Brian Lehrer: A Daily Politics Podcast

The primary for NYC's mayoral nominees wraps up tomorrow, with close polls and a broad field of Democratic candidates. On Today's Show: Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo , and then NY State Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani make their final pitches for voters to rank them first at the ballot box.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection a...

With the conflict continuing to develop between Israel and Iran, we consider the role of the United States and President Trump.  On Today's Show: Fred Kaplan , Slate's War Stories columnist and the author of many nonfiction books and his latest, a novel, A Capital Calamity (Miniver Press, 2024), offers analysis of the Iran-Israel conflict and discusses his recent column appraising the odds of the...

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court's decided to uphold Tennessee's ban on gender affirming care for minors in the United States v. Skrmetti case.  On Today's Show: Jack Turban , MD, MHS, adult, child, and adolescent psychiatrist and author of Free to Be: Understanding Kids & Gender Identity (Atria Books, 2024), offers his perspective on the ruling and how it will affect transgender children and their...

This morning,  the Supreme Court upheld Tennessee's ban on gender affirming care for transgender children. On Today's Show: Kate Shaw , professor at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, co-host of the Supreme Court podcast Strict Scrutiny and a contributing opinion writer with the New York Times , discusses the latest news coming out of the Supreme Court, including the latest decision...

Nations that once relied on USAID funding to combat the spread of HIV and AIDS have been impacted by President Trump's cuts to the program.  On Today's Show: Jon Cohen , senior correspondent with Science, reports on how countries that suffer high rates of HIV/AIDS are coping now that USAID funding has dried up, and how local governments, especially in places like Lesotho, are attempting to figure...

Over a weekend with many intense headlines, “No Kings Day” protests against the Trump administration took place around the country.  On Today's Show:  Susan Glasser , staff writer at The New Yorker, author of a weekly column on life in Washington and host of the Political Scene podcast, talks about the latest national political news, including the the news from Los Angeles, President Trump's milit...

Last night, Brian co-moderated a debate among the Democratic hopefuls campaigning to be NYC's next mayor.  On Today's Show: Hear excerpts from the debate that specifically asks candidates how they would respond to those moves by the Trump administration that could impact city life, from federal funding cuts to crackdowns by federal law enforcement on protests.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz com...

Tense scenes between protestors and law enforcement agents, both local and federal, have violently clashed.  On Today's Show: Gustavo Arellano , columnist for The Los Angeles Times , offers his take on the protests in Los Angeles, the Trump administration's response and how local communities are showing up for their immigrant neighbors.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.co...

The U.S. Health Secretary, RFK Jr., announced he was dismissing all the members of the CDC's vaccine advisory committee. On Today's Show: Katelyn Jetelina , founder and author of the newsletter Your Local Epidemiologist, talks about what RFK Jr. says are his goals, and what the consequences might be. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection...

CNN's lead DC anchor and chief Washington correspondent shares his analysis of recent news, including the intensifying standoffs between protesters and federal law enforcement in Los Angeles. On Today's Show: Jake Tapper, co-author with Alex Thompson of Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again (Penguin Press, 2025), talks about the latest nation...

President Trump has deployed the National Guard to suppress demonstrations against immigration raids in Los Angeles. On Today's Show: Leah Litman , professor of law at the University of Michigan and a former Supreme Court clerk, co-host of the podcast "Strict Scrutiny" and the author of  Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad Vibes  (Atria/One Signa...

Last week, a congressional staffer at a district office was detained by officials from the Department of Homeland Security. On Today's Show: Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D, NY-12), talks about the incident, and more about his work in Washington. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

With the Trump administration's general posture against the Department of Education, we speak with a former official about the DOE's value to local school districts.  On Today's Show: John B. King, Jr ., chancellor of the State University of New York (SUNY), former U.S. Education Secretary under Pres. Obama, and the author of Teacher By Teacher: The People Who Change Our Lives (Legacy Lit, 2025),...

After a transgender high school athlete won two events at a California track and field competition, President Donald Trump has threatened to defund the state. On today's episode: Katie Barnes , author of Fair Play: How Sports Shape the Gender Debates  (St. Martin's Press, 2023), discusses the rules various leagues have set in place to ensure equity and inclusion and fact-checks some of the broader...

A constituent told Sen. Joni Ernst that proposed Medicaid meant that "People are going to die." Sen. Ernst responded: "Well, we all are going to die." On Today's Show: Jonathan Lemire , co-host of Morning Joe on MSNBC; writer for MSNBC and contributing writer to The Atlantic , talks about the latest national political news, including Ernst's comments, what's brewing for Democrats regarding the 202...

The Trump administration announced it would "aggressively revoke" student visas for Chinese students who are planning to study in the United States.  On Today's Show: Liam Knox , the admissions and enrollment reporter for Inside Higher Ed and author of their Admissions Weekly newsletter, reports on the latest on that plus the dispute between the administration and Harvard over enrolling foreign st...

On today's show: Andrew Lautz , associate director for the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Economic Policy Program, talks about the impact of raising the cap on SALT (state and local tax) deductions—and who benefits. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Why does one legal analyst say that the current Supreme Court is operating under a doctrine akin to “no law, just vibes?” On Today's Show: Leah Litman , professor of law at the University of Michigan and a former Supreme Court clerk, co-host of the podcast "Strict Scrutiny" and the author of Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad Vibes (Atria/One Si...

New York City's CUNY system  recently lost federal funding for more than 70 research grants. On Today's Show: Denis Nash , professor of epidemiology at the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy and executive director of CUNY’s Institute for Implementation Science in Population Health, talks about the funding he recently lost on research related to COVID vaccine uptake, plus comme...

Today, we revisit a conversation about the Equal Rights Amendment, and its current status. On Today's Show: Julie Suk , a law professor at Fordham University and the author of We the Women: The Unstoppable Mothers of the Equal Rights Amendment (Skyhorse Publishing, 2020), reviews the history of the Equal Rights Amendment, from its introduction by Alice Paul in 1923 through its current disputed sta...

This morning, the House passed a spending bill after many long late nights of negotiations. Now it moves on to the Senate. On Today's Show: U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) talks about her work in Washington, and her view of the Trump and GOP budget proposal. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advert...

As President Trump attempts to get the House's new budget bill to pass, lawmakers met overnight to pursue amendments that could lead to compromise.  On Today's Show: Marianna Sotomayor , congressional reporter for The Washington Post, where she covers lawmakers and debates on Capitol Hill, offers commentary on the bill's status. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for inf...

On Sunday, House Republicans released their package of proposals that would cut federal spending on Medicaid and Obamacare. On Today's Show: U.S. Representative Frank Pallone (D-NJ6), ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, discusses what's in the bill, which the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says would cause 8.6 million Americans to lose their health insurance. Hosted...

We unpack SCOTUS's decision to continue to prohibit the Trump administration's use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport alleged gang members. On Today's Show: Emily Bazelon , staff writer for The New York Times Magazine , co-host of Slate's "Political Gabfest" podcast, Truman Capote fellow for creative writing and law at Yale Law School and author of Charged: The New Movement to Transform American P...

Trump's administration has aimed to pare back federal funding to various parts of civic society. On Today's Show: Brian Boucher, contributor for Artnet News and journalist covering the New York art world, talks about how arts organizations are reacting to the Trump administration starting to cut their grant funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company....