The Conversation with Dasha Burns

For most of his life, J. Michael Luttig has operated behind the scenes at the top of the conservative legal world. He started his career as a young aide at the U.S. Supreme Court, worked as an attorney in the Reagan White House, clerked for Judge Antonin Scalia before he was a legal icon, helped guide the appointment of two other Supreme Court justices, and was appointed to a federal judgeship by President George H.W. Bush.During Luttig’s time on the bench, one of his clerks was a young attorney named John Eastman. In recent months, Eastman’s name has become inextricably tied to the legal advice he offered to then-President Donald Trump in December 2020 and January 2021: In a now-infamous legal memo, Eastman argued that then-Vice President Mike Pence had the ability to discard certified electoral votes from contested states — a notion that has been roundly debunked, but which Trump’s closest allies clung to (and which helped to inspire some of his supporters to storm the Capitol in rage).That story is, by now, well known. But there’s another part of the story — one that hasn’t been told until now.Today, in his first in-depth interview on the topic, Luttig shares the story of those days before the insurrection, when he was unknowingly enlisted to help Pence reject Trump’s efforts on Jan. 6. For “Playbook Deep Dive,” Ryan Lizza talks with Luttig about his advice to Pence then, what needs to be done to rewrite the Electoral Count Act now, and why he’s choosing this moment to make his legal commentary loud, clear and very public — in panel discussions and op-eds in publications like The New York TimesRyan Lizza is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO.J. Michael Luttig is a former judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio.Carlos Prieto is a producer for POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For months, the parental backlash against school closings has dominated headlines and driven speculation about a brewing electoral wave for Republicans. But what if the parents are part of the deep-blue core of one of the most heavily Democratic cities in the country? That's exactly what's happening in San Francisco, as the political collision between a liberal school board and a group of angry, just-as-liberal parents is earning national attention for what it tells us about the shifting and complicated politics of pandemic parenthood.Today, Playbook author Ryan Lizza sits down with Siva Raj and Autumn Looijen, co-founders of the Recall SF School Board campaign, about their journey from concerned parents to political activists. Plus, Jeremy B. White, the editor of Politico's California Playbook newsletter, joins to explain the political significance of the recall election.Ryan Lizza is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO.Siva Raj and Autumn Looijen are the co-founders of Recall SF School Board.Jeremy B. White is the  editor of the California Playbook newsletter.Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio.Carlos Prieto is a producer for POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Now that Justice Stephen Breyer is retiring, the Biden Administration is racing to select the perfect nominee to be his replacement. According to one Democratic strategist, the rules for confirming a Supreme Court justice have changed and Democrats need a new strategy. The confirmation of a justice is no joke — at best, it’s a wild and bumpy ride filled with intense vetting, “murderboards” and senatorial grillings. Each SCOTUS nominee is appointed a guide by the White House. Today, Playbook author Ryan Lizza joins Stephanie Cutter, co-founder of Precision Strategies and one-time ”sherpa” for Justice Sonia Sotomayor, to explain what it’s like behind the scenes of a SCOTUS confirmation process.Ryan Lizza is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO.Stephanie Cutter is the co-founder of Precision Strategies.Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio.Carlos Prieto is a producer for POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More than 100,000 Russian troops are mobilized along the Ukrainian border. What is Vladimir Putin’s ultimate goal? Today, Playbook author Ryan Lizza talks to former US Ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker — who led Trump’s Ukraine negotiations — about how President Biden is responding to the Ukraine threat, and how he would counter Putin’s strategy. Plus, journalist Uliana Pavlova joins us from Moscow to describe the sentiment on the ground.Ryan Lizza is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO.Kurt Volker is the former U.S. Ambassador to NATO and special envoy to Ukraine.Uliana Pavlova is a freelance journalist in Moscow.Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio.Carlos Prieto is a producer for POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Joe Biden’s first year in office has been tumultuous, marked by domestic and international challenges that have overshadowed the administration’s wins. Playbook author Eugene Daniels talks with Cedric Richmond, Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, about Biden’s plans for a rebound and checks in with White House correspondent Laura Barrón-López to assess the new strategy.Eugene Daniels is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO.Cedric Richmond is the Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement.Laura Barrón-López is a White House correspondent for POLITICO.Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio.Carlos Prieto is a producer for POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steve Clemons is a DC institution — an operator who connects some of the biggest power players in the Capitol. He also happens to be the confidant of the most powerful senator in Washington, Democrat Joe Manchin. Playbook author Ryan Lizza joins Clemons for breakfast at the Four Seasons Hotel in Georgetown to dish on what's motivating Manchin behind the scenes, and what he might do next.Ryan Lizza is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO.Steve Clemons is Editor At Large of The HillKara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio.Carlos Prieto is a producer for POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One year later, the ripples of the Jan. 6th riot continue to reverberate throughout American politics. For Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), who led the second impeachment of Donald Trump, bringing the people responsible for the attack to account has become his driving priority. Today, Playbook author Rachael Bade talks to Rep. Raskin and congressional reporter Olivia Beavers about the continued fallout from the Capitol siege.Rachael Bade  is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO.Olivia Beavers is a congressional reporter for POLITICO.Rep. Jamie Raskin is Maryland's 8th District in Congress.Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio.Carlos Prieto is a producer for POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Unemployment is dropping and the economy, by many measures, is humming. But spiraling inflation is creating a serious drag on the economic recovery and hurting President Joe Biden's approval ratings. This week Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza chats with Jared Bernstein, a member of Biden’s Council of Economic Advisers, and POLITICO’s Kate Davidson about Build Back Better and the administration’s response to rising costs throughout the economy.Jared Bernstein is a member of the White House Council of Economic Advisers.Kate Davidson is the author of POLITICO's Morning Money.Ryan Lizza is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO.Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio.Carlos Prieto is a producer for POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO audio.Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can Twitter carry a politician to victory in an election? Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels and deputy editor Zack Stanton talk to Republican digital strategist Eric Wilson, former Andrew Yang presidential campaign manager Zach Graumann, and Aaron Smith, director of the Pew Research Center’s Datalab, about the role of social media in political campaigns and the limitations of the platforms.Eugene Daniels is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO.Zack Stanton is Playbook's deputy editor.Zach Graumann was the campaign manager for Andrew Yang presidential run.Eric Wilson is a Republican digital strategist.Aaron Smith is the director of the Pew Research Center's Data Lab.Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio.Carlos Prieto is a producer for POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From their lofty offices along K street, Washington lobbyists have spent decades trying to pull the levers of power. But changing times sometimes call for changing scenery, and these OG influencers are trading luxurious office space near the White House for quaint, intimate townhouses right across the street from Congress. Today, Playbook co-host Tara Palmeri with lobbyists Brian Bell and Scott Eckart and POLITICO’s Hailey Fuchs on why lobbyists are flooding Capitol Hill townhouses, and whether proximity equals power.Tara Palmeri is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO.Brian Bell is a lobbyist for the Allied Pilots Association.Scott Eckart is a co-founder of Emergent Strategies.Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio.Carlos Prieto is a producer for POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO audio.Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices