Boston Public Radio

The 'American Consequences' editor and frequent 'Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!' guest lamented the tribalization of the American political landscape.

Pope Francis appoints first Black Cardinal and expresses support for gay rights — but is it just "lip service"?

The former Suffolk County said U.S. democracy as we know it will "cease to exist" if President Trump wins a second term.

Larry Calderone, president of Boston’s Police Patrolmen’s Association, weighed in on a range of reform proposals.

Barrett's vague response to what she's done to educate herself on racism was embarrassing and harmful, the Revs say.

Whitehouse detailed a 'court-capture machinery' to sway court rulings along partisan lines.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We started the show by opening the lines to hear our listeners’ reaction to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union Address. Then Art Caplan discussed the shortage of primary care physicians in Massachusetts. He also talked about Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont’s plan to try to wipe the medical debt of state residents and a proposal in Florida that would require high school athletes to submit menstrual records to schools to prove their sex. Art Caplan is the Drs. William F and Virginia Connolly Mitty Professor and founding head of the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU School of Medicine in New York City. Then National Security Expert Juliette Kayyem came on to discuss the criminal charges filed against Lindsay Clancy, a Duxbury woman accused of strangling her three children to death. Her lawyer argues she is not guilty because of temporary insanity caused by post-partum psychosis. She also commented on President Biden’s State of the Union Address and how Biden handled the Chinese spy balloon that hovered over the U.S. last week. Juliette Kayyem is the former assistant secretary for homeland security under President Barack Obama, and the faculty chair of the homeland-security program at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. GBH News Executive Arts Editor Jared Bowen discussed “Made in China 2.0” through ArtsEmerson, the El Pasado Mío/Cooper Gallery at Harvard’s Hutchins Center, Re/Framing the View at New Bedford Whaling Museum, and the documentary “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed.” Michael Curry of the Mass League of Community Health Centers discussed the police reform elements of President Biden's State of the Union speech. He also talked about Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's reparations task force and the resistance the body faces from the public. Then we ended the show by asking our listeners what their favorite unhealthy food is after we read that former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi eats a hotdog every day for lunch.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened phone and text lines to ask listeners about their relationship with work commutes, and if they enjoy getting a moment’s rest before and after the workday. Trenni Casey discussed a new study finding evidence of CTE in 92 percent of NFL players, and a story about a Connecticut Whole Foods worker who holds the title of most Mount Everest ascents by a woman. Carol Rose spoke on Massachusetts debuting an abortion resource hotline, as well as a pending lawsuit out of Texas that would ban abortion pills nationwide. Lee Pelton discussed scrutiny of Memphis police in the aftermath of Trye Nichols’ death, and why he’s not concerned with public criticism of the Martin Luther and Coretta Scott King memorial on Boston Common. Corby Kummer reflected on the passing of Bob Born, credited with bringing marshmallow Peeps to the masses. John King gave his two cents on rumors that Labor Secretary and former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh will become Executive Director of the NHL Players’ Association. He also spoke on President Biden’s coming State of the Union Address. We closed the show by re-opening phone and text lines to discuss listener gripes with America’s transition away from cash.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened the lines to hear from listeners about a new Washington Post/ABC poll that shows voters unenthused about the prospects of a Biden/Trump rematch in 2024. Jesse Mermell and Jennifer Nassour joined for a political panel, and discussed the DNC voting to move the first primary to South Carolina, and how the Massachusetts Republican party might move forward without Jim Lyons. Mermell is founder and president of deWit Impact Group, and a former Democratic candidate for Congress in Massachusetts’ 4th Congressional District. Nassour is the founder of the Pocketbook Project, former chair of the Massachusetts Republican Party and a former candidate for Boston City Council. Cathy Judd-Stein, Gaming Commission chair, joined to discuss the start of sports betting in Massachusetts. Bradley Campbell, Conservation Law Foundation president and CEO, joined to discuss various environmental headlines, including Gov. Healey’s climate plans. Reverends Irene Monroe and Emmett Price discussed the evolution of the National Prayer Breakfast. Jessie Colbert and Dr. Leena Mittal joined to discuss maternal mental health and perinatal mood disorders. Jessie Colbert is Founder and Executive Director of the Mass PPD Fund. Dr. Leena Mittal, is Medical Director of the Equity, Substance Use and Community Partnerships at MCPAP for Moms, Instructor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, and Chief of the Division of Women’s Health at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. We ended the show by hearing from listeners about the best way to bail on a date that isn't going well, on the heels of a survey that found people generally take 51 minutes to make up their minds and come up with an excuse to leave.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We started the show by hearing from listeners about how they're preparing for the extreme cold weather expected this weekend. Dr. Katherine Gergen Barnett discussed the Biden administration decision to lift the public health emergency for COVID-19 in May. She is the vice chair of Primary Care Innovation and Transformation in the Department of Family Medicine at Boston Medical Center. Boston Globe business columnist Shirley Leung discussed a legislative push for pay transparency in Massachusetts. Cheryl Straughter, chef and co-owner of the Nubian Square restaurant Soleil, discussed her plans to expand into Boston Public Market, and how the business fared during the pandemic. Sue O'Connell discussed new guidelines from the FDA for gay and bisexual men wishing to donate blood, and the House ousting Rep. Ilhan Omar from her seat on the Foreign Affairs Committee for her statements about Israel. O’Connell is co-publisher of Bay Windows and South End News and contributor to Current, on NBC L-X and NECN. Members of Castle of our Skins, a Boston-based concert and educational series devoted to celebrating Black Artistry through music, joined at the Boston Public Library. Ashleigh Gordon, artistic executive director and co-founder; Samantha Ege, UK-based pianist who collaborated on their new album; musical selections performed by violinists Gabriela Diaz and Matthew Vera, violist Gordon, and cellist Francesca McNeeley. We ended the show with a listener call-in segment about how often to wash jeans.

Food policy writer Corby Kummer joined Boston Public Radio to discuss the ethical considerations behind lab-grown meat for people who consider themselves vegetarians — whether for animal welfare or environmental reasons — off of an article in Mother Jones: “My Vegetarian Dilemma: Tasting Lab-Grown Meat From Live Animals” “This cultured meat is taken from a live animal … and then grown out in a medium,” said Kummer. “Here’s a dirty little secret, almost invariably the medium is fetal bovine serum, FBS, which is taken from dead cows and calves. They never talk about the growing medium.” Corby Kummer is executive director of the Food and Society policy program at the Aspen Institute, a senior editor at The Atlantic and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy