S.B.F. Agonistes, Zaz vs. DirecTV, Gaetz of Hell

Welcome back to The Daily Courant, your afternoon dispatch of Puck’s latest reporting.

First up today, Bill Cohan wrangles legendary hedge fund manager Bill Ackman for an intimate chat about his new “SPARC” investment vehicle—a veritable SPAC 2.0—and why he seems bent on a deal for Elon Musk’s X.

Plus, below the fold: Dylan Byers gets his paws on Bezos’s refined WaPo C.E.O. shortlist, and scrutinizes Zaz’s spat with DirecTV. Tina Nguyen deciphers MAGA lawmakers’ post-McCarthy speakership fantasies. On Somebody’s Gotta Win, Tara Palmeri and Abby Livingston examine the chain reaction that led to McCarthy’s defenestration. And on The Powers That Be, Teddy Schleifer rings up Peter Hamby with fresh intel from S.B.F.’s courtroom, while Julia Ioffe and Ben Landy reveal how the House shakeup might jeopardize Ukraine.

WILLIAM D. COHAN

Sure, Bill Ackman knows how to work the media beautifully, as he has many times in his career. But his public promotion of his new SPARC—a sort of SPAC 2.0—isn’t just a tickle: it’s a sign to the market that he’s open for a whale of a deal. And the calls are coming in…

DYLAN BYERS

News and notes from the Sulzberger penthouse: on Mark Thompson’s new CNN, the WaPo C.E.O. search, and Zaslav’s battle with DirecTV.

TINA NGUYEN

Congress’s most ardent McCarthy haters didn’t plan for Matt Gaetz to go rogue. But with the transactional Kevin McCarthy gone as Speaker, the most MAGA Republicans need to find a new whipping boy—and fast.

TARA PALMERI

Following the historic ousting of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Tara sits down with Abby Livingston to examine the chain reaction that led to this historic moment. Plus, Tara and producer Conor discuss a recent poll showing Nikki Haley pulling well ahead of Ron DeSantis in New Hampshire.