The Conversation with POLITICO’s Dasha Burns is a fresh take on the traditional Sunday show format, going beyond conventional wisdom and short sound bites to broaden the political conversation. Each week, Dasha will sit down with one of the most compelling – and sometimes unexpected – power players in Washington and beyond for a real discussion about how they are shaping the current moment.
Latest episodes
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39 min
Democrats’ race reckoning (with Angie Nixon)
Florida Democratic Senate nominee Angie Nixon joins Dasha for a wide-ranging conversation about her historic campaign and the Democratic Party’s future. Nixon had sharp words for h…
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44 min
Retiring Republican senator warns GOP: Trump's coalition may not last | On the Road
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) joins POLITICO’s Jonathan Martin at a Charlotte diner for a candid conversation about his new book, his decision to leave the Senate and the future of the…
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52 min
Inside the democratic socialists’ plan to shake up Congress
Democratic socialists Melat Kiros and Darializa Avila Chevalier each defeated a longtime Democratic incumbent to win their deep-blue primaries. They’re among a handful of Democrati…
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58 min
Walking the Trump tightrope (with Byron Donalds)
Dasha sits down with Rep. Byron Donalds, the Florida Republican nominee for governor, for a special midterms edition of the show. As Republicans face headwinds over affordability a…
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58 min
Can this pastor flip a Senate seat in deep red Kansas? (with Adam Hamilton)
In this special midterms edition of “The Conversation with Dasha Burns,” Adam Hamilton, the pastor and Democratic candidate challenging Sen. Roger Marshall, sits down with Dasha at…
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47 min
Will Democrats finally win in Texas? (with Gina Hinojosa)
In this special midterms edition of “The Conversation with Dasha Burns,” Gina Hinojosa, the Democrat running for governor of Texas, sits down with Dasha at her campaign headquarter…
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1 h 08
Is this the Democrat who could win back the South? | On the Road
Former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu joins POLITICO’s Jonathan Martin at Mosca’s Restaurant for a wide-ranging conversation about President Trump, the future of the Democratic P…
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40 min
The GOP senator breaking with Trump on vaccines and AI (with Sen. Bill Cassidy)
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who lost his reelection bid to a Trump-endorsed challenger, joined Dasha to discuss the future of the Republican Party and reflect on how to make Congres…
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50 min
‘I'd rather they be American killer robots’ (with Sen. Ted Cruz)
Dasha sits down with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) at the Republican midterms convention in Dallas to discuss President Trump’s tariffs, the economy and the GOP’s prospects in November.…
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57 min
Spencer Cox on why Trump is the result — not the cause — of America’s crisis
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox joins POLITICO’s Jonathan Martin at Salt Lake City’s Red Iguana for a wide-ranging conversation about his new book, “Off Ramp: How to Be a Peacemaker in an Ag…
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48 min
‘What the hell is going on with the Democratic Party?’ (with Stephen A. Smith)
Stephen A. Smith is best known for sports commentary. But now, he’s weighing in on the direction of both political parties — and even considering a potential 2028 presidential run.…
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50 min
Susan Collins on her high-wire act in Trump’s GOP | On the Road
Sen. Susan Collins joins POLITICO’s Jonathan Martin at Perry’s Lobster Shack in coastal Maine for a wide-ranging conversation about her reelection fight in the senate, President Tr…
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34 min
The lesson Democrats could learn from MAGA
The 2026 midterms are taking shape, and the results could determine the future of both parties. Dasha sits down with her fellow Playbook co-authors Adam Wren and Will Steakin to ex…
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35 min
An outsider Democrat taking on both parties in Iowa | On the Road
In a new episode of the On the Road, Jonathan Martin sits down with Iowa gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand at the Iowa State Fair to talk politics over a pork tenderloin and a deep-…
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45 min
He went after social media. AI is next. (with Jonathan Haidt)
Social psychologist and “The Anxious Generation” author Jonathan Haidt helped turn concerns about kids and social media into a global political movement. Now, as Meta faces a conse…
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31 min
How DSA progressives and centrist Dems can both win (with Sen. Adam Schiff)
In a live taping of the show in Sacramento, Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) weighs in on whether insurgent candidates on the left could become a liability for Democrats — and on how th…
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39 min
Can the GOP ‘defy history’ in the midterms? (with Speaker Mike Johnson)
Speaker Mike Johnson sits down with Dasha for a wide-ranging interview as Republicans fight to hold onto the House majority. Dasha presses Johnson on why voters remain unhappy with…
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1 h 00
Pete Buttigieg has a theory for how Democrats can win | On the Road
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg joins POLITICO’s Jonathan Martin in Traverse City, Michigan, to discuss the future of the Democratic Party and why he believes Democr…
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50 min
‘Broadcast licenses aren't sacred cows’ (with FCC Chair Brendan Carr)
FCC chairman Brendan Carr sits down with POLITICO's Dasha Burns for a wide-ranging interview on the growing power of the FCC under President Trump. Dasha presses Carr on his warnin…
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57 min
Rahm Emanuel makes his 2028 pitch over pizza in Chicago | On The Road
Rahm Emanuel joins POLITICO's Jonathan Martin at Michael's Original Pizzeria on Chicago's North Side for a wide-ranging conversation about his political future, the Democratic Part…