This week, Elliot Spitzer and Tom Suozzi held the only scheduled debate in their Democratic primary campaign for governor of New York. WNYC’s Brian Lehrer was one of the questioners in the debate and says it produced a major new campaign promise.

LEHRER: It came during the lightning round, often a ...

This week, Elliot Spitzer and Tom Suozzi held the only scheduled debate in their Democratic primary campaign for governor of New York. WNYC’s Brian Lehrer was one of the questioners in the debate and says it produced a major new campaign promise.

LEHRER: It came during the lightning round, often a ...

This week, Mayor Bloomberg went to Washington to argue for homeland security funding based on risk. The Senate debated Iraq war withdrawal resolutions. WNYC's Brian Lehrer says the two stories were reported separately, but should really be seen together.

LEHRER: The headlines from Mayor Bloomberg's testimony before the House Homeland ...

Political pundits had something new to buzz about this week after Hillary Clinton’s speech at the New York State Democratic Convention in Buffalo. But WNYC’s Brian Lehrer says they seem to be missing half the story.

Brian: Most of the media commentary on Senator Clinton’s convention speech was about how she ...

Two memorials to the victims of 9/11 are in the news this week – one from the agency that’s rebuilding Ground Zero, the other from a Hollywood studio. WNYC’s Brian Lehrer says one works, the other is still a work in progress.

LEHRER: The film United 93 cost just $15 million ...

ANCHOR: Two memorials to the victims of 9/11 are in the news this week – one from the agency that’s rebuilding Ground Zero, the other from a Hollywood studio. WNYC’s Brian Lehrer says one works, the other is still a work in progress.

Brian: The film United 93 cost just 15 ...

Monday is Opening Day for the 2006 Yankee baseball season. But WNYC's Brian Lehrer - a lifelong Yankee fan and partial season ticket holder - will be rooting against George Steinbrenner's team in a more important competition off the field this week.

LEHRER: On Wednesday, the New York City Council is ...

This week was notable in New York theater circles for a play inspired by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that was supposed to open Wednesday night, but did not. WNYC’s Brian Lehrer says the whole controversy could have been avoided.

LEHRER: Last year, I played the part of Narrator in a Westchester Philharmonic ...

It looks like the controversial Dubai Ports World deal is now doomed, as least in the United States. WNYC's Brian Lehrer wonders if it's time for a sigh of relief, or just a sigh.

LEHRER: As a New Yorker, I'm supposed to feel safer because of DPW's decision to divest its ...

Anchor: It looks like the controversial Dubai Ports World deal is now doomed, as least in the United States. WNYC’s Brian Lehrer wonders if it’s time for a sigh of relief, or just a sigh.

Brian: As a New Yorker, I’m supposed to feel safer because of DPW’s decision to divest ...

Mayor Bloomberg’s approval rating is sky high in the Quinnipiac University Poll released this week – 72 percent. WNYC’s Brian Lehrer says the mayor is getting kudos for thinking small, and for thinking big.

LEHRER: The big news from the mayor’s budget proposal this week was the money he wasn't spending ...

Tomorrow afternoon, Michael Bloomberg will be sworn in for his second term as Mayor of New York City, after his landlside re-election. But WNYC’s Brian Lehrer says despite the easy win, the mayor still has some promises to keep.

FERRER: Any tenant who votes for Michael Bloomberg is a little like ...

Jon Corzine hasn’t even been sworn in as Governor yet, and he’s already under fire for the way he’s made two decisions since Election Day – appointing Robert Menendez to the US Senate and appearing to go back on a campaign promise not to consider a hike in the gasoline ...

Today’s Republican Congress is known for tax cuts, not tax hikes. But WNYC’s Brian Lehrer says a tax bill passed by the House this week could mean a big income tax increase in 2007 aimed squarely at New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

LEHRER: At issue is something called the Alternative ...

The second and final Bloomberg-Ferrer debate is tonight. But WNYC's Brian Lehrer sees this year's campaign as an opportunity lost to assess the state of the city.

The second and final Bloomberg-Ferrer debate is tonight. But WNYC’s Brian Lehrer sees this year's campaign as an opportunity lost to assess the state ...

In this year of the Bloomberg advertising blitz, almost all of the mayor’s campaign commercials revolve around one central idea: that he is an apolitical guy doing a good practical job. But WNYC’s Brian Lehrer says it’s not really that simple.

BRIAN LEHRER: The old cliché about running city government is ...

What do you get when election season features a billionaire mayor and two mega-millionaire gubernatorial candidates? WNYC’s Brian Lehrer says you get a new format on TV.

LEHRER: The format is: all political advertising all the time, with short bursts of programming somewhere in between. Jon Corzine setting up Judge Judy, ...

The Subway Security Threat Announcement came just 1 hour before the mayoral debate at the Apollo Theater Thursday night. Was there a connection? WNYC’s Brian Lehrer tries to connect the dots.

LEHRER: First the full disclosure: WNYC was a media sponsor of the mayoral debate and I was one of the ...

The latest debate over the future of Ground Zero revolves around plans for The International Freedom Center, a museum devoted to the idea, the history and the current state of Freedom. WNYC’s Brian Lehrer says what’s at stake is the freedom to think.

LEHRER: Memo to the future: If I am ...

The second place finisher in the Democratic mayoral primary did something unprecedented in New York politics: Anthony Weiner conceded defeat rather than count the absentee ballots, which could have forced a runoff election against Fernando Ferrer. WNYC’s Brian Lehrer says don’t believe either party’s version of why Weiner dropped out.

LEHRER: ...