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The Playbook Podcast

Sanders on BBQ, politics, and sneaking out of the governor’s mansion

The Playbook Podcast

POLITICO

News, Daily News, Government, Politics

3.9699 Ratings

🗓️ 15 March 2026

⏱️ 41 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

We're bringing you an episode of our newest show, On the Road with Jonathan Martin. POLITICO’s senior columnist sits down with Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders for a lively conversation about politics, leadership and life growing up in the governor’s mansion. From her time as White House Press Secretary to leading Arkansas today, Sanders shares insights on the Republican Party, U.S.-Israel security and the memories that shaped her journey—all while enjoying some of the state’s best barbecue.   Watch upcoming episodes at politico.com/ontheroad Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Watch our show on YouTube: youtube.com/@POLITICO.

Transcript

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0:00.0

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0:07.9

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0:17.4

Hey folks, I'm Jonathan Martin. I write a column for Politico, as most of you know, but I'm starting a new show that we're calling On the Road to capture what's happening in American politics this year in the midterms and also looking forward to 2028. I was really eager to sit down with some of the biggest political newsmakers in America and do so on

0:39.2

their terrain. And I couldn't think of a better spot to begin than Arkansas. And we're going

0:44.1

to begin this series talking to somebody that knows from political history, Sarah Huckabee

0:48.3

Sanders. She's a daughter of a governor herself. She worked for President Trump in his first

0:53.7

term as press secretary, and now she's running for President Trump in his first term as press secretary,

0:55.0

and now she's running for reelection to her second term as Arkansas's first female governor.

1:00.0

Now, where better to have a conversation with a southern governor than a barbecue joint?

1:05.0

We're starting on the road here in the Arkansas Capitol at Wright's Barbecue.

1:10.0

This is going to be a candid, wide-ranging conversation.

1:13.8

And like the best conversations,

1:15.5

it's gonna be had over a fantastic meal.

1:18.1

This is On the Road with Jonathan Martin.

1:25.1

Well, I appreciate you're doing this.

1:26.4

So this is the first of On the road. And the point is to talk to folks about food, politics, place, sort of the three things that we say. And I couldn't think it's somewhere better to do it than Little Rock and Arkansas. And here it writes, which is taken off, right? I mean, Wrights has really become one of the great new stories of Arkansas.

1:45.0

It's like an institution.

1:46.5

People absolutely love the food, love the service.

1:51.2

And there's a great sense of welcoming and community that they bring to every location.

1:57.3

I don't know how they manage to do that.

1:59.0

Right.

1:59.4

But it is incredible food. Yes. Great people and the team that they have built and ownership are just people who love Arkansas. Yeah. Love the Razorbacks. Exactly. Love to have a good time. The official barbecue of the Arkansas Razorbacks. Exactly. So that's all a plus. Now, I do have a question for you. I know you're supposed to be asking me the questions. This is unbelievable. But we're like five minutes in here. She's aren't turning the tables on me. But if you are starting at Wrights in Arkansas on the day that the Razorbacks play the Longhorn, it will never get better. So you've really kind of done this backwards. You've set the bar too high- America. We're going to try and see where else we can go. And look at that timing. Oh, there we go. We got some sausage. We got some biscuit. We got ribs. The cool thing about rights is it's got a bit of Texas flair to it. So they do the... Whoa. No, I'm sorry. They're playing along That's been all message. But you got the sausage and brisket and you got the pickles and the onions, which is a bit of a Texas vibe. But obviously, ribs, Arkansas and the mac and cheese is more of a traditional Arkansas thing. So my husband, who's from Kansas City. Yes. And is a barbecue guy. Barbecue snob. Yes. Totally. And he lovesob. Yeah, really is.

...

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