The Powers That Be: Daily
Puck | Audacy
Join Emmy Award-winning journalist Peter Hamby, along with the team of expert journalists at Puck, as they let you in on the real conversations insiders are having across the four corners of power in America: Wall Street, Washington, Silicon Valley and Hollywood. Puck's contributors will bring you smart conversation around the inside stories happening in these worlds. Presented in partnership with Audacy, new episodes publish daily, Monday-Friday.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 12, 2026 • 26min
The Lone Star Standoff
Abby Livingston, a political reporter specializing in Texas elections, breaks down the nail-biting Cornyn–Paxton runoff and the pressure of a possible Trump endorsement. She explores Paxton’s SAVE Act leverage and the huge fundraising battle looming. She also previews Illinois primaries, highlighting Krishnamoorthi’s cash edge, Pritzker’s influence, and an energized Chicago-area House fight.
5 snips
Mar 11, 2026 • 21min
Trump’s Iran Bait-and-Switch
Julia Ioffe, foreign policy journalist expert on Iran and the Middle East. She unpacks Trump's mixed messaging and market-timing motives. She discusses risks of radicalization and Iran’s possible leadership response. She explores regional allies’ fears and the ripple effects on energy and global stability.
Mar 10, 2026 • 22min
Wall Street’s Iran Reckoning
Bill Cohan, author and financial journalist with deep Wall Street expertise, walks through markets' reaction to the Iran confrontation. He explains why oil spiked and how Hormuz disruptions ripple through fertilizers, airlines, and metals. They discuss market panic, bond moves, political timing, and why economic effects may outlast the headlines.
Mar 9, 2026 • 24min
Media Monday: The Jeff Shellscape & Ellison Leverage Math
They analyze Jeff Shell’s precarious position at Paramount Skydance amid a new legal probe. They unpack the Ellisons and Redbird’s ability to manage a massive $79 billion debt load. They track rising AI lobbying and political pitches in California. They translate corporate cost-cutting talk into likely real-world savings like contracts and real estate moves.
Mar 7, 2026 • 47min
Can ParaBros Keep the NFL?
Mike Morris, a Guggenheim senior analyst who studies media and sports financials, breaks down how a Paramount-WBD combo could reshape NFL media rights. He talks cost-per-viewer-hour, why NFL deals dominate broadcaster economics, the rising role of streamers like Amazon and Netflix, and which networks are likely to keep Sunday rights.
5 snips
Mar 6, 2026 • 22min
Trump’s A.I. Army
Ian Kreitzberg, a journalist and author covering AI policy and industry disputes. He unpacks the Pentagon’s shifting use of AI in combat, intelligence, and surveillance. He traces the Anthropic conflict over guardrails, reports about model use in Iran, and how OpenAI moved in amid the fallout. Short, sharp takes on contracts, public messaging, and political tensions around AI.
12 snips
Mar 5, 2026 • 24min
Charting the Iran Endgame
Julia Ioffe, political journalist and Middle East analyst, gives sharp context on U.S. moves in Iran. She breaks down whether current actions count as war. She examines mixed White House messaging and why the administration struck now. She outlines questions about regime change and what an unclear post-strike endgame could look like.
8 snips
Mar 4, 2026 • 25min
Iran Market Jitters & The Ellisons’ Final Test
Bill Cohan, author and longtime financial journalist, offers market analysis and dealmaking perspective. He examines how conflict in Iran could jolt energy prices and the ripple effects on global markets. He also unpacks the Ellisons’ bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, focusing on regulatory hurdles in the U.S. and Europe and the deal’s fragile prospects.
Mar 3, 2026 • 24min
Don’t Mess With Texas: Primary Edition!
Abby Livingston, a Texas-based political reporter for Puck and the Texas Tribune, breaks down chaotic Texas primaries. She walks through the bruising Cornyn vs. Ken Paxton Republican clash and whether national Republicans will intervene. She also covers the tight Democratic race between James Talarico and Jasmine Crockett, turnout surprises, and why polls in Texas are so unreliable.
Mar 2, 2026 • 23min
Media Monday: Ellison Carnage & Politico Pivots
They unpack Paramount Skydance’s surprise victory for WBD and why Netflix walked away. They trace the deal’s financial strain, synergy claims, and likely waves of layoffs. They parse political and regulatory pushback and what regulators might do. They shift to leadership shifts at Politico and Axel Springer’s strategic rethink.
