Brian Lehrer: A Daily Politics Podcast

Kai Ryssdal, host and senior editor of Marketplace who translates economics for everyday listeners. He discusses why stocks seem to shrug off inflation and war. He explains productivity and AI’s unclear effects on jobs. He also covers digital currencies, tariffs, and why inflation might stick around.

Mara Liasson, NPR national political correspondent with deep White House and Congress experience, breaks down midterm polling, redistricting battles, inflation’s political bite, and how national unpopularity can still yield House wins. Short, sharp takes on war-related price effects, pardons and DOJ shifts, and why district maps may decide control more than national vote totals.

Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, civil rights scholar who coined intersectionality and helped shape critical race theory, discusses the origins of these ideas. She traces formative moments from her memoir, explains how the concepts analyze law and institutions, and addresses why they have become politically contested. Short, clear reflections on scholarship, public debate, and defending inclusive democracy.

Janai Nelson, president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and a leading civil-rights litigator, breaks down the Supreme Court ruling on the Voting Rights Act and recent Virginia redistricting fallout. Short takes on packing and cracking, how partisan mapmaking erodes Black voting power, and why courts and timing matter for democracy.

Melissa Murray, NYU law professor and constitutional scholar, and co-host of Strict Scrutiny, offers lucid legal context. She unpacks the mifepristone regulatory fight and Supreme Court maneuvers. She explains recent Voting Rights Act and redistricting clashes, why venue and nationwide rulings matter, and why an annotated Constitution speaks to today’s debates.

Nick Corasaniti, New York Times reporter who covers voting and redistricting, breaks down the Supreme Court’s new voting-rights standard. He explains how an intent requirement could make Section 2 challenges harder. They discuss ties between race and partisan maps, immediate chaos in Louisiana primaries, and states racing to redraw lines ahead of midterms.

Daniel Berlin, policy director focused on protections for displaced people. Ciarán Donnelly, senior VP overseeing humanitarian programs in crisis zones. They discuss the Supreme Court fight over ending TPS, Haiti’s collapse with gang rule and mass displacement, ongoing insecurity and violence, and policy options in Washington.

Emily Bazelon, New York Times Magazine writer and Yale Law fellow, brings legal clarity on TPS and redistricting. She explains TPS history and who could be affected. She unpacks voting rights consequences of a Louisiana ruling. Short, sharp takes on international law, agency politics, and how big court decisions ripple through policy.

Cory Booker, U.S. senator from New Jersey and former Newark mayor known for criminal justice and civil rights advocacy, discusses his push for a war powers resolution tied to a 60-day deadline. He also talks food-safety and corporate influence, blocking specific arms sales, skepticism about Iran nuclear claims, and proposals to cut child poverty through tax changes.

Brian Stelter, CNN chief media correspondent and author known for media analysis, offers his take on the White House Correspondents' Dinner attack. He frames the event as mass-shooting trauma affecting journalists like ordinary Americans. He explores implications for democracy, chaos in the ballroom and succession worries, and the role of social media and coordinated narratives.