Skimm This

In case you missed it last week, the U.S. just left the Paris Agreement on climate change. We’ve got the details on what could happen next. After that, we’ll explain the status of President Trump’s election lawsuits and what to make of Pfizer’s flashy new COVID-19 vaccine. Then, as some major U.S. companies indefinitely delay the return to the office, it might be time to consider WFH our new reality. We’ll ask an expert for advice on how to make remote work productive and sustainable over the long-haul. Finally, we know you’ve already heard about the humans heading to the White House. Well, we’ve got the skinny on the pets-elect headed to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. On this episode, you’ll hear from:  Caroline Polisi, legal analyst and an adjunct lecturer in law at Columbia Law School Gigi Kwik Gronvall, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security Tsedal Neeley, professor of business, Harvard Business School Let us know what questions you have about what’s going on in the news right now. Email us at audio@theskimm.com or call and leave us a voicemail at: 646-461-6370. You might hear your message on the show.  If you want to add theSkimm to your daily routine, sign-up for our free newsletter the Daily Skimm. It’s everything you need to know to start your day, right in your inbox.  Skimm'd by Alex Carr, Justine Davie, and Luke Vargas. With additional support from Peter Bonaventure and Ciara Long. 

It’s been a long week, but it’s not over yet. We’ve got the latest on the Trump campaign’s legal strategy as it tries to stop the vote counts in some states and control which ballots are counted in others. Then, we’ll explain why one state’s 2020 election is likely to spill over into January 2021. Sorry, Georgia! Need a break from staring at the electoral map? We’ll tell you about some of the other history being made this year, because there really is a first for everything.  And finally: we’ve got some expert advice for dealing with anxiety. Not that we need it...  On this episode, you’ll hear from:  Caroline Polisi, legal analyst and adjunct lecturer in law, Columbia Law School Michele Swers, professor of government, Georgetown University Sarah McBride, Democratic candidate-elect, Delaware Senate Lori Gottlieb, psychotherapist and author, “Maybe You Should Talk to Someone” Let us know what questions you have about what’s going on in the news right now. Email us at audio@theskimm.com or call and leave us a voicemail at: 646-461-6370. You might hear your message on the show.  If you want to add theSkimm to your daily routine, sign-up for our free newsletter the Daily Skimm. It’s everything you need to know to start your day, right in your inbox.  Skimm'd by Alex Carr, Justine Davie, and Luke Vargas. With additional support from Peter Bonaventure and Ciara Long. 

Welcome to a special bonus episode of Skimm This, breaking down what we know – and don’t know – about the election results so far.  First, the race for the White House. Spoiler: we still don’t have a winner, but we’ll explain which states hold the keys for an electoral college victory and where the vote-count stands right now.  Then, we’ll bring you the latest on who’s likely to have majority control in the Senate and the House. And finally, we’ll spotlight some key state laws that voters changed at the polling booth – from legalizing drugs to changing their flags. Skimm'd by Alex Carr, Justine Davie, and Luke Vargas. With additional support from Peter Bonaventure and Ciara Long.

Up first, we’ve got the latest on three developing stories from this week. Including: Amy Coney Barrett officially joining the Supreme Court, a new study on COVID-19 antibodies, and why tech CEOs faced a grilling on Capitol Hill.  And for our main story, you’ve probably seen headlines that, by the end of election night, we might not know who won the presidential race. To prepare you for the different possible election and post-election scenarios, we created a roadmap of different options. Named after…cocktails. Meet: the Old Fashioned, the Spiked Seltzer, and the Long Island Iced Tea. We’ll speak to election experts about how these different scenarios could play out.  Then, we’ve got some tips on how to help some of the older folks in your life cast their ballots safely.  And finally, we’ve got some ideas for this weekend’s (politics optional!) movie night.  On this episode, you’ll hear from:  Elaine Kamarck, senior fellow in governance studies, Brookings Institution Mary McCord, legal director, Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection, Georgetown University Molly Krakowski, senior director of government affairs, JASA Dawn Porter, director, “The Way I See It”  Beandrea July, freelance film and television critic Let us know what questions you have about what’s going on in the news right now. Email us at audio@theskimm.com or call and leave us a voicemail at: 646-461-6370. You might hear your message on the show.  If you want to add theSkimm to your daily routine, sign-up for our free newsletter the Daily Skimm. It’s everything you need to know to start your day, right in your inbox.  Skimm'd by Alex Carr, Justine Davie, and Luke Vargas. With additional support from Peter Bonaventure and Ciara Long.

