Episodes

  • March 14, 2025: Schumer giveth and Schumer taketh away

    March 14, 2025: Schumer giveth and Schumer taketh away
    Mar 14 2025
    House Republicans are one step closer to passing their continuing resolution to fund the government, now that they have overcome the roadblock that is Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Last night, Schumer announced that he will reluctantly support the GOP’s CR — preferring it to the alternative of a government shutdown. But that decision has left many Democrats apoplectic. They were spoiling for a fight with Trump and saw this as their moment of maximum leverage; if not now, then when? How will it all shake out, and what will insiders be watching for ahead of the big vote this afternoon? Congress reporter Jordain Carney joins Playbook deputy editor Zack Stanton to discuss.
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    10 mins
  • March 13, 2025: A (way too early) look at 2028

    March 13, 2025: A (way too early) look at 2028
    Mar 13 2025
    President Donald Trump has only been in office for a month and a half, but 2028 is already on the minds of Democrats in Washington, and the road to the next presidential campaign is beginning to take shape. POLITICO national politics correspondent Adam Wren sits down with Playbook deputy editor Zack Stanton to share his scoop about what their fellow midwesterner, Pete Buttigieg, has decided about his political future. Plus, we’re once again on a shutdown countdown, and the rest of the news you need to know today.
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    9 mins
  • March 12, 2025: Johnson gets a win and market losses mount

    March 12, 2025: Johnson gets a win and market losses mount
    Mar 12 2025
    Market volatility is the talk of Washington as the White House issues (and, in some cases, walks back) whiplash-inducing tariff threats. And as the economy dominates the discussion, all eyes are on Congress as a government shutdown looms at the end of the week. Yesterday, House Speaker Mike Johnson led House Republicans on a big step forward, passing a seven-month stopgap government funding bill. But it now faces an uncertain path forward in the Senate ahead of the shutdown deadline on Friday evening. What are insiders watching for? POLITICO’s Capitol bureau chief Rachael Bade joins Playbook author Jack Blanchard to talk it through.
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    9 mins
  • March 11, 2025: What counts as free speech in Trump’s America?

    March 11, 2025: What counts as free speech in Trump’s America?
    Mar 11 2025
    What precisely are the limits of free speech in Donald Trump’s America? That question is at the heart of the case of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University grad student and green card holder whose protests against Israel led to his detention by ICE over the weekend. Administration officials say the move complies with President Trump’s executive order cracking down on anti-semitism on college campuses. But a diverse array of critics argue that it amounts to an unconstitutional attempt to punish Khalil for speech protected by the First Amendment. West Wing Playbook co-author (and former Columbia Spectator editor-in-chief) Irie Sentner walks Steven Overly through the situation. Plus, Republicans aim to bring a continuing resolution to the House floor today, and Elon Musk suggests that entitlements are on the chopping block — despite of Trump’s promises to the contrary.
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    10 mins
  • March 10, 2025: House GOP scrambles to avoid a shutdown

    March 10, 2025: House GOP scrambles to avoid a shutdown
    Mar 10 2025
    Two facts are behind the day’s biggest story on Capitol Hill. One, we’re just five days away from a government shutdown. Two, the House GOP’s so-called ‘clean’ continuing resolution is chock full of details — like mass deportations and new money for ICE — that will make it hard to get enough Democratic votes to succeed. POLITICO Congress reporter Meredith Lee Hill walks guest host Steven Overly through the vote count at the moment and everything else you need to know about the state of play in Washington.
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    10 mins
  • March 7, 2025: Capitol Hill confidential

    March 7, 2025: Capitol Hill confidential
    Mar 7 2025
    It’s the worst-kept secret in Washington: Being in Congress isn’t as glamorous as it seems from the outside. But what is life really like on Capitol Hill? What do members privately think about their colleagues? How do they know it’s time to hang up their spurs? And what are the things the rest of us really don’t get about the pressures they face? POLITICO’s Ben Jacobs asked them. And he joins chief Playbook correspondent Eugene Daniels talk about what he heard. Plus, President Donald Trump puts a muzzle on DOGE, and our Eugene bids farewell to our listeners after four years at Playbook.
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    10 mins
  • March 6, 2025: Is Trump’s trade war an own goal?

    March 6, 2025: Is Trump’s trade war an own goal?
    Mar 6 2025
    President Donald Trump’s tariff regime is blooming before our eyes. That may delight his MAGA base, but it’s causing agita in the broader electorate, as Americans face the near inevitability of higher prices for the foreseeable future and businesses struggle to keep up with the head-spinning turn of events. Is there a point at which the political reality will overwhelm Trump’s tariff ambitions and cause him to at least reconsider the path he’s chosen? White House reporter Megan Messerly joins chief Playbook correspondent Eugene Daniels to talk through the possibilities.
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    10 mins
  • March 5, 2025: Trump doubles down

    March 5, 2025: Trump doubles down
    Mar 5 2025
    In his joint address to Congress last night, President Donald Trump gave a red-meat speech that lauded his culture war victories, denigrated his political opponents, and, oh yeah, ran until 11pm. But for all the noise in the speech, many of the headlines this morning are about Democrats, who responded to the aggressive and partisan speech in kind. Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) was dramatically ejected from the chamber for shouting that Trump had “no mandate,” and Democrats slowly but steadily walked out of the speech, leaving their side looking threadbare. Playbook managing editor and author Jack Blanchard breaks it all down with chief Playbook correspondent Eugene Daniels and Capitol bureau chief and senior Washington columnist Rachael Bade.
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    13 mins