The Playbook Podcast

It seemed unthinkable on Jan. 7, 2021. Now it’s reality. Donald Trump will retake the presidency after making sweeping gains in state after state, slashing away at the margins that kept him from a second term four years ago. He declared victory in a raucous speech in West Palm Beach last night, where he hailed “the greatest political movement of all time” — a boast that suddenly did not sound like...

After an election cycle that included an unprecedented switch at the top of a major party’s ticket, multiple assassination attempts against former president Donald Trump and razor-thin poll margins, Election Day is finally here. Playbook co-author Rachael Bade chats with national politics reporter Natalie Allison and Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels to see what they’re hearing from both candidate...

Most Republicans, or at least smart Republicans, had hoped that Donald Trump would wrap up his campaign with a disciplined message, focused on the economy and immigration. But if you read the headlines over the weekend, they told a different story. Meanwhile, Harris's team is projecting confidence after calling itself the underdog for weeks. Playbook co-author Rachael Bade breaks down what she's w...

Four days remain in the election, and everyone is trying to predict how the presidential race will play out. You can learn a lot about the strength of a campaign from the number of donations it has received … or can you? Data reporter Jessica Piper joins Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels to break down some of the surprising trends she has seen among donors to the Harris and Trump campaigns.

Wisconsin is the red-headed stepchild of swing states. More focus typically falls on Pennsylvania or Michigan, but Republicans and Democrats are flocking to the badger state in the final days before the 2024 election in hopes of winning its 10 electoral votes. National politics reporter Lisa Kashinsky tells Playbook Deputy Editor Zack Stanton that both campaigns are feeling optimistic, but largely...

Last night, Vice President Kamala Harris delivered her closing message from the Ellipse to a crowd of roughly 75,000 people. In the speech, she highlighted her policy aspirations, commitment to fighting for reproductive rights and pledged an ethos of unity. But shortly after she left the stage, President Joe Biden made headlines for potentially disparaging Trump voters as "garbage" in a video appe...

In 2020, it took days to announce Joe Biden as president-elect. This election cycle, officials are hopeful that the process will be much faster in several states due to improvements in preprocessing absentee and mail-in ballots. But, pivotal battleground states like Pennsylvania and Wisconsin still lack faster preprocessing measures. Deputy national editor Zach Montellaro joins Playbook co-author...

Donald Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden won’t be remembered for the things the former President had to say, but for the racist and sexist rhetoric of other speakers who took the stage. The Trump campaign even issued a rare statement distancing itself from the speakers, concerned that the event will undermine recent attempts to focus messaging on the economy and immigration. Playbook co-autho...

We’re 11 days out from the end of the election, so naturally, Kamala Harris is campaigning in … Texas? Today, the VP will travel to Houston to deliver a message aimed squarely at voters in other states: That Texas’ abortion ban is a result of Donald Trump’s court appointments, and that if he returns to the White House, those restrictions will only spread. Politics reporter Megan Messerly walks Pla...

The internal machinations of Donald Trump’s campaign have dominated headlines this past week, although not in a way they might want. There are accounts of infighting, power struggles and chaos. And there's usually one of two reasons for those kind of stories: finger-pointing when things aren’t going well, or maneuvering because things are going so well that rivals want to elbow each other out of t...

With less than two weeks out from the presidential election, a rift is opening inside Donald Trump's inner circle. Howard Lutnick, the Wall Street CEO leading Trump’s transition operation, is facing accusations from some insiders that he is double-dealing his role on the campaign with personal business interests. Economic policy reporter Jasper Goodman chats with Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels...

Though Election Day is still two weeks away, jockeying behind the scenes for Trump’s Chief of Staff has already begun. According to insiders, the three potential picks that Trump is eyeing are Susie Wiles, Kevin McCarthy, and Brooke Rollins. National political correspondent Meridith McGraw joins Playbook co-author Rachael Bade to walk through the options. 

In the six presidential elections since 2000, Republicans have won Michigan only once. But, that one time was Donald Trump's victory in 2016, and he might capture the state again in just over two weeks. A confluence of factors like the state's Arab American population, the uncommitted voter movement, and Michigan's strong union ties could lead to success for the Trump campaign. Playbook deputy edi...

