Boston Public Radio Podcast

Today on Boston Public Radio: Chuck Todd begins the show by talking about the possible effect of supply chain shortages on approval ratings of President Joe Biden as the holidays near. He also discusses what programs might have to give in order to pass Biden’s spending plan. Todd is the moderator of “Meet the Press,” host of “Meet the Press Daily” on MSNBC and the political director for NBC News. Then, we ask listeners what they think Democrats should cut to pass Biden’s infrastructure bill. Andrea Cabral updates listeners on the latest in the conviction of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev for the Boston Marathon bombing. The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments this week as to whether Tsarnaev was properly sentenced to death, and whether he had a fair trial. Cabral also discusses a Boston Police officer back on duty after a suspension for bragging about hitting George Floyd protesters with his car. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and the former Massachusetts secretary of public safety. She is currently the CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. Then, we talk with listeners about their thoughts on police reform, and why they think efforts to change policing have faltered in the months since protests in the summer of 2020. Fiona Hill previews her memoir that came out this month, “There Is Nothing for You Here: Finding Opportunity in the Twenty-First Century,” and weighs in on the similarities and differences between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. Hill served as deputy assistant to the president and senior director for European and Russian affairs in the Trump administration from 2017 to 2019, and was witness in Donald Trump’s first impeachment hearing. Jared Bowen rounds up the latest arts and culture happenings in the city, including the MFA’s “Fabric of a Nation: American Quilt Stories” exhibit, and Gregory Maguire’s latest novel, “The Brides of Maracoor.” Bowen is GBH’s executive arts editor and the host of Open Studio.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by talking about GBH’s new multi-media series, “The Big Quit,” and asking listeners what they have quit in their lives since the start of the pandemic. Art Caplan discusses the first FDA authorization of e-cigarettes and the ethics of jumping the line for booster shots. Caplan is the Drs. William F. and Virginia Connolly Mitty Professor and founding head of the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU School of Medicine in New York City. Juliette Kayyem talks about a slew of flight cancellations by Southwest Airlines, and why she thinks Donald Trump might run in the 2024 Presidential Election. 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. Richard Blanco reads poems in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, including "The Latin Deli: An Ars Poetica" by Judith Ortiz Cofer, “Hearing Spider-Man Speaking Spanish in Times Square” by Ariel Francisco and “Suspended from School, the Pachuco’s Grandson Watches Happy Days While his Homie Fulfills Prophecy” by Michael Torres. Blanco is the fifth inaugural poet in U.S. history. His latest book, "How To Love A Country," deals with various socio-political issues that shadow America. Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll talks about how Salem is adapting its Halloween festivities for the pandemic, and how the town negotiates the holiday’s festivities with its darker history of witch trials. Driscoll is the mayor of Salem. We end the show by talking about where listeners can find the best Halloween displays, in the lead up to Oct. 31.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners whether or not they think Donald Trump will run in the 2024 Presidential Election. Trenni Kusnierek updates listeners on the latest sports news, including Jon Gruden’s resignation as coach of the Las Vegas Raiders following the release of homophobic, racist and misogynistic emails, and the FBI’s failure to investigate Larry Nassar. Kusnierek is an anchor and reporter for NBC Sports Boston, as well as a Boston Public Radio contributor. Ali Noorani discusses the scientific achievements of immigrants to the United States amid recent Nobel Prize announcements, and critiques the conditions at the border and treatment of Haitian migrants. Noorani is the President & Chief Executive Officer of the National Immigration Forum. His forthcoming book is Crossing Borders: The Reconciliation of a Nation of Immigrants. Rick Steves reports back from his latest travels to Paris and Mont Blanc, and shares his hopes for his next trip to Europe. Steves is an author, television and radio host and the owner of the Rick Steves' Europe tour group. You can catch his television show, "Rick Steves’ Europe," weeknights at 7:30 p.m. on GBH 2 and his radio show, “Travel With Rick Steves,” Sundays at 4 p.m. on GBH. Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett G. Price III talk about the significance of Indigenous People’s Day and the effect of Facebook’s outage on religious communities. Monroe is a syndicated religion columnist, the Boston voice for Detour’s African American Heritage Trail and co-host of the All Rev’d Up podcast. Price is the founding pastor of Community of Love Christian Fellowship in Allston, the Inaugural Dean of Africana Studies at Berklee College of Music and co-host of the All Rev’d Up podcast. John King weighs in on the latest political headlines, including Democratic infighting in Washington D.C. and the possibility of Trump running again. King is CNN's Chief National Correspondent and anchor of "Inside Politics,” which airs weekdays and Sunday mornings at 8 a.m. We end the show by continuing the conversation with listeners about the possibility of a Trump 2024 campaign.

