The Brian Lehrer Show

Jason Marczak, vice president and senior director of the Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center at the Atlantic Council, and Peter Bergen, CNN's national security analyst, vice president for Global Studies and Fellows at New America and host of the Audible/Fresh Produce Media podcast "In the Room with Peter Bergen," offer analysis of President Trump's statements in his inaugural address about taking back the Panama Canal.

Amidst another cold snap this season, listeners share their hacks and hard-won knowledge for keeping warm at work or play during periods of plunging temps and high winds. 

Jon Favreau, host of Pod Save America, Offline with Jon Favreau, and co-founder of Crooked Media, and Jon Lovett, host of Pod Save America and co-founder of Crooked Media, round up the latest news from Washington, including how Democrats should, and are, responding the day after President Donald Trump's slew of first day executive orders.

John Wilkerson, a Washington correspondent for STAT who writes about the politics of health care, and Jael Holzman, senior reporter at Heatmap, discuss President Donald Trump's first day in office and his administration's actions regarding health and climate, including on wind farms and the World Health Organization.

Harold Solis, legal director at Make the Road New York, offers legal analysis of President Donald Trump's executive order ending birthright citizenship for those born to undocumented parents and the lawsuit brought forth by his organization, the ACLU, and other Civil and Immigration Rights advocacy groups.

On Inauguration Day, Philip Bump, national columnist for The Washington Post and the author of The Aftermath: The Last Days of the Baby Boom and the Future of Power in America (Viking, 2023), talks about the final moves by President Biden, and what President-elect Trump may do in his first days in office. 

For the centennial series "100 Years of 100 Things," Jacqueline Lewis, senior minister and public theologian at the Middle Collegiate Church, and author of Fierce Love: A Bold Path to Ferocious Courage and Rule-Breaking Kindness that Can Heal the World (Harmony, 2021), and Jeanne Theoharis, professor of political science at Brooklyn College, and the author of many books on the civil rights and Black Power movements and the contemporary politics of race, reflect on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s life and legacy, on the day that honors him.  Their conversation was part of the WNYC event, "A Burning House" — MLK and the American Experiment at The Apollo Theater, on Sunday, January 19, 2025.

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.100 Years of 100 Things: Partisanship & Inaugural Addresses (First) | 100 Years of 100 Things: The Great Gatsby (Starts at 42:23) | Dry January Amid a New Cancer Risk Report (Starts at 1:22:50)If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here. 

Zellnor Myrie, a New York state senator and Codes Committee chair, is campaigning for mayor with a focus on Brooklyn's neighborhoods. He discusses the pressing challenges of affordability and the need for fresh leadership in a competitive primary race. Myrie emphasizes the impact of 2019 rent laws on tenants and property owners, advocating for government intervention in housing. He also addresses the need for universal after-school programs, and touches on corruption in the NYPD, calling for integrity and community engagement to restore public trust.

Elise Hu, a Los Angeles-based journalist and former NPR correspondent, discusses the aftermath of the recent fires in LA and how communities are coming together to support one another. She highlights crucial roles played by organizations like the Red Cross and the rise of mutual aid groups. Elise also warns against charity scams, emphasizing the need for donors to verify organizations before giving. She touches on the complexities of using platforms like GoFundMe for disaster relief and the importance of ensuring proper support for those affected.