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
Behind the scenes as Kavanaugh's nomination hit the rocks
September 21, 2018 08:00 - 34 minutes - 32.1 MBBrett Kavanaugh's hearing was on track.... then off..... then on.... and now maybe off track again? We break down what's happening between Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, the woman who has accused him of sexual assault in the 80s. TLDR: It's a mess for everybody. Then, in our second segment we talk about the midterm races shaping up to be real nail biters. Will Texas go blue for Beto? Charlie's all "nah." Can Steve change his mind?
The politics of hurricanes explained
September 14, 2018 09:00 - 34 minutes - 32.2 MBOn this week’s Nerdcast, POLITICO’s podcast on the White House and politics: As Hurricane Florence arrives, Donald Trump can’t resist firing his feud with Puerto Rico back up over how the administration handled Hurricane Maria there last year. Plus, find out what people who want to run for president in 2020 learned from the primaries in 2018. Tune in each week to geek out with us as we dive deep into the political landscape and the latest numbers that matter.
Is the left building its own Tea Party or something else entirely?
September 07, 2018 09:00 - 32 minutes - 30.3 MBThe defeat of an incumbent congressman in Massachusetts and the contentious Supreme Court nomination hearings for Brett Kavanaugh show how Democrats seem to be after style as much as substance in 2018. Plus, a lodestar joke as we check on the mood at the White House after a roller coaster week.
Trump's pre-Magna Carta mindset
August 31, 2018 08:00 - 30 minutes - 28.4 MBA primary Tuesday means a primary Friday on Nerdcast — a primary analysis, that is. We break down what happened in the last big multi-state primary before the midterms and talk about the White House, Trump's promises and what happens when he doesn't keep them and the exit of McGahn.
Inside Trump's split screen reality
August 24, 2018 09:00 - 33 minutes - 31.2 MBA guilty verdict, a guilty plea, and an indictment. What a week in national politics. POLITICO reporting referenced in this segment:Inside the Trump bubble, 'Sympathy for the Devil' but no talk of Cohen By Lorraine WoellertTrump paints his own reality amid legal fallout By Andrew Restuccia and Nancy Cook ‘A new cherry put on top of the story of corruption’: Trump scandal fallout hangs over midterms By Natasha Korecki and James ArkinTrump’s new rallying cry: Mollie Tibbetts By Natasha Korecki...
BONUS: Did a presidential pardon just become more likely?
August 22, 2018 17:01 - 13 minutes - 12.6 MBPresident Trump loves a controversial pardon. Following his disgraced former campaign chairman Paul Manafort being found guilty, it's looking like we might be entering a fall filled with the will-he-or-won't-he energy of a president faced with the power to pardon and a loyal former campaign chair caught in a, shall we say, legal snafu. Plus, we talk about the implications of Michael Cohen's, uh, implication.
High primary turnout creates more centrist Dems
August 17, 2018 08:00 - 27 minutes - 25.5 MBWhat do democratic voters want? A candidate that will win! How will they try to get it? By moving more to the center, probably! High voter turnout in the primaries among Democrats is showing that there is promise in backing centrist candidates at the top of the ballot. We break down what happened during the primaries on Tuesday night, and what we're expecting to see in the midterms and beyond. Plus: The heartland's version of Costco and just a lil bit of Omarosa to top it off.
Bernie-backed underdogs underperform
August 10, 2018 08:00 - 34 minutes - 31.8 MBPrimaries, nerds! *cue emoji clapping hands and confetti* We're in our happy place. First, we're talking campaigns, what Bernie Sanders might be getting at when he backs underdog candidates and what we can expect in the midterm elections. Then, we get into the scandal of the week: Rep. Chris Collins and alleged insider trading.
Bernie-backed underdogs underperform
August 10, 2018 08:00 - 34 minutesPrimaries, nerds! *cue emoji clapping hands and confetti* We're in our happy place. First, we're talking campaigns, what Bernie Sanders might be getting at when he backs underdog candidates and what we can expect in the midterm elections. Then, we get into the scandal of the week: Rep. Chris Collins and alleged insider trading. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Trump gets into the midterms. Big league.
