BPR Full Show 10/26/20: Trick or Retreat?

Today on Boston Public Radio: 

We kicked off the show by opening lines to talk with listeners about the rise of coronavirus cases in the U.S., and ask: does it feel like we’re back in March? 

David Carroll, Director of the Carter Center’s Democracy Program, talked about his organization’s shift in focus away from international elections and towards U.S. democracy ahead of the November election. 

Immigration authority Ali Noorani discussed the 545 children who’ve yet to be reunited with their parents after being separated by immigration officials at the U.S. Mexico border, and the human rights groups working to help reunite the families.

Chris Dempsey and Jim Aloisi discussed a range of transportation headlines, from news that Gov. Charlie Baker has started riding the MBTA Blue Line in an effort to show that it’s safe, to updates on how the MBTA is mitigating its enormous revenue losses. Dempsey is the Mass. Director of Transportation and former Assistant Secretary of Transportation. Jim Aloisi is former transportation secretary, a member of the Transit Matters board, and contributor to Commonwealth Magazine.

TV Expert Bob Thompson talked about the death of streaming service Quibi, and reviewed “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm,” and the return of “Supermarket Sweep.” Thompson is a professor and founding director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture at the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.  

Next, we opened lines to ask: are you planning on giving up holiday traditions this year, or will you be doing everything you can to keep Halloween and Thanksgiving alive?

Celtics center and human rights activist Enes Kanter discussed his new campaign to raise awareness about the cruelty of factory farming, and how it was influenced by his time spent alone in the NBA bubble. He also offered a positive update to news from a few months ago about dismal levels of voter registration among players in the NBA.