Politico announced on Sunday that the Playbook newsletter will be led by three American journalists – Adam Wren, Dasha Burns and Will Steakin – following the departure of British managing editor Jack Blanchard. The change comes after Blanchard’s tenure was punctuated by a string of factual slip‑ups and analytical misjudgements that attracted widespread criticism.
Blanchard’s troubled spell
During his time as managing editor and lead author, Blanchard mis‑identified Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s title, misspelled the name of singer‑songwriter Billy Ray Cyrus and described the Super Bowl playing surface as a “pitch”. The most conspicuous error occurred when he omitted any reference to Franklin D. Roosevelt while claiming that President Donald Trump’s “impactful start” to his second term was without precedent in United States history.
Vox reporter Zack Beauchamp summed up the reaction, noting a “consistent pattern of colossal mistakes, and (even worse) poor analysis.” The criticism prompted Politico’s senior editors to draft a succession plan, acknowledging that Blanchard’s tenure “hasn't worked out” for a “variety of reasons.”
New editorial team
Adam Wren, described by Politico as a specialist in “decoding how power works in American politics”, joins the Playbook after a career covering state and national politics. His 2023 profile of Texas legislator James Talarico helped raise the lawmaker’s profile ahead of a Senate bid.
Dasha Burns is praised for “deep sourcing” and has conducted interviews with figures such as Abdul El‑Sayed, the Democratic Senate candidate in Michigan. Will Steakin, a Columbia politics graduate, has reported on a range of topics, including a piece on operatives Morris Katz and Daniel Moraff, who failed to vet Graham Platner before recruiting him for a Senate campaign in Maine.
Context of the overhaul
The Playbook’s decline has been noted since the departure of Eugene Daniels in 2025, when he left Politico for MS NOW (formerly MSNBC). Daniels was known for breaking the story that Vice‑President Kamala Harris was “serious about considering” a run for governor of California.
Other former Playbook contributors include Ryan Lizza, a former CNN analyst who was dismissed from the New Yorker for “improper sexual conduct”. Lizza later launched a Substack that disclosed his ex‑fiancée, journalist Olivia Nuzzi, had an affair with former South Carolina governor Mark Sanford.
Industry reaction
Media observers view the appointment of an all‑American team as a corrective step, expecting a more nuanced and well‑sourced analysis of US politics. The move is also seen as evidence of Politico’s willingness to prioritise journalistic standards when performance falters.
With Wren, Burns and Steakin at the helm, the Playbook aims to regain the depth and credibility that once made it a must‑read briefing for political insiders.