Brian Lehrer: A Daily Politics Podcast

With almost 60 years since the Civil Rights Act of 1964, why does the racial wealth gap persist?  On Today's Show: Kyle Moore , economist with the Economic Policy Institute’s Program on Race, Ethnicity, and the Economy discusses the Black-white wealth gap which is still evident despite civil rights and fair housing legislation. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for info...

After yesterday's State Of The Union, a look at what President Biden said, how he said it, what the response has been so far, and what it means for politics. On Today's Show: Andrew J. Seligsohn , political scientist and president of Public Agenda, and Errin Haines , editor-at-large at The 19th, offer analysis of President Biden's State of the Union address and what the remarks reveal about the Wh...

The morning before President Biden delivers the State Of The Union address, we check in on his economic approaches. On Today's Show: Idrees Kahloon , Washington bureau chief for The Economist , talks about how President Biden hopes to transform the economy, and how it's going so far. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of perso...

After Florida Governor Ron DeSantis banned the new AP African American studies course from the state, the College Board released a revised version of the course that many are saying is missing key elements of history. On Today's Show: Noliwe Rooks , department chair and professor of Africana studies at Brown University, reflects on what's in, and what students will be missing from the course as it...

When police kill innocent Black people, victims' families are often thrust into a public mourning that's partially an tragic spectacle, and partially a motivator of change. On Today's Show: Charles Blow , New York Times opinion columnist, author and MSNBC political analyst, shares his thoughts on how family members of Black men and boys murdered by police officers are forced to mourn in public, an...

A freshman House Democrat from New York brings the latest news from Congress, plus his analysis on George Santos, investigations into Trump, and more.  On Today's Show: Rep. Dan Goldman  (D, NY-10), former lead counsel for the impeachment investigation of President Trump in 2019, and former assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District NY, talks about the latest news from Congress. Hosted by S...

What are we to call this phase of living with COVID-19, as a new variant dubbed "the Kraken" emerges, and as federal emergency measures are set to expire soon? On Today's Show: Daniel Griffin , MD, PhD, infectious disease physician with a PhD in molecular medicine, researcher at Columbia, Optum chief of the division of Infectious Disease, president of Parasites Without Borders and co-host of the p...

What's similar, and what's different, about the way the justice system treats the rich (like Trump), the powerful (like police officers), and average Americans? On Today's Show: Elie Honig , senior legal analyst at CNN, author of Untouchable: How Powerful People Get Away with It (Harper, 2023), and former New Jersey and federal prosecutor, talks about the way the criminal justice system works diff...

Amid the outrage over the killing of Tyre Nichols by police, we take stock of the discussion about whether the issue is individual cops, or the structure and culture of policing. On Today's Show: Janai Nelson , president and director-counsel of the Legal Defense Fund, talks about the murder charges for the former Memphis police officers in the death of Tyre Nichols, the release of the videotape of...

The year 1993 saw the inauguration of a Democratic U.S. president and a Republican mayor of New York. We're exploring the dynamics that took root when Bill Clinton and Rudy Giuliani rose to the height of their political power—and their impact on the world in 2023. On Today's Show: How today's hyper-partisanship got its start in the 1990s. Guests:  Nicole Hemmer , political historian and founding d...

The powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl is responsible for a continued rise in overdose deaths in New York City and across the country. On Today's Show: Sam Quinones , independent journalist and the author of Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic and The Least of Us: True Tales of America and Hope in the Time of Fentanyl and Meth , and Courtney McKnight , clinical assistant professo...

On Today's Show: Shefali Luthra , a healthcare reporter at the 19th, discusses new FDA rules allowing pharmacies to distribute abortion pills, how red states are responding to underground pill movements, and how abortion access has changed in the 50 years since the Roe v. Wade decision. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of pe...

On the 30th anniversary of Pres. Bill Clinton's inauguration, we explore the the short- and long-term impacts of his tenure. On Today's Show: Eleanor Clift , columnist for The Daily Beast, and David Maraniss , associate editor at The Washington Post , Pulitizer Prize-winning reporter, and the author of several books and biographies, including First in His Class: A Biography Of Bill Clinton (Simon...

Thanks to redlining, we know that historically, Black people have faced historical barriers to purchasing property.  What about trying to *sell* property as a Black real estate agent? On Today's Show: Colette Coleman , a writer focused on race and equity, discusses her New York Times article "Selling Houses While Black" about the challenges faced, and strategies adopted, by Black real estate agent...

With a key fiscal deadline looming over the federal government, we explore how important the national debt actually is. On Today's Show: John Cassidy , staff writer at The New Yorker , explains the economics -- and politics -- of the approaching "debt ceiling". Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertisin...

Gas stoves, versus electric stoves, have sparked some health and safety questions. What's the environmental impact of these appliances, and what are the politics of regulating them? On Today's Show: Somini Sengupta , international climate reporter for The New York Times and lead writer for the Climate Forward newsletter, explains why gas stoves have recently become a political flashpoint, and digs...

For this year's MLK day show, we opened the phones for listeners to share their memories and personal experience with the civil rights movements of the 50s and 60s. On Today's Show: Peniel Joseph , Barbara Jordan Chair in Ethics and Political Values, founding director of the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy, professor of history at the University of Texas at Austin and the author of The...

Ahead of MLK day on Monday, we hear from faith leaders who are continuing Dr. King's legacy of anti-racism, today. On Today's Show: Jacqueline Lewis , senior minister at the Middle Church and author of Fierce Love: A Bold Path to Ferocious Courage and Rule-Breaking Kindness that Can Heal the World (Harmony, 2021), and Joshua Stanton , rabbi at East End Temple in Manhattan, talk about Sunday's MLK...

Why do Republicans want to give the IRS less money, and what would it mean for taxpayers across income brackets?  On Today's Show: Catherine Rampell , an opinion columnist at the Washington Post , an economic and political commentator for CNN, a special correspondent for the PBS NewsHour and a contributor to Marketplace, explains why Republicans are trying rescind additional IRS funding, what that...

As part of our 'Climate Story Of The Week' series, we review climate change and policy since one year ago. On Today's Show: Now that 2022 has come to a close,  Henry Fountain , climate reporter for the New York Times provides an update on climate trends. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Now that Republicans are in control of the House of Representatives, what will be the fate of some of the Democrats' policy items? On Today's Show: Rep. Ritchie Torres , U.S. Representative (D-NY15), recaps the grueling Speaker selection process and predicts what the change in leadership will mean for his constituents. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information a...

On the 2nd anniversary of the attack on the Capitol, a look at what we now know about who's responsible for the events of Jan. 6 . On Today's Show: Ari Melber , host of "The Beat with Ari Melber" and chief legal correspondent for MSNBC, talks about the official January 6 committee report and reflects on the insurrection, its fallout, and where the House is headed now. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsW...

As the contest over who will be the next House speaker drags on, we look at the views of the voters in districts represented by those GOP members who want anyone but Kevin McCarthy. On Today's Show: Astead Herndon , New York Times national political reporter and host of their midterms podcast "The Run-Up", talks about the GOP's policy priorities in the House and what Republican voters expect of th...

With the injury count as high as it is in a contact sport like football, what is there to say about the morality of being a fan? On Today's Show: Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest after a tackle in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday. Though medical personnel restored Hamlin's heartbeat, this emergency shines a light on the league's injury crisis.  William Rhod...

With Congress's new term beginning, we explore what's next in national politics. On Today's Show: Molly Ball , national political correspondent for TIME and the author of Pelosi (Henry Holt and Co., 2020), kicks off the new year with a look at the new divided Congress and what the Republican majority in the House will do in the first weeks of January. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See...