The Scrum

Latest Episodes:

COVID-19 And The Way We Live Now Apr 10, 2020

Show notes

A few weeks ago, he was suffering from what was probably COVID-19 himself. But now Steve Koczela, the president of the MassINC Polling Group, is (mostly) recovered — and he’s been diving into the way the Massachusetts coronavirus epidemic has changed the way Massachusetts thinks and acts. Adam Reilly talks with Steve about his own experience with the disease and his takeaways when it comes to attitudes and behaviors across the state. First, though, Adam and Peter Kadzis size up the end of Bernie Sanders’ 2020 Democratic presidential bid and what (if anything) Joe Biden can do to woo the Sanders faithful.

Urban Renewal In Boston And Beyond: Maybe Not So Bad? Mar 31, 2020

Show notes

Like its predecessor, this episode of the Scrum is a largely coronavirus-free zone. Peter Kadzis and Adam Reilly wrap up their conversation with Lizabeth Cohen, whose Bancroft-winning new biography of Ed Logue argues that the former Boston planning head and the concepts he championed have been unfairly maligned of late. (This part of the convo runs from Kevin White to the present; you’ll get a lot more out of it if you’ve already heard the first installment, which starts *way* back with James Michael Curley.)

But first…times being being what they are, it’s impossible to avoid the convergence of COVID-19 and politics. For a few minutes at the outset, Kadzis and Reilly ponder whether — as a listener or two has suggested — their assessment of Governor Charlie Baker’s leadership in the previous episode may have been overly generous.

The First Scrum Of The Rest Of Our Lives Mar 20, 2020

Show notes

A few minutes in, this Scrum becomes a coronavirus-free zone: Peter Kadzis and Adam Reilly take a deep dive into Boston redevelopment with Lizabeth Cohen, the author of “Saving America’s Cities: Ed Logue and the Struggle to Renew Urban America in the Suburban Age,” which just won the coveted Bancroft Prize for excellence in American history. It’s the first half of their convo with Cohen; you’ll hear the second next week.

First, though, Kadzis and Reilly size up the recent performance, in these frightening, unprecedented times, of Governor Charlie Baker and Mayor Marty Walsh. (Spoiler: both get high marks, as does New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. President Donald Trump still has, uh, plenty of room for growth.)

One more thing: while we’re always happy to hear from you with suggestions and criticisms, we’d especially like to get your feedback *now. *So we’re urging listeners to use their phones to record and send us voice memos — about what you want from the Scrum moving forward, what you make of #mapoli’s response to the pandemic, and how you and your loved ones are holding up. If you do record, and even if you don’t, email us at scrum@wgbh.org. Or, as always, find us on Twitter: Peter’s @kadzis, Adam is @reillyadam, and our producer Zoe Mathews is @zoesmathews. Thanks for listening, and be careful out there.

What Does Warren Do Now? Mar 09, 2020

Show notes

Warren 2020 is no more, but the senator from Cambridge is still very much in the public eye, locally and nationally. Will she endorse? If so, who? And after a disappointing primary showing here in Massachusetts, what does she need to do to shore up her own position here at home? Peter Kadzis and Adam Reilly kick it around.

Can Warren Come Back On Super Tuesday? Feb 27, 2020

Show notes

Say this for Elizabeth Warren and her stalwart supporters: despite a rough start that includes disappointing results in Iowa, New Hampshire, and Nevada, they’re keeping the faith — insisting that the race for the Democratic nomination will be a long one, and that the Massachusetts senator is *still *the candidate best situated to unite the party and take on Donald Trump in November, early outcomes be damned. So…does it pass the smell test? And just how high should expectations for Warren be in her own backyard? Adam Reilly and Peter Kadzis talk it through with two high-profile Warren surrogates, Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu and Massachusetts State Senator Eric Lesser.

The Massachusetts Case For Sanders Feb 20, 2020

Show notes

Elizabeth Warren is getting plenty of local love as she seeks the Democratic presidential nomination, with big names like Ayanna Pressley, Maura Healey, and Michelle Wu endorsing and advocating for her campaign. (Also in Warren’s camp: colleagues-turned-rivals Ed Markey and Joe Kennedy III, who probably won’t be canvassing together any time soon.)

But not every Massachusetts progressive thinks Warren is the way to go. In this episode of the Scrum, Adam Reilly and Peter Kadzis talk with two of Bernie Sanders’ Massachusetts co-chairs, state reps Nika Elugardo and Mike Connolly, about why they’re backing Sanders and his movement over Warren and hers; the state of the Sanders campaign here in Massachusetts; and how Sanders’ 2020 candidacy compares with 2016.

Can't get enough of local and national politics? Subscribe to The Scrum, WGBH News' politics podcast, with Adam Reilly, Peter Kadzis, and an ever-expanding roster of guests.

SUBSCRIBE:

Apple Podcasts
Stitcher
Spotify
Castbox
Overcast

What Happened In New Hampshire Feb 15, 2020

Show notes

Elizabeth Warren finished fourth, and then cast herself as a savior in waiting for a fractured Democratic Party. Deval Patrick accused the media of destroying his campaign. And Bernie Sanders won — unless you think Pete Buttigieg won by making Sanders sweat, and/or you think Amy Klobuchar won by beating everyone’s expectations. Oh yeah, and what if Mike Bloomberg is actually the favorite?

Peter Kadzis and Adam Reilly hash it out.

In First 2020 Test, Iowa Flunks Out. Will Progressives Ace #FITN? Feb 06, 2020

Show notes

For the first test of the 2020 election, the Iowa caucus flunked out of school, after massive reporting delays led to a vacuum in results. The party has yet to declare a winner, and with New Hampshire looming, those in the lead lost any real media and fundraising boost they would have gotten from a clear victory.
In this episode, Adam Reilly and Peter Kadzis pick through the failures of the Iowa caucus and reset the equilibrium ahead of New Hampshire, with Boston Globe columnist Joan Vennochi.
Can't get enough of local and national politics? Subscribe to *The Scrum, WGBH News' politics podcast, with Adam Reilly, Peter Kadzis, and an ever-expanding roster of guests.*

Heather Cox Richardson's Impeachment Marathon Jan 29, 2020

Show notes

Be honest: how closely are you following President Trump’s Senate impeachment trial?

Maybe you’ve tuned out altogether, since the outcome seems like a foregone conclusion. Maybe you’re checking the news sites or social media for the occasional update, or even tuning in to live coverage on cable or NPR on occasion.

Whatever your approach, though, you’re probably not following it anywhere *near* as closely as Heather Cox Richardson. For months, Richardson, a professor of history at Boston College, has been writing a daily digest of all things impeachment, titled Letters From An American — and to her surprise, it’s attracted a something of a cult following.

Adam Reilly and Peter Kadzis sat down with Richardson and talked about why she started her project; what it’s been like to be continually immersed in a story many people actively avoid; what she’s learned that she didn’t know before; and what the stakes are for American democracy as the Senate weighs its options.

Rantgate Reconsidered — Plus, The #FITN Ghosts Of Governors Past Jan 23, 2020

Show notes

That thing Governor Charlie Baker said at the MLK Breakfast, right after Congressswoman Ayanna Pressley spoke…. Oof. Seriously, what was he thinking? Adam Reilly and Peter Kadzis kick it around with their WGBH News colleague Phillip Martin, who was in the room when the governor opened his mouth and inserted his foot. Then, Kadzis chats with Reilly and another WGBH News colleague, Saraya Wintersmith, about their takeaways from #FITN campaign-trail quality time with former governors Deval Patrick and Bill Weld.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

The Scrum

Related Podcasts

1

2

3

4

5

6