Brian Lehrer: A Daily Politics Podcast
1,193 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 days ago - ★★★★★ - 455 ratingsDaily thoughtful conversation about the latest news and politics.
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Episodes
What The UK and French Elections Mean For Europe
July 03, 2024 21:01 - 20 minutes - 18.4 MBIn France and Britain, two major upcoming elections this week are poised to overturn current, long-term ruling parties in both countries. On Today's Show: Sophie Pedder, Paris bureau chief at The Economist, and Andrew Palmer, Britain editor at The Economist, break down the latest on the UK general election, scheduled for July 4th, and the results of the first-out-of-two rounds of elections of the National Assembly in France.
Women, The GOP And The 2024 Election
July 02, 2024 19:10 - 23 minutes - 21.4 MBWe hear a rundown of some new reporting on women affiliated with the GOP, from members of Congress, to candidates around the country. On Today's Show: Rebecca Traister, writer at New York Magazine and author of Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women's Anger (Simon and Schuster, 2018), talks about her reporting on women in the Republican Party, and other national political news.
SCOTUS Hands Trump Political Win
July 01, 2024 20:31 - 18 minutes - 16.7 MBToday was the Supreme Court's final day of opinions, on immunity for former president Trump over his 'official' or 'unofficial' acts while in office that led to the Jan. 6 insurrection. On Today's Show: Aziz Huq, professor of law at the University of Chicago Law School and author of the forthcoming The Rule of Law: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press, 2024), offers legal analysis
Last Night's Debate: An Unofficial Callers' Focus Group Weighs In
June 28, 2024 19:41 - 37 minutes - 34.2 MBYesterday evening, President Biden struggled at times to deliver cohearant points, while former president Trump pushed numerous falsehoods on the CNN debate stage in Atlanta. On Today's Show: Sabrina Siddiqui, national politics reporter at The Wall Street Journal, offers analysis of Thursday night's debate between President Biden and former President Trump, and listeners weighed in with their perspectives on the future of the 2024 presidential election.
Questions CNN Might Be Asking Themselves Before Tonight’s Debate
June 27, 2024 17:31 - 26 minutes - 24.3 MBOn today's show: Peter Hamby, founding partner at Puck News and host of Snapchat's Good Luck America, previews the presidential debate between President Biden and Donald Trump.
SCOTUS Rules On Social Media 'Censorship,' Plus, More Debate Preview
June 26, 2024 19:07 - 11 minutes - 10.1 MBWe discuss the Supreme Court's latest decision, this one about the limits of government input on social media moderation policies 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," offers analysis of the ruling, and of the upcoming presidential debate between President Biden and former president Trump.
Is Biden or Trump Actually Better To Fight Inflation?
June 25, 2024 18:25 - 23 minutes - 21.2 MBWith the economy listed as a top priority for voters in the 2024 presidential election, we explore the candidates' records on money matters. On Today's Show: Jim Tankersley, New York Times White House correspondent with a focus on economic policy, discusses the economic policies Joe Biden and Donald Trump are pitching to voters ahead of Thursday's presidential debate.
Will CNN Cut Trump's Mic And Other Pre-Debate Questions
June 24, 2024 18:24 - 21 minutes - 19.4 MBThe first debate between President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump is set to take place next Thursday. On Today's Show: Azi Paybarah, national reporter covering campaigns and breaking politics news at The Washington Post, previews the debate and how each candidate is preparing, plus more on the national political headlines.
Law Prof Aziz Huq on Ten Commandments in Schools, SCOTUS Gun Decision
June 21, 2024 19:49 - 19 minutes - 17.8 MBWith the Supreme Court's ruling on gun rights and domestic violence this morning, and a new mandate in Louisiana to display the Ten Commandments in public school, we discuss the Bill Of Rights in practice. On Today's Show: Aziz Huq, professor of law at the University of Chicago and author of the forthcoming The Rule of Law: A very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press, 2024) offers legal analysis of the Supreme Court's recent opinions, and other legal news.
What Biden's Executive Order Means For DREAMers and Undocumented Spouses
June 20, 2024 17:47 - 20 minutes - 19 MBPresident Biden's latest executive action aims to help DACA recipients, and the undocumented spouses and stepchildren of American citizens. On Today's Show: Allan Wernick, senior legal advisor to CUNY Citizenship Now! - the City University of New York's free immigration law service program, explains in more detail what the orders are meant to do, and offers advice for callers in those groups.
Juneteenth Special: Harriet Tubman Was A Real Person, Not A Superhero
June 19, 2024 17:45 - 23 minutes - 21.7 MBThis Juneteenth, we explore the real human story behind the myths about Harriet Tubman, including her spirituality, her relationship with nature, and the disability she lived with while liberating so many enslaved people. On Today's Show: Tiya Miles, professor of history and former chair of the Charles Warren Center for Studies in American History at Harvard University and the National Book Award–winning author of All That She Carried, talks about her new book, Night Flyer: Harriet Tubman...
Senator Gillibrand: Trump Banned Bump Stocks. Will Senate Republicans Allow That To Stand?
June 18, 2024 19:24 - 18 minutes - 16.5 MBAfter the Supreme Court ruled a ban on "bump stocks," how are lawmakers in Congress thinking about the politics of gun policy? On Today's Show: U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D NY) talks about her work in Washington, including recent Supreme Court decisions and President Biden's immigration policies, and more.
Congressman (and Candidate) Bowman's Stance on the Israel-Hamas War
June 17, 2024 18:19 - 19 minutes - 18.2 MBThe Israel-Hamas War is a New York Democratic Primary issue. On today's show: Congressman (and Candidate) Jamaal Bowman (D-NY16) discusses his stance.
How the G7 Summit is the "Hottest Club" for World Leaders
June 14, 2024 19:16 - 25 minutes - 23.2 MBWorld leaders of the G7 are flocking to Italy for the annual G7 Summit, and so are world leaders from everywhere else. On today's show: Susan Glasser, 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), offers political analysis of the news coming out of the G-7 Summit, incl...
A Presidential Polling Update, And SCOTUS's Mifepristone Decision
June 13, 2024 18:11 - 21 minutes - 19.6 MBDuring today's live show, news broke that the Supreme Court upheld the FDA's approval of mifepristone, a medical abortion drug. On Today's Show: Listeners reflect on the news, and Aaron Blake, senior political reporter and author of "The Campaign Moment" newsletter for The Washington Post, shares his analysis, and discusses the latest primary results and what they might mean for November's races, and other national politics news.
The Israel/Hamas War As A NY Democratic Primary Issue
June 12, 2024 18:24 - 21 minutes - 19.6 MBThe conflict Gaza has created divisions within the Democratic party over human rights, and support for Israel. On Today's Show: George Latimer, Westchester County Executive challenging U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D, NY 16) in the New York State's June 25th primary, talks about his primary campaign and what he thinks the U.S.'s approach to this global conflict should look like.
George Packer on Phoenix as a Bellweather For Us All
June 11, 2024 17:38 - 24 minutes - 22 MBWhat makes a particular city in Arizona a good indicator of the future of both American democracy, as well as the climate crisis? On Today's Show: George Packer, staff writer at The Atlantic and the author Last Best Hope: America in Crisis and Renewal (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2021), reports on Phoenix as a test of the U.S.'s ability to respond to climate change, and other issues facing the nation?
Defending the Influx of Migrants
June 10, 2024 19:56 - 21 minutes - 20 MBLast week, President Biden issued an executive order that prevents migrants from seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border when crossings surge. On today's show: Murad Awawdeh, president and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), explains his opposition to the executive order and argues that the U.S. has historically resettled large numbers of asylum-seekers and needs additional pathways to legal immigration.
Tracie McMillan on Her Life’s “White Bonus”
June 07, 2024 19:04 - 21 minutes - 19.6 MBA new book explores attempts to put a price on whiteness, based on explorations of generational wealth and experience. On Today's Show: Tracie McMillan, journalist, former managing editor of City Limits and the author of The White Bonus: Five Families and the Cash Value of Racism in America (McMillan, 2024), traces the financial impact of historical benefits not afforded Black Americans on her own family and that of four others.
