On the Gist, red-string theories and conspiratorial last-ditch efforts.

In the interview, Mike and Slate’s national correspondent Will Saletan recap the final presidential debate. They discuss the Trump camp’s thwarted strategy of practicing restraint to expose Biden, the self-congratulatory and attacking exchanges between the two candidates, and why this debate might only make a difference for Trump in his attempts to score points with low-information and eleventh hour-voters.

In the spiel, Trump’s misconceptions about the race.

Email us at thegist@slate.com

Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley.

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