Boston Public Radio Podcast

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BPR Full Show 8/20/20: Elizabeth Warren Goes 'All In' Aug 20, 2020

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Today on Boston Public Radio:

NBC “Meet the Press” moderator Chuck Todd discussed Thursday morning's news of the arrest of former Trump advisor Steve Bannon. He also recapped everything that’s going on with the Democratic National Convention.

We opened lines to talk with listeners about your thoughts on the first three nights of the DNC.

Former Suffolk County Sheriff and Secretary of Public Safety Andrea Cabral discussed Thursday's arrest of Steve Bannon, and a Florida appeals court’s decision to throw out video evidence in the prostitution case against Patriots owner Robert Kraft.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren discussed why she’s all in for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, her thoughts on the looming eviction crisis, and why she feels it’s important for the federal government to support the arts during the coronavirus pandemic.

Former Mass. Education Secretary Paul Reville broke down the latest headlines from the education sector, with K-12 schools and colleges scrambling to sort out how they’ll operate this school year.

Tech writer Andy Ihnatko talked about a recent lawsuit from Fortnite developer Epic Games against Apple over alleged antitrust violations, and gave his pitch for Google’s new Pixel 4a smartphone.

We returned to listeners to talk about anxieties around the return of college students to cities and campuses.

BPR Full Show 8/19/20: Even Sharks Need Friends Aug 19, 2020

Show notes

Today on Boston Public Radio:

Medical ethicist Art Caplan discussed prescription delays brought by USPS cutbacks, and the importance of keeping kids active and socially distanced throughout the pandemic.

We opened lines to ask parents: is life during COVID-19 making your kids more active or less active?

CNN analyst and national security expert Juliette Kayyem discussed Tuesday's release of the final volume of the Senate Intelligence Committee's investigation into Russian election interference, and sharp critiques of the president's handling of national security from Miles Taylor, his former DHS Chief of Staff.

Mass. AG Maura Healey discussed her office’s forthcoming lawsuit against the Trump administration over changes at the USPS, and spoke to callers as part of our monthly “Ask the AG” segment.

Journalist and naturalist Sy Montgomery discussed the important work of the Turtle Rescue League, bizarre mating habits of Brazilian frogs, and the reason why sharks like to have friends.

Art Caplan on the Need for P.E. in Remote Learning Plans Aug 19, 2020

Show notes

Medical ethicist Art Caplan made his weekly call into Boston Public Radio on Wednesday, where he discussed worries about kids not getting much-needed exercise while they’re learning from home. The conversation came on the heels of a recent study from the American Heart Association indicating only about 40 percent of American adolescents are aerobically fit.

"The best we could do, I think, is build it into our plans for remote education this fall,” he said. "Let’s talk recess and phys ed as well as math and English.”

Caplan also stressed that group sports aren't the ideal solution to the problem, saying “[if] we get a rebound of COVID, then the kids are gonna be bringing it to the field. It’s not that they get it there, it’s that they track it in – so to speak."

Arthur Caplan is the Drs. William F. and Virginia Connolly Mitty Chair, and the director of the division of medical ethics at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine.

Juliette Kayyem: New Senate Intel Report On Russian Election Interference Aug 19, 2020

Show notes

The Senate Intelligence Committee released a nearly 1,000 page report on Tuesday, detailing Russia’s interference in the 2016 election. The report describes President Donald Trump’s campaign advisors as having extensive contact with Russian intelligence officials during the 2016 election.

Trump’s former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, was said to have had the most extreme link with Russian intelligence. Homeland security expert Juliette Kayyem spoke with Boston Public Radio on Wednesday about this new report.

“The substance of it is more damning than the Mueller Report because it shows, and more than implies, the direct relationship with Manafort and senior leaders in the Russian intelligence agency,” she said.

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.

BPR Full Show 8/18/20: Crossroad Blues Aug 18, 2020

Show notes

Today on Boston Public Radio:
We opened our lines to ask listeners: are you experiencing work-from-home burnout?
Trenni Kusnierek talked about the recent appointment of Jason Wright as the NFL’s first Black team president, and Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask’s decision to step away from the NHL. Kusnierek is an anchor and reporter for NBC Boston Sports, and a Boston Public Radio contributor.
Steve Kerrigan recapped the Monday night kick-off of the Democratic National Convention. Kerrigan is the CEO of the Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center, and former CEO of the Democratic National Convention.
Chris Dempsey discussed the return of commuters to the roads of Mass., and the data behind why public transportation might be safer than you think. Dempsey directs the coalition Transportation for Mass., and is a former Mass. assistant secretary for transportation.
Journalist Robert Kuttner discussed failures in U.S. coronavirus testing, and his recent piece for the American Prospect titled "Falling Upward: The Surprising Survival of Larry Summers.” Kuttner is a co-editor for the American Prospect, and the Ida and Meyer Kirstein Chair at Brandeis University. His latest book is “The Stakes: 2020 and the Survival of American Democracy."
CNN’s chief national correspondent John King talked about night one of the Democratic National Convention, and what current polling indicates about the standing of presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden ahead of the November election.
Lyndia Downie, President and Executive Director of the Pine Street Inn, discussed the organization’s success in stopping the spread of COVID-19 among Boston’s homeless population, and the challenges they’re anticipating after the state’s eviction moratorium is lifted in October.

BPR Full Show 8/17/20: On Peace & Peace of Mind Aug 17, 2020

Show notes

Today on Boston Public Radio:

We opened lines to talk with listeners about concerns regarding President Trump’s moves to curb mail-in voting ahead of the November election.

TV expert Bob Thompson talked about ABC's decision to finally release an episode of "Black-ish,” which the network thought too controversial to air in 2018. He also reviewed HBO's “Lovecraft Country.”

WGBH News Analyst and GroundTruth Project CEO Charlie Sennott discussed widespread protests in Lebanon in the wake of the Beirut explosion, and implications of the recent diplomatic agreement struck between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.

Reverends Irene Monroe and Emmett Price, hosts of WGBH’s All Rev’d Up, discussed the faiths of Sen. Kamala Harris and former Vice President Joe Biden, and questions about their impact on a Biden-Harris administration.

Dr. Ken Duckworth talked about mental health issues pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic, and responded to questions and comments from listeners. Ken Duckworth is the senior medical director for behavioral health at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mass. and the national medical director for the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

Corby Kummer: Michigan Requires Routine COVID-19 Testing For Meatpacking Plants Aug 14, 2020

Show notes

As of last week, all food processor employees in Michigan must now be routinely tested for COVID-19, making it the first state in the nation with this requirement. Food writer Corby Kummer told Boston Public Radio on Friday that "this is a piece of good news" in the meatpacking industry, which has so far been "callous and cruel to its workers, not caring if they live or die."

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 8/14/20: USPS Distress Aug 14, 2020

Show notes

Today on Boston Public Radio:
- Massachusetts Congressman Stephen Lynch spoke about the US Postal Service removing many mail-processing machines across the country.
- Political commentator Sue O'Connell explained the recent allegations against Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse, who is running against Congressman Richard Neal for Massachusetts's 1st congressional district seat.
- WGHB's Emily Rooney gave her thoughts on Massachusetts's 4th congressional district race.
- Food writer Corby Kummer spoke about Michigan becoming the first state to mandate that meatpacking workers must have regular COVID-19 screenings.
- Callie Crossley discussed how recent right-wing journalists and politicians are mispronouncing vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris' name.
- Yankee Magazine's Annie Copps spoke about the surge in home cooking that's occurred during the pandemic.

BPR Full Show 08/14/20: Kamala Momala Aug 14, 2020

Show notes

Today on Boston Public Radio:

- NBC's Chuck Todd shared his thoughts on Joe Biden, presumptive Democratic nominee for president, choosing Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate.

- Boston City Councilor Andrea Campbell spoke about her call for Boston schools to start the year fully remote.

- Andrea Cabral, former secretary of public safety and sheriff of Suffolk County, explained why the Massachusetts Bail Fund is facing criticism.

- Brown University Economics Professor Emily Oster talked about how to safely reopen schools this fall.

- American playwright Paula Vogel spoke about how the performing arts are adapting to life online.

- Boston Globe Business Columnist Shirley Leung discussed diversifying the boards of some of the commonwealth's largest companies.

BPR Full Show 8/12/20: The Pick Is In Aug 12, 2020

Show notes

Today on Boston Public Radio:
Former Mass. Treasurer and state gubernatorial candidate Shannon O’Brien discussed presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s choice of Kamala Harris as his running mate.
Michael Curry talked about Biden’s pick and how Harris on the ticket might influence voters. Curry is the deputy CEO and general council for the Mass. League of Community Health Centers and a member of the NAACP board of directors, where he also chairs the board’s advocacy and policy committee.
We opened our lines to talk with listeners about Harris joining Biden’s presidential ticket.
Medical ethicist Art Caplan discussed evolving attitudes around faster, less effective coronavirus testing, and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ethically dubious claims about Russia's supposed COVID-19 vaccine.
Colby College sociologist and former police officer Neil Gross talked about why he believes progressives looking to effect change in police forces should consider joining them.
MIT economist Jon Gruber talked about President Trump’s proposals for coronavirus relief, and offered his take on benefits of the $600 per week unemployment benefits that recently ran out.
We returned to listeners to hear more of your thoughts on Harris as Biden's running mate.
Richard Pickering and Kate Sheehan from Plimouth Plantation discussed the return of the newly-restored Mayflower II, and the museum's ongoing effort to raise awareness about the impact of the English settlers on the local Wampanoag population.

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