The Conversation with Dasha Burns

Latest Episodes:

Why Democrats see 'warning signs' in Pennsylvania Oct 18, 2024

Show notes

Trump, Harris, and the vast network of campaigns, Super PACs, and down ballot candidates operating alongside them are now on pace to spend $1 billion before election day in Pennsylvania. For the time being, it is the center of the political universe. On this episode of Deep Dive, Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels is joined by two local experts on the race: Philadelphia City Councilmember Isaiah Thomas, who is the Chair of Black Men for Harris Pennsylvania; and Charlie Gerow, a Trump surrogate, Republican consultant in Harrisburg, and former candidate for governor.

Eugene Daniels is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO.

Isaiah Thomas is a Philadelphia City Councilmember At-Large and Majority Whip.

Charlie Gerow is the CEO of Quantum Communications and a Republican consultant.

Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio.

Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio.

The 'boys vs. girls' election Oct 11, 2024

Show notes

The 2024 election. It’s a contest between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. But increasingly, it also looks like it’s girls versus boys.

Playbook’s Rachael Bade caught up with Sarah Longwell, Executive Director of Republican Voters Against Trump, Publisher of The Bulwark, and Host of "The Focus Group" Podcast, to learn what is driving a record-setting gender gap this election cycle. Longwell has conducted hundreds of focus groups and knows intimately how voters, in their own words, are processing Harris and Trump’s candidacies, and what issues and ideas will determine who they vote for.

Rachael Bade is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO.

Sarah Longwell is the CEO of Longwell Partners, Publisher of The Bulwark, and host of "The Focus Group" podcast

Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio.

Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio.

How not to get fooled by “biased polls” this election Oct 04, 2024

Show notes

Joining Playbook’s Eugene Daniels on this episode of Deep Dive are two pollsters who know how to find the signal in what has been a very noisy election. John Anzalone aka “Anzo,” was Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama’s pollster. And Greg Strimple is a veteran of John McCain, Chris Christie, Rick Perry, and John Cornyn’s campaigns. Together, they dissect why this election’s polling is so close despite all the crazy news; who the swing voters are that both Trump and Harris are spending millions of dollars to reach; and if ticket-splitting is about to have a resurgence.

Eugene Daniels is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO.

John Anzalone is the founder of Impact Research.

Greg Strimple is the founder and president of GS Strategy Group.

Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio.

Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio.

The “giant opening” Trump has given to Harris | James Carville Sep 27, 2024

Show notes

James Carville is one of the oldest and best known political strategists in America. He also is the subject of a new CNN documentary called “Winning is Everything, Stupid.” On this episode of Deep Dive, Carville talks with host Ryan Lizza about his outlook on the election, including why he’s not so sure that it’ll be a close race once the votes are counted; what he thinks Kamala Harris could learn from Trump’s huckster style; and why Carville has absolutely no remorse for voicing his complaint that the Democratic Party’s culture was dominated by what he calls “preachy females.”

Ryan Lizza is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO.

James Carville is a Democratic political strategist.

Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio.

Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio.

Inside the mind of Harris' messaging maven Sep 20, 2024

Show notes

Brian Fallon, senior communications adviser for Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign, joins Playbook’s Eugene Daniels to discuss the inner workings of the vice president’s campaign, including why her positions on the issues have shifted since 2019, when she’ll start opening up to the press and how her view of Trump differs from Biden’s.

Ryan Lizza is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO.

Brian Fallon is senior communications adviser for Harris for America.

Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio.

Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio.

The “wall of lava” approaching Kamala Harris’ campaign Sep 13, 2024

Show notes

Mike Murphy, the storied GOP strategist and co-host of the popular “Hacks On Tap” podcast, joins Deep Dive host and Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza to discuss Tuesday’s debate and why some very strong winds are still at Trump’s back; how Murphy would tweak Kamala Harris’s message; what might become of the Republican party after Trump and how he, Mike Murphy, almost killed JD Vance’s dream of being a senator back in 2017.

Ryan Lizza is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO.

Mike Murphy is a Republican consultant and co-host of "Hacks On Tap."

Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio.

Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio.

How to win the Latino vote in 2024 Sep 06, 2024

Show notes

Everyone knows the Latino vote will be decisive in this presidential election year. But our guest today says most of what you know about Latino voters and how to win them over is wrong.

Mike Madrid is a third-generation Mexican-American and one of the country’s leading political strategists when it comes to Latino voters. He was a senior operative for the California Republican Party who rubbed shoulders with the likes of George W. Bush and his generation of GOP officials. Madrid later got jaded by Trump and co-founded the Lincoln Project.

In his new book, “The Latino Century”, Madrid lays out a breadcrumb trail for both Republicans and Democrats to win this decisive block of voters, who he believes are very much up for grabs this year. He shares his findings with host & Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza as well as the reason why both parties are doing something right to win them — and something wrong.

Ryan Lizza is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO.

Mike Madrid is a Latino GOP political consultant and author of "The Latino Century."

Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio.

Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio.

Introducing 'Power Play': How to win a TV election debate Aug 30, 2024

Show notes

A special bonus episode from Deep Dive's POLITICO sister podcast, Power Play:

With the U.S. presidential debate now confirmed, our Power Play guests explain the tips and tricks that could help Donald Trump or Kamala Harris win their first head-to-head encounter on Sept. 10 — and why there has been a pre-debate row over format and mics.

POLITICO’s Anne McElvoy is joined by Brett O’Donnell, a veteran expert on preparing candidates for debate on both sides of the pond, having coached Republicans Ron DeSantis, Mitt Romney, John McCain and George W. Bush, as well as prepping Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson for their televised tussles in the U.K.

Then POLITICO’s Rachael Bade, co-author of our Playbook in Washington, reveals which way the political winds are blowing, following last week’s momentous Democratic National Convention and how the rival Trump-Harris campaigns are preparing for the forthcoming debate.

Find more of POLITICO’s Power Play podcast here.

Playbook Deep Dive, hosted by Ryan Lizza, will return next week.

Nancy Pelosi's Democratic survival guide Aug 23, 2024

Show notes

Democratic kingmaker Nancy Pelosi has come to be pegged as the chief force behind President Joe Biden’s decision to step down from his reelection campaign — a claim that she refuses to dignify much.

While Pelosi no longer wields the Speaker’s gavel, its absence hasn’t done much to stifle her power within the party. She’s not only the first female Speaker of the House, but also one of the most talented political tacticians of her generation.

POLITICO’s senior political columnist and politics bureau chief Jonathan Martin sat down with the Speaker Emerita at the CNN-POLITICO Grill on the last day of the Democratic National Convention.

JMart and Pelosi covered what state Pelosi believes to be key to retaking the House; how a President Kamala Harris would need to govern; that time when party transcended heritage in her snub of a New York Republican; her relationship with successor Hakeem Jeffries and what she really thinks of that DIY pin of her image that floated around the convention.

Ryan Lizza is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO.
Jonathan Martin is politics bureau chief for POLITICO.
Nancy Pelosi is the Speaker Emerita of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio.
Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio.

Bernie Sanders’ tough love for the Harris campaign Aug 21, 2024

Show notes

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders joins Playbook co-author and Deep Dive host Ryan Lizza to give his candid thoughts on Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign, including whether he thinks Joe Biden should have stepped aside in the first place; how Democrats can win back young people, minorities, and progressives; as well as where he agrees with Harris’s policies, and where he thinks she needs to lean in his direction to win.

Ryan Lizza is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO.
Bernie Sanders is the senior senator from Vermont.
Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio.
Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio.