Juan Manuel Benítez Wants to Know

Chuck Park was born in Flushing to Korean immigrants who started out as street vendors on Canal Street, selling whatever they could find on the loading docks of Bloomingdale's. He grew up to become a U.S. diplomat under President Obama, serving in Mexico, Portugal, and Canada — until 2019, when he resigned with a Washington Post op-ed that called the Foreign Service not the "Deep State" but the "Complacent State." The breaking point was a photograph: Óscar Alberto Martínez Ramírez and his two-year-old daughter, drowned face-down in the Rio Grande.He drove back to Queens, moved into his parents' basement in Flushing with his wife and kid, and took a job at the MinKwon Center. Six years later, he is challenging seven-term incumbent Grace Meng in the Democratic primary for New York's 6th Congressional District.In this conversation from Columbia Journalism School, Chuck Park talks about why he believes Donald Trump won a second term, why he wants to abolish ICE, why he refuses money from corporate PACs, lobbyists, and AIPAC, and why he thinks "organized people" can still beat organized money — even when his opponent has roughly eight times more cash on hand. The primary is Tuesday, June 23.What he's reading:Los Detectives Salvajes / The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolaño The book he recommends about the Korean American experience:Human Acts by Han Kang Where he takes visitors in NY-6:The 74th Street–Roosevelt Avenue station under the 7 train, and Main Street Station in downtown Flushing.Last museum exhibit he liked:The Ancient Egypt galleries at the Met — including the reconstructed Temple of Dendur. "It's the one that everyone visits when they come to New York."

Mounting a small play in London costs about £2 million. The same play on Broadway? Around $8 million. That's the math Frank DiLella lays out in this conversation about why Broadway tickets cost what they do — and what New Yorkers can actually do about it.Frank has covered Broadway for Spectrum News' On Stage for nearly 20 years. He teaches at Fordham University. He's a multiple New York Emmy winner. And he's the person this city calls when it wants to know what's happening on a Broadway stage.We get into the affordability question head-on: union costs, real estate, and the rush tickets, TDF memberships, and Broadway Week deals New Yorkers should actually be using. We talk about why the Public Theater keeps minting hits that change the form — from A Chorus Line to The Normal Heart to Hamilton to SUFFS — and why Frank says Broadway is not dying, even when it sometimes feels that way.Frank also walks through the Hillary Clinton and Julissa Reynoso sit-down he just landed, his pick for the most underrated show of the season heading into Tony nominations on May 5, and the Liza Minnelli memoir he's been listening to on a loop.A New York story about the beating heart of the city — and the people doing the work to keep it pumping.Book recommendation: Kids, Wait Till You Hear This!: My Memoir by Liza Minnelli with Michael FeinsteinShow pick:Liberation by Bess Wohl, directed by Whitney White

Dr. Alister Martin is the 45th Commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene — an emergency physician, Harvard graduate, and former White House fellow who's been on the job for two months. In 72 days, roughly 450,000 New Yorkers lose their Essential Plan coverage. HR.1 hits Medicaid in January. The CDC has been gutted, the federal government has pulled out of the WHO, and childhood vaccination rates in New York are slipping. The World Cup arrives in June. Martin's answer on all of it is the same: New York is not waiting for Washington.But this conversation is also about who gets to be treated as worthy. The kid from Jackson Heights whose mother — a Haitian immigrant and public school teacher — couldn't afford to stay in the city, and moved them to Neptune, New Jersey. The 11-year-old who overheard someone ask where he'd go when his mother died of cancer, and decided then to become a doctor. The 16-year-old with a third-degree black belt who tried to stop a friend from getting jumped and got kicked out of high school for it. The 20-year-old who met his absent father for the first time, and the 25-year-old who got a Facebook message from a brother he didn't know he had telling him that father — also a Harvard graduate — was dying of cancer. The emergency physician who carries all of it into the exam room.Book recommendationAnother Bullshit Night in Suck City by Nick Flynn — NYPL catalog.

DESCRIPTIONRoss Barkan covered New York City politics for years before running for office himself. He lost. His campaign manager was a little-known political operative named Zohran Mamdani. That man is now the mayor of New York City.Barkan is one of the sharpest journalists covering the Mamdani administration — and he reveals in this conversation that he is writing the definitive book on Mamdani's election and early months in office, due out in October from Random House.He is also the author of Colossus, a new novel out April 28th about a MAGA pastor in rural Michigan who built a perfect life on a lie. He calls it a novel for the Trump age.We talk about Mamdani's first hundred days, the Albany budget fight, why Barkan thinks the Jessica Tisch alliance was a mistake, what it's like to interview the man you once employed, and why he believes fiction is the last line of defense against a world that wants to outsource thinking to machines.SHOW NOTESRoss Barkan's BooksColossusGlass CenturyThe Prince: Andrew Cuomo, Coronavirus, and the Fall of New YorkBooks Ross Is ReadingUs v. Them: The Age of Indie Music and a Decade in New York, by Ronen GivonyThe Ritz of the Bayou, by Nancy LemannMeet Me in the Bathroom, by Lizzy GoodmanRoss Barkan OnlinePolitical CurrentsThe Metropolitan Review

