Brussels Playbook Podcast

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Campaign Confidential #11: Top debate drama and campaign crunch time Oct 27, 2020

Show notes

In this episode of our pop-up series on the U.S. elections, hosted by Ryan Heath, we dive into the top debate moments of this campaign season — and explain how they've impacted the election.

POLITICO White House reporter Gabby Orr explains the dramatic impact the first presidential debate had on Trump's campaign strategy, and whether he did enough to recover in the recent and final match up with Joe Biden. And with one week left, is there anything Joe Biden could say or do that would jeapordize his chances of victory?

The regular EU Confidential podcast will be back in your feed on Thursday — and Campaign Confidential will come to you a day early next week. Our special Monday edition will equip you with everything you need to know in order to watch election night like a pro.

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Ep 173, presented by the European Commission: Pandemic politics — Farming feuds — Hospitality hopes Oct 22, 2020

Show notes

Political activity in a pandemic, transatlantic turbulence, the EU's farming future and what the hospitality industry wants from politicians to weather the coronavirus crisis are all up for debate in this episode of EU Confidential.

POLITICO's Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz and Matthew Karnitschnig ask whether politics as usual is possible in a pandemic, as more politicians go into protective quarantine or test positive for COVID-19. Matt expands on his recent article, Trump, Biden and the ‘f****** Germans’, while Rym gives us a sense of what French politicians are thinking about the U.S. elections. Our agriculture reporter Eddy Wax breaks down the key points in a battle royale over greening European agriculture, with a big chunk of the EU's budget at stake.

Europe's top hospitality lobbyist, Marie Audren, is our special guest to discuss the pandemic's impact on one of the Continent's biggest industries — tourism. As the director-general of HOTREC, the umbrella association of hotels, restaurants and cafés in Europe, she sets out what the sector wants from national and EU authorities to get through the crisis.

The podcast panel returns at the end of the show for a new feature — recommendations to help keep us all engaged and entertained as we’re forced to spend more time at home. Matt picks a German unsolved mystery on Netflix. Rym is in election mode, recommending a documentary and a related mini-series on Fox News and its controversial chief (both available on Amazon prime). And Andrew comes through with a BBC Sounds podcast about the Vietnam war, with an unconventional but compelling storytelling format.

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Campaign Confidential #10: Trump's suburban troubles Oct 20, 2020

Show notes

In this episode of our pop-up series on the U.S. elections, hosted by Ryan Heath, we explain what is happening in America's suburbs — a crucial voting block for Donald Trump in 2016 — and particularly, suburban women.

POLITICO's Zack Stanton, who's been looking into the changing nature of America's suburbs, argues that the story of suburban women is the story of the 2020 election.

President and CEO of Republican Main Street Partnership Sarah Chamberlain and Meghan Milloy, the co-founder of Republican Women for Progress, share insights from their conversations with suburban women. They agree that the top concern for this group of voters is the coronavirus pandemic, a message which President Trump hasn't seemed to grasp.

The regular EU Confidential podcast will be back in your feed on Thursday — and Campaign Confidential is with you every Tuesday all the way through to Election Day.

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Ep 172: Coronavirus scramble — Estonia's president — Panel's picks Oct 15, 2020

Show notes

The coronavirus is top of mind as we dig into the state of the pandemic in the EU, and ask whether leaders' handling of its resurgence threatens the bond of trust between governments and citizens. Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid is our special guest to discuss her bid to be the next secretary-general of the OECD and other topics.

On the coronavirus, POLITICO health reporter Jillian Deutsch gets us up to speed on the EU's coordination efforts, and where things stand in developing a vaccine.

Rym Momtaz and Matthew Karnitschnig join POLITICO's Andrew Gray to debate the political implications of the latest measures intended to curb the spread of the virus. Are leaders still "following the science"? Is the hodge-podge of different restrictions, often announced at short notice, risk eroding trust in political leaders?

Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid tells POLITICO's David M. Herszenhorn why she wants to lead the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. She also talks about the digital economy, the rise of the far right and the Baltic nation's attitude to the U.S. presidential election.

The podcast panel returns at the end of the show for a new feature — recommendations to help keep us all engaged and entertained as we're forced to spend more and more time at home. Rym recommends a New York Times story that raises uncomfortable questions about the paper's own reporting, Matt surprises everyone with some fluffy Parisian fare from Netflix and Andrew goes for a more sophisticated French flavor with a spy series (on CANAL+ and Amazon Prime).

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Campaign Confidential #9: America's election litigation bonanza Oct 13, 2020

Show notes

In this episode of our pop-up series on the U.S. elections, hosted by Ryan Heath, we dive into the myriad of lawsuits and legal issues surrounding November's elections.

Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold explains how her state has successfully handled mail-in voting, and the additional challenges she's facing as a result of the pandemic and President Trump's rhetoric on voting.

POLITICO campaign reporter Zach Montellaro breaks down other issues facing legal battles, from ballot drop boxes to poll watching. "This is will be the most litigious American election probably of all time, even before we get to Election Day," says Montellaro, warning that cases like 2000's Bush vs. Gore decision could pop up in as many as 14 states.

The regular EU Confidential podcast will be back in your feed on Thursday — and Campaign Confidential is with you every Tuesday all the way through to Election Day.

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Ep 171, presented by Shell: Commissioner Reynders on rule of law — Brexit crunch time — Coronavirus surge Oct 08, 2020

Show notes

Rule of law in the EU, mounting coronavirus concerns and Brexit brinksmanship are all up for debate on the latest episode of EU Confidential. Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders is our special guest to discuss the Commission's new rule-of-law audit of all 27 member countries.

POLITICO's Rym Momtaz, Matthew Karnitschnig and Barbara Moens break down the state-of-play in Brexit negotiations ahead of next week's discussion among EU leaders at another European Council summit. And with cases of coronavirus on the rise, we take stock of what the situation looks like around the Continent.

Our special guest this week is Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders. He spoke to POLITICO's Lili Bayer about the Commission's new rule-of-law audit of all 27 member countries, addressing criticism that it goes too far for some, and not far enough for others.

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Campaign Confidential #8: What's at stake for Europe Oct 06, 2020

Show notes

In this episode of our pop-up series on the U.S. elections, guest hosted by David M. Herszenhorn, we look at what's at stake for Europe and the impact on transatlantic relations.

Former German ambassador to the U.S. Wolfgang Ischinger and Radosław Sikorski, Polish member of the European Parliament and former defense minister and foreign minister, discuss how the election is bound to impact Europe — can the transatlantic relationship survive four more years of Donald Trump? And what would change or, perhaps more interestingly, not change if Joe Biden wins?

POLITICO Europe's Sarah Wheaton and Matthew Karnitschnig join David to debate Trump's impact on multilateral institutions and his handling of global crises.

The regular EU Confidential podcast will be back in your feed on Thursday — and Campaign Confidential is with you every Tuesday all the way through to Election Day.

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Ep 170: EU leaders talk Turkey and Russia — Chancellor hopeful Norbert Röttgen Oct 01, 2020

Show notes

As EU leaders meet in Brussels, we hold our own mini-summit to debate issues on the table in the European Council building — including tension in the Eastern Mediterranean and the EU's relations with Russia. Our special guest is Norbert Röttgen, who's campaigning to lead Germany's Christian Democrats and succeed Chancellor Angela Merkel.

POLITICO's Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz and Matt Karnitschnig discuss French President Emmanuel Macron's trip to the Baltics this week and debate his approach to diplomacy with Russia.

We give you a primer on what's been happening in the Eastern Mediterranean, where both Greece and Cyprus are at odds with Turkey over maritime territory. POLITICO's Nektaria Stamouli in Athens and Assistant News Editor Zia Weise, formerly our correspondent in Istanbul, break down the key issues and how they affect the EU.

Norbert Röttgen, chairman of the Bundestag's foreign affairs committee, talks to Matt Karnitschnig about migration, Russia and China. Röttgen sets out his vision for Germany's foreign policy — something he may play a leading role in shaping one way or another, as the country's next chancellor or as a government minister.

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Campaign Confidential #7: How the fight for racial justice is impacting the elections Sep 29, 2020

Show notes

In this episode of our pop-up series on the U.S. elections, hosted by Ryan Heath, we talk about America's battle for racial justice and how it's translating into political action.

POLITICO's Brooke Minters and Eugene Daniels break down the key issues for Black voters in 2020, as well as their top concerns, and share their personal experiences — emphasizing the importance of honest dialogue and education when discussing the issue of race.

You'll also hear from Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the biggest civil rights organization America.

The regular EU Confidential podcast will be back in your feed on Thursday — and Campaign Confidential is with you every Tuesday all the way through to election day.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Ep 169: Commissioner Johansson on EU migration pact — France's Europe Minister Clément Beaune Sep 24, 2020

Show notes

The EU's new plan to handle migration is in the spotlight — Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson lays out the package and our podcast panel breaks it down. You'll also hear from Clément Beaune, France's minister of state for European affairs, on Turkey, European hard power and why the EU needs a software update.

Ylva Johansson sat down with POLITICO's Andrew Gray on the day she revealed the new plan to tackle one of the most divisive issues facing Europe: migration. Johansson portrayed migration as a management challenge that Europe is eminently capable of mastering: "It's not rocket science," she declared. But does a retreat from mandatory redistribution of asylum seekers around the Continent mean Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has won the argument? Listen to hear Johansson's answer.

POLITICO's Matthew Karnitschnig and Jacopo Barigazzi examine what's new and what's not so new in the plan, look at the politics behind the policy and sum up the early reaction from diplomats and capitals around the Continent.

Clément Beaune visited our Brussels newsroom this week for a live interview with POLITICO's Rym Momtaz and Maïa de La Baume. You'll hear highlights of their discussion on the podcast — and you can watch the full interview here.

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