Today on Boston Public Radio we're on tape, replaying some of our favorite conversations about food and cooking: Joanne Chang talks about her latest book inspired by her baking journals, “Pastry Love: A Baker’s Journal of Favorite Recipes.” Chang is a James Beard award winning pastry chef. Bren Smith shares different ways to eat kelp in his book “Eat Like a Fish: My Adventures Farming the Ocean to Fight Climate Change.” Smith is a former commercial fisherman and executive director of the non-profit GreenWave, focused on regenerative farming in water ecosystems. Dolores Huerta talks about why her work as a labor leader for farm workers’ rights remains as relevant today as it was in the 1960s, and about coining the phrase “Sí, se puede.” Huerta is an activist and co-founder of the National Farmworkers Association alongside Cesar Chaves. Andrew Li and Irene Li share food and tips from their latest cookbook, which they wrote with their sister Margaret Li: “Double Awesome Chinese Food: Irresistible and Totally Achievable Recipes from Our Chinese-American Kitchen.” Andrew Li and Irene Li are co-founders of the restaurant Mei Mei, along with their sister Margaret Li.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by talking with listeners – including Senator Elizabeth Warren – about the country’s child care crisis, as families struggle to pay for care and centers downsize due to lack of staff.  Shirley Leung discusses a proposal to house Mass. and Cass’ homeless population in an empty detention center, and the state of fundraising in the mayor’s race. Leung is a business columnist for The Boston Globe and a Boston Public Radio contributor. Callie Crossley talks about Tesla’s $137 million payment to a former Black employee for racial discrimination at work, the quilt exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts and Georgia’s youngest farmer, a six year old girl. Crossley hosts GBH’s Under the Radar and Basic Black. Sue O’Connell weighs in on the New York Times’ article and subsequent Twitter controversy, “Who is the Bad Art Friend?”, and criticism of Dave Chappelle’s latest Netflix stand-up special. O’Connell is the co-publisher of Bay Windows and the South End News, as well as NECN's political commentator and explainer-in-chief. Andy Ihnatko breaks down Monday’s Facebook outage and the latest criticism facing the company following accusations by whistleblower Frances Haugen. Ihnatko is a tech writer and blogger, posting at Ihnatko.com. We end the show by asking listeners about their experiences with the Boston Marathon, as the race returns this Monday.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Chuck Todd updates listeners on the latest political headlines, including a federal judge siding with the Justice Department to block the restrictive Texas abortion law, current negotiations over a possible debt limit extension and what motivates Senator Kyrsten Sinema. Todd is the moderator of “Meet the Press,” host of “Meet the Press Daily” on MSNBC and the political director for NBC News. Then, we talk with listeners about their thoughts on the early stages of the 2022 Massachusetts Governor race, including Donald Trump’s endorsement of former state Rep. Geoff Diehl. Andrea Cabral talks about the terrible conditions at Rikers Island, and how the Justice Department could be doing more work for police reform. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and the former Massachusetts secretary of public safety. She is currently the CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. Paul Reville discusses school board fights over mask mandates, and protests against legacy admissions in some of the country’s most elite universities. Reville is the former Massachusetts secretary of education and a professor at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, where he also heads the Education Redesign Lab. His latest book, co-authored with Lynne Sacks, is “Collaborative Action for Equity and Opportunity: A Practical Guide for School and Community Leaders.” Dan Carpenter weighs in on why it is taking so long to approve the COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5-11, as Pfizer officially asks the Food and Drug Administration to issue Emergency Use Authorization. Carpenter is a professor of government at Harvard University, and oversees The FDA Project, a theoretical, historical and statistical analysis of pharmaceutical regulation in the United States as it is carried out by the F.D.A. His most recent book is “Democracy by Petition: Popular Politics in Transformation, 1790-1870.”  Corby Kummer talks about the impact of the pandemic on the restaurant industry, Guy Fieri’s latest ventures and changing animal welfare laws that could raise egg prices in Massachusetts. Kummer is the 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. We end the show by asking listeners their thoughts on the potential for higher egg prices, as laws increasing pen space for hens are set to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2022.

Massachusetts state legislators may revise a 2016 ballot law on animal welfare to prevent a potential statewide egg shortage. Award-winning food writer Corby Kummer joined Boston Public Radio on Thursday to share his thoughts on this, and more. “First of all, there’s not going to be an egg shortage,” Kummer said. “It’s only an economic measure to protect farmers.” While the law also contains enclosure standards for pigs and calves, legislators are concerned with rules on acceptable enclosure space for egg-laying hens. According to the bill, egg-laying hens must be given at least 1.5 square feet of floor space and be able to fully extend both wings without touching the sides of the enclosure. In a measure to counteract the potential egg shortage, lawmakers are attempting to amend the enclosure requirements from 1.5 square feet to 1 square foot, following enclosure laws in other states. Unless legislators pass this amendment, the law will go into effect as written on Jan. 1, 2022. Representatives for egg farmers, supermarkets, and some animal rights activists support changes to the law, noting that vertical or multi-tiered aviary systems that allow hens to fly upwards, perch, and roost within 1 square foot. While Kummer acknowledged that some farmers may struggle economically to adjust enclosure spaces to fit this new rule, he believes that the idea of an egg shortage caused by enclosure regulations is an “excuse.” “This is another way for the industry to protect itself at the expense of animal welfare,” Kummer said. “But, if the country has enacted 1 square foot, then maybe Massachusetts should be consistent with that.” Kummer is the 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: Art Caplan talks about healthcare workers resigning following vaccine mandates, after New York’s largest healthcare provider lost 1,400 employees after a state mandate went into effect. Caplan is the Drs. William F. and Virginia Connolly Mitty Professor and founding head of the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU School of Medicine in New York City. Then, we hear from listeners about how they are planning for the holidays this year with the current status of the pandemic. Jim Aloisi and Stacy Thompson discuss why they think the MBTA is safe, how much they think the city should spend on transportation and the plan for the Mass. Pike development project in Allston. Aloisi is the former Massachusetts transportation secretary, a member of the Transit Matters board and a contributor to Commonwealth Magazine. Thompson is executive director of Livable Streets. Dr. Virginia Sinnott-Stutzman takes calls from listeners about caring for their pets, from dog food supply chain issues to combating kennel cough. Sinnott-Stutzman is a senior staff veterinarian at Angell Animal Medical Center.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners where the boundaries of protest lie, after activists followed Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema into the bathroom to protest her centrist policies. Trenni Kusnierek previews tonight’s wild card game between the Yankees and Red Sox and the return of the Boston Marathon. Kusnierek is an anchor and reporter for NBC Sports Boston, as well as a Boston Public Radio contributor. Carol Rose talks about the status of the Texas abortion law and how the government should respond to internet privacy issues for users, and previews the U.S. Supreme Court’s upcoming agenda. Rose is the Executive Director of the ACLU of Massachusetts. Michael Curry weighs in on vaccine mandates to combat the pandemic, and the debate over safe injection sites as a solution to the crisis at Mass. and Cass. Curry is the president and CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers and a member of Gov. Charlie Baker’s COVID Vaccine Advisory Group. He’s also a member of the National NAACP Board of Directors and chair of the board’s advocacy and policy committee. Stephanie Leydon previews the launch of GBH’s new multi-platform project, “The Big Quit,” which profiles people who used the pandemic to quit aspects of their life for something new. Leydon is the Director of Special Projects at GBH. John King updates listeners on all things politics, including Sinema’s centrist politics, and the persisting gridlock in Congress. He also talks about Donald Trump’s political ambitions for the 2024 presidential election. King is CNN's Chief National Correspondent and anchor of "Inside Politics,” which airs weekdays and Sunday mornings at 8 a.m. Then, we talk with listeners about whether they found meaning in postponed graduations and life-cycle events during the pandemic, or whether the moment had passed.

Today on Boston Public Radio: District Attorney Rachael Rollins responds to Republican attacks, following a tied party-line vote by the Senate Judiciary Committee on her nomination for U.S. Attorney. She also talks about her decision to move towards overturning a 50-year-old rape conviction, after the victim expressed worries about identifying the wrong perpetrator. Rollins is the Suffolk County DA and nominee to be the State’s next U.S. Attorney. Then, we ask listeners their thoughts on Facebook, as the company comes under fire by whistleblower Frances Haugen. Charlie Sennott talks about a partnership between over 150 investigative journalists to leak the Pandora Papers, which exposed financial secrets of some of the world’s most wealthy and powerful people. He also discusses the need for better immigration policy from President Joe Biden. Sennott is a GBH News analyst and the founder and CEO of The GroundTruth Project. British Consul General Peter Abbott talks about opportunities for offshore wind energy partnerships between the U.S. and U.K., and the relationship between Biden and U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Abbott is the British Consul General to New England. Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett G. Price III debate the ethics of singing Amazing Grace and other songs with troubled histories, given that Amazing Grace was written by a slave trader. They also discuss a racist email sent to Black students at UMass Amherst. Monroe is a syndicated religion columnist, the Boston voice for Detour’s African American Heritage Trail and co-host of the All Rev’d Up podcast. Price is the founding pastor of Community of Love Christian Fellowship in Allston, the Inaugural Dean of Africana Studies at Berklee College of Music and co-host of the All Rev’d Up podcast. Adam Reilly weighs in on the state of the mayor’s race, including Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley’s endorsement of City Councilor and mayoral candidate Michelle Wu, and who he thinks has a leg up in the historic election. Reilly is a reporter for GBH news, co-host of the Scrum Politics podcast and co-host of Election 2021: Boston’s Race Into History on GBH 2. We end the show by asking listeners whether they enjoy apple picking as a fun fall activity -- or decry its performativity -- as October begins.