The Conversation with Dasha Burns

Latest Episodes:

Can JB Pritzker be the Democrats’ anti-Trump in 2028? | On The Road May 05, 2026

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Gov. JB Pritzker (D-Ill.) sits down with POLITICO’s Jonathan Martin at Chicago’s iconic Manny’s Deli for a wide-ranging conversation on the future of the Democratic Party -- and his own.

Plus: a look at Chicago’s political culture, Pritzker’s rise from donor to power broker, and why Manny’s remains a must-stop on the campaign trail.

Can AI solve the problems it creates? (with David Sacks) May 01, 2026

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David Sacks has played a key role in shaping AI policy for the Trump administration. He was formerly the White House AI and crypto czar. Now, he’s the co-chair of the President’s Co-Chair of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

Sacks approaches the issue with a “let them cook” philosophy. Meaning, he thinks the way for the United States to win the global AI race is to move fast with minimally disruptive regulation. But with that comes a lot of questions about AI disruption to the workforce, who should be held responsible for harm caused by AI platforms, and the fear and division within America over the future of the technology.

Sacks joins Dasha Burns in a wide-ranging interview to discuss it all.

Behind the velvet rope at White House Correspondents' Dinner (with Tammy Haddad) Apr 24, 2026

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Go behind the scenes of White House Correspondents’ Dinner weekend with Tammy Haddad, a veteran TV executive and one of DC’s ultimate social connectors.

POLITICO's Dasha Burns and Tammy unpack why this dinner — which brings together the president, journalists and celebrities all in one room — is so important in Washington, and what really happens when the cameras are down.

Tammy also shares insider stories from years past involving Barbra Streisand, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Kim Kardashian, Pamela Anderson, and more.

Can the GOP pull off a California upset? (with Steve Hilton) Apr 17, 2026

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California’s governor's race just got a major shakeup.

Democrat Eric Swalwell dropped out amid sexual assault and misconduct allegations, and now the field is wide open ahead of the June 2 primary. So where does that leave Republican candidate and former Fox News host Steve Hilton – backed by Trump and rising in the polls? Does the GOP have a shot at turning California red?

Dasha Burns sat down with Hilton to talk about the state of the race, the impact of Trump's endorsement, and where he thinks Democratic leadership is coming up short.

Gov. Brian Kemp’s blunt warning for Republicans | On The Road Apr 14, 2026

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Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) joins POLITICO’s Jonathan Martin at the Masters to talk Trump, 2028 and the upcoming Georgia Senate race. Plus: Kemp on EVs, economic policy and why he’s staying focused on 2026 — not the White House.

Inside the war on Trump’s new MAGA (with Marjorie Taylor Greene) Apr 10, 2026

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Former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) – the MAGA acolyte-turned-antagonist who resigned from Congress after a public and messy fight with Donald Trump – joins “The Conversation” to talk about the war in Iran, why she thinks the GOP will be “slaughtered” in the midterms and her desire to build a new political coalition in America.

Can NASA beat China to the moon and beyond? (with Jared Isaacman) Apr 03, 2026

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Artemis II has launched around the moon. Now, NASA has its sights set on Mars. NASA administrator and billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman sat down with POLITICO's Dasha Burns at Kennedy Space Center to talk about NASA’s ambitious plans to build a moon base, sending humans to Mars, his relationship with Elon Musk and why we could all have 3D-printed spare livers in our fridge someday.

How Democrats can win back Trump country (with Gov. Andy Beshear) Mar 27, 2026

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Andy Beshear is the most popular Democratic governor in the country – in a state Donald Trump won by more than 30 points in 2024.

He explains why he believes a President JD Vance could be “more damaging than Trump”, lays out his playbook for winning back voters in Trump country, and calls out the litmus test he thinks Democrats should abandon.

Can a Democrat who wins in deep-red Kentucky translate that success nationally? Beshear argues why someone like him may have an advantage at the top of the Democratic ticket in 2028.

Inside Newsom’s plan to take on Trump | On The Road Mar 24, 2026

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Today, we're bringing you an episode from our new show, On the Road. California Gov. Gavin Newsom sat down with POLITICO’s Jonathan Martin for a wide-ranging conversation about the personal experiences that shaped his political career.

A leading potential contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028, Newsom has been raising his national profile by taking on President Donald Trump and traveling to key early primary states while promoting his new memoir.

In the interview with Martin, Newsom reflects on his upbringing, outlines what he sees at stake for Democrats in 2026 and explains his increasingly aggressive strategy toward Trump.

Why the Iran war feels like 'deja vu' (with Sen. Ruben Gallego) Mar 20, 2026

Show notes

When Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) won his Senate seat in 2024, he outperformed Kamala Harris in one of the closest battleground states in the country.

Now that he’s in Washington, Gallego’s background is particularly relevant at this moment in politics. With the Iran War intensifying, Gallego offers his perspective as an Iraq War veteran on Trump’s military operation. And as a Latino Democratic senator of a border state, Gallego has a distinctive outlook on immigration, with criticism for his own party as well as the GOP.

Sen. Gallego sat down with POLITICO’s Dasha Burns on “The Conversation” to talk about voter ID, the 2028 election, and if he thinks Democrats can become the “fun” party again.

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