The Excerpt

This year's Kentucky Derby returns with a wide open field and no clear favorite. Courier Journal reporters Jason Frakes and Kirby Adams join The Excerpt to talk about the top horses to watch, betting strategy, post position impact and ongoing horse safety concerns at Churchill Downs. They also break down Derby traditions, fashion trends, celebrity appearances and what makes this race one of the biggest events in sports.
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Should companies be legally required to warn consumers that their product might cause cancer? If your company is selling tobacco, that answer has been yes since 1965. But what if your product is just for lawns and is regulated by the EPA? That’s precisely what the Supreme Court is being asked to decide. The man at the heart of a lawsuit against Monsanto says a warning or a change in marketing might have altered the course of his life. On Monday, the court heard the case of John Durnell, known as the “spray guy,” whose $1.25 million verdict against Monsanto, is being challenged. USA TODAY Supreme Court Correspondent Maureen Groppe joins The Excerpt for more on Monday's arguments.
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The setting was the same as it’s always been: the elegant ballroom in the basement of the Washington Hilton. There, the president, vice president and other high-ranking officials gathered with around 2500 guests to celebrate freedom of speech. But instead of being a light-hearted gala as it had been in the past, fear and pandemonium soon reigned. The White House Correspondents Association dinner on Saturday marked the third time since the summer of 2024 that a gunman was able to get dangerously close to now-president Donald Trump. Was security to blame? And what were the gunman’s motives? USA TODAY Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page joins The Excerpt to share her personal experience and insights.
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Generative AI is making it easier than ever to create influencers who don’t actually exist. These synthetic personas can build audiences, promote products and even shape political conversations — often without people realizing they aren’t real. So what happens when influence itself can be engineered at scale? We sit down with Charlie Warzel, a staff writer at The Atlantic, who explains how AI-generated influencers are fueling a “volume game” online, why authenticity may matter less than we think and how this trend could deepen misinformation and political division. Plus, what to look for if you’re trying to spot who’s real — and who’s not — in your feed.
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The latest news in the redistricting arms race between Republicans and Democrats saw voters narrowly approve a new map in Virginia that could advantage the Dems by up to four new seats. Although there’s an injunction on that election, if it is certified, that would bring the total number of states with new district maps heading into the midterms up to seven. But Republicans may have more cards to play with a several seat advantage possible in Trump’s home state of Florida. Stepping back, could the midterm results end up being a referendum on tactics rather than politics? USA TODAY Chief Political Correspondent Phillip M. Bailey joins The Excerpt to share his insights.
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