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Jacquelyn Martin/AP
TOP STORY
RFK JR.’S CNN SHOWDOWN
CNN’s Dana Bash hosted U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on State of the Union this weekend, and the conversation quickly snowballed into a fiery back-and-forth — which dominated headlines in today’s newsletter stack. Kennedy appeared increasingly frustrated by Bash’s ability to do her job, something that was especially on display as he commented, “You probably don’t understand this because you’re not a scientist.” Bash responded with a zinger of her own: “Well, you’re not, either.”
The interview invigorated the right-leaning newsletters, many of whom framed it as a sweeping victory for a man they see as a bringer of truth and real science. Those on the left offered more measured takes that highlight the troubling reality of health science in the United States—and Kennedy’s role in it.
As we creep toward the midterms, it’s likely this conversation will continue to play out.
THREE TAKES
Newsbusters, Jorge Bonilla—Bash’s decision to bring Kennedy onto State of the Union was little more than an attempt at “some narrative hygiene” following the alleged fallout from last week’s Fauci hearings, Bonilla wrote yesterday. But his health hero charged into battle undeterred, Bonilla continued, and was soon “stomping all over Bash’s narrative and bringing to the fire Fauci’s role in the establishment of the Covid lockdowns.”
Bonilla celebrated Kennedy’s appearance as “one of the first times, if not the first, that anyone brings accountability to the Elitist Media for their role in spreading Covid propaganda.” He also insisted Bash learned a lesson: “that there is a difference between The Science
the media pushed and the actual science the people needed to hear.”
CNN Reliable Sources, Brian Stelter—Stelter himself didn’t devote too much time to the secretary of health and human services, but he did link to a colleague’s take. Aileen Graef slammed Kennedy’s appearance as “an attempt to rewrite the history of the Covid-19 response” and his decision to also bring back “a string of debunked assertions about vaccines, RSV and measles.”
As Graef and many others have pointed out in the last 24 hours, Kennedy’s dispute with Bash “underscores a deepening division over public health authority at a critical juncture” and being skeptical of mainstream science is no longer a fringe occupation. Kennedy’s comments are especially irresponsible as “the US battles its worst measles resurgence in more than three decades — a crisis experts warn is fueled directly by the type of vaccine misinformation and institutional distrust Kennedy amplified during the broadcast.”
The Poynter Report, Tom Jones—Though State of the Union and all the weekend morning political shows are often staging grounds for dispute and debate, what happened between Bash and Kennedy was “something way beyond your typical Sunday morning exchange,” Jones wrote today. Though Bash valiantly attempted to keep Kennedy on track, redirecting his arguments about individual and state rights back to the actual questions he was asked about future pandemics, for example, the latter was more focused on behaving as “a petulant child instead of a critical leader of the country.”
Jones also linked to Graef’s work (and that of Katherine Dillinger), which included a “lengthy” fact-checking of everything Kennedy had to say.
TAKEAWAY: It could be because midterms are approaching or it could be because it’s Kennedy we’re talking about, but the takes resulting from this State of the Union appearance fall largely along partisan lines. And that just might end up providing a short-term sugar high for those on the right — who are celebrating RFK’s bombast today, but may come to rue it in short order. The right-leaning newsletters were riding a wave of momentum after Dr. Fauci took the fifth in front of Congress. But as of today, the discussion around public health in America is no longer centering around Fauci — it’s centering around RFK. The right would much rather talk about the former than the latter.
TOP SCOOPS & ANALYSIS
SCOOP 
Status, Natalie Korach—Adam O’Neal’s exit from The Washington Post’s Opinion department came as a total surprise last week, Korach noted. Private conversations Status has since been made privy to reveal “he struck precisely the opposite tone, sounding triumphant and boasting that he had pushed the paper’s storied opinion section further to the right,” and that he “appeared energized by his work.”
The decision to leave the Post was “entirely his own.” But Korach pointed to a few elements that might have influenced O’Neal: his one-year anniversary of assuming the role, as well as looming budget proposals, “a process that typically brings sharper scrutiny of spending across the newsroom.” Also of note: the Post’s investment in the Opinion section’s “Make It Make Sense” podcast spawned “frustration among newsroom staffers after layoffs decimated their ranks in February,” and subscriptions remain tellingly low.
SCOOP POLITICO Playbook, Dasha Burns, Will Steakin, and Adam Wren—DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin is walking a dangerous line right now, and apparently he’s too immigrant-friendly for MAGA, Burns, Steakin, and Wren reported today. This comes after he made it clear on X he supports “NO amnesty for illegal aliens. Ever.” Mullin had previously attempted to draw “a distinction between immigrants pursuing legal status and those who aren’t” and “called for changes to employment visa programs to address labor shortages.”
That angered plenty on the far-right, including podcaster Jake Posobiec, he told POLITICO “there is a growing wave among MAGA to find a DHS secretary who puts deportations first.” Steve Bannon also weighed in and revealed there’s already a successor waiting in the wings: “MAGA wants President Trump to detail ‘Pitbull’ Pulte to DHS.” And even an anonymous senior Trump official told Politico “everyone agrees he sucks donkey butt.”
