WNYC’s election series “America, Are We Ready?” looks at the presidential candidates’ different approaches to caregiving. Kimberly Adams, senior Washington correspondent for Marketplace and the co-host of the Marketplace podcast, “Make Me Smart", and Heather Long, Washington Post opinion columnist, discuss the policies proposed by Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, and listeners share their stories.

In this membership-drive mini-series, Tommy Silk, a licensed New York sightseeing guide, @LandmarksofNY on Instagram, and the author of Hidden Landmarks of New York: A Tour of the City's Most Overlooked Buildings (Black Dog & Leventhal, 2024), joins us to talk about some of the lesser-known historically significant buildings of NYC. Today, buildings that feature prominently in works of fiction -- like Stuart Little's house and the Ghostbusters firehouse. 

Dana Milbank, columnist for The Washington Post and the author of Fools on the Hill: The Hooligans, Saboteurs, Conspiracy Theorists and Dunces who Burned Down the House (Little, Brown and Company, 2024), talks about his new book and the congressional races.

In honor of WNYC's centennial, Brian quizzes listeners on topics covered in the centennial series "100 Years of 100 Things." Today's quiz focuses on the history of women and voting.

Brittany Kriegstein, breaking news reporter at WNYC / Gothamist, reports from the Liberty's ticker-tape parade on how the championship team and their fans are celebrating, and Greg Young, creator and co-host of the Bowery Boys podcast, talks about the history of ticker-tape parades in New York City.

Brooke Gladstone, and Micah Loewinger, co-hosts of WNYC's On The Media, talk about what’s been different in the media during this presidential election cycle compared to the last two including how the press is covering Trump, the effect of influencers and what $1 billion dollars in campaign funds buys.

In honor of WNYC's centennial, Brian quizzes listeners on topics covered in the centennial series "100 Years of 100 Things." Today's quiz focuses on stats from our "100 Things" segment on making a living without a college degree, and Nobel Peace Prize winners.

As our centennial series continues, Mary Ziegler, UC Davis law professor and the author of Roe: The History of a National Obsession (Yale University Press, 2023) and the forthcoming Personhood: The New Civil War over Reproduction (Yale University Press, 2025), reviews the history of abortion law in the U.S.

In this membership-drive mini-series, Tommy Silk, a licensed New York sightseeing guide, @LandmarksofNY on Instagram, and the author of Hidden Landmarks of New York: A Tour of the City's Most Overlooked Buildings (Black Dog & Leventhal, 2024), joins us to talk about some of the lesser-known historically significant buildings of NYC. Today, Today, we hear stories about buildings involved in buying and selling.=>EVENT:  Join Tommy Silk in conversation with Jack Coyne at Grace Church Wednesday, 10/23 at 6:30pm.  Reservations requested.

Mayor Adams holds one off-topic press conference per week, in which reporters are free ask him questions on any subject. Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, recaps this weeks news conference with clips and analysis. Topics this week include crime statistics and Donald Trump's words of support for Eric Adams at the Al Smith dinner last week.

In this membership-drive mini-series, Tommy Silk, a licensed New York sightseeing guide, @LandmarksofNY on Instagram, and the author of Hidden Landmarks of New York: A Tour of the City's Most Overlooked Buildings (Black Dog & Leventhal, 2024), joins us to talk about some of the lesser-known historically significant buildings of NYC. Today, we hear about some of private homes all around the city, landmarked for their significance or the accomplishments of people who lived there.=>EVENT:  Join Tommy Silk in conversation with Jack Coyne at Grace Church Wednesday, 10/23 at 7pm.  Reservations requested.

Jonathan Alter, MSNBC analyst, author of the Substack newsletter Old Goats, and the book American Reckoning: Inside Trump’s Trial―and My Own  (BenBella Books, 2024), reflects on the felony trial of Donald Trump as one of the few journalists in the courtroom and as a presidential historian.

New York City's mandatory composting program, which is already operational in Brooklyn and Queens, is expanding to Manhattan, Staten Island and the Bronx. Hilary Howard, New York Times reporter covering how the New York City region is adapting to climate change and other environmental challenges, breaks down how residents and landlords can get on board, what's compostable and when the program will start being enforced.Note: During the segment, our guest noted that composting experts don't recommend using bags marketed as "biodegradable" to dispose of food waste, either for curbside composting or the smart composting bins found on the street. The Department of Sanitation reached out to clarify that those bags ARE permitted in both curbside compost bins and the smart bins. DSNY said the bags are removed during processing, and that paper, compostable or clear plastic bags are all acceptable. 

In honor of WNYC's centennial, Brian quizzes listeners on topics covered in the centennial series "100 Years of 100 Things." Today's quiz focuses on Republican presidential candidates.

Jessica Grose, opinion writer at The New York Times and the author of Screaming on The Inside: The Unsustainability of American Motherhood (Mariner Books, 2022), offers analysis of young men's relationship with feminism, and how that is related to their voting patterns.

In honor of WNYC's centennial, Brian quizzes listeners on topics covered in the centennial series "100 Years of 100 Things." Today's quiz focuses on Democratic presidential candidates.

David Remnick, editor of The New Yorker and the host of The New Yorker Radio Hour, talks about this year's New Yorker Festival, and the election.

Maya King, politics reporter covering the Southeast at The New York Times, breaks down the latest political news from the swing state of Georgia, which has seen record-high early voting turnout numbers.

As our centennial series continues, Jennifer Piscopo, professor of gender and politics and director of the Gender Institute at the Royal Holloway University of London and the co-editor of The European Journal of Politics and Gender, looks at the history of women and voting, since the 19th amendment gave them the right to vote in 1920."How Women Vote: Separating Myth From Reality" (Smithsonian Magazine, October 6, 2020)

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.100 Years of 100 Things: Teaching Indigenous People's Stories  (First) | Celebrating Italian Heritage (Without Columbus) (Starts at 29:00) | A History of ADHD and its Treatment (Starts at 43 :00)If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

Malcolm Gladwell, host of the podcast Revisionist History and author of many books, including Revenge of the Tipping Point: Overstories, Superspreaders, and the Rise of Social Engineering (Little, Brown and Company, 2024) talks about his new work which follows up on his breakthrough book, The Tipping Point, with a more sobering look at social "epidemics."

Caridad De La Luz, aka La Bruja, an Emmy-winning poet, activist, actor and executive director of the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, and David D. Rodriguez, NJPAC’s EVP and executive producer, talk about the 20th Dodge Poetry Festival underway in downtown Newark and its new mission of sparking social change through poetry.

Dan Garodnick, director of the New York City Department of City Planning, makes his case for City of Yes as City Council hearings on this key Eric Adam's initiative draw near.

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, talks about the campaigns in the swing Congressional districts on Long Island and in the Hudson Valley.

Is there a way to celebrate Italian American heritage without Columbus? Listeners weigh in.

Julio Vaqueiro, Noticias Telemundo anchor, and Daniel Alarcón, editor of the podcast series and executive producer at Radio Ambulante Studios, talk about their new podcast series: El Péndulo. The show looks at the issues that are important to Latino voters, especially in swing states, and how voters there see the presidential candidates.

WNYC’s election series “America, Are We Ready?” looks at the presidential candidates’ different approaches to housing costs. Kimberly Adams, senior Washington correspondent for Marketplace and the co-host of the Marketplace podcast, “Make Me Smart", and Jerusalem Demsas, Atlantic staff writer focusing on housing policy, discuss the policies proposed by Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, and listeners tell us where they stand.

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, including how the embattled Mayor is hoping to restore trust with two new public safety appointments and more. 

As our centennial series continues, Darryl Pinckney, a long time contributor to The New York Review of Books and the author of Blackballed: The Black Vote and US Democracy (New York Review of Books, 2015 & 2020), among others, examines the history of Black voting, from ballot access to party affiliations.

Tom Nichols, staff writer at The Atlantic and an author of the Atlantic Daily newsletter, talks about his cover story in the November edition of the magazine, "The Moment of Truth," explaining why he sees another Trump presidency as a fundamental challenge to norms that stretch back to George Washington.

U.S. Representative Mike Lawler (R, NY-17) makes his pitch to voters as he runs for reelection in New York's 17th Congressional district.=> Campaign website

Leon Neyfakh and Arielle Pardes talk about their new podcast, Backfired: Attention Deficit, which chronicles the history of ADHD, why diagnoses have shot up, and how it's treated. 

Mondaire Jones, former representative of New York's 17th congressional district, now running to regain the seat, makes his case for going to Washington once again.=> Campaign website 

Maxine Joselow, climate reporter at The Washington Post and author of The Climate 202 newsletter, discusses the misinformation spread on the right about the origins of recent hurricanes and FEMA disaster money, which is causing factions in the GOP and holding up disaster relief.

Jim Small, editor in chief of The Arizona Mirror, an independent, nonprofit news organization, talks about the issues animating voters in the swing state of Arizona, and what the polls show about the chances that Trump and Harris have of winning the state.

Astrophysicist and science educator at the American Museum of Natural History, Jackie Faherty, talks about comets, planets and constellations visible this season, plus the aurora borealis that made a rare appearance in the NYC sky. 

As our centennial series continues, Irene Kearns, digital program manager for Native Knowledge 360° at the National Museum of the American Indian, part of the Smithsonian Institution, talks about how indigenous people's history and stories have been taught and how that's changed.

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 latest numbers on wage growth, plus the business community's response to the legal problems at City Hall.

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.Al Sharpton on Adams & the Presidential Race (First) | Revisiting John & Yoko's Week with The Mike Douglas Show (Starts at 21:00) | Breast Cancer Awareness Month (Starts at 36:00)If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

On the day the Nobel Committee awards the Peace Prize, Gideon Rose, adjunct senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), the former editor of Foreign Affairs and author of How Wars End (Simon & Schuster, 2010), looks at this year's recipient and back through its impact over the last century, as part of our ongoing centennial series.

An October report from the American Cancer Society says that death rates from breast cancer are going down, but more women under 50 are being diagnosed with the disease. Lisa Newman, MD, surgical oncologist, chief of the section of breast surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, discusses the latest research and what science says about breast cancer prevention.

The Mets, Yankees and Liberty are all in the playoffs. Kavitha Davidson, sportswriter and host of the podcast Sportly, talks about the excitement New York sports fans are feeling, plus comments on the controversy surrounding the head coach of the Jets who was recently fired. 

Last week, the Biden administration announced the end of the parole program, which granted migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela permits to stay in the United States. Maria Sacchetti, immigration reporter for The Washington Post, explains what brought about the change in policy and what's in store for migrants living in the US due to this program.

WNYC’s election series “America, Are We Ready?” looks at the presidential candidates’ different approaches to healthcare costs. Kimberly Adams, senior Washington correspondent for Marketplace and the co-host of the Marketplace podcast “Make Me Smart",  and Julie Rovner, chief Washington correspondent at KFF Health News, talk about drug prices, the insurance system and the healthcare policies of the candidates.

Nancy Solomon, WNYC reporter and editor, and host of the “Ask Governor Murphy” monthly call-in show, recaps her conversation with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, where they talked about teenagers voting in school board elections, a new wind farm off the coast of the Jersey Shore and more.

Jeffrey Schlegelmilch, director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness (NCDP) at Columbia University's Climate School and the author of Rethinking Readiness: A Brief Guide to Twenty-First-Century Megadisasters (Columbia University Press, 2020), talks about the emergency response to Hurricane Milton, so soon after Helene, as we hear from callers affected by the storm.

On John Lennon's birthday, Erik Nelson, documentary filmmaker, talks about his new documentary "Daytime Revolution" about the week in 1972 when John & Yoko co-hosted, and programmed, the daytime talk show, The Mike Douglas Show. 

As our centennial series continues, Annelies Goger, an economic geographer and a fellow with the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program, and Justin Heck, research director at Opportunity@Work, look at the history of non-college employment and where it stands today.

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 as the administration continues to deal with the fallout from his indictment and the resignations of many staffers. 

Democrat Andy Kim and Republican Curtis Bashaw held a debate in an important New Jersey Senate race. Brent Johnson, political reporter in the Statehouse bureau of The Star-Ledger and NJ.com, summarizes the key moments in that debate and reports on the latest in the race.

As a part of the Wall Street Journal's "About Face" column, author Roxana Robinson discusses her decision to stop dyeing her hair after previously covering her grays. Listeners continue this conversation by sharing when they decided to opt out of anti-aging treatments. 

Rev. Al Sharpton, civil rights leader, host of MSNBC’s PoliticsNation, founder and president of the National Action Network (NAN) and the author of Righteous Troublemakers: Untold Stories of the Social Justice Movement in America (Hanover Square Press, 2022), offers his take on the latest developments with the Adams administration, plus talks about the presidential campaigns.

Some parts of the U.S. that were formerly deemed as safe havens from the impacts climate change were hit by Hurricane Helene recently. Manuela Andreoni, writer for The New York Times Climate Forward newsletter, talks about how there are likely no states that are exempt from climate change.

Melissa Murray, NYU law professor and co-host of the podcast Strict Scrutiny, looks at the cases the Supreme Court will hear this term and the news from the Court this week.

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) makes the case for reading and offers a curated guide to some of the best and most provocative key works of nonfiction.

As our centennial series continues, Madeline Hsu, professor of history and director of the Center for Global Migration Studies at the University of Maryland, and an editor of the 2-volume Cambridge History of Global Migrations (Cambridge University Press, 2023), A Nation of Immigrants Reconsidered: U.S. Society in an Age of Restriction, 1924-1965 (University of Illinois Press, 2019), and the author of Asian American History: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press, 2016), examines U.S. law and policies from The Immigration Act of 1924 to the present.

Charlie Sykes, founder of The Bulwark, MSNBC contributor, author of the newsletter "To the Contrary" and author of How the Right Lost Its Mind (St. Martin's Press, 2017) talks about the issues animating voters in the swing state of Wisconsin, Liz Cheney's appearance there with Kamala Harris and what the polls show.

Franklin Foer, staff writer at the Atlantic, shares his reporting on the past year of President Biden's and Secretary of State Antony Blinken's failed attempts to negotiate a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, the release of more hostages and prevent a wider war.

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.The Latest on Mayor Adams's Indictment (First) | Fall Foliage 101 (Starts at 28:1  0) | 100 Years of 100 Things: The Jewish Vote (Starts at 42:45)If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

As Election Day approaches, Blair Horner, Executive director of New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) explains why knocking on doors is an effective way to get out the vote as listeners call in with their experiences canvassing for their preferred candidate.

Former President Trump has threatened to retaliate against political opponents if he wins in November.  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) shares reporting on how and whether he would be able to follow through.

Eric Gonzalez, Brooklyn DA, talks about his office's work on overturning convictions, since they have just recommended the exoneration of the 40th person since the unit's work began, public safety in the borough as the number of shootings has gone down and more.

Sarah Smarsh, journalist and author of Bone of the Bone: Essays on America by a Daughter of the Working Class (Scribner, 2024),  talks about her new book and the way rural, red-state and working-class America is portrayed in life and politics.

A recent study from the Department of Labor found that "among college-educated immigrants, 44 percent of refugees and asylees experience education-occupation mismatch or are unemployed." Kit Taintor, Senior Director of US Policy and Programs at World Education Services (WES) and John Hunt, Assistant Dean for Pre-College Academic Programs at LaGuardia Community College, discuss the findings of the study and the program at LaGuardia Community College that helps immigrants integrate into the workforce.

Allie Volpe, senior reporter at Vox offers some guidance for helping people dealing with the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene. 

Recent data shows that more women ages 25 to 34 have entered the U.S. workforce in recent years than ever, but the share of young men in the labor market hasn’t grown in a decade. Rachel Wolfe, economics reporter for The Wall Street Journal explains the findings and why young adult men are feeling more aimless and isolated than before.

Peter S. Goodman, reporter who covers the global economy for The New York Times and author of How the World Ran Out of Everything: Inside the Global Supply Chain  (Mariner Books, 2024) explains why the longshoremen are striking, and how a prolonged work stoppage at the ports could affect the supply chain and the broader economy.  

 As our centennial series continues, Kenneth Wald, professor of political science at the University of Florida and the author of several books, including the forthcoming The Ghosts on the Wall: A Grandson's Memoir of the Holocaust (Amsterdam Publishers, November 9, 2024), talks about the past 100 years of history the Jewish vote in the United States.

Meredith Lee Hill, food and agriculture policy reporter for Politico, offers analysis of the vice presidential debate between Tim Walz and JD Vance.

Every week, Mayor Adams holds one off-topic press conference in which reporters are free to ask questions on any subject. Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, recaps this week's news conference—the first since the mayor's indictment—with clips and analysis.

Marielle Anzelone, urban botanist and ecologist and the founder of NYC Wildflower Week, explains the science behind leaves changing colors in autumn as listeners share their favorite "leaf-peeping" spots.

Rachael Bedard, MD, geriatrician, palliative care doctor and a writer, talks about how a Trump win - and the likelihood for a plum position in the administration for RFK, Jr. - would harm public health.

John Marks, social entrepreneur, founder of Search for Common Ground and Common Ground Productions, founder and managing director of Confluence International, visiting scholar at Leiden University and the author of From Vision to Action: Remaking the World Through Social Entrepreneurship (Columbia University Press, 2024), talks about his work in conflict resolution and finding common ground.

Christopher Flavelle, reporter covering climate adaptation for the New York Times, tells us about making the switch to a climate-friendly heat pump in his own home and helps listeners understand the benefits—and upfront costs.→ A Heat Pump Can Cut Your Emissions. But Read This Before You Switch. 

Jonathan Alter, MSNBC analyst, author of the Substack newsletter Old Goats, and author of several books, including His Very Best: Jimmy Carter, a Life (Simon & Schuster, 2020) and the forthcoming American Reckoning: Inside Trump's Trial--and My Own (BenBella Books, 2024) reflects on former President Jimmy Carter's life as he is about to turn 100 years old. 

Zoe Clark, political director at Michigan Public and co-host of the podcast It's Just Politics, talks about the issues that voters in Michigan care about, and what the polls show about the chances that Trump and Harris have of winning the state.

Elie Mystal, justice correspondent and columnist for The Nation magazine and host of the new podcast, “Contempt of Court with Elie Mystal,” and author of Allow Me to Retort: A Black Guy's Guide to the Constitution (New Press, 2022) offers legal and political analysis of Mayor Adams's indictment and related troubles.

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.Unpacking the indictment of Mayor Eric Adams (First) | The last hundred years of crime and punishment in America (Starts at 45:45) | The science on a good night's sleep and our internal clocks (Starts at 1:24:40)If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

Abby Maxman, president and CEO of Oxfam America, debriefs the UNGA and talks about Oxfam's recent work on the ground in Ukraine, Gaza and South Sudan.

Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, shares details from the indictment of Mayor Adams, how he is reacting and what might come next for him and the city. Then, Richard Briffault, professor of law at Columbia Law School, offers analysis of the five-count indictment, which included charges related to conspiracy, wire fraud and bribery. 

City employees call in with their takes on the charges filed against mayor Eric Adams for bribery and fraud.

Kamala Harris laid out her economic pitch to voters this week. Heather Long, Washington Post opinion columnist, discusses the plan, and whether she thinks it will attract enough of the voters she needs to win.

Brad Lander, New York City Comptroller, shares his reaction to the news that Mayor Adams has been indicted.

Andrew Weissmann, professor of practice at NYU School of Law, lead prosecutor in Robert Mueller’s Special Counsel's Office and the co-author of The Trump Indictments: The Historic Charging Documents with Commentary (W. W. Norton & Company, 2024), reacts to U.S. Attorney Damian Williams's statements on Eric Adams's indictment.

John Liu, New York State senator (D 11, Queens), chair of the NYC Education Committee, shares his reaction to the news that Mayor Adams has been indicted.

Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, reports on the news that Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted.

Last week the MTA released its proposed $68.4 billion capital plan, which laid out what it needs for crucial infrastructure maintenance and some upgrades, but with congestion pricing indefinitely paused, it's unclear where the money will come from. John "Janno" Lieber, chair and CEO of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), talks about the plan and how the MTA may pay for it.  

Brigid Bergin, WNYC's senior political correspondent, talks about what we know so far about the news that Mayor Adams has been indicted. Then, a reaction from Christine Quinn, president & CEO of Win, the largest provider of shelter and supportive services for homeless families in New York City. And, Elie Honig, senior legal analyst at CNN, New York Magazine columnist, former New Jersey and federal prosecutor and author of Untouchable: How Powerful People Get Away With it (Harper, 2023), offers legal analysis of what we know so far about the case against Mayor Eric Adams.

As our centennial series continues, Khalil Gibran Muhammad, history, race and public policy professor at the Harvard Kennedy School, director emeritus of the Schomburg Center, author of The Condemnation of Blackness: Race, Crime, and the Making of Modern Urban America (Harvard University Press, 2nd ed. 2019), reviews the past century of crime and incarceration.

Every week, Mayor Adams holds one off-topic press conference in which reporters are free to ask questions on any subject. Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, recaps this week's news conference with clips and analysis. Topics this week include: resignations from schools chancellor David Banks and other Adams administration members, the latest on investigations into mayor Adams and his orbit, and a record slowdown in EMS response times.  

Ruth Igielnik, polling editor at the New York Times, discusses the trends and stories within polling of undecided voters as Kamala Harris and Donald Trump vie for their allegiances.

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), talks about how Trump-aligned Republicans in certain states are working to sow confusion over vote counting, and other related chicanery that could affect the outcome of the November election. 

Valerie Volcovici, reporter at Reuters covering U.S. climate and energy policy from Washington, DC., talks about the climate priorities at the UN General Assembly and during Climate Week NYC, which is also happening this week.

Lynne Peeples, science writer and the author of The Inner Clock: Living in Sync with Our Circadian Rhythms (Riverhead Books, 2024), reviews the latest science on our internal "clocks" and how to use them to improve sleep and learning.

NYPD officers shot at a man wielding a knife at a subway station in Brooklyn, leaving four people injured. Critics and observers are wondering how an attempt to enforce a relatively minor fare-evasion offence spiraled out of control. Tiffany Cabán,  NYC Council Member (District 22, Astoria, Jackson Heights, East Elmhurst, Woodside and Rikers Island) discusses this incident as well as her call for Mayor Eric Adams to resign amid a web of scandals and investigations.

J. Ann Selzer, unaligned public opinion researcher and president of the Des Moines, Iowa-based polling firm Selzer & Company, talks about the latest polling in Iowa that shows the race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump narrowing, and talks about the issues that make the race competitive in the state of Iowa. And Alexandra Samuels, senior editor at Texas Monthly, does the same regarding Texas. 

Sahalie Donaldson, City Hall reporter at City & State New York, talks about the ballot questions that will appear on New York City voters' ballots in November, and why a progressive group has formed to encourage people to vote "no" on certain measures. 

For the centennial series "100 Years of 100 Things," Jonathan Zimmerman, professor of history of education at the University of Pennsylvania and the author of several books, including Whose America? Culture Wars in the Public Schools (University of Chicago Press, September 2022), traces the history of the so-called "culture wars" in public education, from the Scopes trial, to religion in schools, sex ed and the controversies of today over critical race theory, masks during COVID and more.

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.Robert Moses's mark on the New York City of the past century (First) | Marine biologist Ayana Elizabeth Johnson's optimism in the fight against climate change (Starts at 38:25) | The New York Times Cooking's most iconic recipes (Starts at 1:06:23)If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

Like it or not, Autumn starts this Sunday. Listeners call in to share what Fall experiences they are looking forward to, and what to sign up for now before it sells out.

Mikie Sherrill, U.S. Representative (D, NJ-11), talks about the latest national political news of the day, including the budget fight in Congress, legislation she's proposed on emergency abortion care, the SALT tax and more.

Mitchell Moss, professor of urban policy and planning at New York University's Wagner School, and Rachel Weinberger, Peter W. Herman chair for transportation at Regional Plan Association, talk about the ideas and proposals on how to undo the most harmful parts of Robert Moses' legacy, especially the expressways that have divided and polluted neighborhoods. 

Ilan Stavans,  cultural critic, Latino scholar, and publisher of Restless Books, discusses his cartoon history of Latino life, culture, and politics Latino USA: A Cartoon History (Basic Books, 2024), now out in paperback and updated for its 25th anniversary.

The New York Times  Cooking app marks its 10th anniversary this month. Emily Weinstein, editor in chief of New York Times cooking and food and author of the popular NYT Cooking newsletter "Five Weeknight Dishes," celebrates the decade with a list of the most iconic recipes, and listeners call in to share their NYT Cooking favorites.

Maya Wiley, former MSNBC legal analyst, professor, civil rights lawyer, 2021 New York City mayoral candidate and author of Remember, You Are a Wiley (Grand Central Publishing Hardcover; September 17, 2024), talks about her new memoir and how her family has influenced her life and work.

David Sirota, founder and editor-in-chief of The Lever, host of the podcast "Master Plan", co-creator of the movie "Don't Look Up", and former presidential campaign speechwriter for Bernie Sanders, discusses his new podcast, "Master Plan", which traces the roots of Project 2025 to political corruption of the Supreme Court among other crucial sectors of government. 

Donald Trump has basically no chance of winning in New York, but he's campaigning in the state. Emily Ngo, co-authors the New York Playbook for Politico and covers New York politics and government at the local, state and federal levels, talks about the Long Island rally, the competitive House races on the island and how it all ties in to the former president's political strategy.

As our centennial series continues, 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, talks about the past 100 years of the influence of Robert Moses on the New York area, which also coincides with the 50th anniversary of Robert Caro's exhaustive biography of Moses, The Power Broker.  

Nick Timiraos, chief economics correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, previews the Fed's imminent decision on the interest rate cut, and how it will affect people's finances.

Every week, Mayor Adams holds one off-topic press conference in which reporters are free to ask questions on any subject. WNYC and Gothamist's Elizabeth Kim recaps this week's news conference with clips and analysis. Topics include the mayor's response to the NYPD opening fire at a Brownsville subway station.

Emma Fitzsimmons, City Hall bureau chief for The New York Times, offers an explainer of who in Mayor Adams's inner circle is being investigated, what she knows about the investigations and also how they might affect the mayor's agenda. 

In our Climate Story of the Week, Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, PhD, marine biologist, writer, co-founder of the non-profit think tank Urban Ocean Lab, and author of What If We Get it Right?: Visions of Climate Futures (One World, 2024), shares why she is optimistic about our ability to confront climate change. 

A contributor to The Atlantic has observed mayhem at the drop-off and pick-up lines, as more parents choose to drive their kids to school. In this call-in segment, listeners share their reports from school drop-off and pick-up.→  How School Drop-Off Became a Nightmare | The Atlantic 

Kamala Harris revealed in the recent presidential debate that she and her running mate are both gun owners, and there was another potential assassination attempt on Donald Trump this past weekend. Jennifer Mascia, senior news writer and a founding staffer at The Trace, reports on how each campaign is handling gun policy. 

Rusty Jacobs, politics reporter at WUNC, breaks down the latest in the presidential campaign as seen through swing state voters in North Carolina.

As our centennial series continues, Jacob Heilbrunn, editor of the National Interest and nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and the author of America Last: The Right's Century-Long Romance with Foreign Dictators (Liveright, 2024), looks at the past century of US dealings with authoritarian governments abroad. 

Jim O'Grady,  freelance podcast reporter, producer and editor, tells us why he looks to a Catholic saint in life's difficult moments, and listeners call in to talk about their favorite saints or spiritual guides.→  "You Don’t Have to Be Perfect to Live Like a Saint" | New York Times Magazine  

The plan to facilitate housing development in New York City has come to the Brooklyn neighborhood of Windsor Terrace, and a dispute over a proposed pair of 13-story towers has ensured. David Brand, housing reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, reports on the debate and its implications for Eric Adams's City of Yes housing plan. 

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.Checking in With Haitian Americans  (First) | Chancellor Banks on the New School Year (Starts at 43:00) | September Summer Plans (Starts at 1:24:00)If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

Nancy Solomon, WNYC reporter and editor, and host of the “Ask Governor Murphy” monthly call-in show, recaps her conversation with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, including the Philadelphia 76ers coming to Camden, grouping together school districts to bring down property taxes and much more.

Although we often consider Labor Day to be the end of summer, a recent piece in The New York Times reminds us that September is a summer month (and some argue, the month with the best weather). Given the lovely forecast projected for the next few days, listeners call in with summer plans for this September weekend. 

Ben Lefebvre, Politico energy reporter, and Alan Rappeport, economic policy reporter for The New York Times, follow up on an exchange between the candidates in Tuesday's debate on the issues of climate and energy and manufacturing jobs.

Recent remarks made by former President Donald Trump, U.S. Senators J.D. Vance and Ted Cruz falsely accuse Haitian immigrants of eating pets, sparking outrage across the Haitian community. Garry Pierre-Pierre, founder and publisher of The Haitian Times, and Michaelle Solages, New York State Assembly member (D - District 22, Valley Stream, North Valley Stream, Elmont, South Valley Stream, South Floral Park, Floral Park, the Village of Bellerose, Bellerose Terrace, North Woodmere, Stewart Manor, and sections of Franklin Square), discuss the Haitian-American community's reaction and much more.

Olga Khazan, staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of Weird: The Power of Being an Outsider in an Insider World (Hachette Go, 2020), explains why the current "loneliness epidemic" isn't because of a lack of friends, but a lack of time. 

After Telegram founder Pavel Durov was arrested in France last month, new attention has been placed on the criminal activity taking place on the application. Angus Berwick, reporter with The Wall Street Journal in London, covering cryptocurrencies, financial crime, and markets, delves into his reporting on how Telegram allows for "pedophile rings, identity thieves and drug traffickers" to sell their illicit goods. And Meera Choi, sociology Ph.D. candidate at Yale University researching gender politics and heterosexual refusal in South Korea, offers a closer look at how Telegram users in South Korea have wreaked havoc on the country through the mass dissemination of deepfake videos portraying everyday women. 

Amanda Becker, Washington correspondent for The 19th and the author of You Must Stand Up: The Fight for Abortion Rights in Post-Dobbs America (Bloomsbury, 2024), talks about how abortion rights figured into this week's presidential debate.

As the new school year gets underway, NYC Schools Chancellor David Banks talks about new initiatives and the latest on cellphone bans. 

Susan Page, USA Today Washington bureau chief and the author of several books, including The Rulebreaker: The Life and Times of Barbara Walters (Simon & Schuster, 2024), breaks down the highlights of last night's presidential debate between vice president Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump. Then, listeners weigh in with their reactions to the debate.

As our centennial series continues, and on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Richard English, professor of politics at Queen's University Belfast where he directs the Senator George J. Mitchell Institute, the editor of the Cambridge History of Terrorism (Cambridge University Press, 2021) and the author of Does Terrorism Work?: A History (Oxford University Press, 2016) and Does Counter-Terrorism Work? (OUP, 2024), reviews 100 years of the use of terrorism to achieve political aims. 

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, including the investigations into NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban and others in the Adams administration.

On today's show:WNYC celebrates its 100th birthday with a live show at Central Park SummerStage, hosted by Brian Lehrer and featuring WNYC hosts Alison Stewart, Brooke Gladstone, Micah Loewinger, Sean Carlson and John Schaefer, plus Ira Glass, trivia, live musical performances and more. This version was edited for time.For audio of the full show (including Nada Surf!), check here: https://www.wnyc.org/100/For video, check here: https://thegreenespace.org/watch/wnyc-and-friends-centennial-celebration-2/ 

As our centennial series continues, John Schaefer, host of WNYC's New Sounds, takes us through WNYC's musical legacy. 

Jon Campbell, Albany reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, reports on the arrest of a former aide to Gov. Hochul, plus updates the investigations of members of Mayor Adams' administration.

As we look to Tuesday night's highly anticipated presidential debate between vice president Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump, Molly Ball, senior political correspondent for The Wall Street Journal  and host of the new podcast  "Red, White and Who?", shares how the candidates are preparing for the event, what issues may be on the forefront of the conversation, and her analysis on the state of the race leading up to the debate. 

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.The details and politics of an abortion-related ballot measure in Florida  (First) | A record-breaking U.S. Open (Starts at 27:05) | A deep dive on the 100-year history of unions for Labor Day (Starts at 39:16)If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

Lora Kelley, associate editor at The Atlantic and an author of The Atlantic Daily newsletter, looks at how e-commerce hasn't stopped stores from opening, but they're smaller and serve a different purpose. 

Robert Tucker, commissioner of the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY), talks about his new role and the challenges facing the department, and Daniel Flynn, chief fire marshal of the FDNY Bureau of Fire Investigation (BFI), discusses the department's efforts to prevent lithium-ion battery fires.correction: There have been 31 deaths from lithium-ion battery fires since 2021, not since last year. 

For only the sixth time, both the Mets and the Yankees teams could make the playoffs. Brendan Kuty, MLB staff writer for The Athletic, assesses the chances of October baseball in NYC and the state of the game. 

A school shooting in Georgia this week has thrust gun violence back into the spotlight, as both presidential contenders (and their VPs) clarify their positions. Chip Brownlee, a reporter at The Trace, a non-profit news site covering gun violence, breaks down what we know about the shooting, gun violence in schools and what each candidate has proposed to address the issue. 

A recent op-ed in Slate written by a psychiatrist notes how the author, and her patients, are recently starting to identify as introverted. Listeners who found their personalities have shifted from extrovert to introvert call in to share what inspired the change, what difficulties it may sometimes cause and how they're dealing with it.

A ballot measure to protect and expand abortion rights will be on the ballot in Florida this year. Grace Panetta, political reporter at The 19th, and Kimberly Leonard,  Politico politics reporter and author of Florida Playbook, explain the measure and why former President Donald Trump, who is registered to vote in Florida, has publicly said he'd vote against it. 

Over Labor Day weekend, thousands of hotel workers went on strike nationwide. Chris Isidore, senior writer for CNN Business, explains the conditions that led to the strike, which impacted nine cities, the broader issues and why it's the second year in a row that hotel workers walked off of the job.  Plus, he looks ahead to potential strikes at ports, United, and Boeing and the latest on the sale of US Steel to a Japanese company. 

Jessica Gould, WNYC/Gothamist reporter, talks about the issues facing the education department, like whether to ban cellphone use in classes and Pre-K, as the school year gets started. 

Night-session attendance totals broke U.S. Open records this year. Matthew Futterman, senior writer for The Athletic, the sports unit of The New York Times, explains why the draw is so big all of a sudden and listeners call in to share why they attend the tournament. 

As our centennial series continues, Brad DeLong, economic historian, professor of economics at the University of California, Berkeley, former deputy assistant secretary of the U.S. Treasury under Clinton, and the author of Slouching Towards Utopia: An Economic History of the Long 20th Century, 1870-2010 (Basic Books, 2022), reviews the past century of work and the technology and other trends that affected employment. 

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 this week: violence at the West Indian Day Parade, 3-K and more. 

Domenico Montanaro, NPR's senior political editor/correspondent, talks about the latest on the presidential race, including the campaigns' efforts around voting and certifying vote counts. 

Steve Ulrich, managing editor at PoliticsPA, talks about the presidential race from the critical swing state of Pennsylvania.

"Mini-retirements," or adult gap years, are a rising trend among burnt-out worker bees. Charlotte Cowles, financial-advice columnist at New York Magazine's The Cut, reports on the trend among younger workers, as listeners call in to share personal stories and wisdom about taking extended time off from work.

Aziz Huq,  professor of law at the University of Chicago Law School and author of The Rule of Law: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press, 2024), talks about his new book, plus the latest on the Trump federal indictments.

Roxanne L. Scott, independent journalist working on a series with the NY Amsterdam News about climate change in Southeast Queens, discusses her reporting on how climate change has brought heavy rains and high tides to predominantly Black and Brown neighborhoods in Southeast Queens, including the property damages residents are experiencing, and efforts the city has made to combat these inequities.

For this Labor Day:Continuing our centennial series, Joseph McCartin, professor of history and executive director of the Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor at Georgetown University and the author of several books and co-author with Melvyn Dubofsky of Labor in America: A History (Wiley-Blackwell, 9th edition, 2017), traces the last hundred years of unionization and de-unionization in the U.S.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.Building on examples from Atlantic columnist Arthur C. Brooks, listeners share what helped them move past fear of failing. These interviews were polished up and edited for time, the original versions are available here:Doris Kearns Goodwin's Personal Take on History (Apr 15, 2024)Your Stories of Getting Past Perfectionism (Mar 14, 2024)

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.VP Harris's Policy on Israel and Gaza (First) | The Weaponization of Period Product Accessibility (Starts at 38:56) | 100 Years of 100 Things: The West Indian Diaspora in New York City (Starts at 1:09:36)If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

For this "Summer Friday" we've put together some of our favorite conversations this year:Eddie Glaude, Jr., Princeton professor and the author of We Are the Leaders We Have Been Looking For (Harvard University Press, 2024), argues against waiting for "heroes" to do the work of seeking justice and safeguarding democracy.Dame Louise Richardson, president of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, talks about research into and strategies to reduce political polarization in the United States, especially in this fraught election year.Egg freezing as a method to extend fertility for women became more accessible (though still quite expensive) and popular in the past decade or so. Anna North, senior correspondent for Vox, where she covers American family life, work, and education, reports on whether the industry oversold women, as data now show having a baby through the process is no guarantee.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.Rhaina Cohen, producer and editor of NPR's Embedded and the author of The Other Significant Others: Reimagining Life with Friendship at the Center (Macmillan, 2024), shares stories of people who have made life partners of friends, upending current expectations that spouses would be our closest relationships. These interviews were polished up and edited for time, the original versions are available here:Don't Wait for the Heroes (May 17, 2024)Is There Any Way to Reduce Political Polarization in the US? (Jul 25, 2024)The Complicated Reality of Egg Freezing (May 6, 2024)White Privilege in Dollars & Cents (Jun 7, 2024)In Praise of Deep Friendship (Feb 13, 2024)

New York City is experiencing a surge in evictions and car bootings. David Brand, housing reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, breaks down what's behind the uptick and his recent reporting on how city marshals, who are private contractors appointed by the Mayor, are profiting off of the surge. 

Sadiba Hasan, the weddings reporter for The New York Times, talks about attempts by some couples to charge their guests to attend their weddings to help defray the costs, as listeners share their stories. 

Amanda Jones, veteran Louisiana educator and librarian, past president of the Louisiana Association of School Librarians and the author of That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America (Bloomsbury, 2024), talks about pushing back against book bans in her small Louisiana town and the ongoing issue facing librarians across the country.

Ishaan Tharoor, foreign affairs columnist at The Washington Post, and the author of the "Today's World View" newsletter and column, breaks down the latest news in Ukraine and the ongoing war with Russia.

When school's out, parents often scramble to find affordable options for childcare. Elliot Haspel, contributor to The Atlantic and the author of Crawling Behind: America's Childcare Crisis and How to Fix It (Black Rose Writing, 2019), talks about how we got here and what it would take to fix the situation.

New York Times metro reporter Dana Rubinstein talks about Mayor Adams' weekly press conference, as well as the long, contentious City Council hearing on the nomination of Randy Mastro as corporation counsel.

After both red and blue states passed legislation to make period products easily accessible in school bathrooms, Chabeli Carrazana, economy and child care reporter for The 19th, explains how anti-transgender rhetoric has made students who menstruate, regardless of their gender, more likely to face 'period poverty'. 

As our centennial series continues,Tyesha Maddox,  associate professor of African and African American Studies at Fordham University and the author of A Home Away from Home: Mutual Aid, Political Activism, and Caribbean American Identity (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2024), talks about the history of Caribbean immigrants in New York, while listeners share their stories.

Ryan Grim, co-founder of Drop Site News, co-host of the "Counterpoints" podcast, and author of many books, including The Squad: AOC and the Hope of a Political Revolution (Henry Holt and Co., 2023), discusses Vice President Kamala Harris's foreign policy objectives based on her speech at the 2024 Democratic National Convention held in Chicago last week, what she's expressed on the campaign trail and her work as vice president in the Biden administration.

Listeners share their experiences of meeting their favorite artists, performers, athletes, or other famous folks, in light of the debate surrounding boundaries between fans and celebrities.

Eliza Fawcett, NYC reporter for Healthbeat, a new public health news site, talks about the new COVID vaccine, West Nile cases in NYC, and the concern over an outbreak overseas of mpox.

Maxine Joselow, Washington Post reporter focusing on climate change and the environment, talks about why Democrats did not make significant mention of climate at the DNC and in recent stump speeches.

Due to the popularity of e-commerce, New York City supers are having a rough time dealing with cardboard boxes from their tenants' purchases in their apartment buildings. Liam Quigley, reporter covering parks & sanitation for Gothamist and WNYC, discusses his reporting on sanitation woes from NYC's supers and explains how to properly sort your trash if you live in one of the city's buildings. 

As our centennial series continues, Ashley Stimpson, Maryland-based freelance journalist who writes about science and conservation, takes us through the past 100 years of kids going to the woods for summer camp.

Stanford Medicine researchers recently found that we undergo two periods of rapid molecular aging during our life span, averaging around age 44 and age 60. Listeners call in to share how their bodies changed during these time periods. 

Philip Bump, national columnist for The Washington Post 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 latest national political news. 

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.100 Years of 100 Things: Democratic Convention Speeches  (First) | The Harris Economic Agenda (Starts at 40:0 0) | The Crackdown on Illegal Cannabis Shops (Starts at 1:08:00)If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

Paul Krugman, Nobel laureate in economics, New York Times columnist, 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 analysis of the Harris economic proposals. 

Kamala Harris and Democrats spent the week at the DNC explicitly celebrating their patriotism. Listeners who identify as Democrats or progressive call in to describe their version of patriotism—and how it contrasts with Republicans.

The city released test scores for public school students, and English scores dropped slightly, while math scores rose. Alex Zimmerman, reporter at Chalkbeat New York, shares the numbers and talks about possible reasons for the changes. 

Christina Greer, associate professor of political science at Fordham University, co-host of the podcast FAQNYC and the author of Black Ethnics (Oxford University Press, 2013), offers political analysis of Kamala Harris's speech to wrap up the Democratic National Convention. 

Ian Frazier, frequent contributor to The New Yorker and the author of several books, including Great Plains, Travels in Siberia and his latest, Paradise Bronx: The Life and Times of New York's Greatest Borough (FSG, 2024) turns his attention closer to home and shares his exploration of New York City's only mainland borough, the Bronx.

The city plans to build a skate park in Mount Prospect Park, which is across the street from its larger neighbor, Prospect Park, and adjacent to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and some residents are unhappy about the proposal. Hayley Gorenberg, founder of Friends of Mount Prospect Park, explains why her group is opposed to the skate park. Then, New York City Councilmember Crystal Hudson (District 35: Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Crown Heights, Prospect Heights, Bedford Stuyvesant) shares why she is supportive of the city's plan to build a skate park in Mount Prospect Park.

Jim Newell, senior politics writer for Slate, reviews the third night of the DNC, where speakers included Bill Clinton, Oprah and VP nominee Tim Walz, among other notable people.

Rachel Green, political organizer, New Jersey delegate for Kamala Harris, talks about her experience at the Democratic National Convention as a delegate from New Jersey and talks about the state of the race. 

Juan Manuel Benitez, former longtime reporter and host at Spectrum News NY1, now professor at the Columbia Journalism School, recaps the second night of the Democratic National Convention, plus talks about how the Harris campaign is reaching out to Latino voters. Plus: John Avlon, veteran journalist now the Democratic candidate for congress in New York's 1st district on Long Island, joins Brian briefly to talk about his race against one-term Republican incumbent Nick LaLota.

Mayor Adams holds one off-topic press conference per week, where reporters can ask him questions on any subject. Michelle Bocanegra, WNYC and Gothamist political reporter focused on campaigns and the New York City Council, recaps what he talked about at this week's event, including the new Bronx Metro North rezoning that will allow roughly 7,000 new housing units around two of the new Metro North stations, his plans to go to the DNC and more.

As our centennial series continues, David Greenberg, professor of history and of journalism and media studies at Rutgers University and the author of Republic of Spin (WW Norton, 2016) and the forthcoming, John Lewis: A Life (Simon & Schuster, 2024), reviews highlights from the past century of notable DNC speeches.

James Traub, veteran journalist and the author of True Believer: Hubert Humphrey's Quest for a More Just America (Basic Books, 2024), talks about the legacy of Hubert Humphrey and the 1968 Democratic convention and election year versus this year's. 

Kamala Harris once called for a ban on fracking, but on the campaign trail this time around her tone has shifted. Ben Geman, energy reporter at Axios, talks about the Democratic presidential nominee's positions on fracking and the politics of it all.

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, recaps the first night of the Democratic National Convention, including several speeches by New Yorkers, including Gov. Hochul, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Hillary Clinton, and President Biden's headlining speech.  Plus, Sue Altman, Democratic candidate for congress in New Jersey's 7th district, joins Brian briefly to talk about her race against one-term Republican incumbent Tom Kean, Jr.

As our centennial series continues,  Michael Kazin, professor of history at Georgetown University, editor emeritus of Dissent and the author of several books, including What It Took to Win: A History of the Democratic Party (FSG, 2022), reviews the past century of Democratic conventions and presidential candidates.

Katy Tur, anchor of MSNBC's Katy Tur Reports and the author of books including Rough Draft (Atria/One Signal Publishers, 2023),  and Luke Russert, host and creative director of MSNBC Live and author of the memoir Look For Me There: Grieving My Father, Finding Myself (Harper Horizon, 2023),  talk about the latest national political news, as the Democratic National Convention is about to kick off in Chicago, plus discuss MSNBC's new live in-person events.

A city initiative known as “Operation Padlock to Protect” has shut down more than 900 illegal cannabis shops across the city since it launched in May. Caroline Lewis,  health care reporter for WNYC/Gothamist discusses the crackdown, where to buy legal weed, and takes cannabis questions from callers. 

For this "Summer Friday" we've put together some of our favorite conversations this year:Ali Velshi, MSNBC host and chief correspondent and the author of Small Acts of Courage: A Legacy of Endurance and the Fight for Democracy (Macmillan, 2024), shares the story of his grandfather's work with Gandhi and Mandela and how their influence continues in his generation.Jack Turban, M.D., director of the Gender Psychiatry Program and assistant professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco, and the author of Free to Be: Understanding Kids & Gender Identity (Atria, 2024), talks about the science, the medicine and the politics surrounding gender identity in children and teens.DW Gibson, journalist and the author of One Week to Change the World: An Oral History of the 1999 WTO Protests (Simon & Schuster, 2024), tells the story of the protests against globalization and their impact on subsequent activism, including today's climate protests.Every year, 50 teenage girls representing each state in America descend on Alabama to compete for large scholarship checks in the Distinguished Young Women program. Shima Oliaee, host and creator of "The Competition," creator of Pink Card, co-creator of Dolly Parton's America and founder of Shirazad Productions, discusses her new podcast, "The Competition", which follows these young women on their two-week journey and offers a peak into what it's like to be a teenage girl in America today. These interviews were polished up and edited for time, the original versions are available here:A Family Heritage of Social Justice (May 17, 2024)Kids & Gender Identity (Jun 12, 2024)Kids & Gender Identity, Part Two (Jun 24, 2024)The Protests that Set the Stage (Jun 21, 2024)What "The Competition" Says About Teenage Girlhood (May 3, 2024)

Jay Chang, member of the K-Pop groups B.D.U and One Pact, and participant in Build Up, shares his story of growing up in New Jersey, moving to Korea to become a K-Pop idol, and returning back to New Jersey on tour with his group B.D.U.

Amy Maxmen, PhD, public health correspondent and editor at KFF Health News, talks about the latest data on the spread of avian flu, what monitoring is underway, and the current state of public health preparedness.

Nancy Solomon, WNYC reporter and editor, and host of the “Ask Governor Murphy” monthly call-in show recaps her conversation with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, where they talked about who he will choose to replace Sen. Bob Menendez, his friendship with Tim Walz, electric charging stations for the turnpike and more.

Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are in a tight race in key swing states. Amy Walter, editor-in-chief of Cook Political Report with Amy Walter, unpacks the latest presidential polling and offers analysis.

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, including the new FDNY commissioner, migrant encampments, and more.

For the twelfth "thing" in our centennial series, Phil Brown, University Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Health Science at Northeastern University, founder and president of the Catskills Institute and the author of several books, including Catskill Culture: A Mountain Rat's Memories of the Great Jewish Resort Area (Temple University Press, 1998), takes us through the last 100 years in The Catskills -- the hotels, the camps and the people.

Carlo Invernizzi-Accetti, professor of political science and executive director of the Moynihan Center at The City College of New York, and author of the forthcoming 20 Years of Rage: How Resentment Took the Place of Politics (Mondadori, 2024), explains the origins of freedom in political rhetoric and how the Harris-Walz ticket is seeking to redefine freedom after the American right carried the mantle as the party of freedom for decades.

Will Leitch, contributing editor at New York Magazine, columnist at MLB.com, and founding editor of Deadspin, recaps the highs and lows of the Paris Olympic games.

Amidst the current loneliness epidemic, listeners call in to tell us whether they live near their friends and how that proximity--or lack thereof--impacts their daily lives. 

The number of English language learners in New York City schools is growing, and there's been a slight uptick in poverty among students. Michael Elsen-Rooney, reporter at Chalkbeat New York, takes a look at the shifting demographics in the enrollment data.

Dharna Noor, fossil fuels and climate reporter at Guardian US, talks about Tim Walz's record on climate as governor of Minnesota, and why environmental advocates are mostly pleased with Harris's choice of him as VP.

Alex Shephard, senior editor of The New Republic, talks about the latest national political news, including Trump's VP pick JD Vance's media rounds and more on Harris's VP pick Tim Walz.

For the eleventh thing in our centennial series, Deb Whitcraft, president of the New Jersey Maritime Museum,  and Emil Salvini, author of several books on the history of the Jersey Shore and host of "Tales of the Jersey Shore" for NJTV, take us through the larger history of the Jersey Shore as listeners share their memories and stories from the towns and beaches that fit under that giant umbrella of "the shore".

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, delves into new analysis showing new migrants do not pose a threat to employment opportunities for native New Yorkers of color. 

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.Why Nassau County Republicans  Ban on Masks in Public (First) | Reluctant to Retire (Starts at 22:20) | Tree Resiliency and Extreme Weather (Starts at 49:15)If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

For this "Summer Friday" we've put together some of our favorite conversations this year:Anthony Fauci, M.D., longtime director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, now a professor at Georgetown University in the School of Medicine and the McCourt School of Public Policy, and the author of On Call: A Doctor’s Journey in Public Service (Viking, 2024), talks about his life and the public health crises the country faced.Sarah McCammon, national correspondent for NPR and the author of The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church (Macmillan, 2024), shares her story of growing up within, and leaving, evangelican Christianity, and what her reporting shows of others like her and their impact on American politics and culture.Anne Lamott, author of twenty books, including Bird by Bird and her latest, Somehow: Thoughts on Love (Riverhead Books, 2024), talks about turning 70, and why love has been the answer to the many challenges she's faced in her own life.Each year the news division hosts the WNYC Health Convening with support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation as an opportunity for healthcare experts and practitioners to inform WNYC's health reporting. This year, Siddhartha Mukherjee, M.D., associate professor of medicine at Columbia University, cancer researcher, co-founder of MANAS.Ai, and author of several books, most recently, The Song of the Cell: An Exploration of Medicine and the New Human (Scribner, 2022), and Shinjini Kundu, M.D., PhD, fellow physician and computer scientist at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, and Paul Friedman, M.D., chair of the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, discuss how artificial intelligence is currently interacting with healthcare, including AI's role in diagnosing diseases, discovering the building blocks for medication, and cover concerns related to patient privacy and algorithm bias. These interviews were polished up and edited for time, the original versions are available here:Dr. Fauci Looks Back (June 28, 2024)Faith & Politics & Ex-Evangelicals (April 3, 2024)Anne Lamott on Love (May 22, 2024)A Roundtable on A.I. in Health Care (June 18, 2024)  

This year, 41 million members of Gen-Z will be eligible to vote for the first time. Erika Weisz, principal behavioral scientist at Murmuration, explains her findings from two reports authored by Murmuration on the civic engagement of this diverse generation, including their opinions on democracy, how political leaders can activate these voters, and which issues are of top priority in the upcoming presidential election.

New York State's Adult Survivors Act brought a flood of lawsuits against the city by women who say they were abused at Rosie's (the women's jail) on Rikers Island. Jessy Edwards, WNYC and Gothamist reporter covering incarceration and public safety, reports what she learned about allegations of serial sexual abuse when she looked into the lawsuits, and whether the city has initiated an investigation.

NYBG lost one of its oldest oak trees in this week's storm. Eric Sanderson, vice president of urban conservation at The New York Botanical Garden, talks about why losing just one tree can seriously affect the broader ecosystem, and how the garden is caring for its trees as extreme weather and flooding becomes more common.

Fueled in part by disinformation on social media, the United Kingdom has seen days of rioting and vandalism targeting Muslims, migrants and other minorities. Max Colchester, U.K. correspondent at The Wall Street Journal, discusses the unrest.

For the tenth thing in our centennial series, Laura Weiss, journalist and author of Ice Cream: A Global History (Reaktion Books),  gives us the scoop on the history of an iconic summer treat: ice cream, as listeners share their stories.

Nassau County Republicans passed a ban on face coverings in public, with supporters saying it's in response to antisemitic incidents, and Democrats accusing their GOP colleagues of stoking a culture war. WNYC and Gothamist's Charles Lane reports on what he says was a "raucous debate," and what may happen next.

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, including what some have deemed a humanitarian crisis in Midtown.

Ernesto Londoño, Midwest correspondent for The New York Times based in Minnesota, provides a full biography of Minnesota governor turned Democratic vice presidential candidate, Tim Walz. 

The canonization of the first millennial saint has sparked calls for a queer saint. For some, Father Mychal Judge, New York City Fire Department chaplain and the first certified 9/11 casualty, is at the center of these calls. Antonio Pagliarulo, writer and author of The Evil Eye: The History, Mystery & Magic of the Quiet Curse (Weiser Books, 2023), makes the case.

In the past decade, millions of Americans made the switch from cigarettes to vaping in hopes of avoiding the worst smoking-related illnesses. In the process, many who never smoked cigarettes have found themselves addicted to nicotine without strong guidelines on how to quit. Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, PhD, FSAHM, professor of pediatrics/adolescent medicine at Stanford, and founder/director of the Stanford REACH Lab, explains how we got here and shares medical advice on how to quit vaping.

Bill McKibben, environmental activist, founder of Third Act and author of many books, most recently The Flag, the Cross, and the Station Wagon: A Graying American Looks Back at His Suburban Boyhood and Wonders What the Hell Happened (Henry Holt and Co., 2022), talks about why he hopes Gov. Hochul will sign a bill passed by the New York State legislature earlier this year that would require fossil fuel companies to pay for damages associated with climate change. Plus, he talks about how climate activists are feeling about the presidential election, now that Kamala Harris is on the top of the Democratic ticket.

Justin Wolfers, professor of economics and public policy at the University of Michigan, talks about the stock market sell-off, the latest jobs report, how to gauge the health of the economy, and why he thinks the stock market "is a bit like a toddler."

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 Kamala Harris's choice of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to be her running mate, and listeners weigh in with their thoughts. 

Governor Hochul's pause on congestion pricing has left transit improvement projects in the lurch. Ana Ley, transportation reporter for the New York Times, discusses how officials are coping with the upheaval that's come with the loss of projected revenue. 

For our ninth thing in our centennial series, Ian MacAllen, Italian-American food expert and author of Red Sauce: How Italian Food Became American (Rowman & Littlefield, 2022), covers the history and development of a beloved New York City food: pizza. 

As Joe Biden knows, stepping away from a high-powered job can be a difficult decision to make. Charley Locke, freelance writer, discusses her reporting on why some people put retirement off, and listeners weigh in.→ Retirement Gets Harder the Longer You Wait

With Vice President Kamala Harris about to name her V.P. pick, Nancy Cook, senior national political correspondent at Bloomberg News, talks about the top contenders to be Vice President Harris' running mate, plus what the latest polls show about the changes in the presidential race. 

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.A hundred years of James Baldwin  (First) | Election integrity as a matter of national security (Starts at 27:50) | New York City etiquette rules (Starts at 57:35)If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.Walz's Climate Record (First) | Ask Governor Murphy: August Recap (Starts at 41:24) | 100 Years of 100 Things: The Jersey Shore (Starts at 01:10:45)If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

For this "Summer Friday" we've put together some of our favorite conversations this year: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.Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Alphonse Fletcher university professor and director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University, host of "Finding Your Roots" on PBS and that author of The Black Box: Writing the Race (Penguin Press, 2024), talks about his new book that examines the history of Black self-definition.Judith Butler, professor at UC-Berkeley and the author of several books, including Gender Trouble and their latest, Who's Afraid of Gender? (Macmillan, 2024), talks about her pioneering academic work on the concept of gender and how fraught, and misunderstood, the topic has become.Appliances are rarely built to last, but many from the past are still as good as new. Anna Kramer, technology and climate journalist, author of the newsletter, "Bite into this," talks about her Atlantic article "KitchenAid Did It Right 87 Years Ago" as listeners call in to share which gadgets and technologies have survived years of use in their homes. These interviews were polished up and edited for time, the original versions are available here:Revolutionary Eras, Then and Now (May 21, 2024)Defining 'Blackness' Through Literature (Mar 22, 2024)Judith Butler on Gender (Apr 4, 2024)Appliances That Lasted (Mar 1, 2024)

Brigid Bergin, WNYC's senior political correspondent, discusses her reporting on problems the Campaign Finance Board found in Mayor Adams's 2021 campaign, and how it could affect his re-election campaign.

Sarah Jones, senior writer at the Intelligencer and New York Magazine, discusses J.D. Vance's viral comment that America is run by “a bunch of childless cat ladies." Plus, listeners weigh in on how the trope is being reclaimed. 

Julian Zelizer, professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University, CNN political analyst, NPR contributor, and author of several books, and Karen Greenberg, director of the Center on National Security at Fordham Law, the author of several books, discuss the new book they co-edited, Our Nation at Risk: Election Integrity as a National Security Issue(NYU Press, 2024), in which experts weigh in on the risks to national security posed by election insecurity. 

 U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) discusses recent developments, including Kamala Harris's campaign, today's prisoner swap with Russia, the latest in the Middle East, working across the aisle on healthcare issues, and more.

Until recently, the nation’s tech capital, Silicon Valley, was seen as a liberal bastion, but the tech billionaires are starting to diverge in their political ideologies. Erin Griffith, New York Times reporter covering tech companies and Silicon Valley, explains what's going on with the infighting and how wealthy tech donors are influencing the 2024 presidential election.

Allie Volpe, senior reporter at Vox, talks about how to learn a new sport at any age.=>"Inspired by the Olympics? You can become an athlete at any age." (Vox.com, July 25)

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. This weeks topics include: how the Adams administration communicates with the press and public, mayor Adams' reaction to comptroller Brad Lander launching a primary campaign against him, another sexual misconduct lawsuit against Adams' advisor, Tim Pearson, and more.

Continuing our centennial series, Eddie Glaude Jr., Princeton professor and the author of several books, including Begin Again: James Baldwin’s America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own (Crown, 2020) and We Are the Leaders We Have Been Looking For (Harvard University Press, 2024), talks about the life and legacy of James Baldwin, who would be 100 years old on August 2.

The Wall Street Journal recently reported on polls that show young men under 30 are skewing increasingly conservative, while young women are much more likely to vote for Democrats. Listeners call in to talk about how that dynamic has showed up in their dating lives.

In our Climate Story of the Week, Rob Jackson, chair of the Global Carbon Project, a senior fellow at Stanford’s Woods Institute for the Environment and Precourt Institute for Energy, a professor of earth science at Stanford University, and the author of Into the Clear Blue Sky: The Path to Restoring Our Atmosphere (Simon & Schuster, 2024),  offers a hopeful vision for addressing the climate crisis and an argument for redefining our most urgent goals. To repair the climate, he argues, we need to actively restore the atmosphere to pre-industrial levels of greenhouse gases. 

New York City Councilmember Carlina Rivera (D-2, East Village, Gramercy Park, Kips Bay, Lower East Side, Murray Hill, Rose Hill) talks about the mayor's emergency order that delays implementation of Local Law 42, just days before it would have gone into effect, that would have capped solitary confinement, among other things.

After a tumultuous Supreme Court term that included the presidential immunity opinion and reporting that showed Justice Thomas received undisclosed gifts and favors from a GOP megadonor, President Biden has proposed changes to the court, including term limits and a code of ethics. Elie Mystal, justice correspondent and columnist for The Nation magazine and host of the podcast, "Contempt of Court with Elie Mystal," and author of Allow Me to Retort: A Black Guy's Guide to the Constitution (New Press, 2022), offers legal analysis of the reforms, and talks about how much of a long a shot it is that any of this would make it through Congress. 

Brittany Kriegstein, WNYC/Gothamist breaking news reporter focusing on crime and gun violence, shares her reporting on the same few New York City blocks that see the most shootings year after year.

Joan Walsh, The Nation's national affairs correspondent and the co-author of Corporate Bullsh*t: Exposing the Lies and Half-Truths That Protect Profit, Power, and Wealth in America (The New Press, 2023), and Christopher Cadelago, California bureau chief at Politico, talk about the latest national political news, with a focus on Vice President Kamala Harris's biography as she locks up the Democratic nomination for president.

Continuing our centennial series, Kevin Baker, novelist, historian, journalist and the author of The New York Game: Baseball and the Rise of a New City (Knopf, 2024), takes us through the past hundred years of baseball in NYC, as listeners share their oral histories."100 Years of 100 Things" is part of WNYC’s centennial celebration. Each week, we’ll take listeners through a century’s worth of history of things that shape our politics, our lives and our world. Topics will include everything from immigration policy to political conventions, American capitalism to American socialism, the Jersey Shore to the Catskills, baseball to ice cream.

Nick Leighton, journalist and host of the podcast Were You Raised By Wolves?, offers a few simple etiquette rules for New York City and listeners share theirs.→ 10 etiquette rules to not be the worst in New York City 

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.A closer look at Trump and the GOP's mass deportation pledge (First) | The future of outdoor dining in New York City (Starts at 35:05) | The 100-year history of air conditioning (Starts at 53:45)If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

For this "Summer Friday" we've put together some of our favorite conversations this year: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.USA Today Washington bureau chief Susan Page talks about her latest book, The Rulebreaker: The Life and Times of Barbara Walters (Simon & Schuster, 2024).Charan Ranganath, PhD, professor of psychology and neuroscience at U.C. Davis, director of the Dynamic Memory Lab, and the author of Why We Remember: Unlocking Memory’s Power to Hold on to What Matters (Doubleday, 2024), explains what we know about remembering and forgetting.Meg Jay, developmental clinical psychologist and the author of The Defining Decade and her latest, The Twentysomething Treatment: A Revolutionary Remedy for an Uncertain Age (Simon & Schuster, 2024), offers advice for navigating the extremes of trivializing and over-medicating the struggles of young adults today.Faith Hill, staff writer at The Atlantic, talks about what people are looking for when they visit their childhood homes, and how it can be stressful, or sweet. These interviews were polished up and edited for time, the original versions are available here:Kara Swisher's 'Tech Love Story' (Mar 29, 2024)Politics, and the Life of a Broadcast Trailblazer (Apr 29, 2024) - Part 3How Memory Works (Mar 7, 2024)A Way Through the Mental Health Struggles for Twentysomethings (May 16, 2024)Searching for Something in Our Childhood Homes (May 23, 2024)

Francesca Chambers, White House Correspondent for USA Today, talks about the news from Washington, including President Biden's speech, Netanyahu's visit, the Harris campaign (and the memes propelling it from below). 

Matthew Futterman, senior staff writer for The Athletic, the sports unit of The New York Times, previews the start of the summer Olympics which begin this Friday, July 26th, in Paris, France. 

Dame Louise Richardson, president of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, talks about research into and strategies to reduce political polarization in the United States, especially in this fraught election year.

Ben Max, host of the Max Politics podcast and executive editor and program director at New York Law School’s Center for New York City Law, talks about some of the successful policies from the Adams administration and the power struggle with the City Council seemingly playing out in the Charter Review process.

Micah Loewinger is the brand new co-host of WNYC's On the Media. Brooke Gladstone, co-host of WNYC's On The Media and Micah Loewinger talk about their plans for the show and how it might evolve.

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. This weeks topics include: fights over shelters, his support for VP Kamala Harris, and the comparisons he draws between himself and former mayor David Dinkins. 

Continuing our centennial series "100 Years of 100 Things," Eric Dean Wilson, Queens College writing instructor and the author of After Cooling: On Freon, Global Warming, and the Terrible Cost of Comfort (Simon & Schuster, 2021), walks us through the promise of air conditioning of the past 100 years -- how it relieved people of warming temperatures and how they have eventually contributed to climate change.

Chris Crowley, senior writer at Grub Street, discusses the Mr. Fruit stores, a "chainlet" of delis that has amassed a cult following in Brooklyn.

The Secret Service director resigned under pressure after former President Trump was shot during a rally earlier this month. Carol Leonnig, Washington Post national investigative reporter, explains how Secret Service protection works: who gets it, how are they protected, and what went so wrong at the Trump rally in Pennsylvania.

David Sirota, founder and editor-in-chief of The Lever, host of the upcoming podcast Master Plan, an investigation into government corruption in the United States, co-creator of the movie Don't Look Up, and former presidential campaign speechwriter for Bernie Sanders, offers political analysis from the left on President Biden's decision to drop out, the Democrats' rallying behind VP Kamala Harris as the new nominee, and how he sees the campaign as a Trump - Harris matchup looks likely.

Ryan Kailath, WNYC/Gothamist arts and culture reporter, talks about the August 3rd deadline for restaurants wanting to continue outdoor dining and why the streetscape will see changes.

The Republican Party has promised to initiate the largest deportation effort in U.S. history if Donald Trump is elected president. Felipe De La Hoz, contributing member of the New York Daily News editorial board and lecturer at New York University's College of Arts and Sciences, offers a look at Trump's plan.→ The Supreme Court Just Supercharged the Scariest Part of Trump’s 2025 Agenda

Ahead of the second round of the annual "Subway Series," listeners share who they're rooting for, where their loyalty comes from, and weigh in on the informal map of Yankees vs. Mets territory in the New York area.  

 During the show, Vice President Kamala Harris gave her first public speech about her presidential bid. Democrats call in share how they are feeling about Biden's exit from the presidential race and his endorsement of VP Harris.

Continuing our centennial series "100 Years of 100 Things," Michael E. Mann, presidential distinguished professor and director of the Center for Science, Sustainability and the Media at the University of Pennsylvania and author of several books, most recently,Our Fragile Moment: How Lessons from Earth's Past Can Help Us Survive the Climate Crisis (PublicAffairs, 2023), walks us through the impact that fossil fuels have had on the climate—and the temperature record—of the past 100 years.

Christine Quinn, president & CEO of Win, the largest provider of shelter and supportive services for homeless families in New York City, reacts to the news that President Biden has dropped out of the presidential campaign, especially in her role as a Democratic delegate, and talks about the protests against the homeless shelter in Bensonhurst and other related news.  

Bonnie Watson Coleman, U.S. Representative (D, NJ-12), co-chair and co-founder of the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls, and Adriano Espaillat, U.S. Representative (D, NY-13), react to the news that President Biden has dropped out of the presidential race. Plus, Gabriel Debenedetti, national correspondent at New York Magazine and author of The Long Alliance: The Imperfect Union of Joe Biden and Barack Obama (Henry Holt and Co., 2022) reports on the news from his position as a reporter steeped in Biden world, and Democratic voters call in to share their thoughts and feelings on this huge shakeup to the campaign.

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.Poverty in Black and White (First) | The City's First Official Trash Can (Starts at 35:37) | "Weird Al" Yankovic Celebrates 10 Years of "Mandatory Fun" (Starts at 1:04:11)If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

10 years after his comedy album "Mandatory Fun" became the first comedy album in history to hit number 1 on the Billboard charts, "Weird Al" Yankovic, musician, comedian, and actor,  looks back on his career parodying hit pop songs, previews his latest single "Polkamania!", and takes calls from his multi-generational fanbase.

Clayton Guse, WNYC/Gothamist editor on the NYC Accountability desk, and Stephen Nessen, transportation reporter for the WNYC Newsroom, break down the latest city data that show more New Yorkers were killed by drivers during the first six months of 2024 than those who were fatally shot over the same period.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D NY-8th, Brooklyn) talks about the debate engulfing the Democrats on whether President Biden should stay in the race, plus reacts to Trump's speech at the RNC and listeners share their views.

Charlie Sykes, founder of The Bulwark, MSNBC contributor and author of How the Right Lost Its Mind (St. Martin's Press, 2017), recaps President Trump's speech and the whole week at the Republican National Convention.

Brittany Kriegstein, WNYC and Gothamist reporter, and Tom Warren, senior editor and author of "Notepad" for The Verge, talk about the effects of the massive tech outage, including critical infrastructure, apps, travel and more -- as callers share issues they're finding with work, travel, and making purchases.

Jessica Tisch, commissioner of the New York City Department of Sanitation, talks about the NYC Bin, the City’s first "official trash can" which will be mandated for use by residential buildings with 1-9 units in a continuing effort to deprive rats of access to garbage. 

McKay Coppins, staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of Romney: A Reckoning (Simon & Schuster, 2023), recaps the happenings at the Republican National Convention, including JD Vance's speech, plus offers analysis on Nikki Haley's apparent evolution into a Trump believer. 

Zack Beauchamp, senior correspondent at Vox and the author of The Reactionary Spirit: How America's Most Insidious Political Tradition Swept the World  (PublicAffairs, 2024), explores the resistance to democratic ideals that has always accompanied progress toward greater freedom and how that reactionary movement is active here and around the world.

Classical pianist Lara Downes previews a free outdoor concert in which she'll perform a new arrangement of George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue," which turns 100 this year.On Saturday, July 27 at 6 p.m., WNYC and St. Ann’s Warehouse will present Rhapsody for This Land: The American Odyssey in Music, a free concert in Brooklyn Bridge Park that celebrates a century of hope, protest and change as expressed through American music.RSVP for free here.WNYC is celebrating its centennial with live events, audio programming, public art, a city-wide storytelling initiative and partnerships with other New York institutions. Visit wnyc.org/100to learn more about how you can join the celebration of WNYC’s first — and next — 100 years.

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. This weeks topics include: the resignation of the FDNY commissioner, Laura Kavanagh; the mayor pointing fingers at the press in response to the assassination attempt against former president Donald Trump; a first look at how much Democratic mayoral primary candidates are fundraising for the upcoming 2025 primaries; plus a question from a Politico reporter that sent Adams over the edge.  

Halfway through summer, listeners share their favorite finds:  Cultural, Culinary, Air-Conditioned.

U.S. Representative Anthony D'Esposito (R, NY-4) talks about the Republican convention and the campaigns.

Continuing our centennial series "100 Years of 100 Things," Julian Zelizer, professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University, CNN political analyst, NPR contributor, and author of several books and co-author with Kevin Kruse of Myth America: Historians Take On the Biggest Legends and Lies About Our Past (Basic Books, 2023), walks us through pivotal RNC speeches from the last 100 years.

New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez was convicted on bribery and other corruption charges. Nancy Solomon, WNYC reporter and editor, and host of the “Ask Governor Murphy” monthly call-in show, reports on what comes next for him and for his re-election campaign.

William Barber, a Protestant minister, social activist, professor, and founding director of the Center for Public Theology and Public Policy at Yale Divinity School, president of Repairers of the Breach and the author of White Poverty: How Exposing Myths About Race and Class Can Reconstruct American Democracy  (Liveright, 2024), argues against seeing poverty as primarily a Black issue and seeks to create common ground across racial lines to address the problem.

The year 2024 is the hottest year on record in New York City, and the current heat wave is expected to bring real-feel temperatures into the triple digits today. In this oppressive heat and humidity, we ask our listeners simply, "how hot is it?"

Zack Colman, reporter covering climate and energy at Politico, talks about how climate and energy show up in the Republican platform and in Project 2025, plus reports from the RNC on how Republicans are talking - if at all - about climate change.

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), offers analysis of the Republican National Convention so far, Trump's VP pick and more national political news.

Listeners share how their churches or other religious communities responded to the deadly violence at the Trump rally on Saturday,

Sue Donoghue, commissioner of NYC Parks, talks about summer parks priorities, including water safety, plus plans to renovate restrooms and plant more trees. 

With the Republican National Convention underway, Matthew Continetti,  director of domestic policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute, and the author of The Right: The Hundred Year War for American Conservatism (Basic Books, 2022), reviews the last 100 years of Republican presidential candidates and the party's values as part of the series, "100 Years of 100 Things." 

Tamara Keith, senior NPR White House correspondent and co-host of the NPR Politics Podcast, talks about the latest national political news, including the fallout from the attempted assassination of Donald Trump at a rally, Democrats' panic over Joe Biden's candidacy, and the start of the Republican National Convention.

In this special edition of our weekend podcast, a walk down memory lane for WNYC's 100th birthday, plus a re-imagining of the station's first broadcast.Looking Back at 100 Years of WNYC  (First) | A Re-imagining of WNYC's First Broadcast (Starts at 1:44:25) If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

There's one final chance to see the sun and street grid align as "Manhattanhenge" occurs one last time until next year. Jackie Faherty, astronomer and educator at the American Museum of Natural History, explains the science behind it and invites listeners to attend the party the museum is throwing to celebrate. 

Thursday was the last day of the NATO summit in Washington, celebrating the 75th anniversary of the North Atlantic alliance. Fred Kaplan, Slate's War Stories columnist and the author of many books, including The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War (Simon & Schuster, 2020), joins to recap the event, including a breakdown of President Joe Biden's press conference and what the 2024 election might mean for the future of the alliance.

A critical electrical system that powers Amtrak trains on the Northeast Corridor is failing, and passengers are paying the price. Nolan Hicks, who covers city agencies, politics and transit, and now contributes to New York Magazine, explains what's gone wrong and why these problems have persisted.→  Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor Power Supply Is Ancient and Failing | Curbed

Nancy Solomon, WNYC reporter and host of the “Ask Governor Murphy” monthly call-in show, reports on New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez's bribery trial, where closing arguments have wrapped up and the jury is deliberating. 

In light of this current heat wave, listeners share their favorite bodies of water for a swim or just cooling off.

Astead Herndon, national politics reporter and the host of the politics podcast “The Run-Up,” discusses the latest political news headlines, including how Democratic voters are thinking about voting for President Joe Biden.

Whether we're headed to the polls, rallies, reading the news, or just engaging in dinner party conversations about politics, we always carry our life experiences with us. Tony Award winning writer, comedian and performer Sarah Jones introduces her upcoming podcast America, Who Hurt You?, which discusses how our personal trauma informs how we interact with politics.

Steven Greenhouse, senior fellow at The Century Foundation, former longtime labor reporter at the New York Times and the author of Beaten Down, Worked Up: The Past, Present, and Future of American Labor (Knopf, 2019) discusses the contrast in how Democrats and Republicans (including Project 2025) approach labor, and reflects on the legacy of the late labor organizer Jane McAlevey, who died recently. 

Continuing our centennial series 100 Years of 100 Things, Matthew Barton, curator of recorded sound at the Library of Congress, walks us through the history of radio. 

Erin Doherty, politics reporter covering breaking news and the 2024 election for Axios, discusses the latest in election news headlines, including the newly released Republican Party platform and much more. Plus, listeners call in to describe their essential political values in 6 words or less.

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, from four tragic beach drownings to the politics of migration.

Stacey D’Erasmo, novelist, literary critic and the author of The Long Run: A Creative Inquiry (Graywolf, 2024), talks about her new book and what she discovered about how artists keep their creativity going throughout their lives.EVENT: Stacey D'Erasmo will be in conversation with writer James Hannaham tomorrow, July 10th from 7 to 8 pm, at P&T Knitwear  (a bookstore) at 180 Orchard Street in Manhattan.

After Biden's politically harmful debate performance, pundits and some Democratic officials have called for him to step down as the presidential nominee for the party. Jeet Heer, writer for The Nation, explains his argument for replacing Biden, who the left wing of the party is looking towards, and how Democrats should proceed.

Filmmaker Sam Pollard revisits the New York City blackout of 1977, the subject of a new documentary he's working on. Plus, listeners offer their oral histories.

Hurricane Beryl accumulated strength quickly due to unseasonably warm water, while at the same time, extreme heat is expected to break some records in Death Valley. For our climate segment of the week, Bob Henson, meteorologist, journalist, regular contributor to Yale Climate Connections and author of The Thinking Person's Guide to Climate Change ‎(American Meteorological Society, 2019), discusses how global warming is factoring into extreme weather events and how scientists are considering changing the scales in with which these events are measured.

France and Britain held two major elections last week that many saw as referendums to long term ruling parties in both countries. Max Colchester, U.K. correspondent at The Wall Street Journal, and Stacy Meichtry, Paris bureau chief at The Wall Street Journal, break down the results of the U.K. general election, held July 4th, and the results of the runoff elections of the National Assembly in France, held on Sunday.

The first WNYC broadcast took place on July 8, 1924. Today, LaFontaine Oliver, president and CEO of New York Public Radio, kicks off our centennial series, and Andy Lanset, director of archives for New York Public Radio, takes us through the station's history.

Christina Greer, associate professor of political science at Fordham University, co-host of the podcast FAQNYC and the author of Black Ethnics (Oxford University Press, 2013), offers analysis of the latest national political news, including the frenzy around President Biden's fitness to remain in the campaign after the debate, and more.

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.Rebecca Traister on Republican Women (First) | The Effort to Expand Ranked Choice Voting (Starts at 42:0 0) | A Summer Reading Challenge for 2024 (Starts at 1:15:00)If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

On this long holiday weekend, some recent book interviews:Nicholas Kristof, opinion columnist for The New York Times and author of several books, including a 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.Luis A. Miranda, Jr. , founder of the political consulting firm MirRam, founding president of the Hispanic Federation and the author of Relentless: My Story of the Latino Spirit that is Transforming America (Hachette Books, 2024), shares his story of his life and work in NYC politics (and as the father of Lin Manuel).Richard Ocejo, professor of sociology at John Jay College and the Graduate Center, City University of New York, and the author of Sixty Miles Upriver: Gentrification and Race in a Small American City (Princeton University Press, 2024), examines the effect on racial and income balance in the Hudson Valley's Newburgh, NY, of an influx of wealthier remote workers from NYC and its suburbs.Now facing a diagnosis of ALS, Dan Doctoroff, founder and chairman of the research foundation Target ALS, former president and CEO of Bloomberg LP and Sidewalk Labs, New York City deputy mayor for economic development and rebuilding (2002-2007) and the subject of The Urbanist: Dan Doctoroff and the Rise of New York (Phaidon, 2024), looks about his impact on the City after 9/11 under Mayor Bloomberg and the new book that celebrates his achievements.Anne Curzan, University of Michigan professor of English language and literature, linguistics, and education and the author of Says Who?: A Kinder, Funner Usage Guide for Everyone Who Cares About Words (Crown, 2024), offers her guide to English usage, where the 'rules' started and how to use them. These interviews were lightly edited for time and clarity and the original web versions are available here:Nicholas Kristof's Optimism (May 15, 2024)Luis Miranda's 'Latino Spirit' (May 7, 2024)When Gentrification Leaves the City (May 30, 2024)Dan Doctoroff's New York (Apr 18, 2024)A 'Funner' Guide to Language Usage (Mar 26, 2024)

For the Fourth of July:A. J. Jacobs, NPR contributor, essayist, and the author of The Year of Living Biblically, The Know-It-All, It's All Relative and his latest, The Year of Living Constitutionally: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution's Original Meaning (Crown, 2024), offers his take on "originalism" by living like a "founding father" - tricorn hat and all.Tricia Rose, chancellor's professor of Africana Studies, director of the Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America at Brown and author of Metaracism: How Systemic Racism Devastates Black Lives―and How We Break Free (Hachette, 2024), explains the interlocking and mutually reinforcing individual policies that disadvantage Black Americans and how to cut through.Ross Perlin, co-director of the Endangered Language Alliance (ELA) and the author of Language City: The Fight to Preserve Endangered Mother Tongues in New York (Grove, 2024), talks about the many languages spoken in New York that are at risk of disappearing.Michele Norris, Washington Post columnist, host of the podcast "Your Mama's Kitchen," former cohost of NPR’s All Things Considered and the author of Our Hidden Conversations: What Americans Really Think about Race and Identity (Simon & Schuster, 2024), talks about her book that builds on the over half a million submissions to Race Card Project which invited people to submit six words that summed up their story about race.Michael Waters, writer, author of The Other Olympians: Fascism, Queerness, and the Making of Modern Sports (June 2024), explores the history of middle names, and what they say about our lives and our values. These interviews were lightly edited for time and clarity and the original web versions are available here:A.J. Jacobs Lives Originalism (May 8, 2024)Systemic Racism Explained (Mar 11, 2024)A Tour of New York City's Endangered Languages (Mar 21, 2024)What Americans Want to Say About Race and Identity (Jan 16, 2024)What's In a Middle Name? (Apr 3, 2024)

Jordan Lauf, producer for All Of It and the Get Lit with All Of It book club, explains how to participate in All Of It's Summer Reading Challenge.

As we celebrate the founding of this country on the Fourth of July, and many people are concerned about the strength of democracy in the United States, Carlo Invernizzi-Accetti, executive director of the Moynihan Center, professor of political science at The City College of New York, and author of the book 20 Years of Rage: How Resentment Took the Place of Politics (Mondadori, 2024), compares the state of our democracy then and now.

In France and Britain, two major upcoming elections this week are poised to overturn current, long term ruling parties in both countries. Sophie Pedder, Paris bureau chief at The Economist, and Andrew Palmer, Britain editor at The Economist, break down the latest on the U.K. general election, scheduled for July 4th, and the results of the first-out-of-two rounds of elections of the National Assembly in France.

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, including police reform and the pre-K waiting list.

Theodore Moore, executive director of ALIGN (Alliance for a Greater New York), reacts to the City budget and what it means for climate goals for schools buildings.

Chantal Fernandez, features writer who covers fashion for the Cut, talks about the changing landscape of fashion retail, where fast fashion is driving many “normal” brands to compete by cutting back where they can, including fabric and design, and hiking up prices in anticipation of selling at a markdown.  

AJ Schnack, independent filmmaker and director of "Majority Rules," a new documentary about ranked choice voting, and Tim Dunn, executive director of Unite NY, discuss ranked choice voting in New York City and across the country, and its potential impacts on American polarization.

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.

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 of the Supreme Court's final day of opinions, on immunity for former president Trump and regarding social media companies regulating misinformation on their platforms. 

Katie Honan, senior reporter at The City where she "anchors" the Summer & The City newsletter and co-host of FAQ NYC, reports on the big news out of the city's handshake budget agreement after "contentious" negotiations between City Hall and City Council, which reportedly includes a restoration of cuts to the city's three library systems, cultural institutions and parks. 

Susan Page, USA Today Washington bureau chief and the author of Madam Speaker: Nancy Pelosi and the Lessons of Power  (Twelve, 2021) and her latest, The Rulebreaker: The Life and Times of Barbara Walters (Simon & Schuster, 2024), talks about the fallout from the debate and reacts to the Supreme Court decision to partially rule in favor of former president Donald Trump in his immunity case.

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.An Optimistic Take on NYC's Future  (First) | Worker Protections During Extreme Heat (Starts at 28:30) | Double Family Vacations (Starts at 48:00)If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

Sabrina Siddiqui, White House reporter at The Wall Street Journal, offers analysis of Thursday night's debate between President Biden and former President Trump.

 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 of the Supreme Court opinions released today on January 6th prosecutions,  homelessness in Oregon and the power of federal agencies.

Anthony Fauci, M.D., longtime director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, now a professor at Georgetown University in the School of Medicine and the McCourt School of Public Policy, and the author of On Call: A Doctor’s Journey in Public Service (Viking, 2024), talks about his life and the public health crises he's helped the country navigate.

Jeff Stein, White House economics reporter for The Washington Post, offers analysis of the economic picture painted by the two candidates in Thursday night's debate.

Peter Hamby, partner at Puck News and host of Snapchat's Good Luck America, previews the presidential debate between President Biden and Donald Trump.

Samantha Darby, Senior Lifestyle Editor at Romper, shares the secret to enjoying a vacation when you have young children: inviting another family with kids along!

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 of the Supreme Court's opinions released yesterday and today, relating to social media, abortion bans, air pollution, the Purdue Pharma settlement, and more.

Elizabeth Glazer, founder of the journal Vital City and former director of the New York City Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, talks about the many challenges post-pandemic New York City faces and her take on the "urban doom loop" theory, and why she thinks the city will always bounce back. Plus, Jennifer Egan, author of many books including Manhattan Beach and The Candy Shop and a contributor to this Vital City issue, shares why she'll never leave New York.

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. This week's topics include the state of the New York City budget, Mayor Adams' answers to street congestion, and  mental health and homelessness.

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 New York's primary election results, and what they might signal for the November election.

Listeners share the questions they hope to hear at Thursday's debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump.

Caroline Hopkins, health and science reporter, talks about her New York Times article, "What Gen Z Gets Wrong About Sunscreen" and explains how everyone can avoid the misinformation about sunscreen and avoid sun damage.

David Driver, performer, singer, and producer, and Michael Musto, journalist covering pop culture and socio-political issues, and author of the Queerty's monthly gossip column "Read Now, Cry Later", discuss Driver's upcoming show, The Stonewall Jukebox: A Documentary Concert, a live performance that tells the story of how the Stonewall uprising came to be, and how it still impacts LGBTQ culture 55 years later.  

Abrahm Lustgarten, investigative reporter with ProPublica and The New York Times and the author of On the Move: The Overheating Earth and the Uprooting of America (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2024), talks about the massive effects of climate change when those who can move to cooler locations.

Callers share their ballot choices in the New York's primaries.

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.

Jack Turban, M.D., director of the Gender Psychiatry Program and assistant professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco, and the author of Free to Be: Understanding Kids & Gender Identity (Atria, 2024), returns to talk more about the science, the medicine and the politics surrounding gender identity in children and teens.

Brigid Bergin, WNYC's senior political correspondent, and Jeff Coltin, Politico reporter and co-author of the New York Playbook, talk about the New York State primary, including what's on the ballot in NYC and the contested Democratic primaries in the area.

Extreme heat can be dangerous for workers, both outdoors and inside. Terri Gerstein, director of the N.Y.U. Wagner Labor Initiative, former labor bureau chief in the New York State Attorney General’s Office and a deputy commissioner in the New York State Department of Labor, discusses efforts to protect workers from extreme heat, both on the federal and state levels.

The first debate between President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump is set to take place on Thursday. Azi Paybarah, national reporter covering campaigns and breaking politics news at The Washington Post, previews the occasion and talks us through some of the other big stories in national politics.

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.Kathy Hochul considers a ban on cell phones in NYC public schools (First) | Tiya Miles on Night Flyer: Harriet Tubman and the Faith Dreams of a Free People (‎Penguin Press, 2024)  (Starts at 43:15) | A guide to summer wedding outfits (Starts at 1:07:00)If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

DW Gibson, journalist and the author of One Week to Change the World: An Oral History of the 1999 WTO Protests (Simon & Schuster, 2024), tells the story of the protests against globalization and their impact on subsequent activism, including today's climate protests.

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 on taxes and the First Amendment, and previews the major decisions still outstanding.

As summer begins and New York feels its first heatwave of 2024, listeners share their tips and tricks for beating the heat and keeping cool as temperatures rise. 

Stephen Petrus, director of Public History Programs at LaGuardia and Wagner Archives at LaGuardia Community College and curator of “The Battle for Intro. 2: The New York City Gay Rights Bill, 1971 – 1986", talks about the work he and his students did in putting together a digital exhibit on the New York City Gay Rights Bill, which passed after a long fight between advocates and opponents, and Allen Roskoff, civil rights activist, president of the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, and the co-author of the nation’s first gay rights bill, recalls his involvement in the bill and the activism that led to its passage.

Leon Neyfakh and Arielle Pardes, journalists and podcast hosts, talk about their new podcast "Backfired: The Vaping Wars," about the public health debate over Juul and vaping in general.

Wardrobe guidance for some weddings is getting increasingly specific, sometimes even including "mood boards" to provide inspiration. Listeners planning -- or attending -- summer weddings call in to share how these new types of dress codes are a factor in their plans.

President Biden's latest executive action aims to help DACA recipients, and the undocumented spouses and stepchildren of American citizens. Allan Wernick, senior legal advisor to CUNY Citizenship Now!, CUNY's free immigration law service program, explains in more detail what the orders are meant to do, when they might take effect, and offers advice for callers in those groups.

New York City schools have a patchwork of rules surrounding phones in class, and students, teachers and parents say they are confused and frustrated. Amy Zimmer, Chalkbeat New York bureau chief, shares her reporting on the issue, and talks about why Gov. Hochul is mulling a statewide ban on phones in schools.

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, including a proposed mask ban, the rent hike, Muslim New Yorkers, and more.

Juneteenth's popularity is helping families discover details about enslaved ancestors. Listeners call in to share what they've discovered over the years and what tools they've used to uncover their ancestry.

On Juneteenth, 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 and the Faith Dreams of a Free People (‎Penguin Press, 2024), that places Harriet Tubman in the context of the natural world she inhabited and her spirituality.

South Jersey political power broker George Norcross has been indicted on racketeering and other charges. Nancy Solomon, WNYC reporter and editor, and host of the “Ask Governor Murphy” monthly call-in show,  who has been reporting on Norcross for years, explains what happened and what this could mean for Democratic politics in New Jersey.

Each year the news division hosts the WNYC Health Convening with support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation as an opportunity for healthcare experts and practitioners to inform WNYC's health reporting. This year, Siddhartha Mukherjee, M.D., associate professor of medicine at Columbia University, cancer researcher, co-founder of a new company named MANAS.Ai, which integrates AI and medicine, and author of several books, most recently, The Song of the Cell: An Exploration of Medicine and the New Human (Scribner, 2022), Shinjini Kundu, M.D., PhD, fellow physician and computer scientist at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, and Paul Friedman,  M.D., chair of the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, discuss how artificial intelligence is currently interacting with healthcare, including AI's role in diagnosing diseases, discovering the building blocks for medication, and  concerns related to patient privacy and algorithm bias.

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.

The EU parliament has moved to the right after this month's elections, and climate initiatives are in the crosshairs. Karl Mathiesen, senior climate correspondent at Politico Europe,  offers analysis.

Mike Madrid, political consultant and the author of The Latino Century: How America's Largest Minority Is Transforming Democracy (Simon & Schuster, 2024) , argues both parties misunderstand the many Latino voters and what resonates with them.