DESCRIPTIONTwo weeks before Earth Day, Juan Manuel Benítez sits down with Julie Tighe, president of the New York League of Conservation Voters. They take stock of what's being dismantled in Washington — clean air and water rules, offshore wind projects, the bedrock "endangerment finding" for climate policy — and what's worth fighting for at the state and local level. Tighe breaks down the stalled New York state budget fight over the CLCPA, makes the case for cap and invest, and defends congestion pricing as the rare policy win that changed minds once people felt the results. She also shares how she became an "accidental environmentalist," what she's reading, and where New Yorkers should go to remember why any of this matters.📚 What Julie is reading:The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran DesaiState of Wonder by Ann PatchettRightful Heritage: Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Land of America by Douglas Brinkley🎙️ Podcast Julie listens to every week: The Daily (New York Times). And yes — she was a loyal listener of Off Topic On Politics with Juan Manuel, Grace Rauh, and Zack Fink.🏔️ Three places in New York State Julie says every New Yorker should visit:Adirondack Park — Bigger than the six largest national parks combined. Lake George is the gateway; the 46 High Peaks are the challenge.The Catskills — Closer to the city, and full of reward. North-South Lake, Hunter and Tannersville, and Catskill Falls are worth the drive (stay on the trail).Minnewaska State Park — For hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, and swimming. Julie competed there in high school. It holds up.

DESCRIPTION State Assembly Member Micah Lasher is running to replace Jerry Nadler in New York's 12th Congressional District — one of the most-watched Democratic primaries in the country. He talks about the US-Israel war on Iran, Columbia University's 116th Street, Michael Bloomberg's money, AI regulation, and why Democrats need to stop negotiating and start fighting. Plus: his roommate Aziz Ansari, his teenage magic act on the Today Show, and a Javier Marías novel he swears he's not recommending just to impress his Spanish-born host.SHOW NOTESGuest: Micah Lasher, New York State Assembly Member (Upper West Side) and candidate for New York's 12th Congressional District Primary date: June 23, 2026🏛️ Cultural institutions mentionedNew-York Historical SocietyThe Metropolitan Museum of ArtMoMA – Museum of Modern ArtLincoln Center for the Performing ArtsSt. Ann's Warehouse (Anna Christie)Ragtime at Lincoln Center (described as extraordinary — check current listings)📚 Book mentionedTomás Nevinson by Javier Marías — NYPL catalog

DESCRIPTION / SHOW NOTESBrooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso is running for Congress — and this race is more complicated than it looks. He's trying to succeed Nydia Velázquez in NY-7 after 33 years. His opponents include a DSA-backed Assembly member endorsed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani — the same Mamdani that Reynoso championed loudly when he ran for mayor. We asked him about all of it.In this episode: the Mamdani endorsement he knew was coming (and what that conversation actually looked like), why he thinks this race is about the future of the Democratic Party — not just his career, what he'd actually do in Congress as part of a minority, and why after borough president, he thinks he's done with politics.Also: outdoor dining, anime, a wife who watches too many murder shows, and a closing answer about a kid growing up in Los Sures that we didn't see coming.📚 Books & recommendations mentioned in this episode:Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing — Borrow free from Brooklyn Public LibraryManual del Guerrero de la Luz by Paulo Coelho — Borrow free from Brooklyn Public Library (Spanish) / English editionDemon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba — Stream on CrunchyrollAntonio Reynoso is the Brooklyn Borough President and Democratic candidate for New York's 7th Congressional District. The primary is June 23, 2026.Juan Manuel Benítez Wants to Know is produced at Columbia Journalism School in New York City.

SHOW NOTESJulie Menin didn't plan on a career in politics. She started a nonprofit to help rebuild Lower Manhattan after 9/11, became a three-time city commissioner, ran New York City's 2020 census — finishing first among all U.S. cities and securing an additional $1.8 billion in federal funding for the next decade — and got elected to the City Council. In January 2026, her colleagues chose her as Speaker, making her the first Jewish speaker in the Council's history.In this conversation with Juan Manuel Benítez, Menin talks about the city's budget crunch (her answer on property taxes: a firm no), her relationship with Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the case of Rafael Rubio — a Council staffer who has been in ICE custody since January 12th — her five-point antisemitism plan, and her concern about the U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran. She also shares the story of her grandmother's escape from Soviet-occupied Hungary in the middle of the night, guided by a "miner" who knew where the bombs were buried along the border.Links and resources mentioned in this episode:📚 Milan Kundera — Julie's favorite author, whom she's been revisiting with her college-age son:The Book of Laughter and Forgetting The Unbearable Lightness of Being The Joke The NYPL has a great reading guide: Why Read Milan Kundera?🏛️ Museums Julie champions:The Tenement Museum — 103 Orchard Street, Lower East Side. Museum of Jewish Heritage — A Living Memorial to the Holocaust — Battery Park City. Juan Manuel Benítez Wants to Know is produced at Columbia Journalism School

