Boston Public Radio

Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse criticized Biden’s reasoning for pardoning his son, while Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley defended Biden's right to pardon his son but urged the president to use his executive powers to address sentencing disparities.

Boston Globe columnist Shirley Leung noted that Black Friday's excitement has changed, as fewer people lined up for early-morning sales. Instead, online shopping saw record sales.

The senator believes Trump will act in a revengeful way "towards individuals who he believes harmed him.”

Andrea Campbell said the attorney general's office can only get involved if the dispute between the auditor and Massachusetts Legislature goes to litigation.

RFK Jr's vaccine skepticism is concerning to doctors, but his calls for improving nutrition are appealing — if he can execute his plan.

The former Massachusetts governor says his party could learn from Donald Trump.

Today: Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley frames President Biden’s decision to pardon his son Hunter a matter of legacy – and calls on him to pardon others in this country who have had their lives upended by war on crime prosecutions or wrongful convictions, beyond his own family members.And, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse tells us the “grotesqueness” of Trump’s cabinet picks is a feature – not a bug. We talk with him about Trump 2.0, and his experience at the COP29 climate summit.

We open the show to get your thoughts on all of Trump's cabinet picks. Will there be a trickle-down effect of loosened moral and ethical codes?Senator Sheldon Whitehouse zooms in to discuss Supreme Court ethics, his experience at COP29, how Democrats can respond to a second Trump term and his thoughts on the Hunter Biden pardon.Juliette Kayyem discusses Kash Patel at the FBI, martial law in South Korea, and the shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO in Manhattan.Chris Kimball of Milk Street Kitchen has a new baking book, "Milk Street Bakes."We ask listeners whether they -- like Jim -- have ever used the "Death Clock" app to learn the time of their demise. Rep. Ayanna Pressley discusses national pushback to DEI efforts and the Hunter Biden pardon.

Today:Boston Foundation president and CEO Lee Pelton discusses the organization's new ONE+ Boston mortgage program for low-income home buyers, and threats at the national level to the work nonprofits do.And, NBC Sports Boston anchor/reporter Trenni Casey discusses the soccer situation in the city, from stadiums to emerging teams.

Trenni Casey discussed the NCAA fining Ohio State & Michigan for a melee that broke out at their game on SundayLee Pelton of the Boston Foundation discussed ONE+ a new program focused on racial wealth disparities in the state; and TBF's housing report card.Jared Bowen discussed Luca Guadagnino's newest film with A24, "Queer"; and the box office success of Gladiator II.Sue O'Connell discussed brain rot, the Oxford University Press's word of the year

Today:Sue O’Connell fills in for Margery. We talk with two local mayors – of Salem and Attleboro – about the historic drought conditions in the state. And, Amherst College’s Ilan Stavans discusses the president-elect’s threat of day-one mass deportations.