The Powers That Be: Daily

Dylan Byers joins Peter to whip-around the latest Washington media news: Robert Allbritton’s campaign to revamp NOTUS into a veritable Washington Post rival; Jeff Bezos’s uneasy détente with the WaPo newsroom; and Politico’s high-stakes search for its next editor-in-chief. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Julia Ioffe joins Peter to scrutinize Trump’s attempt to drag NATO into his war with Iran and explain why America’s allies, after years of insults and zero consultation, aren’t exactly rushing to oblige. She also discusses the unlikely rise of Elbridge Colby, the longtime critic of Middle East entanglements who now finds himself as the face of Trump’s misadventure. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to pull back the curtain on Republican senators and their private worries about Trump’s war in Iran. She reveals what they’re really thinking about the timeline and economic fallout, whether they’ll keep funding the conflict, and if voters can tolerate more American casualties—while noting that standing up to Trump may still be a bridge too far. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Besties Jon Kelly and Peter Hamby work through their Oscars and March Madness hangover to tear through all the CBS News-CNN machinations: what will get pro forma’d; who will be in charge; and how far right will it all lurch? Then the duo dig into a likely forthcoming NBA liquidity event. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sam Feist, the C.E.O. of C-SPAN and former 33-year veteran of CNN, joins Dylan to discuss the long-whispered possibility (now reality) of a marriage between CNN and CBS—a concept that has quietly floated around the industry for more than 40 years. Feist explains why the broadcast reach of CBS and CNN’s global reporting capabilities could be uniquely complementary, what the union might look like under the Ellisons, and why trusted journalism matters more than ever in today's hyper-misinformation era. He also shares the new initiatives he’s implementing at C-SPAN, in an effort to foster bipartisan dialogue. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to explain the ins and outs of Trump’s latest obsession: the SAVE America Act—a proposed bill that would require proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote. Leigh Ann discusses what’s actually inside the bill, which has already passed the House, and why it’s unlikely to survive a divided Senate. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Abby Livingston joins Peter to break down the state of paralysis in Texas with Republicans John Cornyn and Ken Paxton locked in a marquee runoff for Senate—and the shadow of a potential Trump endorsement looming over it all. Then they preview next week’s consequential Democratic primaries in Illinois and what they portend for the midterm map writ large. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Julia Ioffe joins Peter to decipher the diplomatic fallout from Trump’s war in Iran, and whether his contradictory comments reveal an endgame. Then they get into the risks of radicalization, the potential consequences for U.S. allies in the region, and the unpredictable ripple effects on global energy markets, the American economy, and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bill Cohan joins Peter to break down a whiplash week on Wall Street as the conflict with Iran rattled global markets. With equities swinging, futures seesawing, and oil briefly surging past $100 a barrel, Bill explains why the real economic consequences of the crisis are likely to outlast the headlines, regardless of how quickly the military operations wind down. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jon Kelly returns to Media Monday to walk through Paramount Skydance president Jeff Shell’s likelihood of survival amid a new legal investigation. Then he and Peter figure out how the Ellisons and Redbird can service their $79 billion debtload. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Guggenheim analyst Mike Morris joins John to discuss how a combined Paramount-WBD could impact future NFL media rights deals. Then they break down the true value of the league’s media contracts and how streamers like Netflix, Amazon and YouTube might eventually take even bigger pieces of the pie. Twenty nations and territories will compete in the World Baseball Classic with rosters featuring 78 MLB All-Stars, the most ever. Learn more at WorldBaseballClassic.com. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ian Kreitzberg joins Peter to discuss the Pentagon’s evolving relationship with artificial intelligence, from the use of A.I. tools for combat, intelligence gathering, and surveillance, to the fallout with Anthropic, which the government blacklisted after a dispute over the technology’s guardrails. Now, with Anthropic pushed to the side, is OpenAI using the rift to cozy up with the Defense Department? To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Julia Ioffe joins Peter to break down the most pressing questions, developments, and lines of inquiry surrounding the war in Iran: Why Donald Trump decided to attack, the mixed messages coming from the White House and the Pentagon, whether Israel is calling the shots, and what, exactly, the endgame might look like. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bill Cohan joins Peter to break down how the war in Iran might ripple through the global economy and impact energy prices. Then they discuss whether the Ellisons’ acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery is actually a done deal—or if the agreement will collapse under regulatory scrutiny in the U.S. and Europe. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Abby Livingston joins Peter Hamby to rap about the chaotic primary elections in Texas. The duo discuss the knock-down-drag-out fight for the Republican Senate nomination between Attorney General Ken Paxton and party-backed Senator John Cornyn. They also get into the unpredictable race for the Democratic nom, where 1.3 million votes have already been cast and James Talarico and Jasmine Crockett remain neck and neck. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Besties Jon Kelly and Peter Hamby reunite to work through the second and third order effects of Paramount Skydance’s stunning WBD victory. Then they duo read the tea leaves on the changes at Politico, including some hypotheses about the next shoes to drop. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jason Zengerle joins Dylan for a deep dive into his new book, ‘Hated by All the Right People: Tucker Carlson and the Unraveling of the Conservative Mind.’ Zengerle traces Carlson’s evolution from print journalist to cable news star—and eventually to media mogul—examining his strategic use of outrage, his close alignment with Trump, and how both have fueled his influence. They also explore the broader impact of conservative media on American political discourse and whether Carlson may ultimately pursue elected office. For more great episodes like this, click here to subscribe To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Puck’s new retail correspondent Malique Morris joins Peter to assess the turbulence facing Ssense, the once-buzzy luxury platform that built its name on discounted designer and cult indie labels—only to stumble in the post-pandemic reset. Malique breaks down the company’s path through bankruptcy and its uphill bid to profitability in a harsher retail climate. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ian Krietzberg joins Peter to break down the standoff between Anthropic and Pete Hegseth’s Department of Defense, which is pressuring the company to loosen safeguards around Claude—the only A.I. model currently deployed on classified systems. As Ian explains, Anthropic has built its brand on being the industry’s most responsible actor, but with the Pentagon threatening to walk, the company now faces a tough choice between principle and procurement dollars. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Julia Ioffe joins Peter to break down the escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran, as protests flare across the country and American envoys travel to Geneva to hear Tehran’s latest nuclear proposal—an attempt to find an off-ramp to Trump’s military buildup in the Middle East. They also mark the four-year anniversary of Russia’s war in Ukraine and consider what, if anything, could finally make Putin pull back. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to discuss the political crosscurrents heading into Trump’s State of the Union, with Democrats split over whether to protest the speech entirely and Republicans managing internal tensions. She also shares an inside look at the combustible National Governors Association meeting from this past weekend, where Republican governors expressed concerns about the Trump administration and some Democrat governors started plotting their run for president in 2028. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Besties Jon Kelly and Peter Hamby reunite to chew over Ted Sarandos' media crusade to win the WBD deal. Then the duo contemplate the latest twist in the NFL's manifest destiny (and why the MLBPA is screwing the pooch). To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NBC Sports president Rick Cordella joins Dylan to discuss a pivotal month for the network, from the Super Bowl to the Winter Olympics and the NBA All-Star Game. Cordella explains how live sports fuel subscriber growth for Peacock, often driving audiences to other programming, and reflects on the enduring value of broadcast television, the challenges of media fragmentation, the strategic importance of retaining premium sports rights, and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lauren Sherman joins Peter to break down Les Wexner’s testimony for the House Oversight Committee, in which the former Victoria’s Secret mogul confronted his long, shadowy ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Then they discuss the biggest trends emerging from New York Fashion Week and what it all signals about the immediate future in luxury. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dylan Byers joins Peter to break down what really happened at The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where an interview with Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico was shunted to YouTube amid accusations that F.C.C. chair Brendan Carr pressured CBS to block the appearance. Then they discuss Anderson Cooper’s decision to leave 60 Minutes after two decades—and whether Bari Weiss is playing with fire by meddling with one of television’s most revered broadcasts. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to explain why Democrats are content to let the partial government shutdown drag on, convinced they’ve got the public on their side in the fight over ICE. Then they discuss the rise of Senator Katie Britt—and how her bright future in the G.O.P. could be endangered by Trump. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Julia Ioffe joins Peter for an inside look at the Munich Security Conference and the anxiety over the future of the transatlantic alliance after Trump set off a crisis over Greenland. Julia reflects on Marco Rubio’s superficially reassuring speech promising a shared future with Europe—and the lingering unease that Washington has abandoned the liberal world order. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jon Kelly joins Julia Alexander, who is moonlighting for an under-the-weather Peter, to plot out the endgame of the NFL’s forthcoming media partner negotiations. Will one of the networks get left out this time around? And will that throw them into an existential crisis, like when WBD lost the NBA? Or is there somehow enough expensive football for everyone to share? To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lauren’s guest is Kyle Smith, fashion editor of the NFL and stylist to many of the league’s biggest stars, including Joe Burrow. They discuss the deepening relationship between American football and fashion, the GQ Bowl, Thom Browne, the halftime show, and Oscar de la Renta’s game night party with Puck, as well as Pieter Mulier’s appointment at Alaïa, the Margot Robbie Wuthering Heights press tour, and plenty more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

John Ourand joins Peter to take the temperature of the NBA as All-Star Weekend descends on Los Angeles and league insiders toast to a season they consider a success so far. Then they dig into the NHL’s—and other leagues’—strategic scramble to renegotiate their TV rights with ESPN and TNT before the NFL blows up the market by opting out of its own rights deals later this year. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Julia Alexander joins Peter to slice through the final, official Super Bowl ratings across the various platforms the game aired on—and consider whether Turning Point USA’s halftime counter-programming on YouTube could inspire copycats in future tentpole events. Then they weigh into the NFL’s growing international ambitions and spotlight the one country primed to become the league’s next major growth engine. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dylan Byers joins Peter to help make sense of the latest chapter of dysfunction at the Washington Post, where owner Jeff Bezos just forced out the embattled and aloof C.E.O. Will Lewis following massive layoffs and months of internal unrest. Then they turn to the bigger questions: can the Post finally crack the code on growth—and what kind of leadership will it take to make the paper relevant and competitive again? To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Abby Livingston joins Peter to assess whether Washington is barreling toward another partial government shutdown, as Democrats and Republicans remain locked in a standoff over ICE and Department of Homeland Security funding. They also discuss Michigan’s pivotal Senate race and how the three-way primary could potentially jeopardize the party’s chances come November. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Besties Jon Kelly and Peter Hamby reunite to chop up the Will Lewis tragedy at the Post—what went wrong, what went wronger, and whether it’s too late to fix this nightmare. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this special episode, Leigh Ann Caldwell sits down with Republican Senator Bernie Moreno of Ohio to discuss the stalled market structure bill governing stablecoins and the broader crypto industry. Moreno argues for a clearer, pro-innovation regulatory framework while pushing back on resistance from banks and what he sees as misconceptions about digital assets. He also weighs in on the ethics of Trump family business dealings and the political challenges of extending Affordable Care Act subsidies. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

John Ourand joins Peter with an inside look from Super Bowl week in the Bay Area, where NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is facing renewed scrutiny over the league’s lack of minority head coaches and media companies like NBC and Fox are sizing up the NFL as it enters a new partnership with ESPN. John also weighs into the unraveling of regional sports networks and the uncertain future facing small-market franchises in a streaming-first world. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ian Krietzberg joins Peter to cut through the fog around ICE’s use of A.I. tools to target illegal immigrants and U.S. citizens, as questions about oversight and accuracy remain unanswered. Then they dissect a new poll that reveals how college students are increasingly relying on A.I. chatbots for everything from mental health, to course work—and even romance. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

