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All Eyes On Texas GOP Primary Runoff; Are Republicans In Congress At A Breaking Point With Trump?; Trump Downplays Rising Gas Prices; 2015: Letterman's "Late Show" Ends, Colbert Prepares To Take Over; Noah Wyle Pushes For Protections For Healthcare Workers; Police: Man Drove Cybertruck Into Lake Using "Wade Mode." Aired 4-5p ET
Aired May 23, 2026 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[16:00:08]
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: All right. Tuesday, all eyes are on the Texas primary runoff. That's when a GOP Senate race between the incumbent and the Trump-backed firebrand will set the stage for a face-off in November. Texas is also where the Democrats' rising star is hoping to put the state in play during the midterms.
Tune in to election results all night Tuesday on CNN and the CNN app.
All right. Thank you so much for joining me today. I'm Fredricka Whitfield, THE ARENA weekend is next.
(MUSIC)
DANA BASH, CNN HOST: Hey, everyone, welcome to THE ARENA SATURDAY. I'm Dana Bash in for Kasie Hunt.
Have Republicans in Congress finally reached a breaking point with President Trump?
Well, the Justice Department's announcement of a $1.8 billion taxpayer-funded fund for people who claim they were targeted by the government has certainly sparked rare, real opposition for the president from people in his own party, in part because the administration repeatedly refused to rule out giving that money to January 6 rioters, including those who were convicted of assaulting police officers, even though they have all been pardoned by the president.
Now, many Republicans say they're just not on board.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. THOM TILLIS (R-NC): This is, I mean, this is just stupid on stilts.
REP. DON BACON (R-NE): This whole thing smells.
SEN. SUSAN COLLINS (R-ME): I do not support the weaponization fund as it has been described.
REP. BRIAN FITZPATRICK (R-PA): In order to stop it and or reverse it.
REPORTER: So, do you want to stop it?
FITZPATRICK: Oh, 100 percent.
SEN. JOHN KENNEDY (R-LA): I just don't know how this puppy dog will work.
REPORTER: Do you think you have colleagues that share the same concerns that you're expressing?
TILLIS: Yes, they do, and they need to speak up. I mean, this is beyond the pale. This is not good for my colleagues. There's no one positive thing that could be spun out of this between now and November. This is bad policy. It's bad timing and it's bad politics.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: And my panel is here in THE ARENA.
CNN legal analyst, former federal prosecutor Elliot Williams; CNN contributor and host of "The New York Times'" "The Interview" Lulu Garcia-Navarro; former Democratic Congressman from South Carolina, Joe Cunningham. He's the author of a new book, "Life of the Party: How Democrats Lost America's Trust and How They Could Win It Back." We're also joined by CNN political commentator, Republican strategist Shermichael Singleton.
Hello, everybody.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey.
BASH: It's been a week. And let's start there. So you talk to Republicans --
SHERMICHAEL SINGLETON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: All the time.
BASH: All the time, many of whom are your clients, your friends, you know, all of the above. Can you just kind of explain how you see this moment in your party given the fact that Senate Republicans are, forgive me, just pissed at the president about this fund, about the money he wants from the ballroom and about the fact, and this is very much tied in to the fact that this week we saw the president put his thumb on the scale.
More than that, he actually maybe put his foot, you know, where to get rid of Senator Bill Cassidy, somebody who was very much liked in the Republican conference. He's gone. He lost his primary and the runoff and also said that he was going to support Senator John Cornyn's Republican challenger, Ken Paxton. John Cornyn is probably one of the most popular members of the Republican conference.
SINGLETON: Yeah. Prolific fundraiser, NRSC, other groups have spent over $100 million trying to get Cornyn over the finish line. You think about the impact that this will have down ballot in Texas. The NRSC has, I believe, a little over $100 million cash on hand. It's estimated that this will cost us $230 million.
BASH: So how much does --
SINGLETON: This seat.
BASH: How much does that play into the anger that is now bubbling up? It's not like people weren't angry --
SINGLETON: They're absolutely place a part --
BASH: -- on these other issues?
SINGLETON: I mean, Dana, you think about the approval rating outside of the party. We, obviously, all of us here know that the president is incredibly popular among Republicans, particularly MAGA supporters. But when you get beyond a primary, there's a general election.
And when you look at the data in terms of swing voters, those who may lean to the right and maybe some of those who have voted both parties in the past, the net approval for the President and for my party as a whole is just not great at all. The economy, the cost of living, the conflict in Iran, I can go down the line.
When you look at focus groups, when you look at polling surveys, et cetera, all indicate that my party is in trouble. And so when you look at some of those senators in the clips we just played, they're principally concerned with what is the battle cry going into November that they and members in the House can articulate to those swing voters? And it appears that we don't frankly have one.
[16:05:01]
LULU GARCIA-NAVARRO, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Yes, I just find it kind of astonishing that there's nothing like losing your primary when Donald Trump has come against you to unleash your inner. I believe in my moral values now and I'm going to take a stand. I mean, this is where we where we find ourselves.
You know, Republicans have allowed this to continue and to continue and to continue. There's been many things that privately they're very, very worried about or, as Susan Collins might say, you know, very disappointed. But, you know, at the end of the day, they haven't done anything about it. And so, the President feels that he's been completely unleashed. BASH: So you're right about that, which is why this moment is different.
ELLIOT WILLIAMS, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Yes.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: I agree with you.
BASH: Because it's not just private talk and it's not just Republicans who have lost primaries. It's those who have a lot on the line, which is why they think the President has gone too far with these two big issues that they're trying to -- he's trying to push the President, excuse me --
WILLIAMS: Yes.
BASH: -- the Senate to do, and they're saying no.
WILLIAMS: Yes. You know, it's interesting, for these last -- I would say going back to 2015, President Trump has really defied gravity with Republicans, even on issues of the things that we was talking about where privately they're not happy. He still managed to do well in the polls. Every now and -- with Republicans.
Every now and again, an issue breaks through that gives you an indication of just how bad it is and just how bad people are seeing it. There was a little bit of that in Minneapolis after the shooting, then where Republicans publicly were breaking with the President. Epstein files were another one.
And this fund, this -- and I'm not going to say $1.8 billion funds, $1.776 --
BASH: Yes.
WILLIAMS: -- billion funds, because it's arbitrary and symbolic, the whole thing. They just are so unhappy with it that even folks who were not sort of, you know, rhino moderates are really starting to break with the President. It is just something that deep down, you know, is a nonstarter is unsustainable.
BASH: Congressman, Todd Blanche, the acting attorney general, started to play cleanup midweek, including an interview with our colleague Paula Reid. Let's watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAULA REID, CNN CHIEF LEGAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: You're the nation's top law enforcement official right now. Would you be OK with people who were convicted of hurting police getting taxpayer money?
TODD BLANCHE, ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL: Just to be clear, people that hurt police get money all the time, OK? There's a process where -- where if you are -- if you believe you have your rights violated, you can apply for funds. You can sue. You can file a claim. You can go to court.
In some of those cases, the state, the government, the federal government settles those cases. It's abhorrent to ever, ever touch a law enforcement officer, which is why any time anybody does that and it's a federal officer, we'll prosecute them. But that's a completely different question with whether an individual is allowed to apply for a claim.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: They did prosecute and they convicted and his boss, the president, pardon them?
JOE CUNNINGHAM (D), FORMER SOUTH CAROLINA CONGRESSMAN: Yes, yes. Playing cleanup is a very charitable term. BASH: Did I do the air quotes because I meant to? Yes.
CUNNINGHAM: Probably meant to do.
BASH: Yes.
CUNNINGHAM: But, look, I mean, restitution is for victims. That's how the process works. Restitution isn't for people who have been convicted or later on pardoned, but for no reason to give restitution to. This just provides more ammunition for Democrats come the general election.
One of the most fascinating things this past week was the poll from "The New York Times", you know, showing the general Democratic lead of 11 points on the generic ballot. That's the good news. The bad news is the favorability of Democratic Party is around 20 percent.
And so, I think things like this create an opening. You know, everyone knows that the Democratic Party is against Trump, but people --
BASH: Congressman, I'm so sorry to interrupt you. We're having a little trouble with your mic. So we're going to get that fixed. And we are definitely interested in what you are -- more of what you're saying.
But as we do that --
CUNNINGHAM: Yes, it's going to take me out of here. Grab yours.
WILLIAMS: Just admire his hair.
