The Brian Lehrer Show

Francesca Chambers, White House Correspondent for USA Today, talks about the news from Washington, including President Biden's speech, Netanyahu's visit, the Harris campaign (and the memes propelling it from below).

Matthew Futterman, senior staff writer for The Athletic, the sports unit of The New York Times, previews the start of the summer Olympics which begin this Friday, July 26th, in Paris, France.

Dame Louise Richardson, president of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, talks about research into and strategies to reduce political polarization in the United States, especially in this fraught election year.

Ben Max, host of the Max Politics podcast and executive editor and program director at New York Law School’s Center for New York City Law, talks about some of the successful policies from the Adams administration and the power struggle with the City Council seemingly playing out in the Charter Review process.

Micah Loewinger is the brand new co-host of WNYC's On the Media. Brooke Gladstone, co-host of WNYC's On The Media and Micah Loewinger talk about their plans for the show and how it might evolve.

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. This weeks topics include: fights over shelters, his support for VP Kamala Harris, and the comparisons he draws between himself and former mayor David Dinkins.

Continuing our centennial series "100 Years of 100 Things," Eric Dean Wilson, Queens College writing instructor and the author of After Cooling: On Freon, Global Warming, and the Terrible Cost of Comfort (Simon & Schuster, 2021), walks us through the promise of air conditioning of the past 100 years -- how it relieved people of warming temperatures and how they have eventually contributed to climate change.

Chris Crowley, senior writer at Grub Street, discusses the Mr. Fruit stores, a "chainlet" of delis that has amassed a cult following in Brooklyn.

The Secret Service director resigned under pressure after former President Trump was shot during a rally earlier this month. Carol Leonnig, Washington Post national investigative reporter, explains how Secret Service protection works: who gets it, how are they protected, and what went so wrong at the Trump rally in Pennsylvania.

Ryan Kailath, WNYC/Gothamist arts and culture reporter, talks about the August 3rd deadline for restaurants wanting to continue outdoor dining and why the streetscape will see changes.

The Republican Party has promised to initiate the largest deportation effort in U.S. history if Donald Trump is elected president. Felipe De La Hoz, contributing member of the New York Daily News editorial board and lecturer at New York University's College of Arts and Sciences, offers a look at Trump's plan.

→ The Supreme Court Just Supercharged the Scariest Part of Trump’s 2025 Agenda

Ahead of the second round of the annual "Subway Series," listeners share who they're rooting for, where their loyalty comes from, and weigh in on the informal map of Yankees vs. Mets territory in the New York area.  

 During the show, Vice President Kamala Harris gave her first public speech about her presidential bid. Democrats call in share how they are feeling about Biden's exit from the presidential race and his endorsement of VP Harris.

Christine Quinn, president & CEO of Win, the largest provider of shelter and supportive services for homeless families in New York City, reacts to the news that President Biden has dropped out of the presidential campaign, especially in her role as a Democratic delegate, and talks about the protests against the homeless shelter in Bensonhurst and other related news.

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

Poverty in Black and White (First) | The City's First Official Trash Can (Starts at 35:37) | "Weird Al" Yankovic Celebrates 10 Years of "Mandatory Fun" (Starts at 1:04:11)

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10 years after his comedy album "Mandatory Fun" became the first comedy album in history to hit number 1 on the Billboard charts, "Weird Al" Yankovic, musician, comedian, and actor,  looks back on his career parodying hit pop songs, previews his latest single "Polkamania!", and takes calls from his multi-generational fanbase.