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François Bayrou is confronted on the floor of the National Assembly over allegations that he didn't protect students who were abused, physically and sexually, for decades at the private Catholic school where his wife taught. Bayrou denies any knowledge of the allegations, and says he's be suing Mediapart, who reported on the case last week.And Gérald Darmanin, the hard-line Justice Minister, wants to avoid a Le Pen-Mélenchon runoff in 2027. He says the way to avoid that is a primary for the governmental camp, which could include the hard-line Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau entering the contest.All that and more, on today's episode of Flep24/7.Show NotesDarmanin s'y voit | Politico Playbook (fr)Viols sur mineurs à Bétharram : les mensonges de Bayrou pour défendre une institution catholique | Mediapart (fr)Marlon J. Ettinger, February 6th | @MarlonEttinger, Tweet (en)Paul Vannier, February 5th | @PaulVannierFI (fr)More Context From Flep24/7Prime Minister François Bayrou: France's Last Macronist, And Its First | December 14th, 2024(en)Attal's Socialist Turn Against the RN? | July 4th, 2024 (en)Édouard Phillippe 2027, and The Socialist Party in 2024 | September 4th, 2024 (en)Sad Young Man In Matignon | August 25th, 2024 (en)Attal's Grand Coalition on the Horizons | August 14th, 2024Coalition Negotiations | July 10th, 2024 (en)Cover our newspaper expenses: https://buymeacoffee.com/flep24Fund our deep dives: https://www.patreon.com/flep24Want your book, magazine, or website advertised at the beginning or end of the show? Get in touch atflep24pod@gmail.com.Fighting Fund: https://buymeacoffee.com/flep24Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/flep24Flep24's Twitter: @flep24podMarlon's Twitter: @MarlonEttingerOlly's Twitter: @reality_manager
Nicolas Sarkozy is filmed jogging with an ankle bracelet, there's controversy on the far-right over scores being settled from 2022, and an RN mayor's headed for trial over alleged corruption (which he denies).Show NotesIA plus qu'à | Politico Playbook (fr)Les images du premier jogging de Nicolas Sarkozy sous bracelet électronique | Tweet, BFMTV (fr)Nicolas Sarkozy, February 8th | Nicolas Sarkozy, Twitter (fr)Affaire des écoutes : après sa condamnation, Nicolas Sarkozy annonce mettre «entre parenthèses» ses activités publiques | Le Figaro (fr)Sarkozy condamné: 254 pages de jugement face au vide de la com' | Mediapart (fr)18 décembre 2024 Cour de cassation Pourvoi n° 23-83.178 | Cour de Cassation (fr)Families of airliner bomb victims want their voices heard at Sarkzoy-Gaddafi funding trial | Mediapart (en)Bruno North, February 8th | Bruno North, Twitter (fr)Thomas Montagne, February 8th | Thomas Montagne (fr)CNIP (Centre National des Indépendants et Paysans), February 8th | CNIP, Facebook post (fr)Le vice-président du RN David Rachline sera jugé pour prise illégale d'intérêts | Mediapart (fr)Cover our newspaper expenses: https://buymeacoffee.com/flep24Fund our deep dives: https://www.patreon.com/flep24Want your book, magazine, or website advertised at the beginning or end of the show? Get in touch atflep24pod@gmail.com.Fighting Fund: https://buymeacoffee.com/flep24Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/flep24Flep24's Twitter: @flep24podMarlon's Twitter: @MarlonEttingerOlly's Twitter: @reality_manager
Uma, Nick and Ciarán go through the Politico Playbook quiz of the year and we also look at the list of Politico dot eu's predicted most influential politicians in 2024 to see who were studs and who were duds. HOW TO SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/cornerspaeti HOW TO REACH US: Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/cornerspaeti.bsky.social Twitter https://twitter.com/cornerspaeti Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cornerspaeti/ Julia https://twitter.com/KMarxiana Rob https://twitter.com/leninkraft Nick https://bsky.app/profile/lilouzovert.bsky.social Uma https://twitter.com/umawrnkl Ciarán https://bsky.app/profile/ciarandold.bsky.social
[SEGMENT 1-1] 1500 Page CR 1 So much to discuss today. I would have discussed this yesterday, but I scheduled one of my sponsors for the show, and I'm glad I did. I hope you get you some Magnesium bioptimizers.com/kjradio Promo code: KJRADIO Monologue: The 1547-Page CRIME Bill Ladies and gentlemen, gather 'round because it's storytime with Uncle KJ. Today's tale is a modern tragedy, a comedy of errors, and a crime novel all rolled into one—our illustrious Congress and their latest 1,547-page Continuing Resolution. Or, as I like to call it, the CRIME BILL. You see, Congressman Thomas Massie warned us about this stunt months ago. He said, “Watch out—they're going to pull the old ‘stay over Christmas' trick.” And what did Speaker Mike Johnson promise? “Not on