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PODCAST

Firewall with Bradley Tusk

Politics, technology and the pursuit of happiness. Twice a week, Bradley Tusk, New York-based political strategist and venture investor, covers the collision between new ideas and the real world. His operating thesis is that you can"t understand tech today without understanding politics, too. Recorded at P&T Knitwear, his bookstore / podcast studio, 180 Orchard Street, New York City.

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All Episodes

17:58

The Mamdani Shock

Firewall with Bradley Tusk ·

2025/06/25

Breaking news. Bradley records a special Wednesday edition of the pod to analyze Zohran Mamandi'sdecisive victoryover Andrew Cuomo in last night's Democratic primary for New York City Mayor. We'll be talking a lot more about this over the comingdays and weeks, but for now, here are Bradley's immediate thoughts on what this means for the city and for Democratic politics. Though he has plenty of concerns, "I can't help but just find what happened to be sort of exciting," says Bradley.

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52:23

Is This War?

Firewall with Bradley Tusk ·

2025/06/23

The US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities are a proper response to anuntenable threat, says Bradley on this special Monday episode, and Democratic opposition to them are weak and nonsensical. Plus, he gives his final rundown of factors at play in the New York City's mayoral race, does a comprehensive analysis of how Waymo's automated taxis will fare in the city and makes a wild prediction of who the next owner of the Yankees could be. (Hint: Get ready for hot dogs delivered to yourseat via drone

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53:16

A Pile-Up at the Finish Line

Firewall with Bradley Tusk ·

2025/06/19

With mere days to go before the Democratic primary, the campaign to be New York City's next mayor has at last become a riveting horse race. Did Brad Lander's arrest boost him into contention, or merely blunt Zohran Mamdani's momentum? Could the Times' unendorsement of Mamdani give Cuomo skeptics permission to vote for him? How much might all the uncertainty help Eric Adams in the generalelection? Katie Honan of THE CITY and Sahalie Donaldson of City & StatejoinBradley and Tom Allon for this

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42:20

The Kill Switch

Firewall with Bradley Tusk ·

2025/06/17

Though The New York Times is refraining from making an endorsement in the NewYork City mayoral race, it did tell its readers which candidate NOT to vote for. Bradley breaks down the implications of this unusual editorial choice. Plus, he explains his personal criteria for responding to requests for his time and advice.Discussed on today's episode:Our Advice To Voters In A Vexing Race For New York Mayor, The New York Times, June 16, 2025.This episode was taped at P&T Knitwear at 180 Orchard

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01:00:26

LIVE from P&T: What Do We Agree On?

Firewall with Bradley Tusk ·

2025/06/12

While the news dwells on everything that divides us, Spencer Greenberg went the other way — he did a study of 195 issues to discoverwhat unites us — and came to a conclusion that, in his words, "just blew my mind." Americans actually agree on a ton of things. The social entrepreneur, mathematicianand host of the podcastClearer Thinkingjoined Bradley at P&T Knitwear in front of a live audience for a free-wheeling conversation that might just make you a little hopeful.Be sure to follow and

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42:05

Musk and Trump in the Thunderdome

Firewall with Bradley Tusk ·

2025/06/10

What would it look like if the richest man in the world and the most powerful man in the world really took the gloves off? Bradley details the specific attacks each could deploy — inflicting so much damage on each other that it makes sense for cooler heads to prevail.But who wants to bet on that happening? Plus, Bradley got around to readingCareless People, Sarah Wynn-Williams' memoir about working at Meta, and thinks you should tooThis episode was taped at P&T Knitwear at 180 Orchard Street —

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39:10

Tame the Beast Now

Firewall with Bradley Tusk ·

2025/06/05

Can New York be the state that shows how to rein in AI before it’s too late? StateAssemblymember Alex Bores joins Bradley to talk about theResponsible AI Safety and Education (RAISE) Act, a bill he's co-sponsoring to establish safety, audit, and whistleblower guardrails for companies training advanced AI models. Without smart, tough regulation, Bores argues, even well-intentioned tech can be weaponized. From job loss to bioweapons anddeepfakes, Bores warns that these problems are not theoretical,

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36:37

That Overhyped Tech Bros Movie

Firewall with Bradley Tusk ·

2025/06/03

Yes, it's a satire and yes, movies always screw things up, but Jesse Armstrong's idea of tech founders in the new HBO movie Mountainhead is just plain wrong and counterproductive, says Bradley. Plus, he considers five future scenarios for AI and reconsiders his view on how Netanyahu is prosecuting the war in Gaza.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:

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40:12

iWar

Firewall with Bradley Tusk ·

2025/05/29

How could Apple mount a counterattack against Trump and his tariffs? Bradley lays out a battle plan for the tech giant that revives the uncompromising tenacity of founderSteve Jobs — though itwill almost certainly never happen. Plus, he updates his Non-Religious Ten Commandments for Kids, explains why attending the Indianapolis 500 restored his faith in America, and plugs Eric Topol's new book, Super Agers: An Evidence-Based Approach to Longevity.This episode was taped at P&T Knitwear at 180

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45:51

Guilty, Guilty, Guilty, Guilty...

Firewall with Bradley Tusk ·

2025/05/27

The conviction of Donald Trump on 34 felony counts in a New York courtroom last year already feels like ancient history. But in his new book"Dragon on Centre Street",New York Timesreporter Jonah Bromwich explains why his trial remains acutely relevant. The personal humiliation of the proceedings, Bromwich argues, helped unleash Trump’s full cynicism about the justice system:“One of the things he learned from this trial is just how much he can do, and just how little the rule of law has to offer to

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42:51

The Homeless Fix

Firewall with Bradley Tusk ·

2025/05/22

In the latestinstallment ofThe Race to Gracie Mansion, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander lays out his "number one commitment" — moving the roughly 2,000homeless people with seriousmental illness off the streets and into housing with services. It sounds good, but how will that work in reality? Lander makes the case, as well as outlining major initiatives on affordable housing, childcare, transit reform and tech-enabled governance.This episode was taped at P&T Knitwear at 180 Orchard Street —

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47:58

Bradley Asks: Why Do Jews Insist on Getting the...

Firewall with Bradley Tusk ·

2025/05/20

As a culture, Judaismis so rewarding and life-affirming, says Bradley, but he believes that the religious services rarely are so. Instead, he finds them tedious, antiquated, and decidedly unhelpful. While Reform Judaism, in his opinion, made some improvements, he still thinks it doesn't go far enough, so he lays out a vision for what would get him to synagogue. Plus, what New York loves about Jalen Brunson beyond his incredible clutch play, how Democrats can escape the quagmire of the Biden

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43:42

"You Want to be Popular? Go Sell Ice Cream."

Firewall with Bradley Tusk ·

2025/05/15

In the latest installment of The Race to Gracie Mansion, Zellnor Myrie, New York State Senator from Brooklyn, explains how he'll handle the hard stuff as mayor, like build one million new housing units over the next decade. "We have to think big, we have to," says Myrie. "I'm just so frustrated we've shrunk as a city in imagination. You want to be a naysayer, you sit in the corner and be a naysayer."This episode was taped at P&T Knitwear at 180 Orchard Street — New York City’s only free podcast

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47:46

Sam the Dog

Firewall with Bradley Tusk ·

2025/05/13

A heartfelt tribute to the first pet Bradley ever had, a rescue dog named Sam who was his inseparable companion for a decade. Plus, what the Happy City Index gets right and wrong,how he rates his own level of happiness about New York, and why the selection of the new pope is good for the world.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.Subscribe to

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46:42

The Once and Future Greatness of New York City

Firewall with Bradley Tusk ·

2025/05/08

Elizabeth Glazer, the founder of Vital City, joins Bradley to discuss the condition of our civic culture, what she is doing to inject big ideas into policymaking debates, and how Vital City's work can inspire New Yorkers to make the city a better place to live.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.Subscribe to Bradley's weekly newsletter, follow

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46:24

China Doesn't Have to Do Anything

Firewall with Bradley Tusk ·

2025/05/06

The Chinese government could hardly do a better job of attacking our key assets than what Trump is doing himself,argues Bradley. Will this really turn out well for his base? Plus, he reflects on what was better about New York City in the 1990s, why Tesla's board cannot afford to replace Elon Musk as CEO, and how strip malls are the key to LA's excellent food scene.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

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37:19

Pump Up the Police

Firewall with Bradley Tusk ·

2025/05/01

In the latest installment of the Race to Gracie Mansion, Curtis Sliwa makes a full-throated case for rebuilding the NYPD and improving public safety by restoringqualified immunity and aggressively recruiting new officers. He blasts Cuomo for being "a faux tough guy," talks about how — even as a Republican — to stand up to Trump, and champions a new coalition of moderates and animal lovers.This episode was taped at P&T Knitwear at 180 Orchard Street — New York City’s only free podcast recording

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01:04:47

Would You Eat At An Empty Restaurant?

Firewall with Bradley Tusk ·

2025/04/29

The concept of “norm cascades” influences everything from why we wouldn’t eat at an empty restaurant to why Bradley’s son was unimpressed with the recent NFL draft. On this episode of Firewall, Bradley is joined by guest co-host Cory Epstein where they dive deeper into norm cascades, Trump’s plunging approval rating, and an intriguing new AI regulation bill in California that could pick up from where SB 1047 left off after Governor Newsom’s veto last year. Plus, Bradley and Cory share their tips for

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27:24

The (Free) Bus Stops Here

Firewall with Bradley Tusk ·

2025/04/24

Next up on The Race to Gracie Mansion is Queens AssemblymemberZohran Mamdani, whoshares his socialist vision for a fairer, faster, and more functional New York—starting with rent freezes, universal childcare, and fast, free buses. Real leadership, he argues, means empowering experts, not micromanaging. A reimagined, newly empowered public sector is key to the city's future if he becomes mayor. This episode was taped at P&T Knitwear at 180 Orchard Street — New York City’s only free podcast

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40:15

The World Needs Another Outlier Pope

Firewall with Bradley Tusk ·

2025/04/22

The selection of the next pope, argues Bradley, isn't merely a religious decision but a face-off between competing global visions: one of fear-driven, zero-sum authoritarianism versus one rooted in love, abundance, and compassion. Church leaders have a chance to do more than celebrate Pope Francis’s legacy of moral courage — they can, and should, perpetuate it. Plus, how Chuck Schumer's own moment of moral courage could come back to bite him and why we need a new kind of punditry.This episode was

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