Tara Palmeri
Washington’s most feared and fearless politics reporter, covering what people are really talking about inside the White House, on the Hill, on K Street, and within the media companies who cover it all. Tara was previously a lead author of Playbook and White House correspondent at ABC News.
Get the inside conversation in your inbox
The Best & The Brightest
Tara Palmeri, Julia Ioffe, Peter Hamby, Tina Nguyen, and Abby Livingston
•
Monday - Thursday
The Best & the Brightest is Puck's daily political newsletter from Washington, featuring Tara Palmeri, Julia Ioffe, and Tina Nguyen (with cameos from the peerless Peter Hamby) on what's really happening in this town—inside the White House, Pentagon, Capitol Hill, and K Street; the machinations and insights of D.C.'s permanent political class; and the egos and intrigues transforming the modern G.O.P.
THE LATEST ARTICLES
WASHINGTON
•
July 18, 2022
Glenn Youngkin’s Pence-ian Revelation
Can the massively ambitious, ostensibly palatable, evangelical-friendly newbie governor of the Commonwealth capitalize on Pence’s Jan. 6th weaknesses and create a viable ‘24 lane? Well, he’s got Jeff Roe on his side…
WASHINGTON
•
July 14, 2022
Trump’s Announcement Bomb & Meadows’ Case of the Willies
Puck’s Washington experts reveal the inside conversation in D.C. regarding Trump’s defensive ‘24 posturing, DeSantis’ likability deficit, Congress’ olds problems, and the drifting immigrant voting bloc.
WASHINGTON
•
July 11, 2022
Biden’s Advance Man on 2024 and Beyond
Greg Schultz, Biden’s campaign manager in 2020, understands the president’s politics, strengths, and weaknesses better than perhaps anyone. Here’s his diagnosis, and prognostication, about his former candidate and boss.
MEDIA
•
July 7, 2022
The WaPo’s Momentous Non-Bennet-Quake
After months of speculation and second-guessing, Washington Post Co. C.E.O. Fred Ryan has selected Fred Hiatt’s successor as editorial page editor, one of the most august and coveted political posts in this town.
WASHINGTON
•
July 5, 2022
Ro Khanna Psychoanalyzes His Own Party
In a wide-ranging and deeply revealing conversation, the progressive Silicon Valley congressman discusses Biden’s re-election odds, Kavanaugh’s politics, Kamala Harris’s future, and the politics within his own conference as the Pelosi retirement rumors swirl.
WASHINGTON
•
June 30, 2022
WaPo Sweepstakes & The Cassidy Hutchinson Market
The plot thickens as antsy Post staffers wonder whom C.E.O. Fred Ryan will pick to succeed the beloved Fred Hiatt. Meanwhile, more news on Susan Rice’s ascent and Cassidy Hutchinson’s next moves.
WASHINGTON
•
June 27, 2022
D.C. Insiders Grapple with the Politics of Roe
Since the ruling dropped on Friday, I’ve been working the phones to canvas political insiders about what they’re hearing and projecting. Here are the handful of themes that people are privately talking about right now.
WASHINGTON
•
June 23, 2022
Trump’s Case of DeSantisitis
After a rocky primary season, Trump has DeSantis and his expanding $124 million war chest on the brain. Sources in Bedminster are saying that he’s likely to move up a ‘24 announcement in order to freeze out the next generation. Plus: updates on Klainworld and why all eyes inside the West Wing are focused on Jill Biden.
WASHINGTON
•
June 20, 2022
Biden Time
Inside the White House, aides are marching forward, preparing to launch Biden’s bid for re-election. But the timing remains uncertain, as do an increasing number of questions surrounding when the Bidens will announce, and if the president wants to protect his family from the impending chaos.
WASHINGTON
•
June 16, 2022
The Biden Bubble
Despite frustrations that the White House needs a shift in direction, Biden is sticking with Ron Klain, and won’t be influenced by the media, the Twitter left, or anyone else. But just because Biden is loyal to Klain doesn’t mean that staffers aren’t above figuring out to whom they might want to hitch their wagons moving forward. Plus, notes on Liz Cheney’s rising left-wing reputation and Kim Guilfoyle’s Jan. 6 payday.