The Brian Lehrer Show

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The History of the 'Great Replacement Theory' Mar 24, 2026

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Ibram X. Kendi, professor of history and the founding director of the Howard University Institute for Advanced Study, and the author of Stamped from the Beginning and his latest, Chain of Ideas: The Origins of Our Authoritarian Age (One World, 2026), talks about his new book charting the history of the idea that motivates many white nationalists, and how to counter it.

cover image courtesy of the publisher

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Supreme Court's Mail-In Ballots Case Mar 24, 2026

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The Supreme Court appears likely to overhaul the way many states count mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day but are postmarked before the deadline. Carrie Levine, editor-in-chief of Votebeat, talks about what could change.

Photo: A ballot dropbox in Arlington, Va. on Dec. 6, 2024. (Credit: Jack Walker/WNYC)

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Robert Mueller's Legacy Mar 23, 2026

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Andrew Weissmann, professor of practice at NYU School of Law, co-host of the podcast Main Justice and and the co-author of The Trump Indictments: The Historic Charging Documents with Commentary (W. W. Norton & Company, 2024), draws on his experience working with Robert Mueller to reflect on his legacy after his death this past weekend at age 81.

Photo: Displayed on a television screen in Times Square, Special Counsel Robert Mueller makes a statement about the Russia investigation, May 29, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

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Pets and Relationships Mar 23, 2026

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Listeners call in to talk about how their relationships have been impacted by pets -- either when one person in the relationship doesn't get along with a pet, or what happens to pets after a split.

Photo: Young child and an old person are petting grey cute cat (Nenad Stojkovic, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons).

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Recapping the Senate's Weekend Session Mar 23, 2026

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Alexander Bolton, senior staff writer at The Hill, discusses the major takeaways from the Senate's rare weekend session, including Republicans' push to pass the SAVE America Act, ongoing controversy over DHS funding, and more.

Photo: The United States Capitol on May 4, 2004. (Photo by Kevin McCoy via Wikimedia Commons/C.C. 2.0)

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Mayor Mamdani's Office of Community Safety Mar 23, 2026

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Mayor Zohran Mamdani signed an executive order last week to establish an Office of Community Safety. Ben Feuerherd, WNYC and Gothamist reporter covering public safety and policing, talks about this new office and other public safety news, including Commissioner Jessica Tisch's move to change the way the NYPD publicly reports hate crimes.

Photo: Deputy Mayor for Community Safety Renita Francois appears with Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Credit: Michael Appleton/Office of the Mayor.

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How the War in Iran Might End Mar 23, 2026

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Nate Swanson, former director for Iran at the National Security Council between 2022 and 2025, current director of the Iran strategy project for the Atlantic Council and writer for Foreign Affairs, offers analysis of the war with Iran, and why he thinks Tehran may dictate the terms of the end of the war.

Photo: The aftermath of a March 3, 2026 airstrike on Tehran. (Photo: محمدعلی برنو / Avash Media via Wikimedia Commons/CC 4.0)

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Brian Lehrer Weekend: The Gov & the Climate Law; DHS Camps; Opera & Society Mar 21, 2026

Show notes

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

Gov. Hochul Hopes to Delay Implementing Climate Law (First) | The Growth of DHS Detention Camps (Starts at :40) | Opera and Democracy (Starts at 1:15)

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Image: An original poster for Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's opera, The Marriage of Figaro (not stated, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

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Theater of War on the Radio: Cash and Carry Mar 20, 2026

Show notes

Actors Jesse Eisenberg, Rosie Perez, and David Patrick Kelly performed a reading of “Cash and Carry,” a personal essay written by David Sedaris for The New Yorker, to kick off a conversation with listeners about the challenges and joys of being neighbors, our duty to strangers, and the unique possibility of connection and disconnection in New York City.

Join WNYC and Theater Of War for a series of programs hosted by Kai Wright and TOW artistic director Bryan Doerries that re-imagine works of journalism in innovative and engaging ways, including performances by acclaimed actors.

Listeners called in to share stories of neighbors helping neighbors, or deciding not to, and reflected on the particular character of New Yorkers' approach to those who need help.

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Russia Is The 'Clear Winner' of U.S.-Iran War Mar 20, 2026

Show notes

Joshua Keating, senior correspondent at Vox covering foreign policy and world news, breaks down his latest reporting on how Russian President Vladimir Putin is benefitting from the United States' war in Iran, including how Russia is now earning an extra $150 million per day in oil sales due to the price surge since the start of the war and much more.
Photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin

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