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West Wing Whispers & Tom Cruise News
$(preheader)  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ 
The Daily Courant

Biden Succession Fears, Hollywood’s Mission: Impossible, Scientology Strikes Back

Happy Friday, and thanks for reading The Daily Courant, our afternoon rundown of what’s new at Puck.

Today, we lead with Tara Palmeri’s inaugural edition of The Washington Mall—a delectable, gossip-packed and insiderly compendium of the real conversation in Washington: Who else wanted Jen Psaki’s job; why Democrats are fed up with Ron Klain; how the Times is repositioning for the return of Trump; and the secret Mar-a-Lago backchannel to Elon Musk.

Plus, below the fold, Matt Belloni reveals how Tom Cruise’s retro business strategy throws a wrench in the streaming wars. Seth Abramovitch stops by The Town to discuss a Scientology shocker. And Palmeri chats with Peter about what D.C. media could learn from the New York Post.

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Welcome to The Washington Mall
Welcome to The Washington Mall
Notes on White House succession planning, knives out for Ron Klain, and Trump’s VP shortlist. Plus what’s next for Jeff Roe, Elon, and the Ron-Don drama at Mar-a-Lago.
TARA PALMERI TARA PALMERI
I’m thrilled to begin writing and reporting this email for a number of reasons. As we head toward the midterms, there are so many storylines that intrigue me personally, and also, curiously, appear undercovered. In the coming weeks, I’ll be writing about a number of these topics, many of which D.C. insiders are chewing over privately—which is usually how a kernel of news blossoms in a town that is professionally obsessed with messaging and communication.

I want to bring readers of The Washington Mall closer to the action than they’ve ever been, illuminated by my reporting and analysis of that very inside conversation. For instance, I’ve been fascinated by the current, very sotto voce succession race to replace White House press secretary Jen Psaki. This afternoon, the White House announced that Karine Jean-Pierre, Psaki’s heir apparent, would make history as the first Black L.G.B.T. female at the podium. It’s a fantastic, wonderful achievement, and the Biden administration unveiled the news in typically leak-proof, elegant fashion. But the announcement obscures the fact that there had been some real drama around succession planning...
CONTINUE READING ONLINE
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FOUR STORIES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
Cruise's Reality Check
Cruise's Reality Check
The new Top Gun is not competing against theatrical releases so much as shorter windows and new streaming drops.
MATTHEW BELLONI
The Church of Moss
The Church of Moss
Matt and Seth Abramovitch of The Hollywood Reporter discuss the recent New Yorker profile of Elisabeth Moss.
MATTHEW BELLONI
D.C. & Tabloid Media
D.C. & Tabloid Media
Tara Palmeri joins Peter to discuss D.C.'s lingering media challenge lying beneath its clenched-smile culture.
PETER HAMBY
Buffett's Goldman Reversal
Buffett's Goldman Reversal
Untangling a Wall Street mystery—right from the Oracle’s mouth.
WILLIAM D. COHAN
swash divider
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