But right-wing insistence Mullin isn’t deporting people in large numbers isn’t accurate, our authors insist. “Nearly every metric — including removals, arrests, detention population — is up, with several at record or near-record levels for this administration, and the president is standing by Mullin so far.”
ANALYSIS 
The Bulwark’s The Opposition, Lauren Egan—Democrats appear to have found the “bogeyman who could motivate voters” against Trump, Egan wrote today: data centers. For a while, Dems focused on individuals, including Elon Musk and Kennedy. “But as the midterms near, it turns out it’s not a person who Democrats are villainizing, but a place. Or, rather, the concept of them,” she intoned.
Data centers are rapidly becoming “the Democratic party’s en vogue bad guy” and are “increasingly demonized by candidates running in competitive races, along with the corporations racing to build them around the country.” Senatorial candidates Sherrod Brown and James Talarico have launched attacks against such centers in Ohio and Texas, respectively, and the growing war against data centers has all the makings of becoming a “potent political issue” for the party.
ANALYSIS Semafor Media, Max Tani—Some Democrats are victims of “AI-generated fake newscasts” that are “hyping a blue-state dystopia,” Tani wrote this weekend. These videos have made it to Trump’s Truth Social account, something that isn’t all too shocking given the president’s apparent enjoyment of AI-generated content. But the videos are concerning to the left because two things are unclear: “clarity about the form these videos were taking and where they were coming from.”
California’s Gov. Gavin Newsom is an especially popular victim of “this growing wave of AI-assisted spam.” The videos are “cobbled together by AI and generated at scale with little regard for accuracy,” but that doesn’t seem to offend many viewers. Newsom’s spokesperson noted “algorithms are rewarding lies and bad actors are taking advantage,” something that will just lead to a more “divided America.”
ANALYSIS Punchbowl News AM, Andrew Desiderio and Laura Weiss—Todd Blanche may be confirmed as the newest Attorney General after all, Desiderio and Weiss wrote, after sending out a “formal document” that indicates “the order creating the controversial $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund is ‘rescinded’ with ‘no force or effect.’” He also sent out a second document that “limits of President Donald Trump’s tax audit immunity deal,” and both documents appear to quell gripes that were keeping Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) from approving his vote. That’s “good news” for GOP lawmakers, and could see Blanche confirmed as early as Saturday.
The Free Press, Editors—The “civil war” within the Democratic Party will “see a major battle this week” in Michigan, as the Senate race between Abdul El-Sayed and Haley Stevens culminates in a primary that’s the “most watched Senate primary of the cycle so far.” El-Sayed is “not DSA-endorsed but certainly DSA-adjacent,” while Stevens, “the far more conventional candidate,” has “the backing of Michigan big hitters.”
BUSINESS OF MEDIA 
Semafor Media, Liz Hoffman — Bloomberg LP is reportedly in preliminary talks with investment bankers about a potential IPO or other transaction. Hoffman reports that Mike Bloomberg also recently transferred some of his personal stock to a philanthropic arm, a move that would minimize taxes if a sale occurs. The $15 billion-a-year business could be valued at $80 billion or more, representing a massive acquisition target that could appeal to any- and everyone from AI labs to asset managers eager to get their hands on its proprietary market data. Still, the company is insisting there’s no sale right now. QUOTE 
Per Hoffman, a Bloomberg spokesman stated, “Mike controls the firm, is the majority shareholder, and has no plans to sell the company.”
CJR The Media Today, Jem Bartholomew — BuzzFeed, HuffPost, and Tasty are undergoing a major restructuring that includes significant layoffs under the ownership of Byron Allen. Bartholomew reports that the new head honcho is eliminating around 35% of the company’s workforce and contractors as part of a broader strategy to pivot the media brands to more directly compete with major technology platforms. QUOTE To make the point, Bartholomew highlighted something Allen said in May: “As of this moment, BuzzFeed is officially chasing YouTube and the other big tech platforms.”
Awful Announcing, Brendon Kleen — New ESPN EVP Mike Foss is now shifting the network’s long-held programming strategy away from contentious arguments and toward “authenticity.” Now that is a sign of the times. During a recent all-hands meeting, Foss reportedly told talent that flagship shows like SportsCenter will scale back on talking-head debates in favor of news, highlights, and the natural personalities of the anchors. The pivot is designed to create content that translates better to the internet and social video platforms. QUOTE “Someone had to go in and flip the switch fully toward this mindset at ESPN: No more programming for what keeps cable television viewers from turning the channel; focus instead on what breaks through in the endless scroll of social video platforms.”
