The Powers That Be: Daily

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 http://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 http://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.

John Ourand joins Peter to discuss the possible end of one of sports broadcasting’s most enduring pairings: Troy Aikman and Joe Buck, who’ve been calling NFL games together for more than 20 years, now facing a split after ESPN re-upped Buck but not Aikman—all as network’s Super Bowl debut inches closer. John also digs into what Bela Bajaria’s abrupt exit from Netflix might mean for the streamer’s sports strategy.

Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to discuss how House Republicans are suddenly talking like a party resigned to the minority next year—and the members already jockeying to lead the G.O.P. caucus in the next Congress. Then they dig into a critical House race in the Philadelphia suburbs that may offer a preview of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s political ambitions.

Jon Kelly joins Peter to discuss all the drama surrounding ABC’s posted, deleted, and then re-reported story on Don Jr. and Eric Trump profiting off Pentagon contracts. Then they turn to ESPN’s decision to go all-in on alt-casts for next year’s Super Bowl, with the Manning brothers and Pat McAfee leading a multi-channel push to goose ratings and ad inventory.

JB Pritzker, the Illinois governor and rumored ’28 aspirant, sits down with Peter to discuss why he suspended tax breaks for data centers, how A.I. could make 10 percent unemployment the new baseline, and why Democrats need to punch back at Trump's anything-goes tech policy. He also explains his decision to ban his staff from betting on Kalshi and why guys like Sam Altman and Elon Musk need to "touch grass."

Progress doesn’t just arrive. It’s built - one question, one discovery, and one solution at a time. Explore more at http://ScienceDelivers.com.

Eriq Gardner joins Peter to break down the bizarre legal fight behind a Shohei Ohtani home run ball that sold for over $4 million after three men scrambled to claim it in the stands. Eriq also digs into the labor reckoning facing the league, explaining why a post-season lockout seems increasingly likely—though a deal may not be entirely out of reach.

Julia Ioffe joins Peter to examine how Donald Trump brokered an oil export deal with Russia to ease energy costs, despite the uncomfortable reality that it could help fund Vladimir Putin’s war machine in Ukraine. Julia explains that Trump is standing firm, even as plenty of Republicans on Copitol Hill object to the energy agreement—which experts say is still unlikely to bring down gas prices before the midterms.

Ian Krietzberg joins Peter to break down how rogue Anthropic agents accessed a State Department website and filed a fake homicide tip with the Philadelphia P.D.—and how the incident has the Trump administration pressing the big A.I. companies for more transparency. Ian also weighs in on the sudden rise of the term “superintelligence.”

Marianna Sotomayor joins Peter to answer an overlooked question about the midterms: if Democrats take back the House, the Senate, or both, what do they actually plan to do with that power? Marianna lays out the internal friction a House majority could expose between progressive socialists and centrist moderates. She also digs into how the G.O.P.’s heavy ad spending is failing to produce the results they’d hoped for.