Brian Lehrer: A Daily Politics Podcast
Episodes
The law and politics of the Cornell gang rape investigation
This episode examines the lawsuit filed by a former Cornell student alleging she was drugged and raped at a fraternity house, highlighting the…
The departing UN Sec’y General cared about climate change. Did he make a difference?
NYT climate reporter David Gellis discusses an exit interview with outgoing UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who assesses the Paris Agreement as a mixed success.
Malcolm Gladwell thinks we’re having the wrong gun control debates
Malcolm Gladwell discusses his new book, "The American Way of Killing," arguing that the U.
Trump and Gen Z soften on China
Ishan Tharoor discusses the recent Trump-Xi summit, noting that despite Trump’s deferential posture, tangible results like an AI safety dialogue or extended trade truce remain elusive.
How to end the partisan redistricting wars
Brian Lehrer discusses the rules for drawing congressional district lines with Dan Vicuña, who explains how the Rucho v.
'People are wild.' Sarah Longwell on our weird political contradictions
Sarah Longwell, founder of The Bulwark, discusses her new book based on 400 focus groups revealing the contradictions within the American electorate.
30 Issues Election Series Debut: Universal Health Care?
Brian Lehrer launches a 30-day series on midterm election issues, focusing on healthcare affordability.
What can the U.N. do without US funding?
Kusha Navidar hosts this episode with journalist Mark Leon Goldberg to preview the UN General Assembly, focusing on Secretary-General Guterres’s final speech and the race to succeed him.
How state abortion bans are affecting women's health nationwide
Shali Luthra of The 19th discusses the first lawsuit filed over a death linked to an abortion ban, involving Tiara Walker’s family suing Texas AG Ken Paxton.
Riding the MAGA wave for racial purity and profit
Anne Applebaum discusses her Atlantic cover story, "Empire of Graft," arguing that the MAGA movement seeks to spread illiberalism globally to benefit a "clan of predators.
One Democrat’s formula for building a supermajority
Adam Gentleson discusses his new book, "Supermajority," arguing Democrats must adopt "heterodoxy" to win in red states.
Close read of Amodei’s existential AI threat essay
Brian Lehrer analyzes Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei’s essay urging the AI industry to slow development to prevent catastrophic risks, contrasting it…
Alaska , Ohio and Iowa are in play?
With 50 days until the election, the episode analyzes Republican midterm strategy, focusing on their emphasis on fear-mongering and the promise of a…
Hillary Clinton grapples with pre- and post-9/11 failures
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton discusses her new Atlantic article on the government’s concealment of toxic air near Ground Zero following 9/11.
FDNY 9/11 Chief on the hidden documents and lessons learned
Brian Lehrer discusses the 25th anniversary of 9/11 with FDNY Chief Joseph Pfeiffer, the first chief to respond to the World Trade Center.
Asma Khalid on Islamophobia after 9/11 and now
Brian Lehrer discusses a petition urging Mayor Mamdani to skip the 9/11 anniversary, highlighting rising political tensions.
Trump calls Iran War 'small potatoes'
Brian Lehrer discusses the 2026 midterms with Jonathan Lemire, who argues Trump is pursuing economic sanctions on Iran to distract voters from a politically damaging war.
What the shaky bond market means for the global economy
Kusha Navadar hosts this episode, featuring financial journalist Mary Childs to explain the rising US Treasury bond yields.
The real costs of the war with Iran
Host Kusha Navidar interviews New Yorker staff writer John Cassidy to analyze the financial and human costs of the ongoing US-Iran conflict.
Wisconsin's Gov Race is a Test Case for Data Center Opposition
Host Kusha Navidar interviews journalist Dan Kaufman about how hyperscale data centers are blurring political lines in Wisconsin’s gubernatorial race.
How 'Lake America' is about culture, not just tariffs
Brian Lehrer discusses President Trump’s executive order renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America and the resulting diplomatic fallout with Canada.