Brian Lehrer: A Daily Politics Podcast
1,146 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 7 hours ago -Daily thoughtful conversation about the latest news and politics.
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Episodes
Landmark Union Vote Succeeds; Union Members For Biden and Trump
April 23, 2024 19:52 - 26 minutes - 24.1 MBJane McAlevey, labor organizer, columnist for The Nation and the author of several books, including (with Abby Lawlor)Rules to Win By: Power and Participation in Union Negotiations (Oxford University Press, 2023), reflects on her life's work in organizing and recent wins for labor, and what she sees as crucial for workers to do if they want to continue the positive streak for unions.
Of Protests and Passover: Noah Feldman on “To Be A Jew Today”
April 22, 2024 21:43 - 23 minutes - 21.8 MBAs Passover begins, Noah Feldman, Harvard law professor, founding director of the Julis-Rabinowitz Program on Jewish and Israeli Law, and the author of To Be a Jew Today: A New Guide to God, Israel, and the Jewish People (Macmillan, 2024), talks about his new book, inspired by his conversations with his children and even more relevant since 10/7, that tries to define what all Jews have in common.
The Cold War Is Over. Welcome To The “New Cold Wars”
April 18, 2024 18:55 - 24 minutes - 22 MBRecent history has shown how two global superpowers engage on the world stage. What changes when a third nation joins the mix? On Today's Show: David Sanger, White House and national security correspondent for The New York Times, talks about what he calls the new 'Cold Wars'—emphasis on the 's'—as the U.S., China and Russia vie for dominance.
Divided SCOTUS Might Let Hundreds of January 6th Rioters Off The Hook
April 18, 2024 14:27 - 23 minutes - 21.4 MBThe Supreme Court heard oral arguments concerning the law used to charge defendants for their actions on January 6th. On Today's Show: Kate Shaw, professor at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, co-host of the Supreme Court podcast Strict Scrutiny, a contributor with ABC News and a contributing opinion writer with The New York Times, offers her legal analysis.
Why Sen. Gillibrand Has A Child Care Bill Specifically For Police
April 16, 2024 19:24 - 24 minutes - 22.4 MBWhat is on Congress's radar after Iran's strike on Israel? On Today's Show: U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) talks about her work in Washington, including the war in Gaza, her bill for child care for police officers and more.
Doris Kearns Goodwin On The 1960s and Today
April 15, 2024 19:12 - 23 minutes - 21.7 MBHow are the politics and society of today similar to those of the 1960s? On Today's Show: Doris Kearns Goodwin, presidential historian, author of many books, including Team of Rivals and her latest, An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s (Simon & Schuster, 2024), writes about the life and times she shared with her late husband, Dick Goodwin, a speechwriter and advisor to JFK, RFK and LBJ.
Inflation, Bidenomics, And The 2024 Election
April 12, 2024 16:19 - 21 minutes - 19.6 MBThis election year, the politics of inflation will be a key issue for voters. On Today's Show: John Cassidy, staff writer at The New Yorker, talks about the latest inflation report and how both parties are responding.
Speaker Mike Johnson's Balancing Act Between the Right and the Far Right
April 11, 2024 17:59 - 23 minutes - 21.8 MBWith Congress facing a number of key issues, we explore the Rep. Mike Johnson's stewardship of the nation's business before the House of Representatives. On Today's Show: Luke Broadwater, congressional correspondent for The New York Times, talks about the latest congressional news, including the pressure on Speaker Johnson from the right over FISA, spending, foreign aid, and more.
New Biden Student Loan Forgiveness: We Explain Who’s Included
April 10, 2024 18:07 - 21 minutes - 19.9 MBThe White House says that President Biden’s new student loan forgiveness plan could help 30 million borrowers. On Today's Show: Danielle Douglas-Gabriel, national higher education reporter at the Washington Post, shares her reporting and unpacks the details.
Why Trump’s Abortion Video Needs Some Follow-Up Questions
April 09, 2024 18:04 - 20 minutes - 18.9 MBFormer President Trump recently stated that he thinks abortion policy should be left to the states, as many in the GOP are expressing support for a national 15-week abortion ban. On Today's Show: Molly Ball, senior political correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, talks about the 2024 election and abortion in light of recent developments
Employment Is “As Good As It Gets.” What Does It Means Politically?
April 08, 2024 17:41 - 23 minutes - 21.1 MBObjective economic indicators continue to show a mismatch with the public's perception of the state of the economy. On Today's Show: Megan Cassella, CNBC Washington correspondent, talks about Friday's jobs report, Treasury Sec. Yellen's trip to China, and other national political and economic news.
