Firewall with Bradley Tusk

A front-page New York Times story highlights Anchorage's upcoming trial of mobile voting, built on a newly open-sourced project. The discussion dives into how the voting system works, from biometric verification to encrypted ballots. Bradley also proposes using AI to streamline NYC's middle management, potentially saving billions. A gym encounter sparks a deeper conversation about zero-sum versus abundance mindsets and their impact on daily life. The conversation rounds out with reflections on meaningful topics, including a striking obituary and an intriguing art exhibit.

In this engaging discussion, Erika Augustine leads The David Prize, which awards $200K grants to inspire innovation in NYC. She emphasizes relationship-driven philanthropy that fosters long-term change. Joining her is Erika Sasson, a former prosecutor turned restorative justice advocate, who shares transformative ideas about addressing harm through community and apologies instead of lengthy prison sentences. They explore the implications of AI in sentencing, or lack thereof, prioritizing human connection in justice processes and detailing grassroots efforts to revitalize NYC's communal spaces.

We've grown numb to politicians gaming out everything. But when Senate Democrats chose to end the shutdown, says Bradley, they chose the concerns of real people over political opportunism, and Chuck Schumer deserves credit. Plus, Bradley rhapsodizes about what the declining impact of TV ads will do for politics and credits Peter Thiel for properly diagnosing the disconnect between young people and capitalism.Bradley's Substack:I Have Never Liked Chuck Schumer More Than I Do Right NowCan Technology Reduce the Influence of Money in Politics?This episode was taped at P&T Knitwear at 180 Orchard Street — New York City’s only free podcast recording studio.Send us an email with your thoughts on today’s episode: info@firewall.media.Be sure to watch Bradley’s new TED Talk on Mobile Voting at https://go.ted.com/bradleytusk.Subscribe to Bradley's weekly newsletter and follow Bradley on Linkedin + Substack + YouTube.

In this special non-guest Thursday episode, Bradley walks us through his first-ever magazine for Substack: six articles where he analyzes the future Mamdani administration and what comes next for New York City. From how to staff City Hall to how the future mayor should interact with the press (and vice versa), these articles are Bradley's top tips for smart leadership — despite the gulf that remains between his politics and those of the next mayor.I. A Letter, and Some Recommendations, to Zohran MamdaniII. My Advice To The 20-Somethings Joining Mamdani’s City HallIII. Zohran and the JewsIV. What Reporters Covering Zohran Should Keep in MindV. Zohran's Difficult Choice: The Poor or His VotersVI. What Steve Fulop Needs to do to Make the Partnership for New York City Relevant and Effective AgainThis episode was taped at P&T Knitwear at 180 Orchard Street — New York City’s only free podcast recording studio.Send us an email with your thoughts on today’s episode: info@firewall.media.Be sure to watch Bradley’s new TED Talk on Mobile Voting at https://go.ted.com/bradleytusk.Subscribe to Bradley's weekly newsletter and follow Bradley on Linkedin + Substack + YouTube.

Chris Coffey, CEO of Tusk Strategies and a keen political strategist, joins hosts Bradley Tusk and Jamie Rubin to dissect the historic win of NYC's new mayor, Zohran Mamdani. They explore implications for Gov. Hochul’s re-election and discuss whether NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch will remain, given differing policies. The conversation dives into housing reforms and the potential challenges Mamdani might face in maintaining grassroots support, alongside the fiscal realities influencing his agenda.

In this bonus episode of Firewall, Rev. Al Sharpton, a major figure in Jonathan Mahler's book The Gods of New York: Egotists, Idealists, Opportunists, and the Birth of the Modern City: 1986-1990, joined the author and Tusk Strategies CEO Chris Coffey earlier in October for a spirited conversation about New York in the 1980s and how it set the stage for the politics of today.This episode was taped at P&T Knitwear at 180 Orchard Street — New York City’s only free podcast recording studio.Send us an email with your thoughts on today’s episode: info@firewall.media.Be sure to watch Bradley’s new TED Talk on Mobile Voting at https://go.ted.com/bradleytusk.Subscribe to Bradley's weekly newsletter and follow Bradley on Linkedin + Substack + YouTube.

Archie Gottesman traces her path from the comic genius behind Manhattan Mini Storage to JewBelong, where she’s trying to make Judaism feel human, welcoming, and actually usable (no Talmudic degree required). She and Bradley get blunt about fear-based conformity on the left, rising antisemitism since 2021, and how many Jews contort themselves to stay “in the club,” even when it means pretending to believe things they don’t. They spar, politely, over whether mainstream American Jews have drifted from Israel, then pivot to tactics: message-tested billboards, mobilizing pride and pulling support from institutions that don’t defend Jews.This episode was taped at P&T Knitwear at 180 Orchard Street — New York City’s only free podcast recording studio.Send us an email with your thoughts on today’s episode: info@firewall.media.Be sure to watch Bradley’s new TED Talk on Mobile Voting at https://go.ted.com/bradleytusk.Subscribe to Bradley's weekly newsletter and follow Bradley on Linkedin + Substack + YouTube.

Bradley Tusk criticizes performative politics, arguing that real change requires concrete action. He explores the stalled government shutdown, emphasizing that it will only resolve when Republicans face tangible consequences. The discussion touches on the NBA's handling of a gambling scandal, advocating for radical transparency. Bradley proposes biometric checks to curb underage online betting and delves into the repercussions of violent confrontations with ICE. He also bluntly dismisses Kamala Harris's viability for the 2028 election.

Five charter revisions on this year’s ballot could make the city more affordable and make affordable housing more plentiful. Bradley sits down with Alec Schierenbeck, executive director of the NYC Charter Revision Commission, to explain how these proposals could finally unclog New York’s housing pipeline. They dig into why city bureaucracy resists change, how AI could streamline zoning and public services, and why the next mayor’s success may hinge on these reforms. The episode ends with a call to young public servants: outwork everyone, question everything, and take pride in making the city even a little bit better.RSVP to join Bradley TONIGHT at P&T Knitwear for a live event with Rev. Al Sharpton in conversation with NYT Magazine Staff Writer Jonathan Mahler, author of the new book, THE GODS OF NEW YORK: bit.ly/GodsOfNewYorkThis episode was taped at P&T Knitwear at 180 Orchard Street — New York City’s only free podcast recording studio.Send us an email with your thoughts on today’s episode: info@firewall.media.Be sure to watch Bradley’s new TED Talk on Mobile Voting at https://go.ted.com/bradleytusk.Subscribe to Bradley's weekly newsletter and follow Bradley on Linkedin + Substack + YouTube.

It was right in the middle of a Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation session that Bradley had a brainstorm — an idea for a TV drama built around a conniving New York politico who hatches a plan to manipulate prediction markets. He titled it THE PREDICTORS, and in this Firewall episode, the audience (you) gets to play the part of a streaming executive as Bradley pitches us the show.RSVP to join Bradley this Thursday evening 10/23 at P&T Knitwear for a live event with Rev. Al Sharpton in conversation with NYT Magazine Staff Writer Jonathan Mahler, author of the new book, THE GODS OF NEW YORK: https://bit.ly/GodsOfNewYorkThis episode was taped at P&T Knitwear at 180 Orchard Street — New York City’s only free podcast recording studio.Send us an email with your thoughts on today’s episode: info@firewall.media.Be sure to watch Bradley’s new TED Talk on Mobile Voting at https://go.ted.com/bradleytusk.Subscribe to Bradley's weekly newsletter and follow Bradley on Linkedin + Substack + YouTube.