my watch!” Well, guess what, folks? Mike Johnson's watch must be from the Dollar Store, because here we are. Congress stuck it to us again, keeping everyone tied up during the holidays while they passed a monstrosity of a bill faster than a Kardashian's marriage. Now, the big question: Who even wrote this thing? Because the "woke" language in this bill sounds like it came straight out of a Berkeley gender studies seminar, not a legislative office. It's got more pronouns than policies, and if you still believed Republicans had a backbone, this bill will cure you of that delusion. These eunuchs couldn't even protect us from being railroaded into $100 billion of insanity. [SEGMENT 1-2] 1500-page CR 2 What They Get vs. What We Get Let's break it down. Here's what the Left gets:$60 billion to Ukraine—because apparently, Zelensky has a Black Friday wishlist.Unconstitutional powers for the courts to protect Congress—because Congress is so fragile, they need a legal security blanket.Blanket immunity for the Deep State—past crimes, future crimes, no problem!Emergency powers for unconstitutional mandates—because if there's one thing Americans miss, it's being forced into masks and vaccines.Funding for gain-of-function research—because the first round of playing God with viruses worked out so well.Vaccine passports—because, hey, who doesn't want to be tracked like an Amazon package?Twelve new biolabs—I'm sure nothing bad could come from that, right?[SEGMENT 1-3] 1500-page CR 3 Now, what do we get? Hurricane aid. That's it. A pat on the back and a whispered, “Good luck out there!” Biden's Health: The Left's Flip-Flop But wait, before we dive deeper into this legislative crime scene, let's talk about Joe Biden. Remember when the Left insisted those videos of Biden falling asleep mid-sentence and talking like he just woke up from dental surgery were deepfakes? Fast forward to today, and Politico Playbook is singing a new tune: “How could anyone imagine Joe Biden could serve another four years?” Oh, I don't know—maybe because you told us he could four months ago! Now they're admitting, “Time is catching up with Mr. Biden. He looks a little older and slower with each passing day.” Slower? Folks, the man's aging like unrefrigerated milk. By the time 2028 rolls around, they'll be wheeling him into the Oval Office like Hannibal Lecter. Liz Cheney's Drama Class And then there's Liz Cheney. Oh, Liz. Her text messages with Cassidy Hutchinson reveal she was coaching witnesses to change their testimony. That's not a misstep—that's a felony. But does Liz own up to it? Nope. She hops on BlueSky to attack Trump instead, like a cat scratching a brick wall. The Crime of the Century Back to the CRIME BILL. You might be saying, “KJ, there's no crime bill in Congress!” Au contraire, my friends—this Continuing Resolution is a crime against the American people. And let's not forget the sneaky little clause they tried to bury: preventing Americans from accessing their emails. Yes, folks, while they're raiding Trump's home and reading his emails, they're crafting laws to keep their own inboxes safe from scrutiny. Why? Because they know their email chains would make the Biden family's shell companies look like lemonade stands. [SEGMENT 1-4] 1500-page CR 4 The AI Revolution The good news? AI is here to help us dig through this garbage. While Congress hopes we're too distracted with holiday shopping, AI has already gone through the bill and exposed the rot. And guess who's leading the charge against it? Elon Musk. He's tearing into this thing like a constipated honey badger, leaving no clause unscathed. And DOGE—President-elect Trump's new watchdog—is barking loudly. A Call for Accountability Here's an idea: make Congress put their names on the nonsense they recommend for these bills. Want $60 billion to Ukraine? Fine—stamp your name on it so we know who to thank when we're eating ramen because inflation is through the roof. And while we're at it, can we please retire the DEI nonsense and LGBTQ+ pork projects that have no business in a spending bill? Congress spent more time debating gender-neutral bathrooms than they did on hurricane aid. Priorities, people! Closing Thoughts So here we are, folks: a 1,547-page reminder that our government is broken, but our will isn't. Trump's coming back, and you'd better believe he's bringing a bulldozer to clear out this swamp once and for all. Until then, keep your AI tuned, your honey badger ferocity on standby, and your sense of humor intact. Because if we don't laugh, we'll cry—and we've cried enough. Stay strong, America. Trump 2024 is around the corner. Let's clean house. [X] SB – CNN goes after Dick Durbin on the congressional pay raise. [X] SB – Man speaks on Elon staying involved in politics and killing the CR [X] SB – Thomas Massie on spending cuts [X] SB – Speaker Johnson on CR Now, that continuing resolution now in Congress, it is a total, unmitigated disaster. It's hard to fathom after this election that these elected officials, they think that the government, as usual – the swamp as usual – is going to continue. It's not. This would fund the government through March, but at what cost? Raise the debt ceiling. At what cost? Why should Donald Trump have to raise the debt ceiling when it's Joe Biden's problem? Now, this bill is over 1,500 pages. It spends so lavishly on pet projects – let's see, a new bridge in Baltimore along with an additional $100 billion for vague disaster relief programs and another 10 billion in farm subsidies. The resolution also expands the federal bureaucracy, funding a new Office of Telecommunications Spectrum Management and a new National Blockchain Deployment Advisory Committee. The spending bill also gives the state of Maryland a group of National Guard fighter jets. It also transfers ownership of RFK Stadium from the federal government to Washington, D.C. Why are we giving them our stadium? In other words, you paid for it, a hugely valuable asset owned by the American taxpayers. What, given to far-left residents of the D.C. swamp? Musk and DOGE likewise bought into and spread the false claim that the bill earmarked billions of taxpayer dollars to build a new NFL stadium in Washington, D.C., at the site of RFK Stadium. In Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-kevin-jackson-show--2896352/support.
Hello, media consumers! Bryan is joined today by Politico's White House correspondent and Politico Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels to get into the latest on this upcoming election and more, including: Does the Harris campaign really believe they're underdogs in this race (01:47)? Are they running a “risk-averse” campaign (16:18)? What is it like covering the White House and writing Playbook (21:19)? Leaping from college football to journalism (30:46). Plus, David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline. Host: Bryan Curtis Guest: Eugene Daniels Producers: Brian H. Waters and Eduardo Ocampo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Hello, media consumers! Bryan is joined today by Politico's White House correspondent and Politico Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels to get into the latest on this upcoming election and more, including: Does the Harris campaign really believe they're underdogs in this race (01:47)? Are they running a “risk-averse” campaign (16:18)? What is it like covering the White House and writing Playbook (21:19)? Leaping from college football to journalism (30:46). Plus, David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline. Host: Bryan Curtis Guest: Eugene Daniels Producers: Brian H. Waters and Eduardo Ocampo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
SERIES 3 EPISODE 43: COUNTDOWN WITH KEITH OLBERMANN A-Block (1:44) SPECIAL COMMENT: It is time to cancel or suspend all of Elon Musk's government contracts and subsidies. SpaceX, NASA, StarLink, Teslas, all of it. Musk and Trump are interfering in FEMA recovery efforts post-Hurricane Helene by spreading life-threatening disinformation, and are coordinating a political campaign with Trump which at its heart Trump advocates for the overthrow of the duly-elected government of the United States of America – by violence if necessary. And if all of that is insufficient to re-investigate and/or change his immigration status here in order to deport him back to South Africa or Canada, if it is insufficient to take ALL of his money from him, it is NOT insufficient to tie him up in court cases for the rest of his life. He's also immorally transforming the Twitter-X platform he owns into a massive donation-in-kind to Trump's campaign of lies, antisemitism, Islamophobia, misogyny, hatred, and fascism. A donation-in-kind which the government should value at 44 billion, not the current number Musk has driven it down to which I haven't actually checked lately but is probably down to about 50, 60 bucks. Oh and President Biden? The Starlink equipment and the network behind it and the rockets and the satellite access and the actual platform hosting X or what's left of it? Seize it. If he wants it back, let him go to court. If he tries to shut it off, arrest him for tampering with evidence in a criminal case. Remember: Presidential immuuuuuuuuuuuunity! By the way his buddy Trump? Trump doesn't know what Starlink is. TRUMP IS SO GONE EVEN THE NEW YORK TIMES NOTICED: "Trump's Speeches, Increasingly Angry and Rambling, Reignite the Question of Age." They gingerly refer to computer analyses and the uncertainties of others, but given the number of other news outlets that think the Times is infallible, this could open a floodgate of coverage. NOT THAT EVERYBODY GETS IT: Andrea Mitchell stopped herself midway through finishing the word "miscegenation" while whining about Vice President Harris not doing enough interviews. Politico thinks 60 Minutes, an Univision Town Hall, Howard Stern, and especially the "Call Her Daddy" podcast aren't real interviews. It also implied Harris shouldn't be appearing on a podcast that has included sexual content. That's pretty funny given that the editor of Politico Playbook - once fired by The New Yorker over sexual misconduct, is now on leave, accused of trying to blackmail his fiancee into more sex and when she refused, hacking her phone and leaking her sex life. So Politico, does "Call Her Daddy" have too MUCH sex, or just not as much as "Politico Playbook"? B-Block (26:16) SPECIAL COMMENT NUMBER 2: Did "working the refs" work with The New York Times? Did all our complaining finally pierce the walls of the paper? Let me tell you a story from my past in which years of complaining to the Los Angeles Times not only got my complaint listened to, but corrected - and with the admission that the editor in charge never read anything written by the guy I was complaining about. C-Block (43:40) GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A heated dispute is brewing between the Trump and Harris campaigns over the rules for their upcoming Sept. 10 debate. The key issue? Whether the candidate's microphone should be muted when it's not their turn to speak. During a press conference, former President Donald Trump had this to say: "We agreed to the same rules. Same rules and same specifications. And I think that's probably what it should be. But they're trying to change it. The truth is they're trying to get out of it. Because she doesn't want a debate," The truth is the Harris camp does want to debate Trump. The issue is over the rules. Originally, both sides had agreed to mute microphones when the other candidate is speaking. But that was back when President Joe Biden was the candidate. Now, with Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee, her team wants the mics live throughout the debate. According to Politico Playbook, Brian Fallon, the Harris campaign's senior adviser for communications, said, "Our understanding is that Trump's handlers prefer the muted mic because they don't think their candidate can act presidential for 90 minutes on his own." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Almost 29 million television viewers tuned in to see Vice President Kamala Harris's historic nomination acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention. But does size matter? And what's next after the raucous, A-list celebrity packed, “joy-filled" DNC for the Harris/Walz campaign? With just 10 weeks left in the campaign, Kara reviews the biggest moments and messages from Chicago with today's panel (Politico White House correspondent Eugene Daniels, co-author of Politico Playbook, Noel King, co-host of Vox's Today Explained; political strategist Sarah Longwell, publisher of The Bulwark and founder of Republican Voters Against Trump; and V Spehar, independent journalist and host of the TikTok account, Under the Desk News) and discusses strengths and vulnerabilities coming out of the conventions for both campaigns. Plus: how RFK Jr.'s Trump endorsement will likely play out in key swing states. Note: This episode was taped on Friday, Aug 23rd, 2024. Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find Kara on Threads/Instagram @karaswisher Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Democratic kingmaker Nancy Pelosi has come to be pegged as the chief force behind President Joe Biden's decision to step down from his reelection campaign — a claim that she refuses to dignify much. While Pelosi no longer wields the Speaker's gavel, its absence hasn't done much to stifle her power within the party. She's not only the first female Speaker of the House, but also one of the most talented political tacticians of her generation. POLITICO's senior political columnist and politics bureau chief Jonathan Martin sat down with the Speaker Emerita at the CNN-POLITICO Grill on the last day of the Democratic National Convention. JMart and Pelosi covered what state Pelosi believes to be key to retaking the House; how a President Kamala Harris would need to govern; that time when party transcended heritage in her snub of a New York Republican; her relationship with successor Hakeem Jeffries and what she really thinks of that DIY pin of her image that floated around the convention. Ryan Lizza is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO. Jonathan Martin is politics bureau chief for POLITICO. Nancy Pelosi is the Speaker Emerita of the U.S. House of Representatives. Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio. Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio.
SERIES 3 EPISODE 13: COUNTDOWN WITH KEITH OLBERMANN A-Block (1:44) SPECIAL COMMENT: Did you HEAR Trump yesterday? Did you HEAR HIM TALK? He's in Howell, Michigan, where it might as well be Alabama in the year 1855, where they marched chanting “We Love Hitler, We Love Trump” a MONTH ago, and he came out at the County Sheriff's Office, and behind him with the cops as the props and if he had had ten times the energy and ten times the focus you would have said: what's wrong with Trump? Is he DYING or something? I mean I don't THINK he's dying, I think there are intermediate stages between having every single thing in a presidential campaign turn against you in a matter of two weeks and actually dying, but look if this mumble thing continues, at this rate they're going to have start putting live captions over him. Trump responded to the overture from the RFK Junior camp about dropping out if Trump would give him a role in his cabinet. “I didn't know he was thinking about getting out, but if he is thinking about getting out, certainly I'd be open to it.” RFK's running mate Nicole Shanahan appears to be doing the bargaining. Even she has figured it out: "We run the risk of a Kamala Harris and Walz presidency, as we draw votes from Trump. We draw, somehow, more votes from Trump. Or we walk away, right now, and join forces with Donald Trump…” Translation: bribe us and we'll go away. Looks like what they want is Secretary of Health and Human Services. THE SELF-DEFENESTRATION OF THE POLITICAL MEDIA: The Times really did it yesterday, with no sense of irony, no meta self-reflection: “Kamala Harris's tan suit was a surprising choice, our fashion critic writes.” The Post, meantime, did a DNC factcheck and got half a dozen things wrong: the Post insisted that there was no evidence that Trump ever sent love letters to dictators with Kessler writing “we do not know what Trump wrote to Kim Jong Un,” Media Matters went appropriately nuts. Of course we know. Trump showed them to… Bob Woodward of the Post. The factcheck now has its own factcheck. I recommend to you and will quote extensively from a masterpiece on this topic in The New Republic. Meredith Shiner writes: "after years of watching Morning Joe and searching for their birthdays in the Politico Playbook, they do not see their role as speaking to us, but rather speaking to themselves." Ex-effing-actly. B-Block (26:47) THE WORST PERSONS IN THE WORLD: Jesse Watters has rebirthed birtherism. He's sending "Johnny" to Hawaii to get the real story about Barack Obama's birth certificate because Harris. Amy Kremer, a GOP Committeewoman from Georgia, is the sucker born every minute. A liberal trolls the idiot Jack Posobiec by saying she'll have an abortion and a vasectomy onstage at the DNC and Kremer believes her. And Stephen L. Miller - the "other" Stephen Miller - uses the c-word about Mallory McMorrow with no self-awareness that it's used about him. C-Block (37:10) THINGS I PROMISED NOT TO TELL: It was a lovely day in Fun City yesterday so I was out all day and I walked right past it: the bar out of which George Steinbrenner stepped one night in 1981 after I had spent the day trying to find... George Steinbrenner.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders joins Playbook co-author and Deep Dive host Ryan Lizza to give his candid thoughts on Kamala Harris's presidential campaign, including whether he thinks Joe Biden should have stepped aside in the first place; how Democrats can win back young people, minorities, and progressives; as well as where he agrees with Harris's policies, and where he thinks she needs to lean in his direction to win. Ryan Lizza is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO. Bernie Sanders is the senior senator from Vermont. Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio. Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio.
