The Brian Lehrer Show

Michael Lee, incoming president of the Museum of Chinese in America, discusses the future of the museum, recently an unlikely site of protests over the city's borough-based jail program.

Jeanna Smialek, reporter covering the Federal Reserve and the economy for The New York Times and the author of Limitless: The Federal Reserve Takes on a New Age of Crisis (Knopf, 2023), reports on a "massive microgeneration" of people born in 1990 and 1991, arguing they have been in a in lifelong competition for America’s economic resources.

Exploring systemic racism through various cases like Trayvon Martin and Kelly Williams-Bollar. Understanding the interlocking policies that disadvantage Black Americans. Emphasizing the need for a comprehensive approach to address systemic racism and dismantle its pervasive influence on society.

Sam Sanders, co-host of SiriusXM’s news & culture podcast “Vibe Check," recaps the winners, losers, and culture-defining moments from the 2024 Oscar Awards ceremony.  

Susan Glasser, a staff writer at The New Yorker, where she writes a column on life in Biden's Washington and co-anchors a weekly roundtable discussion on "The Political Scene" podcast, and co-author with Peter Baker of The Divider: Trump in the White House, 2017-2021 (Doubleday, 2022), talks about the latest national political news as Pres. Biden moves from the State of the Union to his presidential campaign.

First, Richard Davis, president of TWU Local 100, shares his thoughts on Governor Hochul's move to send members of the National Guard to patrol the subways and inspect bags, and what members of the Transport Workers Union are feeling about their safety underground.Then, Donna Lieberman, executive director for the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU), shares criticism of Gov. Hochul's plan to send members of the National Guard and state police officers to patrol subway stations, as well as search bags, in an attempt to reassure riders of their safety.

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them. How Memory Works  (First) | Assessing Where Israel Went Wrong in Gaza (Starts at 18:45) | Introducing the 2024 Public Song Project (Starts at 54:15) If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

Israel has killed at least 30,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip since launching its retaliatory war after the devastating October 7th attack. Zach Beauchamp, senior correspondent at Vox, argues that the war in Gaza has become an "era-defining catastrophe" and explains where Israel went wrong in its approach to the war.

On Thursday, eighth-graders bound for New York City public high schools received their admission offers. Listeners call in to debrief.

Tyler Pager, Washington Post White House reporter, offers analysis of President Biden's State of the Union address, amid high election year stakes.