Show NotesLuis Miranda — political consultant, founder of the Hispanic Federation, and yes, Lin-Manuel Miranda's father — sits down with Juan Manuel Benítez to talk about five decades of building Latino political power in New York City. From his radicalization growing up in colonial Puerto Rico to running Fernando Ferrer's mayoral campaigns for mayor, Miranda reflects on what the Democratic Party keeps getting wrong about Latino voters, why 42% of Latino men voted for Trump, and what Zohran Mamdani's victory says about the politics of affordability. Plus: a heart attack, a parking spot, and the show tunes he blasts at 6 AM.Luis Miranda served in three New York City mayoral administrations (Koch, Dinkins, Giuliani) and ran campaigns for Hillary Clinton, Chuck Schumer, Fernando Ferrer, and Letitia James, among others.In this conversation, we discuss: growing up in colonial Puerto Rico and what radicalized him; founding the Hispanic Federation in 1990; the science behind Fernando Ferrer's near-miss mayoral campaigns and how 9/11 changed everything; why Democrats continue to take Latino voters for granted; the 42% of Latino men who voted for Trump; Mayor Zohran Mamdani's victory and his use of Spanish; the "mic" that Hamilton gave the Miranda family; becoming a great-grandfather; and the best advice he ever got — from his dad.Books mentioned📖 Relentless: My Story of the Latino Spirit That Is Transforming America by Luis A. Miranda Jr. — Borrow from NYPL 📖 The Red and the Blue: The 1990s and the Birth of Political Tribalism by Steve Kornacki — Borrow from NYPL Places & institutions mentioned🏛️ The Hispanic Federation 🏛️ El Museo del Barrio 🏛️ MoMA 🏛️ American Museum of Natural History 🏛️ Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico & Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto RicoJuan Manuel Benítez Wants to Know is produced at Columbia Journalism School in New York City.

SHOW NOTESHe grew up in a fly-fishing motel near Lake Placid. As a teenager, he was suicidal and spent a month in a psychiatric hospital. Decades later, he helped pass marriage equality in New York State, represented Chelsea, Hell's Kitchen, and the West Village in the City Council — and three weeks ago, he was sworn in as a New York State Senator.In this episode, newly elected State Senator Erik Bottcher sits down with Juan Manuel Benítez to talk about the experience that almost ended his life and why he talks about it publicly, what he learned watching power for 17 years before having it, the budget battle ahead in Albany, why he's against a property tax hike, whether he could have won the congressional race he walked away from, his use of AI, and the one question everyone asks: will he ever run for mayor?An honest, personal, and wide-ranging conversation with one of New York's most compelling new voices in state politics.Erik BottcherOfficial website: erikbottcher.comNew York State Senate, 47th District: nysenate.gov/senators/erik-bottcher📚 Book RecommendationOn His Own Terms: A Life of Nelson Rockefeller by Richard Norton Smith MuseumThe Whitney Museum of American Art — 99 Gansevoort St, NYC Free admission: Friday nights 5–10pm and second Sunday of every month. Free every day for visitors 25 and under. whitney.orgGay BarRise Bar risebarhk.com.Mental Health Resource mentioned in this episodeFour Winds Hospital (the facility where Bottcher received treatment as a teenager) fourwindshospital.comCrisis support: If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), available 24/7.Juan Manuel Benítez Wants to Know is produced at Columbia Journalism School in New York City.Subscribe on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Substack

Episode DescriptionChristine Quinn was once the second most powerful person in New York City government. As City Council Speaker — the first woman and first openly gay person to hold that role — she negotiated eight budgets with Mayor Bloomberg and shaped the city's political landscape for nearly a decade. Today, she runs WIN (Women in Need), the largest provider of shelter and supportive housing for homeless families in New York City, housing about 5,000 people every night — roughly half of them children.In conversation with host Juan Manuel Benítez, Quinn walks us through the harrowing intake process a homeless mother faces, explains why New York spends $4.4 billion on homeless services yet keeps falling behind, and makes the case for why housing vouchers — not shelter beds — are the key to solving the crisis. She talks about what she expects from Mayor Zohran Mamdani's first budget, why the road to the Democratic House majority runs through New York, and what it was like to bluff Mayor Bloomberg on a budget vote with no cards in her hand.Quinn also opens up about losing the 2013 mayoral race, her colon cancer diagnosis, and how both experiences deepened her commitment to service.Show NotesChristine QuinnPresident & CEO, WIN (Women in Need)Vice Chair, New York State Democratic CommitteeFormer NYC City Council Speaker (2006–2013), first woman and first openly gay person in that roleCNN and MSNBC political contributorBook RecommendationThe Frozen River by Ariel LawhonArt & Culture RecommendationAmy Sherald: American Sublime Mentioned in This EpisodeWIN's upcoming fundraiser — March 4 at Chelsea Piers, supporting camp programs for children in shelter

Political scientist Christina Greer joins Juan Manuel Benítez to discuss why the current moment of federal raids, ICE violence and authoritarian governance isn't shocking to Black Americans - it's familiar. From the historical parallels between Nazi Germany and American racial terror to the Republican Party's 50-year strategy to overturn Roe v. Wade, Greer explains how America's "capacity for cruelty" has always been present, just newly visible to white Americans.She breaks down Mayor Zohran Mamdani's first month in office, the strategic genius of his White House meeting with Trump, and her concerns about the lack of Black advisors in his administration. Greer also discusses the double-female ticket of Kathy Hochul and Adrienne Adams, why Democrats keep losing the long game, and what it means to politically "tithe" during a crisis. Plus: her reading recommendations for understanding this moment, the transformative Seydou Keita exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum and why the Tenement Museum's "Your Story, Our Story" project offers hope when everything feels dark.SHOW NOTES:Guest:Christina Greer, PhDAssociate Professor of Political Science, Fordham UniversityCo-host, FAQ NYC podcast (THE CITY)Weekly columnist, The Amsterdam NewsMember, The New York Editorial BoardRecommended books and authorsNikki Giovanni - Poetry collections The Ungovernable City Phil Thompson Lani Guinier Bell Hooks Museums:Brooklyn Museum Seydou Keïta: Portraits Tenement Museum

