Boston Public Radio Podcast

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened up the lines and asked you: Are there too many Democratic candidates for 2020? NBC sports anchor and reporter Trenni Kusnierek looked at the backlash against Nike’s maternity policy. A new FRONTLINE documentary dives into the history of Trump’s trade war with China. We spoke with correspondent Laura Sullivan. Food writer Corby Kummer discussed the town of Warwick, Rhode Island’s controversial proposal to force kids with school lunch debt to get jelly and sunflower butter sandwiches instead of hot meals. We opened up the lines and asked you how you think the new casino in Everett will impact the city’s nightlife. CNN’s Chief National Correspondent John King brought us up to speed on the latest political headlines. Boston Globe columnist Alex Beam looked at a provocative new essay asking: Was Shakespeare a woman?

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened up the phone lines and asked our listeners to respond to a recent U.N. report that said one million plant and animal species are at risk of extinction. Tech writer, blogger and podcaster Andy Ihnatko discussed Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes’ op-ed calling for the company to be broken up. Emily Rooney, host of Beat the Press on WGBH, talked about the passing of Boston based journalist Tom Ellis. Shirley Leung talked about the city of Boston’s record on hiring female and minority contractors. Leung is the interim editorial page editor of the Boston Globe. Playwright Ryan Landry discussed his new play “The Ebonic Woman.” Callie Crossley, host of Under the Radar on WGBH, discussed the significance of the birth of the first biracial member of England’s royal family. Adam Zand and Greg Peverill-Conti joined us for our weekly news quiz. Zand and Conti are the founders of the Library Land Project.

Administrators in Warwick, Rhode Island are facing blowback after they proposed that children with unpaid school lunch debt be given only sunflower butter and jelly sandwiches to eat, instead of hot meals. Food writer Corby Kummer says it's time to revisit the concept of free school lunch for all students.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Our political roundtable with Michael Curry and Joe Malone tackled the latest local and national news. Curry is Senior Vice President and General Counsel at Mass League of Community Health Centers, and a member of the National NAACP Board of Directors. Malone is former state treasurer. Is the standoff between China and the United States the beginning of a broader economic war? Charles Sennott, founder of The GroundTruth Project and a WGBH analyst, weighed in. Do you feel cheated by the weather this spring? We opened up the lines and asked our listeners. After being exiled from TV, Billy Bush is making his return. Television expert Bob Thompson weighed in. Thompson is founding director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture and a Trustee Professor of Television and Popular Culture at the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse. Reverend Irene Monroe and Reverend Emmett Price tackled the moral issues of the day on “All Revved Up.” Monroe is a syndica

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened up the lines and asked our listeners about Elizabeth Warren’s plan to tackle opioid addiction, including calling on institutions like Harvard to remove the Sackler family name — the family behind Purdue Pharma — from prominent buildings. The House Judiciary Committee voted yesterday to hold A.G. William Barr in contempt of Congress. CNN legal analyst Michael Zeldin weighed in. Former Suffolk County sheriff Andrea Cabral discussed newly released video of Sandra Bland’s encounter with police. Medical ethicist Arthur Caplan weighed in on a new “heartbeat” abortion law in Georgia, one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country. WCAI science editor Heather Goldstone talked about a sobering U.N. study warning that over one million species may face extinction because of the human impact on the environment. Former Congressman and Secretary of both Congress and Transportation Norman Mineta shared the upcoming PBS documentary about his life. Joining us for a crash co

Today on Boston Public Radio: Juliette Kayyem discussed yesterday’s school shooting in Colorado, and the new round of sanctions imposed by the United States on Iran. Kayyem is the Belfer Lecturer in International Security at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and an analyst for CNN. We opened up the lines and asked our listeners to respond to columnist Dugan Arnett’s column in the Boston Globe about whether or not men can pull of wearing sandals in the summer. Boston Globe reporters Andrew Ryan and Beth Healey discussed their recent investigation into links between those who’ve worked in politics and Massachusetts’ marijuana industry. We opened up the phone lines and asked our listeners how they feel about the Uber/Lyft driver strike, which took place on Wednesday. Alex Beam discussed Denver’s push to legalize psychedelic mushrooms. Beam is a columnist for the Boston Globe, and author of the book “The Feud: Vladimir Nabokov, Edmund Wilson, and the End of a Beautiful Friendship.” Judge Richard Gergel d

