Playbook Deep Dive
496 episodes - English - Latest episode: 6 days ago - ★★★★ - 1.1K ratingsWelcome to Playbook Deep Dive, the stories behind the power. From Congress and the White House to bar stools and back rooms, POLITICO Playbook’s Ryan Lizza brings you interviews with the most compelling and important figures who explain what’s really going on in Washington.
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Episodes
Bonus episode: A tale of two conventions
August 31, 2020 05:00 - 12 minutes - 11.2 MBAre we a country that's failed disastrously to respond to a global pandemic, or a country that's overrun by protests and violence on the streets? Democrats and Republicans painted wildly different pictures of America at their party conventions this month. For the double conventions, we're featuring a double host special: Nerdcast's Scott Bland joins Dispatch's Jeremy Siegel to discuss the biggest takeaways from the past two weeks. Scott Bland is the host of Nerdcast and a politics editor at P...
The GOP's identity crisis
August 28, 2020 05:00 - 25 minutes - 20.7 MBA question from a high schooler left POLITICO chief political correspondent Tim Alberta stumped: What does it mean to be a Republican? Alberta talks with Scott Bland about whether the Republican National Convention answered that question this week — and how Donald Trump has shaped the party's future. Scott Bland is the host of Nerdcast and a politics editor at POLITICO. Tim Alberta is the chief political correspondent for POLITICO. Adrienne Hurst is an associate producer for POLITICO audio. ...
Signed. Sealed. Delivered?
August 21, 2020 05:00 - 25 minutes - 20.7 MBThe postal service is older than America itself. It delivers bills, Amazon packages and even ballots straight to your house. So what happens when, in the middle of a pandemic that has skyrocketed the demand for vote-by-mail, the USPS suddenly seems like it’s falling apart? POLITICO Magazine digital editor Zack Stanton joins Scott Bland to talk about the mail-system meltdown and what USPS expert Phil Rubio, himself a former letter carrier, says about how fundamental the postal service is to th...
Fundraising Remix: The Zoom where it happens
August 14, 2020 05:00 - 25 minutes - 20.7 MBIn-person events have long been the bedrock of political fundraising. So what happens when a global pandemic takes away in-person fundraisers? … They go to Zoom. Sure, there's awkwardness and technical difficulties, but they are helping both campaigns raise record amounts of money. And even in a post-coronavirus world, this looks like the new normal. Democratic strategist Tim Lim and GOP donor Dan Eberhart on Zoom fundraising in 2020. Scott Bland is the host of Nerdcast and a politics editor ...
Canvassing, interrupted
August 07, 2020 05:00 - 19 minutes - 15.3 MBDonald Trump's campaign says it knocks on a million doors a week. Joe Biden's campaign says it knocks on zero. Host Scott Bland talks to Miles Baker — former door knocker, organizer and current political strategist — about the silver linings of the pandemic. Halting in-person canvassing has actually been a useful way to retool campaign strategies. Scott Bland is the host of Nerdcast and a politics editor at POLITICO. Miles Baker is campaigns director at The Action Factory. Annie Rees is a pro...
At-risk Republicans have a problem: Trump
July 31, 2020 05:00 - 23 minutes - 18.5 MBThe congressional map as it stands now — three months out from the election — paints a cautiously optimistic picture for Democrats, who could see their majority grow. POLITICO reporter Ally Mutnick talks with Scott Bland about how Donald Trump's current numbers are affecting the way that Republicans in suburban districts are campaigning. Scott Bland is the host of Nerdcast and a politics editor at POLITICO. Ally Mutnick is a campaign reporter for POLITICO. Annie Rees is a producer for POLIT...
Everything that can go wrong in November
July 24, 2020 05:00 - 26 minutes - 21.3 MBNovember's election is about to be a perfect storm — that we can all see coming. Garrett M. Graff digs into his POLITICO magazine cover story with Scott Bland about the voting issues that have tripped up primaries in 2020 so far, and why November won't look like any election we've seen before. Scott Bland is the host of Nerdcast and a politics editor at POLITICO. Garrett M. Graff is a contributor to POLITICO magazine. Annie Rees is a producer for POLITICO audio. Irene Noguchi is the executiv...