Biden and Trump React Differently To Gaza Aid Worker Killings
April 05, 2024 21:00 - 22 minutes - 20.3 MBPresident Biden has reportedly warned Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu the humanitarian situation in Gaza had to improve, following the killings of aid workers delivering food and supplies. On Today's Show: Yasmeen Abutaleb, Washington Post White House reporter and co-author of the book, Nightmare Scenario: Inside the Trump Administration Response to the Pandemic that Changed History (Harper, 2021), offers analysis of the U.S. policy toward Israel and Gaza
An Israeli Journalist Assesses The Hunger Relief Group Killings
April 03, 2024 19:13 - 24 minutes - 22.4 MBAn Israeli attack in Gaza has killed seven aid workers from the organization World Central Kitchen. On Today's Show: Allison Kaplan Sommer, a journalist for Haaretz and the host of the Haaretz podcast, talks about Israeli response to the deaths of the WCK aid workers, the state of U.S./Israel relations, and other developments in the Israel/Hamas war.
Why It Might Matter If We Label Trump A Fascist
April 02, 2024 18:44 - 23 minutes - 21.3 MBAs Donald Trump's rhetoric grows increasingly more inflammatory, debate surrounding whether or not to use the label 'fascist' heats up as well. On Today's Show: Andrew Marantz, staff writer at The New Yorker and author of Antisocial: Online Extremists, Techno-Utopians, and the Hijacking of the American Conversation (Viking, 2019), discusses his latest piece, which explores whether or not Trump is a fascist, and what that label conceals or reveals about his campaign and his supporters.
Biden vs. Trump Money Primary; Cesar Chavez Family vs. RFK Jr.
April 01, 2024 18:18 - 21 minutes - 19.5 MBThe Biden campaign is currently out-fundraising Trump, who needs money not only for the campaign but for his growing legal bills. On Today's Show: Rebecca Davis O'Brien, reporter covering campaign finance and money in U.S. elections for The New York Times, explains why it matters, who is giving campaign cash and the difference between what large and small donors want when they give money.
Kara Swisher on Covering Tech and Its Moguls
March 29, 2024 19:08 - 23 minutes - 21.3 MBOne of Silicon Valley's most intrepid journalists shares her analysis of how the tech business helps shape the digital products they producer which in turn, shape our lives. On Today's Show: Kara Swisher, tech journalist, host of the podcasts "On with Kara Swisher" and "Pivot" and the author of Burn Book: A Tech Love Story (Simon & Schuster, 2024), tells her story as it overlaps with that of the tech industry, and what's gone right and where it's gone wrong.
Boats, Bridges And The Safety Of Our Critical Infrastructure
March 28, 2024 20:14 - 16 minutes - 15.2 MBHow is critical infrastructure built and regulated—and what systems are in place to prevent an accident like the collision in Baltimore from happening in the future? On Today's Show: Peter Ford, founder of SkyRock Advisors, a port and maritime infrastructure advisor, and a member of the Cornell Program in Infrastructure Policy advisory board, and Brian Buckman, professional engineer and founder and CEO of Buckman Engineering, discuss maritime and bridge infrastructure.
Biden’s Billionaire Tax Is Popular. But It’s Not That Simple.
March 27, 2024 18:57 - 22 minutes - 20.6 MBA new Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll that shows President Biden seemed to have gotten a bump in some swing states after the State of the Union. On Today's Show: Laura Davison, politics editor at Bloomberg News, talks about the poll and what it suggests about the politics and policies that Biden touted, including the fact that that taxing the rich is a popular position among swing-state voters.
Assessing Airline Safety As Boeing's CEO Steps Down
March 26, 2024 16:27 - 21 minutes - 19.6 MBThe CEO of Boeing, Dave Calhoun, announced he will step down this year amid a management scandal. On Today's Show: Lori Aratani, reporter covering transportation issues for The Washington Post, breaks down what's going on at the fraught airline company and just how safe it is to fly.
Arabs and Jews Working Together For Israeli-Palestinian Peace
March 25, 2024 19:06 - 23 minutes - 21.1 MBWhen it comes to the war in Gaza, some Israelis and Palestinians have an an appetite for productive dialog about what peace and justice could look like for both peoples. On Today's Show: Alon-Lee Green and Rula Daood, national co-directors of Standing Together, talk about their work leading a group that advocates for peace and justice for all Israelis and Palestinians, and how they are approaching their work amid the war.
The Conservative Misinformation Campaign To Get Women Off Birth Control
March 22, 2024 21:05 - 21 minutes - 20 MBMisinformation on social media—some of it seeded by groups that are anti-reproductive rights—is leading women away from using birth control. On Today's Show: Lauren Weber, health and science accountability reporter at The Washington Post, explains how it is affecting women's choices and access to reproductive care.
