The Brian Lehrer Show

President Biden is staking his legacy, and his reelection campaign, on massive amounts of domestic spending, spurred by the passage of four major laws. But a Politico analysis found billions of dollars Congress approved by passing these bills has not yet been spent. Jessie Blaeser, data reporter at Politico, and Ben Storrow, reporter at Politico's E&E News, explain the delays, and why they are a threat both to the president's legacy and his reelection.

Nancy Solomon, WNYC reporter and editor, and host of the “Ask Governor Murphy” monthly call-in show recaps her conversation with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. Topics this month included a proposed corporate tax to fund NJ Transit, tax relief for seniors, an NJ Turnpike extension and more.

A. J. Jacobs, NPR contributor, essayist, host of the podcast "The Puzzler" and the author of The Year of Living Biblically, It's All Relative and his latest, The Year of Living Constitutionally: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution's Original Meaning (Crown, 2024), offers his take on "originalism" by living like a "founding father"—tricorn hat and all.

→EVENT: A. J. Jacobs talks to NYS Lieutenant Gov. Antonio Delgado at 92Y on Thursday, May 9 at 8pm.  Register here. 

Listeners call in to shout out the teacher they most appreciate, whether it's the person who taught them how to read 40 years ago or the one currently coaching their child through long division.

Andrea Bernstein, journalist reporting on Trump legal matters for NPR, host of many podcasts including "Will be Wild" and "Trump, Inc." and the author of American Oligarchs: The Kushners, The Trumps and the Marriage of Money and Power (W. W. Norton & Company, 2020), reports on the latest news from Trump's so-called "hush money" trial, including testimonies from Hope Hicks and Stormy Daniels and a warning from the judge.

Luis A. Miranda, Jr., founder of the political consulting firm MirRam, founding president of the Hispanic Federation and the author of Relentless: My Story of the Latino Spirit that is Transforming America (Hachette Books, 2024), shares his story of his life and work in NYC politics (and as the father of Lin Manuel).

Roxanne Scott, independent journalist working on a series with the NY Amsterdam News about climate change in Southeast Queens, talks about how St. Albans in Southeast Queens, a majority-Black neighborhood where residents have long complained of neglected infrastructure and services, is dealing with a pest exacerbated by climate change: mosquitos.

TikTok once embraced the narrative of its algorithm as an all-powerful "secret sauce." Now, that narrative appears to be backfiring as Congress attempts to force a sale. John Herrman, tech columnist at New York Magazine, explains.→ The Secret Weakness of TikTok’s All-Powerful Algorithm | Intelligencer

Anne Applebaum, staff writer at The Atlantic, historian and author of the forthcoming Autocracy, Inc: The Dictators Who Want to Run the World (Penguin, 2024) talks about her Atlantic cover story, “Democracy Is Losing the Propaganda War," about the rise of autocracy around the world.

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, shares his analysis of where retail is and isn't booming, and what kinds of businesses are setting up shop here, plus comments on what the latest unemployment numbers say about the economy.

Annie Karni, congressional correspondent at The New York Times, talks about the latest national political news of the week, including legislation that recently passed the House on antisemitism, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's latest attempt to oust Speaker Mike Johnson and more.

Survey data show that Americans are getting more sleep now than they did before the pandemic. Caitlin Gilbert, data reporter at The Washington Post, explains the trends, and how it differs between different groups of people.

Egg freezing as a method to extend fertility for women has become more accessible and popular in the past decade—though still costly. Anna North, senior correspondent for Vox, where she covers American family life, work and education, reports on whether the industry oversold women, as data now show having a baby through the process is no guarantee.→ The failed promise of egg freezing | Vox

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.

Transit Latest: Congestion Pricing, Fare Evasion, the End of Free Bus Routes and More (First) | Are SATs a Good Thing? (Starts at 27:57) | Peak Spring Migration Season (Starts at 50:38)

If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

It's peak spring migration season for birds. Jason Saul, assistant program director at WNYC and former managing producer for BirdNote, talks about where the birds are and what to look for (and listen to) if you're heading out on a birdwatching walk.

Mayor Adams released his executive budget this week that restored many of the cuts he'd previously proposed. Justin Brannan, New York City Councilmember (District 43-Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach) and chair of the Council Finance Committee, talks about areas where the council and the mayor still differ.

The Department of Justice plans to change the way the federal government classifies cannabis, which will loosen restrictions on weed. Natalie Fertig, federal cannabis policy reporter for Politico, reports on the change, including how it will affect people, businesses and research in states where cannabis is legal (and not).

This year, many selective colleges are reversing Covid-era test-optional admissions policies, requiring applicants to submit ACT or SAT scores again. Emi Nietfeld, author of Acceptance: A Memoir (Penguin Press, 2022), discusses how taking the SAT changed her life and helped her, as a disadvantaged youth, to attend Harvard.

From the 18th century to the beginning of the 20th, May 1st was a day when scores of New Yorkers would change their residencies. As a nod to that old tradition, we open up the lines for listeners in the midst of moves and hear some tips and stories.

Aaron David​​​​ Miller, senior fellow in the American Statecraft Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, former State Department advisor on the Middle East, and the author of several books, including The Much Too Promised Land: America’s Elusive Search for Arab-Israeli Peace (Bantam, 2008), talks about the current state of ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas and the best pathways to peace in the region.  Plus, he reacts to President Biden's live remarks on the campus protests.

David Brand, housing reporter for WNYC/Gothamist, talks about some of the latest housing news, including the landlord facing possible "house" arrest (in one of his unrepaired buildings) and the Rent Guidelines Board preliminary vote on rent increases of 2 to 6.5 percent.

U.S. Representative Mikie Sherrill (D, NJ-11) talks about her priorities related to reproductive rights and the National Defense Reauthorization Act, plus reacts to the news overnight of police arresting campus protesters.

BBC presenter Nuala McGovern compares notes over how the UK is handling migrants, talks about her reporting here in New York and remembers her time as a Brian Lehrer Show producer.EVENT:Global Movements, Local Impacts: An Evening with WNYC + BBC NewshourWednesday, May 1, 2024, 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. ET, in person at the Greene Space (44 Charlton St in Manhattan).Tickets (pay what you wish starting at $5) and details here.

Activists at Columbia occupied a building overnight as administrators threatened to start suspending students. Joseph Howley, associate professor of classics at Columbia University, talks about how he and other faculty are supporting protesters at Columbia and Hadeeqa Arzoo, vice president of CCNY’s Students for Justice in Palestine chapter and organizer at the CUNY Gaza Solidarity Encampment, shares what activists at the City College of New York are demanding.

Marie French, reporter covering energy and the environment for POLITICO New York, discusses the collapse of three key wind farm projects in New York and their broader implications for the state's climate goals.

Susan Page, USA Today Washington bureau chief and the author of several books, including The Rulebreaker: The Life and Times of Barbara Walters (Simon & Schuster, 2024), talks about her new biography of Barbara Walters, plus the latest national political news, including the White House Correspondents Dinner and Pres. Biden's agreement to a debate.

Stephen Nessen, WNYC and Gothamist transportation reporter, brings updates on the latest transit news, including a launch date for congestion pricing, the end of free bus routes and more.

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.

Your Arab-American Immigration Stories (First) | Reframing 'Free' Beyond Markets (Starts at 26:36) | A #PlasticsChallenge Wrap Up (Starts at 1:02:30)

If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

Claire Thornton, USA Today breaking news reporter, talks about the calls by pro-Palestinian student protesters for their colleges and universities to divest from companies with ties to Israel.

For National Poetry Month, we open up the phones for listeners to recite lines from their favorite poems.

Nicholas Kristof, opinion columnist for The New York Times and author of several books, including the forthcoming memoir Chasing Hope (Penguin Random House, 2024), shares his critique of how he says President Biden has mishandled the United States' role in Israel's war in Gaza, what he sees as Biden's reasoning, the political implications and what the United States could do moving forward to end the war.

On today's show: 

Erica Orden, Politico reporter, talks about the media diets of the jurors on the Trump "hush money" trial. Plus, she recaps the testimony of David Pecker, the former publisher for the National Enquirer, who talked about that publication's "catch and kill" strategy, which suppressed negative stories about people like Donald Trump. 

Listeners who protested on their college campuses in the turbulent years around 1968 reflect on that time, and share their thoughts on today's young protesters on campuses here in NYC and around the country.

Kate Hidalgo Bellows, staff reporter covering campus health and safety at The Chronicle, reports on how administrations at colleges here in New York and across the country are struggling to respond to ongoing, and growing protests over the Israel-Hamas War.

This Earth Week, Liz Moran, policy advocate for Earthjustice's Northeast office, talks about the ways the new New York State budget does, and does not, address climate change.

As Passover begins, Noah Feldman, Harvard law professor, founding director of the Julis-Rabinowitz Program on Jewish and Israeli Law, and the author of To Be a Jew Today: A New Guide to God, Israel, and the Jewish People (Macmillan, 2024), talks about his new book, inspired by his conversations with his children and even more relevant since 10/7, that tries to define what all Jews have in common.

WNYC / Gothamist Albany reporter Jon Campbell talks about what's in and what's out of the just-approved New York State budget, including housing incentives, zoning changes, limited tenant protections, mayoral control of the schools, and more.

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul breaks down the state budget and WNYC/Gothamist's Jon Campbell offers analysis (First) | Council member Shaun Abreu on proposed changes to tipping on delivery apps—and a plan to curb the city's rat population (Starts at 32:15) | George Takei discusses his debut picture book, an age-appropriate personal history a childhood in Japanese American incarceration camps during WWII (Starts at 1:14:35)

If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

Rev. Dr. Jacqueline Lewis, senior minister and public theologian at the Middle Collegiate Church, and author of Fierce Love: A Bold Path to Ferocious Courage and Rule-Breaking Kindness that Can Heal the World (Harmony, 2021),talks about what's at stake in the upcoming election, the work she and her community are doing to strengthen democracy and how rebuilding is going at Middle Church after a fire in 2020.

Learn more about the Freedom Rising Conference, which aims to "ignite collective empowerment during this election season."

Public school systems have poured large sums of money on tech hardware and software, but do more screens and apps actually help students learn? Jessica Grose, opinion writer at The New York Times, examines some of the downsides of tech's "incursion" into schools.

Burgess Everett, congressional bureau chief for POLITICO, brings the latest headlines from Congress, including the expected reauthorization of the FISA surveillance act, the foreign aid bills moving through Speaker Mike Johnson's Rules Committee, the Democrats' plan to hold the Senate in November, and more national politics.

David Sanger, White House and national security correspondent for The New York Times, talks about what he calls the new 'Cold Wars'—emphasis on the 's'—as the U.S., China and Russia vie for dominance.  His new book is New Cold Wars: China's Rise, Russia's Invasion, and America's Struggle to Defend the West (Crown, 2024).

Kathy Hochul, governor of New York (D), talks about this year's just-about-done budget deal, which includes her priorities like housing, cannabis and more. Then, Jon Campbell, Albany reporter for WNYC/Gothamist, reacts to the governor's take on her wins in this year's budget.

Mayor Adams holds one off-topic press conference per week, where reporters can ask him questions on any subject. Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, recaps what he talked about at this week's event.

Toni Lyn Morelli, research ecologist at the Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center and adjunct associate professor in the Department of Environmental Conservation at the University of Massachusetts, explains how milder winters in the Northeast are contributing to an explosion of deer populations, which can cause car accidents and increase Lyme disease.

The Federal Education Department rolled out a new FAFSA form that was supposed to make things easier for students, but instead it has been plagued with problems. Erica Meltzer, national editor at Chalkbeat, talks about how the "bungled" rollout of the form has derailed some students' college plans. 

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) talks about her work in Washington, including what may happen next after Iran's strike on Israel, her bill for child care for police officers and more.

George Takei, actor, activist and writer, discusses his debut picture book, My Lost Freedom: A Japanese American World War II Story (Crown Books for Young Readers, 2024).

EVENT: George Takei and BD Wong will be in conversation at Symphony Space (2537 Broadway at 95th St. in Manhattan) TONIGHT (April 16, 2024) at 8 p.m. Details and ticketing information here.

Catherine Christian, former assistant district attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney's office, previews jury selection and the trial of former President Donald Trump in Manhattan.

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.

The Art of Listening on Israel and Gaza (First) | Changes to the Census Include People of Middle Eastern and North African Descent (Starts at 37:30) | Gen Z Taking Up Trades (Starts at 58:15)

If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

The Vatican released a new document that detailed what it called 'grave violations' of human dignity, including the struggles of migrants, poverty and war but also gender theory, sex change and surrogacy. Francis DeBernardo, executive director, New Ways Ministry, reacts on behalf of LGBTQ Catholics, and discusses his critique of the church's teachings on issues like this.

The New York State budget was due on April 1st and lawmakers have still not come to an agreement. Jon Campbell, Albany reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, reports on what is reportedly in the budget, the remaining sticking points and whether late budgets are now the norm in Albany.