Trump vs. the NFL
July 17, 2020 05:42 - 26 minutes - 25.2 MBPresident Donald Trump's vendetta against the NFL isn't just political. It's personal. POLITICO Magazine's Michael Kruse talks with Scott Bland about the decadeslong feud — and whether recent shifts in public sentiment on racial justice issues could make Trump's reelection campaign the final battlefield. Scott Bland is the host of Nerdcast and a politics editor at POLITICO. Michael Kruse is a senior staff writer for POLITICO Magazine. Adrienne Hurst is an associate producer for POLITICO audi...
Why a football coach could beat Jeff Sessions
July 10, 2020 05:00 - 25 minutes - 23.8 MBTrump's former attorney general wants his Senate seat back. But polling shows Tommy Tuberville — a former football coach and political newbie — ahead of Jeff Sessions in the Republican primary runoff. Birmingham, Ala.-based journalist Eric Velasco talks with Scott Bland ahead of the July 14 matchup. Plus, James Arkin brings us up to speed on the broader Senate map. Scott Bland is the host of Nerdcast and a politics editor at POLITICO. Eric Velasco is a freelance journalist based in Birmingha...
The SCOTUS case that could tip the 2020 scales
July 03, 2020 05:00 - 23 minutes - 21.7 MBThe Supreme Court's 5-4 decision to strike down a Louisiana abortion law could motivate conservative voters at the ballot box — and progressives, too. Health care reporter Alice Miranda Ollstein explains. Scott Bland is the host of Nerdcast and a politics editor at POLITICO. Alice Miranda Ollstein is a health care reporter for POLITICO. Adrienne Hurst is an associate producer for POLITICO audio. Jenny Ament is the senior producer of POLITICO audio. Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of ...
How to handle a scandal
June 26, 2020 05:00 - 24 minutes - 23 MBHouse Democrats are wrestling with how hard to go after President Donald Trump's laundry list of alleged abuses. With just weeks to go until Election Day, could aggressive oversight undermine the party's political prospects? Congress reporter Heather Caygle talks with Scott Bland about lawmakers' game plan. Scott Bland is the host of Nerdcast and a politics editor at POLITICO. Heather Caygle is a Congress reporter for POLITICO. Adrienne Hurst is an associate producer for POLITICO audio. Jenn...
Split screen: Inside Trump's favorite network
June 19, 2020 05:00 - 27 minutes - 25.9 MBGuest host Eugene Daniels and POLITICO Magazine deputy editor Elizabeth Ralph lift the curtain on One America News Network — where liberal staff are chafing at their own network’s coverage of national protests and the coronavirus. Eugene Daniels is a political reporter for POLITICO. Elizabeth Ralph is a deputy editor for POLITICO Magazine. Adam Wren is a contributing editor for POLITICO Magazine. Adrienne Hurst is an associate producer for POLITICO audio. Jenny Ament is the senior producer o...
White America reckons with racism: Polls and what it means for 2020
June 12, 2020 05:00 - 31 minutes - 25 MBPublic opinion polls that show support for the Black Lives Matter movement has jumped almost as much in the last two weeks as it has in the past two years. Guest host Eugene Daniels and national political reporter Alex Thompson talk about what that means — plus, identity politics from Trump and Biden. Eugene Daniels is a political reporter for POLITICO. Alex Thompson is a national political reporter for POLITICO. Annie Rees is a producer for POLITICO audio. Jenny Ament is the senior producer...
