The Powers That Be: Daily

Leigh Ann Caldwell and Marianna Sotomayor join Peter to make sense of a groundbreaking week in Washington, as newly minted Democrats descend on Capitol Hill for orientation, a vote to impeach Pete Hegseth shockingly failed, and Chuck Schumer tries to fend off a leadership challenge in his bid to become the next Senate majority leader.

Dylan Byers joins Peter to discuss Ross Douthat’s 60 Minutes interview with Trump, and why it landed as both a ratings win for Bari Weiss and a genuinely revealing conversation that broke from the traditional sit-down format of presidential TV interviews. Then they dive into a broader discussion on the future of 60 Minutes under its new regime.

Bill Cohan joins Peter to discuss the scandal engulfing Nvidia C.E.O. Jensen Huang, whose affair with a Singapore-based executive has taken a darker turn amid reports she may have been a Chinese spy. They weigh whether the fallout could cost Huang his job, and the thorny national security and governance questions it raises for a company at the center of the A.I. boom.

Jon Kelly joins Peter to discuss whether newly empowered House Democrats will subpoena Andy Jassy and other Trump-friendly media execs. Then they size up the New York Times’ potential windfall from its OpenAI lawsuit, and what it might buy with the money.

Julia and Dylan reunite to discuss which networks rose to the occasion on election night, which stumbled, and who ultimately won the night. They also discuss The New York Times’s potentially blockbuster settlement in its suit against OpenAI and Microsoft, which is expected to reach at least $1 billion, and how the paper could deploy it.

Leigh Ann Caldwell and Marianna Sotomayor join Peter to reflect on a whirlwind election week: They dig into what the blue tsunami really means, what Democrats can actually do to deliver on lower costs, and whether the party’s progressives and new crop of heartland moderates are on a collision course. 

John Ourand joins Peter for a midseason check-in on the NFL: the highs, the lows, and why a crop of winning Midwest teams is fueling a ratings boom. They also dig into the WNBA’s hunt for Cathy Engelbert’s replacement, the MLB lockout bearing down on the sport, and more.

Puck’s campaign dream team reconvenes to digest the midterm results and dish out instant reactions, with Peter Hamby analyzing the final polls from California and Leigh Ann and Marianna tabulating the House margin in Washington. Plus: who takes the Senate, Hispanic turnout questions, Trump’s election challenges, and more exit poll madness

Peter convenes Leigh Ann Caldwell and Marianna Sotomayor for an Election Night bonanza and a viewer’s guide to the evening ahead. They flag the early East Coast House races that will tell us whether a blue wave is real, the Senate races that could deliver a shock, and the third-party candidates who could cost Republicans in close contests. They also survey the 2028 field: which Democrats boosted their stock this cycle, and which Republicans might be gearing up to challenge JD Vance.

Polling guru Nate Silver joins Peter to offer his final set of midterm election predictions, from the Deep South to the Midwest and explain why his model shows Democrats with a growing chance of retaking the Senate. They also discuss potential polling errors, the problem of ticket splitters, and why Jon Ossoff is Nate’s top pick for Dems in 2028.

Jon Kelly and Peter reunite on the eve of the midterms to dig into a high-stakes test for pollsters, and why nearly $12 billion in political ad spending has become a windfall for ESPN. Then they turn to CNN, where Mark Thompson’s postponed contract talks are beginning to look like an audition for David Ellison and Skydance.

Tim Miller, co-founder of The Bulwark, a leader of the anti-Trump resistance, and a veteran of countless Republican campaigns from the pre-Trump era, joins Peter for a wide-ranging conversation. He gives his read on the midterms, Trump’s polling collapse, and whether he fears Democrats could come up short in the Senate, plus some candid talk about J.D. Vance. Tim also considers whether A.O.C. should run for president, which Democrats have a real shot in 2028, and shares some of the best and worst stories from his years on the trail.Progress doesn’t just arrive. It’s built - one question, one discovery, and one solution at a time. Explore more at ScienceDelivers.com.

Julia Ioffe joins Peter with reporting on why European leaders are steering clear of formal Washington visits with Trump—where they risk public humiliation or a public berating, and where appearing close to Trump can hurt them back home. Julia explains how diplomacy continues without them, and whether European leaders might turn instead to the Democrats eyeing the White House.

Matt Belloni joins Peter to break down how A24 turned ‘You Can See Everything’ into a genuine national phenomenon, even as some filmmakers bristle at the Nathan Fielder film presenting itself as a documentary. Matt also weighs in on the early Oscar buzz around Hollywood and why ‘The Odyssey’ may already be a lock for Best Picture.

Marion Maneker joins Peter fresh off a European tour that saw his Art Basel visit overshadowed by the riots in France. And yet, Marion explains, the art market hasn’t missed a beat despite the class anxiety roaring through the streets, with some huge sales going down in Paris and at Frieze in London.

Bill Cohan joins Peter to consider whether Elon Musk can engineer the largest merger in history by combining Tesla and SpaceX—and why it’s hard to bet against Elon on this one. Then they turn to Anthropic, which filed this week for a massive I.P.O. even after posting an $80 billion loss in the first half of this year.

Jon Kelly joins Peter to discuss Peter Rice’s takeover at Netflix and whether he can win back attention from YouTube. Then they turn to ESPN letting Troy Aikman walk, and why it may signal a peak in NFL rights.

Veteran pollster John Della Volpe joins Peter to discuss why young men who took a chance on Donald Trump now regret their vote—the surging price of gas, unaffordable groceries, tariffs, the war in Iran. Then they turn to the nuances that have made Della Volpe one of the nation's foremost Gen Z bro-ologists, including what he's heard in focus groups about why young men aren't turning to Democrats either. Progress doesn’t just arrive. It’s built - one question, one discovery, and one solution at a time. Explore more at ScienceDelivers.com.

Marianna Sotomayor joins Peter to look past Election Day at the chaos that could follow: If Democrats reclaim the House, the lame-duck session may turn combustible with spending bills to pass, Republicans refusing to show up, and Democrats potentially launching an impeachment crusade against Pete Hegseth, all before the new Congress is even sworn in next year.

Dylan Byers joins Peter with a grab bag of Paramount intrigue: whether Ellison will cut a content deal with Elon Musk and Starlink, what Jon Stewart’s Daily Show extension reveals about Ellison’s politics, and why the media class can’t stop talking about Bari Weiss. They also dig into the ESPN contract saga between Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, and whether the split amounts to a betrayal in the broadcast booth.