Brian Lehrer: A Daily Politics Podcast

California voters have decided that the Senate race in November's general election will pit Rep. Adam Schiff against Republican and former LA Dodgers star Steve Garvey. On Today's Show:Christian Paz, senior politics reporter for Vox, offers analysis of California's Senate primary.

How do the major legal cases facing the former president intersect with today's important primaries? On Today's Show:Melissa Murray, NYU law professor, co-host of the "Strict Scrutiny" podcast, and Andrew Weissmann, professor of practice at NYU School of Law who was the lead prosecutor in Robert Mueller’s Special Counsel's Office, authors of The Trump Indictments: The Historic Charging Documents with Commentary (W. W. Norton & Company, 2024), discuss the Supreme Court's ruling allowing Donald Trump to appear on the Colorado ballot, his other legal proceedings, and the 2024 election.

Asma Khalid, White House correspondent for NPR and co-host of The NPR Politics Podcast, contributor to ABC News, talks about the latest national political news, including whether the "uncommitted" voters will become a bigger problem for President Biden, and more.

News broke this week of two separate overcrowded locations in New York City housing dozens of migrants from Africa. On Today's Show:Amaha Kassa, founder and executive director of African Communities Together, talks about the challenges facing African asylum seekers in the city.

On Today's Show:For Black History Month, Clarence Lusane, professor and current director of the International Affairs program at Howard University, reflects on Jesse Jackson's two historic bids for the presidency.

New York's junior senator provides her take on Alabama's recent 'fetal personhood' case, and what it could mean for reproductive health around the country. On Today's Show:U.S. Senator (D, NY) Kirsten Gillibrand talks about her work in Washington and more national politics.

How did misunderstandings and miscommunications, including between the Bush administration and Saddam Hussein lead to the 2003 invasion of Iraq? On Today's Show:Steve Coll, an editor at The Economist in London, dean emeritus of the Columbia Journalism School, former president of New America, and the author of Ghost Wars and his new book, The Achilles Trap: Saddam Hussein, the C.I.A. and the Origins of America’s Invasion of Iraq (Penguin, 2024), traces the prelude to war over non-existent weapons of mass destruction, and the implications for today's Mideast policies.

As we close out the second month of the 2024 election year, numerous anti-trans laws have been enacted across the country. On Today's Show:Alejandra Caraballo, Clinical Instructor at Harvard Law School's Cyberlaw Clinic, looks at the latest in anti-trans policies including an executive order in Nassau County that targets young trans women athletes as well as Oklahoma’s anti-trans laws that are under new scrutiny after a 16 year old nonbinary child died a day after an altercation in their school’s bathroom.

After a recent visit to the region, a local congress member, Navy veteran and House Armed Services committee member shares her thoughts on the situation in Gaza. On Today's Show:U.S. Representative Mikie Sherrill (D, NJ-11) talks about U.S. foreign policy

With so much political news being bound up with legal cases and proceedings, we bring you some legal analysis. On Today's Show:Elie Mystal, justice correspondent for The Nation and the author of Allow Me to Retort: A Black Guy’s Guide to the Constitution (The New Press, 2022), breaks down the latest on Trump's legal woes, Alabama's ruling on IVF and more.

How might the Israel-Hamas war impact the standing of the United States in the eyes of Muslim moderates around the world? On Today's Show:Mustafa Akyol, senior fellow at the Cato Institute focusing on Islam and modernity, and the author the forthcoming book The Islamic Moses: How the Prophet Inspired Jews and Muslims to Flourish Together and Change the World (St. Martin's Essentials, 2024), argues that perceived indifference to Palestinian suffering in Gaza is alienating the Islamic world and has the potential to tarnish the appeal of liberal democratic values in the United States and the West.

Five years ago this month, progressives in Congress began pursuing the passage of a legislative package known as the Green New Deal. On Today's Show:U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY 14th District), talks about the anniversary of the idea, its accomplishments so far, and the national and global priorities on climate change ahead of the 2024 presidential election.

Democratic constituencies around the world appear happy to support 'strongman' style leaders, in the name of nationalism. On Today's Show:Idrees Kahloon, Washington bureau chief for The Economist, talks about his recent reporting on the rise of illiberal leaders, plus responses to the death of Alexei Navalny, the Munich Security Conference, Israel and Gaza and more.

Russian opposition leader, anti-corruption activist and political prisoner Alexei Navalny has died. On Today's Show:Masha Gessen, The New Yorker staff writer and the author of Surviving Autocracy (Riverhead Books, 2020), digests this news and offers analysis as Putin's war in Ukraine approaches its second anniversary.

Last week's news of comments from Special Counsel Robert Hur's report on Biden's age and mental agility hit a nerve. On Today's Show: Damon Linker, senior lecturer in political science at the University of Pennsylvania and writer of the Substack newsletter “Notes from the Middleground,” explains his argument expressed in a recently published piece for The Atlantic that "Democrats Should Pick a New Presidential Candidate Now."

Last night, voters elected Tom Suozzi over Republican Mazi Pilip to replace disgraced House member George Santos in New York's 3rd congressional district. On Today's Show:Brigid Bergin, WNYC's senior political correspondent, and Randi Marshall, editorial board writer and columnist for Newsday, talk about the results of the special election.

To reach the target of 100% clean energy production by 2035, more wind and solar plants need to be built. On Today's Show:Elizabeth Weise, national correspondent for USA TODAY covering climate change and the energy transition, talks about her year-long investigation into why and how communities across the United States are banning wind and solar energy, despite clean energy goals and the consequences of a warming climate.

Recent comments from former President Trump suggest that if re-elected, he would abandon the commitments inherent in the US's NATO membership. 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, 2021) and the forthcoming The Rulebreaker: The Life and Times of Barbara Walters (Simon & Schuster, 2024), rounds up the latest news from Biden's White House, the campaign trail, and more national headlines.

Yesterday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments over Colorado's decision to disqualify Trump from the primary ballot. 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 Prosecution and End Mass Incarceration (Random House, 2019,) offers her legal analysis.

The Biden administration recently paused a plan to build a large hub for natural gas export. On Today's Show:Robinson Meyer, founding executive editor of Heatmap, a new climate-focused media company, breaks down the Biden administration's recent announcement to pause a decision on whether to approve what would be the largest natural gas terminal in the United States.

As more and more people get their news from social media, how have political memes come to play such an outsized role in the discourse? On Today's Show:Clare Malone, staff writer at The New Yorker, covering politics discusses how the internet, and meme culture, is continuing to having an influence on politics ahead of the 2024 election.

Now that George Santos has been ousted from Congress, the special election to fill his seat is underway. On Today's Show:Tom Suozzi, former congressman (D-NY3), talks about his campaign to reclaim his seat in Congress, representing the north shore of Long Island and parts of northern Queens, in the special election on February 13.

A bipartisan deal on immigration policy is working its way through Congress. On Today's Show:Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker staff writer and the author of Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here: The United States, Central America, and the Making of a Crisis (Penguin Press, 2024), tells the larger story of the crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border through the stories of individuals making the journey from Central America -- and talks about the politics of the current crisis, including the bipartisan compromise just negotiated.

A hearing this week on kids' online safety became contentious and, at times, emotional as senators from both parties grilled tech CEOs. On Today's Show:Will Oremus, technology reporter at The Washington Post, offers a recap and analysis.

House Republicans have begun the process to impeach the Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over border policy. On Today's Show:Jacqueline Alemany, Congressional investigations reporter for The Washington Post, explains what Republicans are thinking, how they haven't actually presented any impeachable offenses and why Democrats say the GOP is abusing impeachment and using it as a political tool ahead of the 2024 election.

