The Powers That Be: Daily

Abby Livingston joins Ben to discuss the latest spending bill mishegoss and how Mike Johnson lost control of his conference. Then they investigate why Nancy Pelosi worked the phones to kill A.O.C.'s leadership bid.

Marion Maneker joins Peter to walk through the latest drama at Sotheby’s, with the auction house revealing nearly 100 layoffs in New York and possibly more to come across the globe. He also takes a close look at the relationship between Sotheby’s C.E.O. Charles Stewart and billionaire owner Patrick Drahi—and how their cost-cutting will impact buyers on a practical level.

Baratunde Thurston joins Peter to break down how A.I. is playing a role in each of the nation’s power corners, and what experts are saying about how it will remake our society and politics in 2025 and beyond. Then they discuss the widespread skepticism surrounding the technology, and whether certain industries should adapt or resist.

Bill Cohan joins Peter to speculate about Warner Bros. Discover potentially selling its declining cable assets as Zaslav doubles down on streaming. Then they delve into how BuzzFeed, on the brink of bankruptcy, is scrambling to pay off its colossal corporate debt.

Eriq Gardner joins Peter to break down ABC News and Disney's $15 million decision to settle the defamation lawsuit brought by Trump. He also dives into Trump’s freshly-filed lawsuit against former pollster Ann Selzer and whether this signals a warning shot for other pollsters who could face similar lawsuits.

Jon Kelly connects with Dylan Byers to chew over the latest media industry buzz, starting with David Zaslav’s sweeping WBD restructuring and what this move portends for his longstanding cable networks, including CNN. Is Zaslav positioning to spin off these networks, a la Brian Roberts’ SpinCo? Plus they dive into the latest developments at The Washington Post, Politico, and much more.

Abby Livingston returns with a grand unified theory of how tech took over Trump's White House: the V.C. players in his inner circle, the crypto money that fueled the election, whether lawmakers will back off regulation of Big Tech, and why Washington dismisses Elon Musk at its peril. 

Tara Palmeri joins Ben to discuss how a cheating Don Jr. got his fiancée banished to Greece, and what the non-scandal scandal portends for fellow sex fiends RFK Jr. and Pete Hegseth. Then they assess Tulsi Gabbard's charm campaign on the Hill and whether Kash Patel will be the next nominee to fall. 

John Ourand joins Peter for a candid conversation about the booming college football business as the inaugural CFP is slated to begin this weekend—and Bill Belichick's striking move to become UNC's next head coach. Then they discuss whether the NBA Cup is having a positive impact on the league's ratings and competition.

Legal expert Eriq Gardner joins Peter to explain the latest twist in Rupert Murdoch’s high-stakes succession battle against his children. Then they debate the chances that Trump saves TikTok after a federal court upheld the app’s ban slated for January.