Podcast
CONTROL
Hosted by Seven Letter · EN
CONTROL is a podcast hosted by Seven Letter’s Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci, two veterans of Capitol Hill who now serve as communications strategists to Fortune 500 companies, non-profits and advocacy coalitions. Drawing on their experience in GOP congressional politics, the podcast seeks to look around the corner at the policy priorities and political dynamics that will define Congress.
The podcast series talks to experts who know the institution and helps explain the challenges and opportunities facing a divided Congress. Guests include subject-matter experts, journalists, former lawmakers, and political operatives, all with a keen insight into what is next for Washington. You can expect a new episode every Tuesday when Congress is in session.
20episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
A Packed House Agenda Meets Political Reality Feat. Ramsey Touchberry
3d ago01:00:33Tap to summarizeAhead of a what is scheduled to be a busy week in the House of Representatives, Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci ask whether the SAVE America Act will continue to dominate the conversation. Can lawmakers strike deals on the NDAA and annual appropriations bills, or will Reconciliation 3.0 become the only path forward? Then, Ramsey Touchberry, congressional reporter for the Washington Examiner, joins the show to unpack the latest dynamics in the Senate. Plus, on this week's Campaign Corner: insurgent candidates gain ground in Colorado, and establishment Democrats search for a message as the party's left flank gains momentum. Hosts: Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci Guest: Ramsey Touchberry, Washington Examiner Producer: Benji Englander Articles Discussed: POLITICO: Trump doubles down on SAVE America Act after Supreme Court loss on mail voting The Hill: Trump calls housing bill ‘a yawn,’ concedes SAVE America Act unlikely to pass The Hill: Johnson: Blocking House agenda over SAVE America Act is ‘self-defeating’ Fox Business: Trump, Mike Johnson eye SAVE America Act in reconciliation as House races toward recess POLITICO: GOP infighting threatens critical defense bill Washington Examiner: Inside Trump’s explosive meeting with Senate Republicans Washington Examiner: New York socialist surge reveals warning signs for Schumer
Transcribe →Trump Faces the Senate Republican Conference
1w ago00:43:57Tap to summarizeAs President Trump prepares to head up to Capitol Hill for the Republican Senate lunch, Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci discuss what kind of reaction he may receive and what items might be on the agenda from the Save America Act to the Iran deal to the incoming DNI. At the end, the United Kingdom will have a new Prime Minister and Zohran Mamdani looks to flex his political muscle in key New York House primaries. Hosts: Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci Producer: Benji Englander Articles Discussed: Punchbowl News: Trump to meet with Senate GOP amid tension NBC News: Senate Republicans grow increasingly frustrated with Trump blindsiding them The Hill: Senate Republicans in somber, pessimistic mood over Trump deal with Iran The Hill: Mike Lee: Senate GOP must do ‘hard work’ to pass SAVE America Act POLITICO: House GOP races to make Recon 3.0 real POLITICO: He Quit Parliament. Now He’s Set to Become Britain’s Prime Minister. New York Times: Will New York Swing Further to the Left? Here’s a Preview of Tuesday’s Primaries.
