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The Conversation with Dasha Burns

POLITICOwww.politico.com
The Conversation with POLITICO’s Dasha Burns is a fresh take on the traditional Sunday show format, going beyond conventional wisdom and short sound bites to broaden the political conversation. Each week, Dasha will sit down with one of the most compelling – and sometimes unexpected – power players in Washington and beyond for a real discussion about how they are shaping the current moment.
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Episodes

Trump's Russia comments: deeply damaging or just bizarre?

As Trump walks back his remarks on Russian meddling, the question of whether he's compromised by a foreign power moves from the fever swamps to the mainstream. Plus, POLITICO'S Rachael Bade says GOP women running for office are in a pickle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 20, 201834 minEp. 124

The Trump Pence split-screen

While President Trump is ruffling feathers of world leaders in Europe, Mike Pence is on his own press tour a little closer to home: he's in the Midwest. We get into what he's doing there, and why his message sounds a little different from the president's.... or does it? Then, we talk about the Supreme Court some more. Three weeks in a row isn't too much, in our opinion, but it's a very narrow ruling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Jul 13, 201834 minEp. 123

How Supreme Court nominations are like political campaigns

Scott's on vacation, but we're not! Charles Mahtesian, Esq. sits in the host seat this week. Name a better time to go full Supreme Court..... we'll wait. We have two White House reporters bringing us up to speed on what Trump is thinking with his self-imposed announcement deadline rapidly approaching. Then, Josh Gerstein returns to tells us about the 38 cases the Supreme Court has agreed to hear next year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Jul 06, 201830 minEp. 122

Kennedy retirement reunites fractured Republicans

In a news week that seemed like it would never end, there were two big upsets for the Democrats: First, in New York's 14th congressional district, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez unseated Joe Crowley, an incumbent no one expected to be defeated. Then, Justice Anthony Kennedy, considered a swing vote on the bench, announced that he would retire, opening up an opportunity for Trump and republicans to alter the Supreme Court as we know it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Jun 29, 201836 minEp. 121

The turmoil at the border is just beginning

This week we're talking about the border from two perspectives: The White House and the Hill. Then, we'll explain why democratic congresspeople and democratic candidates have been turning their backs on Nancy Pelosi, and why it seems like she might be okay with it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 22, 201834 minEp. 120

For Republicans, Trump holds the cards

The primary outcomes have us wondering: What's the state of the GOP? Politico's Elena Schneider and Alex Isenstadt join us this week to fill us in on what's going on with the republicans. Then, Rachael Bade joins us from the Hill fresh from a presser with Paul Ryan to talk about DACA and immigration. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 15, 201830 minEp. 119

BONUS: Decoding Trump, Post Summit

While we were sleeping, President Trump met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore. They signed a "very comprehensive document," but what was in it? And what does it all mean in the long run? Emily Stephenson hosts, joined by foreign affairs correspondent Halley Toosi and Michael Crowley, national security editor to break down what happened and what the future could hold. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Jun 12, 201810 min

A sigh of relief from Democrats

With a giant primary day in the rearview mirror, the Nerdcast team sizes up the race for the House this fall, and we explain what to expect from the Trump-Kim summit in Singapore. Plus: A heartfelt apology to our many listeners in South Dakota. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 08, 201835 minEp. 117

Super Tuesday: primary elections edition

Just when you thought primary election season couldn't get any better, we get 8 primaries on a single Tuesday! We're calling it a Super Tuesday. Hear about California's top-two primary system (it's wonky!) and then what the White House has up its sleeve for the 2018 Midterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 01, 201834 minEp. 116

Can Democrats win in the South, and Paul Ryan’s pickle

You already know what time it is: Primary discussion time! *Insert airhorn sound effect* Daniel Strauss and Steve Shepard are back to talk about the primaries that happened this week. Then, Paul Ryan is a lame duck, and he's gotten himself into a pickle. What happens when your own party doesn't wanna work with you? Rachael Bade breaks it down for us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 25, 201834 minEp. 115

Inside Mueller’s team, and a look at the Dems

If you ain't talking primaries, we don't wanna talk (we'll call you back). Talking primaries again, we know you love it! Hear what democrats are facing, and how women are faring in primary elections this year. Then, get a look inside the Mueller investigation with POLITICO reporter Josh Gerstein. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 18, 201831 minEp. 114

Sizing up the primaries and unpacking two nuclear relationships

We talk about what unfolded in Tuesday night's primary elections, and then breakdown the next round of primaries we're gearing up for. Then, it's on to Iran and North Korea and all the ways they're intertwined — yet completely different. Plus, in a win for Charlie, he's asked to talk about his favorite place in the world: The Keystone State. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 11, 201832 minEp. 113

BONUS: The woman who connected Castro with the White House

History forgot Lisa Howard, but we still see the implications of her work today. The story of how one pioneering female journalist used grit, determination and some intimate diplomacy to establish a secret backchannel between the U.S. government and Fidel Castro, altering the course of the Cold War. Read the full Politico Magazine story at politico.com/magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 07, 201839 min

Nobody wants to be Trump's lawyer

President Trump's new lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, shared some revealing news about the president during an interview with Sean Hannity regarding the alleged arrangement his former lawyer made with the adult film star Stormy Daniels. Following suit, we reveal a secret about Charlie. We also break down the upcoming primary elections, including the four happening next Tuesday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