This week, theSkimm sat down with Senator Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, to talk about everything that’s on her mind in the week leading up to Tuesday’s election.  From how she and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden would tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, to the impact the Supreme Court’s new lineup might have on women, and her message to millennial women to get them out to the polls.   On this episode, you’ll hear from:  Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA), Democratic vice presidential candidate TheSkimm asked both Senator Harris and Vice President Mike Pence to join us in the lead up to election day. And while we haven’t heard back from Pence, we’ve got all the info you need to get to learn more about him, President Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden at theskimm.com/vote. Let us know what questions you have about what’s going on in the news right now. Email us at audio@theskimm.com or call and leave us a voicemail at: 646-461-6370. You might hear your message on the show.  If you want to add theSkimm to your daily routine, sign-up for our free newsletter the Daily Skimm. It’s everything you need to know to start your day, right in your inbox.  Skimm'd by Eugenia Cassidy, Justine Davie, and adapted for audio by Peter Bonaventure.

This week, we’ve got updates on three developing stories you’ve probably been hearing about. We’ll break down Pope Francis’s recent comments on same-sex civil unions. We’ve got the latest on new COVID-19 lockdowns happening around the world. And then, what’s going on with foreign interference in the home stretch of the election.  Then, we’ve got an important message from breast cancer doctors and breast cancer survivors about why COVID cannot be a reason to avoid staying on top of your breast health. Also: there’s already enough focus on the presidential race. But with the Senate up for grabs, we’ll look at the down-ballot races worth paying attention to this November.  Finally, we’ve got the story on something you might notice the next time you log on to Disney+.  On this episode, you’ll hear from:  Gretchen Herrera, breast cancer survivor Dr. Kelly Hunt, surgical oncologist at MD Anderson Cancer Center Dr. Deborah Lindner, chief medical officer, Bright Pink Wendy J. Schiller, professor and chair of the department of political science, Brown University  Nathaniel Rakich, elections analyst, FiveThirtyEight Hemant Shah, professor of journalism and mass communication, University of Wisconsin Dr. Yaba Blay, scholar-activist  Let us know what questions you have about what’s going on in the news right now. Email us at audio@theskimm.com or call and leave us a voicemail at: 646-461-6370. You might hear your message on the show.  If you want to add theSkimm to your daily routine, sign-up for our free newsletter the Daily Skimm. It’s everything you need to know to start your day, right in your inbox.  Skimm'd by Alex Carr, Justine Davie, and Luke Vargas. With additional support from Peter Bonaventure and Ciara Long. 

Research teams from around the world have been hard at work on a COVID-19 vaccine for more than six months. But the big question still remains: When are we going to actually have a vaccine? This week, we spoke to the head of the National Institutes of Health and a leading researcher on the global hunt for a cure about what you need to know about where the search for a vaccine stands.  One thing we should note: while the race for a vaccine is happening at a historic pace, having a “normal” holiday season is probably off the table until most of us can actually get vaccinated. So, we’ve got some tips about dealing with the challenge of getting through the coming months. Then, President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett was in the hot seat this week during her Senate confirmation hearings, where she was grilled on everything from healthcare to her note-taking style. We’ll break down what this week’s hearings did and didn’t reveal about the next potential justice.  Finally, if you’re a dog person, we’ve got a piece for you. About the scientifically-proven ways to bond... with a cat.  On this episode, you’ll hear from:  Dr. Francis Collins, director, National Institutes of Health Kalipso Chalkidou, director of global health policy, Center for Global Development Dr. Vaile Wright, senior director of health care innovation, American Psychological Association Let us know what questions you have about what’s going on in the news right now. Email us at audio@theskimm.com or call and leave us a voicemail at: 646-461-6370. You might hear your message on the show.  If you want to add theSkimm to your daily routine, sign-up for our free newsletter the Daily Skimm. It’s everything you need to know to start your day, right in your inbox.  Skimm'd by Alex Carr, Justine Davie, and Luke Vargas. With additional support from Peter Bonaventure and Ciara Long. 

Over the last few months, most of us have faced some sort of COVID-related lifestyle changes that have disrupted our everyday norms. On today’s Skimm Special, brought to you in partnership with Northwestern Mutual, we’ll hear from a Skimm’r contending with a drop in self-employment income after her counseling job went remote and her office sat empty. Managing new childcare expenses while making a career pivot hasn’t been easy, but she’s not afraid to think outside the box when it comes to making ends meet and still planning for the future. Whether it’s saving for a rainy day or setting competitive rates for our work, Northwestern Mutual financial advisor Nicole Stokes walks us through the value of keeping expenses in check even while aiming for the stars in our careers. On this episode, you’ll hear from:  Kim Wheeler Poitevien, Philadelphia-based counsellor and licensed social worker  Nicole Stokes, Northwestern Mutual financial advisor If you want to add theSkimm to your daily routine, sign-up for our free newsletter the Daily Skimm. It’s everything you need to know to start your day, right in your inbox.  Skimm'd by Ciara Long, Luke Vargas, Justine Davie, and Peter Bonaventure.

It’s been a week since President Trump announced he’d tested positive for COVID-19. We’ll give you an update on his condition and how this health scare has increased interest in the role of Vice President, including at Wednesday’s VP debate. And speaking of the election, over four million Americans have already cast their ballots. But it hasn’t been all smooth sailing. We’ll break down the challenges some voters are encountering and walk you through how to make sure your ballot gets counted.  Then, it’s time for a labor market update. Half of the jobs lost at the start of the pandemic have been brought back, but the road ahead is gonna be a long one. We’ll look at which jobs have come back, which haven’t, and what to watch for as the economic recovery continues. Finally, we’ll get to the fly that launched a thousand memes. You know the one we’re talkin’ about.  On this episode, you’ll hear from:  Seritta Norige, former Disney World employee Valerie Wilson, director of the Program on Race, Ethnicity, and the Economy, Economic Policy Institute Julie Schecter, Skimm’r Tappan Vickery, director of voter engagement, Headcount Salvatore Attardo, professor of linguistics, Texas A&M University Let us know what questions you have about what’s going on in the news right now. Email us at audio@theskimm.com or call and leave us a voicemail at: 646-461-6370. You might hear your message on the show.  If you want to add theSkimm to your daily routine, sign-up for our free newsletter the Daily Skimm. It’s everything you need to know to start your day, right in your inbox.  Skimm'd by Alex Carr, Justine Davie, and Luke Vargas. With additional support from Peter Bonaventure and Ciara Long. 

Over the last few months, most of us have faced some sort of COVID-related lifestyle changes that have disrupted our everyday norms. On today’s Skimm Special, brought to you in partnership with Northwestern Mutual, we’ll hear from a Skimm’r whose job disappeared as the US economy slid into a recession earlier this year … just weeks after she signed an expensive new lease. Making ends meet hasn’t been easy, but she’s still optimistic and hopes more education or even entrepreneurship could be on the horizon.  Whether it’s revisiting our budgets or prioritizing savings, Northwestern Mutual financial advisor Nicole Stokes walks us through the value of going back to basics when the world feels upside down. On this episode, you’ll hear from:  Chava Vietze, Skimm’r  Nicole Stokes, Northwestern Mutual financial advisor If you want to add theSkimm to your daily routine, sign-up for our free newsletter the Daily Skimm. It’s everything you need to know to start your day, right in your inbox.  Skimm'd by Ciara Long, Luke Vargas, Justine Davie, and Peter Bonaventure.

President Donald Trump announced Friday morning that he and First Lady Melania Trump tested positive for COVID-19. The news has already sent shockwaves around the world. We’ll break down what we know right now, and what we could expect in the days and weeks to come.

The President and First Lady have tested positive for COVID-19. We've got the latest on that developing story in this morning's Daily Skimm. President Trump’s tax returns are also in the news after a big report by The New York Times. We’ll break down the report's key findings, and hear what Trump and his Democratic opponent Joe Biden had to say about the US tax system at this week’s presidential debate. And speaking of that debate… if you found it hard to follow, you’re not alone. So now, the Committee on Presidential Debates is saying: “we've got to make some changes.”  Then, we’ll introduce you to Amy Coney Barrett, Trump’s nominee to fill Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat on the Supreme Court. We asked three constitutional scholars to explain how her nomination could change the court for decades – and there’s a lot to cover.  We also talked to award winning director Julie Taymor about her new movie “The Glorias,” spotlighting the life of women's rights activist Gloria Steinem.  And finally, the CDC has outlined its health guidelines for having a safe Halloween. On this episode, you’ll hear from:  Maya Manian, visiting professor of law, American University Seema Mohapatra, professor of law, Indiana University, visiting professor, Florida A&M University Fatima Goss-Graves, President and CEO of the National Women’s Law Center Julie Taymor, director, “The Glorias” Let us know what questions you have about what’s going on in the news right now. Email us at audio@theskimm.com or call and leave us a voicemail at: 646-461-6370. You might hear your message on the show.  If you want to add theSkimm to your daily routine, sign-up for our free newsletter the Daily Skimm. It’s everything you need to know to start your day, right in your inbox.  Skimm'd by Alex Carr, Justine Davie, and Luke Vargas. With additional support from Peter Bonaventure and Ciara Long. 