Transcribe →The FISA Clock Is Ticking (Again) Feat. Leigh Ann Caldwell
3w ago01:05:33Tap to summarizeCongress faces another looming deadline this week as FISA authorities are set to expire. Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci discuss if GOP leaders will be able to overcome objections from both sides of the aisle and pass an extension. Plus, Reconciliation 2.0 moves ahead as talk of a third bill heats up. Then, Leigh Ann Caldwell, Puck’s chief Washington correspondent, joins the show to talk about the scramble set off by the Bill Pulte DNI announcement and the latest with the Maine Senate race as Graham Platner faces another scandal. Hosts: Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci Guest: Leigh Ann Caldwell, Puck Producer: Benji Englander Articles Discussed: Punchbowl: Can Congress pass a short-term FISA extension? ABC News: Democratic revolt over Trump's DNI pick Pulte puts FISA re-authorization in jeopardy Puck: The G.O.P.’s Pulte Problem Puck: Hill Rebellion & The Platner Files CNBC: Congress moves toward approving $70 billion for ICE and CBP through Trump’s presidency The Hill: GOP plots third reconciliation bill as midterm clock ticks The Guardian: Judgment day for under-fire Democrat Graham Platner in Maine primary
Transcribe →A Summer Sprint or Slog? Feat. Natalie Andrews
Jun 201:06:02Tap to summarizeCongress is racing to finish some major items, but will any GOP priorities get bogged down amid party infighting? Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci discuss the path ahead for reconciliation, FISA and government funding. Then, Natalie Andrews, a White House correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, joins the show to discuss the Senate’s “Wounded Bear Caucus” and Vice President Vance’s relationship with President Trump. Hosts: Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci Guest: Natalie Andrews, Wall Street Journal Audio Producer: Benji Englander Video Producer: Regina Anderson Articles Discussed: Fox News: Congress barrels toward deadline pile-up as GOP divisions threaten Trump agenda POLITICO: Trump administration retreats on 'Anti-Weaponization Fund' POLITICO: ‘Get a warrant’: FISA fights resurface MSNOW: ‘We have the votes to win’: Khanna predicts Iran war powers vote win for Democrats Tuesday CNN: Spencer Pratt brings Los Angeles’ economic anxieties into primetime POLITICO: ‘Every week it seems like it’s something else’: Democrats worry about Platner revelations POLITICO: Chuck Schumer’s Iowa problem WSJ: A New ‘Wounded Bear Caucus’ in the Senate Means More Trouble for Trump NYT: Is JD Vance the 2028 Front Runner? Trump Has Questions.
Transcribe →Inside Reconciliation 2.0 Feat. Scott Wong
May 1901:02:00Tap to summarizeOn a new episode of CONTROL, Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci are joined by Scott Wong, Senior Congressional Reporter for NBC News, to break down the latest drama unfolding on Capitol Hill and on the campaign trail. The trio dive into Reconciliation 2.0 and 3.0, President Trump’s influence in GOP primaries and the looming midterms, the continued fight over redistricting, the absence of Rep. Thomas Kean Jr., and much more. Hosts: Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci Guest: Scott Wong, NBC News Audio Producer: Benji Englander Video Producer: Regina Anderson Articles Discussed: Punchbowl: Crunch time for GOP’s reconciliation bill CNBC: Trump ballroom money in question after Senate parliamentarian rules. Thune says GOP will persist POLITICO: Trump pushes to attach his SAVE act to must-pass bipartisan bills The Hill: GOP lawmakers battle as conservatives press for third budget reconciliation bill NBC News: Rep. Thomas Massie confronts the full force of Trump’s wrath in a Republican primary NBC News: Democrats warn a third of the Congressional Black Caucus could be wiped out by redistricting wars New York Times: The Mystery of a Congressman’s Absence Deepens
Transcribe →How Congress Broke the Appropriations Process Feat. Matt Glassman
May 1200:59:12Tap to summarizeSpeaker Johnson made it through Hell Week, but what does reconciliation have in store? Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci are joined by Matt Glassman, who spent 10 years at the Congressional Research Service and is now a Senior Fellow at the Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown, for a primer on Reconciliation 2.0 and a discussion of how the appropriations process has gone awry. Plus, after a setback in Virginia, how will Democrats move forward on redistricting? Hosts: Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci Guest: Matt Glassman Audio Producer: Benji Englander Video Producer: Regina Anderson Articles Discussed: Punchbowl: Trump’s ballroom security money is in trouble Axios: Johnson to address Senate Republicans amid escalating tensions The Hill: GOP opposition grows to moving third reconciliation package on Trump agenda Politico: Trump wants a gas tax holiday. Republicans will ‘hear him out,’ Thune says Politico: Jeffries guarantees Democratic House win in midterms despite ‘undemocratic’ rulings The Hill: GOP braces for high-stakes 2027 spending fight with midterms looming Matt’s Five Points: The Dawn of Partisan Appropriations
Transcribe →Welcome to Hell Week Feat. Meredith Lee Hill
