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.

In the days since the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, FBI Director Kash Patel has been scrutinized for a series of missteps some believe hindered the investigation. However, experts say a series of other shakeups at the agency could have an even greater impact on US law enforcement going forward. Will President Trump stick with him?
Guest: Evan Perez, CNN Senior Justice Correspondent
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Host: David Rind
Producer: Paola Ortiz
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
Sep 17, 2025
The apparent assassination of Charlie Kirk has both sides of the aisle calling on Americans to ‘lower the temperature’ of political rhetoric. But we’ve been here before – is there actually any chance that happens? We hear why Kirk was so effective in motivating young conservatives and look at what could happen next.
Guest: Alex Stone & Lilliana Mason, SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins Professor of Political Science
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Host: David Rind
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
Editorial Support: Donie O’Sullivan & Sean Clark
Sep 14, 2025
A massive immigration enforcement operation at a Hyundai manufacturing plant in Georgia is being described as one of the most extensive immigration raids in recent US history. But the incident has ensnared South Korea, a key US ally, which is learning a lesson that doing business with the Trump administration is much more complicated than expanding investment.
Guests: Charles Kuck, founding partner at Kuck Baxter Immigration & Allison Morrow, CNN Business Senior Writer
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Host: David Rind
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
Sep 10, 2025
As President Donald Trump threatens to send National Guard troops into other cities to fight crime, troops from at least six GOP-led states continue to patrol Washington, DC. We hear why the unorthodox mission is weighing on some guard members and their families back home.
Guest: Isabelle Khurshudyan, CNN Senior Enterprise Reporter/Writer
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Host: David Rind
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
Editorial Support: Nicky Robertson
Sep 7, 2025
What’s next for the CDC after its director was fired? Have politics fully infiltrated public health? And where should Americans turn for reliable health guidance? We turn to someone who used to run the agency for answers.
Guest: Dr. Richard Besser, former acting CDC director
Have something you think we should know? Call us at 202-240-2895.
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Host: David Rind
Producer: Paola Ortiz
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
Editorial Support: Jamie Gumbrecht
Sep 3, 2025
20 years after the levees broke, New Orleans continues to feel the impacts from Hurricane Katrina. We hear from three generations of Katrina survivors about how music has helped the city recover and move forward.
Guests: Michael White, Keith Frazier, Jaron “Bear” Williams
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Host: David Rind
Producer: Paola Ortiz
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
Aug 31, 2025
President Donald Trump continues to insist that his aggressive tariff policies will not raise prices for consumers. But little by little, customers are starting to see the opposite. We hear about the phenomenon called ‘sneakflation’ (and why it may not actually be so sneaky) and how Trump’s attempt to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook could impact the entire economy.
Guest: Justin Wolfers, University of Michigan Professor of Public Policy and Economics
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Host: David Rind
Producer: Paola Ortiz
Senior Producer: Faiz Jamil
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
Executive Producer: Steve Lickteig
Aug 27, 2025
Critics say President Donald Trump’s attacks on the Smithsonian museum system amount to an attempt to whitewash American history. A historian tells us why the administration's claims about ‘overemphasizing’ slavery do a disservice to all Americans.
Guest: Leah Wright Rigueur, political historian & associate professor, Johns Hopkins University
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Host: David Rind
Producer: Paola Ortiz
Senior Producer: Faiz Jamil
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
Support: Piper Hudspeth Blackburn
Aug 24, 2025
Recent incidents involving aggressive ICE tactics have outraged critics of President Donald Trump’s deportation agenda. We hear from a former ICE official about whether its reputation as a lawless agency is warranted – and what it could mean for future recruiting efforts.
Guest: John Sandweg, former acting ICE director
Have a question about the news? Have a story you think we should cover? Call us at 202-240-2895.
Host: David Rind
Producer: Paola Ortiz
Senior Producer: Faiz Jamil
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
Aug 20, 2025
As President Donald Trump’s takeover of Washington, DC law enforcement continues, some critics are questioning just how much safer it will make the streets – and whether the tactics will soon be replicated in other cities. We hear from an expert who believes there may be other motivations behind Trump’s unprecedented actions in the capital.
Guest: Trevor Gardner, Professor of Law, Washington University in St. Louis
Have a question about the news? Have a story you think we should cover? Call us at 202-240-2895.
Host: David Rind
Producer: Paola Ortiz
Senior Producer: Faiz Jamil
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
Aug 17, 2025