Dan Burstein is not your typical venture capitalist. He started as a journalist and has written 14 books on everything from Japanese finance to what makes a great thriller. He talks to Bradley about the precarious state of venture investing, as well as his latest book, a children's story called 'The Ivy Hero: The Brave Life of Sergeant William Shemin', co-written with Sara Shemin Cass, about a relative of theirs who they refuse to let be forgotten.

Bradley considers the rise and fall and rise again of President Trump as a Biblical allegory. He -- meaning God, not Bradley — wants to show us where a Zero Sum view of life (and politics) leads. But will we heed His message this time? Plus, Bradley applauds New York's City of Yes housing plan and floats an idea for a national housing program modeled on Obama's Race to the Top education initiative. If it was sold the right way, Trump might just like it. Especially if God gives it a nudge.

When it comes to government corruption, nobody touches Illinois. Bradley talks to Ray Long and Rick Pearson, investigative and political reporters for the Chicago Tribune, about their excellent series on the state's legacy of crooked politics and why people say the Governor's Mansion in Springfield is a better stepping stone to the Big House than to the White House. This episode was taped at P&T Knitwear at 180 Orchard Street — New York City’s only free podcast recording studio. Send us...

If you make voters feel stupid or small or bad about themselves, says Bradley, they hate you for it. And that's exactly what too many Democrats have been doing since 2016, if not before. Plus. he expresses guarded optimism about the Elon-Vivek commission, admires the abject political malpractice that is congestion pricing in New York and celebrates the end of broker fees for city renters. This episode was taped at P&T Knitwear at 180 Orchard Street — New York City’s only free podcast...

Why does business success often go hand in hand with cluelessness at politics? Bradley talks to Dana Mattioli, reporter for The Wall Street Journal and author of "The Everything War: Amazon’s Ruthless Quest to Own the World and Remake Corporate Power" and gets her perspective on Bezos in a two-part conversation recorded both before and after the recent election. This episode was taped at P&T Knitwear at 180 Orchard Street — New York City’s only free podcast recording studio. Send us an...

Anyone who has paid 15% of their annual rent in brokers fees for someone to let you into an apartment for only 10 minutes knows the practice is nothing more than legalized theft — and the City Council is voting today, November 13, on the FARE Act to finally end it. So we're rereleasing a October 2023 episode with Council Member Chi Ossé, the main sponsor of the FARE Act, about his fight against the real estate lobby and how making the city more attractive and accessible to young people can...

No, says Bradley, but in this environment of social-media-fueled anger and discontent, they have to be open to difficult feedback, be honest with themselves and voters about where they've fallen short and show people just how hard they're willing to work. Plus, Bradley floats an idea for protecting Jews around the world from attacks like the ones we saw last week in Amsterdam. It's time to meet anti-Semitism head-on. This episode was taped at P&T Knitwear at 180 Orchard Street — New York...

The Democrats' hard, sobering defeat last night revealed uncomfortable truths about what a majority of Americans want from their leaders. Bradley and Chris Coffey, CEO of Tusk Strategies, zero in on their areas of expertise — New York politics, tech regulation, cryptocurrency, anti-hunger campaigns and mobile voting — and talk about where we go from here. "There is no real silver lining here -- it is a bad outcome for America and the world," says Bradley. "With that said, once we get through...

On this Election Day 2024, Bradley takes a temporary pass on politics. Instead, he offers this exercise in wellness: Which personal qualities are most likely to make you feel fulfilled and happy? He, Meaghan and Hugo conduct a draft from a list he drew up of 40 traits. Feel free to keep the news on hold for an hour and play along at home. 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...

...since the creation of the Internet. Bradley talks to Adam Zeplain of Austin-based mark vc, about the reasons to be fired up about business ("A lot of this stuff that was a pipe dream now seems like it's pretty real'), even-keeled about politics ("I'm going to focus on what I can do personally to live a good life, support people, think independently, and try to do what's right, regardless who's in office") and fiercely loyal to Austin and its people. This episode was taped at P&T...

Not a single vote was won or lost when the Washington Post declined to endorse a Presidential candidate, but it is a frightening portend, says Bradley, of how small-d democratic institutions could lose their nerve in a second Trump administration. Plus: Mayor Adams' handling of Trump has been smart and effective, why Cuomo would be wise to stay out of the race for City Hall, why there's nothing wrong with how Elon Musk is playing politics and Bradley's masterplan for giving baseball a bright...

How much does a great reputation cost? Bradley talks to Anupreeta Das, New York Times correspondent and author of Billionaire, Nerd, Savior, King: Bill Gates and His Quest to Shape Our World, about the precarious blend of personal ambition and high-stakes philanthropy. 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: [email protected]. Subscribe to Bradley's weekly...