John Cassidy, New Yorker staff writer and columnist on politics and economics, talks about the better-than-expected jobs report, the worse-than-expected inflation report and how both parties are responding to the perception and reality of the U.S. economy.

Te-Ping Chen, Wall Street Journal work and work culture reporter, talks about her reporting on more young people are going off the college track in favor of the plumbing and electrical trades.

Nancy Solomon, WNYC reporter and editor, and host of the “Ask Governor Murphy” monthly call-in show, recaps her conversation with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, where they talked about the controversy over the so-called "county line" on ballots, school budget cuts for 140 districts and more.

Faith Hill, staff writer at The Atlantic, talks about the change in who's getting hired to baby-sit, no longer a mainstay of teenage girls.

Luke Broadwater, congressional correspondent for The New York Times, talks about the latest congressional news, including the pressure on Speaker Johnson from the right over FISA, spending, foreign aid, and more.

Emily Gould, novelist and writer forNew York Magazine, talks about the secret smoking habits of moms in New York City, plus, listeners expose their own smoking habits -- be it classic cigarettes, vaping, or even marijuana in the age of legalization -- why they hide it from their partners and children, and what lengths they go to to keep their smoking secret.

Mayor Adams holds one off-topic press conference per week, where reporters can ask him questions on any subject. Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, recaps what he talked about at this week's event, including how the NYPD should engage with the homeless on the subway, mayoral control of schools and much more.

Judith Sloan, actor, writer, educator, and radio producer, and Najla Said, actor, writer, and activist, talk about their project called "Imperfect Allies," where they will host live events with a performance, and dialogue among audience members with different perspectives on the violence in Israel and Gaza.

→Information on upcoming events can be found here: https://earsay.org/

The White House says that President Biden’s new student loan forgiveness plan could help 30 million borrowers. Danielle Douglas-Gabriel, national higher education reporter at theWashington Post, shares her reporting and unpacks the details.

Listeners talk about their experiences of the total solar eclipse.

Harry Siegel, editor at The City, FAQ NYC podcast co-host, and Daily News columnist, responds to top police brass calling him names after he published critical columns, and talks about the substance of his critiques of the NYPD.

Molly Webster, senior correspondent for Radiolab, previews the eclipse and offers a thought on why the moon deserves credit in this cosmic event.

John Chell, chief of patrol at the NYPD, offers his take on current crime rates, subway safety and explains the department's recent social media strategy, which includes calling out journalists by name.

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.

Judith Butler on Gender (First) | Robotaxis on New York City Streets? (Starts at 34:45) | English 'Loan Words' in Your Language (Starts at 57:40)

If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

Brian and WNYC host Sean Carlson provide live coverage of the earthquake, including a press conference with Mayor Adams and other officials, calls from listeners all over (including near the epicenter), seismologists Antonios Marcellos (from Hofstra University) and Benjamin Fernando (from Johns Hopkins), and officials including MTA chair Janno Lieber and NYC Commissioner of Emergency Management Zach Iscol. 

In a lawsuit, the state of New Jersey is arguing against congestion pricing, citing environmental concerns. Stephen Nessen, transportation reporter for the WNYC Newsroom, reports on how the state's lawyers presented their case in the courtroom this week, and how likely it seems to derail the toll program's June launch. Plus, a check-in on the state of infrastructure after the tristate area was hit by a magnitude 4.8 earthquake and updates from Governor Kathy Hochul.

Yasmeen Abutaleb, Washington Post White House reporter and co-author of the bookNightmare Scenario: Inside the Trump Administration Response to the Pandemic that Changed History (Harper, 2021), offers analysis of the U.S. policy toward Israel and Gaza after President Biden apparently warned Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu the humanitarian situation in Gaza had to improve.

Alexander Gates, department chair and professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Rutgers University and co-author of Encyclopedia of Earthquakes and Volcanoes New Edition (Facts-on-File Inc., third edition, 2006), discusses the preliminary information on New Jersey's 4.8 magnitude earthquake which occurred on Friday morning and was felt in the tristate area.

Skies will dim on Monday as the moon passes between the sun and the Earth. Joshua Winter, physics instructor at BASIS Independent Brooklyn with 20 years experience teaching astronomy topics, offers a short preview of the total solar eclipse after a reaction to today's earthquake.

Listeners who speak a second language call in to share which words in English are commonly used in that language, and what it might say about that culture.