Boston Public Radio Podcast

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened lines to talk with listeners about concerns regarding President Trump’s moves to curb mail-in voting ahead of the November election.  TV expert Bob Thompson talked about ABC's decision to finally release an episode  of "Black-ish,” which the network thought too controversial to air in 2018. He also reviewed HBO's “Lovecraft Country.”  WGBH News Analyst and GroundTruth Project CEO Charlie Sennott discussed widespread protests in Lebanon in the wake of the Beirut explosion, and implications of the recent diplomatic agreement struck between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. Reverends Irene Monroe and Emmett Price, hosts of WGBH’s All Rev’d Up, discussed the faiths of Sen. Kamala Harris and former Vice President Joe Biden, and questions about their impact on a Biden-Harris administration.  Dr. Ken Duckworth talked about mental health issues pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic, and responded to questions and comments from listeners. Ken Duckworth is the senior medica

As of last week, all food processor employees in Michigan must now be routinely tested for COVID-19, making it the first state in the nation with this requirement. Food writer Corby Kummer told Boston Public Radio on Friday that "this is a piece of good news" in the meatpacking industry, which has so far been "callous and cruel to its workers, not caring if they live or die." 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: - Massachusetts Congressman Stephen Lynch spoke about the US Postal Service removing many mail-processing machines across the country. - Political commentator Sue O'Connell explained the recent allegations against Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse, who is running against Congressman Richard Neal for Massachusetts's 1st congressional district seat. - WGHB's Emily Rooney gave her thoughts on Massachusetts's 4th congressional district race. - Food writer Corby Kummer spoke about Michigan becoming the first state to mandate that meatpacking workers must have regular COVID-19 screenings. - Callie Crossley discussed how recent right-wing journalists and politicians are mispronouncing vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris' name. - Yankee Magazine's Annie Copps spoke about the surge in home cooking that's occurred during the pandemic.

Today on Boston Public Radio: - NBC's Chuck Todd shared his thoughts on Joe Biden, presumptive Democratic nominee for president, choosing Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate. - Boston City Councilor Andrea Campbell spoke about her call for Boston schools to start the year fully remote. - Andrea Cabral, former secretary of public safety and sheriff of Suffolk County, explained why the Massachusetts Bail Fund is facing criticism. - Brown University Economics Professor Emily Oster talked about how to safely reopen schools this fall. - American playwright Paula Vogel spoke about how the performing arts are adapting to life online. - Boston Globe Business Columnist Shirley Leung discussed diversifying the boards of some of the commonwealth's largest companies.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Former Mass. Treasurer and state gubernatorial candidate Shannon O’Brien discussed presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s choice of Kamala Harris as his running mate. Michael Curry talked about Biden’s pick and how Harris on the ticket might influence voters. Curry is the deputy CEO and general council for the Mass. League of Community Health Centers and a member of the NAACP board of directors, where he also chairs the board’s advocacy and policy committee. We opened our lines to talk with listeners about Harris joining Biden’s presidential ticket. Medical ethicist Art Caplan discussed evolving attitudes around faster, less effective coronavirus testing, and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ethically dubious claims about Russia's supposed COVID-19 vaccine. Colby College sociologist and former police officer Neil Gross talked about why he believes progressives looking to effect change in police forces should consider joining them. MIT economist Jon Gr

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened lines to ask listeners: as Congress quarrels about further coronavirus relief, how are you coping with the economic stress of the pandemic?  NBC Sports Boston reporter and anchor Trenni Kusnierek talked about the status of college football, and how Boston’s sports teams are faring with their respective returns.  Journalist Oscar Guerra discussed his new documentary for FRONTLINE, “Love, Life & the Virus.”  Ali Noorani, Executive Director for the National Immigration Forum, talked about unique economic burdens for immigrants during the COVID-19 pandemic, and recent polling of American attitudes around immigration.  Boston Globe travel writer Christopher Muther talked about what he thinks it’s going to take for Americans to feel comfortable flying again, and his recent experience navigating COVID requirements to vacation with his parents in Maine.  CNN’s John King discussed the dysfunction in Washington over more coronavirus relief, and President Trump’s call to

Today on Boston Public Radio: CNN analyst Juliette Kayyem discussed the U.S.’ passing of 5 million coronavirus cases, and a new report from American intelligence about Russian meddling in the 2020 election. We opened lines to talk with listeners about the Trump administration’s escalating attacks on the U.S. Postal Service. Politico’s Stephanie Murray broke the latest news around the Mass. Senate race., and a recent scandal for congressional challenger Alex Morse. TV expert Bob Thompson reviewed the miniseries “Upright”, Disney Plus' “Howard,” and the TV remake of “The Fugitive.” Reverends Irene Monroe and Emmett Price, hosts of WGBH’s All Rev’d Up, talked about words with racist origins that we still use, and a disconnect within the Catholic Church around the Black Lives Matter movement. Tech writer Andy Ihnatko recapped cybersecurity news from last week's Black Hat security conference, and discussed President Trump’s attempt to ban U.S. companies from working with Tik Tok and WeChat. Poet Richard Bla

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened lines to talk with listeners about your thoughts on the return to colleges and universities in the fall.  Food writer Corby Kummer discussed the restaurant industry’s reckoning around toxic workplace culture, and a commemorative feast at a Michigan prison to celebrate the life of George Floyd.  Beat the Press host Emily Rooney discussed a Georgia High School suspending students for sharing photos of crowded hallways, and read her list of fixations and fulminations.  Nia Grace, owner of Darryl’s Corner Bar & Kitchen and co-founder of the Boston Black Hospitality Coalition, discussed Boston's Black Restaurant Month, and talked about how Darryl’s is holding up through the pandemic.  Media maven Sue O’Connell talked about President Trump’s claim that Joe Biden is “anti-god,” and reflected on worries about the efficiency of the USPS ahead of the November election.  Boston Globe business columnist Shirley Leung discussed major conflicts of interest for the president

Food writer Corby Kummer spoke with Boston Public Radio on Friday about an innmate at the Muskegon Correctional Facility in Michigan who organized a special meal to honor the life of George Floyd. "This innmate decided as a tribute, and sign of solidarity to George Floyd, to gather together other prisoners who had the liberty to use plastic knives, and have a memorial tribute lunch, which took weeks of meticulous planning," 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: The Greater Boston Food Bank’s Catherine D’Amato talked about the state’s new “Breakfast After the Bell” program, and other ways Mass. is addressing food insecurity during the coronavirus pandemic.  We opened our lines to talk with listeners about your feelings around school reopening and distance learning. Under the Radar host Callie Crossley discussed a handful of obituaries for victims of COVID-19 that place blame on the government’s pandemic response, and news that Trader Joe's is sticking with their ethnically insensitive branding.   We aired our October interview with Susan Rice, former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., where she discussed her book “Tough Love,” and spoke on the presidential campaign of Joe Biden.  Former Mass. Education Secretary Paul Reville talked about the confusion around how Mass. K-12 schools are going to operate in the fall.  We opened lines to ask listeners: with COVID-19 cases beginning to climb, should we consider scaling back reopening in Mass.

