The Playbook Podcast

Ron DeSantis is looking ahead to reelection next year and quite possibly a 2024 bid for president — but he’s left behind a trail of former disgruntled staffers and has no long-standing political machine to mount a national campaign, DeSantis vets say. Olivia Reingold is an editor-producer for POLITICO Audio. Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO Audio. Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO Audio.

Liz Cheney is not fighting to hold onto her job as House GOP conference chair. New information emerges about the McCarthy-Luntz housing arrangement. And, President Joe Biden visits Louisiana. Nirmal Mulaikal is a host-producer for POLITICO Audio. Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO Audio. Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO Audio.

Facebook’s oversight board is deciding today whether to allow former President Donald Trump back. Trump launches a new communications platform. And the battle over Rep. Liz Cheney within the GOP continues as a new challenger emerges. Nirmal Mulaikal is a host-producer for POLITICO Audio. Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO Audio. Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO Audio.

The NRCC laid out who Republicans might be targeting in 2022. Tucker Carlson attacks House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy again. And, the White House announces a new refugee cap. Nirmal Mulaikal is a host-producer for POLITICO Audio. Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO Audio. Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO Audio.

Donald Trump had some wins this weekend — further signs he is cementing his grip on the GOP and exacting revenge on those Republicans who supported his impeachment. Olivia Reingold is an editor-producer for POLITICO Audio. Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO Audio. Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO Audio.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and 37 GOP senators will call on the Education Department today to stop a proposed rule that invokes the 1619 Project — the latest turn in the culture wars. Olivia Reingold is an editor-producer for POLITICO Audio. Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO Audio. Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO Audio.

President Joe Biden's first 100 days have been defined by a blitz of government expansion — some $6 trillion worth of actual and proposed spending. Olivia Reingold is an editor-producer for POLITICO Audio. Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO Audio. Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO Audio.

President Joe Biden is backing down from a fight with two of Washington’s most powerful trade groups: the pharmaceutical industry and the health insurance lobby. Olivia Reingold is an editor-producer for POLITICO Audio. Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO Audio. Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO Audio.

Some of you will quibble that Fox News host Tucker Carlson lost it long ago. But as careful students of his evening show, we’ve noticed that Carlson has gradually become more unhinged in recent weeks. Olivia Reingold is an editor-producer for POLITICO Audio. Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO Audio. Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO Audio.

With President Joe Biden set to unveil his trillion-dollar-plus “American Families Plan” before a joint session of Congress Wednesday night, he’s under intense pressure from Democratic constituencies who want their priorities included — and even better, highlighted in the speech. Olivia Reingold is an editor-producer for POLITICO Audio. Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO Audio. Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO Audio.

Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin made waves when he endorsed Republican colleague and friend Sen. Susan Collins for reelection in 2020. Now he’s making more in Playbook Deep Dive, a new weekly podcast launching this morning. Olivia Reingold is an editor-producer for POLITICO Audio. Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO Audio. Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO Audio.

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris promised the Floyd family and the nation that the verdict was just a first step. But it’s now in Congress’ hands, not exactly a confidence-inspiring group for people hoping to see reform. Olivia Reingold is an editor-producer for POLITICO Audio. Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO Audio. Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO Audio.

SPOTTED: Nikki Haley in Miami, meeting with Mayor Francis Suarez at City Hall. Here's what you need to know for today. Olivia Reingold is an editor-producer for POLITICO Audio. Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO Audio. Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO Audio.

Get ready for a big two weeks from the Biden administration: bipartisan infrastructure talks today, a major Covid and vaccine update speech from President Joe Biden on Wednesday, and a two-day climate summit starting on Earth Day this Thursday when Biden will announce America’s 2030 emissions target. Here's what you need to know. Olivia Reingold is an editor-producer for POLITICO Audio. Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO Audio. Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO Audio.

Democrats are already playing furious musical chairs to score one of the precious few seats at Biden’s joint address — and we're told the situation is downright contentious.

Nancy Pelosi and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are some of the most influential Democrats in the entire party, but they’re more rivals than allies. Plus: Republicans have a counteroffer in the works to Biden's $2 trillion-plus infrastructure-jobs plan.

“It’s a f---ing nightmare," says one staffer working for members of the G-10. Plus: votes in Congress today on reparations and confronting the rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans.

Five of the top Democratic polling firms have joined forces to try to explain, once and for all, what went wrong in 2020 — when they predicted victories for the party up and down the ballot that never materialized.

The wife of the late Sen. John McCain would be the administration’s first Republican appointee to a Senate-confirmed position. Plus: The Senate is barreling toward the first possible legislative filibuster of 2021.

Playbook Deep Dive is a new weekly podcast from Politico — for the stories that seem stranger-than-fiction, but are all too real. Underneath all the theater, backstabbing and strategy in D.C. are colorful characters and real life consequences. You know those stories that stop you in your tracks? That's what we're going to tell each week. Featuring Playbook authors, reporters from all across the Politico newsroom, and characters from all over D.C. Launching April 23.