Former immigration judge Carmen María Rey joins Juan Manuel Benítez to discuss her August 2025 termination by the Trump administration, what she witnessed in New York's immigration courts during the first months of Trump's second term, and why she still has hope for America despite having decided to leave the country. Rey, who spent her career as an immigration lawyer and now teaches at Pace University, was one of hundreds of immigration judges terminated without explanation. She had previously been targeted by 30 Republican Congress members, including Rep. Elise Stefanik, for tweets criticizing ICE during Trump's first term.In this conversation, Rey describes scenes of "cruelty that will remain with me until the day that I die"—ICE agents detaining people in courthouse hallways, children screaming as fathers were taken away, families too afraid to use the bathroom. She reflects on the bitter irony of being fired from the very building where she once stood as an undocumented child, waiting in line with her mother for an employment authorization stamp.Rey discusses the erosion of judicial independence, the "unitary executive theory" being used to justify mass federal employee firings, and why she sees parallels between this moment and the Civil War era. Host: Juan Manuel BenítezGuest: Carmen María ReyBooks mentioned in this episode:Empire of Borders by Todd Miller - Works by historian Heather Cox Richardson (Boston College) Topics discussed:Immigration court proceedings and ICE enforcement tacticsThe firing of immigration judges and challenges to judicial independenceThe "unitary executive theory" and federal employment protectionsAsylum law and grant rates across different courtsHistorical parallels between current era and the Civil War periodThe experience of being undocumented in 1980s and 1990s AmericaJuan Manuel Benítez Wants to Know is produced at Columbia Journalism School. Subscribe on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Read more at Substack.

Season 2 kicks off with a special reunion! Juan Manuel Benítez brings together the original Off Topic/On Politics team — Grace Rauh and Zack Fink — to reflect on NYC's political transformation, their post-journalism careers and the state of American democracy.Grace, now Executive Director of Citizens Union, shares how she helped shape Mayor Mamdani's historic childcare initiative and what it's like going from reporter to advocate. Zack, who left journalism for lobbying and communications, offers his perspective on whether the democratic socialist mayor can govern effectively—and whether he'll get what he needs from Albany.The conversation ranges from the surprisingly cooperative Mamdani-Hochul relationship to the erosion of democratic norms under Trump, from the challenges facing journalism to confessions about never finishing "The Power Broker." It's politics, nostalgia, and real talk about where we are as a city and a country.Show NotesFeatured Guests:Grace Rauh - Executive Director, Citizens Union; Former NY1 Political ReporterZack Fink - Director of External Affairs, Davidoff Hutcher & Citron; Host, Lobbying Insider Podcast; Former NY1 Political ReporterTopics Discussed:Mayor Zohran Mamdani's first weeks in office and his childcare policy winThe Mamdani-Hochul partnership vs. the de Blasio-Cuomo eraGovernor Hochul's 2025 re-election prospectsTrump's impact on democratic institutions and immigration enforcementThe state of journalism and media consolidationLife after reporting: advocacy, lobbying, and what they miss (or don't)Links & References:Books:The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York by Robert CaroOrganizations:Citizens UnionFive Borough Institute Davidoff Hutcher & CitronPodcasts:The Lobbying Insider - Zack Fink's current podcastNY1 Podcasts - Including the current Off Topic/On PoliticsMuseums:Museum of the City of New YorkPeople Mentioned:Mayor Zohran MamdaniGovernor Kathy HochulLt. Governor Antonio DelgadoPolice Commissioner Jessica TischFirst Deputy Mayor Dean FuleihanEmmy List - Director, Mayor's Office of ChildcareEpisode recorded: January 23, 2026