CUNNINGHAM: Is this it or what?
WILLIAMS: I can't hear the voice.
BASH: Let's toss to something that a person who was there on January 6th said about this fund.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRANDON FELLOWS, PARDON JANUARY 6TH RIOTER: -- dollars, you know, 21.5 million is for the wrongful imprisonment. According to ChatGPT and Grok and also my knowledge of January 6th cases, I'm in at least the three to five percent upper tier for how terrible and also how strong of a case I have. That's why I rationalize people, even violent people getting paid for that day, because the government set it up. And also on top of that, they stole the election.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: As you were saying?
CUNNINGHAM: Well, I think that playing cleanup is a bit of a charitable term to describe what the attorney general is saying. Restitution is for victims of crime, not for the people who commit crimes. That's the point I want to drive home. And that's the point that Democrats should be standing on right now.
Everyone understands that Democratic Party stands against Donald Trump and what he's doing. But the American public need to understand what the Democratic Party stands for -- standing on the side of law enforcement, common sense solutions to tackle the affordability crisis that we're facing every day.
[16:10:06]
But Trump's going to be baked in and people are going to understand the negatives about him. But Democrats need to start prosecuting the case on what they will do once back in power.
BASH: All right, we're going to sneak in a quick break.
Coming up on THE ARENA, this week, we saw the end of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert".
And ahead, we're going to look at the star studded finale and discuss President Trump's response.
Plus, AAA says 45 million Americans are hitting the road this Memorial Day weekend and they're paying more for gas than they have in four years. President Trump says, well, it's not that bad.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I was down to, in many cases, less than $2 a barrel -- a gallon. And then I said to myself, this is great. We just hit a new high in the stock market. Everything's going good. I'm sorry, but we have to go down and take a little journey down to -- we have to do something with Iran. We cannot let them have a nuclear weapon.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[16:15:45]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JD VANCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: He allegedly said that he didn't care about Americans financial situations. He never said that. What he said is that when he -- it was totally taken out of context. What he said is that when he is negotiating with the Iranians, he's focused on the national security objectives that he's trying to achieve. Of course, the President has a mandate to be focused on a number of things.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: That's Vice President J.D. Vance trying to do some cleanup -- I think that's the term of the show -- after President Trump said he didn't consider Americans financial situation while he's negotiating with Iran. Now, Americans financial situations are front and center every day, but especially this weekend because millions of people this holiday weekend, the long weekend, are traveling. And they're doing so with gas prices hitting a high certainly from the war.
And this has Fox News shows in their new poll that the President's approval rating on the economy is 29 percent, 29 percent. That's down five percentage points just over the last month. Earlier this week, President Trump was asked by reporters to address the sticker shock at the pump.
His comments were made against the backdrop of the White House ballroom construction site, which brings us to our quote of the week. This is peanuts.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We just hit a new high in the stock market. Everything's going good. I'm sorry, but we have to go down and take a little journey down to -- we have to do something with Iran. We cannot let them have a nuclear weapon. You want to see the world exploded. You want to see a problem. And this is peanuts.
And I appreciate everybody putting up with it for a little while. It won't be much longer.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: You know, Lulu, for a man who understands imagery extremely well, to say that in front of this construction site for a ballroom is pretty remarkable.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: It's crazy. I mean, remarkable is one word, and I think just politically insane is another. You know, I cannot explain it. I, honestly, and neither can anyone who wishes the president well. Honestly, I mean, I sat with Republicans. I talked to them, and everyone is like, this is not what we want.
We think this is absolutely terrible politics, terrible imagery. We're heading into an election. The electorate is unhappy, and he is playing houses with his ballroom. It makes absolutely no sense. I think Donald Trump has -- I think the word is drunk is on Kool-Aid. I mean, he thinks that he is just invulnerable to any political repercussions.
BASH: Yeah. I think part of it -- and I'm going to bring whoever was that you're trying to talk. And I would just say, as I toss it over to you, the explanation is that he is -- well, he's now almost halfway through --
SINGLETON: Yeah.
BASH: -- his second term, and he's all about legacy, and he is a builder, and he is obsessed with this project.
SINGLETON: And I understand that, and I think partially you look at the successes in Republican primaries across the country, and the president is feeling kind of high. But again, I go back to my initial statement in the previous segment, it's not just about the base. Electoral politics, you know this, Congressman, is about addition, not subtraction. And you have to have those swinging voters in the middle to help you get across the finish line.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: Do you think he's going to be 80, and he's just obsessed with his ballroom?
SINGLETON: Hold on, but the reality is, you guys remember the critique from the president and Republicans in '24 about the Biden administration was, remember Trump 1.0.
BASH: Uh-huh.
SINGLETON: Economically, you were secure. The economy was doing great. You were employed.
Now you've had four years of Biden-Harris. That has not been the case at all. Re-elect me. Give Republicans power, and we're going to fix it.
Well, here we are a year and a half later, and my advice to the president is, a lot of voters don't feel that sentiment anymore. They don't have the trust in us anymore, and we need to get back to that while we still have a chance before early voting starts down in September.
[16:20:00]
BASH: You know, the history rhymes or whatever that quote is.
CUNNINGHAM: Yeah.
BASH: I just totally butchered it. But I'm looking at you, and I'm thinking about these kinds of issues four years ago when President Biden was trying to convince people that --
CUNNINGHAM: Yeah.
BASH: -- what they're feeling --
CUNNINGHAM: Yeah.
BASH: -- wasn't --
WILLIAMS: Yeah.
BASH: -- really reflected --
CUNNINGHAM: Yeah.
BASH: -- in the data, and it didn't go so well.
CUNNINGHAM: No, no, it didn't. When they were saying, don't believe what you see with your eyes or hear with your own ears --
BASH: Yeah. CUNNINGHAM: -- there is that and the impact that has.
You know, and for Trump's own reasons on why he's doing these things, it could be as simple as he sees the writing on the wall that this midterm is coming, and he has, you know, full control right now, and that stops after this November when Democrats retake the House, and then all of a sudden, he's trying to get done as much as he can during this short period of time because this is all he may have left as far as full control.
BASH: Karl Rove wrote in the Wall Street Journal over -- on Wednesday, sort of midweek, "The more Mr. Trump thrusts himself into the campaign, the more damage he'll do to Republicans and his own cause. Gerrymandering helped Republicans. But the president's actions are helping Democrats. That could give Democrats the House."
WILLIAMS: Yeah, you know, it's really interesting. A few things can be true, and watching the President's quote there in front of this ballroom, talking about Iran, yes, it can be the case that the world does not want Iran to have a nuclear weapon. Yes, that can be true, comma.
However, it is also true that Americans are suffering. American gas prices are high, and the President himself has a very low popularity rating right now. And the more he runs his mouth saying comments like, it is peanuts to talk about the economy when every economic metric is indicating that it is not, he's hurting himself, he's hurting his party, and he's hurting --
GARCIA-NAVARRO: But he's making choices. I mean, but this is the thing --
WILLIAMS: Yes, I mean, he's really doing, yes.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: So this is part of the -- this is what it's inexplicable to me. Why did he have to give that press conference in front of the construction of the ballroom?
BASH: Because he's obsessed with it.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: I know, but this is what I'm saying. Like, that is also inexplicable. I get that he is a builder, but the man is running the country --
BASH: Yes.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: -- and people are unhappy.
BASH: I'm not defending him.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: No, no, I understand that. I understand that. But so this is what, to me, is just any sane person would look at this and say, you know what, buddy, just do it in the Oval Office. Talk to people there. Why do you have to keep on showing this ballroom over and over? BASH: And that is one of the reasons we talked about in the last segment, his fellow Republicans are finally breaking and saying, OK, enough. Brian Fitzpatrick is a Republican from Pennsylvania. He's one of three Republicans serving in Kamala Harris' one district in this country.
Listen to what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FITZPATRICK: Half the country is living paycheck to paycheck. We shouldn't be talking about ballrooms. I want any resources we have ought to be going to lowering the cost of living for people that over half of this country lives paycheck to paycheck. Like, it's just common sense, so.
MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Just taking a step back, do you think that this is a worthwhile use of -- I mean, is the President focused on the right things right now? I mean, when you look at all these things --
FITZPATRICK: I don't expect to that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: What do you think Democrats need to do to just kind of keep this going politically? Because it started out as a bad week and --
CUNNINGHAM: Yes. I serve with Brian --
BASH: Yes.
CUNNINGHAM: -- and Brian's incredibly talented to survive the elections that guy has gone through is truly remarkable. A good friend of mine too. Democrats have to keep this affordability front and center. You know, and if Trump wants to talk about his ballroom or the arch, allow him to do that. Democrats need to stay laser focused.
So when people fill up the tank, you know, they see the cost of -- when they go to the grocery store, which from 2020 is up 50 percent. And they need to be putting forth solutions and tackle those issues. But also, you know, earn back America's trust. And that's why I wrote about in my book, "Life of the Party," about rebuilding that trust, acknowledging the mistakes that were made.
And there are a number of them. We probably need a couple more shows to go through them. But starting to build back that trust is step one.
SINGLETON: Yes, there's not a Republican in the country who's up for reelection who wants to cede that ground to Democrats. We want to argue about returning economic opportunity to the American people. And when the President is debating other issues, we unfortunately can't.
BASH: All right. Still to come in THE ARENA, you know him as a doctor on E.R. and, of course, more recently in "The Pitt". So what brought Noah Wyle to Capitol Hill this week? I was with him and I'll give you an exclusive inside look. And it is the end of an era as Stephen Colbert signs off and the late show ends for good.
Ahead, we'll discuss all the politics at play.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEPHEN COLBERT, HOST, "THE LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT": How am I going to finish my show now?
ALL: Maybe we can help.
COLBERT: Strike Force Five?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh come on.
[16:25:00]
COLBERT: Jimmy, Seth, John, handsome Jimmy. Thank God you're here and I need you the most.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We came to say we're going to miss you. Late night is not going to be the same without you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Without you, where will Americans turn to see a middle-aged white man make jokes about the news?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COLBERT: On night one of "The Colbert Report" back in the day, I said, anyone can read the news to you. I promise to feel the news at you. And I realized pretty soon in this job that our job over here was different. We were here to feel the news with you. And I don't know about you, but I sure have felt it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[16:30:10]
BASH: After 33 years, "The Late Show" on CBS has come to an end. For over two decades, David Letterman sat behind the desk. When he signed off for the last time 11 years ago this week, Stephen Colbert took the reins. It was a slow start at first, and then it became number one on late night.
There was no shortage of celebrities vying to be Colbert's last guest. But for anybody who knows him, he has been very open about wanting the pope to be his last guest. So, this was a big moment.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COLBERT: Your holiness, please come out. Leo. Leo, please. We got a show.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No way, Colbert. You call that a Chicago dog? Pope, don't play like that. Leo, out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: Luckily, superstar Paul McCartney was there to save the day. McCartney first appeared at the Ed Sullivan Theater more than 60 years ago. Of course, that was when the Beatles made their debut on American TV. He returned to sing the fitting song Hello, Goodbye, as he helped Colbert turn off the lights for the last time.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: And my panel is back. You know, I mean, obviously, you are a politician. But this is a cultural moment. And it is because of the politics at play here.
CUNNINGHAM: Yes. I mean -- I mean, Stephen Colbert, you know, a fellow Charlestonian. You know, him, Bill Murray, Danny McBride, those are national treasures in Charleston. And so, it saddens me to see this.
And I grew up in a time where, you know, politicians are normally made fun of on SNL and late night, you know, even I remember Dana Carvey playing Ross Perot. Like, we grew up. And that was part of being in politics, being able to take a hit and take a joke.
And I hate to see that we've gotten to this point where there's been, you know, blowback and retaliation to the point of cancellation. And so, that should impact all of us and the nature of free speech. But knowing Stephen Colbert, I know that the -- his best days are ahead of him. And I'm sure there's a lot more to come.
BASH: Shermichael, here's what the president said on his social media platform. I absolutely -- when -- this is when Colbert got fired. I absolutely loved that Colbert got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings. I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next.
He even -- has even less talent than Colbert. Greg Gutfeld is better than all of them combined, including the moron at NBC who ruined the once great Tonight Show.
SHERMICHAEL SINGLETON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: You know, I have to be honest. As a millennial, I didn't really watch a lot of these shows. I still don't watch a lot of the late night comedy shows. I don't know anyone in my cohort of friends -- groups that do, to be honest with you.