The protests — the political and the personal
June 05, 2020 05:00 - 33 minutes - 26.6 MBGuest host Eugene Daniels talks with chief Washington correspondent Ryan Lizza about the growing unrest and national protests — and what he's observed spending his nights outside the White House. Thank you to Ryan Lizza, Zack Stanton and Sarah Crump for audio used in this episode. Eugene Daniels is a political reporter for POLITICO. Ryan Lizza is chief Washington correspondent for POLITICO. Annie Rees is a producer for POLITICO audio. Jenny Ament is the senior producer of POLITICO audio. I...
The politics of a pandemic
May 29, 2020 05:00 - 23 minutes - 18.6 MBGuest host Eugene Daniels talks with national political correspondent David Siders about how, three months in, the coronavirus crisis is simultaneously upending and reaffirming political allegiances. Eugene Daniels is a political reporter for POLITICO. David Siders is a national political correspondent for POLITICO. Annie Rees is a producer for POLITICO Audio. Jenny Ament is the senior producer of POLITICO audio. Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO audio.
The presidential race Florida is *really* talking about
May 22, 2020 05:00 - 27 minutes - 24.9 MBWhite House reporter and guest host Nancy Cook chats with Florida bureau chief Matt Dixon about the 2024 - yes, 2024- political aspirations of some Florida politicians, and what all their history tells us about the Republican party in one of the most important swing states in the country. Nancy Cook is a White House reporter for POLITICO. Matt Dixon is Florida bureau chief for POLITICO. Annie Rees is a producer for POLITICO audio. Jenny Ament is the senior producer of POLITICO audio. Ir...
Hello? Hello? The Supreme Court calls in
May 15, 2020 05:00 - 24 minutes - 22.6 MBCongress reporter Kyle Cheney talks with White House reporter Nancy Cook about cases heard at the Supreme Court on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Tuesday: justices heard a case that pits the House’s demand for President Trump’s financial documents against his attorneys’ claim that it intrudes on the constitutional powers of the presidency. And Wednesday: whether faithless presidential electors should be forced to abide by their promises. Nancy Cook is a White House reporter for POLITICO. Kyle Ch...
The Biden paradox
May 08, 2020 05:00 - 34 minutes - 31.8 MBPOLITICO reporters Eugene Daniels and Holly Otterbein tackle the political ramifications of the Tara Reade sexual assault allegations against Joe Biden: accusations of Democratic hypocrisy, how this affects Biden's veepstakes and "lesser evil" voting in 2020. Eugene Daniels is a political reporter for POLITICO. Holly Otterbein is a political reporter for POLITICO. Annie Rees is a producer for POLITICO Audio. Jenny Ament is the senior producer of POLITICO audio. Irene Noguchi is the executiv...
China vs U.S. fight turns into Thunderdome
May 01, 2020 05:00 - 26 minutes - 24 MBChief economic correspondent Ben White sits in the host chair this week to talk to foreign affairs correspondent Nahal Toosi about the increasingly sour relationship between the US and China — and how their political problems are affecting everything else. Ben White is chief economic correspondent for POLITICO. Nahal Toosi is a foreign affairs correspondent for POLITICO. Annie Rees is a producer for POLITICO audio. Jenny Ament is the senior producer of POLITICO audio. Irene Noguchi is the ...
Nothing is enough: Governing during coronavirus
April 24, 2020 05:00 - 19 minutes - 17.9 MBWhat's coming? We haven't seen an economic crisis like this since before WWII or a health crisis like this in a century. And an unsettling reality is setting in: We’re not doing enough to ease the pain on either front so far. Chief economic correspondent Ben White talks to Scott about the economy, coronavirus testing and more, and tries not to give him too much anxiety. Scott Bland is host of Nerdcast and a politics editor at POLITICO. Ben White is chief economic correspondent for POLITICO. ...
Is this thing on? How Trump wants to restart the economy
April 17, 2020 09:00 - 19 minutes - 18.4 MBPresident Donald Trump is talking about reopening the economy -- and slinging around old movie references. But mid-pandemic, what does "reopening" the economy even mean? White House reporter Nancy Cook talks to host Scott Bland about Trump's desire for a booming economy even amid warnings from his health advisers, and why this is so complicated.
The primary's over. The veepstakes have begun.
April 10, 2020 09:00 - 28 minutes - 26.4 MBBernie Sanders bows out — POLITICO reporter Holly Otterbein gives us the inside scoop and whether Joe Biden can entice Bernie's supporters to his camp. Then, chief political correspondent Tim Alberta fills Scott in on Gretchen Whitmer, the Michigan governor who is dealing with coronavirus, an angry president and the real possibility she might be Biden’s choice for running mate — all intertwined at the same time.
Mute ye, mute ye: What Congress might look like on videoconference
April 03, 2020 09:00 - 22 minutes - 20.8 MBZoom videoconferencing goes to Washington. Since 9/11, disaster planners have been trying to warn Washington of the risks of a government based on stuffing all of America’s most important legislators into one place. Covid-19 is reviving the conversation in real time. Senior tech reporter Nancy Scola joins host Scott Bland to talk through the pitfalls of a Congress that could legislate remotely.
The two trillion dollar question
March 27, 2020 09:00 - 29 minutes - 27.1 MBTen days and $2 trillion -- that's right, with a "tr." How did the Senate get to 96-0? Reporter Marianne LeVine joins host Scott Bland to talk through the past few days of negotiations on Capitol Hill. Plus, Michael Kruse on how the coronavirus task force briefings have become episodes of President Donald Trump's reality TV show.
The political system vs. COVID-19
March 20, 2020 09:00 - 25 minutes - 20.7 MBCOVID-19 has upended daily life in the United States. On this week's Nerdcast, we're talking about how the virus is altering politics: from chaotic or canceled 2020 primaries to its reverberations in the White House and on Capitol Hill. Host Scott Bland is joined by reporters Zach Montellaro, Nancy Cook and editor Ben Weyl.
COVID-19 and the campaign trail
March 13, 2020 09:00 - 18 minutes - 14.8 MBThere's one news story that's eaten all the others: COVID-19. Although the coronavirus has been a public health crisis and major news story for weeks now, this week it became the only story. Scott talks to editorial director Blake Hounshell about President Donald Trump's address to the nation and how the coronavirus is affecting the 2020 presidential race. Then, political reporter Eugene Daniels joins to discuss Democratic frontrunner Joe Biden's strengths and weaknesses.
COVID-19 and the campaign trail
March 13, 2020 09:00 - 18 minutesThere's one news story that's eaten all the others: COVID-19. Although the coronavirus has been a public health crisis and major news story for weeks now, this week it became the only story. Scott talks to editorial director Blake Hounshell about President Donald Trump's address to the nation and how the coronavirus is affecting the 2020 presidential race. Then, political reporter Eugene Daniels joins to discuss Democratic frontrunner Joe Biden's strengths and weaknesses. Learn more about you...
Mini Tuesday, Biden's not-so-mini wins
March 11, 2020 05:27 - 7 minutes - 6.36 MBScott Bland talks to reporter Christopher Cadelago about Joe Biden's key wins in the "Mini Tuesday" primaries and how the door is closing on Bernie Sanders.
What we learned in a whirlwind 2020 week
March 06, 2020 10:00 - 22 minutes - 18.5 MBPOLITICO health care reporter Dan Diamond talks us through the Trump administration's coronavirus response and the many questions being raised about preparedness. Later, campaign reporter Elena Schneider joins Scott to break down Super Tuesday — and the whirlwind week in politics that has the Democratic primary down to just two major candidates: Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders.
Super Tuesday: Biden & Bernie blast off
March 04, 2020 07:17 - 6 minutes - 5.12 MBPOLITICO reporters and editors race to get Super Tuesday results up as Joe Biden makes a surprise surge in the delegate count. Plus, Scott Bland and Laura Barrón-López on where things stand after the biggest night of the primary.
