Dan Goldman , US Representative (D, NY-10), and Brad Lander , former NYC comptroller and former mayoral candidate, discuss key issues as they campaign in the June primary election to be the Democratic nominee for Congress for New York's 10th congressional district. Photo: On August 7, 2025, NYC Comptroller Brad Lander and Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) speak outside the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building on August 07, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images) Hosted by Simplecast...
May 27, 2026•49 min•Ep. 2369
On Tuesday, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani unveiled his plan to build 200,000 affordable units and preserve another 200,000 over the next decade. David Brand , housing reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, relays the standout details of the Mamdani administration's "Block by Block: The Housing Plan for a New Era." Photo: Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani speaks to the media as he stands with some of the people he has appointed to help with his transition to City Hall on November 24, 2025 in New York Cit...
May 27, 2026•26 min•Ep. 2372
David B. Oppenheimer , clinical professor of law at the University of California, Berkeley, co-director of the Berkeley Center on Comparative Equality & Anti-Discrimination Law and the author of The Diversity Principle: The Story of a Transformative Idea (Yale University Press), argues that the idea that there is value in diversity in education and politics has a long history, and that attacks on the concept today are misguided. Cover art courtesy of Yale University Press Hosted by Simplecas...
May 27, 2026•22 min•Ep. 2370
Jordan Lauf , producer for All Of It and its book club, Get Lit with All Of It, introduces this summer reading contest from All Of It and Get Lit, six books across six categories. Photo by Luke Green/WNYC Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
May 27, 2026•11 min•Ep. 2371
U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy , D-Conn., talks about his new book, Crisis of the Common Good: The Fight for Meaning and Connection in a Broken America (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2026). In it, Murphy identifies the underlying crises that have resulted in our current politics and offers solutions that could reinvigorate Americans' sense of the common good. Photo: Cover art for Crisis of the Common Good . (Credit: Macmillan Publishers ) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for ...
May 26, 2026•28 min•Ep. 2365
New York State lawmakers are considering the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act. Judith Enck , founder of Beyond Plastics, professor at Bennington College, former EPA Region 2 administrator and author of The Problem with Plastic: How We Can Save Ourselves and Our Planet Before It’s Too Late (The New Press, 2025), talks about why she is advocating for its passage and what the bill would do if it becomes law. Photo: A recycling bin in New York City. (Credit: RockyJennifer/Wikimed...
May 26, 2026•36 min•Ep. 2366
Jeffrey Winters , professor of political science at Northwestern University and the director of the Equality Development and Globalization Studies Program at Northwestern’s Buffett Institute for Global Affairs and the author of The Blind Spot: How Oligarchs Dominate Our Democracies (Scribner, 2026), talks about the history of oligarchy, how to fight it, and why it maintains power in a democracy. Photo: Cover art for The Blind Spot. (Credit: Simon & Schuster ) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz...
May 26, 2026•32 min•Ep. 2367
After the Knicks dominant performance in the Eastern Conference Finals, New York fans are feeling an overwhelming sense of exuberance. Listeners call in to share other sporting moments in their lives that brought this feeling—whether with a professional team or at a lower level. Photo: Knicks fans celebrate winning the eastern conference championship against the Cleveland Cavaliers on May 25, 2026 in New York City. Credit: David Dee Delgado/Getty Images. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company....
May 26, 2026•9 min•Ep. 2368
For Memorial Day, a new interview on its history, and some recent favorites: Kenneth C. Davis , author of the "Don't Know Much About History" series and most recently, The World in Books: 52 Works of Great Short Nonfiction (Scribner, 2024), shares the history of how Americans have observed Memorial Day and its history Jodi Kantor , New York Times investigative reporter, co-author of She Said (Penguin, 2019) and author of How to Start: Discovering Your Life's Work (Hachette, 2026), expands on her...
May 25, 2026•1 hr 49 min•Ep. 2361
Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them. National News With Kai and Carter (First) | Hantavirus Fact and Fiction (Starts at 29:48) | How Belief in God Has Changed (Starts at 44:40) 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....