That said, though. Look, as a partisan actor, you always want to see a representation across mediums. I'm a conservative. I would have loved to have seen conservative voices -- more traditional conservative voices on some of these platforms. From my understanding, Colbert has gone on to the digital space. That's where all the ratings are anyway. So, I think in terms of business, he'll be OK.
BASH: He did have Donald Trump on back in 2015. Let's watch that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COLBERT: I want to thank you for running for president. Because I'm not going to say -- I'm not going to say this stuff writes itself. But you certainly -- you certainly do deliver it on time every day. I also want to apologize to you because I've said a few things about you over the years that --
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I would --
COLBERT: That are, you know, in polite company, perhaps are unforgivable.
TRUMP: Almost.
COLBERT: Almost unforgivable.
TRUMP: And some nice things. And some nice things. Not too many.
COLBERT: I don't remember -- I don't remember saying anything nice -- about anything nice. But anyway, I hope -- I hope you'll accept my apology. And --
TRUMP: Accepted.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: What a difference --
LULU GARCIA-NAVARRO, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Different times.
BASH: What a difference a few years make.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: Different times. Different times. First of all, I wish those were our times, right? I think we've lost something when that kind of, you know, light-hearted humor cannot coexist with our tough politics.
And I think watching that image of Colbert turning off the lights with Paul McCartney and thinking the long history of that, and it hasn't just been the sort of soundtrack of my generation, but it's certainly been the soundtrack of, you know, decades and decades before. You know, what Paramount has done is shut down a franchise and a moment of our history.
[16:35:06]
And yes, we all watch different things now, and we're all kind of locked into our little feeds that are very curated to what we want. But what Colbert managed to do and all of those men did is really kind of bring us together for these cultural touchstones. And yes, we are, you know, losing something, I think, when we -- when we lose something like the Tonight Show.
BASH: I save this one for you.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: Yes, and all the other ones. BASH: Let's watch Bruce Springsteen.
ELLIOT WILLIAMS, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Oh, New Jersey.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, SINGER: I'm here in support tonight for Stephen because you're the first guy in America who's lost his show because we got a president who can't take a joke. And because Larry and David Ellison feel they need to kiss his ass to get what they want. So, these are -- anyway, Stephen, he's a small-minded people. They got no idea what the freedoms of this beautiful country are supposed to be about.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIAMS: And just for background, it's because Dana and I are both children of the great Garden State of New Jersey.
BASH: Yes.
WILLIAMS: We wanted to put that out there. So, thank you for that. You know, this is a -- such a bigger issue than we -- than this idea that we need discourse.
And, you know, diverse voices on late-night television. No, this is about a very threatening moment for the First Amendment. The idea that the chair of the Federal Communications Commission, with the president, can, in effect, put the thumb on the scale of what happens on television, is very dangerous for who we are as Americans.
Now, I want to be clear. You don't have to like or agree with Stephen Colbert or Greg Gutfeld or anybody else politically. It's not about whether we like what he's saying. What -- the problem happening here is you are talking about government interference and what happens on television in terms of the content that's being put on.
It's bad. It's dangerous. It is not a place we need to be. And it's not just about, hey, you know, Stephen Colbert wasn't a nice guy, and I don't like his show. This is a much bigger problem than that.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: And it's not just about government interference.
WILLIAMS: Yes.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: It's also corporate acquiescence.
WILLIAMS: Yes. And I want to be clear. It's not just about cancellation either. Like, if you say something -- if I say something offensive on television here, cancel me. That's OK.
But it's a different thing when the government is doing it. Under our law -- under the Constitution, it's not just about canceling a guy that's politically unpopular. This is dangerous.
SINGLETON: Well, one quick thing Ill add. Byron Allen, an African American businessman, is going to replace his show with a show he came up with. I'm excited about that because I think there's opportunity among diverse voices --
BASH: Yes.
SINGLETON: -- and diverse people to replace Colbert. So, let's see what that looks like.
BASH: All right. Coming up in THE ARENA, my interview with TV superstar Noah Wyle as I ask about his latest role advocating for America's real-life healthcare heroes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: What's the most important thing that you want these lawmakers to know? And you're doing this in a bipartisan way.