August 03, 2018 08:00 - 32 minutes - 30 MBAhhh Midterm season is (still) in the air. With president Trump back on the road, we've been hearing him drop some midterm hopefuls' names on the rally trail. When he's not dropping names out front, his 2020 re-election campaign is behind the scenes dropping dolla dolla bills, ya'll. We talk about who Trump wants to come out on top and what that's going to take. Then, we break down how ch-ch-changes to the electoral map will impact the outcome of 2020. PLUS: a mini-Mahtesian on mic!
The decrease in White House transparency continues
July 27, 2018 08:00 - 27 minutes - 25.7 MBThe White House has decreased press briefings and announced that they'll no longer be sharing summaries of Trump's call's with foreign heads of state. Plus, they pentagon is not talking to reporters, leaving them in the dark when it comes to military issues. We also talk about the trade war's impact on farmers and how the White House is handling it.
Trump's Russia comments: deeply damaging or just bizarre?
July 20, 2018 09:00 - 34 minutes - 31.6 MBAs Trump walks back his remarks on Russian meddling, the question of whether he's compromised by a foreign power moves from the fever swamps to the mainstream. Plus, POLITICO'S Rachael Bade says GOP women running for office are in a pickle.
The Trump Pence split-screen
July 13, 2018 08:00 - 34 minutes - 31.7 MBWhile President Trump is ruffling feathers of world leaders in Europe, Mike Pence is on his own press tour a little closer to home: he's in the Midwest. We get into what he's doing there, and why his message sounds a little different from the president's.... or does it? Then, we talk about the Supreme Court some more. Three weeks in a row isn't too much, in our opinion, but it's a very narrow ruling.
How Supreme Court nominations are like political campaigns
July 06, 2018 08:00 - 29 minutesScott's on vacation, but we're not! Charles Mahtesian, Esq. sits in the host seat this week. Name a better time to go full Supreme Court..... we'll wait. We have two White House reporters bringing us up to speed on what Trump is thinking with his self-imposed announcement deadline rapidly approaching. Then, Josh Gerstein returns to tells us about the 38 cases the Supreme Court has agreed to hear next year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How Supreme Court nominations are like political campaigns
July 06, 2018 08:00 - 29 minutes - 27.3 MBScott's on vacation, but we're not! Charles Mahtesian, Esq. sits in the host seat this week. Name a better time to go full Supreme Court..... we'll wait. We have two White House reporters bringing us up to speed on what Trump is thinking with his self-imposed announcement deadline rapidly approaching. Then, Josh Gerstein returns to tells us about the 38 cases the Supreme Court has agreed to hear next year.
Kennedy retirement reunites fractured Republicans
June 29, 2018 08:00 - 35 minutes - 33.1 MBIn a news week that seemed like it would never end, there were two big upsets for the Democrats: First, in New York's 14th congressional district, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez unseated Joe Crowley, an incumbent no one expected to be defeated. Then, Justice Anthony Kennedy, considered a swing vote on the bench, announced that he would retire, opening up an opportunity for Trump and republicans to alter the Supreme Court as we know it.
The turmoil at the border is just beginning
June 22, 2018 08:00 - 34 minutes - 31.7 MBThis week we're talking about the border from two perspectives: The White House and the Hill. Then, we'll explain why democratic congresspeople and democratic candidates have been turning their backs on Nancy Pelosi, and why it seems like she might be okay with it.
For Republicans, Trump holds the cards
June 15, 2018 08:00 - 30 minutes - 27.9 MBThe primary outcomes have us wondering: What's the state of the GOP? Politico's Elena Schneider and Alex Isenstadt join us this week to fill us in on what's going on with the republicans. Then, Rachael Bade joins us from the Hill fresh from a presser with Paul Ryan to talk about DACA and immigration.