Semafor Media, Max Tani — CBS News is continuing its major hiring spree by successfully snatching up conservative columnist Ross Douthat from The New York Times to join its expanded podcast division. The departure is a significant blow to the Times, where Douthat’s Interesting Times show had become a surprise hit that racked up millions of views on YouTube. Semafor notes that as legacy newspapers increasingly restructure around video and audio programming, they are now facing the exact same television-style talent retention challenges that broadcast networks have dealt with for years. QUOTE “As the Times behaves more like a television network, it’ll face the same talent challenges as traditional TV.”
Semafor Media, Graph Massara — Major brands are officially beginning to advertise on OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Massara highlights Sensor Tower data showing that the number of unique brands advertising on the platform skyrocketed from roughly 300 in April to more than 800 last month, with financial services serving as the fastest-growing category. High-profile spenders currently tapping into the artificial intelligence platform’s audience include Intuit, Home Depot, and L.L. Bean. QUOTE “More than a third of all ad spend on ChatGPT in April was for shopping… but by last month, shopping ads had fallen to about a quarter.”
POLITICO Playbook, Irie Sentner — President Trump’s Truth Social is officially offering early access to high-profile posts to Wall Street traders who are down to pay a premium. Sentner highlights reporting from the AP noting that critics are raising alarms over the ethical implications of the arrangement, while the platform’s parent company is dismissing the concerns entirely. QUOTE Per Truth Social’s parent company, detractors are simply acting out of “ideological opposition to free markets or a failure to grasp the distinction between public and nonpublic information — or, quite possibly, both.”
CNN Reliable Sources, Brian Stelter — Netflix is currently in talks with First We Feast to strike a new distribution deal for the massively popular interview series Hot Ones. Stelter highlights reporting from Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw revealing that the streaming giant wants to pay for the rights to publish new episodes simultaneously on its own platform alongside YouTube. The move signals Netflix’s growing appetite for reliable, culturally relevant unscripted programming to help drive subscriber growth, which longtime One Sheet readers have heard all about.
OTHER COOL STUFF
Morning Brew: America’s leading driverless cab company, Waymo, recently called the cops on a pair of teen riders who were accused of shooting squishy Orbeez out of toy guns. An employee monitoring the car’s live camera feeds mistook the toys for real firearms, which led to the police intercepting the teens in what was treated as a “high-risk traffic stop.” This isn’t just a story about teens doing teen stuff; it’s actually one that raises questions about surveillance in our increasingly tech-driven world.
CNN Reliable Sources: Ariana Grande is officially planning to step away from the public eye once her current tour wraps up on September 1. The pop star is reportedly taking a much-needed break to escape the intensifying scrutiny surrounding her body and health.
Semafor Media: Kareem Rahma is taking his hit YouTube show Keep the Meter Running on the road to a global audience. The documentary-style series, which features heartwarming and comedic interviews with local cab drivers, will expand to international cities to continue focusing on positive “connection and storytelling.”
WHAT GOT MISSED?
Status, Brett LoGiurato—A lot of attention last week was paid to news CBS had poached longtime NYT Opinion columnist Ross Douthat, who has no broadcast experience, for 60 Minutes. But Bari Weiss also made another hire of note: that of Tanya Lukyanova, a video journalist at The Free Press. Lukyanova is responsible for a “highly controversial” article on the site that “asserted that ‘viral photos’ of starving children [in Gaza] ‘lacked context.’” The article “was used by some to cast doubt on the food crisis in the region.”
Lukyanova is only being brought in as an associate producer. But this type of hire is every bit as likely to shape 60 Minutes going forward as the more high-profile ones like Douthat.
NEWSLETTER OF THE DAY
Page Six Hollywood, Ian Mohr—Paramount CEO David Ellison is not one of the many billionaires toiling away in Europe right now, Mohr wrote today. Instead, he’s “been hunkered down in LA as he preps for the studio’s bitter legal battle for Warner Bros”—though he was also spotted recently taking in breakfast at Disneyland.
“Multiple spies saw the Paramount Skydance CEO grabbing breakfast at the swanky Grand Californian Hotel’s Storytellers Cafe over the weekend,” Mohr reported. For the curious, brunch runs at around $62 per adult.
Ellison and Paramount are currently waiting for the judge to decide when a trial will begin. They’re hoping for November, but prosecutors in the case want to push it to April. “The trial dates could make a huge difference in the case’s final tab: After Sept. 30, Paramount is on the hook for $650 million for each quarter that the transaction doesn’t close — that rings up to about $7 million per day,” Mohr explained, before offering a laugh: “And they say Disneyland is expensive!”
The rest of Mohr’s missive today includes tales of intra-reporter fighting (did Deadline’s Michael Fleming, Jr., really steal Variety’s Jeff Sneider’s scoop on AI concerns about a new book?) as well as a Spider-Man tidbit about who almost snagged Tobey Maguire’s role (Heath Ledger).
This newsletter was produced by Lindsey Ellefson.
The post Mediaite ONE SHEET: RFK Jr. vs. CNN, 60 Minutes’ Under-the-Radar New Hire, and More! first appeared on Mediaite.
