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politico.com
Last night, eight Democrats broke ranks and voted with Republicans to end the government shut down.

As a result, a “civil war” is breaking out in the Democratic Party, Jack Blanchard says.

Listen on #playbookpod: pod.link/1169056746/e...
November 10, 2025 at 1:31 PM
politico.com
Taking over the reins of the MAGA movement is no easy task.

If Trump is no longer on the ballot, JD Vance has three years to show he can unite a divided Republican base.

Adam Wren and Megan Messerly discuss on #playbookpod: pod.link/1169056746/e...
November 7, 2025 at 12:59 PM
politico.com
After recent races, Republicans are rethinking their strategy to focus more on affordability issues — especially going into the 2026 midterm year.

“The complaint from Republicans is that Donald Trump has hardly been doing this at all,” Jack Blanchard says on #playbookpod: pod.link/1169056746/e...
November 6, 2025 at 1:44 PM
politico.com
Though they hail from different wings of the Democratic Party, democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani and moderates Mikie Sherrill and Abigail Spanberger all won big last night.

The unifying factor? Their focus on cost-of-living issues.

More on #playbookpod: pod.link/1169056746/e...
November 5, 2025 at 1:14 PM
politico.com
The high drama of New York's mayoral race continues and all roads lead to Zohran Mamdani.

But the Democratic Party is still conflicted about whether to embrace the frontrunner or keep him at arm’s length.

🎧 We discuss this pivotal election on #playbookpod: pod.link/1169056746/e...
November 4, 2025 at 2:24 PM
politico.com
Now for some light relief ...

Say hello to the newest member of our #playbookpod family: Hellas (or Helly for short 🐶), Dasha Burns' new dog who is turning the show into a daily news briefing “with a side of puppy.”

Listen to today's full ep: pod.link/1169056746/e...
November 3, 2025 at 2:21 PM
politico.com
The Canadian government, unlike its southern neighbor, is not shut down. However, Canada is still feeling the reverberations of the U.S. shutdown.

Watch our Nick Taylor-Vaisey and Megan Messerly discuss the impacts on diplomats in today’s #playbookpod: www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhEm...
October 31, 2025 at 4:19 PM
politico.com
Just before heading into a meeting with Chinese President Xi, Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that the US would begin testing nuclear weapons for the first time in 30 years.

But is this a genuine plan or some sort of negotiation tactic?

We discuss on #playbookpod: pod.link/1169056746/e...
October 30, 2025 at 1:12 PM
politico.com
Yesterday, Donald Trump floated the idea of "unstoppable" JD Vance and Marco Rubio running in the 2028 presidential election.

So far, the subject of a potential successor has been a touchy one within the GOP, as Dasha Burns explains on #playbookpod 👇

pod.link/1169056746/e...
October 28, 2025 at 1:38 PM
politico.com
Trump’s reciprocal tariff chart is such a popular costume that it's now sold out, says our Megan Messerly on #playbookpod.

🎧 Listen to the full episode on political costumes and how next week’s elections could show how both parties approach the midterms.
ow.ly/Brmi50XixBl
October 27, 2025 at 5:31 PM
politico.com
Trump heads to Asia today and meets with Chinese President Xi next week.

The White House insiders @meganmesserly.bsky.social is speaking to have described it as one of the riskiest foreign trips of the president’s second term.

🎧 She explains why on #playbookpod: pod.link/1169056746/e...
October 24, 2025 at 1:17 PM
politico.com
Paul Ingrassia’s nomination to lead the Office of Special Counsel is off.

The withdrawal of the nomination comes after POLITICO reported on text messages that showed Ingrassia saying he has “a Nazi streak.”

Jack Blanchard and Megan Messerly discuss on #playbookpod: pod.link/1169056746/e...
October 22, 2025 at 12:51 PM
politico.com
Rep. LaMonica McIver faces controversial assault charges after attending a protest outside an ICE facility.

Democrats argue it's another example of Trump's DOJ going after political opponents.

On #playbookpod, Jack Blanchard explains why the case is so explosive: pod.link/1169056746/e...
October 21, 2025 at 12:48 PM
politico.com
Today we learned what actually happened at the Trump-Zelenskyy meeting on Friday.

“It’s jaw-dropping stuff,” Jack Blanchard says on #playbookpod 👇

Listen to the full ep: pod.link/1169056746/e...
October 20, 2025 at 12:15 PM
politico.com
Donald Trump is meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy today, with the two expected to discuss arms as Russia’s war in Ukraine continues.

Here's what Foreign Affairs Correspondent Eli Stokols is hearing from his sources about the meeting 👇

Listen on #playbookpod: ow.ly/7m9j50XcX5r
October 17, 2025 at 1:28 PM
politico.eu
After his inauguration, Trump didn't waste time in pushing through controversial policies — and he hasn't slowed down since.

"That was just laying the ground for something even bigger," Jack Blanchard says on #playbookpod, "He’s only going faster."

🎧 Listen here: ow.ly/r4Ug50Xchj3
October 16, 2025 at 1:17 PM
politico.com
A high-stakes Supreme Court case today could upend the Voting Rights Act.

Removing it would change congressional maps in a “very, very significant way” just in time for the 2026 midterm elections, Jack Blanchard points out on #playbookpod.

Listen here: ow.ly/IsMr50XbEHR
October 15, 2025 at 1:11 PM
politico.com
President Trump’s Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal is being credited across party lines.

“This is being universally hailed as an incredible accomplishment,” Megan Messerly says on #playbookpod.

But there's still lots more work to be done.

🎧 pod.link/1169056746/e...
October 14, 2025 at 1:03 PM
politico.com
The Israeli strike on Doha last month was "a major turning point" in getting Trump's peace plan to come together, national security reporter Eric Bazail-Eimil argues.

On #playbookpod, he explains how the attack pushed Israel and Hamas back to the negotiating table: ow.ly/KMjJ50X9CsX
October 10, 2025 at 12:58 PM
politico.com
Yesterday, Trump announced Israel and Hamas have “signed off on the first phase” of a deal to end the war in Gaza.

Dasha Burns was on the phone with the president late last night, here's what he said about the agreement 👇

🎧 Listen on #playbookpod: ow.ly/SRvH50X904o
October 9, 2025 at 12:52 PM
politico.com
How far will the Justice Department go in prosecuting the people Trump wants prosecuted — including ex-FBI director James Comey?

On #playbookpod, Dasha Burns argues the DOJ's decision will open a "pandora's box" for this administration — and future ones: ow.ly/mxEM50X8lT8
October 8, 2025 at 12:12 PM
politico.com
When Bernie Sanders and AOC dropped their videos on the stakes of the shutdown, it inspired wishcasting among Dems that they could be the voice of the party in this moment.

Our @adamwren.bsky.social and @meganmesserly.bsky.social discuss on today's #PlaybookPod 👇

🎧 ow.ly/trwu50X4VKp
October 3, 2025 at 1:27 PM
politico.com
The shutdown could turn into a long standoff as Democratic leaders react to signals from their base that they want the party to stand up to Trump.

“They want to see some spine,” says our @DashaBurns on #PlaybookPod.

🎧 ow.ly/trwu50X4VKp
October 1, 2025 at 1:57 PM
politico.com
The federal government is headed toward a shutdown. On a call with our Dasha Burns, Trump said Dems, not him, will be blamed.

“He feels like this is something that they're going to win on in the court of public opinion,” she says on #PlaybookPod.

🎧 ow.ly/sNCA50X4ekF
September 30, 2025 at 2:19 PM
politico.com
Trump’s federal crackdown on big cities comes to Portland. And unlike his first term, "it's a no-holds-barred approach,” says our Dasha Burns on #playbookpod.

She and our Adam Wren discuss what's driving Trump’s new focus on Portland👇

🎧 ow.ly/C7LT50X3GJ6
September 29, 2025 at 5:07 PM