On D-Day, Europe is Freaking Out About a Second Trump Term
June 06, 2024 16:33 - 22 minutes - 20.9 MBEuropean officials are reportedly convinced that former president Trump Trump is going to win the election in November. On Today's Show: McKay Coppins, staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of Romney: A Reckoning (Simon & Schuster, 2023), shares his reporting, and why some foreign leaders are increasingly alarmed at the prospect.
Biden's Political Calculations On The Border, Cease Fire And More
June 05, 2024 18:14 - 20 minutes - 19.1 MBPresident Biden's executive action on the southern border, his son's trial and the latest on the role of the U.S. in cease fire negotiations between Israel and Hamas. On Today's Show: Jonathan Lemire, host of “Way Too Early" on MSNBC, Politico White House bureau chief, and the author of The Big Lie: Election Chaos, Political Opportunism, and the State of American Politics After 2020 (Flatiron Books, 2022), talks about the latest national political news
Progressives Aim to Expand Rights Through States
June 04, 2024 19:10 - 22 minutes - 20.7 MBAfter Dobbs and other Supreme Court decisions that restrict certain rights at the federal level, are there strategies for progressives to codify those rights at the state level? On Today's Show: Eyal Press, contributing writer at The New Yorker and the author of Dirty Work: Essential Jobs and the Hidden Toll of Inequality in America (Macmillan, 2021), talks about renewed efforts to focus on the rights found in individual state constitutions.
Trump v. Biden: Trials & TikTok
June 03, 2024 18:38 - 22 minutes - 20.3 MBBoth parties try to maximize the political advantage of Donald Trump's guilty verdicts in the Manhattan trial, as jury selection starts in the Hunter Biden case in federal court. On Today's Show: Jill Colvin, national political reporter for the Associated Press, talks about the political impact of the Trump verdict on the presidential campaign, the start of the Hunter Biden trial, and the campaigns' embrace of TikTok.
Andrea Bernstein on Covering The Trump Trial and What Comes Next
May 31, 2024 17:12 - 38 minutes - 35.1 MBYesterday afternoon, former President Donald Trump was found guilty on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. On Today's Show: Andrea Bernstein, journalist reporting on Trump legal matters for NPR, host of many podcasts including "Will be Wild" and "Trump, Inc." and the author of American Oligarchs: The Kushners, The Trumps and the Marriage of Money and Power (W. W. Norton & Company, 2020), reports on the guilty verdict for President Trump from her vantage point from the courtroo...
What The Trump Jurors Want To Hear Again
May 30, 2024 17:41 - 22 minutes - 20.4 MBDonald Trump's hush money case is currently being deliberated by the jurors after hearing weeks of arguments. On Today's Show: Andrew Weissmann, professor of practice at NYU School of Law, lead prosecutor in Robert Mueller’s Special Counsel's Office, co-author of The Trump Indictments: The Historic Charging Documents with Commentary (W. W. Norton & Company, 2024) and co-host of the podcast "Prosecuting Donald Trump," explains the central questions the jury is discussing as well as what impa...
Biden In Philly vs. Trump In The Bronx
May 29, 2024 19:32 - 23 minutes - 21.1 MBPresidential polls showing a decline in popularity since 2020 for Pres. Biden among younger voters, as well as Black and Latino voters -- traditionally groups that vote for Democrats. On Today's Show: Eric Levitz, senior correspondent at Vox, shares his theory behind the change and the role trust in institutions plays a big part.
Did Trump and Big Oil Make a Billion Dollar Deal?
May 28, 2024 18:43 - 19 minutes - 18.1 MBFormer president Trump is reportedly offering a 'deal to big oil companies that could save industry $110 billion in exchange for campaign donations. On Today's Show: Dharna Noor, fossil fuels and climate reporter at Guardian US, shares her investigative series on "Big Oil," including debunking top oil firms' climate pledges and more.