South Carolina: Biden his time all along
March 01, 2020 05:22 - 14 minutes - 11.4 MBPOLITICO's Ryan Lizza joins Scott to talk through Joe Biden's decisive victory in the South Carolina primary -- and whether or not it threatens Bernie Sanders' momentum ahead of Super Tuesday. Plus, we pour one out for Tom Steyer, who taught us that many millions can't fix everything.
Mega! Primary! Preview!
February 28, 2020 10:00 - 28 minutes - 23.3 MBPOLITICO reporter Eugene Daniels talks Scott Bland through his recent reporting trip to South Carolina, where he caught up with his nana Ruby Brown and dove into the state’s all-important black vote. Plus, he and Scott talk all things Super Tuesday — just days away. Later, POLITICO reporters James Arkin and Ally Mutnick join to highlight the most interesting Senate and House primaries on Super Tuesday.
Debate extra: When in doubt, shout!
February 26, 2020 06:37 - 11 minutes - 9.4 MBPOLITICO's Elena Schneider and host Scott Bland break down a key moment in Tuesday night's Democratic Presidential debate: when Bernie Sanders admitted his mistake in voting for immunity for gun manufacturers.
Bernie hits the jackpot in Nevada
February 23, 2020 02:03 - 13 minutes - 11 MBPOLITICO reporter Holly Otterbein joins host Scott Bland to break down Bernie Sanders' big win in Nevada -- and what it means with South Carolina and Super Tuesday fast approaching.
The art of the troll
February 21, 2020 10:00 - 22 minutes - 18.3 MBZach Montellaro and Scott talk about the Nevada caucuses and whether to expect Iowa 2.0 on Saturday. Plus, Gabby Orr clues us in about the Trump administration's rally strategy: trolling.
Debate extra: They (really) don't like Mike
February 20, 2020 07:05 - 11 minutes - 9.16 MBScott and POLITICO reporter Chris Cadelago break down the spiciest debate yet: Elizabeth Warren's big night of burns, Mike Bloomberg's struggles and how Bernie Sanders did as the frontrunner.
Justice Dept. drama? Roger that.
February 14, 2020 17:26 - 25 minutes - 20.1 MBJosh Gerstein brings Scott up to speed on the two court cases with nine lives: Roger Stone and Michael Flynn. Plus, meet Alice, a 78-year-old volunteer for Amy Klobuchar who had the night of her life on Tuesday. Political reporter Stephanie Murray talks with Scott about Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg — and their prospects after top-three finishes in New Hampshire.
New Hampshire feels the Bern
February 12, 2020 09:51 - 13 minutes - 11.2 MBThe New Hampshire primary had ups, downs...and, oh yeah, decisive results! POLITICO reporters Holly Otterbein, Alex Thompson, Elena Schneider, Marc Caputo, Stephanie Murray and Eugene Daniels join us from the New Hampshire election night parties and editor Steven Shepard analyzes the results with host Scott Bland.
Debate extra: How Pete took the pressure
February 08, 2020 06:48 - 10 minutes - 8.75 MBIn this debate night special, Scott Bland and political reporter Elena Schneider break down a fundamental disagreement between Pete Buttigieg and Joe Biden and how Buttigieg handled the body blows as he rises in the New Hampshire polls. Subscribe and rate the Nerdcast on Apple Podcasts.
Breakfast at Bernie's
February 07, 2020 10:00 - 14 minutes - 11.9 MBNerdcast is in New Hampshire this week ahead of Tuesday's primary. We run into Bernie Sanders in a diner and talk to political reporter Holly Otterbein about the fallout of the messy Iowa caucus numbers and the New Hampshire polls showing Sanders up front and Buttigieg rising.
Trump on trial: Acquitted
February 06, 2020 00:04 - 9 minutes - 7.43 MBThe Nerdcast goes daily with short episodes providing the most crucial Senate impeachment trial updates with a stable of POLITICO reporters and editors. In the final episode: senior reporter Darren Samuelsohn on the vote to acquit President Donald Trump — and Mitt Romney's vote to convict him on one article of impeachment. Plus, White House reporter Nancy Cook takes the 30-second challenge. Join us for a daily look at impeachment in under 10 minutes.
Iowa: We're in this for the long haul
February 04, 2020 07:44 - 12 minutes - 9.72 MBIt's the 2020 Iowa caucuses and basically nothing went according to plan. Scott Bland talks with POLITICO reporters Eugene Daniels, Charlie Mahtesian, Laura Barrón-López and Elena Schneider about Iowa's role in the political process and what on earth happened on caucus night.
Trump on trial: End times
January 31, 2020 23:01 - 7 minutes - 6.09 MBThe Nerdcast goes daily with short episodes providing the most crucial Senate impeachment trial updates with a stable of POLITICO reporters and editors. Today: editorial director Blake Hounshell on the trial creeping toward the end. Plus, White House reporter Nancy Cook takes the 30-second challenge. Join us for a daily look at impeachment in under 10 minutes.
5 things to watch before the Iowa caucuses
January 31, 2020 15:12 - 22 minutes - 18.1 MBThis week, Scott and national political reporter Natasha Korecki discuss the five big things to watch ahead of the Iowa caucuses, including the latest movement in the polls and where the candidates are spending the last moments before voting.
Trump on trial: Is the end near?
January 30, 2020 23:32 - 7 minutes - 6.24 MBThe Nerdcast goes daily with short episodes providing the most crucial Senate impeachment trial updates with a stable of POLITICO reporters and editors. Today: senate reporter Marianne LeVine gives Scott the low-down from today's Q&A session on the Hill. Plus, White House reporter Nancy Cook takes the 30-second challenge. Join us for a daily look at impeachment in under 10 minutes.
Trump on trial: It's question time
January 29, 2020 23:07 - 7 minutes - 5.9 MBThe Nerdcast goes daily with short episodes providing the most crucial Senate impeachment trial updates with a stable of POLITICO reporters and editors. Today: Senior reporter Darren Samuelsohn gives Scott the low-down from on today's Q&A session on the hill. Plus, Congress editor Ben Weyl takes the 30-second challenge. Join us for a daily look at impeachment in under 10 minutes.
Trump on trial: the defense rests
January 28, 2020 23:11 - 7 minutes - 6.36 MBThe Nerdcast goes daily with short episodes providing the most crucial impeachment trial updates with a stable of POLITICO reporters and editors. Today: founding editor John Harris gives Scott a high-altitude view of the impeachment trial: surprises, quirks, and memories of his reporting during President Clinton's Senate impeachment trial. Plus, White House reporter Nancy Cook takes the 30-second challenge. Join us for a daily look at impeachment in under 10 minutes.
Trump on trial: Bolton's room where it happened
January 27, 2020 22:18 - 8 minutes - 7.19 MBThe Nerdcast goes daily with short episodes providing the most crucial Senate impeachment trial updates with a stable of POLITICO reporters and editors. Today: editorial director Blake Hounshell on the reported allegations in John Bolton's upcoming memoir and what they mean for the Senate impeachment trial. Plus, Nancy Cook takes the 30-second challenge. Join us for a daily look at impeachment in under 10 minutes.
Trump on trial: TiVo and tweetin'
January 24, 2020 22:53 - 8 minutes - 6.53 MBThe Nerdcast goes daily with short episodes providing the most crucial Senate impeachment trial updates with a stable of POLITICO reporters and editors. Today: Nancy Cook on the White House's mood, strategy, and what to expect from President Trump's legal defense team on Saturday. Join us for a daily look at impeachment in under 10 minutes.
A 'slap fight' and a court fight
January 24, 2020 10:00 - 22 minutes - 18.4 MBThis week, Scott talks to healthcare reporter Susannah Luthi about the Supreme Court punting consideration of a high-stakes legal challenge to Obamacare. Plus, politics editor Charlie Mahtesian talks to Scott about Bernie, Biden, and their long-simmering slap fight on Social Security.