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Boston Globe
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Decades after a tense N.H. protest, nuclear energy has become a rare bipartisan issue. Here's why.
Write to us at . To subscribe, . TODAY'S STARTING POINT As a college sophomore at Wesleyan in 1977, Fred Hewett was a self-described nerd who spent most of his time in the library, chemistry lab, or playing Frisbee. He largely avoided politics. But even he couldn't miss the chaotic scene unfolding in Seabrook, N.H., where thousands of environmental activists were trying to block the construction of a nuclear power plant. The 1977 protests, which helped delay the opening of the Seabrook plant until 1990, led to 1,400 arrests. They also reflected the idea, common among liberal activists then, that nuclear power was dangerous. 'Being antinuclear was part of environmentalism,' said Hewett, who followed the Seabrook protests in local media. But over the years, as Hewett became a writer on energy issues and learned more about the threat of climate change, the criticisms of nuclear power he once sympathized with began to seem wrong-headed. In 2023, he Advertisement Hewett is among a growing contingent of liberals embracing nuclear power as a complement to solar, wind, and other renewable energy sources. Strong majorities of Republicans and independents Advertisement Today's newsletter explains why both parties have gotten more bullish on nuclear — and why it still faces opposition. The liberal case Even factoring in the climate costs of building and fueling power plants, nuclear power is a far cleaner source of electricity than oil, natural gas, or coal. It also skirts some of the downsides of renewables, such as the acreage required to scale up solar power, Hewett said. It may better fit the political zeitgeist, too. President Trump has called renewable energy a 'scam' and tried to block the construction of coastal windmills. But he has also 'The political winds are at the back of the nuclear industry now,' Hewett said. Hewett also argues that nuclear energy, despite its reputation, is relatively safe. Yes, there have been three major accidents over the past four decades, including Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania, Chernobyl in the Soviet Union, and Fukushima in Japan. Chernobyl's death toll is disputed, but estimates from the World Health Organization and others put it Advertisement The conservative case Many Republicans doubt the science of climate change and prefer fossil fuels to renewable energy; some of their enthusiasm for nuclear power may simply reflect disdain for liberals like those who tried to block Seabrook, said Andrew Cline, who leads But Cline also argues nuclear power is more reliable than those other methods. Solar panels need daylight and turbines need wind to generate electricity; nuclear power plants can operate continuously. National security is another motive. The US The challenges The bipartisan interest in nuclear power has yielded some changes already. Last year, then-President Biden Yet hurdles to wider adoption remain. Some are economic. The up-front costs to build a nuclear power plant are high. Others are regulatory. Protesters delayed Seabrook's opening, but cost overruns and onerous government rules also contributed. In recent years, the median amount of time it took to build new reactors was Other challenges are political. Despite converts like Hewett, Advertisement The right's commitment to nuclear power is also uncertain. The Trump administration has Still, Cline sees a future in which innovation makes nuclear both a climate-friendly and low-cost energy source capable of powering everything from electric cars to artificial intelligence data centers. 'The environmentalists are looking for no emissions. The conservatives are looking for low cost and reliability,' he said. 'That would be an amazing world.' 🧩 8 Across: 84° POINTS OF INTEREST Muslims told Massachusetts lawmakers stories of Islamophobia during a day of lobbying at the State House yesterday. David L. Ryan/Globe Staff Massachusetts and New England Karen Read retrial: A forensic pathologist testified for the defense that a car Islamophobia: Muslim residents urged Massachusetts lawmakers to pass to study issues facing Muslims in the state. Same name, different face: The children of several well-known New England politicians — including Senator Angus King's son and Senator Jeanne Shaheen's daughter — Trump administration Congresswoman charged: A grand jury indicted Representative LaMonica McIver, a New Jersey Democrat, on charges of interfering with immigration officials during a protest outside an ICE facility last month. McIver called the charges 'a brazen attempt at political intimidation.' ( The Army turns 250: Trump gave a campaign-style speech at Fort Bragg, where uniformed soldiers, who are supposed to be apolitical, booed Biden and 'the fake news' and cheered when Trump said he would rename a base for Robert E. Lee. ( Homeland: Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth suggested to lawmakers that the US would expand the use of troops to 'secure' the country. ( Crisis comms: Harvard has taken to TV, newspapers, and social media Underwater: Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is Cuts: Senators of both parties grilled Trump's National Institutes of Health director over Tariffs: Higher food costs have New England restaurants The Nation and the World New Jersey governor's race: Representative Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat, will face Jack Ciattarelli, a Republican former state assemblyman, in November. ( LGBTQ+ rights: The Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in the US, endorsed overturning the Supreme Court ruling that legalized gay marriage. ( Austria shooting: A gunman killed 10 people at a high school in the city of Graz. Police said the suspect, a former student, killed himself. ( Greta Thunberg: Israel deported the Swedish climate activist and three others who tried to break Israel's naval blockade of Gaza to deliver aid. ( BESIDE THE POINT ❤️ Love letters: Is it OK to tell a friend that 😴 Say goodnight: This TikTok trend is helping people deepen their friendships. ( 🎥 TV magic: Massachusetts gave a 'Dexter' spinoff a $23 million tax credit. Insiders say Advertisement 🍽️ Taste of Somerville: The annual food and arts festival, which takes place this evening at Boynton Yards, features local restaurants, breweries, and wineries. ( 🤔 Gut feeling: 📚 Murder mystery: From Ted Bundy to Gary Ridgway, lots of 20th century serial killers were products of the Pacific Northwest. A new book offers a theory. ( $ ) Thanks for reading Starting Point. This newsletter was edited by ❓ Have a question for the team? Email us at ✍🏼 If someone sent you this newsletter, you can 📬 Delivered Monday through Friday. Ian Prasad Philbrick can be reached at
New York Times
01-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
‘GameDay' analyst Pat McAfee spread dangerous rumor, plus 2025 CFB win totals
Until Saturday Newsletter 🏈 | This is The Athletic's college football newsletter. Sign up here to receive Until Saturday directly in your inbox. Today in college football news, I finally finished the 'Loki' show. 👍 It's bad enough when an internet rumor about a student spreads throughout a campus. A version of that experience has probably happened to a young person you know. But what about when an adult chooses to immediately amplify that rumor to millions of nationwide strangers, including tons of college-aged young men, all without having any reason to believe it's true? Advertisement Today, Katie Strang reported on the fallout of 'College GameDay' analyst Pat McAfee's decision to trumpet gossip related to an Ole Miss freshman named Mary Kate Cornett. One day after a user of an anonymous messaging app accused Cornett of cheating on her boyfriend with his father — something Cornett denies — McAfee shared the story on 'The Pat McAfee Show.' On Feb. 26, the man who is arguably college football's most prominent media figure steered an NFL Draft discussion about the Rebels' outgoing quarterback into two minutes of men giggling at what they acknowledged to be an unverified claim about a previously unknown 18-year-old. The guest, Adam Schefter, was confused: 'So where is Jaxson Dart in all this?' The story was already going viral on the app formerly known as Twitter, including among some CFB fans, who treated it as banter about Ole Miss. But McAfee's millions-strong audience (and the credibility of ESPN, which broadcasts McAfee's show in a hands-washing way) dramatically scaled the story's reach and, for some people, believability. Strang writes: 'After her phone number was posted online, Cornett's voicemail was filled with degrading messages. In one, a man laughs as he says that she's been a 'naughty girl' and cheerfully asks her to give him a call. Another male caller says that he has a son, too, in case she's interested. Several people texted her obscene messages, calling her a 'whore' and a 'slut' and advised her to kill herself. 'In recent weeks, Cornett has remained mostly holed up in her room. She no longer dines at her sorority house or the student union. On the rare occasion she goes out, she wears sunglasses and a hat. 'I (can't) even walk on campus without people taking pictures of me or screaming my name or saying super vulgar, disgusting things to me,' she said.' Other sports media members pounced as well, including two Barstool employees, one of whom posted a memecoin named after Cornett. (If you don't know what that means: Somebody tried to make crypto money by using the teenager's name.) This fall, 'GameDay' will set up at more than a dozen college campuses. Will we see McAfee — who's now demonstrated a pattern of relaying hearsay about young women — return to the show for his fourth season backdropped by thousands of cheering young men? Cornett intends to take legal action. Strang's full story is here. 🌲 Stanford's coach for the year: Frank Reich, who coached Cardinal GM Andrew Luck in Indianapolis. They start spring ball … today. 🌭 Coastal Carolina has a teal field AND free concessions? Step it up, everybody else. 🍀 What will Notre Dame's offense look like, now that QB Riley Leonard's exit means the Irish probably have to throw the ball sometimes? Advertisement 🍊 After the NCAA shot down that Colorado-Syracuse spring game idea, Orange head coach Fran Brown joked that it would've been approved if it'd been proposed by Bill Belichick and Bill O'Brien. (Tag team name: Double Billing.) 1️⃣ A month from now, No. 1 QB recruit Jared Curtis is set to commit to either Georgia or Oregon. How will that change this QB class for every other top team? 🅾️ The national champs gained a commit from the No. 1 safety recruit, Blaine Bradford of Louisiana. 🌩️ ICYMI from late last week: Kent State head coach Kenni Burns is on administrative leave. 