Episode descriptionIt’s the book many of my podcast guests recommended –and that I’m also now reading: The Gods of New York. In it, New York Times journalist Jonathan Mahler argues the last years of the 1980’s shaped the city we know today. Previously, in Ladies and Gentlemen, the Bronx Is Burning, Mahler had gone back to 1977, when New York was literally and figuratively on fire. Now, he zooms in on just four years — 1986 to 1990 — and the larger-than-life characters that dominate them.To close the first season of the Juan Manuel Benítez Wants to Know podcast, I speak with Mahler about the “gods” of that era — Ed Koch, Donald Trump, Rudy Giuliani, Al Sharpton, Spike Lee, Larry Kramer, Benjamin Ward, Linda Fairstein and others — and how tabloids, Wall Street, crack, AIDS, and a wave of racial flashpoints pushed the city from a working-class metropolis to a global capital of finance and inequality. We get into Joyce “Billie Boggs” Brown and homelessness, Bed-Stuy’s transformation and Black political power, and what Mahler thinks Zohran Mamdani and this new political moment need to learn from that history. Mahler also talks about how he reported the book — more than 200 interviews and deep archival digging — why he still believes in “inefficient” research in the age of AI, and what he’d tell young journalists coming into the profession right now. And, because life is not all New York doom, he leaves us with a big, sprawling novel recommendation: Kiran Desai’s The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny. In January, we’ll be back with season two of Juan Manuel Benítez Wants to Know, with more conversations about New York and the people shaping its future.Books and essays we mentionJonathan Mahler, The Gods of New York: Egotists, Idealists, Opportunists, and the Birth of the Modern City: 1986–1990 Jonathan Mahler, Ladies and Gentlemen, the Bronx Is Burning: 1977, Baseball, Politics, and the Battle for the Soul of a City Jonathan Mahler, The Challenge: Hamdan v. Rumsfeld and the Fight over Presidential Power Jonathan Mahler, Mamdani’s Rise Marks the End of a Chapter in American History, New York Times guest essay (Aug. 11, 2025) Kiran Desai, The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny

Assemblymember Alex Bores is one of the only lawmakers in America who can read both a bill and a codebase — and he's now running for Congress in New York’s competitive 12th District. In this episode, we dig into his push for AI regulation, the super PAC trying to knock him off the ballot, why Big Tech is watching this race, and how a coder’s mindset changes politics. We also talk childcare, democracy, growing up in Manhattan, and the small privacy settings on your phone that matter more than you think.Show NotesGuest: Assemblymember Alex Bores, candidate for Congress in NY-12Host: Juan Manuel BenítezLocation: Columbia Journalism School, NYCTopics we cover:Why AI is improving far faster than people realizeWhat the RAISE Act actually does — and why major AI labs oppose itIndustry secrecy, privacy law failures, and how your data is being usedChina’s AI strategy and why Big Tech’s talking points don’t holdThe six-figure Silicon Valley super PAC targeting himAffordability, childcare, democracy, and the future of NYC familiesGrowing up in Manhattan, labor organizing, Central Park memoriesThe whiskey he swears anyone can learn to loveHis go-to iPhone privacy settings — including one Uber/Lyft toggle everyone should shut offLinks Mentioned in the Episode📺 Alex Bores’ Campaign Launch Videohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwWJAX0Q0wA📚 Book Recommendation — Recoding America by Jennifer Pahlka(New York Public Library link)https://www.nypl.org/research/collections/shared-collection-catalog/bib/b23691530🌳ParksCentral Park https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/central-parkCarl Schurz Park — the Upper East Side park along the East River https://www.carlschurzparknyc.org/🛠 Organizations & Bills MentionedRAISE Act (AI safety legislation Bores sponsored)https://nyassembly.gov/leg/?Text=Y&bn=A06453&default_fld&leg_video&term&utm_sAnthropic (developer of Claude AI)https://www.anthropic.comNVIDIAhttps://www.nvidia.comPark Avenue Synagogue (community cleanup he mentions)https://pasyn.orgNew York Common Pantry (his suggested year-end charity)https://nycommonpantry.org

Show NotesSpecial Book Edition: 25,000 Streams CelebrationRecorded in New York City on Thanksgiving DayA milestone episode. After just a dozen conversations, Juan Manuel Benítez Wants to Know has crossed 25,000 streams. Instead of another interview, we’re doing something revealing, personal, and surprisingly political: we’re revisiting book recommendations from our guests.These are the titles that shape how leaders think about New York, democracy, wealth, poverty, power, inequality, science, climate, and their own decisions. From collapsing empires to the Koch era, from hedge funds to poverty in Brooklyn, from spiritual discipline to climate-fiction superheroes, this episode shows how reading choices become political choices.📚 Featured Book Recommendations🗽 New York City history and powerThe Gods of New York — Jonathan Mahler (recommended by Brad Lander, Kathryn Wylde, Grace Rauh, Juan Manuel Benítez is currently reading, and the author is coming on the show)The City We Became — N.K. Jemisin (Brad Lander)🌍 Climate imagination & speculative politicsA Half-Built Garden — Ruth Emrys (Brad Lander)💡 Ideas reshaping public policyAbundance — Ezra Klein & Derek Thompson (Mark Levine)🧠 Psychology, mindset & self-determinationThe Science of Mind — Ernest Holmes (Eric Adams)⚔️ Labor history, unions & fear of socialismThe Jungle — Upton Sinclair (Curtis Sliwa)💸 Wealth, exploitation & the cost of growing up poorBlack Edge — Sheelah Kolhatkar (Jessica Ramos)Invisible Child — Andrea Elliott (Jessica Ramos)⚾ Escapism with substanceThe Bee Sting — Paul Murray (Brian Lehrer)🔎 Race, economics, and shared struggleWhite Poverty — Rev. William Barber (Antonio Delgado)🏛️ A crumbling empire as metaphorThe Emergency — George Packer (Ben Smith)🎙️ Voices in This EpisodeBrad Lander • Kathryn Wylde • Mark Levine • Eric Adams • Curtis Sliwa • Jessica Ramos • Brian Lehrer • Grace Rauh • Christina Greer • Josh Greenman • Nicole Gelinas • Antonio Delgado • Ben Smith📌 BonusThe most mentioned book: The Gods of New York, by Jonathan Mahler. Stay tuned — the author joins the podcast in a couple of weeks.🙏 Thank You for 25,000 StreamsIf you’ve been listening, reviewing, or sharing episodes, you helped grow a show focused on understanding power in New York City. Keep going:👍 Subscribe⭐ Leave a review📚 Send Juan your current book recommendationBecause the ideas we read today shape the choices we make tomorrow.🦃 Happy Thanksgiving from Juan Manuel Benítez Wants to Know.

