Boston Public Radio Podcast

Food writer Corby Kummer spoke to Boston Public Radio on Thursday about a new report by Farm Forward that investigates the differences between animal welfare labels on food. “Whole Foods gets dinged, because they decided they weren’t going to go with the Animal Welfare Society or Certified Humane, they were going to do their own standards and they would put their own animal welfare label on their goods,” he said. “That should always raise red flags - if a company is doing its own certification, who’s checking independently to verify what’s happening?” Kummer is a senior editor at The Atlantic, an award-winning food writer, and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition and Policy.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We air live audio from President Biden’s inauguration ceremony, and speak with listeners about your impressions of the ceremony and thoughts on Biden becoming the 46th President of the United States. Callie Crossley, host of GBH’s Under the Radar and Basic Black, offers her own take on Wednesday's inauguration ceremony, from the reading of an inaugural poem by 23 year-old Amanda Gorman, to President Trump's decision to opt out of attending. CNN analyst Juliette Kayyem explains why she’s not expecting the thousands of National Guard troops to remain in Washington, D.C. for long after President Biden’s inauguration, and offers thoughts on the path toward unity in American politics. We end Wednesday’s show by returning to listeners, getting your impressions of Wednesday’s inauguration and the close of Donald Trump’s presidency.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We first open lines to talk with listeners about your thoughts on the final day of President Donald Trump’s presidency. NBC Sports Boston reporter and anchor Trenni Kusnierek talks about Tom Brady's success beyond the Patriots, frustration with a lack of Black coaches in the NFL, and the scheduled appearance of Sarah Fuller, the first woman to play and score in a Power Five college football game, at Wednesday’s inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. Dr. Jon Santiago, a Mass. State Rep. and ER doctor at Boston Medical Center, provides an update on COVID-19 in Mass., from the local emergence of the new, more transmissible variant of the virus, to issues with vaccine rollout in the Commonwealth. He also responds to the question of whether he plans to run for city mayor. Chris Dempsey and Jim Aloisi offer their thoughts on the handful of vetos from Gov. Charlie Baker, of proposed elements within the Mass. Transportation Bond Bill. They also discuss the current state of the

Today on Boston Public Radio: We kick things off by opening our lines, talking with listeners about honoring Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy with acts of public service. King Boston Executive Director Imari Paris Jeffries talks about his organization’s forthcoming memorial to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders on Boston Common, and why he’s hopeful about the city's capacity to evolve into an anti-racist beacon for the rest of the nation. Joan Donovan, Research Director of the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy, discusses the impact of social media companies de-platforming President Trump on online discourse, and offers her thoughts on the future of far-right ideologies after the president leaves office. TV expert Bob Thompson reviews Netflix’s “Pretend It’s A City,” “WandaVision" on Disney Plus, and NBC’s “Mr. Mayor.” He also talks about the NFL’s Nickelodeon broadcast, and the documentary “MLK/FBI,” about FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover’s investigations into Rev

Six days after the close of a tumultuous 2020, Americans witnessed a new level of tragedy at the nation’s capital. Fueled by lies of a rigged election, angry protests turned riotous, leaving five people — including at least one police officer — dead, dozens wounded, and, within a week, one president impeached. Boston Public Radio interviewed a handful of congressional leaders about their experiences during the Jan. 6 insurrection, and the duty they felt to hold the president accountable for what they witnessed. Here’s a compilation of what they had to say.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We kick things off by opening lines, talking with listeners about the slow rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in Mass. Media Sue O’Connell talks about the prospective mayoral campaign of William Gross, Boston’s first Black police commissioner, First Lady Melania Trump’s reaction to the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol, and a recent Supreme Court ruling restricting access to abortion pills. Beat the Press host Emily Rooney discusses a pending investigation from Mass. A.G. Maura Healey into a road rage incident involving Suffolk County D.A. Rachael Rollins, and questions around whether a Natick Town Meeting member ought to be prosecuted after photos emerged of her inside the Capitol building during the Jan. 6 insurrection. She also reads a ban-themed list of fixations and fulminations. R.I Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse talked about what’s to come for the Senate impeachment trial of President Trump, and whether he thinks it’s appropriate for federal leaders to invoke the 14th amendment

Today on Boston Public Radio: Rep. Jim McGovern talks about the significance of Wednesday’s impeachment of President Trump, where he played a key role, and reflects on what’s to come for American democracy. Next, we open lines to talk about Wednesday’s impeachment, and whether you’re worried about it backfiring on President-elect Biden. Former Suffolk County sheriff and secretary of public safety Andrea Cabral raises some legal questions about the Senate’s ability to conduct an impartial impeachment trial of President Trump. She also talks about the failings of Capitol police in preventing last week’s riot, and reflects on the death of Lisa Montgomery, the first woman to be federally executed in nearly 70 years. National Immigration Forum CEO Ali Noorani discusses the legacy of President Trump’s immigration policy, and what he’s hoping from President-elect Biden on issues like refugee resettlement and President Trump’s travel ban. He also talks about challenges with getting undocumented immigrants acc

Despite recent statements made by President Trump in Alamo, Tx., Ali Noorani said on Thursday’s Boston Public Radio that the outgoing president's years-long promise of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border fell far short of expectations. "He claimed that hundreds of mile of wall had been built,” the National Immigration Forum CEO said of Trump’s Tuesday statement, but noted that "if you look at the numbers, most of the work that has been done in terms of border infrastructure has been fortifying existing infrastructure." Still, he said Trump’s efforts to stifle immigration during his presidency will have an impact that extends beyond dreams of a massive border wall. “We also have to be realistic – and be clear – that by shutting down the border to perfectly legal asylum claims, by shutting down the border and forcing tens of thousands of migrants to wait in Mexico while their claims are being processed, he did fundamental change the way the border region is seen on the U.S. side… [and] also on the Mexican si

Today on Boston Public Radio: Rep. Jake Auchincloss discusses Wednesday’s impeachment vote in the House of Representatives, taking place mere days after he was sworn into his first congressional term, and why he’s optimistic about America’s future. BPS Superintendent Brenda Cassellius talks about the current state of hybrid learning at Boston Public Schools, and reflects on the lessons she and other education officials have learned in the first 10 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. CNN analyst Juliette Kayyem responds to last week’s insurrection, and the resignation of Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf one week before President-elect Biden takes office. She also speaks on her recent piece for The Atlantic, “How MAGA Extremism Ends.” We opened our lines to talk with listeners about Wednesday’s impeachment proceedings, and whether you believe President Trump ought to be removed from office over his role in last week’s insurrection. Medical ethicist Art Caplan discusses COVID-19 vaccine refus

CNN analyst Juliette Kayyem joined Boston Public Radio on Wednesday, reflecting on last week’s riot and her recent piece for the Atlantic, “How MAGA Extremism Ends,” about the path towards peace in the U.S. “It took me a while to feel comfortable writing this,” she said of the essay and its stark condemnation of President Trump. “It’s very hard to admit to yourself, even though you believe it, ‘look, my president is the spiritual and operational leader of a domestic terrorism group.’ We didn’t learn that in fourth grade.” But she concluded that with mounting opposition from members of his own party, major U.S. corporations, and bans across social media, the president’s influence is dramatically waning. “We’re a divided nation, but very few people take to arms,” she noted. “Very few people in his group are willing to blow things up – we should remember that.” She added, “Democracy bridges the divide. You have better politicians, you have ways in which we build our communities, even when we have politica

Today on Boston Public Radio: We open lines to talk with listeners about anxiety related to last week’s storming of the Capitol, and the troubling possibility of similar attacks ahead of President-elect Biden’s inauguration. NBC Sports Boston reporter and anchor Trenni Kusnierek discusses Patriots coach Bill Belichick’s decision not to accept the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Trump, Sen. Kelly Loeffler’s future with her WNBA team, The Atlanta Dream, and whether the postponed-2020 Summer Olympic Games will need to be held off again this summer. Boston Globe Editor-in-Chief Brian McGrory talks about his reaction to last week’s riot at the Capitol building, and coverage of the chaos from the Boston Globe's Jazmine Ulloa. He also touches on Bill Belichick’s decision not to accept the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh's acceptance of President-elect Biden’s nomination for labor secretary. Boston City Councilor and mayoral candidate Michelle Wu discusses Mayor Walsh be

Food writer Corby Kummer spoke to Boston Public Radio on Tuesday about how the pandemic has affected the lives of food delivery workers. “So much of the gig economy is being laid bare by the pandemic,” he said. “In one way, restaurant delivery has gone up by 40 or 50 percent, a huge amount.” DoorDash went public on the New York Stock Exchange in December. But it’s one of the worst actors in the industry, Kummer noted. “It steals tips from workers and it directs them to deliberately unprofitable roads that won’t pay off for delivery workers,” he said. DoorDash is doing very well, but it’s a “rotten business” for the actual delivery people, Kummer added. “Do anything you can to avoid DoorDash, GrubHub, Seamless, and UberEats,” he said. Kummer is a senior editor at The Atlantic, an award-winning food writer, and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition and Policy.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Sen. Ed Markey explains why he believes President Trump should be impeached, in the wake of last week's riot in the Capitol. He also touches on the future of left-wing legislative efforts now Democrats will control both houses of Congress, and responded to recent reporting on his bizarre donut-eating habit. Next, we open lines to let listeners weigh in on whether President Trump should be impeached a second time, following last week’s Pro-Trump riot in the Capitol building. GBH News analyst and GroundTruth Project CEO Charlie Sennott discusses global reaction to last week's storming of the Capitol, historic levels of voter registration in Ga. ahead of the 2020 election, and the vital role that journalists have played in documenting rising authoritarianism at home and abroad. The Washington Post’s Michelle Singletary returns to talk about her ongoing Post series, “Sincerely, Michelle," about racial inequities in the world of personal finance. She also addresses misconception

Today on Boston Public Radio:  Rep. Ayanna Pressley discusses House plans to bring forward articles of impeachment against President Trump next week, following Wednesday’s riot. She also reflects on what it was like being in the Capitol during the storming, and spoke about Boston City Council President Kim Janey potentially becoming both Boston’s first Black mayor, and its first woman mayor. We open lines to callers, to discuss whether President Trump ought to be removed from office follow Wednesday's storming of the U.S. Capitol, and if it’s worth it in his final 12 days as president.  Emily Rooney talks about President-elect Biden's choice of Boston Mayor Walsh for U.S. Labor Secretary, and the open question of who’ll win next year’s mayoral race. She also reads a list of must-see movies to watch in quarantine, and previewed this week's Beat the Press. Ramona Diaz discusses the brutal drug war and assaults on press freedoms by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, in a conversation about her new docum

Today on Boston Public Radio:  Washington Post op-ed columnist E.J. Dionne responds to Wednesday’s chaos incited by Trump mob in Washington, D.C., and the impact it might have on the future of President Trump’s political influence post-presidency. He also weighs in on President-elect Biden's choice of Merrick Garland, his former college friend, to serve as A.G. Former Pentagon official Rosa Brooks reacts to the storming of the Capitol building by President Trump’s supporters, which she predicted in exercises laid out by her bipartisan Transition Integrity Project. She also offers her thoughts on the path forward for maintaining democratic stability in the U.S. Next, we open lines to talk with listeners about your thoughts on Wednesday’s chaos, and the future of the U.S. post-Trump. Former Suffolk County sheriff and secretary of public safety Andrea Cabral discusses the lawlessness of yesterday’s pro-Trump mob. She also offers her take on the lackluster response from authorities defending the U.S. Capito

Today on Boston Public Radio:  M.I.T. economist Jonathan Gruber talks about what an expanded stimulus relief package might look like with Democrats in control of the Senate. He also responds to listener questions about what’s in the latest $900 billion package, passed in December. Next, we open lines to talk with callers about the Republicans challenging President-elect Biden’s win, and get your thought on the legacy of Trumpism in American politics.  CNN analyst Juliette Kayyem discusses the state of President-elect Joe Biden’s transition to the White House, and the Trump supporters gathering in Washington to contest Congress’ certification of Biden's Electoral College win on Wednesday. Medical ethicist Art Caplan breaks down the latest news on the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S., and questions around who ought to have vaccine priority. Next, we open lines to callers, returning to the discussion about resistance to President-elect Joe Biden’s November win.  Angell Animal Medical Center

Speaking on Boston Public Radio Wednesday, CNN analyst Juliette Kayyem took a moment to reflect on Tuesday’s Senate runoff victory for Democrat Raphael Warnock in Georgia. Warnock will join the Senate after serving 15 years as pastor at Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Martin Luther King Jr. presided as co-pastor throughout the 1960’s. "A man of faith entering politics is rare enough, but the extent to which he views his faith as requiring him to have entered politics at this moment is really something that is worth taking a pause for,” she said, adding “I’ve been really intrigued by that very un-threatening combination of faith and public service… I think a lot of us have grown weary of faith in public service, given what’s been done in the name of religion and religious leaders supporting some pretty bad behavior.” Juliette 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 University’s Kenn

Some primary care physicians are being left out of the first wave of COVID-19 vaccinations, even if they are treating patients with the illness. Medical ethicist Art Caplan told Boston Public Radio on Wednesday the issue is a “snafu” in the distribution plans that routed much of the initial doses to hospitals, and left out doctors with no hospital affiliation. “If you write rules for the states, like the CDC, or the states adopt rules that say give the vaccine first to nursing homes then to healthcare workers, then you’re giving them out at hospitals and nursing homes,” said Caplan. “The reason they’re getting missed even if they have patient populations that have a lot of COVID … it’s just not where they are.”

Today on Boston Public Radio: Dr. Katherine Gergen Barnett discusses news around the COVID-19 vaccines, from their slower-than-anticipated rollout in the U.S., to questions of whether vaccine skeptics are right to feel hesitant about getting their shot. She also responds to questions and comments from listeners. Gergen Barnett is the vice chair of Primary Care Innovation and Transformation and Residency Director in the Department of Family Medicine at Boston Medical Center and Boston University Medical School. Next, we open lines to talk with listeners about Tuesday’s runoff elections in Ga., and the possibility of an end to divided government in 2021.   Carol Rose, Executive Director of the ACLU of Mass., discusses upsides and drawbacks to Mass.' newly-signed police reform law. She also touches on the significance of the state's newly-passed ROE Act, which expands abortion protections in Mass, and talks about Gov. Charlie Baker's decision to veto it. Then, we return to listener lines to talk about your

Today on Boston Public Radio: Georgia Public Broadcasting political reporter Stephen Fowler gives a primer on Tuesday's Senate runoff races in Ga., and discusses President Trump's controversial call to Ga. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger over the weekend, where he pressured Raffensperger to nullify his state's election tally. Next, we open our lines to talk with listeners about the latest effort from GOP congressional leaders to call President-elect Joe Biden’s election victory into question.  New Yorker writer and environmental advocate Bill McKibben discusses President Trump’s legacy of inaction on global warming, and the potential impact that President-elect Biden's incoming environmental team could have in combatting the global climate crisis. The.Ink publisher Anand Giridharadas weighs in on Congress' failure to approve $2,000 COVID-19 relief checks, and discusses why he believes federal leaders are paving the way for future billionaire bailouts. Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett Price, hosts o