Boston Public Radio Podcast

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."

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 reopen. He also shares his thoughts on people are traveling long distances to get vaccines. We wrap up the show by talking to listeners about impeachment proceedings, and what outcomes they would like to see.

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 normal – than you do right now,” she said. 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 Kennedy School of Government.

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 Republicans. We wrap up the show by opening phone lines to talk with listeners about the state of the GOP.

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 of “woke corporatism,” challenges to a Utah school’s Black History Month curriculum in Utah, and outrage around footage of country music star Morgan Wallen using a racial slur. CNN’s John King discusses the latest headlines in the world of national politics, touching on former President Trump’s upcoming Senate impeachment trial, and whether Trump will become remain the voice of the Republican party. We wrap up the show by talking with listeners about former President Trump’s Senate impeachment trial, which begins Tuesday.

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 views on the necessary steps to safely bring teachers back to school for in-person learning, including the question of whether teacher vaccination ought to be top-priority. Mass. Senator Elizabeth Warren makes her case for the cancellation of student loan debt in order to move the needle on racial equity, and boost the U.S. economy. She also shares her thoughts on congressional members refusing to wear masks, and the ongoing Wall Street-GameStop saga. Food writer Corby Kummer explains how Gov. Baker’s capacity increase for state businesses might impact local restaurants, and the new safety guidelines restaurants must follow. He also talks about his hopes for the Biden administration on issues like food assistance programs and climate science.

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 discusses how the FBI’s investigation into coordinated attacks on the Capitol are unfolding. She also talks about how preparations for the Tokyo Olympics are going, in spite of COVID-19. Huntington Theater managing director Michael Maso talks about the upcoming GBH/Mass Restaurant Association radio play Tiger Style, and the process of putting together a play in quarantine. We close the show by asking listeners how they’ll be spending their Super Bowl Sunday, pandemic-style.

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 ways some major car manufacturers like GM are following suit. He also speaks about the fossil fuel industry’s decades-long practice of suppressing research on the impact of fossil fuel emissions. Washington Post columnist Michelle Singletary explains how government-funded “baby bonds” could be a way to achieve racial and financial equity. She also talks about the health disparities facing communities of color, the need for prison reform, and the upcoming tax season. We close out the show by talking with listeners about your experiences with the Mass. vaccine rollout.

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 response to COVID-19. Next, we open up phone lines to talk with listeners about Groundhog Day, and how you’re breaking up the monotony of quarantine. CNN’s John King broke down the latest headlines around former President Trump’s Senate impeachment trial, President Biden’s negotiations with the GOP on a forthcoming stimulus package, and whether politicians like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene are the future of the GOP. Boston Globe business columnist Shirley Leung talks about how local companies are investing in COVID-19 tests to get employees back to work, and local restaurants that are creating subscription services to stay afloat through the pandemic.