Today, on Take Two's State of Affairs:

Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy is no stranger to headlines at this point. But the headlines that would result after the Washington Post its ears on a tape of a November conversation between McCarthy and Republican lawmakers... are probably ones that he wishes would go away. 

Also: President pro tem of the California Senate, Kevin De Leon might be running for something — but it's not clear what. He released a video this week extolling California's virtues while making a vow to defend them against Washington. Politico's Carla Marinucci says the timing is hardly coincidental: California's Dem bigwigs will assemble in Sacramento this weekend for the state party convention. 

Guests: 

• Sherry Bebitch Jeffe, professor of public policy at USC
• Carla Marinucci, senior editor of Politico's California Playbook

Press the blue play button above to hear the full interview.