BONUS: Decoding Trump, Post Summit
June 12, 2018 18:53 - 10 minutes - 9.73 MBWhile we were sleeping, President Trump met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore. They signed a "very comprehensive document," but what was in it? And what does it all mean in the long run? Emily Stephenson hosts, joined by foreign affairs correspondent Halley Toosi and Michael Crowley, national security editor to break down what happened and what the future could hold.
A sigh of relief from Democrats
June 08, 2018 04:00 - 34 minutes - 31.9 MBWith a giant primary day in the rearview mirror, the Nerdcast team sizes up the race for the House this fall, and we explain what to expect from the Trump-Kim summit in Singapore. Plus: A heartfelt apology to our many listeners in South Dakota.
Super Tuesday: primary elections edition
June 01, 2018 08:00 - 34 minutes - 31.3 MBJust when you thought primary election season couldn't get any better, we get 8 primaries on a single Tuesday! We're calling it a Super Tuesday. Hear about California's top-two primary system (it's wonky!) and then what the White House has up its sleeve for the 2018 Midterms.
Can Democrats win in the South, and Paul Ryan’s pickle
May 25, 2018 08:00 - 33 minutes - 31 MBYou already know what time it is: Primary discussion time! *Insert airhorn sound effect* Daniel Strauss and Steve Shepard are back to talk about the primaries that happened this week. Then, Paul Ryan is a lame duck, and he's gotten himself into a pickle. What happens when your own party doesn't wanna work with you? Rachael Bade breaks it down for us.
Inside Mueller’s team, and a look at the Dems
May 18, 2018 08:00 - 31 minutes - 28.8 MBIf you ain't talking primaries, we don't wanna talk (we'll call you back). Talking primaries again, we know you love it! Hear what democrats are facing, and how women are faring in primary elections this year. Then, get a look inside the Mueller investigation with POLITICO reporter Josh Gerstein.
Sizing up the primaries and unpacking two nuclear relationships
May 11, 2018 09:00 - 31 minutes - 29.3 MBWe talk about what unfolded in Tuesday night's primary elections, and then breakdown the next round of primaries we're gearing up for. Then, it's on to Iran and North Korea and all the ways they're intertwined — yet completely different. Plus, in a win for Charlie, he's asked to talk about his favorite place in the world: The Keystone State.
BONUS: The woman who connected Castro with the White House
May 07, 2018 08:00 - 39 minutes - 36 MBHistory forgot Lisa Howard, but we still see the implications of her work today. The story of how one pioneering female journalist used grit, determination and some intimate diplomacy to establish a secret backchannel between the U.S. government and Fidel Castro, altering the course of the Cold War. Read the full Politico Magazine story at politico.com/magazine.
Nobody wants to be Trump's lawyer
May 04, 2018 09:00 - 35 minutesPresident Trump's new lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, shared some revealing news about the president during an interview with Sean Hannity regarding the alleged arrangement his former lawyer made with the adult film star Stormy Daniels. Following suit, we reveal a secret about Charlie. We also break down the upcoming primary elections, including the four happening next Tuesday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nobody wants to be Trump's lawyer
May 04, 2018 09:00 - 35 minutes - 32.9 MBPresident Trump's new lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, shared some revealing news about the president during an interview with Sean Hannity regarding the alleged arrangement his former lawyer made with the adult film star Stormy Daniels. Following suit, we reveal a secret about Charlie. We also break down the upcoming primary elections, including the four happening next Tuesday.
Dr. Ronny Jackson drops out, Missouri midterms heat up
April 27, 2018 09:00 - 30 minutes - 27.8 MBIt seems like we are destined to have at least one confirmation battle pending before the senate until the end of time. This week, we can thank Dr. Ronny Jackson, who has withdrawn his nomination to lead the VA. White House reporter Eliana Johnson breaks down all the drama surrounding his nomination. Then, reporter Daniel Strauss breaks down what is shaping up to be an interesting midterm election in Missouri.