John Heilemann joins Peter to handicap California Governor Gavin Newsom as the Democrats’ early 2028 frontrunner. John lays out Newsom’s unique advantages—youth, charisma, and strong support among non-white voters—and also examines the liabilities that could dog him on the national stage, starting with his record in California. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to break down the escalating ICE fight on Capitol Hill and the procedural maneuvering tied to reopening the government from its partial shutdown. She also shares how Republicans are privately assessing Stephen Miller’s outsized influence within the G.O.P., and why some worry that his deportation strategy could become a midterm liability. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After a chilling week, Jon Kelly returns to discuss the lessons from Don Lemon’s stunning arrest in Los Angeles. Then Jon and Peter highlight the similarities between Bari Weiss’s suddenly entrenched tenure and Will Lewis’ early missteps at The Post. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former Barstool Sports C.E.O. and Food52 chief executive Erika Ayers Badan joins Dylan to reflect on navigating bankruptcy at Food52, a onetime $300 million company that ultimately collapsed under roughly $25 million in debt. She breaks down what went wrong, the dangers of undisciplined growth, and why diversified revenue streams matter now more than ever. She also discusses what kind of buyers might be circling, what industry peers can learn from Food52’s downturn, her take on the state of media writ large—and much more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bill Cohan joins Peter for an inside look at the final days of Jay Powell at the Federal Reserve—and the shortlist of Trump sycophants who could replace him. Then they dig into Paramount’s ongoing quest to wrest Warner Bros. from Netflix, and how the Ellisons could still win. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Eriq Gardner joins Peter to explore a potential regulatory shockwave: F.C.C. chair Brendan Carr floating changes to the longstanding Equal Time Rule that could reshape everything from presidential debates to late-night comedy. They dig into what Carr is actually proposing, how serious the threat is, and whether his track record suggests he’s actually more bark than bite. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Abby Livingston joins Peter to navigate the politics of Minnesota and ICE, as Abby considers whether Senate Democrats will pursue a government shutdown this week by demanding reforms to the immigration agency—and the odds that Democrats will push to impeach D.H.S. secretary Kristi Noem. Then Abby breaks down the buzz on the Hill surrounding Virginia Democratic governor Abigail Spanberger’s early days in office. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Julia Ioffe joins Peter to discuss the tragic killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, the growing shift in American public opinion against ICE, and why even Republicans are beginning to push back on Trump’s deportation war. She also breaks down Trump’s Greenland gambit—what he stood to gain, and what it means after the president claimed victory in Davos by touting a new U.S. deal granting access to the Arctic territory. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Amid the snow and the football, Jon Kelly and Peter Hamby reunite for a spirited conversation about the most riveting questions in the media firmament. Can Bari Weiss outflank her proliferating player haters inside CBS following the ‘60 Minutes’ scandalette? And will Amazon Prime’s Melania movie reach its audience of one? To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NCAA president Charlie Baker joins John to confront the growing sense that college sports are in troubled waters. Baker breaks down the chaos of the transfer portal, the accelerated professionalization of college athletics, and why Congress may need to step in to impose uniform eligibility rules. He also discusses the NCAA’s media rights deal with ESPN, makes the case for expanding March Madness, and much more. For more great episodes of The Varsity, click here To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ian Krietzberg joins Peter to discuss the mounting controversies surrounding X’s A.I. assistant Grok, which has been accused of generating non-consensual sexualized images of women—and why lawsuits against Elon Musk’s A.I. ventures are all but inevitable at this point. Ian also charts the soaring popularity of Anthropic’s new coding tool, Claude Code, and whether software engineers should begin planning to make a career pivot as the user-friendly tool is sure to spark fresh fears about A.I.’s impact on real-life jobs. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to break down a rare moment of Republican relief, as Trump signals a diplomatic exit from the Greenland standoff after weeks of saber-rattling toward NATO allies. They also discuss the growing talk of impeaching DHS secretary Kristi Noem over her management of ICE—and why the threat carries more weight than it might appear. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dylan Byers joins Peter for a clear-eyed look at the scrutiny facing Bari Weiss’s leadership at CBS News—what her critics are getting right, what they’re missing, and whether she can recover from an increasingly rocky start. Then they game out the Politico succession, and why Axel Springer might favor an external hire to revitalize the business. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices