Brian Lehrer: A Daily Politics Podcast

Some GOP-run states are pushing forward with new voting laws that would make it harder for some to cast their ballots. What does that look like, and what does it mean for democracy? On Today's Show: Jami Floyd , senior editor for race and justice at WNYC, talks about what the new laws will do, and who they will harm. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information abo...

As the demand for the vaccine slows, scientists are saying we're unlikely to hit herd immunity, which means this virus will likely remain a factor for years to come. On Today's Show: Apoorva Mandavilli , New York Times reporter focusing on science and global health talks about what it means that the U.S. may never reach herd immunity against the COVID-19 virus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz com...

Kamala Harris is simultaneously being labeled too cautious, and too ambitious. To what standards are we holding the first woman and first person of color to serve as vice president? On Today's Show: Eugene Daniels , a Politico Playbook author and White House correspondent, and Dr. Christina Greer , political science professor at Fordham University, host of the podcast FAQNYC, politics editor at Th...

The overall US population grew by about 7 percent over the past 10 years. So why has Puerto Rico's population dropped by 11 percent? On Today's Show: Alana Casanova-Burgess , host of WNYC and Futuro Studio's La Brega and producer for WNYC Studios, talks about the conditions that led to so many people leaving the island. Plus, listeners who moved to the mainland call in to talk about why they did a...

One of the architects of Biden's 'American Families Plan' explains what they hope it will do for real families. On Today's Show: - First, Cecilia Rouse , economist and chair of the Council of Economic Advisers and former dean of the School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, talks about the president's proposals for the economy. - Then, listeners, along with Ruth Marcus co...

For years, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand has been pushing for changes to the way the military handles sexual assault in the ranks. Now she's got an ally on the other side of the aisle. On Today's Show: U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D NY) talks about her work in the Senate Armed Services committee. Plus, the Biden/Harris 'first 100 days, and more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adsw...

What was the FBI looking for when it raided Rudy Giuliani's apartment on Wednesday, and what does it mean for the investigation into one of President Trump's most trusted allies? On Today's Show: Andrea Bernstein , WNYC senior editor and the author of American Oligarchs: The Kushners, the Trumps, and the Marriage of Money and Power (W. W. Norton & Company, 2020), and Ilya Marritz , WNYC senior rep...

Every 10 years, we count up the people in each state to determine how much representative power they should have. Well, the 2020 Census has been tallied. What does it mean for our politics? On Today's Show: Amy Walter, national editor of the Cook Political Report, talks about the states that lost seats, those that gained and what it means for national politics. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz com...

How are Republicans thinking about the early days of Biden's presidency and other national issues now that they're in the minority party? On Today's Show: Nicole Malliotakis , U.S. Representative (R NY11, covering Staten Island and parts of South Brooklyn), offers her assessment as the Republican member of the NYC House delegation of the accomplishments of the first 100 days of the Biden/Harris ad...

The constitution does not enumerate qualifications for statehood. So how are Republicans arguing their opposition to D.C. becoming the 51st state, and what's at stake for the district? On Today's Show: Eleanor Holmes Norton , U.S. Representative (Washington, DC - D), talks about the DC statehood bill that passed the House last week, and why it's important to her and her constituents that the Distr...

Nancy Pelosi is among most powerful people in Congress. After last year's challenges -- including an insurgent Left & an antagonistic Right -- a closer look at the Speaker of the House. On Today's Show: Susan Page , USA Today Washington bureau chief and the author of Madam Speaker: Nancy Pelosi and the Lessons of Power (Twelve, April 2021), talks about the role of Nancy Pelosi as House Speaker and...

This week on our national call-in evening show, we talked about two of Biden's tentpole issues: Climate and racial justice. This week was Earth Day and President Biden hosted a virtual summit on combating climate change. Paula DiPerna , a special advisor for CDP, a non-profit that runs a global environmental impact disclosure platform, talks about the actions take so far by the administration. Plu...

