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The Brian Lehrer Show — News
The Brian Lehrer Show

Brian Lehrer leads the conversation about what matters most now in local and national politics, our own communities and our lives.

Copyright: © WNYC

Latest Episodes:

Takeaways From the Latest Primary Results Aug 13, 2026

Show notes

Rachel Leingang, Midwest political correspondent for Guardian US, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Teo Armus, reporter for The Washington Post focused on politics, demographics, voters and immigration, offer political analysis of the latest primary election results, including in Wisconsin and Michigan, and what they might signal about the midterms this fall.

Photo: Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan (C), celebrates with her husband Tom Weber (L) and daughter Siobhan Hellendrung (R) during a primary election-night party at First Avenue on August 11, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Flanagan defeated Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN) for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in the state's primary election. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

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The Return of Year-Round Outdoor Dining Aug 13, 2026

Show notes

New York City Council member Lincoln Restler (District 33, Greenpoint, Northside Williamsburg, South Williamsburg, Brooklyn Heights, Downtown Brooklyn, DUMBO, Boerum Hill, Vinegar Hill, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn Navy Yard) talks about his bill, which he expects to pass, that will bring back year-round outdoor dining after the Adams administration had heavily restricted it.

Photo: People dine al fresco, or open air, in Hell's Kitchen on July 21, 2020 in New York City. (Jeenah Moon/Getty Images)

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What is Post-Partum Psychosis? Aug 13, 2026

Show notes

Nikki Sapiro Vinckier, PA-C, OB/GYN physician assistant, reproductive health advocate and author of We Deserve More: Why Reproductive Healthcare is Broken--And What You Can Do About It (Jossey-Bass, 2026), explains the symptoms of postpartum psychosis, a rare but serious psychiatric emergency that affects about 1-2 mothers per 1,000 births, as the trial of a Massachusetts mom has brought the condition to the forefront. Plus NSV talks about the overall problems with postpartum health care in the United States.

Stock illustration by Lin Shao-hua via iStock/Getty Creative

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Your Personal AI Policy Aug 13, 2026

Show notes

Writer, YouTuber and science communicator Hank Green was found to have used AI in his work, disappointing the AI-skeptics in his fanbase. Marina Bolotnikova, senior reporter for Vox's Future Perfect section, talks about one big lesson to come out of the controversy: you need a personal AI policy.

Stock illustration by Mikhail Seleznev via iStock/Getty Creative

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The Pushback Against Flock Camera Surveillance Aug 12, 2026

Show notes

Over the past several years, a license-plate tracking company called Flock has partnered with over 40 percent of police departments nationwide, allowing local law enforcement to track people's whereabouts across state lines. Jason Koebler, cofounder of 404 Media, unpacks how officials, including ICE, are using the technology, and why anti-surveillance activists on both sides of the are pushing back against the cameras.

Photo: A Flock camera records passersby on July 9, 2026 in Jefferson, Ga. (Kevin D. Liles for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

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State of the Cyclosporiasis Outbreak Aug 12, 2026

Show notes

Lena H. Sun, Washington Post national reporter focusing on health, provides an update on the nationwide cyclosporiasis outbreak and the response from U.S. public health agencies.

Photo: Spinach is displayed for sale on shelves at a Target store on July 23, 2026 in Austin, Texas. The cyclosporiasis outbreak, an intestinal illness caused by the microscopic parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis, has spread across multiple states and remains under investigation by federal health officials after the first known illness onset was reported in early May. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

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What's Behind the Drop in NYC's Reading Scores? Aug 12, 2026

Show notes

Jessica Gould, education reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, talks about the steep drop in ELA test scores on last year's state test among city students, and what stakeholders think might be the cause of the decline.

Photo: A student in the library reads a book after receiving candy and a red envelope in a cultural celebration of the Lunar New Year at Yung Wing School P.S. 124 on February 02, 2022 in New York City. (Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)

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Public Shaming as Public Policy Aug 12, 2026

Show notes

After a 15 year hiatus, the NYC Department of Sanitation has resumed putting bright green stickers on cars that don't follow alternate-side parking rules. Listeners call in to talk about other examples of public officials using shaming to change behavior, and share some ideas of their own.

Photo courtesy of NYC Department of Sanitation

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City Politics: E-Bike Regulations and AOC's Path to 2028 Aug 11, 2026

Show notes

Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, talks about proposed e-bike regulations by City Council and the Mamdani administration, as well as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's potential run for higher office in 2028.

Photo: U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) speaks to reporters near the House steps after a series of votes at the U.S. Capitol on July 22, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

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Should Democrats Bring 'Woke' Back? Aug 11, 2026

Show notes

Jasmine Green, editorial & audience associate at The Bulwark, offers her take on the word "woke," the evolution of wokeness, and how Democrats might re-claim it from its current status as a mostly pejorative term.

Photo: Some protesters hold signs reading ''Stay Woke'' and ''F*** a fascist every day'' during the International Women's Day demonstration in Paris, France, on March 8. (Stefano Lorusso/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

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