Podcast
The Playbook Podcast
Hosted by POLITICO · EN
POLITICO’s Jack Blanchard and Dasha Burns bring their fresh insight, analysis and reporting to the biggest story driving the day in the nation’s capital.
71episodes
Episodes
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From Rome to the Oval Office to Tennessee
1w ago00:12:43Tap to summarizeMarc Rubio is at the Vatican to smooth things over with Pope Leo XIV after weeks of tension with the White House. Playbook’s Dasha Burns and Jack Blanchard discuss the political importance of this meeting and what is really at stake. Meanwhile, Trump hosts Brazilian President Lula, who has been very critical of the Iran War, at the Oval Office. And Republicans are back to redrawing maps—this time in Tennessee—where they are threatening the state’s lone Democratic House seat.
Transcribe →MAGA retakes Indiana
1w ago00:13:54Tap to summarizeIn Indiana, most of President Trump's endorsed primary opponents beat GOP state legislators. Playbook's Adam Wren tells Jack Blanchard what all of this means, including the future of the nationwide redistricting war and the division in the Republican Party. Then, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick faces questioning over Jeffrey Epstein. And Marco Rubio is headed to Rome to meet Pope Leo XIV after holding a White House press briefing before Operation Freedom was paused.
Transcribe →Trump put to the test in the Midwest
1w ago00:13:07Tap to summarizePlaybook heads to the Midwest. All eyes are on Indiana as voters hit the polls for the primary. It will be Trump’s big first test to see if his power still holds with the Republican Party. Jack Blanchard and Dasha Burns break down this unusual state senate race. And staying in the Midwest, a well-known ICE official is gunning for a House seat in Ohio—will it work for the Republicans? Plus, the Strait of Hormuz is back in the news.
Transcribe →‘Warning signs are flashing’: GOP anxiety builds with six months to midterms
2w ago00:13:02Tap to summarizeWith six months to go until the midterm elections, the political picture is sharpening — and it’s a tough one for Republicans. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and Dasha Burns run through six reasons each party can find a glimmer of hope, even as gas prices climb, Trump’s economic numbers slip and tensions with Iran add fresh uncertainty to the race for November.
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Can AI solve the problems it creates? (with David Sacks) | The Conversation
2w ago00:43:30Tap to summarizeDavid Sacks has played a key role in shaping AI policy for the Trump administration. He was formerly the White House AI and crypto czar. Now, he’s the co-chair of the President’s Co-Chair of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. Sacks approaches the issue with a “let them cook” philosophy. Meaning, he thinks the way for the United States to win the global AI race is to move fast with minimally disruptive regulation. But with that comes a lot of questions about AI disruption to the workforce, who should be held responsible for harm caused by AI platforms, and the fear and division within America over the future of the technology. Sacks joins Dasha Burns in a wide-ranging interview to discuss it all.
Transcribe →Party tensions and 60 days of war
2w ago00:12:19Tap to summarizeChuck Schumer is dealing with internal blowback from some Democrats as key midterm battles heat up. Meanwhile, the Iran war hits the 60-day mark with Americans still feeling the pain at the pump, inflation continues to climb, and Congress heads out for recess without taking action on the War Powers Resolution. Playbook’s Adam Wren and Megan Messerly break down party tensions, the economic pressure, and what it all could mean heading into the midterms.
Transcribe →Back to the maps with SCOTUS, more Pete Hegseth, and a governor’s dilemma
2w ago00:14:42Tap to summarizeThe Supreme Court’s decision on the Voting Rights Act will be felt in election cycles but maybe not as early as November. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and Megan Messerly discuss if this decision will work in the GOP favor to redraw voting maps now. Meanwhile, Pete Hegseth heads back to Capitol Hill to face the Senate, where Europe will be a big topic of conversation. And in Nevada, Republican Governor Joe Lombardo is running for re-election but President Trump is making it hard for him.
Transcribe →Pete Hegseth in the hot seat, the latest Fed drama, and King Charles goes to NYC
2w ago00:12:44Tap to summarizeStarting today, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth takes the hot seat in two rare back-to-back sessions with Congress–the Iran War will be top of mind for the lawmakers meeting with Hegseth. Meanwhile, Trump's pick for Fed Chair, Kevin Warsh, is set to inherit high interest rates and rising energy costs as Jerome Powell gets ready to leave the post. And in New York City, King Charles meets with Mayor Zohran Mamdani at a 9/11 ceremony. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and Megan Messerly dive into these key developments driving the day.
Transcribe →The British king meets Congress and Florida’s new map
2w ago00:13:32Tap to summarizeIt’s day two of King Charles III official state visit. Today he will address Congress in a bipartisan meeting on Capitol Hill. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and Megan Messerly break down what the King is expected to say about US and UK’s relationship. And then, Florida has joined the redistricting wars before the mid-cycle elections. Governor Ron DeSantis unveiled a new map that could give the GOP more seats, but it could be an uphill battle.
Transcribe →Security under scrutiny at WHCD and a royal visit to the White House
3w ago00:12:47Tap to summarizeWashington is still reeling as the suspect in Saturday night’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner scare makes a court appearance, fueling fresh scrutiny of event security and giving new urgency to President Donald Trump’s push for a White House ballroom. Jack Blanchard and Megan Messerly discuss how attention may shift fast with King Charles III arriving for a rare state visit at a moment of strained U.S.-U.K. relations. Plus on Capitol Hill, Speaker Mike Johnson heads into a punishing stretch as he tries to steer funding, surveillance authorities, and a farm bill through a razor-thin majority.
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