Today on Boston Public Radio: New York Times bestselling author Larry Tye discussed his new biography on Sen. Joseph McCarthy, “Demagogue: The Life and Long Shadow of Senator Joe McCarthy.” We opened lines to talk with listeners about the legacy of Sen. Joe McCarthy, and America’s love affair with bullies.  CNN analyst Juliette Kayyem discussed the Tuesday explosion in Beirut, and a shift in tone from some GOP governors on coronavirus safety. Medical ethicist Art Caplan discussed an ethical quandary at Brigham and Women’s hospital over testing of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine, and the dangers of fraudulent COVID-19 cures that are floating around the internet. Jane Oates, president of the nonprofit WorkingNation, defended the $600-a-week unemployment benefits, and addressed critiques of the program from some congressional Republicans.  We opened lines to talk with parents about your experiences juggling work from home while caring for the kids.  NBC Sports Boston reporter and anchor Trenni Kusnierek discus

Today on Boston Public Radio: Rep. Ayanna Pressley discussed the looming spike of evictions across the U.S., and how her HELP Act, introduced in Congress last week, would address the crisis.  We opened our lines to talk with listeners about who you think former Vice President Joe Biden ought to pick as his running mate in the 2020 election.  Carol Rose from the Mass. ACLU talked about the status of the state’s police reform efforts, and how the ACLU is responding to President Trump's deployment of federal agents in Portland, Oreg. Harriet Cross, the outgoing British Consul General to New England, talked about why she’s leaving Boston for Trinidad, and what mail-in voting looks like in the U.K.  Mass. State Sen. Becca Rausch broke down the Commonwealth's vote-by-mail system.  CNN’s John King discussed the latest Washington headlines, including news on the standstill over further COVID-19 reflief funding, and the president’s apparent reversal on messaging about mail-in ballots in Florida. We opened lines

Today on Boston Public Radio: Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone discussed his Friday decision to put a hold on phase three reopening in Somerville. Former Suffolk County Sheriff and Secretary of Public Safety Andrea Cabral discussed a federal appeals court's decision to vacate the death sentence for Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. We opened lines to talk with listeners about the appeals court's decision to vacate Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s death sentence. Reverends Irene Monroe and Emmett Price, hosts of WGBH’s All Rev’d Up, talked about why they feel Joe Biden ought to pick a Black woman as his VP candidate, and weighed in on the demolition of a Nelson Mandela mural in Roxbury. TV expert Bob Thompson discussed controversy around an allegedly toxic workplace culture at “Ellen,” and reviewed Beyonce’s “Black King” visual album and HBO’s documentary “The Weight of Gold.” Boston Medical Center’s Dr. Katherine Gergen Barnett talked about the state of COVID-19 in both Mass. and the U.S., and responded to

Today on Boston Public Radio: Former Pentagon official and Georgetown University professor Rose Brooks talked about the Transition Integrity Project, her exercise examining various potential outcomes in the November election. We opened lines to ask listeners: are you anxious about the prospect of election interference and voter suppression in November? Media maven Sue O’Connell discussed the potential conflict of interest surrounding a trial of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and her concerns for underprivileged kids who might be unable to return to school in the fall. “Under the Radar” host Callie Crossley talked about lax mask enforcement policies at retail chains like Walmart, and gave her thoughts on Michelle Obama’s new podcast. Tech writer Andy Ihnatko discussed Wednesday's Congressional testimony from several tech CEOs, and research showing that many election officials are vulnerable to cyber attacks. Brian O’Donovan, host of WGBH’s “A Celtic Sojourn,” talked about

Today on Boston Public Radio: NBC “Meet the Press” moderator Chuck Todd weighed in on ongoing negotiations around federal coronavirus relief, and recapped the latest political headlines. We opened lines to ask listeners: with Federal unemployment benefits set to expire tomorrow, do you worry that the economic hole in the U.S. is about to get deeper? Andrea Cabral, former Suffolk County Sheriff and Secretary of Public Safety and CEO of Ascend, discussed the passing of Herman Cain, and talked about her problem with the statewide requirement that cannabis shops foot the bill for security details. Mass. State Rep. Mike Connolly discussed details of the state’s extended eviction moratorium, and the status of the COVID-19 Housing Stability Act, which he co-authored alongside Rep. Kevin Honan. Food writer Corby Kummer talked about the mysterious packages of seeds being delivered to the U.S. from China, and the valuable role that mutual aid societies are playing during the COVID-19 pandemic. We opened lines to

Food writer Corby Kummer spoke with Boston Public Radio on Thursday about the meat industry's transgressions amid the pandemic. "[The meat industry execs] are the evil actors - they won't release the number of people in their slaughterhouses who are infected or are dying, and OSHA [Occupational Safety and Health Administration] has been completely asleep at the wheel doing nothing to sue the slaughterhouses," 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: We opened lines to talk with teachers about the complications that come with a return to school in the fall.  Boston NAACP President Tanisha Sullivan previewed the 2020 NAACP virtual convention, and talked about the state of racial inequity in Mass.  CNN analyst Juliette Kayyem discussed news that national security advisor Robert O’Brien tested positive for COVID-19, and recapped Tuesday’s congressional hearing with AG Bill Barr.  Medical ethicist Art Caplan talked about challenges with distributing a potential COVID-19 vaccine, and recapped the recent outbreak of coronavirus cases in Major League Baseball.   – Saida Grundy, author and assistant professor of sociology and African American studies at Boston University, discussed her latest writing for The Atlantic on the limits of anti-racist literature.  – Politico’s Stephanie Murray discussed the latest news on the Senate race between Sen. Ed Markey and Rep. Joe Kennedy ahead of the September 1st primary, and talked about

Today on Boston Public Radio: Dr. Davis Rosman, president of the Mass. Medical Society, discussed an uptick in the rate of positive COVID-19 cases across Mass., and why he thinks Gov. Baker should consider scaling back the state’s reopening.   We opened lines to ask listeners: are the rewards of backing off on reopening worth it to keep coronavirus at bay? FRONTLINE filmmaker Michael Kirk talked about episode two of “United States of Conspiracy,” which reports on the career of InfoWars host Alex Jones.  NBC Sports Boston reporter and anchor Trenni Kusnierek discussed an outbreak of coronavirus within the Miami Marlins, and what it could mean for Major League Baseball in 2020.  Naturalist Sy Montgomery discussed her latest book, “Condor Comeback,”  about the efforts to save the endangered bird from extinction.   CNN’s John King talked about congressional negations around further coronavirus relief, and other national headlines.  Playwright Ryan Landry gave an update on his newfound painting career, and

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened our lines to talk with listeners about the new coronavirus travel restrictions, announced Friday by Gov. Baker. Drs. Meabh O’Hare and Josh Budhu discussed their recent writing on excited delirium, a medical condition they describe as "junk science" with strong ties to police brutality. WGBH News Analyst and GroundTruth Project CEO Charlie Sennott explained the rationale behind his concern for the health of American democracy, and discussed the U.S.’ deteriorating relationship with China.  TV expert Bob Thompson reflected on the life of TV host Regis Philbin, and explained why he’s not impressed with the simulated crowds in MLB broadcasts.  Reverends Irene Monroe and Emmett Price, hosts of WGBH’s All Rev’d Up, reflected on the passing of local civil right advocate Mimi Jones, and talked about the recent speech by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, decrying derogatory remarks made against her by a congressional colleague.  Boston Globe business columnist Shirley Leung d

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened our lines to talk with listeners about the return of baseball, on opening day for the Red Sox. Media maven Sue O’Connell discussed the rebuke from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to derogatory comments made by Rep. Ted Yoho, as well as news that the Hallmark Channel will include LGBT storylines in their 2020 holiday movie lineup.  Beat the Press host Emily Rooney talked about the release of President Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen from jail, and read her weekly list of fixations and fulminations. Food writer Corby Kummer talked about the decision by Trader Joe's to discontinue racist branding on their ethnic food packaging, and several ways that supermarkets are repurposing space that used to be used for salad and hot-food bars.  Tech writer Andy Ihnatko discussed news that Facebook ignored research about racial biases on their platforms, and controversy around comments made on the livestream feed of the U.S. Army's Esports team.  Under the Radar host Callie Cr