Ben Smith has been at the vanguard of digital journalism for two decades. In a candid conversation, Semafor's co-founder and editor-in-chief discusses his mission to fix the chaos of information overload, how Semafor's unique format tackles trust and transparency, and the surprisingly "boring" ways AI is already changing newsrooms. Plus, he weighs in on the political spectacle of Donald Trump, the rise of Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, and whether New York is on the path to becoming a "gilded museum" of the 20th century.📝 Show Notes & RecommendationsGuest:Ben Smith, Co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of Semafor. Member of The New York Editorial BoardBen Smith's Podcast:Mixed Signals from Semafor Media. (Ben Smith and Max Tani pull back the curtain on the media industry.)Find the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Semafor's website.Recommended Book:The Emergency: A Novel by George Packer(Smith describes it as a novel about the collapse of an empire and grappling with the challenges facing the United States today.)Recommended NYC Politics Podcasts:Ben Smith highlighted a thriving "ecosystem" of New York City-focused podcasts, including:FAQ NYC (Mentioned in the search results as a great interview-heavy political podcast.)Max Politics with Ben Max (Features in-depth interviews on NYC and State politics.)The Bigger Apple Podcast, with Liena Zagare and Nicole GelinasAlso mentioned:The Interview, from the New York Times

Antonio Delgado isn’t just New York’s lieutenant governor — he’s now Kathy Hochul’s biggest political headache. In this episode, Delgado tells Juan Manuel Benítez why he’s taking on his own boss in next year’s Democratic primary, why he thinks New York’s leadership is “broken,” and how he plans to fix it. He talks power, loyalty, and political retribution — and then drops the politics to open up about hip-hop, fatherhood, and why Kendrick Lamar and D’Angelo fill his current music playlist.Show Notes:Host: Juan Manuel BenítezGuest: Lieutenant Governor Antonio DelgadoTopics covered:Why Delgado is running against Governor Kathy HochulThe state’s affordability crisis and his plan to “tax the rich”Political retribution and independence inside the Hochul administrationLessons from his time in Congress representing the Hudson ValleyWhat Trump’s 2024 win means for Democrats in New YorkMusic, fatherhood, and finding balance beyond politicsDelgado's picks:BookWhite Poverty, by William J. BarberMusicKendrick Lamar’s Mr. Morale & The Big SteppersD’Angelo’s Brown Sugar and Black MessiahNew York place to visitHudson Valley Follow:🎧 Subscribe to Juan Manuel Benítez Wants to Know on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Substack.

On the eve of Election Day in New York City, Juan Manuel Benítez convenes three sharp minds from the New York Editorial Board—Christina Greer (FAQ NYC), Josh Greenman (Vital City), and Nicole Gelinas (Manhattan Institute)—to dissect what’s driving this race: Zohran Mamdani’s momentum, Andrew Cuomo’s bet on negativity, Curtis Sliwa’s recalibration, and whether the city is voting for policy or for an idea. We get honest about polling blind spots, youth and Muslim/ South Asian mobilization, public safety as the make-or-break metric, and how a disciplined campaign meets the hard math of governing. Plus: fast takes on Ballot Proposal 6 and three book picks to keep your New York brain fed.GuestsChristina Greer — Political scientist; co-host, FAQ NYCJosh Greenman — Managing Editor, Vital CityNicole Gelinas — Senior Fellow, Manhattan InstituteBook RecommendationsVincent J. Cannato, The Ungovernable City (Greer)Nicole Gelinas, Movement (Greenman’s pick)Jonathan Mahler, The Gods of New York and Ladies and Gentlemen, The Bronx Is Burning (Gelinas)LinksNew York Editorial Board breakfast interviews: nyeditorialboard.substack.comColumbia Journalism School's election coverage: cjspolitics.substack.comCreditsHost: Juan Manuel Benítez • Recorded at Columbia University in New York City

Before you step into the booth, hear from someone who’s seen NYC power from both sides. Grace Rauh —former NY1 City Hall reporter and now executive director at Citizens Union and the 5BORO Institute— joins Juan Manuel Benítez to break down what’s actually on your ballot and why turnout keeps sinking. They get into the even-year election fight, the housing/zoning package, digital mapping, and the Adirondacks measure; Zohran Mamdani’s rise (and the de Blasio echoes), Andrew Cuomo’s comeback attempt, and how local journalism looks from the outside. Plus: a personal lightning round —books, landmarks, and what still gives her hope about New York. Then go vote. Grace’s picks:BookGods of New York, by Jonathan MahlerPodcastsFAQ NYCThe DailyJuan Manuel Benítez Wants to KnowNew NYC LandmarkKatz’s DeliResourcesVote info & sample ballot: vote.nycCitizens Union & 5BORO Institute (voter guides, reform agenda)

In late January, I participated in a breakfast interview with New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, hosted by the New York Editorial Board, of which I'm a member.Back then, Mamdani was a progressive underdog in the race - a state assemblymember with ambitious ideas but long odds. A lot has changed since that breakfast. Mamdani won the Democratic nomination and today, he's become something of a national political superstar. As we head toward the November general election, he's leading in the polls with a healthy margin.For this episode, I've stripped away all the questions and edited Mamdani's responses to flow as a standalone narrative. What you're about to hear is "Zohran Mamdani's Vision in the Candidate's Own Words" - his policy proposals, his governing philosophy, and his vision for New York City, presented in the same order as our conversation but allowing his answers to speak for themselves.You can listen to the unedited version in the New York Editorial Board substack page. Follow me and the podcast on social mediaInstagram: JMBenitezNYCTikTok: JMBenitezNYCFacebook: JMBenitezNYCTwitter: JuanMaBenitezBluesky: JuanMaBenitezand subscribe to my Substack.

Brian Lehrer has hosted WNYC's flagship morning show since 1989, and has interviewed every New York mayor since David Dinkins. In this rare in-depth conversation, the notoriously private broadcaster opens up about his life, his craft, and the state of journalism and democracy in 2025. Plus, will he vote in this mayoral election?Brian's picks:Book: "The Bee Sting" by Paul Murray Park: Inwood Hill Park in Upper Manhattan Podcasts:Regular listening:WNYC's own podcasts (The New Yorker Radio Hour, On the Media, Radiolab)Slate Political GabfestVarious New York Times podcastsFor professional monitoring:Charlie Kirk Hasan PikerIn this episode:Guest: Brian Lehrer, journalist and host, WNYC RadioOn the 2025 NYC Mayoral Race:Why voters respond more to emotion than policy — and what that means for democracyHis impressions of Curtis Sliwa, Zohran Mamdani and Andrew Cuomo as people, not just politiciansWhether New Yorkers should fear socialism, and how to cover this topic responsiblyWhat New York voters are really yearning forOn Journalism in Crisis:Why he tells young journalists to "fall in love with local news"How WNYC is weathering the loss of 100% of federal fundingThe existential crisis facing small public radio stations nationwideNavigating the tension between "multiple-sides-ism" and calling out misinformationPersonal Journey:Growing up in Queens with parents who rose from poverty in the South BronxHis first political memory: watching the Kennedy-Nixon debate at age 8Why he chose to live in Inwood and finds sanctuary in Inwood Hill ParkHow the show has helped him cope during difficult personal timesThe Art of Live Radio:The "artful improv" of juggling guests, callers, texts, and breaking news simultaneouslyWhy he moved audience engagement from comment sections to Twitter to text messagesWhat he hopes listeners will discover when they revisit his archives in 50 years

Queens State Senator Jessica Ramos sits down for an candid conversation about one of the most controversial decisions of her political career: endorsing former Governor Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary for mayor after years of publicly criticizing him and calling for his resignation. The Colombian-American legislator opens up about the political calculations behind that stunning move, her fractured relationships with fellow progressives like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz, and why she believes her campaign for mayor never gained traction. Ramos also reflects on growing up in Jackson Heights during the cartel wars of the 1980s, her father's influence on her public service career, and whether her independent streak will cost her politically as she faces a primary challenge from Assemblywoman Jessica González-Rojas next year. It's a raw, revealing portrait of an elected official who refuses to play it safe — even when it might be the smarter move.Ramos' picks:A NYC park: Flushing Meadows Corona ParkBooks: "Black Edge" by Sheelah Kolhatkar, "Invisible Child" by Andrea ElliottA NYC place for landmark status: Casa Amadeo record storeAn AI tool: ChatGPTMentioned:New York Editorial BoardMax Politics, by Ben MaxManuel de Dios UnanueEl Diario La PrensaRoosevelt Avenue's history Show notes Guest: Jessica Ramos, New York State Senator (Queens), Chair of the Labor CommitteeTopics Discussed:The Cuomo endorsementCampaign strugglesFractured progressive relationships:Zohran Mamdani's meteoric riseGrowing up in Jackson HeightsKey Moments:[01:55] Ramos explains her Cuomo endorsement [07:42] Refuses to say whether she'll vote for Mamdani or Cuomo in the general election[12:27] Her assessment of Mamdani's campaign success [19:25] Reveals she hasn't spoken meaningfully to AOC in years[22:42] Shares a previously untold story about Assemblywoman Cruz Recorded at: Pulitzer Hall, Columbia Journalism School, New York City

Curtis Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels and Republican candidate for mayor of New York City, sits down to discuss his unconventional campaign in a race led by democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani. Despite being the GOP nominee, Sliwa has no support from President Trump, who backs Andrew Cuomo instead—and he says he doesn't care.In this wide-ranging conversation, Sliwa reveals how billionaires tried to pressure him to drop out of the race, why he believes Eric Adams "had a price" when he withdrew, and his vision for tackling homelessness, mental health crises, and housing affordability in NYC. He also opens up about patrolling the subways with the Guardian Angels, his wife's cat rescue work, his love of electronic dance music, and why he's not afraid of socialists.Sliwa’s picks:Book: The Jungle, by Upton SinclairParks: Central Park and Elizabeth Street GardenMusic: Electronic Dance Music, including Bunt

