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

'We Hold These Truths...'

As the U.S. approaches its 250th anniversary, Walter Isaacson , professor of history at Tulane and the author of several books, including his latest, The Greatest Sentence Ever Written (Simon & Schuster, 2025), digs in on a key sentence in the Declaration of Independence and how its reverberated throughout the country's history. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Nov 21, 202524 minEp. 1850

Friday Morning Politics: Trump and Mamdani Meet

Jonathan Lemire , co-host of Morning Joe on MSNOW; writer for MSNOW and contributing writer to The Atlantic talks about the national political news of the week, including Mayor-elect Mamdani's meeting with President Trump at the White House. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Nov 21, 202541 minEp. 1848

De-Cluttering Legacies

Emily Stewart , senior correspondent at Business Insider, talks about navigating issues around what to do with all the 'stuff' that boomer parents will be leaving their millennial kids. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Nov 21, 202514 minEp. 1851

Defending 'Raise the Age'

Vincent Schiraldi , Pinkerton Foundation visiting fellow and former New York City Commissioner of both the Department of Correction and Department of Probation, argues against trying teenagers as adults and defends New York's "Raise the Age" law against pushback from some elected leaders. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Nov 21, 202529 minEp. 1849

NYC School Bus Woes

Jessica Gould, education reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, shares her reporting on how the city's school bus system has been failing the families who rely on it, and if reform is possible. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Nov 20, 202522 minEp. 1845

Feeding Senior Neighbors

One in 10 senior citizens in New York City lack reliable access to affordable and nutritious food. Beth Shapiro , CEO of Citymeals on Wheels, the nation’s largest operation to deliver meals to homebound seniors, discusses the state of elder hunger in the city, the lasting impact of federal funding cuts and the long federal shutdown, what everyday New Yorkers can do to support their elderly neighbors during the holidays. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for informatio...

Nov 20, 202515 minEp. 1846

Thursday Morning Politics: President Trump's Week

Philip Bump , MSNOW contributor, author of the "How to Read this Chart" newsletter and the author of The Aftermath: The Last Days of the Baby Boom and the Future of Power in America (Viking, 2023), talks about the national political news of the week, including President Trump's capitulation on the Epstein files vote, his meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and how the president is trying to address inflation concerns. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com ...

Nov 20, 202539 minEp. 1847

The ACA Subsidy Fight and Health Inequities

Uché Blackstock , emergency medicine physician, founder and CEO of Advancing Health Equity, author of LEGACY: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine (Viking, 2024) and a former MSNBC and NBC News medical contributor, talks about how the fight over ACA subsidies may deepen health inequities. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Nov 20, 202531 minEp. 1844

US Strikes on Venezuelan Alleged Drug Boats

Regina Garcia Cano , Andes correspondent at The Associated Press, discusses the Trump administration's latest escalation against alleged drug boats from Venezuela, as the most advanced U.S. aircraft carrier is expected to reach the waters off the country in a few days in a show of American power. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Nov 19, 202525 minEp. 1842

How AI Songs Got on Your Spotify Playlist

Kyle Chayka , staff writer at The New Yorker covering technology and Internet culture, discusses how songs generated using artificial intelligence are dominating top music charts and streaming services like Spotify, sometimes without the knowledge of listeners. => " That New Hit Song on Spotify? It Was Made by A.I. " ( The New Yorker , November 12, 2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Nov 19, 202514 minEp. 1843

City Politics: Jessica Tisch Accepts Job in Mamdani Admin, Eric "Mamdani Spoiler" Adams, and More

Elizabeth Kim , Gothamist and WNYC reporter, and Brigid Bergin , WNYC's senior political correspondent, talk about the latest political news in the city, including what Mayor Adams is up to in his last few weeks in office, Mayor-elect Mamdani's transition plans, and the congressional primary races that are starting to take shape. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Nov 19, 202548 minEp. 1840

The First G20 Summit on African Soil

Yinka Adegoke , editor of Semafor Africa, talks about the upcoming G20 summit in South Africa and the U.S. boycott. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Nov 19, 202523 minEp. 1841

Call Your Senator: Sen. Kim on the Affordable Care Act Subsidies and More

Andy Kim , U.S. Senator (D NJ), talks about his work in the Senate and the issues in New Jersey, including ACA subsidies, the New Jersey election results, USAID and more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Nov 18, 202528 minEp. 1839

Friendsgiving Menus and Politics

Listeners who have attended a "Friendsgiving" so far this year call in to share what was on the menu, and where the conversation went - especially if it involved politics. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Nov 18, 202514 minEp. 1836

MTA Chair Janno Lieber on Transit News & Finances

John "Janno" Lieber , chair and CEO of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), talks about the latest news from the MTA and working with the incoming mayoral administration. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Nov 18, 202545 minEp. 1837

Climate Advocates Are Angry at Gov. Hochul

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul recently approved a gas pipeline and delayed the implementation of the All-Electric Buildings Law. Liz Moran , policy advocate for Earthjustice's Northeast office, explains why climate advocates are angry with the governor over these recent moves that they see as giveaways to fossil fuel companies. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Nov 18, 202522 minEp. 1838