Abe visits Trump’s Mar-a-Lago, Nikki Haley and Election 2018
April 20, 2018 09:00 - 30 minutes - 28.2 MBIt's been a very foreign-policy focused week for the White House. We bring you a breakdown of the big events that made headlines. Then we’ll talk about how the diplomatic world and corporate America have adapted to the way the president changes his mind. Plus, Scott Bland's favorite topic: CAMPAIGNS! We talk about Sun City, Arizona, the next stop in a special-election-season that keeps on giving.
Nine months is a long time to be a lame duck
April 13, 2018 09:00 - 32 minutes - 30.2 MBPaul Ryan announced that he'd be retiring after three years as Speaker of the House. Where does that leave republicans, and what about all that fundraising money Ryan rakes in? We get into both. Then, Nancy Cook catches us up on another whirlwind week at the White House. It was, in a word: bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S.
Scott Pruitt did 'the swampiest thing imaginable'
April 06, 2018 09:00 - 31 minutes - 29.1 MBScott Bland is back! This week, our host has returned, and somehow, no one left the White House. We're talking about the controversies surrounding EPA administrator Scott Pruitt, then shifting gears to take on the big economic stories from this week: Tariffs from China and why President Trump really doesn't like Amazon. Plus, in a tale of three Scotts, a Nerdcast mega-fan lends a hand.
Inside How Trump favored Texas over Puerto Rico
March 30, 2018 09:00 - 32 minutes - 30.2 MBIn this episode, going in-depth on a POLITICO investigation that found disparities in how the federal government handled the responses to Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Maria. Plus, it was a quiet week at the White House (only one firing), so what else is going on? Stick around to the end for a special surprise to celebrate 100 episodes of the Nerdcast.
Inside How Trump favored Texas over Puerto Rico
March 30, 2018 09:00 - 32 minutesIn this episode, going in-depth on a POLITICO investigation that found disparities in how the federal government handled the responses to Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Maria. Plus, it was a quiet week at the White House (only one firing), so what else is going on? Stick around to the end for a special surprise to celebrate 100 episodes of the Nerdcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Democrats Unfriend Facebook
March 23, 2018 09:00 - 31 minutes - 28.6 MBOn the show this week, it's Facebook's future in Washington, a Senate race in West Virginia and questions asked by Politico readers. Plus, Charlie gets some "Deer Hunter" closure.
Post Tillerson Stress Disorder
March 16, 2018 09:00 - 29 minutes - 26.8 MBOn the show this week, we’re talking Rexit and the oh-so-close race for a Congressional seat in the Western Pennsylvania — what does it mean for republicans in the midterms?
Another week, another White House departure
March 09, 2018 10:00 - 34 minutes - 32.1 MBThis week, we’re talking tariffs, trade and why the stock market seems pretty much unfazed by Donald Trump despite all the uncertainty he brings. Plus, what we learned (and what we didn’t) from this week’s primary voting in Texas.
Is Hope Hicks gone for good?
March 02, 2018 10:00 - 31 minutes - 25.7 MBPOLITICO reporters discuss White House communications director Hope Hicks' resignation, Jared Kushner's security clearance downgrade and the latest in the Paul Manafort indictment saga.
BONUS: Why 2018 Is do-or-die for Democrats
February 23, 2018 14:22 - 21 minutes - 17.6 MBWashington insider and former Clinton political director Doug Sosnik joins the Nerdcast to walk listeners through his latest analysis of the 2018 map. Doug explains why Donald Trump’s unpopularity and significant demographic shifts in once-solid Republican suburbs has given Democrats an opportunity—more perishable than many observers realize—to reverse a "lost decade" after their disastrous performance in 2010 elections.
