Boston Public Radio

"Modern Love" is TV expert Bob Thompson's best show this week.

WGBH News Reporter Edgar B. Herwick III and Pledgemaster Andy Hicks peddled some WGBH wares during pledge.

Crossley spoke about Cummings' life and legacy.

The New York Times columnist joined the show to discuss her latest book, a social history of American women and aging.

Michael Zeldin said that while Trump can protect some information with executive privilege, he cannot stop his aids from talking to investigators.

The former state education secretary expressed frustrations with a new amendment to an education budget bill.

Today on Boston Public Radio: EJ Dionne talks about the bipartisan infrastructure bill compromise, explaining which policies made the cut. Dionne is a columnist for The Washington Post and a senior fellow at The Brookings Institution. His latest book is "Code Red: How Progressives And Moderates Can Unite To Save Our Country.” Next, we talk with listeners about the return of traffic as more people return to work. Adam Reilly and Saraya Wintersmith update us on the Boston mayoral race and the Massachusetts governor’s race. They also share their thoughts on how Massachusetts politicians responded to the COVID-19 crisis. Reilly is co-host of GBH’s Politics podcast, “The Scrum.” Saraya Wintersmith covers Boston City Hall for GBH. Ned Hinkle and Ivy Moylan explain how the Brattle Theatre pivoted during the pandemic, offering virtual screenings of rare movies and theatre rentals. They also talk about their plans for reopening on July 2. Hinkle is the Creative Director of the Brattle Theatre. Moylan is the Executive Director of The Brattle Theatre. Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett G. Price III discuss the shooting of two Black people in Winthrop that is now being investigated as a hate crime. They also share their thoughts on the sentencing of former police officer Derek Chauvin. Monroe is a syndicated religion columnist, the Boston voice for Detour’s African American Heritage Trail, and a visiting researcher in the Religion and Conflict Transformation Program at the Boston University School of Theology. Price is an executive director of the Institute for the Study of the Black Christian Experience at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Together, they host GBH’s All Rev’d Up podcast. Corby Kummer talks about the conservative backlash against the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, and the Supreme Court’s ruling that limits union representatives’ ability to organize farmworkers. Kummer is the 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. We end the show by asking listeners about their experiences with reply-all accidents.

Food writer Corby Kummer talked with Boston Public Radio on Monday about the future of food banks, following the release of a survey from Duke World Food Policy Center that looks at long-term shifts among hunger relief organizations. “One of the ideas is to allow people to shop for what they want. Don't just give them what you're able to get,” he said. “Find out from them what they want, what they need, [and] make it easy and dignified for them to be able to get there.” Food banks should also implement hours accessible to food pantry guests, and have pantry staff educated on the needs of their communities, Kummer added. “The wave of the future is, go to the community first and figure out what they need,” he said. “Don’t design something you think will be good for them.” 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.

After a major bipartisan win on infrastructure last week, President Biden nearly stepped in it when he declared he’d only sign it if a separate bill including his other priorities arrived on his desk “in tandem” with the infrastructure bill. Washington Post columnist EJ Dionne told Boston Public Radio on Monday Biden’s statements — and the frantic weekend of backtracking that followed — highlight just how complicated and fragile our current political system is. “In effect, we have what I count as the six party system,” he said. The majority of the Democratic party is comprised of “the Biden part of the party,” but there are progressives and conservatives on either side of that, said Dionne. On the Republican side there are the loyal Trump supporters; economic conservatives, who Dionne referred to as the “McConnell-ites … who want to make Biden’s life miserable”; and a small cadre of moderate conservatives. “In order to get done what he wants to get done, Biden has to play the politics of both of these complicated parties,” said Dionne, who noted that the Presidents’ efforts to assuage all six factions appear to be successful so far. EJ Dionne is a columnist for the Washington Post and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. His latest book is Code Red: How Progressives and Moderates Can Unite To Save Our Country.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Juliette Kayyem updates us on the building collapse near Miami, and shares her thoughts on former police officer Derek Chauvin’s upcoming sentencing hearing. Kayyem is an analyst for CNN, former assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security and faculty chair of the homeland security program at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. Senate President Karen Spilka weighs in on Gov. Charlie Baker’s proposal to make August and September sales tax free. She also talks about the upcoming expiration of mail-in voting laws. Then, we talk with listeners about the increasing demand for a four-day work week. Danielle Allen explains why she chose to run for governor of Massachusetts, citing pandemic disparities as one of her main motivations for running. She also shares her thoughts on the Baker administration’s handling of the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home. Danielle is running for governor on the Democratic ticket. Allen was most recently the director of Harvard’s Safra Center for Ethics. Federico Erebia talks about his rescue of Pepito the Squirrel, and how his friendship with Pepito translated to children’s books. Erebia is a retired physician, woodworker, artist, author and illustrator. His latest books are “The Amazing True Stories of Pepito the Squirrel,” and “More Amazing Stories of Pepito the Squirrel.” Richard Blanco shares his poems “One Pulse—One Poem” and “Until We Could” to mark Pride Month. Blanco is the fifth inaugural poet in U.S. history. His new book of poems, “How To Love A Country,” deals with various socio-political issues that shadow America. We end the show by asking listeners what they think about the hybrid wedding model.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Chuck Todd updates us on the latest political headlines, from President Joe Biden’s infrastructure bill to Rep. Matt Gaetz’s (R-FL) questioning of critical race theory in the U.S. military. Todd is the moderator of “Meet The Press” on NBC, host of “Meet The Press Daily” on MSNBC and the political director for NBC News. Next, we talk with listeners about Gov. Charlie Baker’s proposal to make August and September sales tax free. Gov. Charlie Baker discusses his proposal to make August and September sales tax free, and the Spotlight investigation into the leadership at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home. He also updates us on the status of COVID-19 testing and vaccination rates across the state. Bill McKibben talks about increasing instances of extreme weather across the nation, explaining its relation to climate change. He also discusses the protests against Enbridge’s Line 3 pipeline. McKibben is a contributing writer to The New Yorker, a founder of 350.org, and the Schumann Distinguished Scholar in environmental studies at Middlebury College. He also writes The Climate Crisis, The New Yorker’s environmental newsletter. His latest book is “Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?” Paul Reville speaks about the GOP’s focus on critical race theory in schools, and Massachusetts’ new regulations on vocational schools’ admissions policies. Reville is the former Massachusetts secretary of education, and a professor at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, where he also heads the Education Redesign Lab. His latest book, co-authored with Elaine Weiss, is: "Broader, Bolder, Better: How Schools And Communities Help Students Overcome The Disadvantages Of Poverty.” Shirley Leung shares her thoughts on Gov. Baker’s proposal for a sales tax free August and September, and explains how the #MeToo movement is impacting the craft beer industry. Leung is a business columnist for the Boston Globe. We wrap up the show by continuing our discussion with listeners on Gov. Baker’s proposal to make August and September sales tax free.