POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing - POLITICO

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October 13, 2023: Not McCarthy. Not Scalise. So… who? Oct 13, 2023

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Yesterday, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise shocked colleagues and reporters by pulling out of the race to become the next speaker — a little more than 24 hours after clinching the GOP’s nomination. What now? Congressional reporter and Huddle author Daniella Diaz walks Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels through some possibilities of what could come next in the speaker-less House.

Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels interviews Congressional reporter and Huddle author Daniella Diaz.

October 12, 2023: Don’t count Steve Scalise out just yet Oct 12, 2023

Show notes

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise clinched the GOP’s nomination for speaker of the house Wednesday. But that doesn’t mean it’s a sure thing from here: Not long after, members of his own party began coming out of the woodwork to say they would not back the Louisiana congressman’s run for the gavel. Playbook co-author Rachael Bade explains why those in Scalise’s corner say there’s no reason to give up now, even when Scalise can only lose four Republican votes.

October 11, 2023: Jordan and Scalise face-off for the Speakership Oct 11, 2023

Show notes

At 10 a.m. Wednesday, Republicans will cast blind ballots for the person they want to be nominated to assume the Speaker of the House role left vacant after Kevin McCarthy’s ousting last month. In one scenario, things could proceed simply with the Representative who receives the most votes seamlessly assuming the gavel in due time. But, a last minute a push for a rules change to try to raise the threshold to win could complicate the process tremendously, Playbook co-author Rachael Bade explains.

October 10, 2023: How the war in the Middle East is impacting Washington Oct 10, 2023

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A weekend of carnage after Hamas launched an attack on Israel, and the country in turn declared war on Palestinian-populated Gaza, disrupted international diplomacy for the foreseeable future. Though the events in the Middle East are just beginning to unfold, National Security Reporter Alex Ward tells Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza officials on the Hill—from the Oval Office, to Congress, to the campaign trail—must reckon with the aftershocks of the crisis and decide how to proceed as allies of Israel.

Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza interviews National Security Reporter Alex Ward.

October 6, 2023: Trump jolts speakership race Oct 06, 2023

Show notes

Late Thursday night, former President Donald Trump endorsed Rep. Jim Jordan’s bid to become speaker of the House — ending far-fetched speculation about a possible Trump run while dousing the campaign to succeed Kevin McCarthy with rocket fuel. Until that moment, it was unclear how the former president would approach the vacancy. Trump had previously mentioned that he was planning a visit to Capitol Hill to attempt to unite the party, and hinted at running for the position himself. But when Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) posted to X that he had spoken to Trump about his decision to endorse Jordan rather than run, it changed the entire trajectory of the race. National political reporter Meridith McGraw talks Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza through the situation.

Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza interviews National political reporter Meridith McGraw.

October 5, 2023: Scalise, Jordan begin jockeying for the speakership Oct 05, 2023

Show notes

With Kevin McCarthy dethroned, House Republicans are mired in a frantic search for someone to fill the leadership vacuum. On Wednesday, two big names threw their hats in the ring: House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) and Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio). Another name in the conversation: former President Donald Trump, the subject of a hard-right pipe dream that imagines him ending up with the speaker’s gavel — a far-out idea that Trump himself is stoking on social media posts. Congressional reporter Anthony Adragna joins Playbook co-author Rachael Bade to sort it all out.

Playbook co-author Rachael Bade interviews Congressional national security reporter Anthony Adragna.

October 4, 2023: Speaker McCarthy lost his gavel. What comes next? Oct 04, 2023

Show notes

For the first time in history, a Speaker of the House was ousted. Yesterday, Kevin McCarthy’s tumultuous time as Speaker came to an end after every Democrat joined Rep. Matt Gaetz and seven others voted to take away his gavel. Rep. Patrick McHenry is serving as temporary Speaker and McCarthy has confirmed he will not run again, but beyond that, not much is clear as the territory is entirely uncharted.

Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels interviews Playbook Editor Mike DeBonis.

October 3, 2023: What we know about California Senator-designate, Laphonza Butler Oct 03, 2023

Show notes

Laphonza Butler is well known in Democratic circles. Her resume includes roles as a regent on the board of the University of California, president of the California SEIU, and most recently the third president of EMILY’s List. But with her appointment to the late Dianne Feinstein’s Senate seat this afternoon, her profile is about to get far more public. It also means she has mere weeks to decide if she will run to be elected to the seat she is assuming. California Bureau Chief Christopher Cadelago tells Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels that it's a decision that could throw an already complicated race into a tailspin.

Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels interviews California Bureau Chief Christopher Cadelago.

October 2, 2023: Gaetz v. McCarthy Oct 02, 2023

Show notes

Capitol Hill is lurching from one crisis to the next. Congressman Matt Gaetz announced yesterday that he plans to file a motion to vacate against Speaker Kevin McCarthy this week. Plus, former President Donald Trump is expected to attend the opening of the civil trial in the New York attorney general’s fraud case against him. And California Governor Gavin Newsom is expected to appoint Laphonza Butler to fill Dianne Feinstein’s seat.

September 29, 2023: The final countdown (to shutdown) Sep 29, 2023

Show notes

Barring something genuinely surprising, the federal government will shut down in a little more than 24 hours’ time, as House Republicans show no sign of being able to pass the appropriations bills that have vexed them for weeks. Now, as House Speaker Kevin McCarthy takes the blame, there are growing whispers that conservative hard-liners will launch an audacious gambit to oust him and replace him with Majority Whip Tom Emmer. Playbook co-author Rachael Bade walks us through the state of play behind the scenes — including the central role played by Trumpy Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz.

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