Boston Public Radio Podcast

Today on Boston Public Radio: M.I.T economist Jonathan Gruber analyzes President Biden’s $1.9 trillion stimulus plan, and how it could affect the economy at large. CNN analyst Juliette Kayyem discussed the build-up of domestic terrorism incidents under President Trump, culminating in the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. She also gave her thoughts on anti-vaxxers during COVID-19, and discussed how organizers are preparing for the Tokyo Olympics. Next, we open phone lines to hear listeners’ thoughts on former President Trump’s impeachment trial. Rep. Ayanna Pressley weighs in on the first day of President Trump’s impeachment trial, and the debate among Democrats around cancelling student debt. She also talks about vaccine equity in Mass., touching on the lack of vaccination sites in communities of color. Then, we return to listeners, taking calls on the impeachment of former President Trump. Medical ethicist Art Caplan talks about worries around COVID-19 variations, and whether it’s time for restaurants to

Juliette Kayyem made her weekly appearance on Boston Public Radio Wednesday, where she spoke about America’s relationship with the coronavirus in the years and decades to come. She contrasted pandemics with other varieties of crisis, like natural disasters or terrorist attacks, “where the thing comes and goes,” and explained that pandemics are fundamentally different because the viruses stick around. “The vaccine is a major contributor to getting back to normal-ish,” the CNN analyst prefaced. “But it doesn’t eradicate the virus, it simply makes us able to live with the virus. She continued, noting that certain aspects of our life “probably, are changed for good.” “I think masking will be a huge part of our lives for the years to come,” she predicted. But she was also keen to emphasize that things are likely to get much better in the near-term, considering the acute grimness of pandemic wintertime in New England. “I promise you, I think by May or June, you’re going to feel 70-75% more normal – or towards

Today on Boston Public Radio: Washington Post op-ed columnist EJ Dionne weighs in on former President Trump’s Senate impeachment trial, and whether Republicans will choose to associate with Trump and the violence that took place at the Capitol on Jan. 6. He also spoke on hopes for bipartisanship in the Biden administration. Next, we open phone lines to discuss former President Trump’s Senate impeachment trial. Harvard professor Danielle Allen offers her views on how the country can come back from the Jan. 6 Capitol siege. She also argues for universal mandatory voter participation, and discusses her potential Mass. gubernatorial run. Next, we speak with listeners on about whether they’re willing to listen to the views of those on the opposite side of the political spectrum. Sen. Jeff Flake speaks on former President Trump’s Senate impeachment trial, and why he thinks it may be a turning point for the Republican party. He also offers some predictions on how impeachment proceedings might play out among R

Today on Boston Public Radio: Constitutional law expert Laurence Tribe explains what’s likely to could happen at former President Trump’s Senate impeachment trial, including possible First Amendment defense arguments from GOP senators, and what Trump could actually end up being charged with. NBC Sports Boston reporter and anchor Trenni Kusnierek discusses Sunday night’s Super Bowl, quarterback Tom Brady’s record seven Super Bowl wins, and lingering issues with racial equity in the NFL. Next, we open phone lines to talk with listeners about Tom Brady’s historic career, and hypocrisy in the NFL around racial equity. Ali Noorani, CEO of the National Immigration Forum, speaks about President Biden’s upcoming plan to decrease deportations and arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He also discussed the new bipartisan Senate DACA initiative, and what it could mean for the thousands of so-called Dreamers. Reverends Irene Monroe and Emmett Price, hosts of GBH’s All Rev’d Up, weigh in on the hypocrisy

Today on Boston Public Radio: We open phone lines to talk with listeners about Gov. Baker’s loosening of COVID restrictions in Massachusetts, and whether the state is ready. Media maven Sue O’Connell talks about Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Feb. 2 Instagram live where she revealed she’s a victim of sexual assault, and the subsequent backlash she faced for it. She also discusses President Biden’s foreign policy memo on global LGBT rights, and the significance of having several openly LGBT officials serve in his administration. Beat the Press host Emily Rooney talks about MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell’s chaotic Tuesday appearance on NewsMax, and Tom Brady’s “Mean Tweets” segment on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Tech writer Andy Ihnatko explains some of the ways that Gov. Baker’s vaccine website could have been more user-friendly. He also weighs in on a new user privacy feature from Apple, and how tech giants like Facebook are responding. Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, offers her

The Gloucester House is, like a number of local restaurants during this harsh COVID winter, on hiatus. But its private function hall is far from empty, food policy writer Corby Kummer told Boston Public Radio on Friday. The restaurant has opened its doors to the Grace Shelter, to provide a warm haven for local people who are experiencing homelessness. “They’re showing the way for local businesses to use their facilities for good, when organizations have lost their facilities,” said Kummer. Kummer is executive director of the Food and Society policy program at the Aspen Institute, a senior editor at The Atlantic and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy.

Today on Boston Public Radio: NBC “Meet the Press” moderator Chuck Todd discusses dual House GOP votes on the standings of Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Liz Cheney, news on the latest incoming COVID-19 relief bill, and former President Trump’s upcoming Senate impeachment trial. Next, we open phone lines to talk about listeners’ love-hate relationships with Facebook. Former Suffolk County sheriff and secretary of public safety Andrea Cabral discusses Wednesday’s suspension of Boston Police Commissioner Dennis White over domestic abuse allegations, and argues for better accountability in local police forces. She also talks about the connections between gun culture, the Confederate flag, and white supremacy. Harvard Business School behavioral economist Michael Norton talks about his research on how near-death experiences change people’s lives. We then talk with listeners about their near-death experiences and how these experiences have – or haven’t – changed their own lives. CNN analyst Juliette Kayyem

Today on Boston Public Radio: Rep. Richard Neal discusses the latest updates on the next COVID-19 stimulus bill, and former President Trump’s Senate impeachment trial. He also weighs in on the epidemic of conspiracy theories affecting politics, and speaks about his experience during the Jan. 6 Capitol siege. MIT economist Jonathan Gruber breaks down how Redditors influenced the stock market by buying up GameStop stocks, and explains similarities between buying stocks and gambling. We open phone lines to listeners to speak with Gruber about the stock market, and last week’s GameStop short squeeze. Medical ethicist Art Caplan talks about the ethics of who should be prioritized in vaccine distribution, the lack of vaccination sites located in communities of color, and highlights the need for government to do a better job of building trust among vaccine skeptics. Environmentalist and 350.org founder Bill McKibben discusses how President Biden is emphasizing climate action in his executive actions, and the

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin by talking with listeners about how much you think President Biden ought to negotiate with the GOP on the upcoming COVID-19 stimulus package. NBC Sports Boston reporter and anchor Trenni Kusnierek discusses racial reckoning in the world of sports, touching on former MLB player Tommy Harper’s experience of racial bias in his neighborhood, and the disparity in football coaching opportunities for people of color. She also talks about Red Sox second-baseman Dustin Pedroia’s plans to retire. Carol Rose from the Mass. ACLU talks about the organization’s unprecedented decision to call for the impeachment of former President Trump a second time. She also discusses the potential disbarment of Rudy Giuliani from the New York State Bar Association, and the legal complexities of big tech’s de-platforming of Donald Trump. Filmmaker Jane McMullen discusses the new FRONTLINE/BBC documentary collaboration, China’s COVID Secrets, which looks at the Chinese government’s initial re

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin Monday's show by opening lines, talking with listeners about your experiences trying to get vaccinated for COVID-19 in Mass. TV expert Bob Thompson commemorated the life and career of groundbreaking actress Cicely Tyson, who died last week. He also reviewed HBO’s “The Little Things,” Netflix's “The Brooklyn Saints," and SyFy’s “Resident Alien.” GBH News analyst and GroundTruth Project CEO Charlie Sennott weighs in on protests in Russia around the detention of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. He also gives a debrief on Monday's coup in Myanmar, vaccine distribution stumbles in the EU, and broader COVID-19 vaccine inequity around the globe. Irene Monroe and Emmett Price, hosts of GBH’s All Rev’d Up, talk about inaugural poet Amanda Gorman's Black Catholic parish in Los Angeles. They also weigh in on the contentious relationship between Reps. Cori Bush and Marjorie Taylor Greene, and discuss news that the Black Lives Matter movement has been nominated for

Dr. Katherine Gergen Barnett returned to Boston Public Radio Monday, offering some clarity on why Massachusetts lags behind the rest of the nation when it comes to the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. According to a Washington Post vaccine tracker, the Bay State currently ranks 41st in the nation, with just under seven percent of residents having received their first dose. For comparison, Connecticut has managed to vaccinated almost 10 percent, while West Virginia has managed to get first-doses to close to 11 percent of residents. The Boston Medical Center official blamed a combination of factors for what she described as “several bottlenecks” in the state’s rollout. These issues include supply constraints, smaller-than-anticipated doses of vaccine per vile in the case of the Pfizer vaccine, and a lower-than-expected outtake among staff at long-term care facilities. “I think we are all, even those of us in healthcare, are feeling the effects of the rub here,” she said. Monday’s interview concluded with

On Boston Public Radio Friday, Emily Rooney described how a group of people organized by social media used a Wall Street tactic to redistribute millions of dollars away from hedge funds, and into the pockets of amateur traders by buying up stock from a dying retailer, GameStop. “This was an insurrection by a group of people who said we’re mad as hell and we’re not going to take it anymore, and they beat Wall Street at their own game and now Wall Street is really really mad,” she said. How did they do it? BPR producer Zoe Mathews checked in with MIT economist Jon Gruber for a primer, ahead of his definitive explainer next week on the show.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Dr. Howard Koh, former state commissioner of the Department of Public Health, talks about new updates from pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson on their forthcoming COVID-19 vaccine, and the risks posed by the coronavirus variants that are popping up around the world and here in the U.S. He also speaks about President Biden’s handling of the pandemic during his first 10 days in office, and the bumpy vaccine rollout here in Mass. Next, we open lines to talk with listeners about your experiences trying to get the COVID-19 vaccine in Mass. Boston City Councilor At-Large Annissa Essaibi George calls in to talk about her newly-announced mayoral campaign. She speaks on her push to bring more mental-health professionals into Boston schools, offers her take on Boston mayor Marty Walsh’s handling of the pandemic, and talks about what she’d do differently to support struggling businesses. Ali Noorani, CEO of the National Immigrant Forum, talks about President Biden’s reversal

Today on Boston Public Radio: NBC “Meet the Press” moderator Chuck Todd weighs in on the members of the GOP aligning with former President Trump on impeachment, and talks about frustration with what he describes as “fact-deserts” throughout much of the U.S. He also discusses the challenge for President Biden in negotiating with Republican leadership to pass his $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill. Next, we open lines to talk with listeners about your experiences using state government resources to schedule COVID-19 vaccinations. Former Suffolk County sheriff and secretary of public safety Andrea Cabral discusses her concerns with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green’s history of supporting QAnon and other dangerous conspiracy theories. She also talks about Henry “Enrique” Tarrio, the leader of the Proud Boys extremist group who was revealed by Reuters to be a former government informant, and weighs in on a recent flurry of anti-protest bills from GOP congressional leaders. GBH Executive Arts Editor Jared Bowen rec

Today on Boston Public Radio: Former Mass. education secretary Paul Reville discusses the CDC’s latest statement reassuring schools that they can operate safely in-person, and frustration from the Mass. educators about their standing in the state's vaccine rollout plan. Next, we turned to listeners, hearing your thoughts on whether the state ought to prioritize vaccinating teachers ahead of school reopening in Mass. M.I.T. economist Jonathan Gruber breaks down President Biden's plan to expand the child tax credit, and explained the significance of making those credits fully refundable. CNN analyst Juliette Kayyem talks about the state of the forthcoming Senate impeachment trial of President Trump. She also discusses how President Biden is preparing FEMA to take preemptive action against natural disasters brought by climate change. Medical ethicist Art Caplan weighs in on President Biden’s handling of the pandemic during his first week in office, and talks about the need for countries to anticipate sn

On Wednesday’s Boston Public Radio, former Mass. education secretary Paul Reville offered his thoughts on contention between the Mass. Teacher’s Association and Gov. Charlie Baker, after teachers were slotted down in the state’s COVID-19 vaccine priority list. On Monday, state officials announced they’d be prioritizing residents 65 and older, and bumping educators to second priority in phase two of the vaccine rollout. Despite the delay, Gov. Baker is continuing to pressure schools to bring students and teachers back for in-person learning. "Grocery workers could say the same thing,” Reville said in response to frustrations expressed by MTA representatives. "Postal workers could say the same thing, or people that work in pharmacies – everybody feels that way.” Also on Monday, a report from officials at the Centers for Disease Control was released, indicating that schools with proper safety precautions are a low-risk for COVID-19 transmission. Reville said there are "lots of tradeoffs,” but added that he f

Today on Boston Public Radio: We start Tuesday's show by opening lines, getting your reactions to the bumpy rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in Mass. NBC Sports Boston reporter and anchor Trenni Kusnierek weighs in on quarterback Tom Brady’s Sunday win with the Buccaneers, and what it means about the role Patriots coach Bill Belichick played in his team’s success over the past two decades. She also reflected on the death of baseball legend Hank Aaron, and discussed sexual harassment allegations made against New York Jets GM Jared Porter. FRONTLINE filmmaker Michael Kirk talks about his latest FRONTLINE documentary, “Trump’s American Carnage,” about the chaos of President Trump’s four years in power, beginning with his ban on Muslims entering the U.S., and culminating with January’s attack on the Capitol. Dr. David Fajgenbaum talks about his experience battling a rare condition known as Castleman disease, and how it ended up providing insights into treating COVID-19. Dr. Fajgenbaum is the co-founder and Execut

Today on Boston Public Radio: Washington Post opinion columnist EJ Dionne discusses the litany of challenges facing President Biden, and why he believes he ought to prioritize urgency over unity. He also talks about his expectations for the future of the filibuster. Victim’s rights attorney Kenneth Feinberg discusses the open question of whether a federal victim’s compensation fund ought to be instated in response to the pandemic. We then open lines to listeners, to hear your thoughts on whether a COVID-19 victim compensation fund is necessary. Daniel Lieberman, a professor in the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University, talks about his new book, “Exercised,” about the evolution of humans and our aversion to exercising.  Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett Price, hosts of GBH’s All Rev’d Up, talk about the need for civil rights leaders to maintain pressure on the Biden administration on issues of racial equity, and weigh in on critiques of Biden from conservative faith leaders in the C

Today on Boston Public Radio: We open lines to talk with listeners about Gov. Charlie Baker’s latest easing of restrictions in Mass., and the slow rollout of COVID-19 vaccines here in the Commonwealth. Media maven Sue O'Connell discussed President Biden's latest executive order addressing Title VII protections for LGBT Americans, and weighs in on the planned appointment of Dr. Rachel Levine to assistant secretary of health. The appointment would make her the first openly transgender federal official to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Journalist and co-founder of The American Prospect, Robert Kuttner, discusses the state of America’s debt and why he’s not concerned about the impact of President Biden’s $1.9 trillion stimulus package on the country’s deficit. He also touches on pushback to Biden’s $3 trillion green infrastructure plan, and recaps his reporting on white supremacists hiding in law enforcement. Beat the Press host Emily Rooney talks about the Boston Globe’s new “Fresh Start” initiative, which

Today on Boston Public Radio: NBC “Meet the Press” moderator Chuck Todd talks about Wednesday’s inauguration, what he’s expecting for vaccine rollout under President Biden, and weighs in on an upcoming NFL playoff game between his team, the Green Bay Packers, and Tom Brady’s Buccaneers. Next, we open lines to talk with listeners about your hopes for the America’s future under President Biden. Former Suffolk County sheriff and secretary of public safety Andrea Cabral talks about the significance of yesterday’s inauguration. She also discusses Suffolk County D.A. Rachael Rollins being placed on the shortlist for US Attorney for Mass., and whether recent allegations about a road rage incident ought to be disqualifying. Food writer Corby Kummer discusses some of the flaws still lingering in U.S. food supply chains, 10 months into the pandemic. He also talks about the concept of “humanewashing” at Whole Foods supermarkets, and best tipping practices for services like Instacart and Uber Eats. Medical ethici