On the Gist, the skeletons in Hunter Biden’s closet. And, today’s installment of Remembrances of Things Trump: A natural rust color on the border wall.

In the interview, it’s part one of Mike’s conversation with author and economics reporter Jim Tankersley about his new book, The Riches of This Land: The Untold, True Story of America's Middle Class. Tankersley defines the middle class by economic security, and underscores how legislations and the Civil Rights act negatively impacted economic policy. Mike and Jim also discuss how the U.S. seemed to luck into having a middle class post-World War II, and why chasing jobs of the past could be an ineffective method of rebuilding future opportunities. Stay tuned for part two in tomorrow’s episode.

In the spiel, the Black community and the coronavirus vaccine.

Email us at thegist@slate.com

Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley.

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