Episodes

  • November 7, 2024: The key players in Trump's transition

    November 7, 2024: The key players in Trump's transition
    Nov 7 2024
    President-elect Donald Trump and his team launched into transition planning in Palm Beach on Wednesday, barely 12 hours after polls closed. So who's going to be chief of staff? And who’s going to head up personnel decisions? Playbook co-authors Rachael Bade and Eugene Daniels share what they know about the transition so far — including Rachael's latest scoop on Chris LaCivita's beef with Corey Lewandowski.
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    11 mins
  • November 6, 2024: Donald Trump's America

    November 6, 2024: Donald Trump's America
    Nov 6 2024
    What seemed unthinkable on Jan. 7, 2021 is about to be reality. Donald Trump is on the verge of retaking 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. Trump’s all-but-certain re-election (an AP call in ruby-red Alaska would seal it) constitutes arguably the biggest political comeback story in American history. Playbook editor Mike DeBonis breaks down what we know with Playbook co-authors Eugene Daniels and Rachael Bade.
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    18 mins
  • November 5, 2024: We’re finally here

    November 5, 2024: We’re finally here
    Nov 5 2024
    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 candidates on the campaign trail.
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    17 mins
  • November 4, 2024: The last day on the campaign trail

    November 4, 2024: The last day on the campaign trail
    Nov 4 2024
    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 watching on the last day on the campaign trail.
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    5 mins
  • November 1, 2024: Money talks in the presidential race

    November 1, 2024: Money talks in the presidential race
    Nov 1 2024
    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.
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    11 mins
  • October 31, 2024: Democrats in Wisconsin are 'nauseously optimistic'

    October 31, 2024: Democrats in Wisconsin are 'nauseously optimistic'
    Oct 31 2024
    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 agree on one thing: the race is going to be close. Plus, new polls show a slight Harris lead in two key swing states, and the Elon Musk-funded canvassing scheme is in very hot water. All that, and the rest of the news you need to know today.
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    8 mins
  • October 30, 2024: Harris’ closing message vs. Biden’s ‘garbage’ gaffe

    October 30, 2024: Harris’ closing message vs. Biden’s ‘garbage’ gaffe
    Oct 30 2024
    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 appearance with Latino supporters. He was reacting to comments Tony Hinchcliffe made at Trump's Sunday night Madison Square Garden rally that Puerto Rico was a "floating island of garbage." Playbook co-authors Eugene Daniels and Rachael Bade dive in to how effective Harris and Trump's closing messages were and whether Biden's flub will overshadow Harris’ message.
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    16 mins
  • October 29, 2024: Why election results might come faster this year

    October 29, 2024: Why election results might come faster this year
    Oct 29 2024
    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 Rachael Bade to explain what to expect after election day.
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    11 mins