How will the modern political left impact the 2024 election season, and how has it evolved since its roots in the Occupy Wall Street movement after the 2008 financial crisis? On Today's Show:Joshua Green, national correspondent for Bloomberg Businessweek and the author of The Rebels: Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and the Struggle for a New American Politics (Penguin Press, 2024), talks about the rise of the progressive wing of the Democratic party and where it goes from here.

Three U.S. service members were killed in Jordan this week, and now some Republicans are proposing that the United States should attack Iran. On Today's Show:Fred Kaplan, Slate's War Stories columnist and the author of many books, including The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War (Simon & Schuster, 2020), explains why we even have troops in Jordan and other places in the Middle East at all, and how this is all related to the Israel-Hamas war.

South Carolina's Democratic Primary is Saturday, February 3rd, and the Republicans hold theirs on February 24th. On Today's Show:Meg Kinnard, national politics reporter at The Associated Press, writer of their "Ground Game" newsletter and a South Carolina resident, shares her reporting and analysis on the politics of the Palmetto State—including the issues that voters there care most about, and whether President Biden will garner the enthusiasm from Black Democratic voters as in 2020.

Last night at Columbia University, they handed out this year’s DuPont-Columbia Awards for excellence in broadcast and digital journalism. On Today's Show:The host of the ceremony, Jelani Cobb, dean of the Journalism School at Columbia University and a staff writer at The New Yorker, talks about some of the winners and the work of journalists today.

Political observers have their eyes on the special election to replace George Santos in New York's 3rd Congressional district in case it serves as a bellwether for November's elections. On Today's Show:Abby Livingston, Puck News reporter on political campaigns and Congress, talks about that and shares analysis of media buys and other spending by each candidate and their supporters.

A longtime GOP-beat politics reporter unpacks the New Hampshire primary results, and what it means for the Republican Party's ongoing nomination contest. On Today's Show:McKay Coppins, staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of Romney: A Reckoning (Simon & Schuster, 2023), talks about the results from Tuesday's presidential primary in New Hampshire and its implications for the race for the presidency.

This election season, artificial intelligence technology could pose consequences for the political disinformation landscape. On Today's Show:U.S. Representative (D, NJ-11) Mikie Sherrill talks about the latest issues at play in Congress, including aid for Israel and Ukraine, the southern border, the potential deal for an expanded child tax credit and more.

There are many conflicts happening in the Middle East right now besides the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. On Today's Show:Robin Wright, contributing writer and columnist for The New Yorker and distinguished fellow at Woodrow Wilson Center and U.S. Institute of Peace, offers analysis of the hostilities, how the United States is involved and what else could go wrong.

Writer E. Jean Carroll is taking former President Donald Trump back to court, this time focusing on what damages, if any, Trump must pay Carroll for defaming her. On Today's Show: Andrea Bernstein, journalist reporting on Trump legal matters for NPR, host of "We Don't Talk About Leonard" podcast from ProPublica & On The Media (previous podcasts: 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), breaks down the first two days of the trial and what comes next.

A bipartisan deal is in the works to expand the child tax credit in a way that would largely benefit low-income families. On Today's Show:Dylan Matthews, senior correspondent and lead writer for Vox's "Future Perfect" section, talks about how it would work, how advocates say it would lift children out poverty, the corporate tax cuts that are part of the deal and whether it will pass the divided Congress.

As polls predicted, Trump has come out on top at the Iowa caucuses, and the candidates are now headed to New Hampshire. On Today's Show:Amber Phillips, Washington Post political reporter and author of The 5-Minute Fix newsletter, breaks down the results of the Iowa caucuses and what they signal about how GOP voters are feeling and the election year ahead.

With extreme cold weather in Iowa on the day of their caucuses, listeners with ties to the state share their takes on the election, and the nomination system. On Today's Show:Christina Greer, associate professor of political science at Fordham University, Moynihan Public Scholars fellow at City College, CUNY, host of the podcast FAQNYC, host of The Blackest Questions podcast on the Grio, previews the Iowa caucuses, plus discusses New York State's new task force to study reparations.

South Africa has brought a case to the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of committing a genocide against Palestinians living in the occupied territories. On Today's Show:Julian Borger, world affairs editor at The Guardian, discusses the hearings at the ICJ and why Israel has decided to engage in the debate rather than ignore the accusations entirely.

It's the week before the Iowa caucuses and Donald Trump is still skipping debates. On Today's Show:Aaron Blake, author of "The Campaign Moment" Newsletter and senior political reporter for The Washington Post, recaps the latest debate between Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis, Trump's town hall and more campaign news ahead of a big few weeks for the candidates.

A civil lawsuit is underway in New York which alleges misappropriation of funds on a grand scale by the National Rifle Association's leadership. On Today's Show: Stephen Gutowski, founder of The Reload, an independent publication focused on firearms policy and politics, breaks down the details of the trial and its national implications.

On Today's Show: Dana Fisher, director of the Center for Environment, Community, and Equity and a professor in the School of International Service at American University and the author of the forthcoming Saving Ourselves: From Climate Shocks to Climate Action (Columbia University Press, 2024), talks about the role of climate activists in the 2024 presidential race and in combatting climate change in general.

On Today's Show: Luke Broadwater, congressional correspondent for The New York Times, talks about Donald Trump's recent comments regarding the cause of the Civil War as well as House Democrats' report on Trump's violation of the Emoluments Clause.

Over 60 countries are set to vote in 2024, with many threatening to slide into "illiberal democracies." On Today's Show: Ishaan Tharoor, foreign affairs columnist at The Washington Post, and the author of the Today's WorldView newsletter and column, ticks through the list and what to expect from a global policy perspective in countries including Britain, India, South Africa, Mexico and the United States.

The national debt has just surpassed $34 trillion for the first time. On Today's Show:Paul Krugman, Nobel laureate in economics, New York Times columnist, distinguished professor at the City University of New York Graduate Center, and the author of (now in paperback) Arguing with Zombies: Economics, Politics, and the Fight for a Better Future (W. W. Norton & Company, 2020), explains how that happened and where inflation may be headed in 2024.

With a US presidential election coming up, and with issues related to AI generated content working their way through US courts, we look at how Europe is addressing AI policy concerns. On Today's Show:Cat Zakrzewski, Washington Post national technology policy reporter, talks about the European Union's AI Act, plus other news involving artificial intelligence.

It's January 2024 and both the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary are coming right up. On Today's Show: Astead Herndon, New York Times national politics reporter, host of their politics podcast "The Run-Up" and CNN political analyst, offers analysis of where things stand with the presidential election.

How well did you pay attention to the news in 2023? On Today's Show:Listeners call in to prove their national news chops on our annual end-of-the-year news quiz.

A recent poll in New Hampshire showed Nikki Haley just three points behind Donald Trump -- in a hypothetical head-to-head matchup. 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, 2021), rounds up the latest news from the GOP primary campaigns, Liz Cheney's book tour, and Biden's Middle East policy.

New Yorker staff writer Masha Gessen recently received a German literary prize, but the ceremony was delayed after the Russian-American writer compared Gaza to a Nazi-era ghetto. On Today's Show:Gessen discusses how the memory of the Holocaust complicates calls for a cease-fire, support for Palestinians, Zionism and antisemitism.

Earlier this week the Colorado Supreme Court ruled that Donald Trump cannot appear on the state's primary ballot, because of his role in inciting the insurrection on January 6, 2021. On Today's Show:Elie Mystal, justice correspondent and columnist for The Nation magazine and host of the new podcast, Contempt of Court with Elie Mystal, and author of Allow Me to Retort: A Black Guy's Guide to the Constitution (New Press, 2022), offers legal analysis of the case, and how the Supreme Court of the United States will approach this, as it will now almost certainly intervene.