POLITICO’s Dasha Burns bring her fresh insight, analysis and reporting to the stories driving the day in the nation’s capital. She will be joined by her fellow co-authors and journalists from across POLITICO — available, as always, in audio and video formats each morning.
PodSkip has analyzed 2 episodes of The Playbook Podcast, averaging 1.5 ads per episode (4% of runtime).
Inside the democratic socialists’ plan to shake up Congress | The Conversation
Oct 18, 2026
Democratic socialists Melat Kiros and Darializa Avila Chevalier each defeated a longtime Democratic incumbent to win their deep-blue primaries. They’re among a handful of Democratic Socialists of…
Abdul El-Sayed's ‘new coalition’
Oct 16, 2026
In the final weeks toward the midterms, can Michigan’s Abdul El-Sayed earn favor from some Black and Jewish voters who have felt skeptical of his campaign? Then the other stories animating…
Susie’s turn
Oct 15, 2026
President Trump is privately calling allies, soliciting their opinions about his once untouchable chief of staff, Susie Wiles. Playbook has exclusive reporting on sharks circling around Wiles – and…
Republicans privately brace for House defeat
Oct 14, 2026
Top Republicans are quietly preparing for a midterm wipeout, shifting resources to save the Senate. Then the other stories animating Washington: new White House press secretary Katie Zacharia has a…
Are Dems too confident?
Oct 13, 2026
Three weeks out from the midterms and Democrats in some of the most competitive races are walking tall towards Election Day. Purple state candidates Abdul El-Sayed and Rep. Chris Pappas are touting…
Walking the Trump tightrope (with Byron Donalds) | The Conversation
Oct 11, 2026
Dasha sits down with Rep. Byron Donalds, the Florida Republican nominee for governor, for a special midterms edition of the show.
As Republicans face headwinds over affordability and rising costs…
The Battle for Black voters
Oct 09, 2026
Rep. Byron Donalds is making a play for Black voters in a new ad shared exclusively with POLITICO. What does his campaign tell us about the battle for Black voters this midterm election — and what…
Knives out on MAGA Inc.
Oct 08, 2026
Knives are out for MAGA Inc.’s top two globetrotting advisers, Chris LaCivita and James Blair. Does this open the duo to take the fall if a blue wave materializes in November? Then the other stories…
Trump’s Latino coalition cracked
Oct 07, 2026
Republicans appear on the verge of losing the Latino voter coalition that helped carry President Donald Trump in 2024. But that doesn’t mean they’re embracing Democrats. Then the other stories…
It’s 2026. Still Obama’s Party.
Oct 06, 2026
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 Washington: Open AI CEO Sam Altman…
Paxton's campaign control
Oct 05, 2026
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. Plus in other news: Sam…
Can this pastor flip a Senate seat in deep red Kansas? (with Adam Hamilton) | The Conversation
Oct 04, 2026
In this special midterms edition of “The Conversation with Dasha Burns,” Adam Hamilton, the pastor and Democratic candidate challenging Sen. Roger Marshall, sits down with Dasha at a campaign office…
The heartland’s ‘woke’ Democrat
Oct 02, 2026
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. Playbook hears from Adam…
Beshear’s red-state edge
Oct 01, 2026
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 apart from potential Republican…
Nevada’s 2028 high rollers
Sep 30, 2026
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 animating Washington: A Republican…
Congress had the Squad. Soon it will have the Bloc.
Sep 29, 2026
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 into House Democratic…
‘Front Row Joes’ take a backseat
Sep 28, 2026
"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 presidency. We asked some of…
Will Democrats finally win in Texas? (with Gina Hinojosa) | The Conversation
Sep 27, 2026
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 headquarters in Austin to talk…
Is this the Democrat who could win back the South? | On the Road
Sep 26, 2026
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 Democratic Party and whether he…
Are Dems Choosin’ Texas?
Sep 25, 2026
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 stories animating Washington…
Republicans grab the fire extinguisher
Sep 24, 2026
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 forced to make some tough choices…
Xi gets the red carpet
Sep 23, 2026
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-star-studded dinner. But what…
The GOP senator breaking with Trump on vaccines and AI (with Sen. Bill Cassidy) | The Conversation
Sep 22, 2026
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.), who lost his reelection bid…
Trump scraps the GOP script
Sep 22, 2026
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 welcome China’s communist…
Mike Waltz’s next moves
Sep 21, 2026
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 affairs correspondent Nahal…
The GOP senator breaking with Trump on vaccines and AI (with Sen. Bill Cassidy) | The Conversation
Sep 20, 2026
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 make Congress more effective as…
Democrats’ P(doom)
Sep 18, 2026
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 doom. Then the other stories…
Decoding Decoded
Sep 17, 2026
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 adviser David Sacks draws the line…
A turning point on AI
Sep 16, 2026
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 driving force in…
AI regulation’s strange bedfellows
Sep 15, 2026
Some of Silicon Valley’s biggest names are changing their tune on AI regulation and an unlikely alliance is joining the chorus. Among these strange bedfellows are Sen. Bernie Sanders and Steve…
