Chuck’s Commentary - Bari Weiss Burns The Credibility Of CBS News + Trump Wasted The "Honeymoon" Phase Of His Presidency

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Dec 24, 2025

Delve into the crisis of trust in American media as Chuck Todd analyzes CBS News's controversial pulling of a 60 Minutes episode. He critiques Bari Weiss's missteps and highlights how corporate interests jeopardize journalistic integrity. The intriguing dynamics of the Justice Department's release of Epstein documents reveal troubling political favoritism. Todd further explores Trump's squandered political capital and the fracturing of his coalition, while offering insights into upcoming election trends and addressing listener questions.

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INSIGHT

Inexperience Shows In CBS News Intervention

Bari Weiss’s decision revealed deep inexperience with how television newsrooms operate and the editing process.
Late interference in a 60 Minutes piece looks like outside pressure and damages internal trust at CBS News.

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INSIGHT

Perception Of Political Influence Harms Credibility

External political pressure and ownership deals create a perception that corporate newsrooms will appease power.
That perception alone erodes trust in institutions like CBS, especially when 60 Minutes is viewed as the network's credibility anchor.

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ADVICE

Prioritize Trust Over Popularity

Grow a thick skin and prioritize trust over popularity when practicing journalism.
Don't chase algorithmic popularity; aim for honest reporting that builds long-term credibility.

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Welcome and Episode Roadmap

04:06 • 3min

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Why Bari Weiss Misread TV News

06:45 • 2min

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Timing and Perception of External Pressure

08:58 • 2min

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60 Minutes as CBS's Credibility Barometer

11:22 • 3min

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Corporate Interests vs. Journalistic Independence

DOJ Epstein Releases and a Defensive Statement

23:56 • 2min

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Epstein Documents' Political Timing

26:16 • 4min

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Trump Blew His Honeymoon Opportunity

30:30 • 3min

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Failure to Build a Durable GOP Coalition

33:45 • 3min

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Election Trends: Vote Against Dynamic

36:18 • 7min

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Cracks in the MAGA Coalition

42:52 • 9min

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Trump's Kennedy Center Post and Hosting Joke

52:00 • 2min

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Listener Mail: 2028 Republican Direction

54:11 • 7min

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Teaching How Washington Works

01:01:34 • 6min

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Q&A: Bush 41 Second Term Hypothetical

01:07:30 • 5min

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Restoring Historical Education

01:12:19 • 5min

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Garfield, Death by Lightning, and Public Unity

College Football and Stadium Trends

01:26:54 • 11min

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Holiday Sports Viewing Guide

01:37:32 • 7min

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Closing Notes and Upcoming Episodes

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The Wolves of K Street offers a detailed and engaging portrait of how corporate power and lobbying have grown in influence over the past fifty years in Washington. The book follows the stories of several prominent lobbyists, illustrating how corporations have gained significant control over public policy, often surpassing the influence of the president and Congress. It also explores how reforms have inadvertently strengthened the power and secrecy of corporate lobbyists, shifting their focus from Congress to voters nationwide. The narrative is described as irresistibly dramatic, spectacularly timely, and meticulously researched, making it essential reading for understanding the impact of corporate interests on American democracy.

Chuck Todd digs into the growing crisis of trust in American media and politics, sparked by CBS News pulling a 60 Minutes episode amid controversy and perceptions of corporate and political pressure. He examines how Bari Weiss’s handling of the situation exposed a lack of understanding of television news culture, why 60 Minutes has become the ultimate measure of CBS’s credibility, and how ownership, mergers, and appeasing power have once again put business interests ahead of journalism. The episode also explores troubling signals from the Justice Department’s handling of Epstein-related releases and what they reveal about political favoritism and eroding institutional independence.

Chuck then widens the lens to the political fallout, arguing that Donald Trump squandered his political capital and failed to build a durable coalition, and lays out how cracks in Trump’s coalition are becoming chasms.

Finally, he answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and breaks down the biggest stories in the world of sports.

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Timeline:

00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction

02:30 CBS News embroiled with controversy after pulling 60 Minutes episode

03:00 Bari Weiss’s inexperience in TV news is on full display

04:00 Weiss’s made incorrect assumption that everyone saw NYT story

05:15 The perception is the administration leaned on Weiss to kill story

06:30 Too many news executives don’t understand the process

08:00 Trump has complained publicly about 60 Minutes

08:45 Ellison willing to appease Trump in order to get merger approval

09:30 CBS News will be judged entirely on 60 Minutes

11:00 Weiss has lost the trust of the journalists at CBS

11:45 Corporate owned media has once again let the public down

12:30 WaPo’s editorial board completely changed after Bezos bought it

13:30 This event will further erode the public trust in media

14:45 Journalism that’s tethered to popularity will be compromised

15:45 Trust is more important than popularity for journalists

17:15 Corporations won’t let their news divisions interfere with business

18:00 DOJ frontloaded Clinton/Epstein releases & Trump releases later

19:15 DOJ releases statement that sounds like they’re Trump’s defense attorney

21:15 It’s notable that DOJ only singled out Trump for a defensive statement

23:15 Trump blew his “honeymoon” period in less than a year

24:00 Both Biden & Trump burned their political capitol early

26:45 Trump blew the chance to build a GOP that outlasts him

28:00 Trump didn’t win the 2024 election - Biden/Harris lost it

29:45 Voters don’t like party in power, 2008 was last “Vote for” election

31:30 Biden misinterpreted 2022 results, lots of bad GOP candidates

32:30 Liberation Day destroyed Trump’s goodwill with the public

34:45 The cracks in Trump’s coalition are turning into chasms

36:30 The GOP has been too concerned with appeasing the online right

37:45 Democrats could be having their own “Tea Party” moment

45:15 Trump floats leaving the presidency for “hosting” in social post

46:15 Is Trump soft launching stepping down from the presidency?

47:30 Ask Chuck

48:15 What wing of the party will the GOP lean towards in 2028?

54:30 What are the classes you teach like?

1:01:45 How would things be different if H.W. Bush won a second term?

1:06:30 How do we address the erosion of historical education?

1:11:15 Was the country really that united over Garfield’s death?

1:16:45 Sports roundup

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