump versus United States and also Loper Bright, I think he showed us who he is. And I think that's actually useful information. I like that.

I was going to say, I appreciate that he doesn't do weird shit to cover up his male pattern baldness. Respect. I also like this is kind of related to yours, Kate, if I'm going to be forced to say something not about appearances and looks like he is the savviest politician ever.

In the entire world, because it was looking like he was losing control of the court and he regained it and showed us that with a vengeance. And I just think people might have something to learn about the insane political instincts and long games and machinations of John Roberts.

So, yeah, he was like the Tom Hanks character in that pirate movie when Sam Alito was like, I'm the captain now. He's like, no, bitch, you're not actually. And yeah, I was actually going to also say a hair thing, but I don't I wasn't thinking about his male pattern baldness. I really like that he is committed to the George Clooney circa 1995 male forward Caesar. And I like that for him. And I'm sorry, you're gonna have to explain that. He really clarifies.

Is that a haircut? It's like a haircut. It's like it's a very sort of forward haircut. Yeah. Yeah. It's fine. I'm trying to say nice things. This is this is I feel like this is not the same without JVN, but we will press on. I mean, I don't know if we're gonna go hair on all of them. No, no, no. Okay. Next up would be Justice Thomas, who wants to go first on this one?

I think I have one. Okay. I don't know if you guys feel this, but I have sensed this slight vibe shift, which is I think six months ago we were pretty sure that if Trump won, he would be out the door quickly to make space for somebody much, much younger. And I think his ego is getting in the way and he's not going anywhere, at least right away. And that could save us from someone like...

40 years younger than him, which I appreciate. So that's what I'll say about. I don't know if it's ego in as much as what would the utility of like giving him private jet travel and fancy vacations be if he weren't on the court. So I like that he is just so unabashed about it. Like the man had a whole separate income stream.

that basically duplicated his actual salary. Well, so what I was going to say is he seems to be good at asking for things without asking for them, right? Like the conversation that ProPublica reported between him and the Republican legislator where he was like, you know, unless you raise those salaries, you're going to get some retirements, after which, you know, the billionaires stepped up to basically offer said alternative funding stream.

You know, the guy knows how to drop a hint. Passive aggressive. I like it. Yeah. Okay.

Next up would be friend of the pod, Samuel Alito. What can I say about Sam? So my highlight for him would be or my favorite thing would be every hero needs a villain. And I feel like he is very good at being ours. So thank you, Sam. He gave Leah a whole book and I will always appreciate that.

going to go be shallow. I do think it's amazing that he's managed to be post-70 and his skin looks relatively supple. It has fallen off in the last couple of years. I'm not going to lie. He was a lot better when we started the pod, but still pretty strong. And I also like how supportive he is of his wife. Yeah. And her rights. And her flags. Next, Justice Sotomayor.

So I think it is truly admirable the pains she goes to to continue doing her job like with such care and attention to details and to every litigant, even while her colleagues are just –

embroiled and descending into madness. You know, I think about, Kate, you mentioned your colleague Karen Taney's foreword to Harvard Law Review about how the court curates its own docket, right? And like the cases that it chooses to give attention to and the litigants it chooses to give attention to. And I think Justice Sotomayor really models someone who gives attention to every case and every litigant in a way that is really admirable. I...

have recently had occasion to reread the immunity decision and that dissent remains one for the ages. And I just really appreciate that she gave us that in this unbelievably shitty term the court had last year that it produced that dissent.

So I obviously like a lot of things about Justice Sotomayor, but I think related to the court, my favorite thing about her is she is always willing to try and find the kernel of good in her colleagues, even where she's

most of us might really question if it exists. Like she, I mean, she's on this. We've been going around saying our favorite things about all of them. No, but I mean, she really digs deep. I mean, she's on this like girls trip with Amy Coney Barrett. I mean, she really, she, she really tries to make it congenial. And even when I don't even know how she does it. So good for her. Justice Kagan. I like how cheeky she is.

Yeah, so that would definitely be one thing. I feel like I have repeatedly expressed this, but the utter frustration she evinces, sometimes with cheekiness, sometimes with barely concealed rage. But the frustration she clearly has at the stupidity and hackishness

of her colleagues and some lower court judges is so eminently relatable. I love it. And I also think the way she writes makes...

Not makes me, but like helps me want to stay in the fight and to keep fighting. Right. And it feels like a shout of like we ride at dawn that is just like energizing. And I feel that way about both her writing and her persona at and substantive questions during oral arguments. Like it is fascinating.

profoundly energizing to listen to her eviscerate and also listen to her lift up advocates who deserve both of those kinds of treatment. Like listening to her, as we've highlighted with Solicitor General Prelogger, essentially just serve Prelogger these pitches that Prelogger uses to make these extraordinary arguments and also the kind of like unbiased

unsparing contempt that she demonstrates towards some of the advocates who appear before her and deserve it. Always polite and always graceful. But I do find like a real jolt of energy often comes from listening to her at her argument. I think, again, I think she's super cheeky. I also appreciate that

She goes on this like summer tour where she goes to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference and basically is just like, why can't we have an ethics code? Yeah, exactly. What's the problem? I mean, she's just basically trolling and everyone's like, yeah, why can't we have an ethics code? She's like, I don't know. I think it'd be great. I'd be down. Right.

Love that. He's great. All right. Neil Gorsuch. Neil M. Gorsuch. I like that he brings geographic diversity to the court. So I like that his self-satisfaction makes him...

Right, exactly.

He justifies snarking, basically. I like that he wrote a book that someone, not us because we don't have time, but someone is going to write an extraordinarily satisfying takedown book review of. Please, I'm putting this out to the universe. Because his book has, I think, some profoundly dubious characterization of some basic factual dimensions of some of the cases he talks about.

And we just recently finished our hate read book review of Josh Hawley's Manhood, the Masculine Virtues America Needs. And I don't think we have it in us to do the same to Gorsuch's book, but I really would like someone to. And I appreciate that Neil wrote a book that will make that easy for the right reviewer. Next up, Justice Kavanaugh. You can keep the silence in. Yeah.

Okay, weirdly, I am going to say something you guys will probably jump down my throat for. Oh, God. But I, during oral arguments, he seems like he's trying to be liked so hard that I sometimes almost want to like him. Oh, God. It almost works. Or it's not quite that I want to like him, but I feel like his kind of keening need to please could be useful sometimes.

under some circumstances in substantive cases. Like, he just wants to be liked so much it feels like that, you know, down the road, that could be helpful. It could get him onto the right side of some issues. And yet it has never actually proved how. No, yet. It hasn't yet. But it just feels like it's out there as a real possibility. False hope. Yeah.

So I don't know if I've said this before or suggested it before, but I look at Brett Kavanaugh as in some ways like an inspiring story about how much you can achieve without having any real talent or smarts. So, you know, if I look around at the world, you know, the –

TikToker Addison Rae is now a Grammy nominee, right? Like that is inspiring. And in some ways, so too is the fact that Brett Kavanaugh managed to be a Supreme Court justice despite his mediocrity. I think it's great that he's a pretty good athlete for his age. He did run that 5K. I know, that's what I'm thinking of. He was really fast. Yeah, he's a good athlete. I mean...

We're all getting up there. And not all of us. I'm not looking at you, Kate, but I am looking at you. Like, we're not all posting like sub four marathons. Is that a thing? Well, we're talking 5Ks. He's running 5Ks. I don't think he's running marathons. But he's killing it. No, but sub eight minute miles. He's running 5Ks. Yeah, he's killing the genre. Good for him. Got it. Got him at that. No, that's good. I mean, again, I'm just being snarky, Kate, because like, I'm not running marathons. And I'm glad you are. And I'm glad he's doing it too. Good for him. Justice Barrett.

I like her school marm energy. I like that she stays on that. Like, I mean, she reminds me of Eliza Wilder in Little House on the Prairie. She was the school teacher and Almanzo's sister before Laura became the school teacher. And just like kind of like

of like prim and like i feel like you know like and she's an equal opportunity destroyer like she will wrap everyone's knuckles like not just her liberal sisters but also i don't mean sisters in that she's liberal but they're ladies um and she will also wrap the conservative brothers like she's just like she's an equal opportunity school mom and i like that for her i think she's been conditioning her hair differently and better and i like it i think she's i think there's been some improvements in her hair

I appreciate the deluluness of her thinking that her Republican bro colleagues are engaged in the project of law. I just think it must be nice to be able to inhabit that type of fantasy world. That's what always gets her school marming going. Exactly, yes. She's like, what do you mean? And then she's wrapping knuckles. But I like that. I like that she's there for that. Yeah. Okay.

All right. Last. Finally. Last but certainly not least. Definitely not least. Justice Katonji Brown Jackson. Favorite thing about Justice Jackson. Go, Kate. I mean that she decided to be the first Supreme Court justice to, like, take a turn on Broadway. Like, legendary. I love that. That she's been thinking about that since college. I like that, too. Yeah. There is so much to like. Like,

like the energy and positivity that she brings to the oral arguments, like while still being able to channel like the righteous indignation and kind of horror, like what her colleagues are doing. Like, I just think that is a really tricky balance to be able to strike. And she somehow does it. And also anyone who can secure, like,

Beyonce concert tickets. That is... And disclose them. And disclose them. Respect. Respect.

So my favorite thing is that she's married to Dr. Patrick Jackson. And before you jump all over me, let me explain myself. It's not him per se, but I like that she has him out there being so unabashedly adoring of her. And she's just sort of thinking, you're like, yes, bitches, this is what I deserve. I am blessed.

beautiful. I am smart. I am capable. And this is what I deserve, a doctor who unabashedly adores and worships me. And I think every person needs to know that that is what they deserve, someone who unabashedly adores everything about them and is leveling on their level. And that's what I love about her.

aspire to more. One of the many charming things about her memoir is the sort of early development of her relationship in college. They were really young when they got together, she and Patrick. Anyway, so it's a very, very... I saw your eyebrows go up, like, where is she going with this? You landed it. I did. I did. It's all very PG. Strict Scrutiny is brought to you by Quince.

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Next up is our gift giving ideas. We are going to go around and offer recommendations for something you want, something you need, something to wear, and something to read. You should also use this if you have grabby, asky kids. Like just limit them to four gifts, something you want, something you need, something to wear, and something to read. Follow us for more parenting tips. So first up is something you want.

I'm going to go big in my asks here. So I want an album, recordings of all of the acoustic surprise songs from the Heiress tour, especially the mashups. I just think she has to release that as an album. It would be incredible. I would love it.

So that's one thing. Second smaller portrait of my dog. I already have like three or four, but you can never have too many. My wants are pretty minimal, I guess. A bit like the Fifth Circuit. I would really like the Elena Kagan gold paperclip.

chain necklace. Like I know it's not just her gold paper clip chain necklace, but I saw her wearing it once and I really loved it. It's just like really simple and it looks really nice. And I'm hoping that someone will get one for me for the holidays. Quince has a very good one, but lots of other jewelry stores like Ana Luisa have them as well. But it's just kind of a

classic thing and you can layer it. It's really great. The other thing I would want is like just a totally rando gift. I want a consumer classic retro manual typewriter. I don't know if I'll actually type on it, but I would like to put it in my background and have it on the shelf just looking cute. As Taylor Swift said, who uses typewriters anyways?

Well, maybe not me, but I think I would like to decorate with it. I just love the idea of an old school typewriter. And then I just saw this new green pan, nonstick ceramic cookware. And you all know I cannot stand to cook. But maybe I would if I had these really great pans. And then the last thing I just really want, I want an alternative to Amazon Prime so I can stop being Jeff Bezos' bitch. I like the go big asks, dream big. Yeah.

There are small local efforts to do alternatives to Amazon Prime. So there's a – like in New York, there's a grocery delivery app called Mercado, which will get from – like lots of Sahadis will deliver from there. There's like a seafood place in Brooklyn by me, Mermaid's Garden, I think it's called, that is on there. Anyway, so it's – they do like Eataly now also. Anyway, so if you want to like avoid –

So Instacart and like Whole Foods slash Amazon. But for grocery delivery, Mercado, I think, is an alternative. There's like an annual fee, but it might be worth it. But you're saying like that's not everything under the sun I need. But it's impossible for somebody to enter the market and be a genuine competitor. So I think you need to replace with multiple competitors.

Alternatives that fill some of the Amazon sheet. What I need is someone to send me like three styrofoam balls and some acrylic paint and pipe cleaners the night before a diorama is due. Like that's what I – I need someone who's going to do that in two days or less. But I do think you're – you said something completely offhand to me the other day about going to the Legos website. Yes.

And, you know, there are things that you will sometimes do on Amazon because it's fast, and Amazon does have some Legos. But you know what? You know where you can find a lot more Lego sets? The Lego store. If you go to the fucking Lego website. And so I actually ordered a couple of really good sets from the Lego website. So, yes, do you have to, like –

sometimes depending on whatever device you're using, enter your credit cards. Well, no, no, I'm saying like, no, you have to, it's a little, that's the, that is the cost and the benefit is like the ease and like, you know, seamless transactions. But sometimes you have to put in a credit card, just make yourself spend a couple of extra minutes doing your online shopping in order to diversify the places that you give your monies beyond just Jeff Bezos.

What's your something you want? So a couple of things that I want. I feel like this might be related to that necklace that you mentioned. I have not seen Elena Kagan's paperclip necklace, but I do have a paperclip-ish necklace from a designer named Jennifer Fisher. My husband got this for me. I love it. I would kind of like more of her jewelry. And if folks don't know her, now you do. Okay, so there is a designer on the Lower East Side called

named Kallmeyer who makes beautiful suits. So my friend Issa dressed me for both of our live shows in June, including this like mustard suit I wore to the Tribeca live show that is by this designer Kallmeyer. And I want one of her suits that I actually own as opposed to just borrow. So that's another thing I want. I

I have. So this is literally me just sharing something that I have found incredibly useful in my life and with my family is we have an electric scooter that we are now on our second electric scooter. We had one last year that we just kind of rode into the ground and we have a second one rides two people. We like ride our kids around and like the one to two mile radius where we have to take

people for basketball practice and piano lessons and things like that. And it's actually kind of amazing if you are in an urban place and don't have a lot of access to a car and sometimes need to go places that are just a little far to walk with a kid and the subway doesn't conveniently go to. Electric scooter is actually amazingly helpful.

Are you worried about getting hit by something or do you wear a helmet when you ride? We wear helmets. So I wear a helmet and the kid wears a helmet. And I mostly go where there are bike lanes and I feel like people are pretty acclimated to bike lanes. But like, yeah, there's a non-zero risk that happens. So I think you have to be super, super vigilant. But I've been an urban cyclist for –

you know, 25 years. And so I'm really used to being very active monitoring kind of the movements of cars and pedestrians around. So I feel like I'm a good defensive scooter. But yeah, there's obviously a risk.

Okay. And the last thing I want is I want some WNBA tickets. I want those, too. I want to see Ellie the Elephant so badly. So the games are – so we're talking about the New York Liberty. But if you live in a city that has – there's not one in every city. There are like a dozen teams now. There were eight – six or eight when they started 20-some years ago. But the WNBA is an unbelievable delight. And it's –

exploding in popularity, but it's still a lot cheaper to go see a WNBA playoff game than it is to see like NBA playoff game. Like my, the games are now, the finals are five games, not seven, but my kids and I and my husband went to two of the five of the playoff games that the Liberty won this year. And they, the tickets were totally reasonable. And the team is amazing. Yeah. Ellie, the elephant is amazing. The crowd is amazing. It's like

I wish when we had been kids there had been women professional athletes like this. I just think I would have at least as a kid developed a very different relationship to professional sports spectatorship than I did. I just like was a little annoyed that it was all men in all these sports that seemed to select for like the things that men's bodies were better at or that they trained better at. And I was just kind of irritated by the whole enterprise. And so I just never got super into watching professional sports anymore.

And I think I would have if the WNBA had been a big thing when I was a kid. And I love that my kids are super into it. And it's not just my 13-year-old daughter, but like my 10-year-old boy and his like –

super bro-y friends know the New York Liberty stats like they know the... Sabrina Ionescu. It's amazing. They have jerseys. There was a celebration at Barclays after they won the playoffs, after they won the finals, and they went and spent six hours listening to Chuck Schumer talk and shit. It was amazing. And these were these free tickets they were just giving out in Brooklyn. Anyway, WNBA tickets. It doesn't need to be the whole season, but a little...

10-game package or something. Melissa, we should go in on those. We should definitely go in on them. I do remember when the WNBA started. This is why it stinks to live somewhere else. This is what I want. I want Leah to just like spend a year or a semester at one of the fine law schools in the New York City area. Can we please do that? Let's make this happen. It's not up to me.

Or you could just fly out. We can go to one of these games. But I remember when the WNBA got started. And you're right, Kate. When we were kids, I think the only thing where women's sports were kind of a big deal were the Olympics. Like really episodically, every four years, we'd find some very small teenager to celebrate because she was a great gymnast. Now something we need. Oh, girl. Yeah, where to start. So one is...

emotional support fill in the blank. So Kate, you mentioned, you know, how your students gave you like the plush potato after the election. I got an emotional support pickle as a gift. Your students gave you gifts after the election?

No, this is not from a student. Just as a gift, I got an emotional support pickle. And it really makes me smile. Like a little crochet and stuffy kind of thing? Okay, I don't think I knew it was a genre. There's a pickle, there's a potato. Exactly, exactly. I really am into that. And I think they just make nice, nice gifts. So the other thing I need is I need the Wisconsin Supreme Court race to

to go the way it should this next year. That is super important to maintain control of that court. Yeah. So I'm going to start big. I need an independent media. And how do I get that? I mean, I'm already zero for one with the Amazon Prime, but I think I can make a dent in this one by...

Getting a year-long subscription to my local NPR affiliate so that could be WNYC here in New York But I also really love supporting my longtime Bay Area affiliate KQED and all of those folks and I think that's something I'm gonna do this year just because independent media matters more than ever and that is really important

Other emotional support that I think I need, Leah, I'm going to really dig into this muslin comfort sheets and blankets. So for January 20th, I'm pretty sure I'm going to be in bed with the covers over my head. And I want covers that are super soft and breathable. And I really want to try this because it's supposed to be this muslin and it wears really well over time. And when you wash it, it gets softer and softer. So I want to try that. I also want to try the Barabee

weighted blanket. So if it gets really bad on January 20th, maybe the blanket can just be weighted enough to smother me to death and put me out of my misery. That would be great. And if that doesn't work- Less weighted than that, that would be ideal. Well, and if I then have to come out of my shell and meet people and-

interact. I want some Jowl hand refresher. So this is a hand sanitizer, but it's also hardcore aromatherapy. Every time I use it, I'm just like putting my hands in my face so I can smell it. And I know my hands are clean afterwards too. And then I'm going to go home after shaking all those hands with people who maybe attended the inauguration because Unity, I

And I'm going to use my Onsen towels. These are my absolute favorite towels. They're awesome Japanese waffle weave. They're super absorbent. They look great. They come in a variety of very fashion-forward colors. Kate, you got any needs? I have so many needs, Melissa. Whoa. I'll just mention a few of them. Okay.

I agree. I also need an independent media. We all need an independent media. Sometimes employers will even match contributions to nonprofits, including nonprofit media orgs. So that might include NPR or ProPublica. If you're in New York, the City is a relatively new outlet. If you're in Chicago, the Chicago Reader is being revived as a nonprofit. So these are all places to subscribe.

support and to check to see if your employer will match your support of to double your impact. That is like a real thing. One thing I feel like I need, I have, but I probably need more, and I also just think we all need in our lives, are group chats. I just feel like group chats are actually a very important social media. Maybe you guys know this. Like I've, I, I,

I'm on it. I'm not super active on it. I feel very conflicted about it. I'm very happy not to be on Twitter anymore. I do think the vibes on Blue Sky, as we have noted, are very good. And so I check Blue Sky pretty regularly. But the places that I find like the most fulfilling in sort of digital life are just places.

various group chats. We have one we're on with Melody all the time. I have various kind of like girlfriend groups. My husband and I have like a couple with groups that we were people we were tight with when we lived in D.C., my family group chat. And those are just these spaces that, you know, there's not like strangers reading your words and you're not

I do like our group chat. I love group chats. Yeah.

So we've done something you want, something you need. Now I think it's time for something to wear. So Leah, what would you like to wear in the new year? I am obsessed with Skims Soft Lounge. Like that fabric on the pajamas is so nice. I change into it seriously like every evening after like 8 p.m. I just, I love it. I love it.

It's like actual loungewear. It is. It is. So I cannot recommend that enough. I also am obsessed with the Cozier Viscous from Bamboo crew neck. I put it on every morning when I do physical therapy. Like it has this really nice like buttery fabric, but it's also light. And so when I like work up a sweat, it doesn't feel like too heavy. I just I really, really like it.

Also super into the RealReal online consignment, basically where I get all my work wear now. And they just have amazing deals. So also the RealReal. Melissa's been mentioning these for years. I have not ever. I've been on the RealReal since 2013. I should do it.

Wow. I don't think I've been around that long. I actually ran into, I think, the GC of The Real Real or the associate GC and just completely fangirled. And she was like, no one's really approached me like this before. Get ready. Get ready. The whole strict scrutiny team's on board. All right. All right. I will get on board before next year, before our next favorite thing. I'm going to make sure you do.

Like when I showed up in Austin wearing a wool blazer. It was September. I was like – It was really hot. And Melissa was like, I've seen this blazer too many times. You need to change your clothes more and also not wear a wool blazer in Austin in September. And that was true. And maybe a RealReal is the solution to that problem. I think it is the solution for you. I'm just like – it was uncomfortable because it was so warm. It was so warm.

It's a beautiful blazer. It's fine. It's nice. Oh, it's an Argent blazer. It's very nice. It's beautiful. But it was the wrong... It was seasonally off. Seasonally off. That's okay. That's why I'm here for you. I'm here to tell you these things in a non-judgmental but judgmental way. A little judgmental. Yeah. A little bit. Okay. So in addition to the RealReal, what are your something to wear recommendations? Well...

If you're going out and you're wearing like a fancy dress and you want like a smooth line or you just want to make sure that you've got lots of support with your outfit, I cannot recommend highly enough Honey Love Shapewear. It's really fantastic. It smooths everything. And the best part is your internal organs don't move around. It's not like you're like, whoa, is that my kidney that's now like up by my liver? It's not a literal corset. Yes, exactly. I mean, I mean,

there was this period where people were really into waist shapers because the Kardashians were into it. And like, I mean, honestly, it just looks so uncomfortable. Like this is not that. It's just really nice and it's comfortable. It's easy to get on. I mean, some of the shapewear, like, I mean, it's like hydraulics. You're trying to get into that. You need a spotter. This is much easier and very effective. I really like it. So I highly recommend Honey Love. And they've got lots of different kinds of shapewear for all kinds of things.

I really love the Aritzia Super Puff Belt Bag, which holds a little bit more than the very ubiquitous Lululemon Fanny Pack, but it's still very lightweight and stylish. Comes in a lot of different colors and different fabrics. It's fantastic. This is not a clothing recommendation, but...