Yesterday, the Israel Defense Forces announced that they’d killed Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas and mastermind of the terrorist attacks on October 7, 2023. But with Sinwar dead, do cease-fire talks have a new lease on life, or is the current conflict in the Middle East more entrenched than ever? National security reporter Robbie Gramer joins Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels to go through what...

We’re less than three weeks out from Election Day and Kamala Harris is taking big swings. After a blitz on mostly friendly shows and podcasts last week, she ventured into the Fox den last night for a contentious sitdown with Bret Baier. While Trump is also doing a lot of media, he isn't taking as many risks. Playbook co-authors Rachael Bade and Eugene Daniels discuss.

Today, both presidential candidates will make somewhat unexpected appearances on cable news channels in a bid to expand their coalitions with just 20 days left in the election. First, Vice President Kamala Harris will venture into the Fox News guest chair for an interview with Bret Baier. And tonight, former President Donald Trump — fresh off of his own Fox appearance this morning — will appear in...

With only three (yes, three!) weeks until Election Day, both the Harris and Trump campaigns are dialing in their final pitches. National political correspondent Adam Wren chats with Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels about the challenges both campaigns still face as they approach the critical final weeks of the presidential campaign and why the Keystone State is still key to electoral success.

Just eight days into the fiscal year, FEMA has already spent $9 billion of its annual $20 billion disaster fund. Blame Hurricanes Helene and Milton — but also our era, when major natural disasters are happening with greater frequency. Can America afford the age of the superstorm? And how is Washington adapting to meet the challenge? Climate finance editor Tom Frank from POLITICO’s E&E News joins P...

For generations, Black men have been loyal Democratic voters. But this year, behind closed doors, Democrats are worried that Kamala Harris’ campaign is struggling to win over their support in the numbers needed to clinch the White House. What exactly is going on with the Black male vote, and what is the Harris campaign doing to make inroads? National political correspondent Brakkton Booker joins P...

As the presidential race heads into its final days, Kamala Harris has sat down for a wide range of largely friendly interviews on shows like "Call Her Daddy," "The Howard Stern Show," "The View" and “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" — in addition to a hard-hitting interview on "60 Minutes." The campaign is trying to reach voters in key swing states and demographic groups on which Harris doesn’t...

The Tampa Bay area is on high alert as the Category 5 hurricane is expected to hit later this week. This comes as the Southern U.S. is still recovering from Hurricane Helene. With Election Day just weeks away, political optics are at the forefront of how the Florida government, and Gov. Ron DeSantis, will manage the crisis. Tallahassee-based reporter Gary Fineout joins Playbook editor Mike DeBonis...

It’s been one year since Hamas’ attack in Israel that killed 1,200 people. Since then, Israel's ensuing war has resulted in over 40,000 Palestinian deaths and now, has extended into Lebanon. The conflict has strained U.S.-Israel relations, particularly with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. National security reporter Robbie Gramer joins Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels to discuss the implication...

Yesterday, the International Association of Fire Fighters announced that they will not endorse a candidate for president — a blow to Kamala Harris, especially as the group traditionally backs Democratic presidential candidates. Coming on the heels of the Teamsters’ non-endorsement, what exactly is the status of organized labor’s relationship with the Democratic Party? Labor and immigration reporte...

If you thought there wasn’t anything new you could learn about Donald Trump on January 6, special counsel Jack Smith has news for you. Yesterday, a federal judge unsealed a 165-page legal brief by Smith with new details of Trump’s attempt to overturn the election results in 2020. The questions now: Will this matter in the 2024 election, and how will it affect Trump’s legal jeopardy? Senior legal r...

Those who predicted a slugfest were sadly disappointed. In Tuesday night's VP debate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Ohio Senator JD Vance had a debate that was light on body blows and heavy on policy. Playbook co-authors Eugene Daniels and Rachael Bade break down the highs, the lows, and, unrelated but importantly: why it's time for you to put your Halloween decorations up.