Brad Lander, New York City Comptroller, talks about his plans to take legal action over Gov. Hochul's indefinite "pause" of the congestion pricing plan, and other city news.

Muslim listeners call in to share how they are observing the holiday Eid al-Adha, which is the feast of sacrifice. 

Jamaal Bowman, U.S. Representative (D-NY16), talks about facing a challenge in the June 25th Democratic primary and the issues at stake in the race.

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.George Packer sees Phoenix as a bellwether for America's future  (First) | The science, the medicine and the politics surrounding of identity in children and teens (Starts at 35:40) | Who should cover broker fees for NYC rentals? (Starts at 59:40)If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

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, especially the deal to support Ukraine in its war with Russia.

Melinda Hanson, co-founder of the Equitable Commute Project and founder of Brightside Consulting, explains the differences between various forms of 2-wheeled motorized transportation, how they're regulated and what would contribute to safer streets, bike lanes and sidewalks.

With Father’s Day fast approaching, parents and adult children call in to talk about what fatherhood can look like in times of crisis, and share stories of dads who’ve stepped up to the plate.

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 of the Supreme Court's unanimous decision regarding mifepristone and previews the remaining blockbuster cases of the term.

In honor of the return of the dollar pizza slice, listeners call in with their favorite dirt cheap meal options in their neighborhoods.

New York City Councilmember Chi Ossé is pushing legislation that would change how broker fees work, largely eliminating the cost for renters. David Brand, housing reporter for WNYC/Gothamist, explains how the FARE Act would work, and whether the bill has a chance of passing and CM Ossé weighs in, along with a tenant, a landlord and a broker on the phones.

Nancy Solomon, WNYC reporter and editor, and host of the “Ask Governor Murphy” monthly call-in show, recaps her conversation with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, where they talked about the "pause" on congestion pricing, a new law that critics say would eliminate transparency in government and more.

Aaron Blake, senior political reporter and author of "The Campaign Moment" newsletter and podcast for The Washington Post, offers analysis of today's national political headlines and reads the tea leaves for November's election. 

Jack Turban, M.D., director of the Gender Psychiatry Program and assistant professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco, and the author of Free to Be: Understanding Kids & Gender Identity (Atria, 2024), talks about the science, the medicine and the politics surrounding gender identity in children and teens. 

Listeners who live in or have ties to European Union countries call in to talk about how voters in the EU parliament elections voted this year and why.

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, including Gov. Hochul's "pause" of congestion pricing, mopeds, Trump voters, and more. 

George Latimer, Westchester County Executive challenging U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D, NY 16) in the June 25th primary, talks about his primary campaign and the issues at stake in the election.

Mo Rocca, host of the podcast Mobituaries, a CBS Sunday Morning correspondent, a frequent panelist on NPR’s hit weekly quiz show Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me!, discusses his new book, Roctogenarians: Late in Life Debuts, Comebacks, and Triumphs (Simon and Schuster, 2024) and profiles people whose big achievements came at the age many of their peers were stepping back.  

Fewer kids are riding the bus to school today than in decades past, and those who do tend to be from lower-income families. Lora Kelley, associate editor at The Atlantic and an author of the Atlantic Daily newsletter,  talks about how the design of the iconic yellow school bus hasn't changed much over the years, and how who rides the bus might affect a push for innovation on board, as listeners share their memories and stories.=> "The Uncertain Future of the Yellow School Bus" (The Atlantic Daily, 5/24/24)  

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, Arizona as a test of America's ability to respond to the climate crisis, as well as the challenges to democracy.

Maria Torres-Springer, NYC deputy mayor for housing, economic development and workforce, talks about a groundbreaking ceremony for an offshore wind project at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal and the plans for wind power for the city. Plus, what comes next for the mayor's housing plan called "City of Yes" now that the City Council approved the first part of the plan.

Katie Merz, artist and professor of drawing at the Cooper Union School of Art, talks about the art she is creating for WNYC's upcoming centennial, and takes calls from listeners who share what they see as the most iconic NYC-related image, place or object. 

A new poll by the National True Cost of Living Coalition found that 65% of Americans are financially struggling, and don't anticipate that changing in their lifetimes. Jennifer Jones Austin, CEO of the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies and co-chair of National True Cost of Living Coalition, discusses the poll's findings, the implications of widespread financial hardship, and the coalition's upcoming measure to develop a true cost of living metric. 

Last week, President Biden issued an executive order that prevents migrants from seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border when crossings surge. Murad Awawdeh, president and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), discusses the executive order, how it might impact New York City and more. 

New York State Senator Liz Krueger  (D, WF - 28th, Manhattan's East Side ), chair of the Finance Committee, talks about how the state legislature is responding to the Governor's "pause" of congestion pricing as their session ends. Then, Karen DeWitt, Capitol bureau chief for New York State Public Radio, discusses the political ramifications of the congestion pricing "pause" and the end of this legislative session -- and looks back on her long career covering state politics as she prepares for retirement this month.

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.ACT UP NY organizers fighting against Mayor Adams's proposed cuts to HIV/AIDs spending  (First) | 'The Cash Value of Racism in America' (Starts at 26:50) | The first major cricket tournament on U.S. soil (Starts at 56:30)If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

Tracie McMillan, 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 to Black Americans on her own family and that of four others.

First time callers of The Brian Lehrer Show call in to share what's on their minds from the news this week -- including elections in the U.S. and around the world, Pride Month, D-Day and much more. 

Katie Honan, senior reporter at The City where she "anchors" the Summer & The City newsletter and co-hosts the podcast FAQ NYC, offers some guidance for making the most of summer in NYC.

Christina Greer, associate professor of political science at Fordham University, Moynihan Public Scholars Fellow at City College, CUNY, host of the podcast FAQ NYC, host of The Blackest Questions podcast on TheGrio and the author of Black Ethnics (Oxford University Press, 2013), offers political analysis as New York Governor Kathy Hochul and President Joe Biden seem to embrace a swing voter strategy and "double haters" emerge.

Jodi Rudoren, editor-in-chief of The Forward, shares why she believes it's time for the United States to recognize Palestine as a state, and what would change if it does.   

McKay Coppins, staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of Romney: A Reckoning (Simon & Schuster, 2023), reports that European officials are convinced Trump is going to win the election in November, and are increasingly alarmed at the prospect. 

John Aaron, manager of the USA women’s national under-19 and senior women’s cricket teams and an adjunct lecturer of business at Kingsborough Community College, discusses the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, the first major International Cricket Association tournament on US soil. 

Gov. Hochul made the surprise announcement Wednesday that she would pause the long-awaited plan to toll drivers entering Manhattan's business district to fund transit improvements. Jon Campbell, Albany reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, and Stephen Nessen, transportation reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, talk about the impact of her decision, plus other news from Albany as the legislative session ends.

Eve Fairbanks, senior editor at Foreign Affairs and author of The Inheritors: An Intimate Portrait of South Africa's Racial Reckoning (Simon & Schuster, 2022), digs into several major elections around the world where some ruling parties lost power, like in South Africa, while others had historic victories, like in Mexico.

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 this week's discussion on Biden's executive order that temporarily closes the border to migrants, Mayor Adams' repeated requests to expedite work permits to migrants, and a new plan to build more public restrooms. 

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, including President Biden's executive action on the southern border, his son's trial and the latest on the U.S. role in cease fire negotiations between Israel and Hamas.

Cassandra Negley, WNBA and women's college basketball reporter at Yahoo Sports, discusses the stories of the WNBA season so far. 

After Dobbs and other Supreme Court decisions that restrict rights, 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."Can State Supreme Courts Preserve—or Expand—Rights?" (New Yorker, June 3, 2024)

From NFL superstars to TikTok moms, discussion about the role of women in society have been all over the internet for months. Monica Hesse, columnist for The Washington Post's Style section, who frequently writes about gender and its impact on society, discusses her recent essays on the rise of 'tradwives,' and how most people's lives intersect and diverge from the "tradwife" life.

Two climate-related bills still hang in the balance in Albany this legislative session: the NY HEAT Act and the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act. Activists Courtney Williams, founder of Westchester Alliance for Sustainable Solutions, an organization fighting the Peekskill Incinerator, and John Raskin, president of Spring Street Climate Fund, talk about how the bills would impact their neighborhoods.

Nancy Solomon, WNYC reporter and host of the “Ask Governor Murphy” monthly call-in show, talks about what there is to know for New Jersey voters on primary day, where they'll be voting to choose their party's candidates for president, senate and many other offices, without the so-called "county line" ballot design. Plus listeners call in to participate in an informal, unofficial, thoroughly unscientific exit poll.

A new artificial intelligence feature recently rolled out by Google is under fire for giving out inaccurate information. Listeners call in to share how they use AI in their daily lives and how they navigate some of its pitfalls. 

Jill Colvin, national political reporter for the Associated Press, talks about the political impact of the Trump verdict on the presidential campaign, plus the start of the Hunter Biden trial, and more.

As Pride Month starts, Nia Nottage and Brandon Cuicchi, organizers at ACT UP NY, advocate against the mayor's proposed budget cuts to HIV/AIDS spending.

The Food and Drug Administration is currently considering MDMA as a treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. Anna Silman, features correspondent at Business Insider, breaks down her reporting on the decades-long fight to legalize the drug and why some pro-MDMA advocates are sounding the alarm.

For your weekend listening, in case you missed it:Legal analysis of the felony convictions of the former president in the "hush money" trial in Manhattan. If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

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 courtroom, and as a longtime reporter on the former president and his business dealings.

Lincoln Restler, New York City Council Member (District 33: Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn Navy Yard, Downtown Brooklyn, Dumbo, Fulton Ferry, Greenpoint, Vinegar Hill and Williamsburg), talks about the latest conflicts between the Council and the mayor, safety issues on McGuinness Boulevard and more. 

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, offers legal analysis of the Manhattan jury's guilty verdict of Donald Trump in his so-called "hush money" trial. 

Warren Lehrer, writer and designer and author of Riveted in the Word (EarSay in collaboration with AltSalt, 2024), talks about his new e-book, a story about a woman's journey to recovering the ability to speak after a stroke, and Laura Boylan, M.D., Bellevue Hospital neurologist and adjunct professor, department of neurology at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, explains what aphasia is and how treatment and rehabilitation has evolved.More information on upcoming book events at the Center for Book Arts and Topaz Arts here: https://earsay.org/ 

Richard Ocejo, professor of sociology at John Jay College and the Graduate Center, City University of New York, and the author of Sixty Miles Upriver: Gentrification and Race in a Small American City (Princeton University Press, 2024), examines the effect on racial and income balance in the Hudson Valley's Newburgh, NY, of an influx of wealthier remote workers from NYC and its suburbs. 

Curtis Bashaw, entrepreneur running in the New Jersey Republican Senate primary, talks about his campaign for the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate and his stance on issues important to primary voters. 

Donald Trump's hush money case is currently being deliberated by the jurors after hearing weeks of arguments. Andrew Weissmann, professor of practice at NYU School of Law, lead prosecutor in Robert Mueller’s Special Counsel's Office, the 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 impact the jury's decision, whatever it may be, could have on our legal system and future political campaigns. 

With this legislative session wrapping up next week, Jon Campbell, Albany reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, talks about what is likely to be included in the next "big ugly" collection of final legislation. Plus, he explains why Republicans outside of the city are filing lawsuits against even-year elections. 

According to a recent poll conducted by the Pew Research Center, Americans are less likely to feel close to people in their country or community. Listeners with ties to countries abroad weigh in on the poll results and offer comparisons to other countries.   

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, including the NYPD responses to mental health crises, the "balance of power" with the City Council, and more. 

Eric Levitz, senior correspondent at Vox, shares his theory for why the Biden campaign is struggling in the polls with younger voters, as well as Black and Latino voters -- traditionally groups that vote for Democrats. 

Martin Lewis, senior lecturer in history at Stanford University, and author of the book The Myth of Continents: A Critique of Metageography,  explains why determining what makes a continent a continent involves both physical and human geographical criteria, and why people around the world don't agree on how many there are. 

James Comey, former director of the FBI and author of non-fiction, including A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership, and the crime novels Central Park West (2023) and his latest, Westport (Mysterious Press, 2024), talks about his new career as a crime novelist and offers his take on the Trump trial.

Dharna Noor, fossil fuels and climate reporter at Guardian US, shares her investigative series on "Big Oil," including more on an alleged "deal" offer from former President Donald Trump to big oil that could save industry $110 billion in exchange for campaign donations.

Roger Cohen, Paris bureau chief of The New York Times and author An Affirming Flame: Meditations on Life and Politics (Knopf, 2023), discusses Spain, Norway and Ireland's decision to recognize a Palestinian state as well as the International Criminal Court's arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders.

The Brian Lehrer Show observes the Memorial Day holiday with a selection of favorite interviews:Eric Klinenberg, professor in the social sciences and director of the Institute for Public Knowledge at New York University and the author of 2020: One City, Seven People, and the Year Everything Changed (Knopf, 2024), tells the story of New York in 2020 through the lens of seven New Yorkers, and talks about the ongoing effect of that traumatic year.George Takei, actor, activist and writer, discusses his debut picture book, My Lost Freedom: A Japanese American World War II Story (Crown Books for Young Readers, 2024).Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prize-winning presidential historian and the author of And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle (Random House, 2022), talks about the real lessons to learn from the life and work of Abraham Lincoln.Jay Caspian Kang, staff writer for The New Yorker, documentary film director, and the author of The Loneliest Americans (Crown, 2021), shares his thoughts on what he calls the "ideology of the internet," and the tangible effects it has on culture, democracy, institutions and our day-to-day lives.While Hart Island has a reputation for being the burial grounds of New York's unwanted, those laid to rest on the island each have stories and loved ones. Joe Richman, founder and executive producer of Radio Diaries, discusses the Radio Diaries series "The Unmarked Graveyard: Stories from Hart Island" and Susan Hurlburt, shares stories of her son Neil Harris Jr., also known as Steven, who was buried on the island. These interviews were lightly edited for time and clarity and the original web versions are available here:How 2020 Changed Us (Feb 16, 2024)George Takei on 'My Lost Freedom' (Apr 16, 2024)What We Should Learn from Lincoln (Oct 19, 2022)Jay Caspian Kang on 'The Ideology of the Internet' (Mar 15, 2024)Stories from Hart Island (Nov 8, 2023) 

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.The Expanding Market for Weight-Loss Drugs (First) | Anne Lamott on Love (Starts at 25:00 ) | Searching for Something in Our Childhood Homes (Starts at 38:00)If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

With beach season getting started, Chris Allieri, founder of the NYC Plover Project, and Aydon Gabourel,  founder of Laru Beya Collective, talk about their work in the Rockaway Beach community. 

It's impossible to ignore the chatter about Ozempic, Wegovy, and other weight-loss medications that have hit the market in the last few years. This week, Hims & Hers -- a telehealth company known for discreetly treating erectile dysfunction, balding, and other sensitive conditions -- announced the launch of their own off brand weight-loss injection, sparking a boost in their stock prices. Melissa Lee, Host of CNBC's Fast Money, takes us into the marketplace for GLP-1 agonist drugs, Ozempic dupes sold online, and what the popularity of these drugs on Wall Street means for patients.   

It's "NYC Small Business Month" and Kevin D. Kim, commissioner of the NYC Department of Small Business Services, talks about the upcoming Small Business Expo, the services the department offers small business owners and what the "City of Yes" could mean for city storefronts and more. 

The 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. 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 decision. 

Cheryl Mendelson, author of Home Comforts, and her latest,Vows: The Modern Genius of an Ancient Rite  (Simon & Schuster, 2024), reflects on the state of marriage today, through the traditional wedding vows, from their feudal origin to contemporary interpretations.

Jordan Lauf, producer for All Of It and its book club, "Get Lit with All Of It," shares some of the new on-or-off the beach reads.She highlights these great summer books:Memory Piece by Lisa Ko (This month's Get Lit selection - the event is Tuesday, May 28!)The Ministry of Time by Kuh-lane BradleyIn Ascension by Martin MacInnesOne of Our Kind  by Nicola Yoon (out June 11th)  

Faith Hill, staff writer at The Atlantic, talks about what people are looking for when they visit their childhood homes, and how it can be stressful, or sweet.

Each day during the spring membership drive, The Brian Lehrer Show is inviting listeners to try their hand at quiz questions, this time loosely based on the titles of radio shows that air on WNYC. Today's quiz questions are inspired by the title "All Of It."It turns out which landmasses are "continents" is not that clear.  So we are awarding a prize to the caller who got the answer "wrong".  

An upside-down American flag was displayed outside Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito's house just after January 6, 2021. 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), talks about this act - widely thought to symbolize belief in "the big lie" promoted by former President Trump - plus another flag apparently flown at the justice's summer home - and what the symbols say about the ethics of the Supreme Court. 

In this membership drive mini-series, we run through some of can't miss things to see and do this summer.  Today, Jerry Saltz, New York Magazine senior art critic and the author of How to Be an Artist (Riverhead, 2020), shares some art highlights from plazas, galleries and museums. 

 Anne Lamott, author of twenty books, including Bird by Bird and her latest, Somehow: Thoughts on Love (Riverhead Books, 2024), talks about turning 70, and why love has been the answer to the many challenges she's faced in her own life.

Each day during the spring membership drive, The Brian Lehrer Show is inviting listeners to try their hand at quiz questions, this time loosely based on the titles of radio shows that air on WNYC. Today's quiz questions are all about famous people named Ted, inspired by the title "TED Radio Hour."

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, including the NYPD's response at a protest for Palestine in Bay Ridge, the city's lifeguard shortage and more.

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 latest news from Trump's so-called "hush money" trial, where witness testimonies have finished and attorneys are preparing their closing arguments for next week.

Summer brings fun to the cultural calendar. In this membership drive mini-series, we run through some of can't miss things to see and do. Today, Jackson McHenry, theater, TV, and film critic for Vulture, New York Magazine’s entertainment site, shares some of theater highlights of the summer season.

Bill McKibben, environmental activist, founder of Third Act and author of many books, most recently: The Flag, the Cross, and the Station Wagon: A Graying American Looks Back at His Suburban Boyhood and Wonders What the Hell Happened (Henry Holt and Co., 2022), breaks down what's at stake for mitigating climate change ahead of the 2024 presidential election and how the result of the election might impact fossil fuel’s political influence.

Each day during the spring membership drive, The Brian Lehrer Show is inviting listeners to try their hand at quiz questions, this time loosely based on the titles of radio shows that air on WNYC. Today's quiz questions are inspired by the title "Fresh Air."

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.

In this membership drive mini-series, we run through some of can't miss things to see and do this summer.  Today, Ed Yim, chief content officer and senior vice president at WQXR, shares some of highlights for classical music and opera fans.

Jimmy Carter entered hospice care over a year ago, and just recently his grandson said he thinks the former president is "coming to the end." Julian Zelizer, professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University, CNN political analyst and contributor to NPR’s Here and Now, reflects on the 39th president's legacy in this presidential election year, plus shares more political analysis on the presidential election.

Each day during the spring membership drive, The Brian Lehrer Show is inviting listeners to try their hand at quiz questions, this time loosely based on the titles of radio shows that air on WNYC. Today's quiz questions are inspired by the title "On the Media." 

The city's cultural institutions rely on funding from the city budget, and they are dealing with budget cuts. Adrian Benepe, president of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and Regina Bain, executive director of the Louis Armstrong House Museum, put the budget cuts in context, and talk about what they need from the city to operate compared to what they're getting - despite generating billions in economic activity

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.

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them:Nikole Hannah-Jones on Colorblindness (First) - A Family Heritage of Social Justice (28:00) - Advocates Push for Medical Aid in Dying Bill  (46:00) If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

In this membership drive mini-series, we run through some of can't miss things to see and do this summer. Today, Marina Harss, a dance writer in New York who contributes to The New Yorker, The New York Times, The New York Review of Books, Dance Magazine, and other publications and is the author of The Boy from Kyiv—Alexei Ratmansky’s Life in Ballet (Farrar Straus and Giroux, 2023), shares some dance performances -- and open-air dance parties.

Eddie Glaude, Jr., Princeton professor and the author of We Are the Leaders We Have Been Looking For  (Harvard University Press, 2024), argues against waiting for "heroes" to do the work of seeking justice and safeguarding democracy.

Each day during the spring membership drive, The Brian Lehrer Show is inviting listeners to try their hand at quiz questions, this time loosely based on the titles of radio shows that air on WNYC. Today's quiz questions are inspired by the title "Science Friday."

NYC passed a law in 2004 requiring landlords to remove lead paint hazards, but in the last 20 years some landlords have been cited over and over for violations without enforcement. Jaclyn Jeffrey-Wilensky, data reporter at WNYC and Gothamist, explains what loopholes have allowed the violations to continue and the new city laws going into effect this year to close them.

Ali Velshi, MSNBC host and chief correspondent and the author of Small Acts of Courage: A Legacy of Endurance and the Fight for Democracy (Macmillan, 2024), shares the story of his grandfather's work with Gandhi and Mandela and how their influence continues in his generation.

Summer brings fun to the cultural calendar.  In this membership drive mini-series, we run through some of can't miss things to see and do this summer.  Today, Ryan Kailath, WNYC/Gothamist arts and culture reporter, shares some of opportunities to watch movies under the stars.

Meg Jay, developmental clinical psychologist and the author of The Defining Decade and her latest, The Twentysomething Treatment: A Revolutionary Remedy for an Uncertain Age (Simon & Schuster, 2024), offers advice for navigating the extremes of trivializing and over-medicating the struggles of young adults today.

Each day during the spring membership drive, The Brian Lehrer Show is inviting listeners to try their hand at quiz questions, this time loosely based on the titles of radio shows that air on WNYC. Today's quiz questions are about the First Amendment, inspired by the title "1A."

David Banks, NYC Schools Chancellor, talks about his testimony before the House committee on antisemitism and how NYC public schools are responding to the heightened tensions over the Israel-Hamas war.

Frank Bruni, New York Times op-ed columnist and the author of The Age of Grievance (Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster, 2024), talks about the effect he sees of "grievances" big and small motivating so much of our politics -- on both the left and the right.

Summer brings fun to the cultural calendar. In this membership drive mini-series, we run through some of can't miss things to see and do. Today, Ryan Kailath, WNYC/Gothamist arts and culture reporter, shares some of the big festivals in the parks.

Mayor Adams holds one off-topic press conference per week, inviting questions from reporters on any subject. Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, summarizes this week's questions and topics, including the police killing of Win Rozario in Queens and more.

Each day during the spring membership drive, The Brian Lehrer Show is inviting listeners to try their hand at quiz questions, this time loosely based on the titles of radio shows that air on WNYC. Today's quiz questions—about New York people, places and things—are inspired by the title "New Yorker Radio Hour." 

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.

Donald Trump's former "fixer" Michael Cohen, took the stand in the former president's hush money trial this week. 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), offers analysis and reports on the latest.

No-Mow May has become increasingly popular as a way to help pollinators during springtime. Allyson Chiu, reporter covering climate solutions for the Washington Post gives tips about the best practices—and listeners call in to report on the status of their lawns.

Nikole Hannah-Jones, a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter for The New York Times Magazine and author of The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story (One World, 2021),  discusses the right-wing campaign to roll back civil rights gains under the guise of colorblindness.

Michael Hill, host of WNYC's Morning Edition, and Mike Hayes, WNYC/Gothamist reporter covering New Jersey, offer analysis of the debate between Democratic candidates for Senate in New Jersey.

Tara Rosenblum, anchor, host and reporter for News 12, and Chris McKenna, reporter at The Journal News and lohud.com, recap the debate between Westchester County Executive George Latimer and incumbent Congressman Jamaal Bowman, who are vying for the Democratic nomination in New York's 16th Congressional district.Watch the debate here. 

Julia Carpenter, freelance writer and reporter, offers advice for listeners on either side of a financial divide in their friendships.

Mark Hertsgaard, journalist and co-founder and executive director of Covering Climate Now, and the author of Big Red’s Mercy: The Shooting of Deborah Cotton and A Story of Race in America (Pegasus, 2024), shares the story of Deborah “Big Red” Cotton, an African American racial justice activist, who forgave the young Black men who shot her when they fired into a second line parade in New Orleans, a shooting in which Hertsgaard himself was injured -- and what that shooting and her response to it taught him about race and violence in America.

Advocates have been pushing for nine years for the Medical Aid in Dying Act, but the New York State legislature has been hesitant to act. David Leven, executive director emeritus and senior consultant to End of Life Choices New York, and Corinne Carey, senior campaign director for NY/NJ for the group Compassion & Choices, discuss what the bill would involve and why they support it.

Francesca Chambers, White House Correspondent for USA Today, talks about the news from Washington and beyond, including the Biden administration's policy toward sending weapons to Israel. 

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them:The Complicated Reality of Egg Freezing  (First) - Luis Miranda's 'Latino Spirit' (28:00) - A.J. Jacobs Lives Originalism  (58:00) If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

Ahead of Mother's Day, Liana Finck, illustrator and author of several books, most recently, How to Baby: A No-Advice-Given Guide to Motherhood, with Drawings (The Dial Press, 2024), discusses her non-parenting “parenting guide” and listeners call in to share what surprised them the most about motherhood. 

For the first time since 1803 two broods of cicadas in the Midwest and Southeast are emerging at the same time. Benji Jones, senior environmental reporter at Vox, explains what's going on with the billions of insects buzzing around and the effect they'll have on the ecosystem. 

Samuel Stein and Oksana Mironova, housing policy analysts at the Community Service Society, talk about their report that highlights the problem of relying on "Area Median Income" in deciding what qualifies as "affordable housing."

Nicholas Wu, Politico congressional reporter, talks about the latest news coming out of Congress, including the bipartisan vote that kept Mike Johnson as speaker and NYC Schools Chancellor Banks' testimony to a House committee on antisemitism.

A recent New York Times Magazine issue explores retirement, and how life after work brings an unexpected challenges to couples. Listeners call in to share how retirement has impacted the relationships in their lives.

A new report by the City Council found pay disparities between workers of color and women in the municipal work force. NYC Council Member Carmen De La Rosa (District 10, Washington Heights, Inwood and Marble Hill), breaks down the data, plus talks about other council news of the week.

President 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. 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.

Nancy Solomon, WNYC reporter and editor, and host of the “Ask Governor Murphy” monthly call-in show recaps her conversation with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. Topics this month included a proposed corporate tax to fund NJ Transit, tax relief for seniors, an NJ Turnpike extension and more.

A. J. Jacobs, NPR contributor, essayist, host of the podcast "The Puzzler" and the author of The Year of Living Biblically, It's All Relative and his latest, The Year of Living Constitutionally: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution's Original Meaning (Crown, 2024), offers his take on "originalism" by living like a "founding father"—tricorn hat and all. →EVENT: A. J. Jacobs talks to NYS Lieutenant Gov. Antonio Delgado at 92Y on Thursday, May 9 at 8pm.  Register here. 

Listeners call in to shout out the teacher they most appreciate, whether it's the person who taught them how to read 40 years ago or the one currently coaching their child through long division.

Brooklyn State Senator Zellnor Myrie is making moves to run against Mayor Eric Adams in the Democratic primary next June. Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, explains the latest and recaps Mayor Adams' weekly presser, including his remarks on Columbia University's graduation cancellation and more.

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 latest news from Trump's so-called "hush money" trial, including testimonies from Hope Hicks and Stormy Daniels and a warning from the judge.

Luis A. Miranda, Jr., founder of the political consulting firm MirRam, founding president of the Hispanic Federation and the author of Relentless: My Story of the Latino Spirit that is Transforming America (Hachette Books, 2024), shares his story of his life and work in NYC politics (and as the father of Lin Manuel).

Roxanne Scott, independent journalist working on a series with the NY Amsterdam News about climate change in Southeast Queens, talks about how St. Albans in Southeast Queens, a majority-Black neighborhood where residents have long complained of neglected infrastructure and services, is dealing with a pest exacerbated by climate change: mosquitos.

TikTok once embraced the narrative of its algorithm as an all-powerful "secret sauce." Now, that narrative appears to be backfiring as Congress attempts to force a sale. John Herrman, tech columnist at New York Magazine, explains.→ The Secret Weakness of TikTok’s All-Powerful Algorithm | Intelligencer

Anne Applebaum, staff writer at The Atlantic, historian and author of the forthcoming Autocracy, Inc: The Dictators Who Want to Run the World (Penguin, 2024) talks about her Atlantic cover story, “Democracy Is Losing the Propaganda War," about the rise of autocracy around the world.

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, shares his analysis of where retail is and isn't booming, and what kinds of businesses are setting up shop here, plus comments on what the latest unemployment numbers say about the economy.

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.

Survey data show that Americans are getting more sleep now than they did before the pandemic. Caitlin Gilbert, data reporter at The Washington Post, explains the trends, and how it differs between different groups of people.

Egg freezing as a method to extend fertility for women has become more accessible and popular in the past decade—though still costly. Anna North, senior correspondent for Vox, where she covers American family life, work and education, reports on whether the industry oversold women, as data now show having a baby through the process is no guarantee.→ The failed promise of egg freezing | Vox

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them. Transit Latest: Congestion Pricing, Fare Evasion, the End of Free Bus Routes and More (First) | Are SATs a Good Thing? (Starts at 27:57) | Peak Spring Migration Season (Starts at 50:38) If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

It's peak spring migration season for birds. Jason Saul, assistant program director at WNYC and former managing producer for BirdNote, talks about where the birds are and what to look for (and listen to) if you're heading out on a birdwatching walk.

Every year, 50 teenage girls representing each state in America descend on Alabama to compete for large scholarship checks in the Distinguished Young Women program. Shima Oliaee, host and creator of "The Competition," creator of Pink Card, co-creator of Dolly Parton's America and founder of Shirazad Productions, discusses her new podcast, "The Competition", which follows young women on their 2-week journey and offers a peek into what it's like to be a teenage girl in America today.

Mayor Adams released his executive budget this week that restored many of the cuts he'd previously proposed. Justin Brannan, New York City Councilmember (District 43-Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach) and chair of the Council Finance Committee, talks about areas where the council and the mayor still differ.

The 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).

From the 18th century to the beginning of the 20th, May 1st was a day when scores of New Yorkers would change their residencies. As a nod to that old tradition, we open up the lines for listeners in the midst of moves and hear some tips and stories.

David Brand, housing reporter for WNYC/Gothamist, talks about some of the latest housing news, including the landlord facing possible "house" arrest (in one of his unrepaired buildings) and the Rent Guidelines Board preliminary vote on rent increases of 2 to 6.5 percent.

Aaron 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 campus protests.

This year, many selective colleges are reversing Covid-era test-optional admissions policies, requiring applicants to submit ACT or SAT scores again. Emi Nietfeld, author of Acceptance: A Memoir (Penguin Press, 2022), discusses how taking the SAT changed her life and helped her, as a disadvantaged youth, to attend Harvard.

Bruce Ratner, real estate developer, philanthropist, founder of the Michael D. Ratner Center For Early Detection of Cancer (CEDC), and co-author of Early Detection: Catching Cancer When It’s Curable (OR Books, 2024), argues for earlier and more equitable cancer screening.

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 and on the news the morning after police dispersed on protests at Columbia and the City College of New York. 

U.S. Representative Mikie Sherrill (D, NJ-11) talks about her priorities related to reproductive rights and the National Defense Reauthorization Act, plus reacts to the news overnight of police arresting campus protesters.

Incoming college students traditionally need to make their decisions about what college they'll attend by May 1 -- and while issues with financial aid have caused some schools to delay the date, many are sticking with May 1. Listeners call in to talk about how they or their children made their decision this year, and whether the FAFSA debacle, or campus protests have affected their choice.

BBC presenter Nuala McGovern compares notes over how the UK is handling migrants, talks about her reporting here in New York and remembers her time as a Brian Lehrer Show producer.EVENT:Global Movements, Local Impacts: An Evening with WNYC + BBC NewshourWednesday, May 1, 2024, 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. ET, in person at the Greene Space (44 Charlton St in Manhattan).Tickets (pay what you wish starting at $5) and details here.

Activists at Columbia occupied a building overnight as administrators threatened to start suspending students. Joseph Howley, associate professor of classics at Columbia University, talks about how he and other faculty are supporting protesters at Columbia and Hadeeqa Arzoo, vice president of CCNY’s Students for Justice in Palestine chapter and organizer at the CUNY Gaza Solidarity Encampment, shares what activists at the City College of New York are demanding.

Marie French, reporter covering energy and the environment for POLITICO New York, discusses the collapse of three key wind farm projects in New York and their broader implications for the state's climate goals.

Matt Katz, WNYC/Gothamist reporter covering public safety and host of the new podcast "Inconceivable Truth," went on a quest to learn the truth of his paternity after surprising DNA test results. Along the way, he uncovered a web of shady artificial insemination practices in 1970s New York City that produced countless children with unknown biological fathers. He shares his findings and listeners share similar stories. EVENT: Matt will speak at NYU on Tuesday, April 30 at 7pm. More details and info to RSVP is here. 

Susan Page, USA Today Washington bureau chief and the author of several books, including The Rulebreaker: The Life and Times of Barbara Walters (Simon & Schuster, 2024), talks about her new biography of Barbara Walters, plus the latest national political news, including the White House Correspondents Dinner and Pres. Biden's agreement to a debate.

Stephen Nessen, WNYC and Gothamist transportation reporter, brings updates on the latest transit news, including a launch date for congestion pricing, the end of free bus routes and more.

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them. Your Arab-American Immigration Stories (First) | Reframing 'Free' Beyond Markets (Starts at 26:36) | A #PlasticsChallenge Wrap Up (Starts at 1:02:30) If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

Nicholas 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.

For National Poetry Month, we open up the phones for listeners to recite lines from their favorite poems.

Listeners call in to share an honest assessment of the single-use plastics in their lives and Judith Enck, founder of Beyond Plastics, professor at Bennington College and former EPA Region 2 administrator, rides along to share tips and trick on how to reduce plastic use.

Claire Thornton, USA Today breaking news reporter, talks about the calls by pro-Palestinian student protesters for their colleges and universities to divest from companies with ties to Israel.

In honor of National Arab American Heritage Month, Maya Berry, executive director of the Arab American Institute (AAI), a non-profit, nonpartisan, national civil rights advocacy organization, comes back on the show to tick through the long timeline of Arab-American immigration (and migration around the country), which shows the diversity of the community and where they landed throughout the country.

On today's show:  Melissa 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. Transcripts are posted to each segment as they become available.

Erica Orden, Politico reporter, talks about the media diets of the jurors on the Trump "hush money" trial. Plus, she recaps the testimony of David Pecker, the former publisher for the National Enquirer, who talked about that publication's "catch and kill" strategy, which suppressed negative stories about people like Donald Trump. 

With teachers and students off of school this week, we open up the phones to hear stories from local classrooms that would otherwise be missed if not for the vacation.

Joseph Stiglitz, Nobel laureate in economics, university professor at Columbia University, chief economist at the Roosevelt Institute, and author of The Road to Freedom: Economics and the Good Society (W.W.Norton, 2024), argues the neoliberal idea of freedom has led to economic crises and social unrest and argues for a more humane, 21st-century reframing of the concept.

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, including when the NYPD intervenes on campus protests and the pushback on his reported selection of attorney Randy Mastro to lead NYC's legal department.

Jane 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.

Listeners who protested on their college campuses in the turbulent years around 1968 reflect on that time, and share their thoughts on today's young protesters on campuses here in NYC and around the country.

Kate Hidalgo Bellows, staff reporter covering campus health and safety at The Chronicle, reports on how administrations at colleges here in New York and across the country are struggling to respond to ongoing, and growing protests over the Israel-Hamas War.

This Earth Week, Liz Moran, policy advocate for Earthjustice's Northeast office, talks about the ways the new New York State budget does, and does not, address climate change.

As 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.

WNYC / Gothamist Albany reporter Jon Campbell talks about what's in and what's out of the just-approved New York State budget, including housing incentives, zoning changes, limited tenant protections, mayoral control of the schools, and more.

Judith Enck, founder of Beyond Plastics, professor at Bennington College and former EPA Region 2 administrator, talks about a new effort to keep New York State accountable to reduce single use plastics. Then, listeners call in to share an honest assessment of the single use plastics in their lives.