Playbook's Eugene Daniels chats with Amy Walter, editor-in-chief of The Cook Political Report, to recap the first day of the Democratic National Convention. While marquee figures like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Hillary Clinton took the stage, President Joe Biden's symbolic passing of the torch capped the night.
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 presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, and why this year's convention quickly became a hot ticket once Harris went to the top of the ticket.
With the Democratic National Convention just days away, Doug Sosnik, a longtime Dem strategist best known for being a top adviser to Bill Clinton, joins the show to help unpack the new fundamentals of the 2024 presidential campaign. Sosnik and Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza discuss: Why the gender gap is getting larger — and how it could impact the election in ways that have not yet been fully appreciated; why JD Vance might influence the election more than Tim Walz; two metrics can tell you the most about the state-of-the-race; why Omaha, Nebraska might be the most important place in this presidential election; and why Sosnik thinks Kamala Harris has the potential to be like Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama. Ryan Lizza is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO. Doug Sosnik is a Democratic political strategist. Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio. Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio.
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 Victoria Guida 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 need to know today.
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 the blurriness is intentional.
Anita Dunn left her position as a senior advisor to president Joe Biden this week, marking the end of an era for the White House. She was a key architect of his 2020 presidential campaign and one of his closest advisors throughout her tenure. On this episode of Deep Dive, Dunn joins host and Playbook co-author Ryan LIzza to talk about the extraordinary series of events that lead to Biden dropping out of the presidential race, including: the pivotal decision to call for a June debate with Trump; what Dunn was thinking as she watched Biden struggle through the event; the strategy she and her colleagues developed to fight the calls for Biden to step aside; Biden's final days as the nominee; the new electoral opportunities now available to Harris and a lot more. Ryan Lizza is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO. Anita Dunn is a former adviser in the Biden Administration. Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio. Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio.
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-vibes political moment we're in. That, plus the latest on GOP attacks on Tim Walz's military record.
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 led to Walz edging out Shapiro for the spot.
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 stage plotted. And that's the focus of national political correspondent Meridith McGraw's new book, Trump in Exile, which is out today. She sits down with Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza to discuss what she uncovered. Plus, Vice President Kamala Harris officially clinched the nomination for president for the Democratic party. Next up, she chooses hew own VP.
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.
When President Joe Biden dropped out of the race and the Democratic party rallied around Kamala Harris as his replacement, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper was widely considered to be a top choice to serve as Harris's running mate. But Cooper did something unusual: he told the Harris team he didn't want to be considered as her running mate. On this episode of Deep Dive, host and Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza talks to Cooper about why he took himself out of contention and how some weird local politics influenced his decision. Also discussed in this episode of the show: Cooper's conversations with Harris, Biden, and Nancy Pelosi as Democratic leaders navigated the post-debate crisis that lead to Harris's ascension; how Cooper coached the president in the last days of Biden's campaign; and whether or not you should believe the hype about Democrats flipping North Carolina this year. Ryan Lizza is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO. Roy Cooper is the governor of North Carolina. Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio. Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio.
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-authors Rachael Bade and Eugene Daniels discuss that — and break a bit of news about Harris' VP search.
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 election. Plus, when to expect Harris' VP announcement, and the rest of the news you need to know today.
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 administration's so-called "border czar." Will it be enough to dampen the electric momentum surrounding the vice president? Playbook co-author Rachael Bade looks into it. In addition, a bipartisan expansion of the child tax credit is up for a vote today, and it is expected to be defeated by Republicans. How will this play with Republicans' family value-centric identity?
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 Adam Cancryn joins Playbook editor Mike DeBonis to break down what this all means. Plus, what we know about how the presidential race is shaping one week after Biden's departure from it, and two events around the world that could have large implications for the U.S. That, plus the rest of the news you need to know today.
Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels and POLITICO politics bureau chief Jonathan Martin join host Ryan Lizza to tackle questions about Vice President Kamala Harris's new role at the top of the Democratic ticket, including: What really caused Joe Biden to end his quest for a second term? How did Kamala Harris lock up the nomination so fast? And what is really going on inside her campaign right now? How have the issues, swing states, and demographics that will decide the 2024 election changed? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Democrats vying to serve as vice president? And how is Donald Trump responding to all of this? Ryan Lizza is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO. Eugene Daniels is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO. Jonathan Martin is politics bureau chief for POLITICO. Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio. Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio.
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, Harris receives an official endorsement from the Obamas, and the rest of the news you need to know today.
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 overall decision as being taken in the defense of democracy — which, he said, was “more important than any title.” But his remarks also provided a reminder of the same performance concerns that led to calls for him to step aside. What comes next? White House correspondent Eli Stokols joins Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza to unpack it all.
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 commitment. So what should we expect from the speech, and from the Prime Minister's meetings with President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump later in the week? National Security Daily author Matt Berg joins Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels to offer some insight. Plus, what we know about Biden's Oval Office address this evening. That, plus the rest of the news you need to know today.
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, joins Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels to discuss. Plus, the latest on who will attend the meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and the rest of the news you need to know today.
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. And with less than a month until the Democratic National Convention, many details must be worked out as the dust settles. Playbook co-authors Rachael Bade, Eugene Daniels, and Ryan Lizza break it all down.
Congressman Richard Hudson is chairman of the National Republican Campaign Committee, which is to say, he's in charge of delivering a majority in November for Speaker Mike Johnson and possibly President Donald Trump. In this episode of Playbook Deep Dive, Hudson discusses how the recent assassination attempt on Donald Trump and the possibility of Joe Biden leaving the Democratic ticket are influencing his strategy for House Republicans this November. Ryan Lizza is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO. Richard Hudson is the representative for North Carolina's 9th district and chairman of the NRCC. Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio. Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio.
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.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp joins for a bonus episode of Playbook Deep Dive. In a live interview from the Republican National Convention, Kemp — a swing state governor with a famously conflicted relationship with Trump — opines on how Saturday's assassination attempt will change both Trump and Biden's election strategy; his thoughts on J.D. Vance, Trump's running mate; what his advice to Trump is for his convention speech and everything after; and whether or not he is courting a position in Trump's cabinet. Eugene Daniels is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO. Brian Kemp is the governor of Georgia. Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio. Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio.
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 a facade? Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza and Politics Bureau Chief Jonathan Martin caught up with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-T.X.), the 2016 runner-up, to ask just that, and more.
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 weekend. The former president isn't scheduled to speak until Thursday, but his appearance Monday—with a large bandage on his ear—was unquestionably the highlight of the day. Olivia Beavers sat down with Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza in Milwaukee last night to unpack that and the rest of the highlights from the day.
The Republican National Convention begins today, with former President Donald Trump expected to address attendees on Thursday. But all expectations of what that moment would hold were shattered when a 20-year-old gunman opened fire on Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday. National politics correspondent Meridith McGraw joins Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels from Milwaukee to talk about how the extraordinary incident will effect the convention.
Elaine Kamarck is a longtime member of the DNC's rules committee, a scholar at Brookings, a former advisor to top Democrats such as Bill Clinton, Al Gore, and Walter Mondale; and author of “Primary Politics: Everything You Need to Know about How America Nominates Its Presidential Candidates.” On this episode of Playbook Deep Dive, Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels asks Kamarck all of your questions about how the Democratic Party would choose a new nominee should Joe Biden step aside. Topics include: How and when Joe Biden would go about dropping out; if his delegates can rebel against him if he doesn't; whether or not he can choose a successor; how exactly an open convention would unfold in Chicago; and what she thinks the public's reaction will be if the Democratic nominee for president is chosen by a handful of party insiders in smoke-filled back rooms. Eugene Daniels is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO. Elaine Kamarck is a scholar at Brookings Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio. Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio.
