The Slatest for Nov. 27: One Big Advantage Trump Has Over the Rest of the GOP Field

Slate Staff
·2 min read
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It seems that skipping all of the GOP primary debates—while simultaneously, you know, facing 91 felony counts—hasn’t hurt Trump at all in the polls. Why is his popularity so enduring? He has one advantage the other candidates can’t touch, Ben Jacobs writes: “Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley have partisans. Donald Trump has fans.”

Reporting from a Trump rally in Fort Dodge, Iowa, Jacobs reflects on how the former president has managed to merge fan culture with American politics.

Plus, in case you missed it:

• Shirin Ali wrote about how Trump’s attacks on Jack Smith play into his act.

• Dahlia Lithwick took a close look at Trump’s “vermin” speech and its implications.

• And Ben Mathis-Lilley homed in on two key things we know about Trump, less than a year out from the presidential election.

Even in states where voters have chosen to protect abortion, crisis pregnancy centers are still thwarting abortion-seekers’ attempts to get care. Susannah Baruch and Carmel Shachar make the case for how to overcome the biggest obstacle to abortion care in blue states.

An illustration of a person standing in the path of an oncoming train, holding up their hand and attempting to stop it.
Illustration by Eda Uzunlar

As a doctor herself, Grace Glassman thought she knew the risks of giving birth at 45. But she wasn’t prepared for how bad it would get. In a powerful personal essay, she describes her own experience nearly dying in childbirth, and what the experience cost her.

After being briefly deposed, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is back, now with more power—and fewer constraints—than ever. Alex Kirshner takes a look at what that might mean.

Good news: There exists a pair of comfortable pants that actually look professional! Hillary Frey has all the details—and a perfect nickname to boot.

A painting of Napoleon next to a movie still of Joaquin Phoenix as Napoleon.
Photo illustration by Slate. Images by Apple+ and Jacques-Louis David/Musée national du Château de Malmaison/Wikipedia.

Did Napoleon really fire cannons at the pyramids? Ellin Stein sorts out what’s true and what’s legend in Ridley Scott’s epic about the French general.

But if you, like Sophie Vershbow, are too nervous about burning your house down to be that kind of person, she has a great solution for you.

Thanks so much for reading! We’ll see you tomorrow.