Brian Lehrer: A Daily Politics Podcast

WNYC Studios

Donald Trump

Trump Administration

Iran

United States

Democratic Party

ICE

Supreme Court

Republican Party

Venezuela

Midterm Elections

Trump

Jeffrey Epstein

Israel

New York City

NATO

Affordable Care Act

Department Of Homeland Security

Inflation

Voting Rights

China

Daily thoughtful conversation about the latest news and politics.

826 ratings

Publishes	Daily	Episodes	1588	Founded	7 years ago
Number of Listeners		Categories	Daily NewsNewsNews Commentary

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Latest Episodes

Thursday’s NY ICE shooting becomes swing district issue

With last week's ICE shooting, how are swing districts in the area responding on the political hot-button midterm issue of immigration enforcement?

On Today's Show:

Billy House, Washington/Congress reporter for Newsday, talks about the issue of immi... more

12 Oct 2026 • 19 min

AI as an issue in hotly contested House race

With AI technology and its accompanying data centers taking up some of the spotlight as a midterm issue, we look at how it's playing out in a key house race.

On Today's Show:

Timmy Facciola, founder of the local news outlet Judge Street Journal, wh... more

7 Oct 2026 • 23 min

'Socialist Manifesto' author on past failures and governing in the real world

As the DSA and other ideologies on the political left begin to gain footholds in elected offices including NYC's mayoralty, we look at what 'socialism' really is, in practice.

On Today's Show:

Bhaskar Sunkara, president of The Nation, founding edit... more

6 Oct 2026 • 22 min

Affordability debate clips from crucial house race

With affordability as a central political issue this midterm season, how are candidates in a key New Jersey race addressing it?

On Today's Show:

Timmy Facciola, founder of the local politics news outlet Judge Street Journal, talks about several 'poc... more

5 Oct 2026 • 20 min

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Recent Guests

Lindsay Owens

Author of Gouged; President and CEO of Groundwork Collaborative

Groundwork Collaborative

Episode: Algorithms price gouge us. This guest wants to change that

Maggie Mertens

Journalist; author of Better Faster Farther; host of The Forecast on Kvru

Slate; Kvru (Seattle's Weekly Women's Sports Show)

Episode: The right and women’s sports (not about trans athletes)

Alexandra Brodsky

Civil rights lawyer and author of Sexual Justice, Supporting Victims, Ensuring Due Process and Resisting the Conservative Backlash

Public interest law; Civil rights advocacy

Episode: The law and politics of the Cornell gang rape investigation

David Gelles

Reporter on the New York Times climate team, leads Climate Forward newsletter and event series

The New York Times

Episode: The departing UN Sec’y General cared about climate change. Did he make a difference?

Malcolm Gladwell

Author and commentator; author of The American Way of Killing, The Invention of an Epidemic

Author, Revisionist History (podcast)

Episode: Malcolm Gladwell thinks we’re having the wrong gun control debates

Ishaan Tharoor

Global politics columnist for The New Yorker

The New Yorker

Episode: Trump and Gen Z soften on China

Sarah Longwell

Founder and publisher of The Bulwark; host of The Focus Group podcast; author

The Bulwark

Episode: 'People are wild.' Sarah Longwell on our weird political contradictions

Mark Leon Goldberg

Journalist; author of The Substack and host of Global Dispatches; co-host of To Save Us From Hell UN podcast

Global Dispatches; To Save Us From Hell

Episode: What can the U.N. do without US funding?

Shefali Luthra

Reproductive health reporter at The 19th

The 19th

Episode: How state abortion bans are affecting women's health nationwide

Hosts

Brian Lehrer

Host of The Brian Lehrer Show with extensive coverage of daily politics and public affairs.

Brigitte Bergen

Senior reporter filling in for Brian, contributing reporting and analysis.

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 826 ratings

I Mean … Right?
•EPISODE 960 (Elie Mystal): Annoying Guest Catchphrase: “… Right?”

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•Episode 976 (Andrea Bernstein): Annoying Guest Catchphrase: “I mean …”

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•EPISODE: Pre-2024 Voting Rights News: Annoying Guest Catchphrase: “We’re so excited to …”
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•EPISODE: Biden wants to spend $1.6 trillion: Annoying Guest Catchphrase: “That’s a great question.” (Both guests AND host)

~

•EPISODE: “Is Writing An Op-Ed Now Grounds For Deportation?” Annoying Guest catchphrase: “So …” (also “I mean …”) more
Apple Podcasts
3
(Gibberer)
Australia21 days ago
Brian Lehrer
…but is he a Zionist? Because the way he handled the students’ protests and how obnoxious he was when he interviewed those brave and upstanding pro-palestinian students makes me think he is.
Apple Podcasts
1
janetfo
United Statesa year ago
I Mean … Right?
•EPISODE 960 (Elie Mystal): Annoying Guest Catchphrase: “… Right?” ~ •Episode 976 (Andrea Bernstein): Annoying Guest Catchphrase: “I mean …”

~

•EPISODE: Pre-2024 Voting Rights News: Annoying Guest Catchphrase: “We’re so excited to …”
~ •EPISODE: Biden wants to spend $1.6 trillion: Annoying Guest Catchphrase: “That’s a great question.” (Both guests AND host)

~

•EPISODE: “Is Writing An Op-Ed Now Grounds For Deportation?” Annoying Guest catchphrase: “So …” (also “I mean …”)
Apple Podcasts
3
(Gibberer)
Australia2 years ago
I Mean … Right?
•EPISODE 960 (Elie Mystal): Annoying Guest Catchphrase: “… Right?” ~ •Episode 976 (Andrea Bernstein): Annoying Guest Catchphrase: “I mean …” ~ •EPISODE: Pre-2024 Voting Rights News: Annoying Guest Catchphrase: “We’re so excited to …”
~ •EPISODE No.31 Biden wants to spend $1.6 trillion: Annoying Guest Catchphrase: “That’s a great question.” (Both guests AND host)
Apple Podcasts
4
(Gibberer)
Australia2 years ago
Disappointing
So disappointed in todays show about the targeted attack on World Central Kitchen. Seldom heard such nonsense as the Ha-Aretz journalist saying: oh no, IDF didn’t kill them on purpose - why would they, they will just have to feed the Palestinians themselves now. OBVIOUSLY keeping Palestinian civilians safe and fed has not been a concern of the Israeli government at all - in fact they have been starving them purposefully! And this complete hair brain statement was left standing without a respons... more
Apple Podcasts
2
NYTimes commenter
United States3 years ago

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Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Many highlight historical and policy context as a strength of the show.

Listeners appreciate thoughtful, evidence-based questioning and civically minded discourse.

Some critics feel occasional bias or guest selection influences framing.

Overall, audiences find the discussions clear, well-researched, and actionable for understanding current events.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts	#115	United States/News/Daily News
Apple Podcasts	#199	United Kingdom/News/Daily News
Apple Podcasts	#215	Canada/News/Daily News
Apple Podcasts	#186	Australia/News/Daily News
Apple Podcasts	#234	Italy/News/Daily News
Apple Podcasts	#25	Saudi Arabia/News/Daily News

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The law and politics of the Cornell gang rape investigation

Q: What does Title IX require of schools in handling sexual harassment and assault, and how has federal regulation affected real-world outcomes for survivors?

Title IX requires schools to address sexual harassment and assault to ensure safe environments, but federal standards have been criticized as burdensome and variable; in practice, private Title IX lawsuits have become harder to win due to narrowing damages, leading to emphasis on state-level protections like New York Human Rights Law.

The law and politics of the Cornell gang rape investigation

Q: Why are college police departments not required to report violent crime to municipal police, and why do rape cases often seem to disappear from public view?

The guest explains that campus policing is structured differently from municipal policing, with jurisdictional and resource considerations, and that many survivors seek support and remedies from schools beyond criminal prosecution, including accommodations and disciplinary actions.

The departing UN Sec’y General cared about climate change. Did he make a difference?

Q: What two things did Guterres say he wants to speed up before leaving the office?

He identified two priorities: accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels and advancing elements of justice in climate policy, emphasizing both faster decarbonization and greater attention to those most affected by climate impacts.

The departing UN Sec’y General cared about climate change. Did he make a difference?

Q: What did you want to know about climate progress going into that conversation?

Gelles explains that he was curious about how ten years after the Paris Agreement, the world's progress would be assessed, and whether the Paris framework has been a success or failure, given ongoing emissions and policy gaps.

How to end the partisan redistricting wars

Q: What are the potential consequences of Louisiana v. Calais for minority representation?

The decision could significantly reduce protections for communities of color in redistricting, risking a bleaching of minority power across city councils, state legislatures, and Congress unless corrective measures are taken.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Brian Lehrer: A Daily Politics Podcast

What is Brian Lehrer: A Daily Politics Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Thoughtful, balanced political conversation that covers current events, policy, and governance with on-the-record reporting and expert guests. Episodes frequently mix on-the-ground reporting, historical context, and policy analysis, spanning domestic politics, voting rights, national security, and health policy. Noteworthy is a focus on accountability, nuance in framing, and a willingness to challenge guests while grounding discussions in accessible, civic-minded reporting.

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Which podcasts are similar to Brian Lehrer: A Daily Politics Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Brian Lehrer: A Daily Politics Podcast:

1. The Brian Lehrer Show
2. On the Media
3. The Political Scene | The New Yorker
4. The New Yorker Radio Hour
5. The Ezra Klein Show

How many episodes of Brian Lehrer: A Daily Politics Podcast are there?

Brian Lehrer: A Daily Politics Podcast launched 7 years ago and published 1588 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Brian Lehrer: A Daily Politics Podcast?

Recent guests on Brian Lehrer: A Daily Politics Podcast include:

1. Lindsay Owens
2. Maggie Mertens
3. Alexandra Brodsky
4. David Gelles
5. Malcolm Gladwell
6. Ishaan Tharoor
7. Sarah Longwell
8. Mark Leon Goldberg

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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