The Brian Lehrer Show Archive
May 2007
Construction Boomdoggles
Thursday, May 31, 2007
A Daily News investigation discovered a deadly lack of City oversight during the current building boom. We’ll explore the relationship between the “honor system” for developers in New York City and the deaths of dozens of construction workers. Also, what do we mean by the term “American hegemony”?; America’s origins at Jamestown; and more questions for Time magazine’s Baghdad bureau chief, Bobby Ghosh.
Watch Brian's Online Video Picks.
Points for Papers
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
The debate about the Senate immigration bill continues even with Congress in recess. We’ll take a close look at the proposed points system for new immigrants: What kind of skills and education will be enough to make the cut and how it works in other countries? Also, the bizarre experience of applying to pre-school and why we have community boards in New York City.
Watch Brian's Online Video Picks.
Back to Work
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
What did Congress hear about the immigration bill during Memorial Day weekend? Many members said they’d be listening to their constituents over the weekend break -- what are they bring back to Washington? Also, Anne-Marie Slaughter, dean of the Wilson School at Princeton, on preserving American values in a dangerous world.
Watch Brian's Online Video Picks.
Memorial in Sound
Monday, May 28, 2007
For Memorial Day, Dave Isay brings a personal tribute to one American soldier killed in Iraq from his two sisters recorded at the StoryCorps booth. Also: historian Ken Davis on the Civil War origins of the holiday; a proposal for a United States Department of Peace; class conflict in African American neighborhoods; "no-impact" exercise; and astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson.
Watch Brian's Online Video Picks.
Same News, Different Views
Friday, May 25, 2007
Eight guests from the mainstream and ethnic media, ranging from the editor of El Diario to Channel 2’s Ti-Hua Chang to WNYC’s own Elaine Rivera, talk about U.S. immigration policy and the immigrant experience in New York. (taped before a live audience at The New School)
Watch Brian's Online Video Picks.
Zbig Picture
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Former national security advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski talks about our last three presidents and the post cold-war world. He critiques the foreign policy of the current president as well as former Presidents Bush and Clinton. He also looks at the challenge ahead for the current presidential hopefuls. Plus: muslims in America; Columbia President Lee Bollinger, NAACP's Ted Shaw, and civil rights scholar Lani Guinier on the future of affirmative action; the view from Baghdad; and post-1965 immigrants.
Watch Brian's Online Video Picks.
Sign up for our immigration event "Feet in Two Worlds."
Lighting a Fire Under FDNY Employment Practices
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
The federal government is suing New York City for discriminating against Blacks and Latinos who want to be firefighters, but the City claims the problem is already fixed. Is it? Also, Nathan Glazer critiques modern architecture; Nora Ephron on Condoleezza Rice, Paul Wolfowitz and her aging neck; and our Pakistani listeners weigh in on Pakistan's turbulent political situtation.
Watch Brian's Online Video Picks
What's So Bad About Amnesty?
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Part of the debate about immigration in the Senate right now is whether it offers amnesty to people currently here illegally. But would amnesty for simply coming here to work be a bad thing? We'll take your calls and comments on the question. Plus, Betty Rollin on the psychology of looking on the bright side, Cullen Murphy on the comparison between the United States and the Roman Empire, and listeners call in about merit-based immigration.
Watch Brian's Online Video Picks
Sign up for our immigration event, "Feet in Two Worlds" event
Immigration Roundtable
Monday, May 21, 2007
The U.S. Senate reached agreement on a comprehensive immigration bill. A supporter of the historic compromise joins an immigration advocate who opposes it and an immigration skeptic who thinks it goes too far to debate its pluses and minuses -- and we’ll take listeners’ calls. Also, Dominic Carter of NY1 News on city politics and his new memoir, No Momma’s Boy.
Watch Brian's Online Video Picks
Sign up for our immigration event, "Feet in Two Worlds" event
What's so bad about Amnesty? Leave us a comment.
Celluloid Summer
Friday, May 18, 2007
Spiderman 3 broke records at the box office, but it was widely panned by the critics. Does it matter what the reviewers say any more? We’ll ask the question as we look at the movies worth watching this summer and take listener recommendations. Plus, New York Times science writer Gina Kolata challenges the conventional wisdom about weight loss. And the latest in our series, Anything But the Car: Where are our Jetpacks?
Watch Brian's Video Picks
Sign up for the next WNYC "Feet in Two Worlds" event
This Must Be the Place
Thursday, May 17, 2007
From “Art on the Beach,” through “Tribute in Light,” to the upcoming toy robot parade through lower Manhattan, Creative Time has been putting artists in New York City public spaces for 33 years. Its president and artistic director Anne Pasternak is joined by artist/musician David Byrne to talk about the anniversary book, cell phone tour of 32 past projects and take listener suggestions for the 33rd. Plus: Democratic presidential candidate Mike Gravel, insomniac-filmmaker Alan Berliner, and air travel in the New York region.
Watch Brian's Video Picks
Sign up for the next WNYC "Feet in Two Worlds" event
What if?
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Novelist Michael Chabon imagines what would have happened if a Jewish settlement took hold in Alaska instead of Israel. His book, The Yiddish Policemen's Union, uses this scenario to unfold a noir detective story. We ask him about the phenomenon of so-called “alternate history” fiction and if any of this has to do with his support for Barack Obama. Plus: analysis of the second Republican presidential debate and the next installment of our transportation series, Anything But The Car: Trains.
