The Brian Lehrer Show

Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, a marine biologist, writer, and co-founder of Urban Ocean Lab, shares her optimistic vision for addressing climate change. She emphasizes actionable policies and innovative ocean conservation strategies like the 'blue new deal.' The conversation touches on challenges in local emergency management and the need for resilience in communities facing climate crises. Johnson also highlights the disparities in climate impact on vulnerable populations, calling for collective action and equitable policy changes to secure a sustainable future.

A contributor to The Atlantic has observed mayhem at the drop-off and pick-up lines, as more parents choose to drive their kids to school. In this call-in segment, listeners share their reports from school drop-off and pick-up.→  How School Drop-Off Became a Nightmare | The Atlantic 

Kamala Harris revealed in the recent presidential debate that she and her running mate are both gun owners, and there was another potential assassination attempt on Donald Trump this past weekend. Jennifer Mascia, senior news writer and a founding staffer at The Trace, reports on how each campaign is handling gun policy. 

Rusty Jacobs, politics reporter at WUNC, breaks down the latest in the presidential campaign as seen through swing state voters in North Carolina.

As our centennial series continues, Jacob Heilbrunn, editor of the National Interest and nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and the author of America Last: The Right's Century-Long Romance with Foreign Dictators (Liveright, 2024), looks at the past century of US dealings with authoritarian governments abroad. 

Jim O'Grady,  freelance podcast reporter, producer and editor, tells us why he looks to a Catholic saint in life's difficult moments, and listeners call in to talk about their favorite saints or spiritual guides.→  "You Don’t Have to Be Perfect to Live Like a Saint" | New York Times Magazine  

The plan to facilitate housing development in New York City has come to the Brooklyn neighborhood of Windsor Terrace, and a dispute over a proposed pair of 13-story towers has ensured. David Brand, housing reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, reports on the debate and its implications for Eric Adams's City of Yes housing plan. 

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.Checking in With Haitian Americans  (First) | Chancellor Banks on the New School Year (Starts at 43:00) | September Summer Plans (Starts at 1:24:00)If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

Nancy Solomon, WNYC reporter and editor, and host of the “Ask Governor Murphy” monthly call-in show, recaps her conversation with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, including the Philadelphia 76ers coming to Camden, grouping together school districts to bring down property taxes and much more.

Although we often consider Labor Day to be the end of summer, a recent piece in The New York Times reminds us that September is a summer month (and some argue, the month with the best weather). Given the lovely forecast projected for the next few days, listeners call in with summer plans for this September weekend.