The Playbook Podcast

It’s 2026. Still Obama’s Party.

Nearly a decade after leaving the White House, Barack Obama is still one of the Democratic Party’s most powerful political assets. Then the other stories animating Washin

Paxton's campaign control

In audio from a private meeting obtained by Playbook, Ken Paxton tells donors he’s never felt less in control of a campaign, as he trails Democrat James Talarico in Texas

Can this pastor flip a Senate seat in deep red Kansas? (with Adam Hamilton) | The Conversation

In this special midterms edition of “The Conversation with Dasha Burns,” Adam Hamilton, the pastor and Democratic candidate challenging Sen. Roger Marshall, sits down wit

The heartland’s ‘woke’ Democrat

A Democratic pastor running for Senate in Kansas says Kamala Harris should stay in California, told Chuck Schumer he is a liability and is taking the "woke" label head on

Beshear’s red-state edge

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is making his case for 2028. Playbook speaks to the governor on why he thinks a red-state Democrat has a competitive edge and what sets him apa

Nevada’s 2028 high rollers

The race for governor in Nevada is an early proving ground for the Democratic Party’s next generation as 2028 hopefuls descend on the state. Then the other stories animat

Congress had the Squad. Soon it will have the Bloc.

The 2018 midterms had the Squad. Now, a new generation of progressive insurgents is already organizing its successor: “the Bloc.” But what happens when they run headlong

‘Front Row Joes’ take a backseat

"Front Row Joes" were some of President Donald Trump’s most ardent supporters, traveling across the country on his campaign trail. Now some are disillusioned with his pre

Will Democrats finally win in Texas? (with Gina Hinojosa) | The Conversation

In this special midterms edition of “The Conversation with Dasha Burns,” Gina Hinojosa, the Democrat running for governor of Texas, sits down with Dasha at her campaign h

Is this the Democrat who could win back the South? | On the Road

Former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu joins POLITICO’s Jonathan Martin at Mosca’s Restaurant for a wide-ranging conversation about President Trump, the future of the De

Are Dems Choosin’ Texas?

Could the Lone Star State’s Senate race be the tipping point for Democrats? Playbook's Adam Wren and Megan Messerly take a deep dive into Texas politics. Then the other s

Republicans grab the fire extinguisher

Republicans brace themselves for a potential midterm blowout – while Democrats see a clearing in the smoke. One thing for certain, GOP candidates and their teams are forc

Xi gets the red carpet

President Donald Trump will roll out the literal red carpet this evening for President Xi Jinping, kicking of the Chinese leader’s three-day Washington stint with an AI-s

The GOP senator breaking with Trump on vaccines and AI (with Sen. Bill Cassidy) | The Conversation

This episode was originally published on Sunday, September 20. We re-published due to a platform issue. There are no changes to the content. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), w

Trump scraps the GOP script

Six weeks before Republicans ask voters to reject socialism and communism, President Trump is spending the week embracing socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani and preparing to

Mike Waltz’s next moves

It’s U.N. General Assembly week and Mike Waltz is in the spotlight again. Is his role as U.S. ambassador a springboard to higher aspirations? POLITICO's senior foreign af

The GOP senator breaking with Trump on vaccines and AI (with Sen. Bill Cassidy) | The Conversation

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who lost his reelection bid to a Trump-endorsed challenger, joined Dasha to discuss the future of the Republican Party and reflect on how to ma

Democrats’ P(doom)

AI is quickly becoming a 2028 litmus test for Democrats. Playbook spoke with some of the party’s potential presidential contenders grappling with the latest wave of AI do

Decoding Decoded

The debate over AI safety took center stage at POLITICO’s Decoded Summit. Senior technology reporter Brendan Bordelon joins the podcast to unpack where top Trump AI advis

A turning point on AI

Most Americans say there is a risk of AI destroying humanity – that's according to a new POLITICO Poll about public perception of AI. What does the data say about AI as a