Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI Radio in New York

Little-known outside his home state until Donald Trump made him his running mate, Mike Pence—who proclaims himself a Christian first, a conservative second, and a Republican third—has long worn a carefully-constructed mask of Midwestern nice. Pence’s drive for power, perhaps inspired by his belief that God might have big plans for him, explains why he shocked his allies by lending Christian credibility to a scandal-plagued candidate like Trump. In their new book "The Shadow President: The Truth About Mike Pence," Pulitzer Prize-winner Michael D’Antonio and Emmy-nominated journalist Peter Eisner follow the path Pence followed from Catholic Democrat to conservative evangelical Republican. They reveal how he used his time as rightwing radio star to build connections with powerful donors; how he was a lackluster lawmaker in Congress but a prodigious fundraiser from the GOP’s billionaire benefactors; and how, once he locked in his views on the issues—anti-gay, pro-gun, anti-abortion, pro big-business—he became laser-focused on his own pursuit of power. In this episode of "Leonard Lopate at Large," Leonard examines the personal backstory of the Vice President with two experts on the subject.

Little-known outside his home state until Donald Trump made him his running mate, Mike Pence—who proclaims himself a Christian first, a conservative second, and a Republican third—has long worn a carefully-constructed mask of Midwestern nice. Pence’s drive for power, perhaps inspired by his belief that God might have big plans for him, explains why he shocked his allies by lending Christian credibility to a scandal-plagued candidate like Trump. In their new book "The Shadow President: The Truth About Mike Pence," Pulitzer Prize-winner Michael D’Antonio and Emmy-nominated journalist Peter Eisner follow the path Pence followed from Catholic Democrat to conservative evangelical Republican. They reveal how he used his time as rightwing radio star to build connections with powerful donors; how he was a lackluster lawmaker in Congress but a prodigious fundraiser from the GOP’s billionaire benefactors; and how, once he locked in his views on the issues—anti-gay, pro-gun, anti-abortion, pro big-business—he became laser-focused on his own pursuit of power. In this episode of "Leonard Lopate at Large," Leonard examines the personal backstory of the Vice President with two experts on the subject.

In this installment of “Leonard Lopate at Large,” the two co-directors of Arizona State University’s new Weaponized Narrative Initiative, Braden Allenby and Joel Garreau will join Leonard to talk about this new front in the battle for international supremacy. Why have potential adversaries such as Russia have been so successful at engaging in asymmetric warfare by exploiting our weaknesses? What challenges do emerging technologies present, not just to military and security organizations, but to democratic principles and institutions? Find out in this show.

In this installment of “Leonard Lopate at Large,” the two co-directors of Arizona State University’s new Weaponized Narrative Initiative, Braden Allenby and Joel Garreau will join Leonard to talk about this new front in the battle for international supremacy. Why have potential adversaries such as Russia have been so successful at engaging in asymmetric warfare by exploiting our weaknesses? What challenges do emerging technologies present, not just to military and security organizations, but to democratic principles and institutions? Find out in this show.

Brian Abrams’s new book “OBAMA: An Oral History 2009-2017” is the first comprehensive look into President Barack Obama’s White House. Featuring on-the-record conversations with over 100 West Wing staffers, administration insiders, legislators, political opponents and rival campaign managers, the book offers what Kirkus Review called “an entertaining, enlightening look at an administration that was never dull.” In this installment of “Leonard Lopate at Large,” Brian tells Leonard about the revelations he uncovered about America’s first African-American president while working on the book and reflects on the process that went into compiling the first oral history of Obama’s eight years of in office, as told by the people who were there.

Brian Abrams’s new book “OBAMA: An Oral History 2009-2017” is the first comprehensive look into President Barack Obama’s White House. Featuring on-the-record conversations with over 100 West Wing staffers, administration insiders, legislators, political opponents and rival campaign managers, the book offers what Kirkus Review called “an entertaining, enlightening look at an administration that was never dull.” In this installment of “Leonard Lopate at Large,” Brian tells Leonard about the revelations he uncovered about America’s first African-American president while working on the book and reflects on the process that went into compiling the first oral history of Obama’s eight years of in office, as told by the people who were there.

In this installment of "Leonard Lopate at Large" on WBAI, revered author Ann Beattie joins Leonard for the second installment in our Underread Book Club, the short stories of Jean Stafford. Though her first novel, “Boston Adventure” was a national best seller, earning her national acclaim, it was Stafford’s short stories—first published in The New Yorker and various literary magazines—that earned her a Pulitzer Prize. In this installment of “Leonard Lopate at Large,” Leonard and Ann will focus on this revered body of work that often doesn’t receive the level of attention it deserves in the modern era.

In this installment of "Leonard Lopate at Large" on WBAI, revered author Ann Beattie joins Leonard for the second installment in our Underread Book Club, the short stories of Jean Stafford. Though her first novel, “Boston Adventure” was a national best seller, earning her national acclaim, it was Stafford’s short stories—first published in The New Yorker and various literary magazines—that earned her a Pulitzer Prize. In this installment of “Leonard Lopate at Large,” Leonard and Ann will focus on this revered body of work that often doesn’t receive the level of attention it deserves in the modern era.

Uber, Lyft and other ride-hailing services have become a ubiquitous presence in the five boroughs over the past several years, but their popularity has raised questions about whether drivers can actually make a living working for them. The City Council recently voted to halt the issuing of new licenses for these services, and to set a minimum wage for drivers, based on the new study “An Earnings Standard for New York City’s App-based Drivers: Economic Analysis and Policy Assessment,” which looked at pay rates and working conditions for drivers working in the ride-sharing economy. On Friday’s show, one of the co-authors of the study, Dr. James A. Parrott, joins Leonard in the studio for a discussion of this complicated and controversial issue.

Uber, Lyft and other ride-hailing services have become a ubiquitous presence in the five boroughs over the past several years, but their popularity has raised questions about whether drivers can actually make a living working for them. The City Council recently voted to halt the issuing of new licenses for these services, and to set a minimum wage for drivers, based on the new study “An Earnings Standard for New York City’s App-based Drivers: Economic Analysis and Policy Assessment,” which looked at pay rates and working conditions for drivers working in the ride-sharing economy. On Friday’s show, one of the co-authors of the study, Dr. James A. Parrott, joins Leonard in the studio for a discussion of this complicated and controversial issue.