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The Leonard Lopate Show

Friday, July 13, 2007
  • Political Brain

    Nothing More Than Feelings

    Emotions influence everything from which movies we see to how we vote. On today's show: how emotions play into politics...and what candidates need to do to win over voters' hearts. Also, a look at how Queen Elizabeth I managed to keep the British economy afloat through naval exploration. We'll hear about a new play based on the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. And Please Explain is all about the chemistry and history of birth control.

Emotional Politics

Emotions influence everything from which movies we see to how we vote. Leonard talks with Drew Westen about how emotions play into politics...and what losing candidates like Kerry, Gore, and Dole should have done to win over voters' hearts. Westen is the author of the new book The Political Brain.

The Political Brain is available for purchase at amazon.com

Weigh in: Which of the current candidates for the 2008 Presidential election are most effective at appealing to voters' emotions?

Elizabeth I: The Pirate Queen

In the 1500s, Elizabeth I kept Britain's economy afloat through naval exploration. She was dubbed the "pirate queen" by the Vatican and Spain's Philip II. Susan Ronald's history of Elizabeth I is The Pirate Queen.

The Pirate Queen is available for purchase at amazon.com

Eurydice Comes Back to Life

Playwright Sarah Ruhl's new off-Broadway play is "Eurydice." The play revisits the legend of Orpheus’s descent into the underworld to retrieve his wife Eurydice, and focuses on what Eurydice has learned about life after her death. "Eurydice" is at the Second Stage Theater through August 12.

birth control pills

Please Explain: Birth Control

The earliest known female contraceptive device dates back to 1850 BC, when pessaries made of crocodile dung, honey, and sodium carbonate may have been the best option available to women. Chemical contraception has changed a lot since then. Today's Please Explain is about the chemistry of birth control. Dr. Rini Ratan is an OB/GYN with the Columbia Unversity Medical Center.

Science and Faith

The Leonard Lopate Show

Earlier this week, Pres. Obama announced that he plans to nominate geneticist Dr. Francis Collins to lead the National Institutes of Health. You can listen to Leonard’s 2006 conversation with Dr. Collins about how he reconciles his personal faith with his professional scientific knowledge.

FDA to Regulate Tobacco?

The Leonard Lopate Show

May 14, 2009
Congress is getting ready to a vote on whether to make tobacco subject to FDA regulation. You can listen to a segment we did in May about the bill and what it would mean for the cigarette companies.

Video Pick: Elizabeth Edwards

The Leonard Lopate Show

Elizabeth Edwards discusses how to best cope with lifes difficulties in her book Resilience: Reflections on the Burdens and Gifts of Facing Life's Adversities.

Recent Videos:
- Joy Behar Discusses her Favorite Things.
- Michael Pollan on Food Rules
- David Hare on Director Stephen Daldry
- Tyne Daly on the Debut of her Cabaret Act
- Actors Roger Robinson and Chad Coleman on Joe Turner's Come and Gone

Our 3-ingredient Challenge wins a James Beard Award

The Leonard Lopate Show

On May 3, the Lopate Show won its third James Beard Award for our 3-ingredient challenge. In August, we asked our listeners to call in and name 3 ingredients and then challenged New York chef and 3-ingredient expert Rozanne Gold to whip up a recipe! You can listen to the 3-ingredient challenge and get some inspiration for simple, delicious, and unexpected dishes.

Leonard is on Facebook

Now Leonard is on Facebook! We’re posting photos, status updates, links to notable interviews, and lots more. Check it out.

Barack Obama, Circa 2004

The Leonard Lopate Show

Listen to President-Elect Barack Obama on the Leonard Lopate Show in November 2004. He had recently won a seat in the U.S. Senate, and only a few months before, his rousing speech during the 2004 Democratic National Convention catapulted him into the national spotlight.

Guest Picks

The Leonard Lopate Show

Find out surprising facts about some recent guests on the Leonard Lopate Show. Check out our Guest Picks section! Did you know that football star Herschel Walker loves Judge Judy, Laurie Anderson is a big fan of agility training for dogs, and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi likes Johnny Depp?