It was almost certainly the most important press conference of President Joe Biden's long career. And now that it's done … well, things seem even more unclear than they were before. Democrats now find themselves in a sort of purgatory while their ultimate fate remains undetermined. Was it enough to silence the naysayers? Probably not. But it also wasn't bad enough to swell their ranks, either. Where do things head from here? White House reporter Myah Ward — who was in the room during Biden's presser — talks it through with Playbook co-author Rachael Bade.
A Tuesday meeting with Hill Democrats left many who initially expressed concerns after the debate two weeks ago reluctantly falling in line with Biden or saying nothing at all. Though the dam appears to be holding behind the president for now, will it stay strong? What will happen if Biden stumbles again before the Democratic National Convention next month? Congressional reporter Nicholas Wu joins Playbook co-author Rachael Bade to break it all down.
Over the next few days, the spotlight on Joe Biden will only sharpen as the president attends this year's NATO summit in Washington. His first big test will be a major address today commemorating the 75th anniversary of the organization. Whether a strong performance there — and at a Thursday news conference — can calm the nerves of Democrats still shaken by a shoddy debate performance is another thing entirely. White House correspondent Adam Cancryn joins Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels to walk through what's happening with the Democratic debate over calling for Biden to step aside. Plus, what we're watching out of Biden's ultra secure meeting with House Democrats this morning, and all the rest of the news you need to know today.
Congress returns today after time off for the Fourth of July, but it is the forthcoming presidential election that is the only thing anyone is talking about. More and more Democrats are coming out of the woodwork to suggest President Joe Biden step aside and pass the baton to another candidate to run in November. But who, if anyone, actually has influence over the decision? Playbook co-author Rachael Bade walks through what she is watching.
Nearly a week after the disastrous presidential debate, more Democrats are going on the record to suggest President Biden step aside and let another candidate be the nominee for president in 2024. After prominent Democrats called questions about Biden's mental acuity “valid,” a cascade of other voices echoed the sentiment. But that introduces a potentially more complicated question: if not Biden, who? Playbook co-authors Rachael Bade and Eugene Daniels take stock of the Democratic disarray.
The Supreme Court ruled Monday that Donald Trump has immunity from criminal prosecution for some actions he took as president while fighting to subvert the 2020 election, further complicating efforts to put Trump on trial in Washington on criminal charges. The decision immediately deflated some of the central allegations that special counsel Jack Smith leveled against Trump. Plus, what does this indicate for the powers a President has? Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza and Ankush Khardori — former federal prosecutor at the Department of Justice and now senior writer for Politico Magazine — break down the details.
The fallout from last week's presidential debate continues. Over the weekend, it was reported that the Biden family gathered to discuss whether the president should remain in the race. His family is said to have encouraged him to see it through. But, despite nobody publicly coming forward to encourage him to drop out, others in the Democratic Party are indicating that they aren't so sure that is the best approach. Playbook co-author Rachael Bade has the inside scoop. Plus, all eyes are on the Supreme Court, which is set to rule today on whether former President Trump has immunity from criminal prosecution.
It's the day that members of both major parties have been waiting for with excitement and/or dread. Tonight in Atlanta, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will take to the debate stage for their first debate of the 2024 cycle. Could this be a make-or-break moment for the candidates? How are both candidates angling to get under one another's skin? What is realistically at stake? White House reporter Laura Egan joins Playbook co-author Rachael Bade to tell us what to watch for — and what she's expecting to see in the spin room.
Bob Bauer is President Joe Biden's personal lawyer and was general counsel to both of Barack Obama's presidential campaigns. But over the last three decades, he's developed another specialty practice: playing the role of his candidate's rival during debate prep. Bauer has helped Democratic candidates prepare for debates by playing the likes of Bernie Sanders, Al Gore, and Donald Trump. He's also been involved with efforts to reform the process and production of presidential debates themselves. So with the first presidential debate less than one week away, and both Biden and Trump cramming to prepare for it, Bauer is joining the show to preview the event, as well as to discuss his new book, “The Unraveling: Reflections on Politics without Ethics and Democracy in Crisis”. Ryan Lizza is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO. Bob Bauer is a lawyer for President Biden and a veteran Democratic debate coach. Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio. Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio.