The Slatest for Dec. 15: Does Nikki Haley Actually Even Want to Beat Trump?

We’re one month out from the Iowa caucuses … and Nikki Haley doesn’t seem like she’s really trying to beat Trump? “If she really wants to win, she should be going bananas right now,” Republican consultant Sarah Longwell told Ben Mathis-Lilley. He takes stock of the things Haley has going for her heading into the primaries—and the opportunities she seems to be passing up.

Plus, in case you missed it: Speaking of Republican presidential hopefuls squandering opportunities, Alexander Sammon took a look at how Ron DeSantis somehow screwed up his debate with Gavin Newsom.

Harvard President Claudine Gay is getting attacked by a guy with unresolved angst about his alma mater. Nitish Pahwa takes a closer look at Bill Ackman’s ulterior motives.

A new poll showing an increase in support for Hamas in the West Bank raises new questions about where Israel’s war in Gaza could end. Fred Kaplan considers the poll’s findings and other rifts that could shape the course of the war.

Plus, in case you missed it: Palestinian author and editor Atef Abu Saif shared three dispatches from Gaza.

Is Timothée Chalamet a sensitive thespian or a swaggy hypebeast? Is the Wonka actor a French artboi, rap-obsessed millennial, or quintessential New Yorker? Shamira Ibrahim considers his many facets and concludes that there would be no Timothée Chalamet without his relationship with Black culture.

Are you scared about giving the wrong thing this holiday season? These tales of gifts gone wrong might just cheer you up!

(And hey, while we’re on the subject: You really can’t go wrong with a gift from the Slate Shop 😌)

… much like reviewers on Goodreads, in their reactions to the novel behind Netflix’s mystifying new apocalyptic movie Leave the World Behind. Rebecca Onion parses the book for clues that could explain the film’s cryptic ending.

We hope you have a wonderful weekend that is not quite so baffling!

Thanks so much for reading, and we’ll see you back here on Monday.