CNN One Thing - Podcast on CNN Podcasts

CNN

CNN Podcasts

Holiday Heat Wave Intensifies, Reflecting Pool Indictment, 250th Celebration Challenges and more
5 Things
Listen to
CNN 5 Things
Thu, Jul 2
New Episodes
How To Listen
On your computer On your mobile device Smart speakers
Explore CNN
US World Politics Business
podcast

CNN One Thing

You’ve been overwhelmed with headlines all week – what's worth a closer look? One Thing takes you beyond the headlines and helps make sense of what everyone is talking about. Host David Rind talks to experts, reporters on the front lines and the real people impacted by the news about what they've learned – and why it matters. New episodes every Wednesday and Sunday.

Their Ancestors Helped Found America. Are They Proud of It? CNN One Thing
Ahead of America’s 250th birthday, CNN tracked down multiple descendants of the original signers of the Declaration of Independence to ask: do you feel like we are living up to their vision? Their answers were as complicated as the country itself.  For more: Descendants in a divided America  ---  Guest: Catherine Shoichet, CNN Senior Writer  Host: David Rind  Producer: Paola Ortiz  Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin  Photo: Tristen Rouse/CNN
Jul 1, 2026
What MLB’s Gay Meltdown Tells Us About LGBTQ Progress CNN One Thing
Over the past few weeks, a small player protest over Pride uniforms has kicked off a controversy in Major League Baseball. Some LGBTQ fans and politicians are angry (for very different reasons), and the episode is raising questions about LGBTQ progress and whether professional sports should play a role. We look at whether this drama on the diamond can tell us anything about Americans’ shifting attitudes on social issues under the second Trump administration.  For more: Americans are divided on ...Show more‘culture war’ issues, a new CNN poll finds. Republicans are trying to leverage that in the midterms  ---  Guests: Terri Hupfer & Hannah Keyser, CNN Sports Writer  Host: David Rind  Producer: Paola Ortiz  Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin Photo by: Scott Marshall/AP
Jun 28, 2026
Why Talk of 'Climate Hushing’ is Getting Louder CNN One Thing
A new report from global energy think tank Ember found that solar generated more US energy than coal in May 2026 for the first time on record. It comes at a time when the Trump administration has been actively hostile towards the development of wind and solar projects, despite a growing need for more electricity as more AI data centers come online. So, is this a minor blip, or a sea change? And is the current political climate making talk of climate change taboo on the campaign trail?  For more...Show more: ‘Afraid to get my next bill’: Americans brace for higher costs to cool their homes this summer  ---  Guest: Jane Flegal, Searchlight Institute Senior Fellow  Host: David Rind  Producer: Paola Ortiz  Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin  Photo By: RyanJLane/E+/Getty Images
Jun 24, 2026
Sen. Adam Schiff on Being a Trump Target, Graham Platner, and How Democrats Rebuild CNN One Thing
Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff of California has long been a target of President Donald Trump dating back to Trump’s first impeachment trial. Now he is reportedly under investigation by Trump’s Justice Department for mortgage fraud (allegations Schiff denies). In a conversation recorded live at the Cascade PBS Ideas Festival, Schiff explains how he is preparing for possible legal action, how Democrats should respond if they take back the House of Representatives in the midterms, and if they have th...Show moree right leadership in place to effectively push back against what he sees as a corrupt administration. ---  Guest: Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA)  Host: David Rind  Producer: Paola Ortiz  Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
Jun 21, 2026
Trump Says the War with Iran Is Over. Will Gas Prices Fall? CNN One Thing
President Donald Trump says the Strait of Hormuz is set to fully reopen on Friday after Iran and the US sign a memo of understanding to end hostilities that will end the war and kickstart further negotiations. But will it bring down gas prices for American drivers – and when? We look at the complicated business of unwinding a war’s unintended consequences.  For more: The tanks in Cushing, Oklahoma, are hitting bottom. The oil market is about to hit a tipping point  ---  Guest: David Goldman, CNN Business Senior Reporter  Host: David Rind  Producer: Paola Ortiz  Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin  Editorial Support: Chris Isidore Photo By: Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Jun 17, 2026
Will We Ever See a Real-Life ‘Disclosure Day’? CNN One Thing
The recent Pentagon releases of declassified files detailing sightings of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs) has piqued the interest of UFO enthusiasts and curious Americans alike. But despite increased transparency, a lack of hard evidence remains. Why do many of us want to believe there is intelligent life out there somewhere? And if scientists found that evidence, would we even accept it?  ---  Guest: Adam Frank, University of Rochester astrophysicist   Host: David Rind  Producer: Paola Ortiz  Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin Photo By: Mario Tama/Getty Images
Jun 14, 2026
How UFC Scored a White House Fight Night CNN One Thing
A scheduled UFC fight at the White House on Sunday is being billed as a kickoff for America’s 250th birthday celebrations. But some critics are calling it a disrespectful money grab, and those who follow combat sports closely believe it is just an extension of a relationship that has served both sides financially and politically for years. So beyond the optics of the octagon, what purpose does this event serve? And can it help Trump and the GOP win back young male voters?  For more: Young men a...Show morere leaving Trump. Can a UFC fight at the White House get them back in the ring?  ---  Guests: Francisco Muñiz & Luke Thomas  Host: David Rind  Producer: Paola Ortiz  Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin  Editorial Support: Kit Maher Photo by: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Jun 10, 2026
Inside the Turmoil at 60 Minutes CNN One Thing
A dramatic shakeup of 60 Minutes under CBS editor-in-chief Bari Weiss culminated this week in the firing of longtime correspondent Scott Pelley. He, and some other employees who have recently left, have accused management of editorial interference in an effort to curry favor with the Trump administration (claims CBS denies). So is this a long overdue shakeup of an aging medium, or a sign of corporate media meddling? And what does it mean for the rest of the content we consume on TV?  ---  Guest: Brian Stelter, CNN Chief Media Analyst  Host: David Rind  Producer: Paola Ortiz  Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin  Photo By: Charles Sykes/Invision/AP/File
Jun 7, 2026
FEMA Is in Tatters. Here Comes Hurricane Season. CNN One Thing
Early on in his second term, President Donald Trump called for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to be eliminated. Now, the White House appears to be cleaning up the mess left behind at the agency by former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, who sources say fostered a culture of fear, distrust, and operational chaos (an official who claims he teleported to a Waffle House also made an appearance). But with Atlantic hurricane season upon us, will FEMA be ready to answer the call after the next big d...Show moreisaster?  For more: Exclusive: Power struggles and paralysis: Inside FEMA’s lost year as storm season approaches  ---  Guest: Gabe Cohen, CNN Correspondent  Host: David Rind  Producer: Paola Ortiz  Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin  Photo By:  Al Drago/Getty Images
Jun 3, 2026
Why Erin Brockovich is Setting Her Sights on AI Data Centers CNN One Thing
Erin Brockovich rose to fame after the release of a 2000 Hollywood movie, starring Julia Roberts, which told the story of her real-life fight to bring justice to a small town affected by a utility company’s pollution. Now, she is lending her voice to the growing opposition to AI data centers, which tech companies say are needed to fuel economic growth and national security. But who is the true villain in this story?  For more: Why Utah residents are protesting a massive AI data center project backed by Kevin O’Leary  ---  Guest: Elizabeth Martorana & Erin Brockovich, consumer advocate  Host: David Rind  Producer: Paola Ortiz  Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin Photo By: Alan Freed/Reuters
May 31, 2026
Show more episodes