Playbook Deep Dive

House Budget Committee ranking member Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.) joins the show to discuss how his Democratic colleagues should respond to California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s recent pivot on trans athletes in sports, President Donald Trump’s joint address to Congress, the looming government shutdown and the GOP’s possible cuts to Medicaid in reconciliation. Rachael Bade is Capitol Bureau Chief and Senior Washington Correspondent for POLITICO. Brendan Boyle is the Ranking Member of the House Budget Committee. Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio. Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump’s rapid-fire approach to governing is shaking up Washington. But is he moving too fast for his own good? In this episode of Playbook Deep Dive, host Eugene Daniels talks with POLITICO’s senior Congress editor Mike DeBonis and West Wing Playbook co-author Sophia Cai to break down the risks of Trump’s high-speed strategy and what it means for the weeks ahead. Eugene Daniels is the Chief Playbook Correspondent for POLITICO. Mike DeBonis is the senior Congress editor for POLITICO. Sophia Cai is a West Wing Playbook author and White House reporter for POLITICO. Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio. Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has an independent streak and a big job leading the National Governors Association. Here’s what he’s telling fellow governors about when to work with Trump and when to oppose him, how he thinks that Trump is hurting himself, and what the first thing Elon Musk and DOGE should cut is. Eugene Daniels is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO. Jared Polis is the Governor of Colorado. Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio. Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Where is the Democratic “resistance” for Trump’s second term? Chief Playbook Correspondent Eugene Daniels asks Rep. Jamie Raskin, a longtime nemesis of President Trump’s and the current House Judiciary Committee ranking member, why the Democrats have been slow to counter the president’s aggressive governing, and what the plan is going forward to rebuild the party and its message. Eugene Daniels is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO. Rep. Jamie Raskin is the Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio. Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

House Republicans are facing tough choices on reconciliation, party unity, and whether or not to look the other way when President Trump steps on their authority. In this episode, House GOP Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain gives the scoop on House leadership's hours-long meeting with the president on Thursday, and why she thinks that the House GOP is about to have a major breakthrough. Rachael Bade is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO. Lisa McClain is the Chair of the House Republican Conference Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio. Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump has moved aggressively to define his second presidency. POLITICO’s top reporters have thoughts on where he’s going, and how Congress, Democrats and the courts may try to stop him. Eugene Daniels is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO. Rachael Bade is the Capitol Bureau Chief and Senior Washington Columnist for POLITICO. Ankush Khardori is a columnist and senior writer for POLITICO Magazine. Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio. Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is the longest serving current U.S. senator and currently chairs the Judiciary Committee, which will have purview over President Donald Trump’s immigration policy. He is also the former chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over tax policy — two big seats for the coming reconciliation bill. On this episode, Playbook’s Eugene Daniels checks in with Grassley about reconciliation; Trump’s brash talk about the FBI and DOJ, both of which he’ll have to oversee, and to get a general vibe check on the Senate during this time of change. Eugene Daniels is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO. Chuck Grassley is the President Pro Tempore of the U.S. Senate. Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio. Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ways & Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith joins the show to elaborate on his vision for reconciliation, how he’s working with the diverse factions within the GOP to achieve it and why he believes he will prevail in passing “one big beautiful bill” with major tax cuts. Eugene Daniels is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO. Jason Smith is the Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee. Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio. Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michael Froman — former U.S. Trade Representative, Deputy National Security Advisor and current president of the Council on Foreign Relations — joins Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels to discuss the state of affairs in the world that Trump is stepping into, how world leaders are watching and reacting to Trump’s every word and what he thinks Trump will do differently than Biden in global hot spots like Ukraine, Taiwan, Israel, and yes… Greenland. Eugene Daniels is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO. Michael Froman is the president of the Council on Foreign Relations. Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio. Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Out with the old and in with the new or in the case of 2025, it’s back to the future with the return of Donald Trump to the White House. As America and her allies prepares for Trump 2.0, what can we be certain of in an increasingly unpredictable and fractious world? In the final episode of Power Play this year, host Anne McElvoy is joined by POLITICO's Global Editor-in-chief John Harris and Nicholas Vinocur, editor-at-large in POLITICO's Europe newsroom and author of Brussels Playbook. They chew over an eventful election year in 2024 and look ahead to what 2025 might bring. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One thing Donald Trump loves to say is that he knows how to make a deal. And even for our allies, sometimes the “Art of the Deal” can feel like a shakedown. Ask NATO about that, and you’ll get some nods. But lately, Canada is the ally that’s been caught in Trump’s line of sight. The president-elect has been trolling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on social media, calling him the “governor” of America’s “51st state,” and threatening to impose a 25 percent tariff on Canadian imports if they don’t step up their game on border security. On this episode of Playbook Deep Dive, Canada’s ambassador to the U.S., Kirsten Hillman, joins Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels to discuss how Justin Trudeau’s embattled government is rolling with Trump’s punches; enduring their own political crisis and making inroads with Trump world. Eugene Daniels is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO. Kirsten Hillman is the Canadian ambassador to the U.S. Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio. Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump’s Washington is going to be packed with heavyweights from big business such as Elon Musk, Scott Bessent and Howard Lutnick. But the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which represents traditional business interests in D.C., has recently found itself estranged from its longtime allies in the Republican Party. On this episode of Playbook Deep Dive, the Chamber’s top lobbyist, former Rep. Rodney Davis, joins Playbook co-author Rachael Bade to discuss how the Chamber is winning back its swagger with the GOP and how they plan to interface with President-elect Trump. Rachael Bade is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO. Rodney Davis is the Head of Government Affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio. Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Generational change. It’s been a hot topic for Democrats ever since Joe Biden announced he’d run for a second term, and it's been picking up steam this past week as House Democrats pushed aside aging ranking members on key committees in order to make room for some younger leaders. In this episode, Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels speaks with Rep. Jared Huffman, who is challenging for the top Democratic slot on the House Natural Resources Committee, about what and who is behind this generational rebellion. Eugene Daniels is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO. Jared Huffman is the representative for California's 2nd district. Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio. Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) weighs in on President-elect Trump’s cabinet picks, the news of former Rep. Matt Gaetz’s withdrawal from attorney general consideration and his takes on some of the incoming president's most controversial ideas. Rachael Bade is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO. Kevin Cramer is the junior senator from North Dakota. Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio. Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) opens up for the first time about his recent defeat, and what he thinks his experiences holding a senate seat in reliably red Ohio since 2006 can teach fellow Democrats attempting to redefine the party’s brand. Eugene Daniels is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO. Sherrod Brown is the senior senator from Ohio. Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio. Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump is coming back to the White House. On this episode of Deep Dive, POLITICO’s top Trump-ologist, Meridith McGraw, and Playbook editor Mike DeBonis join host Rachael Bade to discuss how the next Trump presidency will defy our expectations. Included in this discussion: Who will be in Trump’s cabinet; who will lead the GOP on the Hill and can Trump really be sure that they’ll cooperate with him? On the Democratic side — how will they respond to their crushing defeat? And will they resist Trump’s every move as doggedly as they did during his first administration? Rachael Bade is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO. Meridith McGraw is a national political correspondent for POLITICO. Mike DeBonis is the editor of Playbook for POLITICO. Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio. Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Top election forecasters Lakshya Jain (Split Ticket) and Logan Phillips (Race to the White House) join Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels to give their key insights and predictions for Tuesday. They discuss how to analyze early voting returns, who the remaining swing voters are, and why polls are more useful than most people give them credit for. Stay until the end, where they each share what one race that will be called early on Election Night that will signal to them who the next president is going to be. Eugene Daniels is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO. Lakshya Jain is CEO and co-founder of Split Ticket. Logan Phillips is founder of Race to the White House. Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio. Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

James Carville is one of the oldest and best known political strategists in America. He also is the subject of a new CNN documentary called “Winning is Everything, Stupid.” On this episode of Deep Dive, Carville talks with host Ryan Lizza about his outlook on the election, including why he’s not so sure that it’ll be a close race once the votes are counted; what he thinks Kamala Harris could learn from Trump’s huckster style; and why Carville has absolutely no remorse for voicing his complaint that the Democratic Party’s culture was dominated by what he calls “preachy females.” Ryan Lizza is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO. James Carville is a Democratic political strategist. Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio. Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone knows the Latino vote will be decisive in this presidential election year. But our guest today says most of what you know about Latino voters and how to win them over is wrong. Mike Madrid is a third-generation Mexican-American and one of the country’s leading political strategists when it comes to Latino voters. He was a senior operative for the California Republican Party who rubbed shoulders with the likes of George W. Bush and his generation of GOP officials. Madrid later got jaded by Trump and co-founded the Lincoln Project. In his new book, “The Latino Century”, Madrid lays out a breadcrumb trail for both Republicans and Democrats to win this decisive block of voters, who he believes are very much up for grabs this year. He shares his findings with host & Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza as well as the reason why both parties are doing something right to win them — and something wrong. Ryan Lizza is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO. Mike Madrid is a Latino GOP political consultant and author of "The Latino Century." Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio. Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Wednesday morning, Frank Fahrenkopf received a letter from the Biden presidential campaign that ruined his day. Fahrenkopf is co-chair of the Commission on Presidential Debates, which has produced 33 debates since 1988, the first election year it was in business. He was planning on four more this year: three with Biden and Trump as well as the quadrennial vice presidential debate. But the Biden campaign told Fahrenkopf that the president would not be participating in any of them. Instead, the Biden campaign announced that it would negotiate with the Trump campaign and individual media organizations to plan two debates outside of the Commission’s process. By the end of the day Biden and Trump were set to debate in June on CNN and in September on ABC. On this episode of Deep Dive, Fahrenkopf joins host and Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza to discuss the fall-out from this decision, including the roles of Biden, Trump, and Anita Dunn; why he thinks RFK Jr. may have grounds for a lawsuit against CNN and what some of his favorite behind-the-scenes stories are from his decades of producing debates. Ryan Lizza is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO.Frank Fahrenkopf is the co-chair of the Commission on Presidential Debates. Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio. Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices