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Congress
Kamala Harris
Biden
Trump
Republican Party
Mike Johnson
Government Shutdown
UK General Election
France General Election
House Of Representatives
Election
Continuing Resolution
Senate Leadership
Funding Measures
Donald Trump
Appropriations Process
NATO
Republicans
Democrats
Lame Duck Session

CONTROL is a podcast hosted by Seven Letter’s Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci, two veterans of Capitol Hill who now serve as communications strategists to Fortune 500 companies, non-profits and advocacy coalitions. Drawing on their experience in GOP congressional politics, the podcast seeks to look around the corner at the policy priorities and political dynamics that will define Congress.The podca... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes100Founded3 years ago
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Artwork for CONTROL

Latest Episodes

With the DHS shutdown dragging on and frustration mounting over TSA lines, Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci discuss if there is any hope for a deal. Plus, debate continues over the SAVE America Act and supplemental funding for the Iran war. Then, Semaf... more

As the SAVE America Act heads to the Senate floor, hosts Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci consider the bill’s outlook and how Majority Leader Thune is balancing competing interests. Then, they discuss a potential supplemental funding bill for the Iran ... more

In the wake of this weekend’s strikes against Iran and with the conflict continuing to spread, hosts Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci are joined by Seven Letter colleague Sabrina Singh, who served as Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary during the Biden adm... more

It’s State of the Union day! Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci share what they’ll be looking for during tonight’s speech and how lawmakers from both parties are likely to react. Then, they discuss the latest maneuvering around DHS funding, tariffs, and ... more

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Recent Guests

Zach Cohen
Congressional reporter at Bloomberg Tax
Bloomberg Tax
Episode: Game Day in House Committees Feat. Zach Cohen
Jonathan Burks
Executive Vice President for Economic and Health Policy at the Bipartisan Policy Center and former Chief of Staff to Speaker Paul Ryan
Bipartisan Policy Center
Episode: The Biggest Hurdle: Medicaid 101 Feat. Jonathan Burks
Laura Weiss
Tax and Financial Services reporter for Punchbowl News
Punchbowl News
Episode: Another Make or Break Week for the GOP Feat. Laura Weiss
Liam Donovan
Senior political strategist at Bracewell, former Republican operative at the NRSC, and host of The Lobby Shop Podcast.
Bracewell
Episode: Reconciliation Heats up and Democrats Melt Down, Feat. Liam Donovan
Nicholas Wu
Congressional reporter at Politico
Politico
Episode: Will Republicans Avoid a Shutdown? Feat. Nicholas Wu
Chad Pergram
Senior Congressional Correspondent for Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel
Episode: Congress Welcomes the Trump Show Feat. Chad Pergram of Fox News
Garrett Haake
NBC News senior White House correspondent
NBC News
Episode: Reconciliation Collision Course Feat. Garrett Haake
Rachael Bade
Capitol Bureau Chief for Politico and author of the Corridors column
Politico
Episode: After a Wild January, What Does February Have in Store? Feat. Rachael Bade
Annie Karni
Congressional Correspondent for The New York Times
The New York Times
Episode: Confirmation Kick-Off Feat. Annie Karni

Hosts

Annalyse Keller
Co-host of CONTROL; veteran Capitol Hill communications strategist
Brendan Buck
Co-host of CONTROL; former congressional insider and strategist

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 47 ratings
  • Informative!

    Great behind the scenes look and analysis into beltway politics

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Qwetghasdf123
    United States9 months ago
  • A behind the scenes look into Congress

    Love this show. If you want to know what’s happening—or not—in Congress Control is a must listen. The hosts and their guests offer unique perspectives that go beyond the headlines and that help explain Congressional proceedings.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    DCNerd
    United States9 months ago
  • Great Insight for All Levels of Interest

    This podcast strikes the perfect balance for anyone interested in Congress—whether you’re just trying to keep up or closely tracking every development. The hosts are insightful, fair, and bring a wealth of experience to the table, making each episode feel like a smart, genuine conversation. It’s a refreshing, behind-the-scenes look at the headlines, offering thoughtful analysis and perspective that goes beyond the typical news cycle.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    kelc_mcclung
    United States9 months ago
  • Amazing

    is a seven letter word to describe this podcast!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    shnoopies
    United States9 months ago
  • Fantastic

    Love this show! Valuable insights as to what is really going on in Washington with noteworthy guests and great hosts

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dedicated-Listener74
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Insider perspectives that cut through headlines with nuance.
Behind-the-scenes, practical analysis you can use in policy discussions.
Strong, consistent delivery from seasoned Capitol Hill insiders.
Smart, informed conversations with credible guests and hosts.

Top Politics Podcasts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Let the Chips Fall Where They May Feat. Andrew Solender of Axios
Q: Can you take us into the decision making that led to that somewhat remarkable statement last week from Democratic leaders, preemptively saying that they will vote to protect him?
House Democrats were willing to publicly express their disinclination to vacate Mike Johnson, seeing it as beneficial to avoid chaos.
Congress Is Back, but How Long Will This Funding Plan Survive? Feat. Jake Sherman
Q: What are some of the dynamics that you've been watching?
Jake shares insights on the funding deadline and implications for the Speaker, particularly related to the SAVE Act and its potential reception from various party members.
It May Be A Long December Feat. Jonathan Tamari
Q: Do you think it's possible or how likely do you think it could be that, say we had a really close Trump victory in Pennsylvania?
Tamari believes in scenarios where Casey could outrun a narrow Harris loss.
It May Be A Long December Feat. Jonathan Tamari
Q: What do you think is going to happen with the rule?
Jonathan Tamari expects to avoid a shutdown, suggesting that they could pass legislation mostly with Democratic votes.
Where Did Appropriations Go Wrong? Feat. Former Speaker John Boehner
Q: How do you think Congress should address the process to avoid these massive spending bills that all of these Republicans say they want to avoid?
Getting to a budget is critical to getting appropriations done properly, as it sets a top line spending number.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About CONTROL

What is CONTROL about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This program delivers insider analysis of Congress and policy dynamics, hosted by two veteran political strategists. Across episodes, it breaks down committee activity, reconciliation, budget battles, and partisan tensions with guests who know Capitol Hill from the inside, offering context beyond headlines and explaining how maneuvering, messaging, and policy choices shape outcomes. Notable strengths include blunt, practical takes from people with firsthand experience and a focus on how political leverage, deadlines, and bipartisan dynamics interact in a divided government.

Listeners who want a grounded, practitioner's view of Washington—especially around budget, Medicaid, reconciliation, and party strategy—will likely find the discussions... more

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How many subscribers and views does CONTROL have?

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Which podcasts are similar to CONTROL?

These podcasts share a similar audience with CONTROL:

1. The Daily Punch
2. The Conversation with Dasha Burns
3. The Powers That Be: Daily
4. The Playbook Podcast
5. Plain English with Derek Thompson

How many episodes of CONTROL are there?

CONTROL launched 3 years ago and published 100 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact CONTROL?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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What guests have appeared on CONTROL?

Recent guests on CONTROL include:

1. Zach Cohen
2. Jonathan Burks
3. Laura Weiss
4. Liam Donovan
5. Nicholas Wu
6. Chad Pergram
7. Garrett Haake
8. Rachael Bade

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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