What happens when the highest priorities of American foreign policy collide with the most complicated politics of Washington, D.C?

Well, that's the story of the biggest legislative negotiation of the year, the 106 billion dollar emergency

supplemental bill.

Back in October, Joe Biden was looking at a simple, seemingly clever deal.

Tie aid to Ukraine and aid to Israel together.

The Republicans who opposed aid to Ukraine

all supported aid to Israel,

so they would hold their noses and vote for the whole package.

The Democrats who opposed 8 to Israel all supported 8 to Ukraine, so they would do the same.

And as a side note, everyone seems okay with the third big chunk of foreign aid in the supplemental money to advance US interests in the Indo-Pacific

But then Senate Republicans led by Mitch McConnell

Countered Biden's opening move.

They united around the idea of requiring changes to border security policy to unlock any of this

foreign aid.

So now, three of the most contentious issues in American politics are locked together in a kind of legislative Mexican standoff.

And the man at the center of diffusing this situation is Senator James Langford, a Baptist preacher from Oklahoma who is standing

in front of me in his office, holding a bright gold baseball bat and making a joke about the mob.

I'm Ryan Liza and this is Playbook Deep Guide. Langford's bat was actually a present from a visiting softball team, but you could understand why he might indulge in some mafia theatrics for a moment.

He's the lead Republican negotiating a piece of legislation that gives every congressional faction a reason to hate it.

Bernie Sanders is leading a revolt on the left to oppose aid to Israel.

Langford estimates there are about 10 Republicans who won't support aid to Ukraine no matter what.

And then there's the border security compromise he's trying to reach with a group of Democrats

...