The Brian Lehrer Show - podcast cover

The Brian Lehrer Show

WNYCwnyc.org
Brian Lehrer leads the conversation about what matters most now in local and national politics, our own communities and our lives.
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Episodes

The Nation Asks 'Are Men OK?'

Eamon Whalen , freelance journalist and Nation contributor, offers analysis of the premise that men and boys are suffering, how to help them if they are, and how this intersects with the "manosphere," and the politics of the moment. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 14, 202533 minEp. 1128

Meet the Mayoral Candidates: Whitney Tilson

Whitney Tilson , former hedge fund manager and philanthropist, talks about his campaign for the Democratic nomination for NYC mayor in the June primary election. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 14, 202533 minEp. 1127

Reflecting on COVID Five Years Later

Five years since COVID upended daily life, listeners weigh in on the biggest societal changes brought on by the pandemic. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 14, 20258 minEp. 1126

Friday Morning Economic Politics

Nancy Cook , senior national political correspondent at Bloomberg News, offers analysis of the Democratic split on the budget showdown in Congress, tariff chaos and more economic news from Washington. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 14, 202535 minEp. 1126

A Guide to Venmo Etiquette

Annabelle Williams , publishing editor at The Wall Street Journal , shares tips and best practices for managing "digital debt" in your relationships. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 13, 202513 minEp. 1125

100 Years of 100 Things: Women's Sports

As our centennial series continues, Jane McManus , sportswriter, an adjunct professor at New York University at the Preston Robert Tisch Institute for Global Sport and the editor of The Year's Best Sports Writing 2024 (Triumph, 2024) and author of the forthcoming The Fast Track: Inside the Surging Business of Women's Sports (Temple University Press, 2025), talks about early attempts to organize women's sports and its post-Title IX growth. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz...

Mar 13, 202530 minEp. 1124

Ask Governor Murphy: March 2025 Recap

Nancy Solomon , WNYC reporter and host of the “Ask Governor Murphy” monthly call-in show, recaps her conversation with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. Topics this month: how federal cuts are affecting New Jerseyans, Murphy's position on ballot redesign, a sinkhole on I-80, and more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 13, 202526 minEp. 1123

Trump's New World Order

David Sanger , White House and national security correspondent for The New York Times and the author of New Cold Wars: China's Rise, Russia's Invasion, and America's Struggle to Defend the West (Crown, 2024), talks about the many ways Pres. Trump has upended the post-WWII international order. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Mar 13, 202539 minEp. 1122

Can We Change Our Personalities?

Olga Khazan , staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of Me, But Better: The Science and Promise of Personality Change (S&S/Simon Element, 2025), talks about her new book and what she found on her year-long quest to become a "better" person. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Mar 12, 202518 minEp. 1119

Legal Analysis of Mahmoud Khalil's Arrest

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has detailed Mahmoud Khalil—a legal permanent resident with a green card and prominent student-activist-turned-negotiator in pro-Palestine demonstrations at Colombia University. Peter Markowitz, professor of law at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and the founding faculty member and co-director of the Kathryn O. Greenberg Immigration Justice Clinic, offers legal analysis of the detention. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.co...

Mar 12, 202525 minEp. 1121

Reporters Ask the Mayor: Detention of Mahmoud Khalil, Developments in Adams' Criminal Case, and More

Mayor Adams holds one off-topic press conference per week, where reporters can ask him questions on any subject. Elizabeth Kim , Gothamist and WNYC reporter, recaps what he talked about at this week's event. Topics include the mayor's response to Columbia-grad pro-Palestine activist Mahmoud Khalil and how it may impact the Democratic primary election in June, developments in Adams' corruption case, plus why the mayor's stopped reading the news. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.a...

Mar 12, 202523 minEp. 1118

Trump's Trade War: A Debate

As President Trump's trade war heats up, Mark Zandi , chief economist of Moody’s Analytics, and Mark DiPlacido , policy advisor at American Compass, talk about the pros and cons of tariffs and whether or not the president's current tariff policy could achieve Trump's stated goals. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Mar 12, 202544 minEp. 1120

The Points Guy's Travel Advice: Etiquette

Throughout this pledge drive, Brian Kelly, founder of the travel site The Points Guy and the author of How to Win at Travel (Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster, 2025), shares advice on how to optimize your travel plans. Today, he shares his tips for how to behave in order to have a smooth experience for you, and everyone around you. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Mar 11, 20258 minEp. 1117

10 Question Quiz: Music History

Every day during this pledge drive, listeners can try their hands at a quiz. Today's topic is music history. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 11, 202512 minEp. 1116

Is This Authoritarianism?