To get a true reading of where he sits on the political spectrum, Bradley takes a 20-question quiz, covering everything from wealth disparity to whether we have enough cops. Will he like the answer he gets? Plus, he breaks down Uber’s potential takeover of Expedia, explains why the Mets’ downfall didn’t ruin his weekend much less his life, and issues a retraction (!!!) for a recommendation made on a previous episode.  This episode was taped at P&T Knitwear at 180 Orchard Street — New York...

Wouldn't we be better off if the Democrat and Republican parties each split in half and we had four candidates vying for the presidency instead of two? How is that even imaginable? Bradley talks to Rob Richie, co-founder of FairVote, a group that champions Ranked Choice Voting, about electoral reforms that promise to restore genuine democracy, as opposed to whatever it is we have now. This episode was taped at P&T Knitwear at 180 Orchard Street — New York City’s only free podcast...

How Harris and Trump administrations will differ on managing the economy, business and tech. Plus, Bradley talks about mysterious drones, going to movies in person, mini-golf vs. real golf, the pluses and minuses of living in Soho, the New Yorker's big piece on Chris Lehane, alternatives to "taking a knee" in football and why men not going to college is a serious warning signal. This episode was taped at P&T Knitwear at 180 Orchard Street — New York City’s only free podcast recording...

Serious question: Do mediocre and average mean the same thing? Everybody Bradley asked told him no, that mediocre is worse, but he remains convinced they are the same. Plus, he cheers the federal court's ruling in favor of Epic Games in its lawsuit against Google over monopolistic behavior, outlines the philosophical dilemmas he has been wrestling with at synagogue and explains why Kamala Harris's position on guns is the blueprint for the pragmatic policies that a clear majority of Americans...

While New York City Mayor Eric Adams is under indictment and more of his top aides have departed, the work of running New York City doesn't stop. On this special edition of Firewall, Bradley and Jamie Rubin, board chairman of the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), sit down with three close-knit colleagues who are leading New York during this unprecedented time: Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi, Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, Workforce Maria Torres-Springer, and...

As superintendent of the NY Department of Financial Services, Adrienne Harris may be the most important person you've never heard of. She talks to Bradley about the unique challenges of regulating the all-powerful financial industry —  banks, trading firms, hedge funds, private equity, pension managers, insurance companies, crypto, you name it, 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...

Bradley reviews the issues that are demanding his attention this week: Mobile voting, the potential for an invasion of Lebanon, Walz v. Vance, the spectacular Knicks trade, and Malcolm Gladwell. Send us an email with your thoughts on today’s episode: [email protected]. Subscribe to Bradley's weekly newsletter, follow Bradley on Linkedin + Substack + YouTube, be sure to order his new book, Vote With Your Phone, and RSVP to an upcoming event on his cross country book tour.  Oct. 5: Politics...

Bradley assesses the immediate aftermath of the indictment of Mayor Eric Adams — who’s running from the crisis, who’s hurt (in addition to Adams) and who stands to gain.  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: [email protected]. Subscribe to Bradley's weekly newsletter, follow Bradley on Linkedin + Substack + YouTube, be sure to order his new book, Vote...

After Bradley and Chris Coffey analyze how Mayor Adams can pull himself out of the vortex of scandal, Bradley goes on a rant about the declining decorum of New Yorkers, including phone-absorbed subway passengers blocking exits and bicyclists going the wrong way or riding on the sidewalk. Chris argues that life is gentler and more humane in Brooklyn; Bradley scoffs at his invitation to move there. This episode was taped at P&T Knitwear at 180 Orchard Street — New York City’s only free...

Could abortion rights ever be rolled back in a blue state like New York? After Democrats lost a bunch of House seats in the last cycle, says Sasha Ahuja, the campaign director for New Yorkers for Equal Rights, that no longer seems so far-fetched. She talks to Bradley about Prop 1, a ballot initiative to enshrine reproductive freedom in the New York State Constitution. Vote With Your Phone Book Tour: RSVP and info for all events at votewithyourphone.org. Sept. 24: Roosevelt House Public...

Today is the hotly awaited publication date for Vote With Your Phone: Why Mobile Voting Is Our Final Shot at Saving Democracy, written (of course) by your Firewall host Bradley Tusk. Which is more than merely a book; it's a movement. To mark the occasion, Bradley undergoes the third degree from Meaghan and Hugo, answering the personal questions others might be afraid to ask and making the case for how common sense has become radical. Vote With Your Phone Book Tour: RSVP and info for all...

Or are they all just Trump voters who don't want to admit it? Chris Coffey of Tusk Strategies joins Bradley to check on the vital signs of the American political class, including the aftermath of the presidential debate, a big victory in Delaware, the storm clouds descending on Mayor Eric Adams, why there's a big opening for a woman to run for City Hall (but who?), and what's the beef between Nancy Pelosi and Governor Hochul. This episode was taped at P&T Knitwear at 180 Orchard Street —...