There's an intra-party fight on the right — and it's not (all) about Trump! For decades, conservatives have called for the government to take a hands-off approach to the economy. But now, a group of self-styled “common good capitalists” — like Sen. Marco Rubio — want to change that. And, they’re gaining power. It’s a divide not only over what policy approach is best, but what the most effective political strategy is for the GOP in the 21st century. Playbook co-author Tara Palmeri talks with an i...
Sep 03, 2021•25 min•Ep. 326
Kamala Harris entered law school as the daughter of activists and came out as a prosecutor — an evolution that shaped the politician she is today. Now, as the vice president grapples with some of the thorniest issues in politics and builds relationships with a wide array of Democratic allies — which she could leverage in both the administration and a future presidential campaign — even some of her closest allies admit she needs help fending off incoming fire. POLITICO Magazine’s Jesús A. Rodrígu...
Aug 27, 2021•32 min•Ep. 325
The Taliban's return to power marks the first real foreign policy crisis of the Biden administration — and a rare moment of bipartisan criticism of Joe Biden. But will the bungled withdrawal from Afghanistan scramble American politics, or merely deepen long-building fissures across the political spectrum? On the right, attempts to save America's Afghan allies have resurfaced fierce divides over immigration and diversity. On the left, the pullout is reigniting a debate over the US's "forever wars...
Aug 20, 2021•23 min•Ep. 324
Nobody on Capitol Hill got much sleep this week. The Senate passed its infrastructure bill, stayed up all night in a vote-a-rama and provided foreshadowing for the set of fights yet to come. As Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza put it this week: “Threat of a government shutdown? Possibility of America defaulting on its loans? Dust off that Blackberry, fire off a manual RT, and put on some LMFAO. It’s feeling very 2011.” Ryan and POLITICO’s Jennifer Scholtes break down what’s ahead for Congress.Ryan ...
Aug 13, 2021•34 min•Ep. 323
The Democratic establishment dealt a crushing blow to the progressive movement this week in Ohio, where tensions, bad blood and intraparty allegiances were on full display. What can we learn from a special congressional primary that quickly became a national spectacle? And what does it say about the direction of one of the most powerful political forces in Washington: the Congressional Black Caucus? POLITICO's Ally Mutnick performs an autopsy with Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza. Ryan Lizza is a c...
Aug 06, 2021•33 min•Ep. 322
Bernie Sanders is behaving a lot like a pragmatist (just don’t say it to his face). As the Senate Budget chair and a member of Sen. Chuck Schumer’s leadership team, the 79-year-old progressive is one of the most powerful people in Washington and finally has the opportunity he’s been waiting for his whole career: to pass a reconciliation bill with sweeping social reforms. If successful, the $3.5 trillion bill would be the biggest ever passed by Congress. The trick: Can he get it past the members ...
Jul 30, 2021•27 min•Ep. 321
Cuba’s sweeping protests — and sweeping crackdown — are historic. But the situation is a political hot potato for Biden, whose sanction orders came nearly two weeks after the unrest began. His go-it-slow approach has emboldened Republicans, while Florida Democrats fear the president could blow an opportunity to reorient U.S.-Cuba policy and improve the party’s political chances in a former swing state. POLITICO’s Sabrina Rodríguez and Marc Caputo unpack the political minefield with Playbook's Ta...
Jul 23, 2021•27 min•Ep. 320
$1.6 trillion — that's how much student loan debt there is in the United States. Progressives want to cancel student loan debt. Republicans say that's wildly unfair. And President Joe Biden is....waiting. Playbook co-author Tara Palmeri and education reporter Michael Stratford discuss the fight on Capitol Hill over student loans and whether Biden could tackle the problem through executive action. Tara Palmeri is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO.Michael Stratford is an education reporter for POL...
Jul 16, 2021•28 min•Ep. 319
Michigan’s Oakland County, once a Republican stronghold, is turning blue. Playbook's Eugene Daniels and Zack Stanton (also a Michigan native — he's from the "knuckle"), talk about whether shedding these suburbs is a warning light for Trumpism. Plus: Former Michigan GOP leader Jeff Timmer on what he thinks losing this stronghold says about the strength of a Republican electoral map. Eugene Daniels is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO.Zack Stanton is Playbook deputy editor for POLITICO.Jeff Timmer...
Jul 09, 2021•32 min•Ep. 318
Eight — that’s how many states have passed some form of cannabis legalization since November. And even though marijuana is gainingpopularity in conservative states, that's not breaking through with GOP senators on Capitol Hill. Cannabis reporter Natalie Fertig and Playbook co-author Tara Palmeri discuss the growing cannabis dissonance between Republican senators and voters in their home states, and why Chuck Schumer shouldn’t be optimistic about passing federal legislation. Tara Palmeri is a Pla...
