Good Thursday morning, I'm Jake Sherman and welcome to your Politico Playbook Audio Briefing, sponsored by JPMorgan Chase & Company.

And I'm Anna Palmer.

Things are finally looking good for the GOP health care bill.

They've announced a vote, and most of the time, that is a good sign for the majority.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy told reporters yesterday that they have enough votes to pass the American Health Care Act.

It will be close, though.

The White House says it was President Donald Trump that flip votes in person and on the phone.

Maybe, but the real work was done by people like Congressman Patrick McCandry, the Chief Deputy Whip.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Speaker Paul Ryan, and

Majority Whip Steve Sgleese. Frankly, House Freedom Caucus chairman Mark Meadows kept the talks

alive in the first place. To be clear, this is a big victory for Speaker Ryan, who really

needed to get this through for his internal political purposes and to show the White House

he can get something done. Remember, the plan was to move this bill by the end of January.

It's May.

Deadlines are really bad for Republicans.

And they are voting on this without an official budget assessment from the Congressional Budget Office.

This is not the process Republicans have promised voters. What we've learned, we've spoken to

many of the inside players who got this deal done. Here's what they've learned and what they say

they need to do going forward if they have a prayer of passing bills like tax reform and an

infrastructure package. Republican leaders say Congress White House unity is crucial from the

beginning of any legislative process.

The White House cannot sit on the sidelines and wait for the hill to produce something.

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