Working Families Party on Mamdani's Win; 2026 Midterms

Jasmine Gripper and Ana María Archila, New York Working Families Party co-directors, reflect on Mayor-elect Mamdani's win and the WFP role in the election, their policy priorities and next year's primaries. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Nov 17, 202529 minEp. 1833

Monday Morning Politics: Shutdown Ends; Epstein Files

Eleanor Mueller , congress reporter at Semafor, talks about the latest national political news from Congress, including the shutdown winners and losers, the upcoming vote in the House on the Epstein files and more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Nov 17, 202547 minEp. 1832

The Future of Academia

Ilya Marritz , journalist working with The Boston Globe , talks about his new series, The Harvard Plan , in conjunction with The Boston Globe and On the Media, that looks at how the Trump administration has interfered with Harvard, and how it will affect academia and scientific research going forward. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Nov 17, 202534 minEp. 1835

Brian Lehrer Weekend: COP30; Cost of Food; Tributes to the Penny

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them. COP30 Without the U.S. (First) | SNAP and the High Cost of Food (Starts at 23:41) | Tributes to the Penny (Starts at 43:57) 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 personal data for advertising....

Nov 15, 202553 minEp. 1834

The Skyrocketing Cost of Health Care

As Congress debates whether to extend subsidies for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) coverage, Hayden Rooke-Ley , lawyer and senior fellow at the Brown University School of Public Health, explains how the infighting is already driving up costs and narrowing networks. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Nov 14, 202529 minEp. 1830

What is Zohran Mamdani's Political Ideology?

New York City's mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani defines himself as a democratic socialist, yet his critics have seized on his leftist identity to paint him as an extremist. Carlo Invernizzi-Accetti , professor of political science and executive director of the Moynihan Center at The City College of New York, and author of 20 Years of Rage: How Resentment Took the Place of Politics (Mondadori, 2024) explains the core principles of the various strains of thought on the left to paint a clearer picture o...

Nov 14, 202530 minEp. 1828

Penny For Your Thoughts on the End of the Penny

The U.S. Mint announced it made its last penny this week, in order to save money. Listeners call in to talk about how they use pennies these days, if at all, plus share their favorite penny-related sayings. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Nov 14, 20259 minEp. 1831

Latino Voters Shift Back Toward Democrats

Eli Valentin , assistant dean of graduate studies at Virginia Union University’s Graduate Center in Harlem, contributing writer for City Limits and guest political analyst at Univision, talks about the meaning of the shift many Latino voters made, from voting for Trump in 2024 to voting for Zohran Mamdani and Mikie Sherrill just a year later. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Nov 14, 202542 minEp. 1829

Meet the Future First Deputy Mayor

Drawing on his deep city and state government experience, Dean Fuleihan , future first deputy mayor in the Mamdani administration and former budget director in the de Blasio administration talks about how he intends to help Mayor-elect Mamdani achieve his policy goals. Then, Laura Nahmias , senior reporter covering New York City and state politics at Bloomberg News, offers political analysis of the role Dean Fuleihan will play in Mayor-elect Mamdani's City Hall. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz ...

Nov 13, 202525 minEp. 1825

Defining the Decade

Jelani Cobb , dean of the Journalism School at Columbia University, a staff writer at The New Yorker, and the author of Three or More Is a Riot: Notes on How We Got Here: 2012-2025 (One World, 2025 ), looks back at recent history and find the threads that connect the era of protests and backlash. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Nov 13, 202522 minEp. 1824

Ask Governor Murphy: November 2025 Recap

Nancy Solomon , host of the “Ask Governor Murphy” monthly call-in show, recaps her conversation with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Nov 13, 202541 minEp. 1826

SNAP and the Cost of Groceries

As SNAP recipients and many others struggle to afford the cost of food, Karen Yi , WNYC and Gothamist reporter covering homelessness and poverty, and Joe Hong , investigative data reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, discuss their reporting on how grocery prices can vary between stores and neighborhoods and how grocery stores fared during the interruption of SNAP benefits. Plus, listeners share their observations of how food prices vary, and tips on how to save money on groceries. Hosted by Simpleca...

Nov 13, 202520 minEp. 1827

Mamdani's Budget Challenges

Greg David , contributor covering fiscal and economic issues for THE CITY and director of the business and economics reporting program and Ravitch Fiscal Reporting Program at the Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, talks about the challenge Mayor-elect Mamdani will face as he tries to fulfill his campaign promises while balancing the city's budget. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Nov 12, 202526 minEp. 1821

The House Returns to Work

On Wednesday, the House of Representatives is set to return to work after a 54-day hiatus. Nicholas Wu , congressional reporter at POLITICO, talks about the upcoming vote in the House on the funding bill that would end the government shutdown, why some Democrats are furious at their Senate colleagues who broke ranks to cut a deal and more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Nov 12, 202527 minEp. 1822
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