Timothy Snyder , history professor at Yale University and the author of the substack " Thinking About... " and the books, On Tyranny (Penguin Random House, 2017) and his latest, On Freedom (Crown, 2024), offers his analysis of recent actions by the Trump administration, including the elimination of USAID programs and attacks on the press. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Mar 11, 202515 minEp. 1115

Science and Rising Autism Rates

Autism rates are rising but Paul Offit , MD, director of the Vaccine Education Center and an attending physician in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the author of Autism's False Prophets (Columbia University Press, 2008) and most recently Tell Me When It’s Over: And Insider’s Guide to Deciphering COVID Myths and Navigating Our Post-Pandemic World (National Geographic, 2024), says scientists have already debunked theories linking the rise to childhood...

Mar 11, 202519 minEp. 1114

Trump's USDA, Organic Farmers and Climate Change

President Trump's U.S. Department of Agriculture has purged the agency's website of information related to climate change, extreme weather resilience and sustainable farming practices among other important topics. Now, one of New York's largest organic farming associations is suing the USDA. Emily Atkin , editor-in-chief of the HEATED newsletter, unpacks the story. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for adve...

Mar 11, 202516 minEp. 1113

The Points Guy's Travel Advice: How to Travel With Your Family

Throughout this pledge drive, Brian Kelly , founder of the travel site The Points Guy and the author of How to Win at Travel (Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster, 2025), shares advice on how to optimize your travel plans. Today, he shares advice on flying with your family, especially with babies and small children. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Mar 10, 20258 minEp. 1112

10 Question Quiz: More History

Every day during this pledge drive, listeners can try their hands at a quiz. Today's topic is American history, with some NY/NJ history questions sprinkled in. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 10, 202512 minEp. 1111

100 Years of 100 Things: Birth Control

As our centennial series continues, Elaine Tyler May , professor emerita of American Studies and History at the University of Minnesota and the author of several books, including America And The Pill: A History of Promise, Peril, and Liberation (Basic Books, 2010) and Fortress America: How We Embraced Fear and Abandoned Democracy (Basic Books, 2017), reviews the history of birth control, from Margaret Sanger to Dobbs. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information ...

Mar 10, 202513 minEp. 1110

Does DOGE's Math Add Up?

Elon Musk and DOGE are slashing the size of the federal workforce in what they say will bring big savings to taxpayers. Stephen Fowler , political reporter with NPR's Washington desk, reports on the typos, exaggerations and shoddy math in DOGE's receipts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 10, 202522 minEp. 1109

The Threats to Public Radio

LaFontaine Oliver , president and CEO of New York Public Radio, talks about the very real threats to public radio coming from Washington, and what NYPR plans to do to deal with them. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 10, 202514 minEp. 1108

Brian Lehrer Weekend: A History of the Equal Rights Amendment; The Trump Administration and Housing in New York City; Planning Group Travel

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them. A hundred year history of the Equal Rights Amendment (First) | How potential cuts on the federal level would affect housing in New York City (Starts at 17:20) | Michelle Singletary's tips for planning group trips (Starts at 31:25) If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of person...

Mar 08, 202541 minEp. 1107

Travel Advice: How to Plan a Group Trip

Throughout this pledge drive, we're ending the show each day with travel tips. Today, Michelle Singletary , personal finance columnist for The Washington Post , gives advice on how to financially manage group vacationing and make it as equitable as possible for all parties involved. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Mar 07, 20259 minEp. 1106

10 Question Quiz: NY & NJ History

Every day during this pledge drive, listeners can try their hands at a quiz. Today's topic is New York and New Jersey history. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 07, 20258 minEp. 1104

Democracy Check-In

Anand Giridharadas , journalist, publisher of the newsletter The.Ink, analyst for MSNBC, and the author of The Persuaders: At the Front Lines of the Fight for Hearts, Minds, and Democracy (Knopf, 2022), shares his thoughts on the state of American democracy and what protest actions can be taken by those opposed to President Trump's current policies. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Mar 07, 202520 minEp. 1103

The Latest on NYC's Mayoral Primary Campaign

Brigid Bergin , WNYC's senior political correspondent, shares her reporting on the NYC mayoral primary campaign, now in full swing as several new major candidates, including former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, have entered the race. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 07, 202520 minEp. 1102

100 Years of 100 Things: New Yorker Poetry

As our centennial series continues, Kevin Young , poet, New Yorker poetry editor and the editor of A Century of Poetry in The New Yorker (Knopf, 2025), goes through the history of poetry appearing in The New Yorker , and what was left out. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 07, 202517 minEp. 1105

Paul Krugman on Tariffs

Paul Krugman , Nobel laureate in economics, former New York Times columnist now on Substack , distinguished professor at the City University of New York Graduate Center, and the author of (now in paperback) Arguing with Zombies: Economics, Politics, and the Fight for a Better Future (W. W. Norton & Company, 2020), offers his take on Pres. Trump's trade policy. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for adver...

Mar 06, 202521 minEp. 1097

Travel Advice: How to Budget for Travel

Throughout this pledge drive, we're ending the show each day with travel tips. Today, Michelle Singletary , personal finance columnist for The Washington Post , offers advice for budgeting for travel to make it affordable and wallet-friendly. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 06, 20257 minEp. 1101
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