Jul 02, 2021•31 min•Ep. 317
Matthew Caulfield was a college senior when he was given a seemingly simple assignment that took him more than five years and 3,000 emails to start to answer: How much did a voting machine cost? And how big, precisely, was the U.S. elections industry? Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels and reporter Ben Wofford dive into the mysterious world of voting technology companies and the voting rights debate happening right now in Congress. Eugene Daniels is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO.Ben Wofford i...
Jun 25, 2021•30 min•Ep. 316
It’s one of the top jobs in politics, period: mayor of the Big Apple. In a heavily left-leaning town, Tuesday’s crowded Democratic primary will essentially decide who will become the 110th mayor of New York City — an election that will determine who has the ear of powerful figures on Capitol Hill. POLITICO New York’s Sally Goldenberg and Playbook co-author Tara Palmeri unpack the race while producer Olivia Reingold pounds the pavement to find out what New Yorkers really think. Tara Palmeri is a ...
Jun 18, 2021•35 min•Ep. 315
Imagine learning that someone you've known for 18 years is alleged to have been responsible for some of the worst violence on Jan. 6. How do you square that? Playbook co-author Rachael Bade and journalist Melanie Warner dive into the story of Jeffrey Sabol, one man whose alleged activity on Jan. 6 left many in his life confused and grappling for answers — about how a highly educated, middle-aged man with so much to lose could participate in what FBI Director Christopher Wray called “domestic ter...
Jun 11, 2021•30 min•Ep. 314
A century ago, a violent white mob razed the heart of Tulsa's thriving Black community. Now, Oklahoma — and Republicans on Capitol Hill — are swept up in a national culture war over how schools teach kids about racism and sexism. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has inserted himself into that battle. POLITICO's education editor Delece Smith-Barrow and Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza delve into the tug-of-war, its implications for 2022, and how McConnell is turning what was once the subject o...
Jun 04, 2021•33 min•Ep. 313
Talking about UFOs was once kryptonite for your political career. Now, senators are openly talking about UFOs, and the Pentagon is set to deliver a long-awaited report in June detailing what it knows — and what it doesn’t. So why the sudden change? POLITICO’s Bryan Bender and Playbook co-author Rachael Bade dissect why lawmakers including former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) are concerned about national security and forcing UFOs into the political spotl...
May 28, 2021•21 min•Ep. 312
This week's vote on a bipartisan commission to investigate the Jan. 6 insurrection exposed some serious rifts on the Hill — rifts that could get even wider as the bill heads to the Senate. POLITICO's Marianne LeVine and Playbook co-author Rachael Bade dig into the dynamics playing out among congressional leadership, from Mitch McConnell's 2022 calculations to Kevin McCarthy's quest to become speaker. Rachael Bade is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO.Marianne LeVine is a congressional reporter fo...
May 21, 2021•31 min•Ep. 311
If you’ve paid any attention to the news lately, you’ve probably heard this line: There’s a “civil war” raging within the GOP. Republican leadership is duking it out in the open after losing the White House, the House and the Senate; just this week, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy ousted his No. 3, Rep. Liz Cheney. On this Playbook Deep Dive, political analyst Jeff Greenfield digs into a contrarian argument with Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza: There is no civil war. This is a purge of anyone...
May 14, 2021•31 min•Ep. 310
White House reporters have access to the highest seat in the country — and they’re a small group. An even smaller group? Reporters of color. On today’s episode of Playbook Deep Dive, Eugene Daniels gets honest with fellow Black White House correspondents April Ryan (TheGrio) and Ayesha Rascoe (NPR) about everything from microaggressions to death threats. “Covering the White House from Bill Clinton to now, race touches everything,” says Ryan. “Everything.” Plus, a look at the first Black female W...
May 07, 2021•34 min•Ep. 309
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has made a name — and recently, fundraised over $3 million — on becoming a political celebrity by oiling gears in the "outrage machine," promoting extremist beliefs and false conspiracy theories and bypassing establishment media and establishment Washington. In Congress, she may not have committee assignments, but she's got an increasingly valuable email list and a growing war chest. What her rise reveals about the power (or lack thereof) of the party’s traditional ga...
Apr 30, 2021•30 min•Ep. 308
“If we miss this opportunity, God help us.” Joe Manchin and Lisa Murkowski. Two moderate senators smack in the middle — and on either side — of a split 50-50 Senate. On our first episode of Playbook Deep Dive, the two friends open up in a rare interview with POLITICO’s Burgess Everett. They get personal: about reconciliation, frustration over the Senate’s hurdles — even why Murkowski hogs the best fishing holes. And Manchin reveals a major endorsement, heard first on this show.Rachael Bade is a ...
Apr 23, 2021•28 min•Ep. 307
California is the country’s leader when it comes to climate policies. But not even Democrats could impose a ban on fracking despite holding all levels of power in California. On POLITICO Energy, Colby Bermel explains why. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 16, 2021•9 min•Ep. 306
On this bonus episode of POLITICO Dispatch: Who is “Kacey Montagu”? Christopher Cadelago tells the wild and weird story of how a fictitious correspondent rose from the depths of internet role playing to the White House briefing room. Subscribe to POLITICO Dispatch here: https://www.politico.com/podcasts/dispatch Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 14, 2021•13 min•Ep. 305
Playbook Deep Dive is a new weekly podcast from Politico — for the stories that seem stranger-than-fiction, but are all too real. Underneath all the theater, backstabbing and strategy in DC are colorful characters and real life consequences. You know those stories that stop you in your tracks? That's what we're going to tell each week. Featuring Playbook authors, reporters from all across the Politico newsroom, and characters from all over DC. Launching April 23. Learn more about your ad choices...
Apr 09, 2021•4 min•Ep. 304
Five cities, four countries and 15 days locked down in Australia: Global Translations author Ryan Heath talks to Playbook's Tara Palmeri about his 68-hour travel journey to get Down Under. He peers inside the hellish future of global travel and explains why it might be more expensive for travelers. Plus, a surprise ending to this special Nerdcast episode. Tara Palmeri is a POLITICO Playbook co-author. Scott Bland is a politics editor at POLITICO.Ryan Heath is a senior editor at Politico and auth...
Apr 02, 2021•19 min•Ep. 303
Black civil rights leaders, voting rights advocates and elected officials are putting more and more pressure on Senate Democrats to nix the filibuster. The argument? Keep the filibuster OR pass voting rights legislation... 'cause you can’t do both! Playbook author Eugene Daniels and reporter Zach Montellaro dig into the politics behind the filibuster and voting rights legislation. Eugene Daniels is a co-author of POLITICO Playbook.Zach Montellaro is a campaign reporter and author of the Morning ...
Mar 26, 2021•29 min•Ep. 302
POLITICO Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza interviews Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) to talk the next bill on the Democrats' agenda, whether or not Democrats will have to go around Republicans to get anything done and what his philosophy degree can tell us about this moment. Come for the policy, stay for the Kant*.*Actually it was the German poet Novalis (formally Georg Friedrich Philipp von Hardenberg) who said "Philosophy can bake no bread; but she can procure for us God, Freedom, Immortality." There...
Mar 19, 2021•25 min•Ep. 301
Bipartisanship didn’t happen with Covid relief. But President Joe Biden says he really, really wants to go bipartisan on infrastructure — plus, he'll need the Republican votes. POLITICO Playbook co-author Rachael Bade calls up transportation reporter Sam Mintz to talk Biden's infrastructure hopes, the major players in Congress, and why at this early stage, there’s every indication that GOP cooperation is less likely on a massive public works bill than it was on the pandemic legislation. Rachael ...
Mar 12, 2021•23 min•Ep. 300
On today's episode, the PR campaign the government is waging on vaccine hesitancy and equitable access for vaccine. Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels talks to Dr. Ebony Hilton and POLITICO healthcare reporter Adam Cancryn about whose job is it to combat hesitancy, and how the Biden administration is stacking up. Eugene Daniels is a co-author of POLITICO Playbook.Dr. Ebony Hilton is associate professor of anesthesiology at UVA and a critical care physician.Adam Cancryn is a healthcare reporter at...
Mar 05, 2021•37 min•Ep. 299
On today's episode, everything you want to know about the mysterious but powerful Senate Parliamentarian. Elizabeth MacDonough ruled Thursday that Senate Democrats would be deemed out of order if they include a $15 minimum wage in their coronavirus relief package. Congress editor Elana Schor and congressional budget reporter Caitlin Emma talk to host Scott Bland about the Senate's referee and this blow to the progressive agenda. Scott Bland is a politics editor at POLITICO.Elana Schor is a congr...
Feb 26, 2021•22 min•Ep. 298
We're roughly one year out from Iowa's catastrophic caucuses, and people are already thinking about the next primary calendar. Amid growing concerns that Iowa voters don't reflect the country, and pushes by Nevada and South Carolina to move up in line, are we watching Iowa — and its influential, historic, weird caucuses — get sidelined? White House correspondent Natasha Korecki, senior politics editor Charlie Mahtesian and Scott Bland talk about the future of presidential politics and whether Io...
Feb 19, 2021•27 min•Ep. 297