May 23, 2026•1 hr•Ep. 2364
David Brand , housing reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, discusses Mayor Zohran Mamdani's “South of Prospect Plan," which aims to rezone the commercial corridors of McDonald and Coney Island avenues south of Brooklyn's Prospect Park, as well as surrounding blocks, for taller buildings and more housing development. Photo: Coney Island Avenue in Brooklyn. (Credit: Jim.henderson/Wikimedia Commons CC BY 3.0 ) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our colle...
May 22, 2026•42 min•Ep. 2359
Nahal Toosi , Politico’s senior foreign affairs correspondent and columnist, discusses her latest reporting on how President Donald Trump and his aides have grown frustrated that the U.S. pressure campaign against Cuba, which includes depriving the island of fuel, doesn't seem to be working and what sort of military action might be on the table. Photo: A person waves US and Cuban flags during a "Free Cuba" rally in Miami, Florida, on April 26, 2026, to call for the departure of the Castros and t...
May 22, 2026•28 min•Ep. 2360
Everlane, the brand built on "radical transparency" and sustainable basics, is reportedly selling to ultra-fast-fashion giant Shein for $100 million. Elizabeth Cline , author of Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion (Penguin, 2012) and The Conscious Closet (Plume, 2019) , talks about her piece in The Atlantic, "Everlane, Shein, and the Limits of the Ethical Consumer," on what the sale reveals about so-called sustainable fashion and the limits of ethical consumerism. Photo: A cus...
May 22, 2026•27 min•Ep. 2362
Julia Moskin , food reporter for the New York Times, talks about New York's proposed ban on potassium bromate, a flour additive that gives New York pizza and bagels their distinct textures—and a possible carcinogen in humans. Photo: ESPN invites fans to get a bite of the NBA action at PopUp Bagels ahead of season tip-off on October 22, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for ESPN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collec...
May 22, 2026•13 min•Ep. 2363
Renita Francois , deputy mayor for community safety, talks about her job leading the newly established Mayor’s Office of Community Safety, focused on violence prevention. Photo: Members of a violence prevention team gather near a hookah lounge where three people were shot dead and 10 others wounded following a shooting at the Taste of the City lounge in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, early Sunday on August 19, 2025, in New York City. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWi...
May 21, 2026•34 min•Ep. 2355
Jonathan Lemire , co-host of Morning Joe on MSNOW; writer for MSNOW and staff writer for The Atlantic , talks about the late Barney Frank's advice for Democrats and other national political news of the day, including his analysis of how President Trump is changing as his second term continues, and why he thinks the president's age is less scrutinized than his predecessor's. Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump departs from Air Force One on May 20, 2026 at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. (Photo by Ch...
May 21, 2026•33 min•Ep. 2356
Kai Wright , host of the podcast Big Lives, and Carter Sherman , co-hosts of the new Guardian US video podcast Stateside With Kai and Carter , talk about recent stories in the news, including their take on the Supreme Court's voting rights decision, an ICE arrest that turned violent and more. Photo: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents patrol Terminal C at LaGuardia Airport on March 24, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images) Hosted by Simplecast, an A...
May 21, 2026•29 min•Ep. 2357
Reshma Ketkar , co-founder of the group We Start Here and the lead organizer for Stories without Borders, talks about the work the group We Start Here does to help people organize fundraising events for organizations that are important to them. Plus, listeners call in to talk about local fundraisers they've worked on, who they are supporting and why. Photo: A donation box at the entrance to the library. At the Fleetwood Area Public Library in Fleetwood, PA Thursday morning January 27, 2022. (Pho...
May 21, 2026•12 min•Ep. 2358
Andrew Weissmann , professor of practice at NYU School of Law, co-host of the podcast Main Justice and and the author of Liar’s Kingdom: How to Stop Trump’s Deceit and Save America (Little, Brown, 2026) , talks about the changes to the legal system needed to preserve US democracy. Photo: Sunira Moses, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....
May 20, 2026•19 min•Ep. 2350
Gregory Anderson , commissioner of the New York City Department of Sanitation, talks about his new role, and his department's work in enforcing the composting laws that are on the books. Photo: NYC Compost Project, collection bin, Queens, New York. (Lindsey Nicholson/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....
