Squawk Pod

Elon Musk’s bid for Twitter has prompted questions about his own financial liquidity, and free speech on the platform. While Wall Street is eyeing Musk’s offer, Musk is bringing the entire Twitter board under scrutiny, calling out their online presence and potentially suggesting that the platform’s power rest with shareholders, instead of the board. The World Health Organization maintains that the Covid-19 pandemic is still very much underway, but governments in the U.S. and in China are handling the continued outbreaks very differently. Dr. Kavita Patel, former White House health policy director, unpacks the CDC’s new guidance on Covid safety in the U.S., which emphasizes personal choice over mandates. Plus, in other health news, fried foods are trending up on American menus.  In this episode:Dr. Kavita Patel, @kavitapmdAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkKatie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy says workers may be “better off” not joining a union.  In an extended interview at Amazon’s Seattle campus, Jassy spoke with Andrew Ross Sorkin to break down his first annual letter to shareholders. Jassy explains how the company quickly grew its fulfillment center capacity amid a rapid pandemic rise in e-commerce sales and he reacts to unionization efforts inside Amazon warehouses. The Amazon chief also discusses the federal minimum wage, Amazon’s 20-for-1 stock split, Elon Musk’s Twitter bid, crypto, and much more.  Andrew Ross Sorkin also tours a fulfillment center with Amazon’s Alicia Boler Davis about the up-to-the minute technology completing millions of e-commerce orders.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Producer Price Index, which measures prices paid by wholesalers, rose 11.2% from a year ago, hitting a record high. Inflation around the world continues to rise as Vladimir Putin presses on in his war in Ukraine. Hermitage Capital CEO and author of “Freezing Order: A True Story of Money Laundering, Murder, and Surviving Vladimir Putin’s Wrath” Bill Browder, shares details of his life under Putin’s eye and concerns about the war’s ripple effects across the globe. Plus, Elon Musk is back in the news–this time, for a lawsuit.  In this episode:Bill Browder, @BillBrowderJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickKatie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Consumer Price Index, which measures inflation by tracking the prices of everyday items, rose 8.5% in the last year–the fastest annual gain since 1981. CNBC’s senior economics reporter Steve Liesman and on-air editor Rick Santelli explain the hot inflation data, pains for consumers, and whether the Fed’s aggressive policies to combat it will result in a broader economic slowdown. Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd covers another factor that could hit inflation rates here in the U.S.: China’s Covid lockdowns. As sweeping shutdowns across the country continue, Rudd considers the impact on global supply chains and inflation around the world. Plus, Etsy sellers are on strike–virtually for a week to protest a hike in fees. In this episode:Kevin Rudd, @MrKRuddRick Santelli, @RickSantelliSteve Liesman, @steveliesmanJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinKatie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

China’s strict “no-Covid” policy is prompting lockdowns across the country, and residents are sharing reports of food shortages and hoarding as they weather the latest wave of the pandemic. CNBC’s Eunice Yoon reports from China on the quarantines and the inflation sweeping the nation. Former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb details the low vaccination rates in China that might be contributing to such a dire situation over 2 years into the pandemic. White House economist Heather Boushey, a member of President Biden’s Council of Economic Advisors, discusses inflation in the U.S., high energy costs around the world, and what the government might do to mitigate American pocketbook pains. Plus, WarnerMedia and Discovery have made their merger official; investors and streamers are tuned in for the resulting changes to the entertainment and media landscapes.  In this episode:Heather Boushey, @hboushey46Dr. Scott Gottlieb, @ScottGottliebMDEunice Yoon, @onlyyoontvJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin,@andrewrsorkinKatie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As Vladimir Putin presses on with Russia’s assaults in Ukraine, the rest of the world has reevaluated the globe’s balance of energy power. The New York Times columnist Tom Friedman discusses the new oil world order and this moment’s legacy in energy markets for years to come. Elon Musk closed out an eventful week with a “cyber rodeo” to celebrate the opening of Tesla’s new gigafactory in Austin, Texas. CNBC’s Phil Lebeau and WSJ’s Tim Higgins discuss the whirlwind week for Tesla, Twitter, and Musk himself. Plus, famed entrepreneur and venture capitalist Peter Thiel shared some harsh words about fellow billionaire Warren Buffett, calling the Oracle of Omaha a “sociopathic grandpa.” In this episode:Tom Friedman, @tomfriedmanTim Higgins, @timkhigginsPhil LeBeau, @LebeaucarnewsJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinKatie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Elon Musk’s 9.2% stake in Twitter cost him $2.6B–chump change for the wealthiest man in the world, according to fellow billionaire and supporter Ron Baron. But Musk’s ownership and board seat are a big deal for Twitter and for social media on the whole; Reddit co-founder turned VC Alexis Ohanian considers Musk’s intentions and his potential impact on social media as we know it. Plus, President Biden has expressed his support for unionizing Amazon workers, and Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway has had a productive–and expensive–start to 2022.  In this episode:Alexis Ohanian, @alexisohanianJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinKatie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Filmmaker Ken Burns’ new two-part documentary on PBS documents the life and complicated legacy of Benjamin Franklin. The documentarian joins Franklin biographer Walter Isaacson to discuss how the founding father shaped not only our country, but America’s everyday life, language, education system, and economy. Contemporary innovator Elon Musk is also shaping our daily lives, albeit differently: the anchors discuss his ambitions for Twitter and his multifaceted legacy–flamethrowers, rockets, and all. Plus, CNBC’s Phil LeBeau reports on JetBlue’s $3.6 billion offer for Spirit Airlines, and whether regulators will show as much skepticism as Wall Street analysts.  In this episode: Ken Burns, @KenBurnsWalter Isaacson, @WalterIsaacsonPhil LeBeau, @LebeaucarnewsJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinKatie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In an extended interview, Matt Damon and Gary White discuss founding their nonprofit Water.org, following over a decade funding global access to safe water and sanitation. The actor and engineer share their inspiration and motivation. Plus, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been appointed to Twitter’s board of directors after taking a 9.2% stake in the social media giant. In reaction, Twitter saw its best day of trading since its IPO in 2013. Shanghai has extended restrictions on transportation as cases rise and lockdown continues, and in the U.S., the Senate reached a deal on $10 billion in additional Covid funding just in case another Covid wave arrives stateside.In this episode:Matt Damon, @WaterGary White, @WaterAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkKatie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk purchased a giant stake in Twitter making him the largest outside shareholder in the social media stock, not long after criticizing the company for what he said was its failure to uphold the tenets of free speech. Rich Greenfield, partner and co-founder of LightShed Partners, reacts to Elon Musk’s passive stake in Twitter and explains why he thinks Twitter could be an acquisition target—and a buying opportunity for investors. Amazon workers on New York’s Staten Island made history after becoming the first group to vote in favor of unionizing at a U.S. facility operated by the country’s largest e-commerce company. Mary Kay Henry, president of the Service Employees International Union, or SEIU, reacts to the historic unionization vote and a similar sentiment building among Starbucks baristas. Plus, CNBC’s Leslie Picker breaks down the highlights from JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon’s annual letter to shareholders.In this episode:Mary Kay Henry, @MaryKayHenryRich Greenfield, @RichLightShedLeslie Picker, @LesliePickerAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkKatie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.