Boston Public Radio Podcast

Harvard professor and national security expert Juliette Kayyem returned to Boston Public Radio on Wednesday, offering her takeaways from Senate testimony given Tuesday by FBI Director Christopher Wray. Wray, an appointee of former President Donald Trump, spent hours responding to questions about the FBI’s investigations into the Jan. 6 insurrection, and warned that the threat of domestic terrorism has only increased in the weeks following the attack. “Wray was very, very clear that the violent element the FBI is investigating is fundamentally a white, racist, violent movement,” Kayyem noted, adding “that is actually really important to hear,” amid conspiracy theories about leftist involvement in the Jan. 6 riots, and overstated anxiety about the impact of the QAnon conspiracy on U.S. security. The CNN analyst went on to draw connections between the white supremacists storming the Capitol, and the racist foundation of Trump’s lies about tampered election results in states like Arizona and Georgia. “The

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners how they felt about the lack of government assistance in vaccine registration. Trenni Kusnierek discusses the pressure sports fans put on aging athletes, and Tiger Woods’ recent car accident. She also speaks about the MLB’s spring training “mercy rule.” Kusnierek is a reporter and anchor for NBC Sports Boston, and a weekly Boston Public Radio contributor. Councilor Annissa Essaibi-George shares her thoughts on school reopenings, and the learning gaps facing students of color. She also discusses vaccine inequity in Boston. Essaibi George is a Boston city councilor-at-large and candidate for mayor of Boston. Carol Rose talks about Tuesday’s Supreme Court hearings Brnovich v. DNC and Arizona Republican Party v. DNC, explaining how they could impact the strength of the Voting Rights Act. She also speaks about Mass. laws regarding facial recognition software. Rose is the Executive Director of the Mass. ACLU.  Next, we open the phone lines to

Today on Boston Public Radio: E.J. Dionne weighs in on what the events of last weekend’s CPAC can tell us about the future of Trumpism and the GOP. He also speaks about the nursing home scandal and sexual harassment allegations against Gov. Cuomo. Dionne is a columnist for The Washington Post and a senior fellow at The Brookings Institution. His latest book is "Code Red: How Progressives And Moderates Can Unite To Save Our Country.” Next, we open the phone lines to speak with listeners about the Baker administration’s plan to reopen schools by April. Charlie Sennott discusses President Biden’s decision to not penalize Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. He also talks about the firing of Myanmar’s U.N. ambassador Kyaw Moe Tu after he spoke out against the country’s military coup. Sennott is a GBH News analyst and the founder and CEO of The GroundTruth Project. Bob Thompson recaps the Golden Globes, highlighting Andra Day’s historic win for her performance in

Today on Boston Public Radio: Rep. Jon Santiago shares his thoughts on Gov. Baker’s vaccine rollout hearing, and whether Mass. is ready to reopen. He also discusses his entrance into the Boston mayoral race. Santiago is a Democratic State Representative for the 9th Suffolk district, a candidate for mayor, and an ER doctor at Boston Medical Center. We open the phone lines to hear what listeners had to say about Gov. Baker’s plans to reopen Mass. Sue O’Connell talks about the House’s passage of the Equality Act, and the uphill battle it faces in getting passed by the Senate. She also shares her thoughts on CPAC and Gov. Baker’s vaccine rollout. O’Connell is the co-publisher of Bay Windows and the South End News, as well as NECN's political commentator and explainer-in-chief. Rosa Brooks discusses her new book, “Tangled Up In Blue: Policing The American City,” and describes her experiences as a reserve police officer in D.C. Brooks is a former Pentagon official in the Obama administration and a professor of

Today on Boston Public Radio: Chuck Todd weighs in on CPAC and the state of the Republican party. He also shares his thoughts on how Gov. Cuomo’s nursing home scandal and sexual harassment allegations could impact the N.Y. Democratic party. Todd is the moderator of “Meet the Press” on NBC, host of “Meet the Press Daily" on MSNBC, and the Political Director for NBC News. We ask listeners what they thought about Gov. Baker and Mass. Education Commissioner Riley’s plan to reopen schools by April. Andrea Cabral discusses the recent acquittal of police officers involved in the death of Daniel Prude. She also argues that had former President Trump’s tax records been released earlier, members of Congress would have been more likely to impeach him. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and Massachusetts secretary of public safety. She’s currently the CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. Andy Ihnatko updates us on the latest tech headlines, from a global computer chip shortage to Facebook’s decision to ban M

