The Scrum

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"Never imagined that I'd see a Black mayor": Yawu Miller on Kim Janey's ascension — and what comes next Mar 29, 2021

Show notes

The intense national interest in Kim Janey’s ascension that her stewardship of Boston could change, or begin to change, perception of the city. It could also change the way the Boston sees itself. But there are some important caveats attached to the Janey era — starting with the fact that it could end in November, when Boston holds the final election to replace former mayor Marty Walsh.

Yawu Miller, the senior editor of the Bay State Banner, talks about what it’s been like as a Black Bostonian to watch the transfer of power from Walsh to Janey, and how the candidates who’ve already said they’re running can respond to the undeniable advantage Janey now enjoys. First, though, Janey gets some friendly advice from Jane Swift, who ran Massachusetts after Paul Cellucci became ambassador to Canada — and might have been elected in 2002, if Mitt Romney had turned his focus to Utah a bit earlier than he did.

Whatever Happened To Dennis White? Plus, Previewing The Somerville Mayor's Race Mar 12, 2021

Show notes

The push for a more transparent Boston Police Department was one of the hallmarks of Marty Walsh’s second term. But now, as Walsh gets ready to head to Washington, his pick to run the BPD — Commissioner Dennis White — is on leave as the city investigates domestic-violence allegations that surfaced after his appointment.

In this episode of the Scrum, Saraya Wintersmith updates Adam Reilly on the status of that investigation and how the various candidates hoping to replace Walsh are addressing (or avoiding) the White controversy. Plus, Zoe Mathews talks with Somerville Journal reporter Julia Taliesin about Joe Curtatone’s impending mayoral exit and the electoral landscape his would-be successors will navigate.

The Revere-Winthrop Primary And What It Means For The Boston Mayor's Race Mar 05, 2021

Show notes

Jeffrey Turco, a moderate Democrat who voted for former President Donald Trump in 2016, defeated a number of more progressive candidates in the 19th District special election primary to succeed former House Speaker Robert Deleo.
In this episode of the Scrum, Peter Kadzis talks with NBC10's Sue O'Connell and Liam Kerr of Priorities for Progress about the race itself, the role social media plays in elections and whether nationalizing local races is effective.
Are there lessons to be learned for the Boston Mayoral Race, and even the 2022 Gubernatorial race to come? Listen to find out.

Annissa Essaibi George: The Scrum Interview Feb 26, 2021

Show notes

The first two candidates in Boston’s 2021 mayoral race, Michelle Wu and Andrea Campbell, committed to running before labor-secretary-in-waiting Marty Walsh’s plans were clear. But Annissa Essaibi George took a different tack. In this episode of the Scrum, AEG talks with Peter Kadzis and Adam Reilly about why she wouldn’t have run against Walsh; how she’d change Boston’s school system, including its school committee; how growing up in Boston with an Arab father shaped her worldview; and what she’d do to prevent any conflicts of interest between her career and her husband’s if she’s elected. As an added plus, she and Kadzis compare and contrast Dorchester accents.

If Denver Can Elect Black Mayors, Why Can't Boston? Feb 19, 2021

Show notes

It’s looking increasingly likely that the next mayor of Boston will be a female person of color — but for years, the city’s inability or unwillingness to elect anyone other than white men has been a defining trait. In Denver, meanwhile, which resembles Boston in several respects, three of the last four mayors have been people of color.

So what gives? Nearly a decade ago, GBH News senior editor Ken Cooper — who grew up in Denver, but has called Boston home for years — offered some answers in an article published by UMass Boston’s Trotter Review. He joined Peter Kadzis and Adam Reilly to recap and update his findings — and to offer some thoughts on why, finally, Boston seems poised to change its electoral habits.

What Baker's Vaccine Woes Tell Us About The Governor Feb 12, 2021

Show notes

In the eyes of the electorate, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker has been able to do no wrong for the vast majority of his time in office. The state’s troubled COVID-vaccine rollout is a notable, potentially damaging exception to that rule. Peter Kadzis and Adam Reilly size up the situation, and its deeper lessons, with Joan Vennochi of the Boston Globe, who also has some pointed thoughts on the state of Boston as Mayor Marty Walsh prepares to head to Washington, D.C.

American Democracy: Buy Or Sell? Jan 22, 2021

Show notes

After the 2020 presidential election and the harrowing events that followed it—which are still playing out—the question of whether the United States can survive as a functioning polity is real and pressing. In this episode of the Scrum, Bay State Banner senior editor Yawu Miller joins Peter Kadzis and Adam Reilly to size up where we’ve been and where we’re heading.

Andrea Campbell: The Scrum Interview Jan 14, 2021

Show notes

Now that Boston Mayor Marty Walsh is headed to Washington, you can’t swing a stick without hitting a potential mayoral candidate. But when Walsh’s plans were unclear, just two people had the guts to commit to running against him if he sought a third term — and Boston City Councilor Andrea Campbell was one of them. In this episode of the Scrum, she talks with Peter Kadzis and Adam Reilly about Boston’s progress in the Walsh years and what she would do differently as mayor. Campbell also speaks in depth about her twin brother, Andre, whose death in pretrial detention had a massive impact on the way she thinks about Boston politics.

What Makes Michelle Wu Run? Dec 17, 2020

Show notes

If you pay attention to Boston politics, four-term city councilor Michelle Wu is a familiar figure, known for her electoral prowess and her determinedly progressive politics. But there are some aspects of Wu’s political identity that even her fans might not be familiar with — including her conception of how Boston politics intersect (or *could* intersect) with Massachusetts politics, and the impact her mother’s struggle with mental illness had on her approach to governance. In this episode of the Scrum, Wu, Peter Kadzis, and Adam Reilly discuss these topics — as well as Wu’s tough assessment of Governor Charlie Baker and Mayor Marty Walsh’s response to COVID.

The Case For A Massachusetts COVID Clampdown — Now, Not Later Dec 08, 2020

Show notes

Critics have argued for a while now that Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker isn’t doing enough to stem the spread of COVID-19 — relying instead on restrictions that were established weeks or months ago, and aren’t sufficient for the moment we find ourselves in. But over the past few days, as Massachusetts sets new records for reported daily cases and other key metrics head in the wrong direction, that frustration has reached a fever pitch. In this episode of the Scrum, two Boston epidemiologists — Sam Scarpino of Northeastern University and Cassandra Pierre of Boston Medical Center — make the case for the governor to do more, stat. Afterward, Peter Kadzis offers his take on that Baker’s getting right and what he should do differently.

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