You Decide with Errol Louis

The Village Voice is widely considered being America’s first alt weekly newspaper. Started in 1955 by a small group of writers and editors that included Norman Mailer, the radical paper changed journalism. For six decades, the Voice covered politics, news and culture with a blend of energy and brashness, creating a style that inspired other writers and spawned weeklies across the country.

Tricia Romano was a nightlife columnist at the Voice and has written a critically acclaimed new book, “The Freaks Came Out to Write: The Definitive History of the Village Voice, the Radical Paper That Changed American Culture.” The oral history, drawing from over 200 interviews, is a colorful account of America’s most iconic weekly newspaper told through the voices of its legendary writers, editors and photographers. Romano joined NY1’s Errol Louis to discuss the book and why she felt compelled to write it after attending a reunion for the paper in 2017. They also touched on some memorable stories from the Village Voice’s 60-year tenure.

Join the conversation, weigh in on Twitter using the hashtag #NY1YouDecide or give us a call at 212-379-3440 and leave a message. Or send an email to YourStoryNY1@charter.com.

Fighting for the rights of immigrants and the impoverished during the Great Depression, Fiorello La Guardia was considered “America’s mayor” by millions of New Yorkers during his 12 years in office. In a new book about La Guardia, journalist and historian Terry Golway looks at the many political lessons to be learned from the former mayor’s leadership — and how they can be applied today.

Golway joined NY1’s Errol Louis to talk about La Guardia’s legacy and discussed his post-mayoral life, the funny story of how an airport opened in his name and how La Guardia would be perceived in today’s political climate. 

Join the conversation, weigh in on Twitter using the hashtag #NY1YouDecide or give us a call at 212-379-3440 and leave a message. Or send an email to YourStoryNY1@charter.com.

There are a little over nine months until the 60th presidential election in November. As the primaries wrap up, it remains clear that it will be a rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.

Michael Beschloss is an American historian specializing in the United States presidency and is the author of nine books on the topic. He joined NY1's Errol Louis for an interview hosted by Temple Emanuel in Great Neck. They discussed what we can expect from the candidates over the next nine months as the race heats up. They also touched on Trump’s recent remarks regarding NATO, the current dialogue around the age of both candidates and the difficulties in how the media will go about covering the election. They also took questions from members of the congregation.

Join the conversation, weigh in on Twitter using the hashtag #NY1YouDecide or give us a call at 212-379-3440 and leave a message. Or send an email to YourStoryNY1@charter.com.

Racism often ensures that Black Americans get worse results than other groups when they visit the doctor or an emergency room. It not only affects patients: only 2% of physicians in the U.S. are Black women. Dr. Uché Blackstock is trying to level the playing field. A New York-based physician, Blackstock is the author of “Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism In Medicine,” which addresses the deep inequities in the American health care system.

Dr. Blackstock joined NY1’s Errol Louis to discuss her efforts as well as her childhood in Crown Heights as the daughter of a physician, and the potential ramifications of shuttering the SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn. 

Join the conversation, weigh in on Twitter using the hashtag #NY1YouDecide or give us a call at 212-379-3440 and leave a message. Or send an email to YourStoryNY1@charter.com.

With the presidential race already underway, NY1’s Errol Louis decided to have a candid conversation with Allan Lichtman, an acclaimed historian who has devised a successful system that has — with one exception — correctly predicted the winner of the last ten presidential elections.

Lichtman discussed his 13-point checklist for presidential campaigns and where we currently stand in the race.

Join the conversation, weigh in on Twitter using the hashtag #NY1YouDecide or give us a call at 212-379-3440 and leave a message. Or send an email to YourStoryNY1@charter.com.

Scott Stringer spent three decades in New York politics before badly losing in the Democratic primary for mayor in 2021. But a few weeks ago, with Mayor Eric Adams facing low poll numbers, the former city comptroller announced he was exploring another run for mayor. 

Stringer joined NY1’s Errol Louis for a candid conversation about sexual harassment allegations he faced in 2021 that badly damaged his campaign. They also talked about his upbringing in the world of politics and why he believes he could do a better job than Adams. Finally, they discussed the Adams administration’s struggles with housing, cuts to the city’s pre-K and 3-K programs, and the migrant crisis. 

Join the conversation, weigh in on Twitter using the hashtag #NY1YouDecide or give us a call at 212-379-3440 and leave a message. Or send an email to YourStoryNY1@charter.com.

Halfway through his term in office, Mayor Eric Adams delivered his annual State of the City address, detailing proposals covering everything from the ongoing migrant crisis to public safety to housing and the economy. He also said Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan has declared social media a public health threat.

Joining NY1’s Errol Louis to talk about where things stand in the Adams administration is Nicole Gelinas, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, a contributing editor of City Journal, and a columnist at the New York Post. Additionally, they discuss the details of the city’s emergency hotel contracts to shelter migrant families.  

Join the conversation, weigh in on Twitter using the hashtag #NY1YouDecide or give us a call at 212-379-3440 and leave a message. Or send an email to YourStoryNY1@charter.com.

A year after Gov. Kathy Hochul and state lawmakers failed to reach a deal on a housing plan, they’re back at work in the State Capitol with the governor making a more modest proposal to build affordable homes across the state.

One person who’s fighting every day to end the crisis is Cea Weaver, who co-founded the Housing Justice for All coalition. Weaver joined NY1’s Errol Louis to discuss the governor’s plans and what may make this year different from the last. They also talked about what’s known as “Good Cause Eviction,” pathways to social housing and the upside to reviving state-subsidized housing programs.

Join the conversation, weigh in on Twitter using the hashtag #NY1YouDecide or give us a call at 212-379-3440 and leave a message. Or send an email to YourStoryNY1@charter.com.

This week, Gov. Kathy Hochul delivered her third State of the State address, focusing on housing proposals and plans to make the state a safer and more affordable place to live by addressing mental health care — especially in young New Yorkers. Her agenda is much more scaled back than in previous years, as the state faces a $4 billion budget gap and state lawmakers seek reelection.

NY1’s Errol Louis was joined by Nick Reisman, state politics reporter of Politico New York, and Ian Pickus, WAMC radio news director, for a detailed look at the address. They analyzed the governor’s focus on crime and public safety, and the notable decision to exclude the migrant crisis from her speech. They also talked about how lawmakers will react to her priorities and how previous administrations have failed to tackle issues like artificial intelligence. And, they discussed Hochul’s other initiatives, such as an investment in swimming lessons and improving access to pools. 

Join the conversation, weigh in on Twitter using the hashtag #NY1YouDecide or give us a call at 212-379-3440 and leave a message. Or send an email to YourStoryNY1@charter.com.

This week, in addition to celebrating its five-year anniversary, NY1’s “You Decide” is taking a quick look back at 2023 with an eye on 2024. Errol Louis selected some of his favorite episodes of the podcast from the past 12 months, and discussed why he found each conversation so memorable and relevant to the year ahead. He revisited his interviews with various authors, politicians, activists, the mayor of New York City and many others to see what the future may hold in a year that promises to be even more eventful.

Join the conversation, weigh in on Twitter using the hashtag #NY1YouDecide or give us a call at 212-379-3440 and leave a message. Or send an email to YourStoryNY1@charter.com.

Bradley Tusk is no stranger to politics. He was Sen. Chuck Schumer’s communications director and former Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s campaign manager. He was also a political consultant for Uber. All of this experience finds its way into his debut novel “Obvious in Hindsight,” a behind-the-scenes look at a campaign to legalize flying cars in New York City, Los Angeles and Austin, told from the perspectives of a vivid cast of characters — political operatives, venture capitalists, startup founders, TV hosts, union bosses, FBI agents, Russian mobsters — pushing for the campaign’s success and plotting its downfall.

Tusk joined Errol Louis to discuss his new book and how its origins lie in a TV series that got derailed by the pandemic and, funny enough, how it contains a fictionalized version of Errol’s nightly show, “Inside City Hall.” The conversation also touches on the pros and cons of mobile voting, as well as venture capitalism, regulatory issues and autonomous vehicles. 

Join the conversation, weigh in on Twitter using the hashtag #NY1YouDecide or give us a call at 212-379-3440 and leave a message. Or send an email to YourStoryNY1@charter.com.

In late 1991, some Democrats were hopeful that Mario Cuomo would finally agree to run for president. When he didn’t, President-elect Bill Clinton then wanted to appoint him to the Supreme Court. He cast aside these opportunities, and instead lost a bid for a fourth term as governor.

Why didn’t Cuomo run for president? Why didn’t he accept Clinton’s appointment? And how did he lose to a relatively unknown freshman state senator named George Pataki? Episode 3 of “Mario Cuomo: The Last Liberal” attempts to answer the questions that have captured the minds of many New Yorkers for decades, while examining Cuomo’s legacy and looking at his life after politics.

Forty years ago, Mario Cuomo began his three-term tenure as governor. He inherited a state that was in the midst of a fiscal crisis and a crime problem. With the help of his top aide, Michael Del Giudice, Cuomo began to tackle the budget and try to get the state in order.

To complicate matters, in 1984, Cuomo gave the keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention that thrust him into the national spotlight and led to pressure from Democrats for him to pursue the presidential nomination in future elections.

From the perspective of his key advisers and the reporters that covered him, we’ll hear how Cuomo managed to juggle governing and external pressures while keeping his ideals intact, and we’ll learn how the decisions he struggled to make have had a lasting effect on both the state and the country. 

2023 marks 40 years since Mario Cuomo was sworn in as governor of New York for the first time.

Cuomo was one of the most unlikely politicians the state had seen in a long time. The child of illiterate working-class immigrants who owned a grocery store in South Jamaica, Cuomo was a public-school genius who found himself graduating at the top of his class at St. John’s Law School. After taking a few pro-bono cases representing homeowners in Queens, Cuomo found himself encouraged to enter politics by legendary journalists Jimmy Breslin and Pete Hamill, as well as NYC Mayor John Lindsay. What followed was a wild rise up the ranks, one that included a highly publicized run for mayor, as well as turns as lieutenant governor and New York secretary of state before finally being elected governor.

From the perspective of his advisers and the reporters that covered him – some of them speaking about their experiences with Cuomo for the first time – we'll find out how Cuomo managed to become a major political figure in the Democratic Party despite having a background that differed from most elected officials. 

See more on our Mario Cuomo series at ny1.com/mariocuomo.

With Ronald Reagan and the GOP dominating America’s political landscape in the 1980s, Democrats were largely dispirited and looking for someone to push back against a new wave of conservatism. Improbably, Mario Cuomo, the son of a grocer from Queens, became one of their heroes.

Serving as governor of New York for 12 years, Cuomo was one of the chief standard-bearers of liberalism at a time when the political pendulum was swinging to the right. Even as many New Yorkers were increasingly worried about crime, Cuomo strongly resisted any calls for the death penalty, saying it made no sense morally or pragmatically. Filled with passion, Cuomo’s address on abortion rights and his keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention in 1984 are still studied today by students of the political craft and by those trying to explain the DNA of the Democratic Party.

Cuomo was well-positioned to take his positions and ambitions nationally and launch a presidential campaign in 1992. Why Cuomo never pulled the trigger is one of the great mysteries of New York politics. 

Told from the perspective of his key advisors and the reporters that covered him, this special three-part podcast with NY1’s Errol Louis traces the rise of Mario Cuomo, measures his impact on New York and America, and tries to solve the riddle of why Cuomo didn’t run for president.

As we enter the holiday season, we celebrate GivingTuesday, where nonprofit groups hope to inspire people’s generosity. NY1’s Errol Louis is dedicating an episode of “You Decide” to 10 of his favorite charities in New York City.

The conversation also includes a quick look back at the past year of “You Decide,“ as well as at an exciting new podcast series that will drop in the weeks to come. 

Join the conversation, weigh in on Twitter using the hashtag #NY1YouDecide or give us a call at 212-379-3440 and leave a message. Or send an email to YourStoryNY1@charter.com.

“Doppelgänger: A Trip Into the Mirror World” is the most recent book by social activist Naomi Klein. The book has an unlikely premise: Klein has often been confused with author Naomi Wolf. Klein uses this confusion to tell her most personal story yet, but along the way writes of the online paranoia that rose through the pandemic. The “other Naomi” is a rabid anti-vaxxer and conspiracy theorist and, in many ways, Klein’s polar opposite.

Klein joined NY1’s Errol Louis to talk about her new book and the allure of the world of conspiracy theories after tragic events occur. They also discussed the public’s fascination with cloning, doppelgänger literature, and the monetization of conspiracy theories. Finally, the conversation touched on the diverging paths she and Wolf took, the Israel-Hamas war and the dangers of using words like “fringe” to describe the far right. 

Join the conversation, weigh in on Twitter using the hashtag #NY1YouDecide or give us a call at 212-379-3440 and leave a message. Or send an email to YourStoryNY1@charter.com.

Veteran journalist Joe Sexton spent over two decades at the New York Times, where he was both Metro Editor and Sports Editor. Following a lengthy stay at ProPublica, the Brooklyn native started writing a magazine story about two tragic deaths in Omaha stemming from the 2020 George Floyd protests. The magazine piece turned into a book, and this year, the critically acclaimed account, “The Lost Sons of Omaha: Two Young Men in an American Tragedy,” was published.

Sexton joined NY1’s Errol Louis for a discussion in front of a live audience at the Center for Brooklyn History. They talked about their careers in journalism, including their early days together at the City Sun, and what drove Sexton to write a book about the deaths. They also weighed in on the death of local newspapers, how social media can both positively and negatively affect how a story gets told, and how “the good old days” weren’t always so good. 

Join the conversation, weigh in on Twitter using the hashtag #NY1YouDecide or give us a call at 212-379-3440 and leave a message. Or send an email to YourStoryNY1@charter.com.

During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Melissa DeRosa became a familiar face as she sat by Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s side during his popular daily briefings. As his top aide, she also stood by him amid a barrage of sexual harassment allegations, which led to Cuomo’s resignation in August 2021. Two years later, DeRosa returns with a memoir called “What’s Left Unsaid: My Life at the Center of Power, Politics & Crisis.”

She joined NY1’s Errol Louis to discuss her book and the many allegations Cuomo faced. They also discussed the status of the #MeToo movement, as well as her thoughts on Gov. Kathy Hochul. Finally, they talked about some of the decisions the administration made as New York City faced an unprecedented pandemic in March 2020.

Join the conversation, weigh in on Twitter using the hashtag #NY1YouDecide or give us a call at 212-379-3440 and leave a message. Or send an email to YourStoryNY1@charter.com.

About 600,000 people are released from prison every year but finding support for them to reintegrate into society is a challenge. While the United States spends billions of dollars on incarceration, funding for reentry services remains limited. JoAnne Page is trying to change those numbers. As president and CEO of the Fortune Society, Page has fought to support successful reentry as well as promote alternatives to incarceration, strengthening the fabric of our communities. After 34 years at her job, Page recently announced she’s stepping down at the end of this year.

Page joined Errol to discuss her career at the Fortune Society, taking about the Society’s origins, how she found her life’s calling at 18 and what her plans are for the future. They also talked about the impact of the Black Lives Matter movement, the limited prospects for people when they are released from prison and how we may be entering a new era of mass incarceration.

Join the conversation, weigh in on Twitter using the hashtag #NY1YouDecide or give us a call at 212-379-3440 and leave a message. Or send an email to YourStoryNY1@charter.com