Luxury travel, owls in NYC, and science competition instead of beauty pageants: Join hosts David Gura, Christina Ruffini and Lisa Mateo on Bloomberg This Weekend for Bookmarked, where they share stories that caught their attention over the past week.
Bloomberg Businessweek features writer Austin Carr tells Bloomberg This Weekend how Andreessen Horowitz co-founder Marc Andreessen became an increasingly influential Republican donor and adviser after years of shifting political allegiances, with disputes over AI, crypto and other Biden-era policies playing a role in his latest turn. Speaking with hosts David Gura and Christina Ruffini, Carr explains how Andreessen has translated his Silicon Valley influence into Washington access while maintaining a political style that associates describe as more calculated than his combative online persona.
Bloomberg congressional reporter Erik Wasson and Cook Political Report Senate and governors editor Jessica Taylor tell Bloomberg This Weekend that President Donald Trump's weak approval ratings are expanding the midterm battlefield, giving Democrats opportunities in states that normally favor Republicans. Speaking with hosts David Gura and Christina Ruffini, they say Democrats have multiple paths to Senate control, while a potential Democratic Congress could set up major fights with the White House over spending, the debt ceiling and foreign policy.
Rep. Marc Veasey, a Texas Democrat, tells Bloomberg This Weekend that President Donald Trump's recent moves involving Russia and Ukraine warrant greater congressional scrutiny, while warning that questions over Ukraine's access to US military technology could undermine allies' confidence in American defense products. Speaking with hosts David Gura and Christina Ruffini, Veasey also says Tarrant County will be crucial to Democrats' chances in Texas, arguing that strong performance there could help Senate candidate James Talarico win statewide.
Condé Nast Traveler senior features editor Megan Spurrell tells Bloomberg This Weekend what nearly 800,000 reader votes reveal about travelers' favorite cities, including Chicago's enduring appeal and the rise of destinations such as Phnom Penh. Speaking with hosts David Gura and Christina Ruffini, Spurrell says affordability, food, hospitality and evolving local cultures are helping both familiar destinations and less-traveled cities win devoted fans.
Author Thomas Frank tells Bloomberg This Weekend that America's celebration of creativity and innovation has helped justify policies that elevated white-collar knowledge work while contributing to inequality and the decline of manufacturing. Speaking with hosts David Gura and Christina Ruffini about his new book, The Creativity Con, Frank argues that innovation is neither uniquely American nor a guarantee of broadly shared prosperity.
PIMCO Market Strategist and Portfolio Manager Tony Crescenzi tells Bloomberg This Weekend that rising US interest costs and the selloff in CoreWeave debt show how bond investors are imposing greater discipline on borrowers, particularly companies with less certain cash flows. Speaking with hosts David Gura and Christina Ruffini, Crescenzi says divided government could be supportive for markets after the midterm elections and argues the AI investment cycle still has a long way to run.
Bloomberg News National Security Team Leader Wendy Benjaminson tells Bloomberg This Weekend that Ukraine uses SpaceX's Starshield and Starlink systems for critical military operations, as questions remain over what caused recent restrictions and whether they were deliberate. Speaking with hosts David Gura and Christina Ruffini, Benjamin says the dispute comes as Republican criticism grows over President Donald Trump's approach to Russia and Ukraine ahead of the midterm elections.
Rep. Chris Pappas, the Democratic nominee for US Senate in New Hampshire, tells Bloomberg This Weekend that his race against former Republican Sen. John E. Sununu remains highly competitive despite Democratic optimism heading into the midterm elections. Speaking with hosts David Gura and Christina Ruffini, Pappas says Democrats must keep reaching independent and ticket-splitting voters while focusing on the economy, cost of living and President Donald Trump's leadership.
Morgan Meaker, a senior writer for Bloomberg Weekend, tells Bloomberg This Weekend about the arrest of an OpenAI engineer accused of planting a covert recording device in an executive conference room, a case highlighting growing concerns about protecting sensitive AI technology. Meaker also explains to hosts David Gura and Christina Ruffini how AI training work is shifting toward highly skilled experts and why that evolution could eventually reshape the professions providing that expertise.
NPR All Things Considered co-host and American Pope coauthor Scott Detrow tells Bloomberg This Weekend that Pope Leo XIV's cancer was detected early and that his recovery appears to be progressing as he prepares to resume his duties and travel to South America. Speaking with hosts David Gura and Christina Ruffini, Detrow discusses how Leo's years in Peru shaped his leadership, his openness to greater roles for women in the church and his efforts to address global conflicts and the ethical challenges posed by AI.
Former Canadian deputy prime minister and "Wall Street Week" contributor Chrystia Freeland and former US Treasury secretary Janet Yellen say that globalization became dangerously dependent on countries willing to weaponize trade and supply chains. Freeland recounts her shared sentiment with Yellen in her new book, "Unreliable Boyfriend."