May 04, 201836 minEp. 111

Dr. Ronny Jackson drops out, Missouri midterms heat up

It seems like we are destined to have at least one confirmation battle pending before the senate until the end of time. This week, we can thank Dr. Ronny Jackson, who has withdrawn his nomination to lead the VA. White House reporter Eliana Johnson breaks down all the drama surrounding his nomination. Then, reporter Daniel Strauss breaks down what is shaping up to be an interesting midterm election in Missouri. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Apr 27, 201830 minEp. 110

Abe visits Trump’s Mar-a-Lago, Nikki Haley and Election 2018

It's been a very foreign-policy focused week for the White House. We bring you a breakdown of the big events that made headlines. Then we’ll talk about how the diplomatic world and corporate America have adapted to the way the president changes his mind. Plus, Scott Bland's favorite topic: CAMPAIGNS! We talk about Sun City, Arizona, the next stop in a special-election-season that keeps on giving. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Apr 20, 201831 minEp. 109

Nine months is a long time to be a lame duck

Paul Ryan announced that he'd be retiring after three years as Speaker of the House. Where does that leave republicans, and what about all that fundraising money Ryan rakes in? We get into both. Then, Nancy Cook catches us up on another whirlwind week at the White House. It was, in a word: bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 13, 201833 minEp. 108

Scott Pruitt did 'the swampiest thing imaginable'

Scott Bland is back! This week, our host has returned, and somehow, no one left the White House. We're talking about the controversies surrounding EPA administrator Scott Pruitt, then shifting gears to take on the big economic stories from this week: Tariffs from China and why President Trump really doesn't like Amazon. Plus, in a tale of three Scotts, a Nerdcast mega-fan lends a hand. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Apr 06, 201832 minEp. 107

Inside How Trump favored Texas over Puerto Rico

In this episode, going in-depth on a POLITICO investigation that found disparities in how the federal government handled the responses to Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Maria. Plus, it was a quiet week at the White House (only one firing), so what else is going on? Stick around to the end for a special surprise to celebrate 100 episodes of the Nerdcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 30, 201833 minEp. 106

Democrats Unfriend Facebook

On the show this week, it's Facebook's future in Washington, a Senate race in West Virginia and questions asked by Politico readers. Plus, Charlie gets some "Deer Hunter" closure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 23, 201831 minEp. 105

Post Tillerson Stress Disorder

On the show this week, we’re talking Rexit and the oh-so-close race for a Congressional seat in the Western Pennsylvania — what does it mean for republicans in the midterms? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 16, 201829 minEp. 104

Another week, another White House departure

This week, we’re talking tariffs, trade and why the stock market seems pretty much unfazed by Donald Trump despite all the uncertainty he brings. Plus, what we learned (and what we didn’t) from this week’s primary voting in Texas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 09, 201835 minEp. 103

Is Hope Hicks gone for good?

POLITICO reporters discuss White House communications director Hope Hicks' resignation, Jared Kushner's security clearance downgrade and the latest in the Paul Manafort indictment saga. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 02, 201832 minEp. 102

BONUS: Why 2018 Is do-or-die for Democrats

Washington insider and former Clinton political director Doug Sosnik joins the Nerdcast to walk listeners through his latest analysis of the 2018 map . Doug explains why Donald Trump’s unpopularity and significant demographic shifts in once-solid Republican suburbs has given Democrats an opportunity—more perishable than many observers realize—to reverse a "lost decade" after their disastrous performance in 2010 elections. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Feb 23, 201822 minEp. 101

Parkland students push for gun reform

POLITICO reporters discuss the gun control debate that has taken hold of the country following the school shooting in Parkland, Florida last week and how the students' energy could impact policy in Washington. Plus, the panel tackles the scandal and subversion surrounding Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin, the last cabinet holdover from the Obama administration. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Feb 23, 201832 minEp. 100

Porter scandal rocks Kelly's credibility

POLITICO reporters discuss the Rob Porter abuse allegations that have shaken the White House and why chief of staff John Kelly is in the middle of this scandal. The panel also breaks down the Trump polling bump we saw in the latest POLITICO/Morning Consult poll and what it means for the Republican Party in 2018. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 16, 201832 minEp. 99

Dow falls but the parade must go on

POLITICO reporters discuss the recent fluctuations in the stock market and what the repricing means for the country's economy and politics, President Trump's request for a military parade akin to the 2017 French Bastille Day parade, and what recent House GOP fundraising numbers tells us about the upcoming midterm races. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 09, 201833 minEp. 98

BONUS: Mike Pence on the midterm elections

POLITICO Playbook producer Zach Montellaro joins Charlie to discuss and share highlights of Wednesday night's Mike Pence interview with Anna Palmer and Jake Sherman at the annual GOP winter retreat in West Virginia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 02, 201811 min

Deadlines loom over Congress

POLITICO reporters discuss the looming shutdown and DACA deadline, the surprisingly high number of Republican committee chairs have decided to leave office at the end of this Congress, and the explosive POLITICO story that led to CDC Director Brenda Fitzgerald's resignation this week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 02, 201838 minEp. 96

Will Trump stick to SOTU script?

POLITICO reporters discuss the DACA deal battle between Republicans, Democrats and President Trump, and the potential of a second shutdown in the beginning of February. The panel also discusses how to keep the characters in the Russia probes straight and what to expect from Trump's State of the Union Tuesday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 26, 201839 minEp. 95
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