🏀 The rules keep changing, but the same coaches and schools keep winning. Sounds like football too, right? Even if you're not interested in gambling, sportsbooks offer a way to think about realistic expectations. That's true even well before the season begins. For example, several places have recently listed 2025 win total over/unders for power-conference teams. (Basically, a number of regular-season wins for each team to aim at. If your team's total is 5.5 and they go 6-6, they've had a pretty successful season, according to Vegas.) Leading the way at BetMGM with 2025 totals of 10.5 wins each are Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon and Penn State. Why yes, that happens to be the 2024 CFP's No. 1 seed alongside three of its final four. (The other semifinalist, Texas, is in the SEC-heavy 9.5-win cluster.) As that exemplifies, most teams usually appear within a game or two of where they finished the previous year, partly because big leaps (and plummets) tend to be outliers. During the actual season, shockingly big leaps (and plummets) will happen, though, and Vegas will make a lot of money off of people trying to predict them. Maybe later in the offseason, this newsletter will try to guess a few. For now, let's look at something else. If BetMGM's totals are all totally accurate (other than the half-wins thing), these would be 2025's teams on the rise: Mostly, those resemble bounce-back numbers for typically steady teams that had unexpected slumps last year. Pretty normal thing to see in over/unders, especially with some roster-settling still to go in the spring portal window. As for the teams expected by Vegas to take the biggest tumbles: Again, this would represent lots of regression to the mean overall. Historically, that's far from the worst predictive factor. Anyway, just now realized this newsletter's season preview series should begin late next month. This is April! Two brief stories, both coincidentally about the same state: Hmm, well, that's all for today. Most-clicked story last week: The best FCS and Division II players rising to FBS this year. 📫 Love Until Saturday? Check out The Athletic's other newsletters. And if you have thoughts on any of this, I will see them at untilsaturday@
Boston Globe
02-03-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Ed Flynn is one of Wu's loudest critics on the Boston City Council. Is he needlessly obstructionist, or needed balance?
Despite his vocal support for all three issues, Flynn has maintained the council has the 'We all have to understand that not everything has to be a fight, and when we do fight, it should be something worth fighting for,' said Councilor Julia Mejia at the November meeting, pushing back against Flynn's moves to delay the grants. 'I don't think that this is a really good use of our political capital to stop something that I think is going to benefit so many residents.' Advertisement Flynn has had other public spats Just over a year ago, Flynn was the council's leader, was viewed as a moderate who Advertisement Today though, on a more progressive council than the one he oversaw, and one that's increasingly favorable to Mayor Michelle Wu and her policy agenda, he acts more like a lone wolf. Now in his fourth term, Flynn has emerged as one of Wu's most vocal critics on the council, what many Boston political insiders say is a dramatic change of tack for a councilor who used to be known as a peacemaker and In a statement to The Boston Globe, Flynn defended his approach to his council work, saying his priority has been to provide 'positive leadership' and 'advocate for working families.' 'Especially during these challenging times, leadership often requires making difficult decisions, taking unpopular votes, and looking to protect the rules and norms of the institution,' Flynn wrote in the statement. 'From what I learned serving in the most diverse organization in the world for over 24 years (the U.S. military), it's also about hard work, professionalism, and treating everyone with respect and dignity.' The Wu administration did not comment for this article. Those who support Flynn say he provides a needed balance against Wu's influence on the city's legislative body. Former councilor Annissa Essaibi George, a moderate who ran against Wu in the 2021 mayoral race, defended him, arguing more councilors should take a similar approach and challenge the administration. 'If it was a more balanced body with more councilors questioning, challenging, or holding the mayor's office accountable to certain decisions, [he] wouldn't be as stark of a standout,' she said. But others argue Flynn has become deliberately antagonistic, even when debating issues he supports: more willing to engage in public spats on social media than to collaborate with colleagues on substantive policy solutions. Advertisement He's clashed with council President Ruthzee Louijeune over her enforcement of the council rules, and repeatedly slammed the administration for not appointing a His complaints have spanned the seasons. In the spring, he complained to city officials about what he saw as to the Boston Marathon and promote diversity, inclusivity, and accessibility in long distance running. Over the summer, he called for a — a proposal the mayor and several councilors promptly and publicly dismissed, emphasizing the city's On X, he Flynn's disputes with councilors reached a boiling point in the fall, when he sent a letter to Louijeune consideration of a resolution he filed in support of striking dockworkers, saying she wanted more time to research and understand the politics of the strike before taking a public vote. She later voted in support of the resolution. Advertisement Flynn's recent approach to his council work has been noticeable to those inside and outside City Hall. 