Why We (and Even Ron DeSantis) Should Care About The Crisis In Haiti
March 21, 2024 13:38 - 23 minutes - 21.4 MBViolent gangs in Haiti have a history of violent interference in the country's democratic processes. On Today's Show: Garry Pierre-Pierre, founder and publisher of The Haitian Times, discusses the unfolding crisis in Haiti where gangs have ousted the president and wreaked havoc on the population.
Chef José Andrés On Getting Food Into Gaza
March 19, 2024 13:20 - 23 minutes - 21.6 MBWith multiple major global conflicts raging, a humanitarian chef discusses the importance of civilian aid and food distribution. On Today's Show: José Andrés, a Michelin-starred chef, Emmy-winning television host, founder of the non-profit organization World Central Kitchen and the author of Zaytinya: Delicious Mediterranean Dishes from Greece, Turkey, and Lebanon (Ecco, 2024), talks about his work on the ground in Ukraine and Gaza with World Central Kitchen and his new cookbook.
Wildly Different Reactions to Schumer’s Gaza Speech
March 18, 2024 13:43 - 20 minutes - 18.5 MBWhat domestic or foreign consequences will come of a speech given by the highest ranking Jewish American lawmaker in US history, criticizing Israel's leader? On Today's Show: Claudia Grisales, NPR Congressional correspondent, talks about the latest national politics news, including the reverberations of Sen. Schumer's remarks about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Worse Than Netanyahu? The Israeli Officials Who Schumer Criticized Most
March 15, 2024 13:00 - 20 minutes - 18.4 MBCalls for a 'ceasefire' in Gaza mean different things to different stakeholders. On Today's Show: Jon Alterman, senior vice president and director of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and Khaled Elgindy, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute and director of its Program on Palestine and Israeli-Palestinian Affairs, discuss what a ceasefire could look like, and why it's not just a simple question of making peace.
Highlights From Biden's Post-SOTU Interview With Jonathan Capehart
March 14, 2024 15:00 - 21 minutes - 19.4 MBAfter President Biden's State of the Union Address last Thursday, he began campaign trip to four swing states, taking a policy-laden victory lap after a successful speech. On Today's Show: Jonathan Capehart, associate editor at the Washington Post, host of the podcast "Capehart" and the Washington Post Live's "First Look," and host of The Saturday Show and The Sunday Show on MSNBC, talks about his interview with President Biden and other national political news.
What AOC and MTG Agree On: Don’t Ban Tik Tok
March 13, 2024 13:51 - 22 minutes - 20.5 MBThis morning, the House voted overwhelmingly to pass a TikTok 'ban,' which now faces an uphill battle in the Senate. On Today's Show: Drew Harwell, Washington Post technology reporter, talks about the reasons for the bill and what happens if the bill to ban the popular social media app or force its parent company to sell it passes.
Biden Versus Climate Change, Trump Versus Climate Science
March 12, 2024 12:18 - 21 minutes - 19.7 MBWith the 2024 election season heating up, we look at the campaigns, and at Biden's recent State Of The Union, to compare the candidates' records and rhetoric on climate change. On Today's Show: Scott Waldman, White House reporter focused on climate change at Politico's E&E News, compares President Biden's record on climate with former President Trump's, and shares what Trump says he will do if elected regarding energy and climate change.
No “Red Line” For Biden on Gaza War Military Aid
March 11, 2024 15:50 - 22 minutes - 20.3 MBIn the wake of the State of the Union, and amid further developments in the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, we take stock of Biden's foreign policy. On Today's Show: Susan Glasser, a staff writer at The New Yorker, where she writes a column on life in Biden's Washington and co-anchors a weekly roundtable discussion on "The Political Scene" podcast, and co-author with Peter Baker of The Divider: Trump in the White House, 2017-2021 (Doubleday, 2022), talks about the latest national political n...
Biden Lectures Bibi, Laughs At Republicans, In SOTU
March 08, 2024 15:40 - 22 minutes - 20.9 MBYesterday evening President Joe Biden delivered this year's State Of The Union speech, which centered on both pressing foreign policy concerns and critical matters of American democracy. On Today's Show: Tyler Pager, Washington Post White House reporter, offers analysis of President Biden's State of the Union address, amid high election year stakes.