Why The Supreme Court Smiles On Partisan Gerrymandering
May 24, 2024 19:07 - 21 minutes - 19.6 MBThe Supreme Court issued a ruling that will allow a gerrymander in South Carolina to stand, on the basis that it was done for partisan, not racial, reasons. On Today's Show: Ari Berman, voting rights correspondent for Mother Jones and author of Minority Rule: The Right-Wing Attack on the Will of the People—and the Fight to Resist It (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2024), explains how this will affect voters in South Carolina and beyond, and explains the larger voting rights context of the deci...
Fareed Zakaria And The Revolutions Past And Present That Shape Our World
May 21, 2024 16:49 - 20 minutes - 19.1 MBHow have the turbulent periods of the past shaped the present, and what can they tell us about how to move into the future? On Today's Show: Fareed Zakaria, Washington Post columnist, host of CNN’s "Fareed Zakaria GPS," and the author of Age of Revolutions: Progress and Backlash from 1600 to the Present (W. W. Norton & Company, 2024), looks back at other turbulent eras for insights into navigating this one.
Jen Psaki on Being Biden’s Press Secretary and The Upcoming Debate
May 20, 2024 20:46 - 17 minutes - 16.2 MBBriefing the press, framing the President's agenda, and deciding on the political messaging of a presidency are all part of the job for the White House Press Secretary. On Today's Show: Jen Psaki, former White House press secretary, MSNBC host, and the author of Say More: Lessons from Work, the White House, and the World (Simon & Schuster, 2024), offers advice on effective communication in Washington, and beyond.
What The Politics of Grievance Might Mean For Democracy
May 16, 2024 20:36 - 15 minutes - 14.5 MBWhy are "grievances" big and small motivating so much of our politics -- on both the left and the right, and what does it mean for democracy? On Today's Show: Frank Bruni, New York Times op-ed columnist and the author of The Age of Grievance (Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster, 2024), discusses.
Nicholas Kristof, After Covering Despair, Makes A Case For Hope
May 15, 2024 16:58 - 15 minutes - 13.8 MBAfter reporting from some of the most troubled corners of the earth, our guest discusses the intersection of hope, and journalism. On Today's Show: Nicholas Kristof, opinion columnist for The New York Times and author of several books, including the new memoir Chasing Hope (Penguin Random House, 2024), reflects on his long career covering tough stories, including war, genocide and addiction, and explains how he remains optimistic despite it all.
The 'Most Contentious' and Maybe Most Important Democratic Primary Debate
May 14, 2024 18:58 - 24 minutes - 22.3 MBWestchester County Executive George Latimer and incumbent Congressman Jamaal Bowman, who are vying for the Democratic nomination in New York's 16th Congressional district. On Today's Show: Tara Rosenblum, anchor, host and reporter for News 12, and Chris McKenna, reporter at The Journal News and lohud.com, recap the debate in what Politico called, "likely the most contentious in the nation."
Confused About Biden’s Israel Arms Policy? We Try to Explain
May 13, 2024 16:45 - 21 minutes - 19.9 MBAmid back-and-forth over declined ceasefire terms, we look at the US's position on the conflict in Gaza. On Today's Show: Francesca Chambers, a White House Correspondent for USA Today, talks about the news from Washington and beyond.
A Bipartisan Vote On The Speaker Of The House
May 10, 2024 19:34 - 23 minutes - 21.6 MBNicholas Wu, Politico congressional reporter, talks about the latest news coming out of Congress, including the bipartisan vote that kept Mike Johnson as Speaker of the House.
The Biden Admin Wants To Spend $1.6 Trillion Before November. It's Easier Said Than Done.
May 09, 2024 20:13 - 22 minutes - 20.9 MBPresident Biden is staking his legacy, and his reelection campaign, on massive amounts of domestic spending, spurred by the passage of four major laws. But a Politico analysis found billions of dollars Congress approved by passing these bills has not yet been spent. On Today's Show: Jessie Blaeser, data reporter at Politico, and Ben Storrow, reporter at Politico's E&E News, explain the delays, and why they are a threat both to the president's legacy and his reelection.