May 20, 2026•15 min•Ep. 2351
Kenneth C. Davis , author of Don't Know Much About History and Don't Know Much About Mythology (Harper Paperbacks 2020), quizzes listeners on how well they know their American history. Photo: Ad Meskens, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....
May 20, 2026•14 min•Ep. 2352
Meghan Sullivan , professor of philosophy at Notre Dame and founder of the Institute for Ethics and the Common Good, offers her take on the contemporary context for belief, or doubt, in God as religious affiliation largely declines in the U.S. Photo: Worshippers walk to a station during the Way of the Cross procession over the Brooklyn Bridge on April 03, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information abo...
May 20, 2026•15 min•Ep. 2353
Dr. Regina Lark , organizer and founder of A Clear Path, offers advice for how to clean out a parent's home, especially when grief is also a part of the picture. Photo: A woman creates piles of cookbooks she planned to purchase during the estate sale at the home of celebrity chef Barbara Lynch. (Photo by Craig F. Walker/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....
May 20, 2026•8 min•Ep. 2354
CBS has canceled "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert." As the show airs its final episodes, Bill Carter , editor at large for LateNighter.com, discusses what its loss says about today's media landscape. Photo: US comedian Stephen Colbert speaks onstage during the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Peacock Theatre at LA Live in Los Angeles on September 14, 2025. (Photo by VALERIE MACON / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz compan...
May 19, 2026•19 min•Ep. 2349
Katelyn Jetelina , founder and author of the newsletter Your Local Epidemiologist, talks about what public health authorities do and don't know about the strain of hantavirus on the MV Hondius cruise ship, what the risks are and what the reaction of US-based health officials has signaled about pandemic preparedness here. Photo: Specialist workers in full PPE carry boxes containing hazardous waste as they begin the process of disinfecting the cruise ship MV Hondius after it docked in the Port of ...
May 19, 2026•15 min•Ep. 2345
Kenneth C. Davis , author of Don't Know Much About History and Don't Know Much About Mythology ( Harper Paperbacks 2020), quizzes listeners on how well they know their American history. Photo: The White House pictured in June 2025. (Credit: Jack Walker/WNYC) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....
May 19, 2026•17 min•Ep. 2346
Melissa Kirsch , writer of the New York Times newsletter "The Good List," which gives recommendations and inspirations for living a more joyful and meaningful life, and writer of "The Morning" newsletter on Saturday, discusses her work and listeners call in about the new things they've tried that are bringing more joy and meaning to their lives. Photo: Stock image of joyful child running through a field. (Catherine Falls Commercial/Getty Creative) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pc...
May 19, 2026•8 min•Ep. 2347
As part of a series on "spring cleaning," Laura Kinsella , founder of Urban OrgaNYze, offers advice on how to stay organized despite the chaos of a kid-filled household. Photo: Stock image of identical twin boys in a very untidy bedroom covered in toys. (LPETTET/E+ via Getty Creative) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....
May 19, 2026•8 min•Ep. 2348
Clayton Guse , WNYC and Gothamist editor of the transit and infrastructure desk, and Stephen Nessen , WNYC and Gothamist transportation reporter, talk about the latest on the strike by Long Island Railroad workers. Photo: A Long Island Railroad train departs from Woodside, Queens en route to Penn Station in Manhattan. (Credit: Mtattrain/Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0 ) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for ...
May 18, 2026•22 min•Ep. 2339
David Graham , staff writer at The Atlantic and an author of the Atlantic daily newsletter, plus author of The Project: How Project 2025 Is Reshaping America (Random House Trade Paperbacks, 2025), offers analysis of FBI director Kash Patel's performance during Congressional testimony, plus how he says President Trump's recent gaffes may hurt the GOP. Photo: FBI Director Kash Patel attends the Las Vegas Grand Prix in Las Vegas, Nevada, Nov. 22, 2025. (Credit: Tia Dufour/U.S. Department of Homelan...
May 18, 2026•14 min•Ep. 2340