The Battle For Haley Republicans and 'Uncommitted' Democrats Begins
March 08, 2024 10:11 - 17 minutes - 15.9 MBAfter Super Tuesday, a look at how the 2024 presidential candidates might be vying for low-enthusiasm members of their party in the coming months. On Today's Show: Errol Louis, political anchor of Spectrum NY1 News, host of Inside City Hall and The Big Deal with Errol Louis, New York Magazine columnist and host of the podcast "You Decide," shares his analysis of Super Tuesday results including breaking news that Nikki Haley has suspended her 2024 election campaign.
Unpacking The Results of California's Senate Primary
March 07, 2024 10:25 - 17 minutes - 16.5 MBCalifornia voters have decided that the Senate race in November's general election will pit Rep. Adam Schiff against Republican and former LA Dodgers star Steve Garvey. On Today's Show: Christian Paz, senior politics reporter for Vox, offers analysis of California's Senate primary.
Trump Indictments Meet Super Tuesday
March 05, 2024 13:59 - 21 minutes - 19.6 MBHow do the major legal cases facing the former president intersect with today's important primaries? On Today's Show: Melissa Murray, NYU law professor, co-host of the "Strict Scrutiny" podcast, and Andrew Weissmann, professor of practice at NYU School of Law who was the lead prosecutor in Robert Mueller’s Special Counsel's Office, authors of The Trump Indictments: The Historic Charging Documents with Commentary (W. W. Norton & Company, 2024), discuss the Supreme Court's ruling allowing Don...
Will Michigan’s “Uncommitted” Movement Spread on Super Tuesday
March 04, 2024 11:35 - 18 minutes - 17.3 MBAsma Khalid, White House correspondent for NPR and co-host of The NPR Politics Podcast, contributor to ABC News, talks about the latest national political news, including whether the "uncommitted" voters will become a bigger problem for President Biden, and more.
The Border Debate Is Politics. Here’s How Some Real People Are Living It.
March 01, 2024 13:43 - 15 minutes - 13.8 MBNews broke this week of two separate overcrowded locations in New York City housing dozens of migrants from Africa. On Today's Show: Amaha Kassa, founder and executive director of African Communities Together, talks about the challenges facing African asylum seekers in the city.
The Historic Presidential Campaigns Of Rev. Jesse Jackson
February 29, 2024 13:59 - 15 minutes - 14.1 MBOn Today's Show: For Black History Month, Clarence Lusane, professor and current director of the International Affairs program at Howard University, reflects on Jesse Jackson's two historic bids for the presidency.
Sen Gillibrand On Fetal Personhood in Alabama, And (Maybe) Nationwide
February 28, 2024 12:51 - 16 minutes - 14.9 MBNew York's junior senator provides her take on Alabama's recent 'fetal personhood' case, and what it could mean for reproductive health around the country. On Today's Show: U.S. Senator (D, NY) Kirsten Gillibrand talks about her work in Washington and more national politics.
What The “Saddam Hussein Tapes” Reveal About Our Two Iraq Wars
February 27, 2024 14:14 - 22 minutes - 20.7 MBHow did misunderstandings and miscommunications, including between the Bush administration and Saddam Hussein lead to the 2003 invasion of Iraq? On Today's Show: Steve Coll, an editor at The Economist in London, dean emeritus of the Columbia Journalism School, former president of New America, and the author of Ghost Wars and his new book, The Achilles Trap: Saddam Hussein, the C.I.A. and the Origins of America’s Invasion of Iraq (Penguin, 2024), traces the prelude to war over non-existent w...
No, Trans Girls Don’t Become Athletes To Bully Other Kids
February 26, 2024 15:22 - 22 minutes - 20.6 MBAs we close out the second month of the 2024 election year, numerous anti-trans laws have been enacted across the country. On Today's Show: Alejandra Caraballo, Clinical Instructor at Harvard Law School's Cyberlaw Clinic, looks at the latest in anti-trans policies including an executive order in Nassau County that targets young trans women athletes as well as Oklahoma’s anti-trans laws that are under new scrutiny after a 16 year old nonbinary child died a day after an altercation in their s...
What NJ Rep. Mikie Sherrill Saw At The Rafah Crossing
February 23, 2024 15:03 - 19 minutes - 17.9 MBAfter a recent visit to the region, a local congress member, Navy veteran and House Armed Services committee member shares her thoughts on the situation in Gaza. On Today's Show: U.S. Representative Mikie Sherrill (D, NJ-11) talks about U.S. foreign policy
Elie Mystal On Trump Immunity, Embryos As Legal Children, And More
February 22, 2024 16:52 - 23 minutes - 21.6 MBWith so much political news being bound up with legal cases and proceedings, we bring you some legal analysis. On Today's Show: Elie Mystal, justice correspondent for The Nation and the author of Allow Me to Retort: A Black Guy’s Guide to the Constitution (The New Press, 2022), breaks down the latest on Trump's legal woes, Alabama's ruling on IVF and more.
