Last Saturday, WNYC’s Brian Lehrer drove the New York State Thruway from Albany to New York, something he’s done many times before. But Brian tells us this time, the trip included something new.

LEHRER: The something new was an Amber Alert. There was a series of electric signs informing us that ...

The nomination of John Roberts to the U.S. Supreme Court came as a surprise to, of all people, most of the Washington press corps. WNYC’s Brian Lehrer says the nature of the surprise should not be surprising.

BRIAN LEHRER: On a day when Washington was obsessed with who leaked the name ...

Maybe you’ve heard that Democratic mayoral hopeful C. Virginia Fields has been on the defensive over a campaign photo. WNYC’s Brian Lehrer has some thoughts about how that one image fits into the "big picture" of the campaign.

REPORTER: The problem began when someone took two different shots of people from ...

As we all know, the politics of New York City often boil down to three words: location, location, location. But WNYC’s Brian Lehrer wants to know why it’s the same few locations everyone keeps fighting about.

Brian: Ask any opponent of the West Stadium what the alternative is and they usually ...

It’s been an ugly week in the Lower Manhattan redevelopment process, with the Freedom Tower design scuttled by security concerns and finger-pointing over who was to blame.

WNYC’s Brian Lehrer says it’s a new story with some old roots.

In their new book, 102 Minutes: The Fight to Survive Inside the Twin ...

We’ve all heard many times this week that one lesson from the Terry Schaivo case is to have a living will or proxy so there is no doubt about your wishes.

But WNYC’s Brian Lehrer warns that’s harder to do in New York than in most other states.

New York’s health care ...

It’s been an eventful and confusing week in the battle over Mayor Bloomberg’s West Side Stadium proposal. WNYC’s Brian Lehrer says like any trip to the ballpark, you can’t tell the players without a scorecard.

Brian:  First the score: champions of the stadium have had a very big lead, ...

Anchor: If the opinion polls are right, John Kerry won all three presidential debates. WNYC’s Brian Lehrer has some thoughts on why, and why so many pundits got it wrong.

Brian: Last week, after the second Bush-Kerry debate, I was invited onto a cable news channel to do something I had ...

ANCHOR: Delegates are arriving, New Yorkers are leaving, protests have already begun. WNYC's Brian Lehrer says forget the fear and loathing. This could be one of New York's finest hours.


Brian: Most of the coverage that previewed convention week has been about fear, confrontation and the fate of the ...

A budget watchdog group in New York City is urging the State Legislature to wait three days before voting once party leaders agree on a new state budget. WNYC's Brian Lehrer says there they go again.

Brian: Yes, there go those so-called watchdog groups again, trying to gum up the ...

The death of Ronald Reagan was the biggest national news story this week, and played to big TV audiences. But WNYC's Brian Lehrer wants to acknowledge those of you who thought you were experiencing an alternate reality.

So let's be honest about this week of wall-to-wall Reagan. A lot of people ...

A Quinnipiac University Poll released last week provided a shock for politics junkies - New Jersey, generally considered a safe state for John Kerry, showed up as a statistical tie between Kerry and President Bush. But WNYC's Brian Lehrer says most experts do not expect a Bayonne-to-Bergen Battleground.

Brian Lehrer: ...

The 9/11 Investigative Commission has come and gone from New York City after holding public hearings at The New School. WNYC's Brian Lehrer says the city most affected by the terrorist attacks saw the commission at its worst.

Until this week, the 9/11 commission had been a model of bipartisan truth-seeking ...

After an emotionally wrenching week of news from Iraq and DC, many of you may be experiencing news burnout. WNYC's Brian Lehrer says tune out for a while if you need a break, but there's a line to be wary of crossing.

Tuesday was a day that may have tested a ...

A once-popular brand of beer is trying to make a comeback in New York City. And they're trying to do it with, of all things, political advertising. But WNYC's Brian Lehrer says don't believe the hype.

Brian: That, believe it or not, is a caller to my weekday talk show waxing ...

This week, Governor Pataki's Commission on Education Reform released its recommendations for offering a sound, basic education to all of New York's schoolchildren. The report is part of the Governor's response to a court ruling that said funding for the New York City public schools is unconstitutionally low.
But WNYC's Brian ...

As the Bush campaign tries to challenge the credibility of former counterterrorism chief Richard Clarke, there is one thing from Clarke's testimony this week that no amount of politics will tarnish: WNYC's Brian Lehrer says it's his apology to the 9/11 families.

BRIAN LEHRER: For people around here, the 9/11 commission ...

Mayor Bloomberg's decision to end social promotion in the third grade - and the way he got the policy approved - caused a political earthquake in the city this week - including calls to weaken mayoral control over the schools. WNYC's Brian Lehrer says it's possible that the mayor may ...

With the New York primary coming up, the latest Marist Poll finds New Yorkers have a clear preference, with 66 percent supporting John Kerry, just 14 percent for John Edwards, and only ten percent undecided. WNYC's Brian Lehrer says he doesn't believe it.

Brian: If only ten percent of New ...

Mayor Bloomberg raised eyebrows this week when he told WNYC he does not expect to play a central role at the Republican National Convention, to be held in Manhattan this summer. WNYC's Brian Lehrer says no one should really be surprised.

Pity the poor New York Republican, never quite comfortable in ...