How China Passed The “Jello” Test For Suppressing Democracy
May 07, 2024 18:18 - 24 minutes - 22.2 MBWhat does it mean that global forces like China and Russia and the domestic MAGA movement are working to discredit democracy? On Today's Show: Anne Applebaum, staff writer atThe Atlantic, historian and author of the forthcomingAutocracy Inc. (Penguin, 2024), talks about herAtlanticcover story, “Democracy Is Losing the Propaganda War," about the rise of autocracy around the world.
Strange Bedfellows in Congress on Anti-Semitism Act and Fate of Mike Johnson
May 06, 2024 19:31 - 26 minutes - 24.7 MBCongress has taken on the "complicated" task of legislating antisemitism. Annie Karni, congressional correspondent at The New York Times, talks about the latest national political news of the week, including legislation that recently passed the House on antisemitism, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's latest attempt to oust Speaker Mike Johnson and more.
Biden and Schumer’s Election Year Cannabis Moves
May 03, 2024 20:14 - 17 minutes - 15.7 MBThe Department of Justice plans to change the way the federal government classifies cannabis, which will loosen restrictions on weed. Natalie Fertig, federal cannabis policy reporter for Politico, reports on the change, including how it will affect people, businesses and research in states where cannabis is legal (and not).
Cease-Fire Talks Update As Blinken Tries To Close A Deal
May 02, 2024 17:45 - 23 minutes - 21.8 MBAaron David Miller, senior fellow in the American Statecraft Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, former State Department advisor on the Middle East, and the author of several books, including The Much Too Promised Land: America’s Elusive Search for Arab-Israeli Peace (Bantam, 2008), talks about the current state of ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas and the best pathways to peace in the region. Plus, he reacts to President Biden's live remarks on the ...
NJ Rep. Mikkie Sherril On Abortion Nationwide, And Campus Protests In Her District
May 01, 2024 18:21 - 22 minutes - 20.4 MBWith pro-Palestinian protests going on in her district, U.S. Representative Mikie Sherrill (D, NJ-11) reacts to the news overnight of police arresting campus protesters, and discusses her priorities related to reproductive rights and the National Defense Reauthorization Act.
Should Biden Agree To Debate Trump?
April 29, 2024 17:59 - 20 minutes - 19.2 MBHow would a moderator handle a potential debate matchup between President Biden and former President Trump in order to make the most of the event for voters? On Today's Show: Susan Page, USA Today Washington bureau chief shares the latest national political news, including the White House Correspondents Dinner and Pres. Biden's agreement to a debate against former President Trump.
Nicholas Kristof On Biden Blind Spots, Double Standards, Campus Protesters
April 26, 2024 18:58 - 24 minutes - 22.2 MBNicholas Kristof, opinion columnist for The New York Times and author of several books, including the forthcoming memoir Chasing Hope (Penguin Random House, 2024), shares his critique of how he says President Biden has mishandled the United States' role in Israel's war in Gaza, what he sees as Biden's reasoning, the political implications and what the United States could do moving forward to end the war.
Has The Supreme Court “Already Botched” Today’s Trump Immunity Case?
April 25, 2024 15:22 - 21 minutes - 19.3 MBMelissa Murray, NYU law professor, co-host of the "Strict Scrutiny" podcast and the co-author (with Andrew Weissmann) of The Trump Indictments: The Historic Charging Documents with Commentary (W. W. Norton & Company, 2024), previews the oral arguments the Supreme Court will hear on former President Trump's immunity case.
Where Trump Jurors Get Their News
April 24, 2024 18:11 - 26 minutes - 24 MBOne key part of the juror questionnaire in former President Donald Trump's "hush money" trial asked about the prospective jurors' media diets, which showed some interesting responses. On Today's Show: Erica Orden, Politico reporter, recaps what has happened so far at the juror selection and the consequent start of the trial, where David Pecker, the former publisher for the National Enquirer, testified about that publication's "catch and kill" strategy to suppress negative stories about peop...
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.