Speaking on Boston Public Radio Thursday, former Mass. education secretary Paul Reville expressed support for a proposal presented Tuesday by the Baker administration, effectively forcing elementary classrooms to reopen by April. "I do think it’s the right direction to go in,” he said, citing decreasing COVID-19 cases in the state, and increasing knowledge about how to conduct in-person learning safely. He acknowledged, though, that the process is likely to be "complicated and controversial.” During the announcement earlier this week, Education Commissioner Jeffery Riley said he plans to ask schools in March to give him authority to determine when hybrid and remote learning models no longer count towards state-mandated learning hours. He added that the goal is to bring elementary student back by April, followed by middle and high school students “later in the school year." "It is not a set mandate,” Reville explained, calling the proposal an “indirect route” to getting children back in classrooms. “The gov

Today on Boston Public Radio: Jonathan Gruber weighs in on the debate over President Biden’s pledge to raise the federal minimum wage to $15. Gruber is the Ford Professor of Economics at MIT. He was instrumental in creating both the Massachusetts health-care reform and the Affordable Care Act, and his latest book is "Jump-Starting America How Breakthrough Science Can Revive Economic Growth and the American Dream." Next, we open the phone lines to ask listeners about the absence of office culture during the pandemic. Art Caplan talks about the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, as well as the lack of diversity in vaccine trial participants. Caplan is the Drs. William F and Virginia Connolly Mitty Chair, and director of the Division of Medical Ethics at the NYU School of Medicine. Tanja Bosak discusses NASA’s Perseverance rover, sharing what scientists expect to find on the Mars mission. She also talks about what it was like collaborating on the Perseverance rover in the midst of the pandemic. Bosak is a geobio

Today on Boston Public Radio: We open the phone lines to hear how listeners are processing the news that half a million Americans have died from COVID-19. Trenni Kusnierek discusses some professional athletes’ reluctance to do vaccine PSAs. She also shares her thoughts on the debate over whether Olympic athletes should jump the vaccine line. Kusnierek is a reporter and anchor for NBC Sports Boston, and a weekly Boston Public Radio contributor. Rep. Bill Driscoll previews this Thursday’s Mass. vaccine rollout oversight hearing, touching on the Vaxfinder website crash and the Baker administration’s response. Driscoll represents Milton & Randolph's 7th Norfolk District. Anne Miller talks about PPE supply shortages, and President Biden’s authorization of the Defense Production Act to ramp up PPE production. She also explains the differences between N95 and KN95 masks, and how to spot fake N95 and KN95 masks. Miller is the executive director of the Boston-based nonprofit Project N95. Shirley Leung discuss

Today on Boston Public Radio: Brian McGrory weighs in on the criticism lodged against Gov. Baker’s vaccine rollout. He also speaks about the Supreme Court’s denial of former President Trump's bid to conceal his financial records. McGrory is the editor-in-chief of The Boston Globe. Next, we open the phone lines to ask listeners what their experiences have been in registering for the COVID-19 vaccine. Michelle Singletary discusses this year’s confusing tax season, and how listeners can prepare their tax forms. She also talks about the underfunding of the IRS, which has a backlog of over 11 million unprocessed 2019 tax returns. Michelle Singletary is a nationally syndicated columnist for The Washington Post, whose award-winning column, "The Color of Money," provides insight into the world of personal finance. Her recent 10-part series titled “Sincerely Michelle,” breaks down enduring misconceptions involving race. She’s also the author of "The 21 Day Financial Fast." Councilor Michelle Wu shares her thoughts

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by opening the phone lines to talk with listeners about Sen. Ted Cruz and hypocrisy. Sue O’Connell weighs in on Sen. Ted Cruz trip to Cancun while Texans struggled with freezing temperatures and the loss of electricity. She also touches on the 2021 postponement of Boston Pride, and Elton John’s friendship with Rush Limbaugh. O’Connell is the co-publisher of Bay Windows and the South End News, as well as NECN's political commentator and explainer-in-chief. Emily Rooney talks about John Connolly’s recent release from prison, and the closure of Kenmore Square’s Eastern Standard, Island Creek Oyster Club, and Hawthorne. She also previewed this week’s episode of Beat the Press. Rooney is host of Beat the Press, which you can watch Friday nights at 7 p.m. Andy Ihnatko explains the showdown involving Google, Facebook, and the Australian government over paying for news content. He also talks about the U.S. digital divide, President Biden’s pick for the acting chair

Today on Boston Public Radio: Congressman Jake Auchincloss argues for the creation of a Mass. centralized preregistration vaccination site. He also explains why he believes former President Trump could be tried under the 14th Amendment for the Jan. 6 Capitol siege. Auchincloss is the Democratic congressman representing Massachusetts’ 4th Congressional District. Andrea Cabral explains how Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and the NAACP are using the 1871 Ku Klux Klan Act in their lawsuit against former President Trump and Rudy Giuliani. She also talks about the recent resurgence of debtors’ prisons. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and secretary of public safety. She’s currently the CEO of Ascend. Governor Baker addresses Thursday’s Vaxfinder website crash, as well as the criticism he's received on his handling of vaccine distribution. He also speaks about the state’s current vaccine capacity, and how his administration plans to increase the number of vaccines available in Mass. Chuck Todd discusse

Today on Boston Public Radio: Art Caplan weighs in on the recent firing of a Texas doctor after he distributed ten vaccines that were about to expire. He also argues for moving elite athletes further ahead in the vaccination line. Caplan is the Drs. William F and Virginia Connolly Mitty Chair, and director of the Division of Medical Ethics at the NYU School of Medicine. Carlo DeMaria responds to claims made by Everett City Councilor Gerly Adrien of racist treatment from her colleagues during her appearance on Monday's show. He also talks about Everett’s response to the pandemic, and his decision to distribute masks to every city resident. DeMaria is the mayor of Everett, Mass. Juliette Kayyem talks about the internal disarray of the QAnon conspiracy community, and the energy distribution issues facing Texas during their winter weather emergency. Kayyem is an analyst for CNN, former assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security and faculty chair of the homeland security program at Harvard Unive

Food writer Corby Kummer spoke to Boston Public Radio on Wednesday about universal free lunches amid the pandemic. “School lunch is one of the only mystifyingly good stories of the Trump administration during the pandemic - which is that they extended waivers so that entire families of students who were eligible for free school lunches could get them,” Kummer said. “All the children in the family would be eligible for these meals not just the students at eligible schools.” Universal school lunch aims to eliminate stigma around free meals, Kummer noted. “It’s not as big of a deal in Boston because there is universal lunch and breakfast offered to students already,” he said. “But in plenty of municipalities the terrible lunch shaming of students who are supposed to pay for school lunch but then fall into debt has been eliminated during COVID by these waivers.” There are now different bills trying to extend universal school lunch plans state-by-state and nationally, Kummer added. Kummer is a senior editor a

Today on Boston Public Radio: We start the show by opening phone lines to talk with listeners about whether they feel their life is on hold due to COVID-19. Trenni Kusnierek discusses the car crash involving former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid the day of the Super Bowl, and the leeway given to NFL athletes for bad behavior. She also speaks about Mark Cuban’s decision to omit the national anthem from Dallas Mavericks home games, arguing that the national anthem should be reserved for major sports events. Kusnierek is an anchor and reporter for NBC Sports Boston, and a weekly Boston Public Radio contributor. Rick Steves talks about the possibility of a COVID-19 vaccine passport, and what the U.S. could learn from Germany about remembering its own dark history. Steves is an author, television and radio host and the owner of the Rick Steves' Europe tour group. You can catch his television show, "Rick Steves’ Europe," weeknights at 7:30 p.m. on GBH 2 and his radio show, “Travel With Rick Steves

Before former President Trump’s impeachment trial began, Harvard Law School professor Jeannie Suk Gersen wrote in the New Yorker that his acquittal may send a worse message to society than if there were no trial at all. Gersen told Boston Public Radio on Monday, days after the acquittal vote, that she does think charging former President Trump for his role in inciting the insurrection and holding the public trial lessens the “message of impunity” for him. But, she said, the acquittal has “all kinds of resonance.” “It can mean that he was right in his election fraud claims, for some people that’s what it may mean, and for other people it may mean even worse things: that he has a political future in front of him and that he could be running for office in just a couple of years.” Jeannie Suk Gersen is a Harvard Law School professor, and a New Yorker contributor.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell condemned former President Trump for inciting the insurrection on Jan. 6, just hours after he’d voted to acquit Trump of the charge in the impeachment trial. McConnell, like many of his Republican colleagues, argued that regardless of Trump’s role, the impeachment trial was unconstitutional because it occurred after he had left office. Suffolk University Law Professor Renée Landers told Boston Public Radio that even though the acquittal was “preordained,” the trial itself was “necessary for the proceedings to happen, because … it established a record for the country about what happened on Jan. 6 and what the president’s actions were that day that led to an assault on the Capitol building.” Landers is a Professor of Law, Faculty Director of the Health and Biomedical Law Concentration, and Faculty Director of the Masters of Science in Law Life Sciences program at Suffolk University Law School in Boston.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Renée Landers shares her legal analysis of former President Trump’s impeachment trial, and discussed the importance of Congress establishing a timeline of what happened during the Jan. 6 Capitol siege for the public record. Landers is a professor of law and faculty director of the health and biomedical law concentration at Suffolk University’s School of Law. Next, we open the phone lines to hear listeners’ thoughts on the acquittal of former President Trump. Gerly Adrien speaks about her recent Boston Globe op-ed, where she discussed the higher standards she's being held to as a Black, female politician. She also touches on her colleagues’ calls for her resignation, and her ongoing campaign for reelection. Adrien is the City Councilor At-Large for the City of Everett. Jeannie Suk Gerson explains former President Trump’s acquittal in a political and cultural context. She also weighs in on whether Capitol siege rioters could be charged with treason, and former President Trump’s

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by taking listener calls about Gov. Baker’s “vaccine buddy system.” Sue O’Connell talks about the President of the Tokyo Olympics stepping down after sexist comments, and the potential for Trump family members to run for political office. She also weighs in on the resignation of Mass. Climate Change Undersecretary David Ismay. O’Connell is the co-publisher of Bay Windows and the South End News, as well as NECN's political commentator and explainer-in-chief. Next, we open phone lines to talk with listeners about day four of former President Trump’s impeachment trial. Scott Brown shares his views on today’s political climate, touching on divisiveness in Congress and the lawyers who proceeded with the claim that the 2020 election was stolen. Brown is the former U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa, the former U.S. Senator for Mass., and is now the Dean and President of New England Law Boston. We speak with listeners about the state of the Republican Party,

Today on Boston Public Radio: Jennifer Horn, former chair of the New Hampshire Republican Party, weighs in on former President Trump’s impeachment trial, and touches on her recent resignation from the Lincoln Project. She also speaks about how the country can become less divisive, and the state of disinformation in politics. We open phone lines to talk with listeners about how they thought the impeachment trial of former President Trump would proceed. Former Suffolk County sheriff and secretary of public safety Andrea Cabral shares her thoughts on dismissive comments from Senate Republicans about the impeachment trial of former President Trump, and offers critique of the arguments from Trump’s legal defense team. She also talks about the recent abolishment of the death penalty in Va. Next, we ask listeners what they thought about some Republican senators’ responses to audio and video evidence presented at the impeachment trial. Former Mass. education secretary Paul Reville discusses the challenges schoo

Former Massachusetts Education Secretary Paul Reville spoke to Boston Public Radio on Thursday about the timeline for reopening schools amid the pandemic. “It’s clear that for the balance of this semester, we’re not going to have in-person education fully restored in any of our big cities,” he said. “The fall [semester] is still an open question and depends how far we can penetrate with the vaccine.” Paul Reville is former state secretary of education and a professor at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, where he also runs the Education Redesign Lab. His latest book is "Broader, Bolder, Better: How Schools and Communities Help Students Overcome the Disadvantages of Poverty."