Watch Brian's Video Picks
Can I Get a Witness?
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
In December Matthew LaClair, a student and Kearney High School, and his father Paul, came on the show to talk about Matthew's history teacher's prostelytizing during class. They share the outcome of their suit against the school district. Also: the return of the Equal Rights Amendment; Pulitzer Prize-winner Lawrence Wright; energy-saving tips; and the next in our series of Anything But the Car: the ferry.
Watch Brian's Web Video Picks
Happy Now?
Monday, May 14, 2007
We talk politics with NPR's Juan Williams--who takes the temperature of the Obama campaign--as well as Newt Gingrich, who'll also discuss his novelization of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Also: the author of The Happiness Myth on what that period of mourning after Princess Diana's death and the Gay Pride Parade have in common, taking the "Food Stamp Challenge"; and the next in our series of Anything But the Car: Pedicabs.
You've Got Mail Trouble!
Friday, May 11, 2007
Email has grown so rapidly that no one has had time to set the rules. Determined to clear up this confusion, a New York Times editor and a book editor have come up with a guide for email etiquette and restraint: The dos and dont's in messages and when to write an email at all. Plus: presidential historian Michael Beschloss and the next installment of our transportation series, Anything But the Car: Biking.
Characterizing the Court
Thursday, May 10, 2007
NPR legal affairs correspondent, Nina Totenberg, looks at the role of precedent in Supreme Court decisions and how Chief Justice Roberts is making his mark. And how many experts does it take to screw in a compact fluorescent lightbulb? We'll look at how to make the switch from incandescent to CFL. Plus: therapist Michael Gurian on supporting your child's unique personality, and No Impact Man on the joys of walking.
The Cost of Motherhood
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
We speak to Elizabeth Edwards, the wife of presidential hopeful, John Edwards. We’ll look at the issues facing America and the state of the campaign. Also: Leslie Bennetts, author of the Feminine Mistake: Are We Giving Up Too Much?. She argues that more stay-at-home moms should get to work. Plus: should religious groups provide sanctuary for illegal immigrants? Fair Trade coffee, and Jack Hitt on the faces of Hillary Clinton.
Faith No More
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
The title of journalist Christopher Hitchens’ new book speaks for itself: God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything. We’ll also hear from New Jersey senate president Richard Codey, who’s just completed his second tour of duty as acting governor. And the authors of “How Sassy Changed My Life” on what they call the greatest teen magazine of all time. Plus: An audio get well card for Jon Corzine and a call-in on a milestone in the Northern Ireland peace process.
Back to Basics
Monday, May 07, 2007
Fewer American college students study science with each passing year. New York Times science correspondent Natalie Angier fears we are becoming science illiterate and she explains why in her new book: The Canon: A Whirligig Tour of the Beautiful Basics of Science. Plus: Democratic presidential candidates' plans for ending the war in Iraq.
Red Round Robin
Friday, May 04, 2007
It’s the Republicans’ turn as guest host Mike Pesca plays excerpts from, and gets analysis of, the first Republican presidential debate. How did Giuliani, Romney, McCain and the seven others do in their first face-to-face? Also: the third IPCC report on climate change; and Gustavo Arellano, the author of Ask a Mexican! debunks myths and answer questions like "Is a burrito authentic?" and "If Mexicans keep sending money back to Mexico, why aren't circumstances there improving?"
Watch Brian's Web Video Picks
News Held Hostage
Thursday, May 03, 2007
BBC world news editor Jon Williams talks about the kidnapping of BBC correspondent Alan Johnston in Gaza. The BBC World Service mentions the kidnapping on the air every day. Also, the French election, New York City’s first-ever Haitian city councilman, Mathieu Eugene, just elected from Central Brooklyn, and listeners call in with their experiences in seminary.
Watch Brian's Web Video Picks
Making Congestion Pricing Palatable
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
It’s easy to see why most of the people opposed to Mayor Bloomberg’s congestion pricing plan live outside Manhattan. Daily News columnist Sam Schwartz, aka Gridlock Sam, tells us how to make the plan palatable in the boroughs and the ‘burbs. Plus: the President and Congress square-off, the Critical Mass riders speak, the safety of food imports, and DJ Spooky remixes the movie, “Birth of a Nation.”
Watch Brian's Web Video Picks
Fields of Dreams
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
As Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe explains, the Mayor’s 2030 plan isn’t only about congestion pricing – it also promises an expanded bike route system and a park or playground within a 10-minute walk of all New Yorkers. Also, Princeton professor Eddie Glaude Jr. calls for new leadership in African-American politics, a new biography on Condoleezza Rice, and "Just the Facts" on secularism in Turkey.
Watch Brian's Web Video Picks
Windows 
Windows 
Windows 
Search current and archival WNYC broadcasts. More
Start your Amazon shopping on WNYC.org and a portion of your total purchase goes to WNYC.
- The Brian Lehrer Show: Buy, Buy Baby (July 07, 2008)
- The Leonard Lopate Show: Underreported: Nurse-Patient Ratios and the Future of Health Care (July 03, 2008)
- The Leonard Lopate Show: The Lyme Disease Epidemic (July 01, 2008)
- The Brian Lehrer Show: Before There was Stephen Colbert, There was George Carlin (July 02, 2008)
- The Leonard Lopate Show: Would You Survive? (July 02, 2008)