The Brian Lehrer Show

Russell Berman , a staff writer at The Atlantic , talks about the New Jersey governor's race and its national bellwether status, plus the latest shutdown news. " The Blue State That’s Now a Bellwether " (The Atlantic, Sept 29, 2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

More young people under the age of 50 are getting diagnosed with early-onset cancers and researchers are trying to figure out why. Nina Agrawal , health reporter for The New York Times, explains what they have found so far, and what is still unknown. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Politico congressional reporter Nicholas Wu  talks about the latest on the federal shutdown and other national political news. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Inspired by an article in The Atlantic that shares recommendations for a "happy start to the day," listeners call in to share their morning routines, and explain why it helps them get going; plus Michael Hill , WNYC's Morning Edition host, shares his ultra-early routine. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for...

John Reitmeyer,  budget and finance writer at NJ Spotlight News, talks about taxation in New Jersey and where the candidates stand on property taxes, the mansion tax, taxing millionaires, and more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

U.S. Senator Andy Kim (D NJ) talks about the government shutdown, U.S. military leadership, and more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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 (Hanover Square Press, 2022), discusses the remaining mayoral candidates after Mayor Adams' withdrawal from the race and the issues of racial justice and inequality. Then, Gothamist and WNYC reporter Elizabeth Kim  and Christina...

Christopher Eisgruber , president of Princeton University and the author of Terms of Respect: How Colleges Get Free Speech Right  (Hachette, 2025), talks about issues of free speech and campus politics at Princeton, and the university's relationship with the Trump administration. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal...

Vanessa Hauc , anchor and director of Noticias Telemundo’s environmental investigative unit, Planeta Tierra, and one of three winners of the Covering Climate Now Journalist of the Year award, talks about her award and her reporting on the climate crisis, focused on solutions that are already happening around the world, plus how the Latino community is one of the most vulnerable to the crisis here...

Vilas Dhar , president of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation and member of the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Body on AI, talks about the two new institutions created by the United Nations to study and discuss the risks and opportunities of artificial intelligence, and his goals for governing this emerging technology so that it serves the public good.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. S...

Nick Garber , politics reporter at Crain's New York Business , shares the latest on the competing downstate casino proposals, just after Steve Cohen's Willets Point casino proposal wins approval from its community advisory committee, leaving four proposed casinos to vie for up to three state licenses to be awarded by the state by December 1. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswiz...

Brian Stettin , senior advisor on severe mental illness for the Office of the New York City Mayor, and  Michael F. Hogan,  PhD, consultant at Hogan Health Solutions and New York State Commissioner of Mental Health from 2007-2012, debate whether the city and state's policy of involuntarily hospitalizing New Yorkers displaying signs of severe mental illness is humane and effective ahead of the Novem...

As fall has begun (not that you'd know it from the weather around here), listeners call in to share what their most and least favorite seasons are, and why . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jorge Loweree, managing director of programs and strategy at the American Immigration Council, talks about the changes the Trump Administration has instituted for the H-1B visa program, and what it might mean for foreign workers and the companies that hire them.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for adverti...

Katie Honan , senior reporter at The City and co-host of the podcast FAQ NYC, talks about Mayor Adams' withdrawal from the mayor's race and how that affects the contest. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

New York State Senator  Jabari Brisport (D, WF, 25th Senate District), chair of Committee on Children And Families, and New York State Assemblymember Alec Brook-Krasny (R, C, Coney Island, Bay Ridge), talk about Zohran Mamdani's proposal to tax corporations and the 1% in New York State to pay for programs to support working class New Yorkers and the feasibility of passing tax reforms in Albany.  H...

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them. One perspective on free speech in our politics, from Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression CEO Greg Lukianoff (First) | Environmental activist and journalist Bill McKibben reflects on his life's work (Starts at 25:25) | Listeners on their religious conversions (Starts at 1:03:15) If you don't subscribe to the Brian Le...

On Monday, President Donald Trump warned pregnant women not to take Tylenol, claiming without evidence that it was a cause of autism. Veronica Gillispie-Bell , MD, board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist and vice chair of American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' Clinical Practice Guidelines Committee of Obstetrics, breaks down what the science says about painkiller use during pre...

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, and Patrick Spauster , City Limits housing and homelessness reporter, talk about Mamdani's proposed rent freeze and Andrew Cuomo's call for means testing for rent-regulated tenants,...

Randi Weingarten , president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the author of Why Fascists Fear Teachers: Public Education and the Future of Democracy  (Thesis, 2025), talks about her new book and explains why she says education protects democracy. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertisi...

The prospect of a government shutdown is growing as Democrats are threatening to not help Republicans on the Hill pass a spending bill by the September 30 deadline. Deirdre Walsh , congressional correspondent for NPR's Washington Desk, talks about the politics of the potential shutdown and related news from Congress. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information abo...

Bill McKibben , environmental activist, founder of Third Act and author of many books, most recently: Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization (W. W. Norton & Company, 2025), discusses his new book, and reflects on his life's work, both as a climate activist and journalist.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information a...

As part of the election series "30 Issues in 30 Days," Mike Hayes , WNYC/Gothamist reporter covering the New Jersey governor's race and the author of The Secret Files: Bill De Blasio, The NYPD, and the Broken Promises of Police Reform  (Kingston Imperial, 2023), talks about the issue of too little affordable housing in New Jersey, including court-required efforts to build more, and how the guberna...

Ry Rivard , reporter covering regional infrastructure for Politico, looks at the gubernatorial candidates' positions on climate change and energy policies in New Jersey. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In a new memoir, Yusuf Islam, also known as the singer-songwriter Cat Stevens, writes about how he converted his faith and changed his name after a near-death experience. Listeners call in to share stories of why they changed their name, other than marriage.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising...