August 3, 2023: An uneasy Washington braces for Trump’s arraignment

May 2, 2024: The ‘Old Trump’ appears at two rallies in the Midwest: For the first time since the start of his criminal trial in New York, former President Donald Trump returned to the campaign trail yesterday with rallies in Wisconsin and Michigan. The Trump who showed up marked a return to form — for better or worse — but also a reminder of the unique vulnerabilities he brings to the general election (from railing against his indictments and comparing himself to Al Capone, to thanking by name the conservative justices responsible for overturning Roe). Playbook co-authors Eugene Daniels and Ryan Lizza break down the appearances and where we expect things to go from here. by POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing

9 min listen

May 1, 2024: A seismic shift in cannabis policy?: The Department of Justice is poised to significantly loosen federal cannabis restrictions, reclassifying the substance from Schedule I — the most serious classification — to Schedule III. Federal cannabis policy reporter Natalie Fertig joins Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels to walk through what this means practically and politically. Plus, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is expected to double-down on her effort to oust Speaker Mike Johnson, and Vice President Kamala Harris heads to Florida to reinforce Biden’s abortion rights message. by POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing

10 min listen

April 30, 2024: Biden and the New York Times: White House reporter and West Wing Playbook author Eli Stokols has been reporting on the simmering rift between Joe Biden’s administration and the New York Times, and the White House Correspondent’s Dinner this past weekend introduced another layer. Stokols joins Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza to discuss. Plus, MTG is a no-show in the House Monday night, and the rest of the news you need to know today. by POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing

9 min listen

April 29, 2024: MTG’s mixed motion-to-vacate messaging: Prior to last week’s congressional recess, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene appeared poised for battle to vacate Speaker Mike Johnson from his post. But over the weeklong break, she didn’t offer any updates on the mission. It has now been 38 days since Greene first filed that motion, and she has gone completely quiet on her plans. What’s going on? Playbook co-author Rachael Bade walks through some possibilities. All that, and the rest of the news you need to know today. by POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing

6 min listen

April 26, 2024: What we learned from David Pecker’s testimony: Former President Donald Trump had a huge day in two different courtrooms on Thursday, but was only present for the one in Manhattan. David Pecker took the stand as a key witness in the case, and he alleged Trump was not the only prominent political figure for whom he caught and killed stories. Legal reporter Ben Feuerherd takes Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza through what it was like in the courtroom. All that, and everything else you need to know today. by POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing

10 min listen

April 25, 2024: Unpacking Trump’s dizzying day at the courts: Even by modern standards, this is a dizzying day of Trump legal news. Today, he’ll return to a Manhattan court room where Judge Juan Merchan could rule over whether he violated a gag order and former National Enquirer chief David Pecker will resume his testimony in Trump’s criminal trial. Meanwhile, in Washington, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments over Trump’s claims of presidential immunity from prosecution related to his attempts to overturn the 2020 election. POLITICO Magazine staff writer Ankush Khardori joins Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels to walk through what to expect. by POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing

9 min listen

April 24, 2024: Has the clock run out on TikTok?: Late Tuesday evening, the Senate finally passed the long-awaited foreign aid bill that also moves to ban TikTok, citing national security concerns. President Joe Biden is expected to sign the bill in the coming days. So, what does this mean for the popular social networking app, and can anything save it? Tech policy reporter Rebecca Kern walks Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels through some of the possibilities. by POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing

10 min listen

April 23, 2024: The strategy behind Biden’s Florida gambit: Can Joe Biden win Florida come November? It's unlikely, but the Sunshine State might still loom large in Biden's campaign -- serving as perfect fodder for why he needs to be reelected. When Biden travels there today, he will denounce its red-tinged policies, especially the six-week abortion ban set to take effect next week. Deputy national editor Zach Montellaro joins Playbook deputy editor Zack Stanton to talk through it all. Plus, Trump faces accusations he violated the gag order, and how the chaos at Columbia University is affecting Capitol Hill. by POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing

9 min listen

April 22, 2024: What we’re watching during day one of Trump’s hush money trial: After every day last week was devoted to assembling a jury, the trial involving allegations that Trump paid hush money to two women with whom he was having affairs will begin today in Manhattan. Senior legal affairs reporter Josh Gerstein chats with Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza about what’s on his radar and District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s attempt to “rebrand” the case. by POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing

9 min listen

April 19, 2024: How the foreign aid package became an ‘inkblot test’ for the GOP: Mike Johnson is close to notching a major legislative victory that may come at an extremely high cost: His job as speaker of the House. The foreign aid supplemental that’s been roiling the House GOP comes up for a procedural vote today where it’ll need Democratic support to pass — and if that vote on the rule passes, the underlying legislation will also need Democratic votes to get through. That’s good news for Ukraine and Israel. But for Johnson, the picture is decidedly less clear. Playbook co-authors Rachael Bade and Ryan Lizza game it all out. by POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing

10 min listen

April 18, 2024: One weird detail about Trump’s trial jury: After two days, the jury for Donald Trump’s criminal prosecution for business fraud in New York is taking starting to take shape — and the legal world is surprised by what it sees. Of the seven jurors impaneled so far, two have something very important in common: They are lawyers. That is deeply unusual, legal correspondent Betsy Woodruff Swan tells Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels, and it could have interesting implications for the entire case. by POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing

9 min listen

April 17, 2024: Another strike against Mike Johnson: On Tuesday, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky became the second congressman to publicly declare support for a motion-to-vacate attempt against House Speaker Mike Johnson. The basis for all of the drama? The rising tensions over the proposed foreign aid package. Playbook co-author Rachael Bade joins co-author Eugene Daniels to walk through all the nuances, and what comes next. Plus, what's next in the Trump hush money trial, and could the impending impeachment trial of Alejandro Mayorkas be the shortest one in history? by POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing

9 min listen

April 16, 2024: Why Johnson’s risky Ukraine gambit might just work: After stalling for months, House Speaker Mike Johnson finally has a plan to tackle aid to Ukraine and Israel — and it amounts to the trickiest legislative issue of his speakership. Among its provisions? Turning foreign aid into loans, using frozen Russian assets to assist Zelenskyy’s government and — if that weren’t enough — a TikTok ban. Playbook co-author Rachael Bade breaks it all down. by POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing

8 min listen

April 15, 2024: What we’re watching during Trump’s Manhattan court appearance: Donald Trump will appear in court today for the first day of his hush money trial in Manhattan. Ankush Khardori, former federal prosecutor at the Department of Justice and senior staff writer at Politico joins Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza to walk through what to expect. Plus, all eyes are on Iran on Capitol Hill, and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer could take up the newly-reauthorized FISA as soon as tonight. by POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing

9 min listen

April 12, 2024: A two-tiered Trump-favoring justice system: Donald Trump has been outspoken in his belief that he has been martyred by the U.S. justice system, especially in the lead-up to his hush money trial Monday. But as legal editor James Romoser has uncovered, Trump might be on to something with the idea that the justice system is two-tiered; what he hasn't mentioned is the extent to which it favors him. Romoser joins Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels to break it all down. Plus, Eugene's reporting about Vice President Kamala Harris' new, more aggressive message on abortion rights; and on this week's Playbook Deep Dive, Michael Cohen sat down with Ryan Lizza — don't miss it. by POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing

10 min listen

April 11, 2024: MTG wants her MTV: Is Mike Johnson’s time as speaker limited? After weeks of delay, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s motion to vacate — a procedural move that would oust him from the House’s top spot — seems to be coming to a head, just at Johnson’s moment of maximum vulnerability. And this time, House Democrats won’t be able to save him. Congress reporter Anthony Adragna joins Playbook co-author Rachael Bade to break it all down. by POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing

8 min listen

April 10, 2024: Inside PM Kishida’s visit to Washington: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is expected to provide a new centerpiece of sorts for the administration's Indo-Pacific strategy during his visit to the U.S. today, with a main goal of countering the footprint of China in the region. DC-based China correspondent Phelim Kine walks Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza through the nuances. All that, and everything else you need to know today. by POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing

8 min listen

April 9, 2024: Trump tries to have it both ways on abortion: Donald Trump’s new video outlining his stance on abortion rights offered the clearest reminder yet that he is being simultaneously pulled in two opposing directions. He wants the credit for appointing the conservative justices who overturned Roe and wiped away constitutional protections for abortion. What he very much does not want is the electoral albatross that comes along with that reality. The result is a muddle that is unlikely to satisfy anyone — though the Trump team seems to think it’s the best political path available to them. National political correspondent Meridith McGraw joins Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels to talk it through. by POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing

9 min listen

April 8, 2024: The FISA debate takes center stage: After the two-week spring recess, Congress will return to a plethora of work, including the debate surrounding FISA, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. In the coming days, House Speaker Mike Johnson will finally bring to the floor a reauthorization of this foreign surveillance law. But with Republican infighting over FISA and a pair of contentious amendments being pushed by privacy hawks eager to limit the ability to gather Americans’ data (and a coordinated effort by national security-minded members to kill those amendments), the debate will be nothing near straightforward. Playbook co-author Rachael Bade breaks it all down. by POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing

8 min listen

April 5, 2024: Biden’s challenge in Israel: During a phone call on Thursday, President Joe Biden made two primary demands of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The first is an expansion of humanitarian aid into Gaza to improve the situation there; the second is to empower his negotiators to strike a ceasefire and hostage deal. But as the world still deals with the aftershocks left by the killings of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers, can Biden pressure Bibi into approaching the tragedy as a turning point in the war? National security reporter Alex Ward joins Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza to break it all down. by POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing

9 min listen

April 4, 2024: Are Mike Johnson’s days numbered?: House Republicans are fighting again. That’s not a story in and of itself. But the stakes are. There is disagreement over both whether and how to fund Ukraine aid, and nobody is happy about it. “This isn’t a Republican speaker we have right now; this is a Democrat speaker,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene told Tucker Carlson, slamming Mike Johnson while explaining her motion to oust him as House speaker. Can the chaos be tamed? White House reporter Jen Haberkorn joins Playbook co-author Rachael Bade to discuss it all. by POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing

9 min listen

April 3, 2024: The IDF killed seven aid workers. Will it change the U.S. approach to Israel?: On Tuesday, it was confirmed that seven aid workers — including one American — were killed by an Israeli strike in Gaza. The workers were with World Central Kitchen and traveling in clearly marked vehicles in an area designated safe for transporting aid. President Biden has condemned the attack, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the attack was in error. But will this be a turning point in how the U.S. approaches its alliance with Israel? National Security Daily author Matt Berg joins Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels to discuss. by POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing

9 min listen

April 2, 2024: Florida’s abortion ban sets the stage for a fight in November: On Monday, the Florida Supreme Court issued a number of significant rulings that will impact abortion politics in the state. The justices upheld a Gov. Ron DeSantis-backed, 15-week abortion ban that in one month will trigger a far more restrictive 6-week ban. The justices further ruled that Floridians will get a chance to vote on a constitutional amendment come November that would reverse the ban and make abortion broadly legal in the state. So, what does this mean for the Biden campaign in a state where registered Republicans handily outnumber Democrats? Florida Playbook author and politics reporter Kimberly Leonard joins Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza to discuss. by POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing

9 min listen

April 1, 2024: Johnson’s mission to keep his gavel: In an interview with Trey Gowdy of Fox News on the evening of Easter Sunday, Mike Johnson called Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s effort to oust him a distraction from the mission. Attempting to impart a dose of reality on Republican viewers, the House Speaker told his former colleague that his job is particularly difficult right now, but said he does have plans for resolving the Ukraine aid debacle. Playbook co-author Rachael Bade talks through it all. by POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing

6 min listen

March 29, 2024: The case for Biden to court never-Trump Republicans: The smattering of prominent Republicans who have refused to commit to supporting Donald Trump in the general election differ in their ideological beliefs, their geography, their offices and their profiles. But they all share one thing in common: None have heard a peep from Joe Biden. Senior political columnist Jonathan Martin knows that because he reached out to every single one of them. Today, he joins Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza to talk about why this is political malpractice for Biden. Plus, the continuing fallout from the internal revolt at NBC over former RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel’s hiring and firing, and the one-year anniversary of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich’s arrest in Russia. by POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing

9 min listen

March 28, 2024: The RFK Jr. wild card: Robert F. Kennedy’s presidential run has been a spectacle from the start. Despite being born into Democratic royalty, the independent candidate holds a hodgepodge of policy views that sometimes veer into conspiracy theories — but which also give him a strange appeal to an array of voters scattered across the political spectrum. Could his choice of running mate change that? Politics reporter Brittany Gibson joins Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels to discuss RFK Jr., his role in the broader 2024 race and how his running mate, Nicole Shanahan, might play into Democrats’ hands with her views on in vitro fertilization. by POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing

9 min listen

March 27, 2024: Just the beginning of the mifepristone story: On Tuesday, the Supreme Court heard arguments on whether the nation should significantly limit the use of mifepristone, a pill that terminates early pregnancy. A number of justices on the majority-conservative court appeared to take issue with the idea of a sweeping, national pronouncement. But, this story is really just getting started. Anti-abortion activists and elected officials have several backup plans if the Supreme Court reject their arguments for nationwide restrictions on the drug. Health care reporter Alice Miranda Ollstein walks Playbook co-author Rachael Bade through the story. by POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing

9 min listen

March 26, 2024: Inside the evolving relationship between the U.S. and Israel: In the last 24 hours, the diplomatic dynamic between the U.S. and Israel took on another layer of complexity when the U.S. abstained in voting for a UN Gaza ceasefire resolution, allowing it to pass. The action resulted in officials from Israel cancelling a trip to Washington. National security reporter Alex Ward joins Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels to discuss how things got here, and what lies ahead. All that, and the rest of the news you need to know today. by POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing

10 min listen

March 25, 2024: Trump’s trifecta: There are three important things on Donald Trump’s agenda today, and they're all connected. First, the former president has a half-billion dollar bond due stemming from the New York civil fraud case. He has said he is struggling to procure the funds to fulfill this, so it is particularly timely that Trump Media and Technology Group is going public today. Trump is estimated to have about a $3 billion stake in the company, but he can’t use that money to pay for his bond thanks to lockup provisions. Finally, Trump will get a date from the Manhattan DA in the hush money trial that was delayed due to a last-minute documents dump. Legal editor James Romoser joins Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza to talk this all through. by POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing

8 min listen

March 22, 2024: A Biden campaign vibe check: Most polls show a tight race between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. But ever since Biden’s notably energetic State of the Union address, his campaign has been feeling a strange new optimism. He’s outpacing Trump on fundraising, his campaign schedule is purposefully packed and his team is already going up with TV ads in an effort to define the race early — while Trump is still struggling to catch up. National politics reporter Elena Schneider tells joins Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza to talk it all through. by POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing

10 min listen

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August 3, 2023: An uneasy Washington braces for Trump’s arraignment

August 3, 2023: An uneasy Washington braces for Trump’s arraignment

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