Apr 2800:49:40Tap to summarizeIt is “Hell Week” in the House of Representatives with several major votes on the schedule. Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci discuss the outlook for Reconciliation 2.0, FISA and the Farm Bill. Plus, Meredith Lee Hill, Senior Congress reporter for POLITICO, shares how the attack at the WHCD is shaking up the agenda and what to look for during a big week for Speaker Mike Johnson. Hosts: Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci Guest: Meredith Lee Hill, POLITICO Audio Producer: Benji Englander Video Producer: Regina Anderson Articles Discussed: POLITICO: WHCD attack jolts Mike Johnson’s big week POLITICO: ‘National emergency’: After assassination attempt, White House urges Congress to fund DHS POLITICO: Johnson says Senate-passed DHS funding bill will have to change POLITICO: It’s finally farm bill week Punchbowl News: House GOP has an impossible week TIME: King Charles Arrives in Trump's Washington, and a Congress Less Civil Than His Mother Faced
Transcribe →How Redistricting Is Rewriting the Midterms Feat. Ally Mutnick
Apr 2100:54:32Tap to summarizeThe Senate is moving ahead with reconciliation while things go off the rails in the House – all while a pivotal election takes place across the Potomac. On a new episode of CONTROL, Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci discuss Speaker Johnson’s FISA flop and next steps in the Senate for DHS funding and the Iran war. Then, Punchbowl News’ Senior Congressional Reporter Ally Mutnick joins the show to preview the redistricting ballot measure in Virginia and what it portends for both the 2026 midterms and future election cycles. Plus, the trio analyze the most competitive races across the Senate map. Hosts: Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci Guest: Ally Mutnick, Punchbowl News Audio Producer: Benji Englander Video Producer: Regina Anderson Articles Discussed: POLITICO: Republicans stare down a growing, neverending FISA crisis Punchbowl News: Thune: Full speed ahead on reconciliation New York Times: House Thwarts Bid to Halt Iran War, but Some in G.O.P. See Support Fading WaPo: Senate rejects resolution to block Trump from striking Iran New York Times: White House Declines to Offer Congress an Estimate of Iran War Cost Punchbowl News: House, Senate Dems post giant Q1 numbers Punchbowl News: NRCC outraises DCCC in Q1 New York Times: Democrats Spend Big but Face Tough Fight in Virginia Gerrymandering Battle CNN: Pinwheels and the ‘lobster district’: How Virginia Democrats drew up a US House map to all but lock out Republicans CNN: How a must-win Michigan Senate race turned messy for Democrats
Transcribe →Back From Recess — and Buried in Business Feat. Reese Gorman
Apr 1401:07:10Tap to summarizeOn a milestone episode of CONTROL, Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci cover the stack of items that have piled up on Congress’ to-do list over the spring recess – starting with a critical vote to extend FISA. Then, with peace talks to end the Iran War faltering, will more Republicans support a War Powers Resolution? And will DHS ever reopen? At the end, Reese Gorman, a political reporter at NOTUS, shares his insights into the resignations of Rep. Eric Swalwell and Rep. Tony Gonzales, House leadership maneuvering, and TMZ’s new focus on Capitol Hill. Hosts: Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci Guest: Reese Gorman, NOTUS Audio Producer: Benji Englander Video Producer: Regina Anderson Articles Discussed: NBC News: Congress returns to battles over DHS, expelling lawmakers and the Iran war WaPo: Powerful surveillance program faces obstacles as renewal deadline looms Politico: GOP leaders prepare to steamroll opponents of DHS funding plan NOTUS: Notice Anything Different About Jim Jordan? That’s Because He’s Probably Angling for Leadership NOTUS: Tony Gonzales Announces He’s Leaving Congress, Avoiding Likely Expulsion Vote NYT: TMZ Sics Its Tipsters on a New Breed of Celebrity Villain: Members of Congress
Transcribe →What Can Break the DHS Deadlock? Feat. Burgess Everett
Mar 2400:44:27Tap to summarizeWith the DHS shutdown dragging on and frustration mounting over TSA lines, Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci discuss if there is any hope for a deal. Plus, debate continues over the SAVE America Act and supplemental funding for the Iran war. Then, Semafor’s Congressional Bureau Chief Burgess Everett joins the show to share what he is hearing on DHS funding, a second reconciliation package, and Markwayne Mullin’s confirmation. And this week on campaign corner: the Maine Senate race. Hosts: Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci Guest: Burgess Everett, Semafor Audio Producer: Benji Englander Video Producer: Regina Anderson Articles Discussed: Semafor: Senate tries frantically to reopen DHS CBS News: DHS funding talks in limbo after Trump calls on GOP to link bill to SAVE America Act Semafor: Collins wants bipartisan Iran spending bill CNN: In Maine’s marquee Senate primary, Janet Mills reaches out to women by raising Graham Platner’s online past Semafor: Senate Democrats square off with each other in ‘spicy primaries’ The Hill: Senate advances Mullin to head Department of Homeland Security
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