Mayor Eric Adams is still in the race to get reelected — and he wants you to know it. In this candid interview, Adams takes aim at his political rival Andrew Cuomo, pushes back on persistent media narratives, and blames campaign finance setbacks on what he calls “lawfare” and rumor-fueled media coverage. Adams insists he's not dropping out — and that the public hasn’t been told the full story.We talk about the federal indictment that was later dropped by the Trump administration, the toll of constant speculation, and the uphill battle of running for reelection while navigating both policy crises and personal scrutiny. Plus: thoughts on Trump and Biden, Israel and Gaza, immigration, ChatGPT, and why he still loves Prospect Park. It’s Eric Adams — defensive, defiant, and determined to change the narrative. Will it work?ERIC ADAMS' PICKSA book: The Science of Mind, by Ernest HolmesA museum: Brooklyn MuseumParks: Prospect Park and Brooklyn Bridge ParkAn AI tool: ChatGPT

In this conversation, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine discusses his journey in New York City politics, focusing on his recent campaign for comptroller, the challenges of housing affordability, and the importance of progressive policies. He reflects on his experiences running for office, the role of the comptroller, and his commitment to using technology to improve city governance. Levine also shares insights on investment strategies, the significance of endorsements, and his personal growth throughout his political career.Levine's picksBooks"Abundance" by Ezra Klein and Derek ThompsonPodcastDwarkesh Patel's podcastPlaces & TransitFort Tryon ParkThe CloistersA Subway Train1 Subway TrainPreservationPresbyterian Church on the West SideKeywordsMark Levine, New York City, Comptroller, housing affordability, politics, Juan Manuel Benítez, Democratic nominee, personal journey, political views, languages, Trump, Zohran Mamdani, Ezra Klein, Dwarkesh Patel

In this revealing conversation, host Juan Manuel Benítez sits down with Kathryn Wylde, the powerful voice of New York's business community who's stepping down after decades at the helm of the Partnership for NYC. As the business world grapples with Zohran Mamdani's surprising mayoral primary victory, Wylde offers unprecedented insight into how corporate leaders really feel about the self-proclaimed socialist who could become their next mayor.Wylde reveals that business leaders were "shocked" by Mamdani's win after investing heavily in Andrew Cuomo's expected victory, but explains why the panic has subsided since election night. She details Mamdani's immediate outreach to reassure the business community and draws surprising parallels to Bill de Blasio - noting that while their policies may be similar, Mamdani lacks de Blasio's "vindictiveness" toward the wealthy.What Kathryn Wylde is reading:The gods of New York : egotists, idealists, opportunists, and the birth of the modern city : 1986-1990, by Jonathan MahlerThe New York place she loves:Green-Wood CemeteryHer second home:Quebradillas, Puerto RicoKeywordsNew York City, Kathryn Wylde, mayoral election, business community, affordability, public safety, taxation, Zohran Mamdani, leadership transition, economic growth, Andrew Cuomo, Eric Adams, millionaires, billionaires

In the debut episode of "Juan Manuel Benítez Wants to Know," host Juan Manuel Benítez explores this central question with NYC Comptroller Brad Lander, the progressive politician who lost his mayoral bid in June's Democratic primary but whose cross-endorsement helped propel rival Zohran Mamdani to victory.Lander reveals why he made the strategic decision to endorse his former opponent, what role he might play in a Mamdani administration, and why he believes Andrew Cuomo shouldn't be mayor. The conversation digs into the realities of progressive coalition-building, the $2 billion the city wastes annually on preventable settlements, and Lander's bold proposal to convert golf courses into affordable housing.But this isn't just political strategy. Benítez explores what shaped Lander as a person - his anthropology fieldwork in London's Bangladeshi community, his Jewish values rooted in "every human created in God's image," and why he cursed Andrew Cuomo in formal Yiddish during the campaign. Lander opens up about his love of sci-fi novels where NYC boroughs become superheroes, his obsession with Prospect Park's Celebrate Brooklyn concerts, and his quest to restore the old Kentile Floors sign that once made F train riders "feel like home."It's political journalism that remembers people are people first - and asks the question everyone wants answered about New York's political future.Lander’s picksBooksCurrently Reading: “The Gods of New York” by Jonathan Mahler (about 1986-1990 NYC politics)Recent Favorites:"A Half-Built Garden" by Ruthanna Emrys (climate fiction)"The City We Became" by N.K. Jemisin (sci-fi where five boroughs have superhero avatars)MuseumsBrooklyn Museum - loves First Saturdays Tenement Museum - especially new exhibit on Black New Yorkers, calls it "super interactive"Parks & PlacesProspect Park - "place closest to my heart on planet Earth"Celebrate Brooklyn Concert Series - saw Gogol Bordello recentlyKentile Floors Sign - wants to restore it somewhere and give landmark status, says it made you "feel like home" on F trainTechnologyUses ChatGPT for song ideas, public policy questionsWife uses ClaudeCalls AI "collective intelligence" - impressed but worried benefits will go to few people