The Playbook Podcast

Live from the CNN-POLITICO Grill in Chicago, Playbook's Eugene Daniels chats with Illinois Playbook author Shia Kapos about the key events to watch for on the first day of the Democratic National Convention. Protesters have already hit the streets, reminding some of the 1968 Chicago DNC that was roiled by riots. Eugene and Shia also discuss planned speeches from President Joe Biden and former pres...

Today, Kamala Harris is expected to unveil a range of economic policies taking aim at the cost of living — from groceries to housing to the care economy. While Donald Trump and allies appear poised to assail that agenda as “price controls,” Harris is betting that her proposals will connect with voters’ as inflation and its effects continue to define the 2024 election. Economics correspondent Victo...

It’s the question dividing Trump world: Does the former president’s campaign message need a reset? Trump surrogate Vivek Ramaswamy has earned his MAGA bona fides with his boisterous and, at times, pugnacious appearances on the campaign trail. But he’s also among the most strident voices on the right calling for the Trump camp to change course. His unexpected message for both Trump and the GOP writ...

Though President Joe Biden has reportedly come to terms with his decision to withdraw from the presidential race, he’s also said to harbor resentment towards the key members of his own party who effectively pushed him out. Will this change the dynamics of the upcoming Democratic National Convention? White House Bureau Chief Jonathan Lemire joins Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza to break it all down....

If Kamala Harris wins the presidency in November, some progressives hope that the new administration will listen to their concerns about national security. But are their goals realistic? Foreign affairs correspondent Nahal Toosi walks Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels through some of the nuances. Plus, a recap of Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s conversation on X Spaces and the rest of the news you ne...

A week before the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, the party has yet to define its priorities should Kamala Harris win the presidency. There is no public 100-day plan, and no explicit plan for what would happen if Democrats flipped the House. As a result, the future of critical actions like the filibuster remains uncertain. However, as Playbook co-author Rachael Bade explains, much of th...

What do you do when your opponent seems to be getting all the media attention? Hold a press conference, of course. Yesterday, former President Donald Trump did just that, taking questions in Florida. The backdrop is the surging popularity of Vice President Kamala Harris, whose campaign is now leading Trump’s in most national polls —  the result of what Trump suggested is “honeymoon” that is “going...

In the two-plus weeks since she’s emerged as the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, Kamala Harris has yet to give a sit-down interview or field reporters’ questions — and that’s just the way the Harris campaign wants it. Why? White House reporter and West Wing Playbook author Eli Stokols takes Playbook co-author Rachael Bade inside the Harris’ campaign’s media strategy, and the follow-the-...

Last night, Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz made their first appearance together as running mates in Philadelphia. National political reporter Holly Otterbein joins Rachael Bade from Philly to talk about the crowd — an enthusiastic 10,000 — and how well Walz went over in the room. Also, Holly breaks down Harris’ decision making process in the last couple days and what...

Only one president has ever managed a return to the White House after losing reelection. If Donald Trump wins in November and becomes the second, his time in relative exile in Mar-a-Lago may well be the reason why. That period of time — extending from January 2021 to his entry in the 2024 race — is when the seeds of his campaign strategy were sown, his image burnished and return to the national st...

Vice President Kamala Harris spent the weekend interviewing at least three candidates to be her running mate. Her campaign said a decision will come by Tuesday, when she will also appear publicly with her pick, kicking off a seven state tour. National politics reporter Elena Schneider talks with Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels about the political pros and cons of the options remaining.

In a matter of days, Kamala Harris will officially announce her running mate. But ahead of the unveiling, speculation is rampant in Washington about who she’ll pick and why. National politics correspondent Adam Wren walks Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza through Harris’ VP shortlist and what each of them brings to the table — or not.

If former President Donald Trump wanted to steal back the spotlight after a week of the attention being on VP Kamala Harris, he did that. But it seems likely to backfire in a major way. Yesterday, Trump used an appearance at the NABJ conference to launch a new battery of attacks aimed at Harris’ racial identity — and specifically at the fact that she is both Black and Indian-American. Playbook co-...

On Tuesday, the Heritage Foundation confirmed that Paul Dans, the director of the contentious 2025 Presidential Transition Project, or Project 2025, is stepping down. However, Dans’ departure does not mean the project is shutting down. National politics correspondent Meridith McGraw chats with Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza about how this shakeup will play out during the final few months until the...

Democrats have been on cloud nine for the past week since President Joe Biden announced his decision not to run for re-election. However, Republicans have shifted their focus and sharpened their strategy for attacking Harris. The Trump campaign is going live with its first TV ad attacking Harris in swing states today. They will blame the crisis at the US-Mexico border on Harris, the Biden administ...

President Joe Biden may not be running for reelection, but that does not mean he intends to be invisible during his lame duck period. Today, Biden is expected to present a proposal to significantly reform the Supreme Court, which included imposing term limits on justices. Biden's decision marks a significant departure from his longstanding reluctance to change the court. White House Correspondent...

The struggle is real. Ever since Kamala Harris emerged as the likely Democratic presidential nominee, Donald Trump’s allies have struggled to land on a consistent line of attack against the VP. The result? A gusher of insults aimed at Harris’ identity rather than her policies. Can the rhetoric be reined in? Breaking news reporter Irie Sentner joins Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza to explore. Plus, H...

Last night, President Joe Biden gave a rare Oval Office speech to mark an even more rare occurrence: A president who is eligible for another term choosing not to run for reelection. While at times forward-looking — as when he reiterated his support for VP Kamala Harris — the address was, on its face, an attempt at legacy building. Biden checked off a list of his accomplishments, and framed his ove...

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will address a joint session of Congress on Wednesday afternoon. However, the recent shakeup in the presidential race has overshadowed what would normally be Washington's biggest story. A vocal few lawmakers have stated that they will not attend the address, and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris will also not attend due to a prior...

Kamala Harris has received enough commitments to move closer to clinching the Democratic presidential nomination. When Harris previously ran for the Democratic nomination, her record was criticized for being insufficiently progressive. But this time around, that characterization could actually give her an advantage. Former prosecutor and current senior writer for Politico Magazine, Ankush Khardori...

For the first time in over 50 years, a sitting president eligible for a second term has opted to forgo reelection. After weeks of speculation, the president announced on Sunday that he would withdraw from the race and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris. According to reports, the decision caught not only Democratic politicians off guard, but also members of Biden's campaign and White House staff....

On Thursday night, Donald Trump gave the longest televised acceptance speech ever, and while the crowd was initially locked in, it later grew restless. The news elephant in the room for many reporters was actually President Biden, as speculation continues to increase about when — and if — he steps down from the ticket. Playbook co-authors Ryan Lizza, Eugene Daniels, and Rachael Bade share their ta...

J.D. Vance officially accepted his party’s nomination for vice president Wednesday night at the Republican National Convention. To unpack how Vance's speech played in the room — and the split screen as speculation around Biden grew Wednesday — Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza is joined by Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels and national political correspondent Adam Wren.

Day two of the 2024 Republican National Convention was informally about the runners-up. Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis were two of the notable speakers. Each pledged their full support for the Trump/Vance ticket, urging even those who don't see eye-to-eye with the former president on every single issue to follow suit. But is the message of unity merely...

Roughly halfway through the first day of the Republican National Convention, Donald Trump announced that had chosen J.D. Vance, a junior senator from Ohio, as his running mate. But of course although the announcement was one of the biggest and arguably most important moments of the election cycle, it was overshadowed by the biggest elephant in the room: Trump's attempted assassination over the wee...