Activists are stepping up their SCOTUS calls today, saying Justice Stephen Breyer should help reinvigorate the court the way only he can — by resigning. Plus: It's Budget Day on the Hill. Here's what you need to know.

Here's what to expect from Biden's long-awaited announcement today on guns. Plus: GOP donors are fretting over Trump’s influence as they descend on Palm Beach.

An extremely D.C. fight is breaking out over a question that’s about to dominate politics: What is infrastructure?

One fewer thorn in Cheney's side in Washington doesn't necessarily change her political fortunes in Wyoming. Plus: The Senate parliamentarian just changed the game for Biden's first-year agenda.

What happens in the next few weeks to Biden’s $2 trillion-plus spending plan could determine the course of his first two years in office. And so far, all signs are pointing to a second reconciliation bill.

Backlash against Georgia's sweeping new voting restrictions, news from our sit-down with Ron Klain and the latest on Gaetz-gate. Plus: Playbook dishes on former House Speaker John Boehner's scorching new book.

Biden will formally pull back the curtain today on his multi-trillion-dollar infrastructure plan — his first swing at a victory both Trump and Obama failed to deliver.

Lawmakers are fighting tooth and nail to get their priorities included in the massive infrastructure bill Biden's set to unveil tomorrow. That's put one guy at the center of it all: Ron Klain.

If there were a one-sentence takeaway from President Joe Biden's first press conference, this may be it. Plus: What the Senate has teed up after recess.

Sens. Tammy Duckworth and Mazie Hirono threatened to block Biden picks who aren't part of a minority group. They backed off that threat yesterday — but it reveals a lot about the dynamics in Washington right now.

Biden's next big legislative push is starting to take shape. Here's what you need to know about his infrastructure plans.

Biden's semantic battle du jour: whether to use the word “crisis” to describe the thousands of migrants streaming to the southern border during a still-raging pandemic. Plus: The president and VP meet with Asian American leaders in Georgia today.

We have an exclusive look at what Biden's chief of staff told powerful progressives about where the administration’s headed — on immigration, taxing the rich, the minimum wage and more.

Republicans will argue in a letter today not only that Biden’s move was unsanctioned by Congress — but that it exacerbated the border crisis.

Here’s how the party’s progressive base is framing it for Senate Dems: Get rid of the filibuster, or allow Republicans to disenfranchise millions of Black and brown voters who put President Joe Biden in office.

It might’ve been the most poignant moment yet of Biden’s seven-odd weeks in office. Plus: the latest on the spending bill that finally became law yesterday, and a scoop on the Trump-GOP fundraising drama.

It didn’t happen with Covid relief. But President Joe Biden says he really, really wants to go bipartisan on infrastructure. Here's why that's even less likely than GOP stimulus cooperation.

If you’re still confused about where Joe Manchin is on the filibuster, you’re far from alone. Plus: The House is teeing up the massive Covid relief bill for final approval today.

A new Biden nomination could seriously shake up Washington’s approach to Big Tech. Plus: This could be the big day for Covid relief.

After a dramatic weekend — and no, we're not talking about the Harry and Meghan special — there's one last hurdle for the Covid aid package: a final vote in the House.

The Senate is set to kick off a vote-a-rama on amendments to the Covid-19 package today — and Republicans are vowing to make it as painful as possible for their Democratic counterparts.

Neera Tanden has left the building. So who's next for Biden's budget chief? Plus: What to watch for on Covid relief in the Senate today.

Democrats are looking at a serious hangover once they celebrate getting Covid relief signed into law — courtesy of the Senate filibuster. Here’s Playbook’s handicapping of a few Democratic proposals coming down the pike.

After weeks in relative isolation at Mar-a-Lago without Twitter, Trump emerged at CPAC on Sunday ready to let loose. Here’s what we learned from his first big post-presidency speech.

The Senate referee has officially made her call: It’s a no-go on raising the minimum wage through Biden’s Covid bill. After this crushing blow for progressives, we walk through four possible paths forward.

All eyes are on Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough, who is expected to rule as soon as today on whether a $15 minimum wage can be tucked into Biden's Covid relief bill. Plus: Two other big stories we're watching today.

Today, Congress finally gets its first chance for answers about the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. Plus: Playbook has the scoop on an anti-Big Tech crusader poised to join the Biden administration.

The drama of Ted Cruz returning from sunny Mexico — chastened and apologetic for fleeing Texas while 3 million of his constituents remained without power — was a kind of throwback to an era when politicians could be embarrassed.

Today is the big reveal for President Biden’s immigration bill. Here's what's inside — and why the final version might look a lot different from what's unveiled this morning.

Here are our superlatives from Joe Biden’s first town hall since he took office — from harshest toss under the bus to biggest progressive slap-downs.