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The Conversation with Dasha Burns

Money, MTG and the D.C. power machine

The Conversation with Dasha Burns

POLITICO

Politics, News, Government

4.01.6K Ratings

🗓️ 30 April 2021

⏱️ 30 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has made a name — and recently, fundraised over $3 million — on becoming a political celebrity by oiling gears in the "outrage machine," promoting extremist beliefs and false conspiracy theories and bypassing establishment media and establishment Washington. In Congress, she may not have committee assignments, but she's got an increasingly valuable email list and a growing war chest. What her rise reveals about the power (or lack thereof) of the party’s traditional gatekeepers and the increasing nationalization of local races, featuring Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill), Playbook's Ryan Lizza, and POLITICO's Melanie Zanona, Michael Kruse, and Charlie Mahtesian. Ryan Lizza is a co-author of POLITICO Playbook.Rep. Adam Kinzinger is a Republican congressman from Illinois.Melanie Zanona is congressional reporter at POLITICO.Michael Kruse is a senior staff writer at POLITICO magazine. Charlie Mahtesian is senior politics editor 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

Fear is the most compelling human emotion.

0:04.0

Probably around the time I got into Congress, we realized that fear does a great job of raising money and compelling votes.

0:12.0

This is Playbook Deep Dive.

0:16.0

After cycle after cycle of using fear, eventually you can destroy things.

0:22.0

And destroy democracies.

0:24.0

I'm Ryan Lizet, one of your Playbook authors.

0:28.0

And I'm at your service, along with hundreds of my colleagues here at Politico, to understand the mechanics of what's happening behind closed doors in our nation's capital.

0:38.0

Today's cast is starring Charlie Matessi.

0:42.0

You said it, not me.

0:43.0

Melanie Zinona.

0:44.0

I've been a Hill reporter for almost 10 years.

0:47.0

And Michael Cruz.

0:49.0

Yeah, we're good.

0:50.0

We're here to study the strategies of a lawmaker in Washington DC.

0:55.0

To find out how she's a signal of big changes in not only DC politics, but politics in general.

1:02.0

You might have heard about her.

1:04.0

Marjorie Taylor Greene.

1:06.0

Marjorie Taylor Greene.

1:08.0

She's very combative.

1:10.0

Some combination of Trump says outrageous things.

1:13.0

The online marketplace.

1:15.0

Perfected the art, Facebook, of raising money online.

...

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