The Brian Lehrer Show

Drawing on his long experience covering the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Dexter Filkins, New Yorker staff writer and author of The Forever War (Knopf Doubleday, 2008), talks about the United States' objectives in the war with Iran. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP via Getty Images)

Steven Levy, editor at large for Wired, breaks down the latest news as the Pentagon is reconsidering its relationship with artificial intelligence company Anthropic, after the company has stated it doesn’t want its technology used in autonomous weapons or government surveillance, and explains the way that AI is reshaping national defense. Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images: CEO and co-founder of Anthropic Dario Amodei speak onstage during the 2025 New York Times Dealbook Summit at Jazz at Lincoln Center on December 03, 2025 in New York City. 

Heidi Sabertooth, a NYC-based singer, multi-instrumentalist, DJ, producer and co-founder of Synth Library NYC, talks about electronic music and the library which is dedicated to giving “equal access to the means of production,” giving access to a wide array of synthesizers and creating a diverse community around it.    Photo: TR-808 Musical instrument Museum, Phoenix, AZ (Bryan Pocius from New York, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

For this pledge drive, listeners try their hand at a quiz. Today's theme is landmarks.   Photo: Jones Beach Water Tower in New York in 2021 (Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

Adam Rodman, a Harvard-affiliated general internist and medical educator, outlines practical AI use in medical care. He discusses using AI to prepare for visits, prompts for symptom interviews, risks like sycophancy and privacy, and where AI helps most such as health coaching and clinical scribes. Short, actionable guidance without replacing real clinical judgment.

Andy Kim, U.S. senator from New Jersey and former national security official, explains why he opposes the president's decision to attack Iran. He dissects the lack of congressional authorization and argues for diplomacy over unilateral strikes. He warns about troop safety, evacuation failures, and the broader geopolitical risks of a wider war.

Theresa Crimmins, phenology researcher and professor tracking seasonal shifts, and Marielle Anzelone, urban botanist who founded NYC Wildflower Week, talk signs of spring in the city. They discuss how plants and animals signal seasonal change. They highlight red maples, trout lilies, and citizen science tools to spot and record those hidden cues.

Patricia Nicholson Parker, dancer, choreographer, poet and executive director of Arts for Art, leads a NYC nonprofit nurturing multicultural creative improvised music. She highlights free improv jazz and the long-running Vision Festival. They discuss where the scene gathers in Brooklyn, how younger artists and electronics are changing the sound, and how improvisation mixes with visual art and activism.

Listeners tackle a 10-question quiz focused on suburban towns. Topics include Native American origins of New Jersey place names, controversies over school mascots, and Long Island landmarks like Sagamore Hill and Jones Beach. Callers identify regional train stops, Garden State shore towns, and album titles tied to local places.

Lisa Lerer, national political correspondent for The New York Times and co-author of The Fall of Roe, The Rise of a New America, breaks down the midterm primary shakeups. She explores Tallarico’s coalition-building, turnout surges among young and independent voters, Republican runoffs and MAGA dynamics, North Carolina’s affordability messaging, and how voting‑rules disputes risk eroding trust.