Maine Governor Janet Mills signed into law last week a bill that would require companies to stop giving out cups and other single-use containers made of polystyrene foam, commonly known as Styrofoam, by January 2021. Joining *Boston Public Radio *to weigh in was Corby Kummer, a senior editor at The Atlantic, an award-winning food writer, and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition and Policy.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened up the lines and asked our listeners about Red Sox Manager Alex Cora's decision not to attend a White House ceremony out of protest over President Trump's handling of Hurricane Maria. Then Trenni Kusnierek, anchor and reporter with NBC Sports Boston, weighed in. Two of the state's high-profile District Attorneys are taking on ICE. Carol Rose, Executive Director of ACLU of Massachusetts, discussed. Maine recently became the first state in the nation to ban Styrofoam food containers. Joining with his take was Corby Kummer, a senior editor at The Atlantic, an award-winning food writer, and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition and Policy. Trump has appointed a new head for ICE. Ali Noorani shared his analysis. Noorani is the Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum and his latest book is "There Goes the Neighborhood: How Communities Overcome Prejudice and Meet the Challenge of American Immigration." We went over the latest national headl

Today on Boston Public Radio: Robert Mueller is tentatively scheduled to testify before Congress next week. Our political roundtable featuring Charlie Chieppo and Shannon O'Brien weighed in on that and other top headlines. Chieppo is principal of Chieppo Strategies and a senior fellow at both the Governing and Pioneer Institutes. O'Brien is the former treasurer of Massachusetts and former Democratic nominee for governor. Daniel Mulhall, Ireland's ambassador to the United States, discussed Brexit and the death of young journalist Lyra McKee. Israel and Gaza have agreed to a ceasefire after a weekend of violence. Charles Sennott, founder of The GroundTruth Project and a WGBH news analyst, discussed. We opened up the lines and asked listeners about Red Sox manager Alex Cora's decision to skip this week's visit to the White House. The relics of the Civil War are splitting Martha's Vineyard in two. Reverend Irene Monroe and Reverend Emmett Price tackled that and more on "All Revved Up." Monroe is a syndicated re

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened up the show by opening the phone lines to hear our listeners' thoughts on anger: Is it possible to be addicted to it? Is Nancy Pelosi correct for calling out William Barr as a liar when he was asked about Robert Mueller’s response to his interpretation of Mueller’s investigation? Or is it more complicated? Legal analyst Michael Zeldin discussed this and a range of other legal questions. Zeldin is a former colleague of special counsel Robert Mueller, a legal analyst for CNN and a resident fellow at the Institute of Politics at the Harvard Kennedy School. Emily Rooney gave us her famous list of fixations and fulminations. Rooney is the host of Beat The Press on WGBH News. Shirley Leung, interim Boston Globe editorial editor, joined Jim and Margery as she does every week to discuss the latest local headlines. Ryan Landry joined the show for his recurring social observations segment You Get The Picture. Landry is a playwright, lyricist, actor, and founder of the Gold Dust

Today on Boston Public Radio: Chuck Todd, host of NBC’s “Meet the Press,” weighed in on the debate over whether Attorney General William Barr lied to Congress. Then we opened up the lines and asked listeners for their takes. Andrea Cabral, former Suffolk County Sheriff, state secretary of public safety, and CEO of Ascend, shared her thoughts on political influence in the marijuana industry. BSO Conductor Andris Nelsons previewed their upcoming season. Nancy Koehn, professor at the Harvard Business School, looked at Beyond Meat’s IPO. Last night the Boston School Committee selected their new superintendent: Brenda Cassellius, the former Minnesota education commissioner. Paul Reville, former state secretary of education and professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, weighed in. Jonathon Alsop of the Boston Wine School shared his favorite new wines.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened up the lines and asked listeners about the Gaming Commission's decision to allow Wynn's Encore Boston Harbor casino to open for business. Medical ethicist Arthur Caplan looked at the debate over Julian Assange's medical care. Caplan is the Drs. William F. and Virginia Connolly Mitty Chair, director of the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU Langone Medical Center, and the co-host of the "Everyday Ethics" podcast. Attorney General William Barr testified to Congress today about reports that Special Counsel Bob Mueller and his team were dissatisfied with Barr's summary of the Mueller investigation. Homeland security expert Juliette Kayyem analyzed the situation. Kayyem is on the faculty of Harvard’s Kennedy School and a CNN analyst. WGBH Executive Arts editor Jared Bowen gave us his take on the blockbuster movie "Avenger: Endgame" and other arts and culture events around town. David Gergen shared his take on the 2020 race, Mueller's report, and his passion for the arts. Ge

Today on Boston Public Radio: Democratic presidential candidate Mayor Pete Buttigieg joined us live at the WGBH Studio at the Boston Public Radio. The Bruins and Celtics are playing in the second round of the playoffs. Could Boston be headed for a championship grand slam? NBC Sports Boston anchor and reporter Trenni Kusnierek weighed in. Journalist Emily Bazelon discussed her new book: "Charged: The New Movement to Transform American Prosecution and End Mass Incarceration." The cheese wars are on as Italy pushes for legislation to regulate knock-off Parmesan. Corby Kummer explained. 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. Is America's voting system susceptible to hacking? MIT professor Charles Stewart shared his research. Going over the latest national headlines was John King, CNN's Chief National Correspondent and host of "Inside Politics." Earlier in the show Mayor Pete Buttigieg made his case for

Officials in Italy are pushing regulation that would protect Italian-made parmesan cheese against “impostor” products made in places like Wisconsin and Ukraine. Corby Kummer, senior editor at The Atlantic, award-winning food writer, and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition and Policy.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Our political roundtable featuring Jennifer Nassour and Michael Curry weighed in on the latest headlines. Nassour is former Chairman of the MassGOP and COO of ReflectUS, and Curry is Senior Vice President and General Counsel at Mass League of Community Health Centers and a member of the National NAACP Board of Directors. Charles Sennott analyzed North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's first summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Sennott is the founder of The GroundTruth Project and a WGBH News analyst. Will the economy be the defining issue of the 2020 election? We opened up the lines and asked our listeners. Social psychologist Michael Norton looked at the ways oversimplifying the ways we care for family and friends can backfire. Norton is the Harold M. Brierley Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School and is the author of "Happy Money: the Science of Happier Spending." Then we opened up the lines and asked listeners for their stories. Another hate

Today on Boston Public Radio: Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Congressman Richard Neal, discussed the House's request for President Donald Trump's tax returns. We opened up the lines and asked our listeners about a new Massport ban on rideshare vehicles outside the terminals at Logan Airport. Emily Rooney, host of "Beat the Press," shared her own suggestions for reducing congestion in the city. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh took questions from our listeners on "Ask the Mayor." Christopher Muther, travel writer and columnist at The Boston Globe, shared his take on the news that Delta is reducing its seat incline by two inches. The Boston Globe's intrepid consumer protections reporter Sean Murphy took on some tough consumer dilemmas. We celebrated Independent Bookstore Day with Clarissa Murphy and Katie Eelman, the co-directors of Metro Boston Bookstore Day, who told us about their trolley tours to Boston-area bookstores this weekend.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Former Vice President Joe Biden announced today that he is running for president in 2020. We opened up the lines and asked listeners: Are you all in for Biden? Is Biden's entrance into the race the moment you've been waiting for — or the one you've been dreading? Why do so many presidential candidates seem to be obsessed with James Joyce? Boston Globe columnist Alex Beam explained. Should prisoners be able to vote? Andrea Cabral weighed in. Cabral is the former Suffolk County Sheriff, state Secretary of Public Safety, and CEO of Ascend. Poet Richard Blanco discussed his new book, "How To Love A Country." Blanco is the fifth inaugural poet in U.S. history. The Mueller Report highlighted how vulnerable the U.S. voting system is. How secure is the system in Massachusetts? Secretary of State Bill Galvin joined us. Should drug companies be held criminally responsible for opioid overdoses? Medical ethicist Arthur Caplan weighed in. Caplan is the Drs. William F. and Virginia Connolly

Today on Boston Public Radio: Congresswoman Katherine Clark discussed the Mueller report, whether Democrats should pursue impeachment, and other top national stories. With former Vice President reportedly announcing his 2020 candidacy tomorrow, we asked our listeners: Do you see him as the future of the Democratic Party? Homeland security expert Juliette Kayyem analyzed the terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka. Is humanity in the throes of an empathy collapse? Nancy Koehn of the Harvard Business School looked at a disheartening new study. Ali Noorani of the National Immigration Forum discussed the constitutionality of a citizenship question on the 2020 census. Tech writer Andy Ihnatko went over the latest headlines at the intersection of technology and policy. Comics Julia Jeffries and Kelly MacFarland previewed the 10th annual Women In Comedy Festival coming to the Boston area in May.

But carnivores may not have to quit meat cold turkey in order to have a significant positive impact on the environment, says Corby Kummer. 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.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Legislators on Beacon Hill are considering a bill that would ban youth tackle football until eighth grade. We opened up the lines and asked our listeners: Is it for the government to decide? The concussion wars are playing out at the University of Colorado. Trenni Kusnierek, sports reporter and anchor for NBC Boston, discussed that and more. Congressman Stephen Lynch shared his take on the Mueller report, what Democrats should do next, and the ever-expanding field of 2020 candidates. Can eco-conscious carnivores have their steak and eat it too? Weighing in was Corby Kummer, a senior editor at The Atlantic, an award-winning food writer and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition and Policy. A new FRONTLINE documentary looks at the debate over abortion and how it’s playing out in Pennsylvania. We spoke with Elizabeth Leiter, co-producer of "The Abortion Divide." CNN's John King brought us up to speed on national news. King is the host of "Inside Politics" an