NOAH WYLE, ACTOR: That's the hope. You know, cancer isn't partisan. Health -- heart disease isn't partisan. So, healthcare policy shouldn't be partisan either.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[16:42:52]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WYLE: I'm the son of a nurse who spent 50 years caring for other people. And I've spent decades trying to do justice to what she and the rest of you actually do. That is the only credential I am claiming today. Every major change in healthcare has started with somebody brave enough to say, this is not working. It could be better.
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BASH: That was actor Noah Wyle, a.k.a. Michael Robinavich, Doctor Robby from 'The Pitt.' Also, Dr. John Carter from the '90s hit show 'E.R.' He was leading a rally of real-life healthcare professionals on Capitol Hill this week. They were advocating for things like mental health resources, tax credits for those working in areas with the greatest need. And I joined Noah on the Hill as he walked the halls with doctors and nurses, helping them try to get more help.
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BASH: Welcome to Washington.
WYLE: What a nice place, you guys.
BASH: Nice to see you.
WYLE: Good to see you, too. Honored to meet you. A pleasure to meet you, Senator.
SEN. CHRIS MURPHY (D-CT): Hey, how are you? Chris Murphy, Roger Marshall.
WYLE: It's wonderful to be here. This is my second trip to DC with FIGS and their ambassadors to try to lobby for some meaningful legislation that will help healthcare professionals.
BASH: We're used to seeing you in scrubs, walking into a trauma unit. Now, you're in a suit walking the halls of Congress.
WYLE: Yes. This is a little bit out of my comfort zone. But I am always amazed when I come to this city and get to see how the sausage gets made. You know, I'm basically a trojan horse that's trying to get some very unbelievable people inside the halls of Congress so they can speak their truths to people that will listen, because I'm in the room.
The Lorna Breen Act, which got passed last year by Congress, is now just needs to be funded. So, we're here trying to ask for that funding. At least $45 million, so that all the programs that go under the Lorna Breen Act, all those mental health resources, can get out there and be continuing to do the effective work that they're doing.
Dr. Elisabeth Potter with me, who is an extremely talented plastic surgeon.
[16:45:03]
ELISABETH POTTER, BOARD CERTIFIED PLASTIC SURGEON: It's 2025, and insurance just keeps getting worse.
WYLE: Dr. Potter was in the middle of a surgery. Got called out by an insurance company.
POTTER: And the gentleman said he needed some information about her. Want to know her diagnosis and whether her inpatient stay should be justified. And I was like, do you understand that she's asleep right now and she has breast cancer?
And what proceeded to happen was that the health care -- that company -- the insurance company sicked a group of lawyers on me and told me to be quiet.
WYLE: The most important things I've ever done in my life have been in this hospital. Nothing will ever matter more than what I've done in this hospital. But it is killing me.
BASH: When you are in the writers' room, and you're coming up with these story lines about -- I mean, the main one I would say is Dr. Robby, you, and the mental health challenges that you are having as his character, and how much that will affect and maybe help real-world doctors.
WYLE: It is baked into the intentionality of our show is to do this as accurately as possible, so that we give context to people and families of people who are in these jobs to understand what they do for a living. Watching a show like 'The Pitt' is a little bit like exposure therapy. SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN (D-MA): The nurses are why I'm here, so.
WYLE: Why I'm here, too.
WARREN :There you go.
BASH: What's the most important thing that you want these lawmakers to know?
WYLE: Cancer isn't partisan. Health -- heart disease isn't partisan. So, healthcare policy shouldn't be partisan either. So few of these policies actually go into helping the lives of the people that are actually doing the work.
There's a lot of stuff that's patient-centric. There's very little that's actually practitioner-centric. So, that's what we're trying to do is just put a little bit more awareness on the trials and tribulations of the people who put our broken pieces back together every day.
I'm pretending like I know where I'm going. I brought my mom with me because my mother --
MARTY WYLE, MOTHER OF NOAH WYLE: I'm with tired nursing that I'm --
WYLE: She's the expert. 50 years --
M. WYLE: Been a nurse for almost 50 years.
WYLE: -- in the trenches. This is a multi-generational effort. And getting to have my professional career and my mother's professional career dovetailed together in an act of advocacy that then is witnessed by my daughter, who just said to me as we we're walking down the hall, Dad, I think I might want to be a doctor when I grow up.
M. WYLE: I really admire that he's used his success as a platform for medical professionals. It's really, really heartwarming. And it's been so nice to meet you.
WYLE: Sometimes you need something that has a visceral impact.
BASH: I mean, used to seeing you in scrubs.
WYLE: I feel oddly comfortable here.
BASH: You do?
WYLE: I could have been on the West Wing.
BASH: Yes.
WYLE: I think I could have -- I think I could have handled a walk and talk with Rob Lowe.
BASH: You do? I mean, I am no Rob Lowe, but you know.
WYLE: Nobody's perfect.
BASH: You doesn't -- you do a lot of --
WYLE: Nobody's perfect. Nobody's perfect.
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BASH: Coming up, something totally different. Can your car double as a boat? One man tried it out and, well, we'll see.
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[16:52:30]
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(Clip from The Office/NBC)
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BASH: Make a U-Turn. So classic. Michael Scott learned the hard way that maybe the machine doesn't always know best. One man in Texas found himself in kind of a similar situation this week when he intentionally drove his truck into a Texas Lake.
What? OK. So, police say the man was trying to use his Cybertruck's Wade Mode feature. Cell phone video shows the car actually trekking through the water along the lake's shoreline. That is, until police say, the Cybertruck became disabled and took on water.
The driver was able to safely get out. That's very good news. Police charged the driver with, among other things, not having a valid boat registration.
Tesla claims that Wade Mode allows the Cybertruck to enter and drive through bodies of water like rivers or creeks. However, the manual warns that drivers have a responsibility to "Gauge the depths of any body of water before entering." Back in 2020, Tesla CEO Elon Musk even claimed that Cybertrucks would be able to double as boats for a short period of time. Guess not.
WILLIAMS: Yes. It just goes to show, apparently, a Tesla Cybertruck is bulletproof, but not dumbass proof. I think, you know, the standards for this vehicle, you know -- but at least, you can shoot it.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: But I think it's truth in advertising as well, like Wade Mode? I don't know. I kind of am like, you know, let's see.
WILLIAMS: Yes.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: I can imagine just saying like, let's see how far we can take this. And for anyone -- I've been through a lot of floods. And for anyone who doesn't know, you really -- which -- it depends where the exhaust pipe is.
WILLIAMS: Yes. GARCIA-NAVARRO: If that water gets in that, it doesn't matter where you're going.
SINGLETON: Well, Cybertruck is electric. And wade mode --
BASH: There -- exactly, it's right.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: Right. There's no exhaust pipe.
SINGLETON: It's supposed to insulate the battery and electronics while go -- traversing through a brief amount of water for a short period of time --
GARCIA-NAVARRO: Yes.
SINGLETON: Not going into a lake.
CUNNINGHAM: Right. No, Shermichael --
BASH: OK. That's like -- are you the only one here that bought a Tesla?
CUNNINGHAM: That -- No. I just want to say, like, it's obviously fraught with errors. A.I. technology is developing. It's not quite there yet.
But I want to take a different perspective on this as A.I. technology is developing. That's why we need politicians who understand these issues --
WILLIAMS: Yes.
[16:55:04]
CUNNINGHAM: -- not people old -- too old to reset their router. That's why we need age limits in politics and age limits in Washington, D.C.
SINGLETON: I mean that --
CUNNINGHAM: I'm dead serious. We have new issues that are being confronted. This is just a fraction of one -- a sliver of one that we're going to be facing. We need a new --
GARCIA-NAVARRO: What, some dumb guy in Texas? They ever know.
CUNNINGHAM: Well, what --
GARCIA-NAVARRO: But nice way to bring it back to Congress.
CUNNINGHAM: No, no, no, no, no.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: I'm going to call --
CUNNINGHAM: It's about the other --
GARCIA-NAVARRO: That's about as dumb as me talking about an exhaust pipe with a -- with a --
CUNNINGHAM: It's about -- it's about big tech. It's about big -- it's about big tech.
SINGLETON: Electric car.
CUNNINGHAM: It's about A.I.
BASH: Yes.
CUNNINGHAM: It's about the new issues that we're going to be facing.
BASH: All right.
CUNNINGHAM: We need new leaders as well.
BASH: Thank you all. Great discussion. Thank you so much to my panel and everybody for watching.
You can see THE ARENA every weekday here on CNN at 4:00 p.m. Eastern. Enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend. The news continues next on CNN.
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