This Earth Day, we wanted to bring together a group of science communicators to unpack the current moment in the 'climate emergency.' On Today's Show: Laura Helmuth , editor-in-chief of Scientific American, Asmeret Asefaw Berhe , professor and chair in Earth Sciences, Life & Environmental Sciences Department at the University of California-Merced, and Sir David King , founder and chair of the Cent...

The jury in Derek Chauvin's case has convicted him of murdering George Floyd. And while they did deliver some individual accountability, delivering justice is a matter for policymakers. On Today's Show: Jamil Smith , senior correspondent for Vox, reacts to the guilty verdict of Minnesota police officer Derek Chauvin, and talks about how it fits into the movement for racial justice. Hosted by Simpl...

The jury in the Derek Chauvin trial is in deliberations, and a verdict is expected soon. So what issues are they considering, and how strong is each sides' case? On Today's Show: Jami Floyd , senior editor for race and justice at WNYC, offers legal analysis of the Chauvin trial, as the jurors deliberate, plus talks about the makeup of the jury, and the instructions they were given from the judge o...

In some ways, Biden is confounding the expectations of those to his ideological left. But recent blowback from many he considers allies on refugee issues led to a sudden policy reversal. On Today's Show: Philip Bump , national correspondent for The Washington Post, talks about the latest national political news, including the news that President Biden will raise the refugee cap, police gun violenc...

Comedy clubs, sports arenas and music venues are starting to open back up. So how are they balancing the safety of their customers and the capacity they need to stay afloat? On Today's Show: Julie Kim , co-owner of Littlefield, a performance and arts space in Gowanus, Brooklyn, and Michael Dorf , founder and CEO of City Winery, and John Abbamondi , CEO of BSE Global, the parent company of the Nati...

Some corporations are threatening to pull business out of states that make it harder to vote, and even working behind the scenes to soften efforts at what some call "voter suppression." On Today's Show: Rashad Robinson , president of Color of Change, talks about how corporate America is reacting to legislation that generally restricts voting rights — and what more he thinks they could be doing. Ho...

Biden announced that he wants to have U.S. troops withdrawn from Afghanistan by Sept. 11, 2021, two decades since the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon. What are the geopolitical ramifications of pulling out, and what do veterans who served there have to say about it? On Today's Show: David Sanger ,  White House and national security correspondent for The New York Times,  talks...

As Minneapolis reels from another police killing of a young Black man, the trial of Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd last summer, continues. On Today's Show: Paul Butler , professor at Georgetown Law and the author of Chokehold: Policing Black Men (The New Press, 2017), joins to talk about what's happening in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer on trial fo...

A year after returning home from prison, formerly incarcerated people have a mortality rate nearly four times the national average. Incarcerated people who are sick or injured are often treated by for-profit healthcare companies that frequently fail patients by tending to their profits instead. On Today's Show:   Dr. Homer Venters , clinical associate professor at NYU College of Global Public Heal...

Today, we talk about several key policy issues on the table for the Biden administration, particularly those with ramifications for the working class. On Today's Show: Jason Johnson , MSNBC contributor, author, professor of Politics and Journalism at Morgan State University and host of the new Slate political podcast A Word … with Jason Johnson, talks about the latest news coming out of Washington...

Biden's $2 trillion infrastructure plan goes well beyond bridges, roads and tunnels. His emphasis on 'human infrastructure' includes supporting elder care workers and family caregivers. On Today's Show: Clarence Anthony , CEO and executive director of the National League of Cities (NLC), digs in on the infrastructure needs of cities. Then, Jess Morales Rocketto , the civic engagement director of t...

What are we really talking about when we talk about "vaccine passports," and is that label even accurate to describe a public health measure that could help to re-open safely? On Today's Show: Dr. Leana Wen , emergency physician, professor at George Washington University, contributing columnist for The Washington Post, CNN medical analyst, and former Baltimore Health Commissioner and the author of...

While some say COVID vaccine passports are key to safely getting back to everyday activities, others are concerned about the access and equity issues at play. On Today's Show: Dan Diamond , national health reporter at The Washington Post , talks about how they'd work, the politics of the system and more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collec...