'There's been a difference in his personality,' said Joyce Ferriabough Bolling, a longtime Boston political strategist. 'It's a good thing, don't get me wrong, to have someone sort of as a counter to a particular issue. But [it's] another thing to come across as a contrarian. . . . Instead of saying, 'No, no, no, it's all wrong, all wrong,' [offer] your own position.' Flynn has argued he is the Councilor Liz Breadon, who's worked with him for more than five years, sees it differently. 'There's a lot of space for developing policy that's productive and in line with all of our values. . . . [But] being disagreeable is not helpful,' she said. Louijeune told the Globe she has also seen a 'marked change' in how Flynn approaches his work in City Hall. In her view, he's intentionally sought to undermine her authority as his successor. 'He prefers to put things on letters and communications with me on X than actually speaking to me as a colleague,' Louijeune said. 'Instead of being an elder statesman that councilors can turn to for advice and guidance, he instead wants to play the role of antagonist.' Flynn's defenders say he is taking a leadership role and asserting his political stance after one of the most contentious City Council terms in recent history — one that Advertisement Under Flynn's leadership, meetings often grew Arroyo and one of his closest allies, Councilor Kendra Lara, ultimately lost their bids for reelection, and several other councilors chose to give up their seats. But some wonder if Flynn is 'He was president of the council during a time when the council was really divided,' said David Hopkins, a political science professor at Boston College. 'You're in the position where you're going to be in the middle of whatever conflict exists, and you're going to absorb a lot of criticism and conflict from the other members of the council. . . . I have to imagine that that would leave an impact on anyone.' But others disagree with the characterization that Flynn has been deliberately antagonistic or obstructionist. 'In no way do I think he's angry, I think he's just strongly opinionated,' said Reynolds Graves, a Boston political consultant. 'I think that he is really leaning into what he believes, and is really leaning into some of the things that he wants to do, that he feels are the better policies and advocacy and issues for the city of Boston.' Niki Griswold can be reached at
Boston Globe
10-02-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
The conservative case for keeping USAID
TODAY'S STARTING POINT Over the weekend, the US Agency for International Development looked to be on the verge of shutting down. The Trump administration had frozen aid the agency distributes and moved to put most of its staff on leave. On Friday, after crews pried the agency's name off of its Washington headquarters and Trump urged its closure, a federal judge Democrats have responded to the administration's moves with anger and dismay. Their concerns echo the case for the existence of USAID that political liberals often make: It helps people in need. The agency's efforts to vaccinate children, treat HIV and malaria, avert famine, and reduce maternal and infant mortality have likely saved tens of millions of lives in poor and struggling countries — all for less than 1 percent of the US federal budget. But there is also a case for USAID that political conservatives have long emphasized — including some of the Republican lawmakers now watching Trump dismantle it. In their telling, the agency exists to benefit Americans, not just foreigners. It does so by preventing diseases from reaching the United States, promoting global stability, and maintaining America's international power. Advertisement Today's newsletter explains this conservative case for USAID — and why Trump seems intent on decimating it anyway. Outflanking rivals The 'America-first' case for USAID dates to its birth. When Congress and John F. Kennedy created the agency in 1961, at the height of the Cold War, they saw it as both a moral imperative to help poorer countries and as a tool to enhance US power. The Soviets, 'It was partly an expression of American idealism, that America should be a force for good in the world, partly an expression of an enlightened self-interest,' says Larry Diamond, a consultant to USAID during the George W. Bush administration who is now a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution. Advertisement That twin rationale lasted for decades. Though some congressional Republicans have called for cuts or other changes to USAID, bipartisan majorities and presidents of both parties kept funding — and expanding — it. Ronald Reagan, another Republican who sought to shrink government, More recently, Republicans have looked to USAID to counter a different international rival: China. Since 2013, China has spent an estimated $1 trillion to help Asian, African, and Latin American countries build highways, bridges, and other infrastructure, known as the The handful of Republicans who have (gently) pushed back against Trump's plans for USAID make a similar case. 'We need an aid program to match the Chinese effort,' Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi If Trump does shut down the agency, China could fill the vacuum. 'We're going to be number two in the world,' Diamond said, 'and China's going to be number one. I don't see any way in which this makes America great again.' National security USAID funds warning systems to detect and contain disease outbreaks. It helps foreign governments reduce corruption and improve efficiency, lowering a country's chances of descending into conflict. And it rushes humanitarian aid after natural disasters, lessening displaced residents' incentive to flee abroad. Advertisement Marco Rubio, who has echoed Trump's criticisms of USAID, which he now oversees as secretary of state, suggested it was 'critical to our national security' back when he was a senator. 'Foreign aid is not charity,' Rubio tweeted in 2017, when Trump's first administration tried to cut USAID's funding. (Congress rebuffed those efforts.) Gutting the agency risks more pandemics, more wars, and more migration, Diamond warns. 'We have to be in the game,' he said. 'If we're not globally engaged, it's gonna blow back on us.' Win friends, influence people During the Cold War, USAID promoted economic growth in part to prevent countries from coming under Soviet sway. Doing so strengthened trade relations, cultivated ideological allies, and boosted America's More recently, the agency has focused on women. Research shows that countries that allow women to move around freely, go to school, vote, work, and start businesses tend to be more stable and democratic. When USAID launched a program supporting female entrepreneurs during Trump's first term, his daughter Ivanka Trump's case If USAID so benefits us, why is Trump trying to decimate it? He has accused the agency, without evidence, of 'tremendous fraud,' claimed that 'radical left lunatics' run it, and suggested in the past that most foreign aid is 'stupid.' He and his allies seem to believe that less American engagement with the rest of the world — and less American money going to it — is better for America. Advertisement But without USAID, Diamond says, what happens overseas may not stay there. 'Even if you think about it in only isolationist terms, only what's good for us here in the United States, this is not going to be good for us.' Read more: Spending $153 million to pay its bills put USAID in DOGE's crosshairs. ( See the Tesla employees, lawyers, and other Elon Musk allies who are helping him hollow out federal agencies. ( The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a financial watchdog, seems to be next. The administration ordered it to halt nearly all work. ( The administration is also cutting federal funding through the National Institutes of Health. Scientists say it will 🧩 6 Across: 32° POINTS OF INTEREST Dr. Anthony Fauci spoke during the presentation of his book "On Call" in Washington, D.C., last June. Jose Luis Magana/Associated Press Boston and Mass. Blanketed: Search this database T accident: Two Green Line trolleys 'Being Human': Boston's Museum of Science will hold a yearlong series of programs Living in fear: Venezuelans in Massachusetts Reform, interrupted: The Department of Justice has been negotiating police reforms with Worcester after finding a pattern of civil rights violations by officers there. New England States' suit: Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island, and Vermont are among 13 states Donations needed: Even as food insecurity is on the rise in Rhode Island, a Providence food pantry is asking for help after revealing it has The Nation 'Cowardly': The American Academy of Pediatrics and other medical interest groups haven't spoken out against Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s nomination to be health secretary, No survivors: Crews on Saturday recovered the remains of all 10 victims after a small plane crashed last week near Nome, Alaska. ( Next steps: Proud Boys leaders, freed from prison by Trump after Jan. 6, are contemplating running for office. ( The World Armed: The State Department plans to sell more than $7 billion in weapons to Israel, after Trump met with the country's prime minister. ( Back home: Hamas freed three more Israeli hostages as part of its cease-fire deal, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners' release. ( Uncovered: Libya authorities found the bodies of nearly 50 migrants and refugees in two mass graves in the country's southeastern desert. ( Church and state: King Charles and Queen Camilla will visit Pope Francis at the Vatican in April in celebration of the Catholic Church's special Jubilee year. ( BESIDE THE POINT 🩷 Boston at a Bargain: Friday is Valentine's Day, so this week's 📱 Take a break: Feeling uneasy about the amount of time you're spending on your phone? 🎶 Your own solo: Why everyone should 🐍 Poison party: A homeowner in Australia thought he had just a few snakes in his backyard mulch pile. Reptile relocation folks uncovered 😕 Internal storm: You're a high-functioning, helpful, capable person, but inside is a swirl of discontent. Do you have ' 🏢 Built better: J.J. Carroll House, an affordable housing development for seniors, is designed to help residents 🧁 Edible art: Jennifer Lee, a Johnson & Wales senior with her own bakery, will be 🏠 No place like home: A seven-bedroom Cape Cod home that the actress Judy Garland once rented is Advertisement 🪦 Epilogue: Fletcher Wiley, nicknamed Flash, was a Boston attorney who shattered racial barriers as the first Black chairman of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce. 📧 Want this sent to your inbox? Ian Prasad Philbrick can be reached at
