Episodes
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BPR Full Show 10/15/20: Kleptocracy Opportunities
Today on Boston Public Radio: Renée Landers recapped the week’s Senate hearings for U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett, what the public learned about Barrett’s judicial approach, and whether she believes the nominee would help overturn Roe v. Wade. Landers is a professor of law and faculty director of the health and biomedical law concentration at Suffolk University’s School of Law. We then opened lines to talk with listeners about your thoughts on court-stacking, and whether Democrats should work to expand the Supreme Court if Amy Coney Barrett is confirmed before the election. NBC “Meet the Press” moderator Chuck Todd caught us up on the Senate hearings for U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett, and dueling town hall interviews for President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden. Next, we opened lines to talk with listeners about the two presidential town hall debates taking place Thursday night, for both President Tump and former Vice President Biden. Matt Stout, who covers politics and government from the Boston Globe’s State House bureau, gave a debrief on Mass.' Ballot Question 2, regarding whether the state ought to implement ranked-choice voting, and offered some pros and cons for voters still figuring out where they stand on the issue. State Rep. Mike Connolly discussed his thoughts on Gov. Baker’s newly-released rental relief plan, and the implications of the state ending its eviction moratorium, which it'll do on Saturday, ahead of winter months and another potential coronavirus surge. Tech writer Andy Ihnatko discussed Twitter and Facebook’s moves to limit the spread of a story, published Wednesday by the New York Post, about what the outlet described as a “smoking gun” email found on the laptop of former Vice President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden. He also talked about issues with Amazon’s delivery service, and what you can do to help delivery drivers find your home. -
BPR Full Show 10/14/20: Amy Coney Barrett Confirmation Hearings, Day Three
Today on Boston Public Radio: We spent today’s show airing live audio from day three of the Senate confirmation hearing for U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett. You can watch the full recording of Wednesday’s hearing by visiting WGBH.org/News, or clicking the link here. -
BPR Full Show 10/13/20: Amy Coney Barrett Confirmation Hearings, Day Two
Today on Boston Public Radio We spent today’s show airing live audio from day two of the Senate confirmation hearing for U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett. You can watch the full recording of Tuesday’s hearing by visiting WGBH.org/News, or clicking the link here. -
BPR Full Show 10/12/20: Amy Coney Barrett Confirmation Hearings, Day One
Today on Boston Public Radio We spent today’s show airing live audio from day one of the Senate confirmation hearing for US Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett. You can watch the full recording of Monday’s hearing by visiting WGBH.org/News, or clicking the link here. -
BPR Full Show 10/9/20: Long-Time Host, First-Time Caller
Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened the show by talking with listeners about new legislation, unveiled Friday by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, that would establish a Congressional panel with the authority to decide when a president is unfit to lead. Beat the Press host Emily Rooney weighed in on the failed attempt by militiamen to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. She also talked about the challenges with celebrating Halloween during the coronavirus pandemic, and gave Jim and Margery a debate-themed pop quiz. Food writer Corby Kummer discussed the latest news around how the restaurant industry is struggling through the COVID-19 pandemic, and why the federal government isn’t doing more to help. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh weighed in on the stalled reopening of Boston Public Schools, discussed how he’s preparing for the looming eviction moratorium, and responded to questions from listeners as part of our monthly “Ask the Mayor” series. Under the Radar host Callie Crossley offered her take on Tuesday’s vice-presidential debate and the vitriol brought against Sen. Kamala Harris from critics on the right. She also touched on the surprisingly close Senate race in South Carolina, and previewed this week’s edition of Under the Radar. Closing out the show, we opened lines to talk with listeners about that fly that landed on Vice President Mike Pence’s head at Tuesday night’s debate. -
Corby Kummer: 'Moderately Nervous' For Indoor Dining
Food writer Corby Kummer spoke to Boston Public Radio on Friday about transitioning to indoor dining at restaurants, as the colder winter months emerge. Diners should be ‘moderately nervous,’ when it comes to indoor dining, Kummer said. “We should be paying a lot of attention to what the restaurants are doing. So ventilation is a really big deal, and fresh air is the key.” 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. -
BPR Full Show 10/8/20: Time Flies
Today on Boston Public Radio: NBC “Meet the Press” moderator Chuck Todd offered his post-debate debrief, following Wednesday night’s vice-presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Mike Pence. He also touched on other headlines around the November election, including President Trump’s threat that he'll opt out of a forthcoming virtual town hall debate. We opened lines to talk with you about your impressions of Wednesday night’s vice-presidential debate. Former Suffolk County Sheriff and Secretary of Public Safety Andrea Cabral talked about the West Roxbury resident who was stopped by ICE officers while out jogging, and a recent decision by the Department of Justice to sidestep policy keeping prosecutors from taking steps that could interfere with elections. Republican Congressional candidate John Paul Moran discussed his views on climate change, LGBT rights, political partisanship, and more, in a conversation about his campaign for Mass.’ 6th Congressional District. We opened lines to talk about President Trump’s decision, announced Thursday, to opt out of a virtual presidential debate against Democratic challenger Joe Biden. Mass. AG Maura Healey offered her impressions on Wednesday night's vice-presidential debate, discussed the ways he office is addressing the threat of voter suppression in the November election, and responded to listener questions and comments as part of our monthly “Ask the AG” series. -
BPR Full Show 10/7/20: American Studies
MIT economist Jonthan Gruber discussed the stalled negotiations in Congress over further coronavirus relief spending, and how large-scale tax evasion among the nation’s richest dwarfs the budget shortfalls that are keeping everyday Americans from receiving additional financial aid. We opened lines to ask listeners: how is the federal government’s inability to pass another stimulus packaging affecting you? Medical ethicist Art Caplan discussed new FDA rules that make an election-ready COVID-19 vaccine highly unlikely, and ethical concerns with the handling of coronavirus infections within President Trump’s administration. Boston Globe editor-in-chief Brian McGrory talked about his experience running the Boston Globe from what his colleagues describe as “the dreariest looking room in America,” why he expects the current whirlwind news cycle will only going to get crazier in the final months of 2020, and his thoughts on the Baker administration's limited transparency throughout the coronavirus pandemic. Former Mass. Education Secretary Paul Reville discussed criticisms surrounding Notre Dame President John Jenkins, who skirted social distancing guidelines and contracted COVID-19, as well as the stalled reopening at Boston Public Schools. Milk Street TV host Chris Kimball discussed his latest cookbook, “Cookish: Throw it Together,” along with the forthcoming season of Milk Street TV, and his favorite recipe from legendary TV cook Julia Child. Restauranteur Joanne Chang updated listeners on how her restaurants are doing, spoke on the opening of a new Flour Bakery in Beacon Hill, and talked about how she's planning to adapt operations through fall and winter of the coronavirus the pandemic. -
Paul Reville: Boston Public Schools Hit Pause On Reopening
Boston Public Schools put a pause to reopening plans on Wednesday, citing the city’s COVID-19 positive test rate climbing over 4%. Paul Reville, former Massachusetts education secretary, spoke with Boston Public Radio about the difficult situation. “I certainly sympathize with what Boston is doing - I mean it’s hit a certain point and is trying to be cautious at same time as there’s tremendous tension to want to provide in-person schooling especially to the neediest and youngest students,” he said. “They’re trying to bend over backwards to do that, and they’re being cautious, and you certainly can’t fault them for that.” Reville is a professor at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, where he also runs 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." -
Art Caplan On New FDA COVID-19 Vaccine Guidelines
Medical ethicist Art Caplan spoke with Boston Public Radio on Wednesday about the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) new guidance on COVID-19 vaccine approval. On Tuesday, the agency required that pharmaceutical companies developing a COVID-19 vaccine must monitor subjects two months after vaccination, to look for side effects. This makes it unlikely that a vaccine will be approved before Election Day, something urged by President Donald Trump. “I was very pleased that the FDA issued some straight science guidelines about what they want to improve a vaccine,” Caplan said. “It pretty much ensures, in order to meet them, that there won’t be a vaccine approved before election day - but I think that’s appropriate, we’ve got to go prudently, we don’t want people to be fearful that they can’t trust the data.” Art Caplan is the Drs. William F and Virginia Connolly Mitty Chair, and director of the Division of Medical Ethics at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
