The Playbook Podcast

The podcast discusses Trump's conflicting stance on abortion as he tries to appeal to both sides, highlighting the political implications for his image and potential 2024 campaign. Insights are provided into internal party divisions, Trump's strategy on abortion, and the implications for the Republican Party and candidates in future elections.

The podcast discusses the upcoming reauthorization of the FISA law in Congress, highlighting Republican infighting, privacy concerns, and national security issues. Controversial amendments on data gathering and alliances between privacy hawks and security-minded members add complexity to the debate.

President Biden demands humanitarian aid expansion in Gaza and ceasefire negotiations with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. Can the aftermath of the aid workers' killings be a turning point in the war? National security reporter Alex Ward discusses these key issues with Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza.

White House reporter, Jen Haberkorn and Playbook co-author Rachael Bade dive into the chaos within House Republicans over Ukraine aid funding, with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene slamming Speaker Mike Johnson. They discuss the tensions, potential speaker mutiny, and the urgent need for resolution.

On Monday, the Florida Supreme Court issued a number of significant rulings that will impact abortion politics in the state. The justices upheld a Gov. Ron DeSantis-backed, 15-week abortion ban that in one month will trigger a far more restrictive 6-week ban. The justices further ruled that Floridians will get a chance to vote on a constitutional amendment come November that would reverse the ban and make abortion broadly legal in the state. So, what does this mean for the Biden campaign in a state where registered Republicans handily outnumber Democrats? Florida Playbook author and politics reporter Kimberly Leonard joins Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza to discuss.

In an interview with Trey Gowdy of Fox News on the evening of Easter Sunday, Mike Johnson called Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s effort to oust him a distraction from the mission. Attempting to impart a dose of reality on Republican viewers, the House Speaker told his former colleague that his job is particularly difficult right now, but said he does have plans for resolving the Ukraine aid debacle. Playbook co-author Rachael Bade talks through it all. 

Jonathan Martin discusses the lack of outreach from Joe Biden to anti-Trump Republicans, the potential bipartisan collaborations with figures like Chris Christie, Susan Collins, and Mitt Romney, and the strategy behind engaging with undecided voters and Republicans concerned about Middle East policy.

Robert F. Kennedy’s presidential run has been a spectacle from the start. Despite being born into Democratic royalty, the independent candidate holds a hodgepodge of policy views that sometimes veer into conspiracy theories — but which also give him a strange appeal to an array of voters scattered across the political spectrum. Could his choice of running mate change that? Politics reporter Brittany Gibson joins Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels to discuss RFK Jr., his role in the broader 2024 race and how his running mate, Nicole Shanahan, might play into Democrats’ hands with her views on in vitro fertilization.Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels interviews Politics reporter Brittany Gibson.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court heard arguments on whether the nation should significantly limit the use of mifepristone, a pill that terminates early pregnancy. A number of justices on the majority-conservative court appeared to take issue with the idea of a sweeping, national pronouncement. But, this story is really just getting started. Anti-abortion activists and elected officials have several backup plans if the Supreme Court reject their arguments for nationwide restrictions on the drug. Health care reporter Alice Miranda Ollstein walks Playbook co-author Rachael Bade through the story.

In the last 24 hours, the diplomatic dynamic between the U.S. and Israel took on another layer of complexity when the U.S. abstained in voting for a UN Gaza ceasefire resolution, allowing it to pass. The action resulted in officials from Israel cancelling a trip to Washington. National security reporter Alex Ward joins Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels to discuss how things got here, and what lies ahead. All that, and the rest of the news you need to know today.