Over the last few months, most of us have faced some sort of COVID-related lifestyle changes that have disrupted our everyday norms. Unemployment has skyrocketed, school closures have forced many moms to step back from work, and working from home has shut many women off from informal networking and mentorship opportunities that are key to career growth. On today’s Skimm Special, brought to you in partnership with Northwestern Mutual, we’ll hear from a financial advisor about how the pandemic is affecting the personal finances of millions of Americans, and women in particular. And we’ll also learn how financial planning can help Skimm’rs reach their goals and prepare for the future, even when the world feels upside down. On this episode, you’ll hear from:  Chantel Bonneau-Stewart, Northwestern Mutual financial advisor If you want to add theSkimm to your daily routine, sign-up for our free newsletter the Daily Skimm. It’s everything you need to know to start your day, right in your inbox.  Skimm'd by Ciara Long, Luke Vargas, Justine Davie, Marion Lozano, and Peter Bonaventure. ***NOTE*** The reference made by Chantel Bonneau-Stewart at 4:40 regarding 45% of adults having to make changes in regards to debt management can be found in the 2020 Planning & Progress Study, an annual research study from Northwestern Mutual.

As the nation mourns the loss of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, her death leaves a vacancy on the Supreme Court that Republicans are eager to fill ASAP. We’ll break down where the effort to nominate her replacement currently stands. Then, it’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for: the United Nations General Assembly is back in action over Zoom. Luckily, they all remembered to unmute themselves before diving into the latest on a COVID-19 vaccine.  Also, the 2020 election is less than 40 days away. But in many states, ballots have already been mailed out already and are even getting sent back in. We asked some top Democratic and Republican officials how they’re making their pitch to voters in the home stretch of the campaign and how they’re trying to reach you, the voter, literally everywhere.  Finally, tomorrow is World Contraception Day. But while safe and reliable forms of contraception are more available now than ever, access and affordability remain a huge issue for women around the world.  PS: Have voting questions? We’ve got you covered. Head to theskimm.com/2020 to learn more.  And in case you’re curious, here’s more info on World Contraception Day from the official WCD campaign, the U.N. and the W.H.O.   On this episode, you’ll hear from:  Wendi Wallace, Deputy Executive Director, Democratic Governors Association Ronna McDaniel, Chairwoman, Republican National Committee Dr. Stephanie Frazin, Family Planning Fellow, University of California, San Francisco  Let us know what questions you have about what’s going on in the news right now. Email us at audio@theskimm.com or call and leave us a voicemail at: 646-461-6370. You might hear your message on the show.  If you want to add theSkimm to your daily routine, sign-up for our free newsletter the Daily Skimm. It’s everything you need to know to start your day, right in your inbox.  Skimm'd by Alex Carr, Justine Davie, and Luke Vargas. With additional support from Peter Bonaventure and Ciara Long. 

The saga over TikTok is back in the headlines this week. The Chinese-owned social platform is desperately looking for a match before Sunday - the deadline President Trump gave the company to find a buyer before it gets banned from the U-S. We’ll break down the drama over which company is getting TikTok’s final rose.  And: the fires on the West coast have created some of the most unhealthy air quality… in the world. We’ll talk to experts about what can be done to stop each fire season from being worse than the one before. And explain the health risks of breathing in all this smoke. And for info on how to prepare your home for a wildfire, you can learn more here. Also: live sports are back. But while COVID-19 infections aren’t slowing down the rush to get back on the field, what kind of message does that send? Finally: come on board… a flight to nowhere. We’ll explain why some airlines are hoping you miss everything about travel, including just being on a plane.  On this episode, you’ll hear from:  Kate Andrews, Portland, OR resident Lori Daniels, fire ecologist, University of British Columbia Haverty Brown, Portland, OR resident Dr. John Balmes, Professor of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco Adamma Izuegbunam, volunteer with MasksOakland Nicole Fisher, public health consultant, HHR Strategies Let us know what questions you have about what’s going on in the news right now. Email us at audio@theskimm.com or call and leave us a voicemail at: 646-461-6370. You might hear your message on the show.  If you want to add theSkimm to your daily routine, sign-up for our free newsletter the Daily Skimm. It’s everything you need to know to start your day, right in your inbox.  Skimm'd by Alex Carr, Justine Davie, Marion Lozano, and Luke Vargas. With additional support from Peter Bonaventure and Ciara Long.