Brian Lehrer: A Daily Politics Podcast

As the federal government shutdown continues, how is the White House using it for political leverage? On Today's Show: Russell Berman, a staff writer at The Atlantic talks shares the latest shutdown news.  Note: This conversation was recorded on Friday morning about a developing story.

It's the second day of the latest federal government shutdown over funding. On Today's Show: Politico congressional reporter Nicholas Wu talks about the latest on the impasse, who is getting blamed for the shutdown, and what it will take to end it.

Universities have had to contend with a climate of protest, and pressure from the Trump administration to crack down on it.  On Today's Show: Christopher Eisgruber, president of Princeton University and the author of Terms of Respect: How Colleges Get Free Speech Right (Hachette, 2025), talks about issues of free speech and campus politics at Princeton, and the university's relationship with the Trump administration.

As Artificial Intelligence technology develops, and as nations vie for technical dominance, the UN has been considering its role.  On Today's Show: Vilas Dhar, president of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation and member of the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Body on AI, talks about the two new institutions created by the United Nations to study and discuss the risks and opportunities of artificial intelligence, and his goals for governing this emerging technology so that it serves the public good.

Learning institutions, from public schools to universities, have been the site of several political fights in recent times.  On Today's Show: Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the author of Why Fascists Fear Teachers: Public Education and the Future of Democracy (Thesis, 2025), talks about her new book and explains why she says education protects democracy.