The Powers That Be: Daily

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Trump's Divided G.O.P & Cabinet Conundrums Jan 28, 2025

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Puck’s newest partner and chief Washington correspondent, Leigh Ann Caldwell, joins Peter for an insider’s take on the growing rift within the G.O.P. as they wrestle with whether to roll Trump’s ambitious agenda into one sweeping “big, beautiful bill” or split it in two. Plus, Leigh Ann previews two highly anticipated nomination hearings this week, with Tulsi Gabbard and R.F.K. Jr. gearing up to face intense scrutiny from skeptical Senate committees.

Media Monday: CNN’s Layoff Aftermath & NFL Streaming Woes Jan 27, 2025

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Jon Kelly connects with Peter to scrutinize CNN’s post-layoff digital transformation and how long it'll take for Mark Thompson’s vision to come to fruition, before discussing the strategic decisions by the Times, CNN, and other news outlets to tone down their political coverage during Trump 2.0. Finally, they gab about NFL’s declining ratings as Amazon and Netflix become major players in sports media.

Oscars Culture Wars & The Netflix Endgame Jan 24, 2025

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Matt Belloni joins Peter to break down this year’s Oscar nominations, from the snubs to the surprises—and the picks guaranteed to plug right into the culture wars. Then they dive into Netflix’s latest earnings call, in which the streaming behemoth announced a record-breaking 19 million new subscribers in the last quarter, bringing their total to over 300 million. Matt explains the tactics they can employ to keep justifying their massive Wall Street value.

Trumpocalypse Now Jan 23, 2025

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Abby Livingston joins Peter to discuss the dawn of Trump’s second term, and his preference for flexing executive power rather than navigating a gridlocked House and Senate. They also dive into Congress’s reaction to the J6 pardons, the Democrats’ messaging strategy, why the upcoming Virginia governor’s race could serve as a good indicator of public sentiment towards Trump, and much more.

The Strange Case of Trump v. CBS News Jan 22, 2025

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Eriq Gardner joins Peter to break down how CNN ended up paying $5 million to Navy veteran Zachary Young in a stunning, potentially precedent-setting defamation case. Then they dissect Donald Trump’s head-spinning lawsuit accusing ‘60 Minutes’ and CBS News of election interference—and why, despite the specious nature of the case, Paramount might settle.

Inauguration Kremlinology & Trump’s Crypto Grift Jan 21, 2025

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Bill Cohan joins Peter for a sobering analysis of the first family’s cynically timed and self-dealing launch of multibillion-dollar meme coins over the weekend, and how the crypto donation box could become a five-alarm constitutional fire. Then they scrutinize the seating chart (and hidden motives) of the tech billionaires at his inauguration.

Media Monday: NBA's New Foe & Fire Insurance Politics Jan 20, 2025

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Jon Kelly and Peter come together to debate the viability of Maverick Carter’s fascinating plan to create an NBA-adjacent international basketball league, touching on Maverick's ambitious fundraising efforts, and discussing the potential conflicts of interest and red flags. The duo also foreshadow the long-term effects of the catastrophic L.A. fires: the politicization of aid, price gouging, and the role of insurance companies in shaping future development.

The Musk-Trump Bromantasy Jan 17, 2025

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Bill Cohan joins Peter to speculate on the longevity of the Musk-Trump bromance, as the two titanic egomaniacs seem destined for an inevitable clash. They also delve into how long Musk's self-indulgent foray into the political arena can persist, given the weight of his responsibilities running a multitude of high-maintenance companies like Tesla, X, SpaceX, and others.

TikTok's Time Bomb & Drake's Defamation Disaster Jan 16, 2025

Show notes

Eriq Gardner joins Peter for an in-depth discussion on the looming Sunday deadline for TikTok’s ban or forced sale, exploring Trump’s potential solutions to save the app. The conversation then shifts to Drake’s baffling lawsuit against his record label Universal Music Group, sparked by Kendrick Lamar’s now-iconic diss record “Not Like Us.” Eriq breaks down the complexities of proving defamation in creative works and speculates on the likelihood of this high-profile case ever reaching the courtroom.

LA’s Karen Bass Problem & Rashida’s MSNBC Exit Jan 15, 2025

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Dylan Byers joins Peter to reflect on the ongoing wildfire disaster in Los Angeles, and the political blame game that’s only just begun–underscored by Mayor Karen Bass’s perplexing response to the crisis. The duo also discuss MSNBC’s president Rashida Jones’ foreshadowed departure from the network and who could potentially replace her.

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