The Brian Lehrer Show

Harry Reid

Reiding Comprehension

Thursday, May 08, 2008

With all the discussion over the future of the Democratic party, few have the perspective of Senate majority leader Harry Reid. We’ll get his take, and hear the story of his journey from rural Nevada to the halls of Washington. Plus, journalist Marie Cocco on Hillary's options; how to have a truly fun family vacation; surviving breast cancer without life-changing epiphanies; how to help Myanmar; and the battle for Chinese cuisine.

Listen to the whole show

Resignation Machination

With Hillary Clinton on the ropes, we take a look at what the next few days and weeks have in store. Marie Cocco, columnist for the Washington Post Group offers her thoughts, as well as some historical perspective on how candidates have dropped out of past elections.

Majority Opinion

Senate majority leader Harry Reid discusses his path from a small Nevada town to the halls of Washington, as outlined in his new book The Good Fight. He also weighs in on the primary race and the future of the Democratic party.

Unraveling Traveling: Are We There Yet?

Wendy Perrin, consumer news editor at Condé Nast Traveler, joins us every Thursday this May as part of our month-long series on travel. Today's topic: travel with children. Wendy is accompanied today by writer and former flight attendant Hollis Gillespie, the travel columnist for Paste magazine and author of the forthcoming book Trailer Trashed: My Dubious Efforts Toward Upward Mobility.

Where would you like to go with your kids this summer? Have any questions for Wendy or Hollis? Comment below!

Survival, Overrated?

Surviving an ordeal with breast cancer can lead to life-changing epiphanies -- or not. Shelley Lewis, news producer and author of Five Lessons I Didn't Learn From Breast Cancer (And One Big One I Did), tells us her story and value of revelation-free survival.

Shelley Lewis' website, Howdini.com

Myanmar Update: Getting Help Through

As remote villages continue to struggle without food, water, and medicine, the death toll from the Myanmar cyclone is still climbing fast -- and the government is hindering aid organizations from sending personnel and supplies. Maureen Aung-Thwin, director of the Burma Project Southeast Asia Initiative at the Open Society Institute, checks in to update us on relief efforts and tell us the best way for us to help.

A Gut Feeling About China

Fuchsia Dunlop, Chinese-trained cook, food writer, and author of Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper: A Sweet-Sour Memoir of Eating in China, explains what she calls "the texture frontier" and talks about how Chinese cuisine is changing from chi bao (“eating to fill your belly”) to chi qiao ("eating skillfully").