“If we miss this opportunity, God help us.” Joe Manchin and Lisa Murkowski. Two moderate senators smack in the middle — and on either side — of a split 50-50 Senate. On our first episode of Playbook Deep Dive, the two friends open up in a rare interview with POLITICO’s Burgess Everett. They get personal: about reconciliation, frustration over the Senate’s hurdles — even why Murkowski hogs the best fishing holes. And Manchin reveals a major endorsement, heard first on this show. Subscribe to our new weekly politics show, Playbook Deep Dive, wherever you listen to podcasts. Rachael Bade is a co-author of POLITICO Playbook. Burgess Everett is co-congressional bureau chief at POLITICO. Adrienne Hurst is a producer for POLITICO audio. Annie Rees is a producer for POLITICO audio. Jenny Ament is senior producer for POLITICO audio. Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO audio. Special thanks to Elana Schor, Anthony Adragna and Ben Lefebvre SHOW NOTES - Democrat Manchin backs Republican Murkowski's reelection, by Burgess Everett

Presenting a sponsored episode of “Global Translations”:  Over the past year, businesses, employees and families across the globe were forced to rethink what it means to “go to work.” Now, with the COVID-19 vaccine rollout underway, many corporate leaders are focused on ensuring the return to work is equitable for all employees.

In 2006, a young man holding no political office brought down a 180+ years program and reshaped Congress forever. Scott Bland talks to POLITICO magazine reporter Zack Stanton, a former House page who leaked transcripts of sexual messages that former Congressman Mark Foley sent to teen pages... which resulted in his resignation and torpedoed the Republican hold on power for years. Scott Bland is a politics editor at POLITICO. Zack Stanton is an editor at POLITICO magazine.  Annie Rees is a producer for POLITICO audio. Jenny Ament is senior producer for POLITICO audio. Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO audio. Read the full POLITICO Magazine article here:  https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/11/the-page-who-took-down-the-gop-mark-foley-dennis-hastert-213378

On a special episode of POLITICO's Nerdcast: "It became clear that Scott Pruitt had sought to purchase a used mattress from the Trump hotel. And I thought, 'This is not what I expected this job would look like.'" At the close of Donald Trump's presidency, POLITICO's reporters and editors share their strongest memories of the last four years. Shocking moments they witnessed, conversations they overheard and what will stay with them forever. Plus, new Playbook co-author Tara Palmeri talks to Scott Bland about what she really wants to see in Biden's first days in office. Scott Bland is a politics editor at POLITICO. Tara Palmeri is a POLITICO Playbook co-author.  Annie Rees is a producer for POLITICO audio. Jenny Ament is senior producer for POLITICO audio. Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO audio.

"Off Message" presents Episode 9 of the new season of POLITICO's podcast "Global Translations":  The pandemic sent shockwaves through a global labor market already upended by digitization and the green energy transition. It left tens of millions jobless and amplified skills gaps. Even as we spent trillions keeping the economy on life support, investment in the skills of the future has been scarce. So how do we get the right skills to the right people, to get the economy motoring again? Hosts Ryan Heath and Luiza Savage speak with experts about these major labor disruptions. Ryan Heath is the host of "Global Translations".  Luiza Savage is a host of "Global Translations". Saadia Zahidi is a managing director at the World Economic Forum. Marianne Wanamaker is a economics professor at the University of Tennessee and former chief domestic economist on the White House Council of Economic Advisors. Annie Rees is a producer for POLITICO Audio.  Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO Audio.  Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO Audio.  Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO Audio. Check out Ryan Heath's article on how workers are struggling for skills support here:  https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/06/workers-are-struggling-for-skills-support-during-pandemic-455063 And check out the other POLITICO newsletters:  Global Translations: https://www.politico.com/newsletters/global-translations Weekly Shift (labor): https://www.politico.com/newsletters/weekly-shift Transition Playbook: https://www.politico.com/newsletters/transition-playbook