Parkland students push for gun reform
February 23, 2018 10:00 - 33 minutesPOLITICO reporters discuss the gun control debate that has taken hold of the country following the school shooting in Parkland, Florida last week and how the students' energy could impact policy in Washington. Plus, the panel tackles the scandal and subversion surrounding Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin, the last cabinet holdover from the Obama administration. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Parkland students push for gun reform
February 23, 2018 10:00 - 32 minutes - 25.7 MBPOLITICO reporters discuss the gun control debate that has taken hold of the country following the school shooting in Parkland, Florida last week and how the students' energy could impact policy in Washington. Plus, the panel tackles the scandal and subversion surrounding Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin, the last cabinet holdover from the Obama administration.
Porter scandal rocks Kelly's credibility
February 16, 2018 10:00 - 31 minutesPOLITICO reporters discuss the Rob Porter abuse allegations that have shaken the White House and why chief of staff John Kelly is in the middle of this scandal. The panel also breaks down the Trump polling bump we saw in the latest POLITICO/Morning Consult poll and what it means for the Republican Party in 2018. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Porter scandal rocks Kelly's credibility
February 16, 2018 10:00 - 31 minutes - 25.5 MBPOLITICO reporters discuss the Rob Porter abuse allegations that have shaken the White House and why chief of staff John Kelly is in the middle of this scandal. The panel also breaks down the Trump polling bump we saw in the latest POLITICO/Morning Consult poll and what it means for the Republican Party in 2018.
Dow falls but the parade must go on
February 09, 2018 10:00 - 33 minutes - 26.8 MBPOLITICO reporters discuss the recent fluctuations in the stock market and what the repricing means for the country's economy and politics, President Trump's request for a military parade akin to the 2017 French Bastille Day parade, and what recent House GOP fundraising numbers tells us about the upcoming midterm races.
Dow falls but the parade must go on
February 09, 2018 10:00 - 34 minutesPOLITICO reporters discuss the recent fluctuations in the stock market and what the repricing means for the country's economy and politics, President Trump's request for a military parade akin to the 2017 French Bastille Day parade, and what recent House GOP fundraising numbers tells us about the upcoming midterm races. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
BONUS: Mike Pence on the midterm elections
February 02, 2018 18:00 - 10 minutes - 8.81 MBPOLITICO Playbook producer Zach Montellaro joins Charlie to discuss and share highlights of Wednesday night's Mike Pence interview with Anna Palmer and Jake Sherman at the annual GOP winter retreat in West Virginia.
Deadlines loom over Congress
February 02, 2018 10:00 - 38 minutes - 30.7 MBPOLITICO reporters discuss the looming shutdown and DACA deadline, the surprisingly high number of Republican committee chairs have decided to leave office at the end of this Congress, and the explosive POLITICO story that led to CDC Director Brenda Fitzgerald's resignation this week.
Will Trump stick to SOTU script?
January 26, 2018 10:00 - 38 minutes - 30.9 MBPOLITICO reporters discuss the DACA deal battle between Republicans, Democrats and President Trump, and the potential of a second shutdown in the beginning of February. The panel also discusses how to keep the characters in the Russia probes straight and what to expect from Trump's State of the Union Tuesday.
Shutdown blame game
January 19, 2018 10:00 - 36 minutes - 29.4 MBPOLITICO reporters discuss the latest shutdown struggle on Capitol Hill, how President Trump's tweets and roving policy stances are complicating things and who would shoulder the shutdown blame. The group also dives into the "shithole" controversy that continues to reverberate in Washington and potential 2020 Democratic presidential candidates.
Washington struggles to strike DACA deal
January 12, 2018 10:00 - 39 minutes - 31.4 MBPOLITICO reporters discuss President Trump's televised immigration meeting, lawmakers' struggle to strike a deal on DACA, Senator Ben Cardin's 200-page report on Putin's meddling in global democracies, and what the Oprah 2020 hype says about the Democratic party.
Washington struggles to strike DACA deal
January 12, 2018 10:00 - 39 minutesPOLITICO reporters discuss President Trump's televised immigration meeting, lawmakers' struggle to strike a deal on DACA, Senator Ben Cardin's 200-page report on Putin's meddling in global democracies, and what the Oprah 2020 hype says about the Democratic party. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices