Boston Public Radio

As the longest government shutdown in U.S. history enters its fifth week, the future of federal food assistance remains uncertain.

Rev. Irene Monroe said the film, which is about the relationship between a black pianist and his white driver and bodyguard, is overly reliant on the trope of the "white hero."

Poet Richard Blanco highlighted his favorite works by poet Ada Limón, which are united by a common theme of searching for meaning in "seeming oblivion."

Healey said she is “actively reviewing” the existing policies and procedures that surround the reporting of cases of sexual misconduct.

After Barack Obama left Office, Pete Souza made sure he still remained a part of the national dialogue.

Richard Blanco, the nation's fifth inaugural poet, shared poems that seize on the changing of the seasons as an opportunity to reflect on death, rebirth, and the passage of time.

The full broadcast of Boston Public Radio from Thursday, September 20th, 2018 "Meet the Press" host Chuck Todd brought us the latest updates on the embattled Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh, who has been accused of sexual assault by California professor Christine Blasey Ford. We opened up the lines and asked you about the Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee imposing a Friday morning deadline on Professor Ford to decide if she will testify on Monday. If you’re a Republican, do you support this tactic? If Kavanaugh isn’t fully investigated, will questions about his legitimacy be a dark cloud over his tenure? Former secretary of public safety Andrea Cabral joined us for her recurring criminal justice segment, "Law and Order." The smash-hit musical "Hamilton" hits Boston this fall. Does it live up to the hype? WGBH arts editor and "Open Studio" host Jared Bowen gave us the details. Harvard Graduate School of Education Professor Paul Reville weighed in on gubernatorial candidate Jay Gonzalez's plan to pay for his education and transportation initiatives with a tax on universities. The big egos and big money that make up professional football are central to journalist Mark Leibovich’s latest book, "Big Game: The NFL In Dangerous Times." Jonathon Alsop of the Boston Wine School shared some of his favorite reds for the beginning of fall.

The full broadcast of Boston Public Radio from Wednesday, September 19th, 2018. We opened up the lines and asked you about sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Harvard Business School historian Nancy Koehn looked back at the financial crisis of 2008 ten years later and asked: Could this happen again? Homeland security expert Juliette Kayyem looked at the damage from Hurricane Florence and a deadly shark attack on Cape Cod. Medical ethicist Arthur Caplan discussed the new leadership at Planned Parenthood and analyzed a recent study about alcohol's harmful health impacts. Social scientist Mike Norton believes there are two ways to experience happiness: in the moment, enjoying what you’re doing right now, or by reminiscing on a happy time in the past. We asked you: Are you more of the sentimentalist and enjoy reminiscing, or do you prefer to feel your happiness in real time? Naturalist Sy Montgomery explained why the squirrel population is booming and shared other wacky and wonderful stories from the Animal Kingdom.

The full broadcast of Boston Public Radio from Tuesday, September 18th, 2018 In 1991, Clarence Thomas’ fate on the Supreme Court suddenly became uncertain when Anita Hill went public with accusations of sexual misconduct. Today, against the backdrop of the #MeToo movement, SCOTUS nominee Brett Kavanaugh finds himself in a similar situation, which will come to a head next Monday when he and Christine Blasey Ford, the woman accusing him of sexual violence, testify before the Senate Judiciary committee. If Anita Hill’s testimony didn’t keep Thomas from being confirmed, why would Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony be any different? We opened the lines to ask you: What’s next? On Monday the New England Patriots uncharacteristically lost to the Jaguars, facilitated by an underwhelming performance by Tom Brady. Joining us to take on this and other sports headlines is Trenni Kusnierek. She’s an anchor and a reporter for NBC sports Boston and a BPR contributor. The Boston City Council has become fertile ground for a generation of new political leadership. Boston City Council President Andrea Campbell joins us for that, to talk about affordable housing, and more. It’s a jungle out there. Since Amazon took over, Whole Foods working conditions are getting worse and workers want to unionize. Food writer Corby Kummer joins us for that and more. Now that the fires are out, who is going to pay for the destruction and long-term consequences of the Merrimack Valley gas explosions? The Boston Globe’s Shirley Leung joins us for that and more. Then, the latest politics headlines with CNN’s Chief National Correspondent and Inside Politics anchor John King. Bob Thompson joins us to discuss how the Emmys handled the #MeToo era, plus the winners and losers of last night’s award ceremonies. He’s a professor and founding director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture at the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse.

Food critic and Senior Editor at The Atlantic Corby Kummer talked to Boston Public Radio about why eating whole-fat dairy products may be healthier than low-fat.

The full broadcast of Boston Public Radio from Tuesday, September 17th, 2018. U.S. Representative Seth Moulton joined us on the line to discuss the gas explosions that tore through the Merrimack Valley last week. Our political roundtable with Suffolk University's John Nucci and conservative commentator Jennifer Braceras tackled the week's headlines. U.S. Representative Niki Tsongas weighed in on the heated race over her district's seat and the aftermath of the Merrimack Valley fires. We opened up the lines and asked you about the sexual assault allegation against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Should the Senate delay its vote until Kavanaugh's accuser — California professor Christine Blasey Ford — testifies? Charles Sennott, executive director of The GroundTruth Project, looked at Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's efforts to rebuild the State Department. Reverend Irene Monroe and Reverend Emmett Price tackled the moral issues of the day on their recurring segment, "All Revved Up." We continued our election coverage with another look at Question 1 on the ballot this November, which would put statewide limitations on the number of patients nurses could treat. Donna Kelly-Williams, RN and president of the Massachusetts Nurses Association, shared her perspective. Comedian Hari Kondabolu previewed his upcoming stand-up show in Boston this fall.