The Elon Election, Art’s Autumn Fantasies, Trump’s Economic Lemon

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

First up today, Dylan Byers reveals how the newish additions to the CNN brain trust are envisioning the future state of the once-august network. But in the end, how will Mark Thompson’s long-awaited digital transformation impact CNN’s business?

Plus, below the fold: William D. Cohan takes a red pen to Trump’s largely nonsensical monologue at The Economic Club of New York. Tara Palmeri charts the latest skirmish between G.O.P. operatives inside Trumpworld. Marion Maneker offers a candid preview of the art market’s fall auction season. On The Town, Matt Belloni and Focus Features chairman Peter Kujawski unpack the high art of premiering a movie at a film festival. And on The Powers That Be, Peter Hamby reunites with Jon Kelly to consider Brian Stelter’s CNN boomerang and evaluate the stakes of Tuesday’s presidential debate.

DYLAN BYERS

A year after Mark Thompson took over, he’s finally on the verge of revealing the first signs, such as they are, of his master plan.

a message from our sponsor

See all the ways we’re investing in America.

WILLIAM D. COHAN

Yes, Trump’s insane, rambling, nonsensical dissembling at the Economic Club of New York was the latest evidence of his declining acuity. But it was also yet another example of his terrible understanding of simple business concepts.

TARA PALMERI

So Trump’s campaign has tacitly endorsed DeSantis’s former operatives’ ability to restock Elon Musk’s super PAC with their old buddies, all in the spirit of reelecting 45? Unsurprisingly, the blame game has begun.

MARION MANEKER

The art world has taken Manhattan, bringing with it some surprises that have provided insight into what’s really taking place in the market.