A Liberal Muslim Perspective on Gaza and the U.S.
February 21, 2024 13:18 - 21 minutes - 19.9 MBHow might the Israel-Hamas war impact the standing of the United States in the eyes of Muslim moderates around the world? On Today's Show: Mustafa Akyol, senior fellow at the Cato Institute focusing on Islam and modernity, and the author the forthcoming book The Islamic Moses: How the Prophet Inspired Jews and Muslims to Flourish Together and Change the World (St. Martin's Essentials, 2024), argues that perceived indifference to Palestinian suffering in Gaza is alienating the Islamic world...
AOC On Five Years Of The Green New Deal
February 20, 2024 13:55 - 28 minutes - 26.3 MBFive years ago this month, progressives in Congress began pursuing the passage of a legislative package known as the Green New Deal. On Today's Show: U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY 14th District), talks about the anniversary of the idea, its accomplishments so far, and the national and global priorities on climate change ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
Idrees Kahloon From The Economist On Putin, Trump And The Rise Of 'National Conservatism'
February 19, 2024 13:25 - 19 minutes - 18.2 MBDemocratic constituencies around the world appear happy to support 'strongman' style leaders, in the name of nationalism. On Today's Show: Idrees Kahloon, Washington bureau chief for The Economist, talks about his recent reporting on the rise of illiberal leaders, plus responses to the death of Alexei Navalny, the Munich Security Conference, Israel and Gaza and more.
Masha Gessen on Navalny, Ukraine and Putin
February 16, 2024 14:00 - 21 minutes - 20 MBRussian opposition leader, anti-corruption activist and political prisoner Alexei Navalny has died. On Today's Show: Masha Gessen, The New Yorker staff writer and the author of Surviving Autocracy (Riverhead Books, 2020), digests this news and offers analysis as Putin's war in Ukraine approaches its second anniversary.
Jon Stewart and Others Think We Need To Talk About The Candidates’ Age. Do You?
February 15, 2024 14:30 - 21 minutes - 19.7 MBLast week's news of comments from Special Counsel Robert Hur's report on Biden's age and mental agility hit a nerve. On Today's Show: Damon Linker, senior lecturer in political science at the University of Pennsylvania and writer of the Substack newsletter “Notes from the Middleground,” explains his argument expressed in a recently published piece for The Atlantic that "Democrats Should Pick a New Presidential Candidate Now."
How Democrat Tom Suozzi Won On Long Island And What It Does (and Doesn’t) Mean for November
February 14, 2024 13:38 - 24 minutes - 22.4 MBLast night, voters elected Tom Suozzi over Republican Mazi Pilip to replace disgraced House member George Santos in New York's 3rd congressional district. On Today's Show: Brigid Bergin, WNYC's senior political correspondent, and Randi Marshall, editorial board writer and columnist for Newsday, talk about the results of the special election.
The Backlash Against Building The Solar Energy Grid
February 13, 2024 13:35 - 22 minutes - 20.5 MBTo reach the target of 100% clean energy production by 2035, more wind and solar plants need to be built. On Today's Show: Elizabeth Weise, national correspondent for USA TODAY covering climate change and the energy transition, talks about her year-long investigation into why and how communities across the United States are banning wind and solar energy, despite clean energy goals and the consequences of a warming climate.
Biden's And Trump's Approaches To NATO, And Other Foreign Affairs
February 12, 2024 14:41 - 18 minutes - 17.2 MBRecent comments from former President Trump suggest that if re-elected, he would abandon the commitments inherent in the US's NATO membership. On Today's Show: Susan Page, USA Today Washington bureau chief and the author of Madam Speaker: Nancy Pelosi and the Lessons of Power (Twelve, 2021) and the forthcoming The Rulebreaker: The Life and Times of Barbara Walters (Simon & Schuster, 2024), rounds up the latest news from Biden's White House, the campaign trail, and more national headlines.
Should Colorado Get To Decide Whether Trump Can Run?
February 09, 2024 15:19 - 22 minutes - 20.6 MBYesterday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments over Colorado's decision to disqualify Trump from the primary ballot. On Today's Show: Emily Bazelon, staff writer for The New York Times Magazine, co-host of Slate's "Political Gabfest" podcast, Truman Capote fellow for creative writing and law at Yale Law School and author of Charged: The New Movement to Transform American Prosecution and End Mass Incarceration (Random House, 2019,) offers her legal analysis.