Boston Public Radio Podcast

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.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin Monday's show by opening lines, talking with listeners about your experiences trying to get vaccinated for COVID-19 in Mass. TV expert Bob Thompson commemorated the life and career of groundbreaking actress Cicely Tyson, who died last week. He also reviewed HBO’s “The Little Things,” Netflix's “The Brooklyn Saints," and SyFy’s “Resident Alien.” GBH News analyst and GroundTruth Project CEO Charlie Sennott weighs in on protests in Russia around the detention of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. He also gives a debrief on Monday's coup in Myanmar, vaccine distribution stumbles in the EU, and broader COVID-19 vaccine inequity around the globe. Irene Monroe and Emmett Price, hosts of GBH’s All Rev’d Up, talk about inaugural poet Amanda Gorman's Black Catholic parish in Los Angeles. They also weigh in on the contentious relationship between Reps. Cori Bush and Marjorie Taylor Greene, and discuss news that the Black Lives Matter movement has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. Dr. Katherine Gergen Barnett talks about Mass. Gov. Charlie Baker’s methodology for the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in the Commonwealth, and questions around vaccine efficacy. As always, 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.

Dr. Katherine Gergen Barnett returned to Boston Public Radio Monday, offering some clarity on why Massachusetts lags behind the rest of the nation when it comes to the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. According to a Washington Post vaccine tracker, the Bay State currently ranks 41st in the nation, with just under seven percent of residents having received their first dose. For comparison, Connecticut has managed to vaccinated almost 10 percent, while West Virginia has managed to get first-doses to close to 11 percent of residents. The Boston Medical Center official blamed a combination of factors for what she described as “several bottlenecks” in the state’s rollout. These issues include supply constraints, smaller-than-anticipated doses of vaccine per vile in the case of the Pfizer vaccine, and a lower-than-expected outtake among staff at long-term care facilities. “I think we are all, even those of us in healthcare, are feeling the effects of the rub here,” she said. Monday’s interview concluded with Gergen Barnett answering listener questions, on topics like vaccine efficacy, the possibility of mobile vaccine clinics, and why you shouldn’t cancel that dentist appointment. Dr. Katherine 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.

On Boston Public Radio Friday, Emily Rooney described how a group of people organized by social media used a Wall Street tactic to redistribute millions of dollars away from hedge funds, and into the pockets of amateur traders by buying up stock from a dying retailer, GameStop. “This was an insurrection by a group of people who said we’re mad as hell and we’re not going to take it anymore, and they beat Wall Street at their own game and now Wall Street is really really mad,” she said. How did they do it? BPR producer Zoe Mathews checked in with MIT economist Jon Gruber for a primer, ahead of his definitive explainer next week on the show.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Dr. Howard Koh, former state commissioner of the Department of Public Health, talks about new updates from pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson on their forthcoming COVID-19 vaccine, and the risks posed by the coronavirus variants that are popping up around the world and here in the U.S. He also speaks about President Biden’s handling of the pandemic during his first 10 days in office, and the bumpy vaccine rollout here in Mass. Next, we open lines to talk with listeners about your experiences trying to get the COVID-19 vaccine in Mass. Boston City Councilor At-Large Annissa Essaibi George calls in to talk about her newly-announced mayoral campaign. She speaks on her push to bring more mental-health professionals into Boston schools, offers her take on Boston mayor Marty Walsh’s handling of the pandemic, and talks about what she’d do differently to support struggling businesses. Ali Noorani, CEO of the National Immigrant Forum, talks about President Biden’s reversal of his predecessor's immigration agenda, and the pushback he’s getting from GOP leadership. He also talks about his impressions of Biden’s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas. Beat the Press host Emily Rooney critiques the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in Mass., recaps recent clean-energy goals set by automaker GM, and does her best to explain what’s going on with GameStop and the stock market. Dr. Deirdre Leigh Barrett, Harvard researcher and author of “Pandemic Dreams,” gives an update on her work studying pandemic-era dreaming, and talks about the apparent impact of factors like gender and occupation on how we're process the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the Radar and Basic Black host Callie Crossley discusses her concerns with members of Congress bringing guns in congressional chambers, President Biden’s plan to move forward with printing Harriet Tubman’s face on $20 bills, and the passing of actress Cicely Tyson. She also defends the barbecue of her hometown, Memphis, Tenn., as the gold-standard.

Today on Boston Public Radio: NBC “Meet the Press” moderator Chuck Todd weighs in on the members of the GOP aligning with former President Trump on impeachment, and talks about frustration with what he describes as “fact-deserts” throughout much of the U.S. He also discusses the challenge for President Biden in negotiating with Republican leadership to pass his $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill. Next, we open lines to talk with listeners about your experiences using state government resources to schedule COVID-19 vaccinations. Former Suffolk County sheriff and secretary of public safety Andrea Cabral discusses her concerns with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green’s history of supporting QAnon and other dangerous conspiracy theories. She also talks about Henry “Enrique” Tarrio, the leader of the Proud Boys extremist group who was revealed by Reuters to be a former government informant, and weighs in on a recent flurry of anti-protest bills from GOP congressional leaders. GBH Executive Arts Editor Jared Bowen recaps his hours-long experience trying to get his father a COVID-19 vaccination appointment. He also discusses the reopening of museums and movie theaters in Boston, reviews the new Claude Monet exhibit at the MFA, and talked about the ongoing light show at the Hatch Shell. Mass. A.G. Maura Healey returns for our monthly edition of “Ask the A.G.” She speaks about the abrupt resignation of Boston Police Commissioner William Gross, the complicated rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in Mass., as well as the status of her office's ongoing investigation into a road rage incident concerning Suffolk County D.A. Rachael Rollins. As always, Healey also responds to questions and comments from listeners.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Former Mass. education secretary Paul Reville discusses the CDC’s latest statement reassuring schools that they can operate safely in-person, and frustration from the Mass. educators about their standing in the state's vaccine rollout plan. Next, we turned to listeners, hearing your thoughts on whether the state ought to prioritize vaccinating teachers ahead of school reopening in Mass. M.I.T. economist Jonathan Gruber breaks down President Biden's plan to expand the child tax credit, and explained the significance of making those credits fully refundable. CNN analyst Juliette Kayyem talks about the state of the forthcoming Senate impeachment trial of President Trump. She also discusses how President Biden is preparing FEMA to take preemptive action against natural disasters brought by climate change. Medical ethicist Art Caplan weighs in on President Biden’s handling of the pandemic during his first week in office, and talks about the need for countries to anticipate snags in vaccine manufacturing and distribution. He also touches on the slow rollout of vaccines in Mass., and concerns he has with the 22,000 fans attending this year's Super Bowl. Then, we return to callers for the ongoing conversation about teacher vaccinations and in-person learning. Sy Montgomery returns for our monthly edition of "Afternoon Zoo." Among other animal stories, she talks about the bizarre and slow-paced mating rituals of the Shipworm, the majesty of mosquito birth, and the thieving monkeys of Bali.

On Wednesday’s Boston Public Radio, former Mass. education secretary Paul Reville offered his thoughts on contention between the Mass. Teacher’s Association and Gov. Charlie Baker, after teachers were slotted down in the state’s COVID-19 vaccine priority list. On Monday, state officials announced they’d be prioritizing residents 65 and older, and bumping educators to second priority in phase two of the vaccine rollout. Despite the delay, Gov. Baker is continuing to pressure schools to bring students and teachers back for in-person learning. "Grocery workers could say the same thing,” Reville said in response to frustrations expressed by MTA representatives. "Postal workers could say the same thing, or people that work in pharmacies – everybody feels that way.” Also on Monday, a report from officials at the Centers for Disease Control was released, indicating that schools with proper safety precautions are a low-risk for COVID-19 transmission. Reville said there are "lots of tradeoffs,” but added that he fully supports bringing back certain groups of at-risk students. "I think it’s time to move back with children who are most disadvantaged, and in the youngest age groups,” he said, “where we know transmissibility is low, and the vulnerability is low, and the symptoms tends to be more mild.” Paul Reville is the former Mass. 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 Elaine Weiss, is: "Broader, Bolder, Better: How Schools and communities help Students Overcome the Disadvantages of Poverty.”

Today on Boston Public Radio: We start Tuesday's show by opening lines, getting your reactions to the bumpy rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in Mass. NBC Sports Boston reporter and anchor Trenni Kusnierek weighs in on quarterback Tom Brady’s Sunday win with the Buccaneers, and what it means about the role Patriots coach Bill Belichick played in his team’s success over the past two decades. She also reflected on the death of baseball legend Hank Aaron, and discussed sexual harassment allegations made against New York Jets GM Jared Porter. FRONTLINE filmmaker Michael Kirk talks about his latest FRONTLINE documentary, “Trump’s American Carnage,” about the chaos of President Trump’s four years in power, beginning with his ban on Muslims entering the U.S., and culminating with January’s attack on the Capitol. Dr. David Fajgenbaum talks about his experience battling a rare condition known as Castleman disease, and how it ended up providing insights into treating COVID-19. Dr. Fajgenbaum is the co-founder and Executive Director of the Castleman Disease Collaborative Network, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and Associate Director of the Patient Impact for the Penn Orphan Disease Center. TV expert Bob Thompson talks about the future of late-night T.V. post-Trump. He also speaks on the performance of inaugural poet Amanda Gorman at last week's inauguration, and reviews Netflix's "The Forty-Year-Old Version," "White Tiger," and "Lockdown" on Amazon Prime. CNN’s John King discusses the future of the filibuster in the U.S. Senate, and how he's expecting Congress to handle President Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill. He also touches on President Trump's legacy with the Republican party, and news that his former press secretary, Sarah Huckabee-Sanders, is running for governor of Ark. We close out Tuesday's show by opening lines to listeners, hearing your thoughts on movies and television centered around the COVID-19 pandemic.