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them. New York Governor Kathy Hochul breaks down the state budget and WNYC/Gothamist's Jon Campbell offers analysis (First) | Council member Shaun Abreu on proposed changes to tipping on delivery apps—and a plan to curb the city's rat population (Starts at 32:15) | George Takei discusses his debut picture book, an age-appropriate personal history a childhood in Japanese American incarceration camps during WWII (Starts at 1:14:35) If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

Rev. Dr. Jacqueline Lewis, senior minister and public theologian at the Middle Collegiate Church, and author of Fierce Love: A Bold Path to Ferocious Courage and Rule-Breaking Kindness that Can Heal the World (Harmony, 2021),talks about what's at stake in the upcoming election, the work she and her community are doing to strengthen democracy and how rebuilding is going at Middle Church after a fire in 2020. Learn more about the Freedom Rising Conference, which aims to "ignite collective empowerment during this election season."    

Public school systems have poured large sums of money on tech hardware and software, but do more screens and apps actually help students learn? Jessica Grose, opinion writer at The New York Times, examines some of the downsides of tech's "incursion" into schools.

The beloved children's show "Bluey" recently aired a special episode that threw some fans for a loop. Listeners call in to talk about the controversial episode, and whether they thought it missed the mark or held some important life lessons.

Burgess Everett, congressional bureau chief for POLITICO, brings the latest headlines from Congress, including the expected reauthorization of the FISA surveillance act, the foreign aid bills moving through Speaker Mike Johnson's Rules Committee, the Democrats' plan to hold the Senate in November, and more national politics.

Now facing a diagnosis of ALS, Dan Doctoroff, founder and chairman of the research foundation Target ALS, former president and CEO of Bloomberg LP and Sidewalk Labs, former New York City deputy mayor for economic development and rebuilding (2002-2007) and the subject of The Urbanist: Dan Doctoroff and the Rise of New York (Phaidon, 2024), talks about his impact on the city after 9/11 under Mayor Bloomberg and the new book that celebrates his achievements.

Shaun Abreu, Council Member for District 7 (Manhattan Valley, Manhattanville, Morningside Heights, Hamilton Heights), and Ligia Guallpa, executive director of the Workers Justice Project, talk about proposed changes to how tipping on delivery apps works—and Council Member Abreu discusses his plan to control the rat population.

"Find My," Airtags and a multitude of other apps/devices allow us to check in on our friends and family's locations at any time. Listeners share who they're tracking, who's tracking them, and why. 

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.

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.

Kathy Hochul, governor of New York (D), talks about this year's just-about-done budget deal, which includes her priorities like housing, cannabis and more. Then, Jon Campbell, Albany reporter for WNYC/Gothamist, reacts to the governor's take on her wins in this year's budget.

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments concerning the law used to charge defendants for their actions on January 6th, and earlier in the week decided in favor of Idaho's ban on gender-affirming health care for transgender children. 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 analysis of both issues and previews what else the court is working on this spring.

In honor of National Arab American Heritage Month, Maya Berry, executive director of the Arab American Institute (AAI), a non-profit, nonpartisan, national civil rights advocacy organization, ticks through the long timeline of Arab-American immigration (and migration around the country), which shows the diversity of the community and where they landed throughout the country.

Toni Lyn Morelli, research ecologist at the Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center and adjunct associate professor in the Department of Environmental Conservation at the University of Massachusetts, explains how milder winters in the Northeast are contributing to an explosion of deer populations, which can cause car accidents and increase Lyme disease.

The Federal Education Department rolled out a new FAFSA form that was supposed to make things easier for students, but instead it has been plagued with problems. Erica Meltzer, national editor at Chalkbeat, talks about how the "bungled" rollout of the form has derailed some students' college plans.   

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) talks about her work in Washington, including what may happen next after Iran's strike on Israel, her bill for child care for police officers and more.

George Takei, actor, activist and writer, discusses his debut picture book, My Lost Freedom: A Japanese American World War II Story (Crown Books for Young Readers, 2024). My Lost Freedom: A Japanese American World War II Story (Crown Books for Young Readers, 2024) EVENT: George Takei and BD Wong will be in conversation at Symphony Space (2537 Broadway at 95th St. in Manhattan) TONIGHT (April 16, 2024) at 8 p.m. Details and ticketing information here.

Zohran K. Mamdani, New York State assemblymember (D, D-36, Queens), comments on the sticking points preventing New York State from passing its annual budget as well as his initiative to expand the fare-free bus proposal in light of congestion pricing.

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.

Catherine Christian, former assistant district attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney's office, previews jury selection and the trial of former President Donald Trump in Manhattan.

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them. The Art of Listening on Israel and Gaza (First) | Changes to the Census Include People of Middle Eastern and North African Descent (Starts at 37:30) | Gen Z Taking Up Trades (Starts at 58:15) If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

John Cassidy, New Yorker staff writer and columnist on politics and economics, talks about the better-than-expected jobs report, the worse-than-expected inflation report and how both parties are responding to the perception and reality of the U.S. economy.

Beyonce’s latest album, “Act ll: Cowboy Carter,” hit No. 1 on the Billboard country albums chart this week, making her the first Black woman to ever top that chart. Alice Randall, novelist and songwriter, most recently author of My Black Country: A Journey Through Country Music's Black Past, Present, and Future (Atria/Black Privilege Publishing, 2024), discusses the legacy of Black country music and traces its roots to today's historic achievement.

The Vatican released a new document that detailed what it called 'grave violations' of human dignity, including the struggles of migrants, poverty and war but also gender theory, sex change and surrogacy. Francis DeBernardo, executive director, New Ways Ministry, reacts on behalf of LGBTQ Catholics, and discusses his critique of the church's teachings on issues like this.

The New York State budget was due on April 1st and lawmakers have still not come to an agreement. Jon Campbell, Albany reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, reports on what is reportedly in the budget, the remaining sticking points and whether late budgets are now the norm in Albany.

Te-Ping Chen, Wall Street Journal work and work culture reporter, talks about her reporting on more young people are going off the college track in favor of the plumbing and electrical trades.

Nancy Solomon, WNYC reporter and editor, and host of the “Ask Governor Murphy” monthly call-in show, recaps her conversation with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, where they talked about the controversy over the so-called "county line" on ballots, school budget cuts for 140 districts and more.

Faith Hill, staff writer at The Atlantic, talks about the change in who's getting hired to baby-sit, no longer a mainstay of teenage girls.

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.

Emily Gould, novelist and writer for New York Magazine, talks about the secret smoking habits of moms in New York City, plus, listeners expose their own smoking habits -- be it classic cigarettes, vaping, or even marijuana in the age of legalization -- why they hide it from their partners and children, and what lengths they go to to keep their smoking secret.

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, including how the NYPD should engage with the homeless on the subway, mayoral control of schools and much more.

Judith Sloan, actor, writer, educator, and radio producer, and Najla Said, actor, writer, and activist, talk about their project called "Imperfect Allies," where they will host live events with a performance, and dialogue among audience members with different perspectives on the violence in Israel and Gaza. →Information on upcoming events can be found here: https://earsay.org/

The White House says that President Biden’s new student loan forgiveness plan could help 30 million borrowers. Danielle Douglas-Gabriel, national higher education reporter at the Washington Post, shares her reporting and unpacks the details.

Last Friday's earthquake in New Jersey was likely a natural phenomenon, but earthquakes can be caused by human interventions -- like fracking. For our climate story of the week, Umair Irfan, staff writer at Vox writing about climate change and energy policy, breaks down how fracking and other natural resource extractions have increased the likelihood of earthquakes in the United States.

Molly Ball, senior political correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, talks about the 2024 election and abortion in light of recent developments, including Donald Trump's announcement it should be up to the states and the court's decision to put abortion rights on the ballot in Florida.

Listeners talk about their experiences of the total solar eclipse.

Harry Siegel, editor at The City, FAQ NYC podcast co-host, and Daily News columnist, responds to top police brass calling him names after he published critical columns, and talks about the substance of his critiques of the NYPD.

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.

Molly Webster, senior correspondent for Radiolab, previews the eclipse and offers a thought on why the moon deserves credit in this cosmic event.

Recently, the United States' census moved to recognize people of Middle Eastern and North African descent, creating a separate race and ethnicity option outside of 'White' and allowing for clearer representation. Karen Zraick, reporter for The New York Times, explains the changes to the census coming in six years, how people of MENA navigated government forms previously, and why these changes are coming now.

John Chell, chief of patrol at the NYPD, offers his take on current crime rates, subway safety and explains the department's recent social media strategy, which includes calling out journalists by name.

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them. Judith Butler on Gender (First) | Robotaxis on New York City Streets? (Starts at 34:45) | English 'Loan Words' in Your Language (Starts at 57:40) If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

Brian and WNYC host Sean Carlson provide live coverage of the earthquake, including a press conference with Mayor Adams and other officials, calls from listeners all over (including near the epicenter), seismologists Antonios Marcellos (from Hofstra University) and Benjamin Fernando (from Johns Hopkins), and officials including MTA chair Janno Lieber and NYC Commissioner of Emergency Management Zach Iscol. 

In a lawsuit, the state of New Jersey is arguing against congestion pricing, citing environmental concerns. Stephen Nessen, transportation reporter for the WNYC Newsroom, reports on how the state's lawyers presented their case in the courtroom this week, and how likely it seems to derail the toll program's June launch. Plus, a check-in on the state of infrastructure after the tristate area was hit by a magnitude 4.8 earthquake and updates from Governor Kathy Hochul.

Alexander Gates, department chair and professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Rutgers University and co-author of Encyclopedia of Earthquakes and Volcanoes New Edition (Facts-on-File Inc., third edition, 2006), discusses the preliminary information on New Jersey's 4.8 magnitude earthquake which occurred on Friday morning and was felt in the tristate area.

Skies will dim on Monday as the moon passes between the sun and the Earth. Joshua Winter, physics instructor at BASIS Independent Brooklyn with 20 years experience teaching astronomy topics, offers a short preview of the total solar eclipse after a reaction to today's earthquake.

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 after President Biden apparently warned Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu the humanitarian situation in Gaza had to improve.

David Brand, housing reporter for WNYC/Gothamist, talks about the deal taking shape on housing in the state budget; whether "squatters" are a real and growing issue and a state Court of Appeals decision that might upend NYC's property tax system.

Listeners who speak a second language call in to share which words in English are commonly used in that language, and what it might say about that culture.

Judith Butler, professor at the University of California, Berkeley and the author of several books, including Gender Trouble, and their latest, Who's Afraid of Gender? (Macmillan, 2024), talks about their pioneering academic work on the concept of gender and how fraught and misunderstood the topic has become.

Felix Salmon, chief financial correspondent for Axios, host of the Slate Money Podcast and author of The Phoenix Economy: Work, Life, and Money in the New Not Normal (‎Harper Business, 2023), talks about both Reddit and Truth Social going public and what that means for their investors and users.

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.

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, including analysis of a contentious interview with the Mayor on The Breakfast Club, plus more.

Sarah McCammon, NPR national political correspondent, co-host of the NPR Politics podcast and the author of The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church (Macmillan, 2024), shares her story of growing up within, and leaving, evangelical Christianity, and what her reporting shows of others like her and their impact on American politics and culture.

Michael Waters, writer and author of the forthcoming book The Other Olympians: Fascism, Queerness, and the Making of Modern Sports (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2024), explores the significance of middle names and what they say about our lives and our values.→ Middle Names Reveal More Than You Think

With Ramadan in full swing, Passover around the corner, and Easter this past weekend, we're in a particularly holy time of year. In light of this, listeners who have reconnected with the religion they grew up with call in and share why they've returned and how they are practicing as adults.

For decades, gun violence has been often associated with urban areas, in politics and in the media. Chip Brownlee, a reporter at The Trace, a non-profit news site covering gun violence, breaks down new data that shows rural areas are more likely to experience gun violence, and the role policies have played in the increase.

New York State Senator Liz Krueger (D, WF - 28th, Manhattan's East Side), chair of the Finance Committee, talks about the NY HEAT act, a bill she sponsored that its supporters say would cut emissions across New York State by pushing people away from natural gas and toward more energy-efficient alternatives.

As Donald Trump's rhetoric grows increasingly more inflammatory, debate surrounding whether or not to use the label 'fascist' heats up as well. 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.

Austin, Texas, is expected to add more apartment units than any other city in the country this year. Derek Thompson, staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of the Work in Progress newsletter, discuss what’s happening in Austin, and what blue cities like New York can learn from it.

The Biden campaign is currently out-fundraising Trump, who needs money not only for the campaign but for his growing legal bills. 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.

Companies that want to test autonomous vehicles on New York City streets have received a major boost as Mayor Eric Adams announced a new permitting program. Sam Schwartz, former longtime "Gridlock Sam" columnist at the Daily News, former NYC Traffic Commissioner, president and CEO of Sam Schwartz Pedestrian Traffic Management and author of No One at the Wheel: Driverless Cars and the Road of the Future (Public Affairs, 2018), reacts to the news.

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them. Congestion Pricing Moves Ahead (First) | The Dark Side of Children's Television (Starts at 28:30) | A 'Funner' Guide to Language Usage (Starts at 52:50) If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

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.

Congestion pricing has cleared one of its biggest hurdles, and is now headed to the Federal Highway Administration where it is likely to be approved. Stephen Nessen, transportation reporter for the WNYC Newsroom, talks about which fares made the cut and what comes next.

New York State legislators have left town for the holiday weekend without passing the budget before the April 1 deadline. Jon Campbell, Albany reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, reports on what the sticking points are, and what is likely to make it into the more than $200 billion budget.

Maria Torres-Springer, NYC deputy mayor for housing, economic development and workforce, talks about both the city's plans to combat the housing crisis, and what the city is hoping Albany will include in its budget that will spur more housing construction.

While Nickelodeon has been a staple in family television for decades, peaking in the late 90s and 2000s, the new documentary series "Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV" recently exposed the abusive working conditions women and children experienced while working for the network. Kate Taylor, senior correspondent at Business Insider, discusses her reporting featured in the documentary.

On Wednesday, the MTA approved new tolls to drive into the busiest parts of Manhattan — including $15 for most passenger cars. Listeners call in to share how congestion pricing will impact them.

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 the local maritime and bridge infrastructure—how it's built and regulated—and the systems in place to prevent an accident like the collision in Baltimore from happening here.

Josh Gosfield, artist and illustrator, talks about his new zine, The Atlas of Emotions, which maps the inner world emotions.

Laura Davison, politics editor at Bloomberg News, talks about a 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, and that taxing the rich is a popular position among swing-state voters.

Lee Bollinger, First Amendment scholar, law professor and former president of Columbia University and the co-editor (with Geoffrey Stone) of Roe v. Dobbs: The Past, Present, and Future of a Constitutional Right to Abortion (Oxford University Press, 2024), and Mary Ziegler, UC Davis law professor and the author of Abortion and the Law in America: A Legal History, Roe v. Wade to the Present (Cambridge University Press, 2020) and a contributor to Roe v. Dobbs: The Past, Present, and Future of a Constitutional Right to Abortion (Oxford University Press, 2024), talk about the new book and Tuesday's oral arguments at the Supreme Court to determine access of the abortion drug mifepristone.

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, including the shooting death of an NYPD officer, a subway pushing fatality, the public safety infrastructure, a WNYC/Gothamist report on sexual abuse at Rikers Island, and more.

WNYC/Gothamist reporters Samantha Max, who covers public safety, and Jessy Edwards, who covers incarceration and public safety, talk about their investigation into alleged sexual abuse on Rikers Island, which came to light after women filed hundreds of lawsuits due to the Adult Survivors Act.

Early voting for New York's presidential primary is underway. Brigid Bergin, WNYC's senior political correspondent, shares information on who can vote, where it takes place, what's on the ballot and how people who want to register a protest vote against President Biden can do so since New York's ballots don't have the "uncommitted" option.

Anne Curzan, University of Michigan professor of English language and literature, linguistics, and education and the author of Says Who?: A Kinder, Funner Usage Guide for Everyone Who Cares About Words (Crown, 2024), offers her guide to English usage, where the 'rules' started and how to use them.  Her weekly chats about language on Michigan Public Radio are available as a podcast called “That’s What They Say.”

The New York State budget deadline of April 1st is quickly approaching. Jo Anne Simon, New York State Assembly member (Assembly District 52), talks about several climate-related bills, including one related to fracking and one dubbed the "Stop Climate Polluters Handout Act," plus other legislative priorities.

The CEO of Boeing, Dave Calhoun, announced he will step down this year amid a management scandal. 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.

A recent op-ed in The New York Times laments a decline in quality of dating apps. Listeners call in to share what their experience with online dating has been like recently and how they are coping with changes to the algorithms that fuel the apps.

Francesca Chambers, White House Correspondent for USA Today, talks about the news from Washington including the United State's shifting policy on a ceasefire for Israel and Palestine, updates about aid to Ukraine, and more.  

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.

Former president Donald Trump faces a hush money trial and a deadline to secure a half-billion-dollar bond in a separate civil business fraud case. Catherine Christian, former assistant district attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney's office and currently a lawyer in private practice at Liston Abramson LLP, offers analysis of Trump’s ongoing legal troubles.

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them. Defining 'Blackness' Through Literature (First) | Responding to Fear on the Subways (Starts at 30:40 ) | A Tour of New York City's Endangered Languages (Starts at 1:13:30) If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Alphonse Fletcher university professor and director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University, host of "Finding Your Roots" on PBS and the author of The Black Box: Writing the Race (Penguin Press, 2024), talks about his new book that examines the history of Black self-definition through literature.

Gov. Murphy signed legislation to improve the way New Jersey towns are held accountable for developing affordable housing. Mike Hayes, WNYC/Gothamist reporter covering equity and access to opportunity in New Jersey and the author of The Secret Files: Bill De Blasio, The NYPD, and the Broken Promises of Police Reform (Kingston Imperial, 2023), explains the new system and talks about the way Millburn, NJ, is failing to comply.

In honor of Women's History Month, Tanya Lee Stone, director of the Writing Program at Champlain College and author of several books about unsung heroes and missing histories for young readers, most recently, Remembering Rosalind Franklin: Rosalind Franklin and the Discovery of the Double Helix Structure of DNA (Christy Ottaviano Books, 2024) discusses her latest nonfiction picture book on a female pioneer in science and listeners call in to shout out the histories of other notable women in science.

Misinformation on social media—some of it seeded by groups that are anti-reproductive rights—is leading women away from using birth control. Lauren Weber, health and science accountability reporter at The Washington Post, explains how it is affecting women's choices and access to reproductive care.

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.