The Playbook Podcast

White House reporter Myah Ward discusses President Joe Biden's press conference and the uncertain future it leaves for Democrats. The presser didn't satisfy critics or gain new supporters. The podcast delves into the internal tensions within the Democratic Party and the potential outcomes following Biden's address.

Politics bureau chief Jonathan Martin and Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels discuss the pressure on Joe Biden to consider stepping out of the race. They highlight the unprecedented panic among Democratic delegates and the challenges faced by the Biden campaign in appeasing concerned party members.

Congressional reporter Nicholas Wu joins Playbook co-author Rachael Bade in discussing the internal conflicts within the Democratic party over Biden's candidacy. Highlighting senators' reluctance to express discontent publicly, the episode explores the tactics used to garner support for Biden amidst ongoing uncertainty about his future in the race.

President Biden faces a big test at NATO summit, with Democrats calling for him to step aside. Concerns over his debate performance linger. Focus on his ultra secure meeting with House Democrats. Evaluating his performance and support from Congress amid party divisions.

Playbook co-author Rachael Bade discusses the mounting concerns within the Democratic party about Joe Biden's fitness for presidency and the pressure for him to step aside. Tensions rise within the party as leaders face the decision of supporting or removing Biden from the ticket. House Republicans seize the opportunity to question Biden's capability, hinting at potential turmoil in Capitol Hill.

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.

President Joe Biden’s campaign gambled on a June debate, ostensibly with the goal of shaking up the trajectory of the campaign. Last night, it backfired in spectacular fashion. Over the course of a disastrous 90 minutes, the incumbent often wandered into incoherence, his voice faint, while former President Donald Trump blasted a firehose of insults and untruths. Now, with word that prominent Dems are in crisis mode, could we be approaching virtually unforeseen political territory? Playbook co-authors Rachael Bade, Ryan Lizza and Eugene Daniels unpack what we saw and where things go from here.

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 Lauren 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.