I am totally into Danessa Merrick's Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder, which is this really interesting like no makeup kind of foundation situation. Like you take a little brush and you just dab it on and it kind of just blurs your skin tone. So you don't need more makeup on top. It just kind of smooths everything out and a little goes a long way. So you pay like $39 for this. But

I think it will literally last until the rapture. It's so, like, it just a little goes a really long way. And then finally, yeah,

I really love the Veronica Beard iconic scuba dickie jacket. So it's a classic blazer that you can wear on your own, or they have these little zip-in inserts that you can use to change the look. But here's my caveat. It's crazy expensive. It's almost $700 for the blazer and then in addition for the inserts. But, and this is where the real, real comes in, sometimes you can find...

really gently used or even new with tags versions of this blazer on The RealReal and you can pick them up at a sizable discount.

Or if you really want to try something new, Quince has a really fantastic dupe of the scuba blazer. And it's just $89 for the blazer and then a little bit more for the inserts. And it looks really great, super professional, very, very versatile. This is so pathetic. I'm listening to your recommendations and I will heed them and make them my own because I'm...

As we've discussed, I just like I'm not attentive enough to I don't like know enough even to know really what I want. So I we do need to work on my wardrobe in 2025. One thing I do want, I actually have a version of it, but I want a better version of it is a really good like running water backpack like that to kind of carry your water with you while you run because I'm

I ran my first marathon like a month ago. Congrats. And thank you. It was not fast, but I ran like a five-hour marathon, which in the marathon world is like not a fast marathon. It's actually like there was definitely like an 85-year-old lady in front of me as I was like in the last mile of the marathon. Yeah.

I ran it. It was an awesome experience. But the training often happened like out of the city and I did not. When you're running like 10 or 15 miles, like you do need to have water with you because if you're not in the city with water fountains, you just, you know, you can't like stop to drink along the way. Anyway, Solomon is like one brand that makes like nice water backpacks. So I invested in one, but it was like not super big. And so I think I need a little bit more water because I want to keep running. I think the Camelback has one. That's really what people seem to like a lot. I think I should try that kind. Yeah, maybe I should. Yeah.

But anyway, isn't that a sad addition to my... So you want a water backpack. That's what you want to wear. Something to wear. That's what I want to wear. You want a water backpack. A water backpack. Okay. I also... I want, but I've also already ordered these, so I more want to share it with you guys and our listeners. I think family jammies are really fun. I do that. And we do Hannah Anderson family jammies. Aw. The dog ones...

Pretty cute in the two years, three years, I guess it's been since we've, this will be our third year with Shadow and some family jammies. She's like a big girl now. So like they don't always have the extra large and whatever pattern that, you know, people jammies come in. But I found some this year. But yeah, the Hannah Anderson ones are my rec.

I used to love Hannah Anderson when my kids were really little. Turns out, though. It's really soft. Yeah. Yeah. It's good, high-quality kids' clothing, but they also excel in the matched family jammies set. And dog jammies, apparently. Yeah. And dogs are well part of the family. So you want a water backpack and pajamas for you and your dog. Yeah.

Anything else? These are my... I am going to take over your wardrobe this year. I think you might need to do that. Yeah, yeah. So final category is something to read. We will start with some friend of

the pod favorites. So some of our, I think, collective favorites from people who are friends of the pod. One is Vigilante Nation by John Michaels and David Knoll. This is a book about kind of laws that are empowering vigilantes, you know, as the title suggests, kind of like SB8 and other laws like it and kind of what that structure is doing to our democracy.

Second is The Interbellum Constitution by Alison LaCroix. This book is a phenomenal, rich, exhaustive look at federalism before the Civil War. I think so much of the book is really going to change how we teach and understand federalism going forward.

So we definitely recommend that. Also, Anti-Democratic by David Daly, understanding and unpacking the different anti-democratic pathologies within the United States. So those are, I think, kind of the group ones. My particular ones that I loved last year, you might have heard me mention this in the bookshop.org ads, but Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll, I absolutely love.

It's not a bright, happy book, but it's just like a very powerful read from the perspective of, you know, the victims of Ted Bundy like serial killer. And it's fantastic. It just like looks at all of the different ways that like misogyny infected like our understanding of the crimes, the coverage of the crimes, the way they were dealt with. It's really, really good.

Funny Story by Emily Henry, another delightful read. You Should Be So Lucky by Kat Sebastian, another kind of like romantic book that, you know, has some like light fun elements to it. The Women by Kristen Hanna. I think that was pretty popular this last year. Fight Like Hell by Kim Kelly about the history of the labor movement.

The Hunter by Tana French and The Blue Stockings by Susanna Gibson, which is a history of this early cadre of like women writers. And I just love that.

love that. Also, not books, but recommend to read subscriptions to Law Dork, Chris Geidner's legal newsletter, Abortion Every Day by Jessica Valenti, and One First Street by Steve Ladek. And one book I am anxiously waiting for in 2025 is The Summer Storms by Sarah McClain. I love her historical romance books. This is going to be a modern one, and I'm just super psyched to see what she does with it.

Awesome. So I've read some, but not all of those. So that is a great list. I too am going to repeat a few that I'm pretty sure I've mentioned before. So I really loved Miranda July's All Fours and Percival Everett's James. I mean, just the formal conceit of James was just so brilliant. And I was a little bit like, I don't

I don't know if I even like love Huckleberry Finn that much. Do I need to reread? It's a little bit like Demon Copperhead. I was like, do I need to reread David Copperfield to actually read and get Demon Copperhead? And the answer is absolutely not. James is, you know, for many people was like the best book of the year. It is a retelling of Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of Jim in the book, James in this book.

who is the enslaved person who accompanies Huck on and Tom Sawyer for part of it on this, you know, kind of journey down the river to an island and much, much, much more. And I don't want to say too much about the formal conceit and the language of the book, but it is stunningly brilliant in conception and execution. I absolutely loved it. Highly, highly recommend it.

Octavia Butler's The Parable of the Sower I had somehow never read and read sometime earlier this year. And it's set in 2024, which is pretty wild and has shockingly current resonance, including some suspense.

There's dystopia and political figures who will just like ring very, very current even though the book is decades old. Elena Ferrante's Days of Abandonment I had never read even though I've read other books of hers and that's a tough but really excellent book. Adele Waldman's Help Wanted is a fiction book but it's kind of in the tradition of Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed which is – that's a reported book where she goes undercover and like works a retail job.

Waldman kind of did the same to research this book, but then the book itself is not this memoir, but in fact a fictional account of this kind of like big box store in upstate New York and this amazing cast of characters in the store. And it's just incredibly well done. I also really loved Hilary Leichter's Terrace Story, a very, very weird sort of couple short stories woven together. But, you know, neither kind of defies the novel or novella versus short story distinction. Anyway, really loved that.

And then a handful of nonfiction books. One is Eve by Kat Bahannon. I'm not sure if I'm pronouncing her last name properly, but it is kind of an evolutionary biology book about women's bodies and has chapters on everything from menopause to breastfeeding to why women are better distance athletes. And it is...

Lyrical and beautiful. She's like a PhD in fiction and she's not a doctor or a PhD scientist, but it is deeply researched medicine and science in the book. And I thought it was incredible.

And then we've had on the show before the authors of a couple of wonderful books that Leah didn't mention. So I did want to shout out Rebecca Nagel's By the Fire We Carry and Dylan Penningroth's Before the Movement, two extraordinary books published in the last year. By the Fire We Carry has made like several best book lists. And then Dylan Penningroth's Before the Movement and Steve Ladek's Shadow Docket just won the Order of the Coif Book Award, both of them. So, yeah.

Two more. One, I finally read David Blight's Frederick Douglass' Project of Freedom, a Douglass biography that got a lot of praise when it was published a few years ago.

I say read, but I actually listen to it. But it's a great, it's beautifully read. And, you know, I don't know what, 20 hours or something. So it takes a long time. But I highly recommend it if you have not read it. And then I reread To Kill a Mockingbird with my seventh grader who was reading it in seventh grade. So last spring, she's in eighth grade now. And I'm glad I did. I actually, as a lawyer, had not revisited it. I hadn't revisited it since I was a kid. And so I really enjoyed that. So that's what I got.

Okay, those are all really good ones. I also read James and we talked about it. I thought James was absolutely fantastic. I also like Percival Everett's Erasure, which is the basis for the movie American Fiction starring Jeffrey Wright, which is fantastic as well.

And that got me down a big rabbit hole where I figured out that one of my favorite authors, Danzi Sena, is Percival Everett's wife, which I did not know. And Danzi Sena had a great debut novel back in the day called Caucasia. But she just wrote a new book this year called Colored Television. And it's just a fantastic novel. She's a terrific writer in her own right. And Colored Television is a hilarious send up of academicism.

And it's about Jane, a mixed race writer and college teacher who is desperate for money and struggling to finish her second novel and somehow talks her way into a meeting with a Hollywood producer who is making a sitcom about a biracial family. And it's kind of hilarious. So highly recommend that.

I also read Jonathan Eag's King, A Life, and it is just amazing. It's going to be the definitive biography of Martin Luther King. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography this year. Just absolutely fantastic and sweeping and amazing. So highly recommend it.

I also loved Colm Toybin's Long Island, which is the sequel to his wildly successful Brooklyn. And this one finds Eilish Lacey 20 years later trapped in a marriage on Long Island with Tony, who was her love interest in the first book. And there is a surprising turn of events that requires her to return to her Irish hometown and reconnect with old friends and an old love. And I'm just going to leave that tantalizing detail there.

I also read Il-Yon Wu's Master Slave, Husband, Wife, An Epic Journey from Slavery to Freedom. And this was also a Pulitzer Prize winner. And it is just absolutely fantastic. It reads like a novel, but it's actually nonfiction about these two enslaved people, William and Ellen Craft, who basically...

went undercover to escape from Georgia to the north and then everything that follows. It's just absolutely amazing. So riveting and just, it should be made into a movie. Full stop. Fantastic.

And then my last one, which is absolutely fantastic, is Rob Sears' The Beautiful Poetry of Donald Trump, the strictly unauthorized version. And Sears realized after reading some of Donald Trump's tweets that this is a man who has a way with words. And so he combed all of Trump's tweets and all of his speeches for signs of poetry and realized that if he just rearranged some of the phrases and words, beautiful verse emerged and

The results are stunning and surprising and of course hilarious and I highly recommend it.

But it's completely sold out on bookshop.org because it's that great. Okay. So that is, I think, I hope, a useful list of book recs for your book gifting and just general reading pleasure over the holidays and in the coming year. Let's now mention a couple of podcasts. And I just have two that I wanted to mention, but I'm curious if there are others that you all are listening to that we should tell our listeners about. The first is one that friend of the show Cliff Sloan flagged for me. It's called Ear Witness.

And it's a story of DeForest Johnson, who really appears to be – I haven't listened to the whole – it's like eight, I think, episodes. But really appears to be an innocent man who has been on Alabama's death row for a quarter century for the murder of a police officer. He was convicted basically on ear witness testimony, which is where the title comes from. So I'm really enjoying that and looking forward to finishing it.

And I also want to mention a podcast called Less Radical, which is about Dr. Bernie Fischer, who is a fascinating figure who really revolutionized our understanding of and treatment of breast cancer. The show was produced by our own fabulous producer, Melody Rowell. The thanks that Dr. Fischer got for his revolutionary work was being dragged before Congress for a misguided hearing that destroyed his reputation. And the

All right. Mine are pretty quick because I don't have time to listen to any other podcasts but the ones on the Crooked Network.

But when I do, I listen to Mind Your Own with Lupita Nyong'o. This is by Lemonada. And it's a storytelling podcast in which the Oscar-winning actress narrates stories from the modern African diaspora. It's really great. There's also a really terrific podcast. It's a series called Rebel Spirit with Akilah Hughes. And it's a documentary where Hughes goes back to her hometown in Florence, Kentucky, to convince her town,

to abandon their longtime high school mascot, the Rebel, in favor of the humble Southern buttermilk biscuit. What ensues is a very richly reported meditation on race and culture and sports. Really fantastic. And then finally, this isn't a podcast. It's a Netflix documentary, and it's called Yacht Rock, the documentary. And it's absolutely fantastic, and I will not hear a word against it. It is the Meghan Markle of Yacht.

1970s, 1980s music documentaries and I loved it.

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Okay, so now to bookend our gift guides with another favorite things go-around game, we are going to usher in a new tradition about saying our favorite things about each other. One thing collectively, which is that

This is like an aspiration in addition to favorite things, which is I absolutely love it when we very occasionally in our insane lives get a little bit of like downtime together to hang out like when we were in Hawaii like a year and a half ago. That was so fun. And I just really wish we had more time in our lives to occasionally do that. We had a great roadie carrying our luggage and that was absolutely critical. He's fun. But with or without any spouses of the pod, I really wish that we were able to do that more. I don't.

You guys, I'm going to do a little bit of collective. You guys are both so goddamn fast at synthesizing everything and writing and thinking. And I just admire the shit out of it, both like the speed and the depth that you both bring. And I constantly am like, oh.

I saw the Fifth Circuit issued this crazy ass opinion with 150 different concurrences. And by the time I processed that, Leah has like read them all and like written up a show note about them. It's out of control. And you're just so generous and selfless, Leah, on the kind of labor front. And Melissa, I don't understand how you fire across all of the different literary, cultural genre, like spaces that you do at any given time, deep history, literature.

you know, Greek philosophy, reality TV, like it's insane and so impressive. Anyway, you two are just, I'm doing collectively. Hope that's okay. Yeah, I'm just like endlessly impressed by both of you and feel deeply lucky that I get to

time, you know, basking in your auras on a weekly basis. But I just wish we got to do it on the beach a little bit more. Totally agree. I'll go next because I don't want to go after Melissa because I feel like Melissa's very good at this stuff.

I don't want to follow her. So, Melissa, I'll start with you. I feel like you are so good at the pull and the, like, in-the-moment reference where you can just immediately take something someone said and do this, like,

pull either from pop culture or like philosophy or literature and whatnot and just make it hilarious. Like the references are out of control. Also, I don't think our listeners appreciate how fucking funny you are because you make us edit out all of the funny things or not all of the funny things, but millions

We leave it a lot, but there are so many that come out. There's so many that come out. Because they get a little cheeky. So funny. Trying not to go to jail. Also, style is off the hook. One time you said you liked a blazer I wore, and I was like, fucking put it in the Louvre, because I know I made it. It was a good blazer. It was such a good blazer. There we go. So Kate asked,

I can't believe you just said, like, you are...

jealous of like the speed and depth we go into because I feel like you are like one of the craziest, busiest people I know and like you are constantly jetting around. But then you have like five to 10 minutes to, I don't know, like pop in to a note and then immediately add like these like high level thoughts that I feel like make an episode and like make our commentary really work that I just like wouldn't have come up with.

And second is you managed to be very cool without making me feel bad about myself. And I feel like that is a really admirable quality. And I'm not sure how you do it because I don't know many people who do. Thank you.

All right, so it's my turn. I have to land this. Okay. Let me just call out the folks in the background who are not on the camera right now, Melody and Michael, who make us sound great all year long. You guys are absolutely fantastic. Melody, I so appreciate your patience with us because we are always turning it around being like, hey, what about a whole new series this summer that we plan to take off on Project 2025? And I appreciate that.

You roll with it. You chide us gently sometimes and really sort of pull us back and try to keep it contained. But you're really good about letting us do our thing. And we really appreciate that. Michael, you are such a great new addition to the team. I love how

you very graciously invite us to record. So this isn't all for naught. And we always have backup recordings. Thank you for that. Because like some of us are not tech savvy and thank you for getting crooked to give me a new microphone in the new year. I appreciate that a lot. And also, uh,

Michael has to endure our pre-recording chatter at the beginning of every episode. And he handles it like a champ. So cannot. Because it's wild. It is. It is actually off the chains. And Melody, I feel like she keeps me cool and hip with the kids. Like she's the one that got me into TikTok. So, yeah.

Yeah, really. She's an agent of the Chinese. No, she is not. But she is just very generous and positive, but also has this like cutting humor. So, yeah, great combo. Melody and I have like some good book talk. Not they're not talks really, but like good side book conversations. And she's the one who turned me on to Book of the Month.

Kate, I think you are like the most generous person about other people's work. Like you always find a way to highlight other people's work and make it relevant to what we're talking about. And you're just really, really good at calling out and giving people credit where we're just like, we're so busy that it's sometimes hard and we can miss things that are really important. But you're always really great about calling attention to people whose work is really relevant and but

might go overlooked and you're especially good about doing it for people who are junior. I also love how gracious you are when we snark on your pop culture like is like it's a running bit. I think we have to keep doing it just because everyone expects it. But

But I love that you're trying to add more popular culture to your repertoire. No one else tries as hard to get up to speed. I mean, if Brett Kavanaugh could just apply this kind of work ethic to other things, everything would be totally different. And I love that about you. Leah?

You're like the heart and soul of this whole enterprise. You're always like, I was supposed to write the show note for the December recap. I went to go do it and found that you had already done most of it. Like, that happens all the time. So you were like the beating heart of this. And you have such a clear vision for the show and like what we should be doing and

And how we can be impactful even when it feels like everything is just going to shit. So one of your best qualities is that you are unbelievably pessimistic and realistic. And yet you channel your rage into something positive. And it's so nicely complementing Kate's incredibly delusional optimism in some cases. Yes.

I mean, like, just sometimes I'm like, it's just the perfect marriage. You know, we are the perfect marriage, if you will. Like, we are three people. So maybe we are polyamorous in that respect. And that's interesting, too. But I love everything about this. I don't think I could have made it through this.

November 6th through 10th without knowing I had you all to come back to because it was like kind of a dark time and like knowing that I would be able to come back and talk to you guys about it made it easier. I will also say Leah, you should go into your own t-shirt making business. Like you just made me the best in search of emotional support billionaire t-shirt and you're always doing stuff like that. Like making these great t-shirts. You know, back in the day when we used to make all that merch, it was really all Leah just making merch constantly and yeah,

Yeah, those were the salad days when we just made merch all the time. And it's your genius, like all of it. And we just wear it and we wear it proudly. So I'm glad we are all in this together. I'm excited for 2025. Actually, I'm not excited for 2025, but I'm excited for 2025 with you all. And it's going to be great. One of the only things about 2025 is going to bring some comfort.

We're going to be the real Project 2025. That's what we're going to do. We're going to rename this podcast the real Project 2025 and watch what happens. No, girl. We're not. All right. Finally, we have a tribute to our most favorite thing, you, our listeners. Early in the year,

Earlier this year, we asked you to send in voice memos telling us a little bit about yourself and when you listen to the pod. And a brief kind of side note here, a special thank you to the listeners who responded to my desperate cries and pleas when I needed to go to the ERAs tour after I couldn't go this past summer. And they literally made it possible. So Gianni Janke, Jennifer Buttrick,

Laura Petto, Alyssa Frederick, like the insane grace and generosity you showed was like truly moving. And I now have a video of myself seeing Cornelia Street live in which I like burst into tears the moment like I realized like what song is playing. And yeah, I just cannot even articulate like how meaningful that was. But back to the listener voice memos.

Okay, so we can't play all the listener voice memos, but we did listen to them all. And they mean so, so much to us. Our reviews aren't always the kindest. And there are challenges to doing the podcast. And again, the best thing about this is you are listeners. And we wanted to give you a taste of the strict scrutiny audience that makes this all possible and this community so wonderful.

Hello ladies, or should I say bonjour mesdames. Hi strict scrutiny, I'm coming to you from Zug, Switzerland. Greetings from Germany. From the upper valley of Vermont, New Hampshire. I'm calling from the great southwest. I am an AP US government teacher and debate coach who works at an international school in Taipei, Taiwan. I'm a financial analyst.

listening to you from my home in Newcastle, Australia. I just finished my second year of law school at the University of Oklahoma College of Law. I'm Isaiah. I'm a first generation law student and I just finished my 1L year at Mizzou. I am currently a law student in the southeastern United States, also known as HELL. I have completed my PhD and started a position as assistant professor of musicology at Wichita State University. I am a veterinary student at

The University of California, Davis. I'm in Mill Valley, California, and I sell real estate here. I'm listening to you from Butte, Montana. I'm an attorney who works on offshore fisheries. I'm actually a physician. I practice anesthesiology here in North Dakota. For work, I'm an applied mathematician working on problems in the ocean domain. I'm a dairy farmer in Wisconsin. I'm a sign language interpreter from Melbourne, Australia. I am a bat biologist. I'm a patent examiner.

I am an OBGYN and a full-time abortion provider in Chicago. I always listen to the podcast on my Monday morning runs. And I have had strict scrutiny in my ears on cross-country flights, on cross-country drives. I am a mother to a nine-month-old and I have been listening to the pod during my maternity leave and

What I wanted to recognize you for was empowering me to be a court watcher. That is a genuine train sound. And in my small French town, I listen to you and I shake my head thinking that

We are living in a strange world at a strange time. I've been listening a lot while mucking horse pens in stalls, and given the Supreme Court decisions y'all have been going through, it just feels like the fact that I'm actually shoveling horse manure is relatable content. You've helped me learn about the law whilst flinging a lot of poop.

I mean, it's literally got to be in the thousands of pounds by this point. So thank you for inspiring me, each and every one of you, for being true to who you are and making law approachable and fun, even in the face of the demise of our democracy. I am just so appreciative of all your work and for making the Supreme Court and all its shenanigans

So accessible. Now I listen to your podcast to keep abreast of how the right is dismantling the rule of law.

and get ideas for how I can help defend democracy and civil rights. It feels like a voice of sanity and reason. You guys allow me to process it along with you and release all of that rage that I feel. As a fellow Swiftie, I would say that I definitely enjoyed the collective excitement over Taylor releasing the Tortured Poets department. I think that Taylor should absolutely make an appearance on the show. I love you guys.

And thanks for the Taylor Swift references, too. I'm really just going to keep doing abortions by day and keep listening to you all by night. Keep on fighting the good fight. And I'm sipping a Martha Rita and a Jenny Tonic, cheersing to you three. Please know that somewhere out there, there's a pretty run-of-the-mill transactional attorney brewing coffee in a firm and saying out loud with a grin, all I ask of our brethren is that they take their motherfucking pizzas.

I'll try next.

And a note on our programming, we will be off next week, but we'll return in the new year with a special episode tailored to the day the episode will be released. So in the meantime, happy holidays from everyone at Strict Scrutiny, and we will see you in the new year. Before we go, some additional thoughts.

From gripping hidden histories to mysterious cold cases, Crooked's limited series are your ultimate road trip or cozy couch companions. Whether you're driving to your in-laws, relaxing in front of the fire, or just avoiding those awkward family convos, unravel the mystery of a

prominent judge's death in Killing Justice. Follow the shocking transformation of a Chinese civil rights activist into a MAGA Trump supporter in Dissident at the Doorstep. Or immerse yourself in the hidden history of America's largest police force with Empire City, the untold origin story of the NYPD, named one of the top podcasts of 2024 by Time Magazine, Vulture, and The New York Times. You can binge these series and more, including Strict Scrutiny, at Crooked.com.

or find them wherever you get your podcasts.

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I'm Yara Shahidi, and I'm the host of The Optimist Project. This is the podcast that asks, what gives you hope? Each week, I sit down with changemakers you may or may not know from comedy, music, academia, and more to uncover what inspires them to create a better tomorrow. Join us as we find out ways that we can cultivate optimism in our own lives. You can find The Optimist Project wherever you get your podcasts. Don't forget to follow the show so you never miss an episode.

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