Episodes
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Dems In Disarray: How The Party's Stumble To Victory In 2020 Explains Their Predicament Now
Excavating previously unknown details about a major media event is no easy task — but Edward-Isaac Dovere pulls it off admirably in his new book, “Battle For The Soul: Inside The Democrats’ Campaigns To Defeat Trump.” The book is packed with juicy background about weird personal proclivities (Bernie Sanders likes his hotel rooms ***cold***) and awkward dynamics between candidates. And it pulls the curtain back on bigger, more important topics — like the internecine feud between Democratic progressives and moderates, and the party’s abiding uncertainty about how to respond to Trump and Trumpism. Listen to Dovere talk it through with Peter Kadzis and Adam Reilly, and then go grab a copy of the book. -
"A Peaceful Coup": How A New Budget Process Could Transform Boston Politics
If you’re a Scrum listener, you know that Boston has a strong-mayor form of government, with the mayor holding almost all the cards when it comes to actual power and the city council limited structurally in its ability to push back. But now that could be on the verge of changing, thanks to a proposal championed by City Councilor Lydia Edwards that would drastically enhance the council’s ability to shape Boston’s $3 billion budget. In this episode, Edwards makes the case for the changes she’s pitching — which just got the stamp of approval from Acting Mayor Kim Janey — and Peter Kadzis offers some extra thoughts as voters prepare to have their say on the idea this fall. -
The Rehabilitation Of Dianne Wilkerson
It’s one of the more improbable comeback stories in recent memory: after tumbling from the political heights and doing time in prison, former State Senator Dianne Wilkerson has emphatically re-established herself as a political force in Boston. Adam Reilly talks with Philip Martin about his new story detailing Wilkerson’s fall and rise; the record and community loyalties that have made the latter possible; and Wilkerson’s ongoing insistence on seeing herself as a victim who was unjustly persecuted. First, though, Peter Kadzis sizes up the bigger meaning of House Speaker Ron Mariano’s ill-fated field trip from Beacon Hill to the South End to endorse Boston mayoral candidate Jon Santiago — who probably wishes he’d just issued a press release instead. -
As Others Dems Dither, Downing Makes His Gubernatorial Case
Right now, any talk about the 2022 Massachusetts governor’s race is likely to be speculative. Maybe Charlie Baker will seek a third term! Maybe Maura Healey will finally challenge him! But there’s one notable exception: Ben Downing, the former Democratic state Senator, is in and has already been running for months. In this episode, Adam Reilly and Mike Deehan chat with Downing about his vision for the state and how his biography informs his political worldview — but first, Adam, Peter Kadzis, and Bay State Banner senior editor Yawu Miller size up Downing’s potential Democratic rivals. -
What Does Justice For Mikayla Miller Look Like?
The death of Mikayla Miller, a 16-year-old from Hopkinton, is a deeply personal and emotional loss for her family. But since Miller's body was found last month, it's become something else: a case study in the distrust an increasingly wide segment of Americans have for law enforcement — and a political crisis for Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan, who's leading the investigation into Miller's death. Zoe Mathews talks through what’s known, what remains unknown, and how things might develop, with two GBH reporters who've been following the case closely: Tori Bedford and Phillip Martin. -
"Black women candidates are not interchangeable": Andrea Campbell In The Eye Of The Storm
It’s been a busy — and high-stress — stretch for Boston City Councilor Andrea Campbell. A supporter of Acting Mayor Kim Janey emailed Campbell supporters suggesting that she drop out of the race to clear a path for Janey’s election citywide, prompting Campbell, who’s been running since September 2020, to retort, “Black women candidates for public office are not interchangeable.” And the Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association sparred with Campbell on Twitter, implying without evidence that she’d been complicit in the criminal activity of her brother Alvin — who’s accused of raping nine women while impersonating a rideshare driver — and/or of her deceased twin brother Andre, who died while being held by the state in pretrial detention. (The BPPA was irate that Campbell is holding up police grant money in the city council, and that she called out the union’s advocacy for accused child rapist and former BPPA head Patrick Rose.) In this episode of the Scrum, Peter Kadzis and Adam Reilly size up Campbell’s week from hell with their GBH News colleagues Saraya Wintersmith and Phillip Martin — and conclude that, unpleasant though it may have been for Campbell to weather, it may actually redound to her benefit when all is said and done. -
Jon Santiago On The State Of The Mayor's Race, Marty Walsh's Legacy, And Kim Janey's Tenure
He hasn’t been making headlines over the past few weeks, but Jon Santiago says he’s been laying the groundwork to win Boston’s 2021 mayoral contest — by landing key endorsements from elected officials, winning the support of unions, and talking with as many voters as possible. Santiago recaps his campaign’s progress in a conversation with Saraya Wintersmith and Adam Reilly. He also makes it clear that he has no intention of criticizing former Mayor Marty Walsh’s stewardship of the city — and suggests that Acting Mayor Kim Janey’s decision to delay Boston’s reopening may be a mistake. Plus, Santiago shares some biographical detail that may be unfamiliar even to close observers of Massachusetts politics. -
Ron Mariano: Different From The Old Boss?
There are certain stereotypes attached to Massachusetts State Government. The Senate is liberal; the House is (relatively) conservative; and they tend not to get along. When they do join forces, they’re often checked by the governor, and sometimes return the favor — though during Charlie Baker’s tenure, things have been pretty amicable. Three months into Ron Mariano’s tenure as speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, though, the dynamics that have applied for years may be shifting in subtle but significant ways. Adam Reilly talks about Mariano’s style and its implications for policymaking with Mike Deehan, GBH News’s State House correspondent, and Shira Schoenberg of Commonwealth magazine. -
"Never imagined that I'd see a Black mayor": Yawu Miller on Kim Janey's ascension — and what comes next
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
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.
