The Brian Lehrer Show Brian Lehrer Weekend: One Month of Mayor Mamdani; How AI is Changing Medicine; A History of General Strikes
Jan 31, 2026
Elizabeth Kim, WNYC politics reporter, gives on-the-ground takes from Mayor Mamdani's first month. Dr. Lloyd Minor, Stanford Medicine dean, explores how AI is being used in diagnostics, trials, and medical training. Eric Blanc, Rutgers labor scholar, traces the history and tactics of general strikes and modern organizing. Short segments cover symbolism, AI risks and training, and strike strategy and scaling.
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Episode notes
Aspirational Start Shapes Expectations
- Zoran Mamdani set an aspirational tone with symbolic events emphasizing transit and civic grandeur.
- Early messaging raised expectations that his administration would pursue ambitious public projects and excellence.
Secret Subway Swearing-In
- Elizabeth Kim described Mamdani's private swearing-in in the hidden City Hall subway station with Beaux-Arts grandeur.
- The symbolic setting tied transit importance to his vision of government-led ambitious projects.
Social Media Histories Matter Immediately
- Appointees' social media histories foreshadow early controversies for a young, online-savvy administration.
- Mamdani's team had to manage scrutiny over past tweets and polarized reactions quickly.
