The Playbook Podcast

With only days until the earliest possible default on June 1, we’re going to address the question lawmakers aren’t ready to face: What happens if Biden and McCarthy can’t make a deal? Playbook spent several hours yesterday afternoon and evening working the phones. Rachael Bade breaks down four possible scenarios, ranked most to least likely.

Playbook co-author Rachael Bade breaks down her reporting.

We are just days away from a potential federal default, and Washington this week is going to be consumed with the latest twists and turns on whether Congress will act to raise the debt limit in time to prevent a whole parade of horribles – from a tanking stock market to skyrocketing borrowing costs to mass unemployment. Over the weekend bipartisan negotiations went from on again to off again to on again, and today’s main event is a White House meeting between President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Playbook editor Mike DeBonis and author Rachael Bade break it down, along with the rest of the news you need to know today.

Though House Speaker Kevin McCarthy suggested a couple days ago that he wanted to have a debt-limit deal by the start of the weekend, as of right now on Friday morning, that doesn’t seem likely to happen — we break down the pressure points. All that, and the rest of the news you need to know today.

Playbook deputy editor Zack Stanton talks with Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza.

When Sen. Dianne Feinstein walked into the Capitol last week, ending a monthslong medical absence, she was accompanied by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a small entourage of aides — and a close personal confidant with a storied political pedigree: Nancy Corrine Prowda, the eldest child of former Speaker Nancy Pelosi. All that, and the rest of the news you need to know today.

Playbook co-author Rachael Bade breaks down her reporting.

Yesterday President Joe Biden agreed to a key process demand by Speaker Kevin McCarthy: shrinking the size of the negotiating table. Inside the negotiators Biden and McCarthy appointed. Plus, the action around Rep. George Santos. All that, and the rest of the news you need to know today.

Playbook co-author Rachael Bade breaks down her reporting.

President Joe Biden is expected to meet today with congressional leaders on the debt limit, and Republicans are feeling increasingly optimistic they can force Biden to make concessions on work requirements for safety net programs as part of the talks taking place this week. All that, and the rest of the news you need to know today.

Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels talks with food and agriculture policy reporter Meredith Lee Hill.

In this episode: GOP grows more optimistic about work requirement demands in debt talks

It’s gonna be all about the vibes this week as we look for clues to how the big debt ceiling standoff is going to get resolved. Plus, unpacking Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in Iowa over the weekend. All that, and the rest of the news you need to know today.

Playbook editor Mike DeBonis on the week ahead.

Biden's big meeting on the debt limit got punted to next week, and the major story driving the day today is the end of Title 42. All that, and the rest of the news you need to know today.

Playbook deputy editor Zack Stanton talks with Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza.

Title 42, the pandemic-era policy used to block migrants at the southern border is coming to an end tonight. Officials have had more than two years to prepare for this moment. Plus, CNN’s New Hampshire town hall with Donald Trump last night may have done more to boost his chances of winning the GOP presidential nomination than anything that’s happened since the 2020 election. All that, and the rest of the news you need to know today.

Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels talks with Daniella Diaz.

Another day of debt limit negotiations; President Biden's visit today to Valhalla, New York, a GOP district that he carried in 2020, with vulnerable Republican Rep. Mike Lawler; and Trump after the verdict. All that, and the rest of the news you need to know today.

Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels talks with legal reporter Erica Orden.