Steve Emerson, Stuart Varney and Newt Gingrich joined WMAL on Thursday.
Mornings on the Mall
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Hosts: Brian Wilson and Larry O’Connor
5am – A Will we ever learn? Obama White House can't admit Paris attacks 'Islamic terrorism'
5am – D Local Schools Opening Late or Delayed Due to the Cold.
5am – E Maryland Pol Kirby Delauter Apologizes For Threat To Sue Paper That Printed His Name, Kirby Delauter. WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A Maryland politician who said he would sue a newspaper if it printed his name, Kirby Delauter, has apologized after his threat garnered national attention, the targeted newspaper reported on Thursday. Delauter, a Republican member of the Frederick County Council, on Saturday said in a Facebook posting that he would sue the Frederick News-Post if it used his name without permission. “Of course, as I am an elected official, the Frederick News-Post has the right to use my name in any article related to the running of the county – that comes with the job,” Delauter wrote in a statement carried in an online News-Post story. “So yes, my statement to the Frederick News-Post regarding the use of my name was wrong and inappropriate.” Delauter, a second-term member of the county council, was angered by a story about a flap over the council's parking spaces and office keys. In a Facebook posting, he wrote, "Use my name again unauthorized and you'll be paying for an attorney." The 30,000-circulation daily paper responded with a story and an editorial headlined "Kirby Delauter, Kirby Delauter, Kirby Delauter" that used his full name 25 times. In an acrostic, the first letter of each paragraph also spelled out Delauter's name.
6am – A/B/C Comedians and Newspapers Speak out on Paris Attack
- Jon Stewart on Paris Attack: "Comedy Shouldn't Be an Act of Courage." (Hollywood Reporter) — Jon Stewart and Conan O'Brien shared their thoughts on the attack in Paris that left 12 people dead at the office of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo dead. "Very people go into comedy as an act of courage, mainly because it shouldn't be that," said Stewart on The Daily Show Wednesday. "Stark reminder that for the most part, the legislators and journalists and institutions we ridicule are not in any way the enemy. For however frustrating, or outraged the back and forth can become, it's still a back and forth — a conversation amongst those on, let's call it, team civilization."
- Conan O'Brien on Charlie Hebdo attack: You shouldn't have to 'think twice before making a joke.' (The Week) — On Wednesday night, Conan O'Brien started his show by addressing the Charlie Hebdo attack, saying it "really hits home for anyone who, day in and day out, mocks political, social, and religious figures." O'Brien continued, "In this country, we just take it for granted that it's our right to poke fun at the untouchable or the sacred, but today's tragedy in Paris reminds us very viscerally that it's a right some people are inexplicably forced to die for." He expressed condolences from his staff to the victims' families and everyone in France, as well as "anyone in the world tonight who now has to think twice before making a joke. It's not the way it's supposed to be."
- Charlie Hebdo attacks: Prophet Mohammed cartoons republished by Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten in wake of Paris incident. A Danish newspaper has republished caricatures of the Prophet Mohamed from Charlie Hebdo as part of its coverage. Thursday’s print edition of Berlingske, available online on Wednesday night, showed several past front pages from the French magazine. Among them was one depicting the Prophet Mohamed and another about sharia law. Such images provoked angry reactions from some Muslims when originally published by Charlie Hebdo, and footage of the killings at the magazine’s offices showed gunmen shouting “we have avenged the Prophet Mohamed”. Berlingske’s editor-in-chief Lisbeth Knudsen said her newspaper’s action in republishing the cartoons was not a protest. “We will print them as documentation of what kind of a magazine it was that has been hit by this terrible event,” Ms Knudsen told the BNB news agency. Journalists at some of the other publications which reprinted the cartoons said they also stood in solidarity with the staff at Charlie Hebdo. Another Danish paper Jyllands-Posten, which set off the original storm by publishing the cartoons, increased security at its office.
- New York Daily News Blurs Charlie Hebdo Muhammed Cover. (Mediaite) — The New York Daily News blurred a controversial cover of Charlie Hebdo in an article about the attack on the French magazine’s offices this morning. The photo was part of a series taken by Agence France-Presse/Getty photographer Alexander Klein of Charlie Hebdo editor Stéphane Charbonnier standing amidst the rubble of his office following a firebombing in 2011. Charbonnier, who was killed in this morning’s attack along with eleven others, is seen holding the offending cover, which depicted a caricature of the Islamic prophet Muhammed. Below is the Daily News photo, followed by a similar one from the same reel: A screengrab appearing to show a similar blurring by the Telegraph that was passed around Wednesday morning could not be confirmed by Mediaite. The blurring is in marked contrast to the Daily Beast, which published a gallery of the magazine’s most offensive covers. (Mediaite ran the offending covers as well.)
- Internal CNN memo: 'We are not at this time showing the Charlie Hebdo cartoons'. (Politico) — CNN is not showing detailed images of cartoons from the Charlie Hebdo magazine that could be viewed as offensive to Muslims, CNN senior editorial director Richard Griffiths said in a message sent to CNN staff Wednesday afternoon. Griffiths' email: “Although we are not at this time showing the Charlie Hebdo cartoons of the Prophet considered offensive by many Muslims, platforms are encouraged to verbally describe the cartoons in detail. This is key to understanding the nature of the attack on the magazine and the tension between free expression and respect for religion. Video or stills of street protests showing Parisians holding up copies of the offensive cartoons, if shot wide, are also OK. Avoid close-ups of the cartoons that make them clearly legible.”
6am – D Congress News: Tea Party Congressmen Get Backlash for Pro-Boehner Speaker Votes
- Boehner says Republicans are having ‘family conversation’ after move to unseat him. (Washington Post) — Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) said Wednesday that House Republicans are in the midst of a "family conversation" in the wake of Tuesday's move by rogue conservatives to dislodge him from the top job, and he would not rule out further retribution against unruly members. Addressing reporters after a meeting with rank-and-file Republicans in the Capitol basement, Boehner acknowledged stripping Florida Republican Reps. Daniel Webster and Rich Nugent of their membership on the House Rules Committee. Webster ran against Boehner for speaker, and Nugent voted for him. "Because of some of the activities on the floor, two of our members weren't put back on the committee immediately. I have not had a chance to talk to them. I have not had a chance to talk to our members," Boehner told reporters. The speaker would not rule out leveling more punishment against Republicans who opposed him. In all, 24 voted for another candidate for speaker, while one voted present.
- Raul Labrador Defends His Boehner Vote Against ‘Sell-Out’ Criticism. 'If you're going to take the king down, you have to cut off his head.' (Daily Caller) — Republican Idaho Rep. Raúl Labrador took to Facebook Wednesday to defend his vote for House Speaker John Boehner. The Tea Party conservative who previously fought Boehner’s bid for speaker in 2013, is now taking heat from conservatives who feel he’s a RINO and “faux conservative” for not ousting Speaker Boehner this time around. “I can’t blame many of my supporters for being upset with my vote for Speaker Boehner. I ask, however, that they consider not just a single vote but my long record as a champion of conservative values who stands up to the establishment,” the Idaho congressman wrote on Facebook. Labrador answered his critics on a local talk radio show KBOI 670′s Nate Shelman Show. Shelman pressed the congressman on the criticism that he has “turned his back on his constituents and the Tea Party” and has been called a “sell-out.” “There is nobody in Washington, D.C. who has fought this speaker more than I have. In fact, I was the leader of the coup last time… We tried to get rid of him two years ago. We had the numbers to get rid of him and at the last minute, a bunch of people turned their backs and they voted for him. And that’s when we had the numbers,” Labrador responded.
- Mia Love explains why she voted for John Boehner as House speaker. (Washington Examiner) — Rep. Mia Love, R-Utah, shocked some conservatives Tuesday when the first vote she cast as a new congresswoman was to keep Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, as House speaker. Twitter erupted, with several people claiming to be in her district saying they had lost faith in their previous hero, and that she had shown her true self. Remember, this was not a vote on legislation, it was a vote for the speaker of the House. Love, in an email to the Washington Examiner, provided some insight into why she chose to keep Boehner as GOP leader. “There were no qualified or notable campaigns for speaker within the Republican Party other than John Boehner,” Love said. “Casting a vote for a candidate who has not actively campaigned and does not have the support to be speaker is an indirect vote for Nancy Pelosi, and I will not vote for Nancy Pelosi.” Love also reminded voters that she is playing the long game when it comes to fighting for conservative principles.
- Flood of anti-Boehner calls rattles leadership. (Susan Ferrechio/Washington Examiner) — It wasn’t the Republican votes against House Speaker John Boehner that truly rattled the GOP leadership, it was the phone calls. There were hundreds of them, jamming the phone lines of the district and Capitol offices of dozens of House GOP lawmakers. The callers were not angry about legislation. Nor were they asking for help with a local matter. They were demanding their representative vote against Boehner Tuesday in his bid to win election to a third term as speaker. For the GOP leadership, the flood of calls was a game changer. It thrusted the leadership into triage mode as it scrambled to heal the growing rift among House Republicans. “We’ve never been lobbied quite like that,” House Rules Committee Chairman Pete Sessions, R-Texas, told the Washington Examiner on Wednesday. “We yesterday began a new era of circumstances, and one is that we have members who are going to solicit the outside in ways that they have not previously.” Boehner was so agitated by the phone calls that he raised the issue to his rank and file in a private meeting Wednesday morning, those in the room reported. Boehner was defensive, according to witnesses. He told GOP lawmakers he has long espoused the Tea Party principles that the callers accused him of abandoning.
6am – E D.C. Streetcar Involved in Accident Along H Street NE. For the second time in a week, a D.C. streetcar was involved in a minor accident along its route along H Street NE. A minor crash involving a streetcar and another was reported around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday near the intersection of H Street and Florida Avenue NE. Last Sunday, a streetcar crashed into another car on H Street NE during "test mode." The streetcar line hasn't opened to the public yet — it's scheduled to open the week of Jan. 19. No one was injured and the streetcar didn't appear to have sustained any damage.
7am – A INTERVIEW: STEVE EMERSON – executive director of the Investigative Project on Terrorism (www.investigativeproject.org), a non profit group that investigates the threat of radical Islam, author of 6 book on terrorism and national security and executive producer of the award winning 2013 documentary "Jihad in America: The Grand Deception" (www.granddeception.com)
- Police search for two brothers in massive French manhunt on mourning day
- FLASHBACK: White House questioned Charlie Hebdo judgment in 2012. On September 19, 2012 at the White House daily press briefing then press secretary Jay Carney condemned the judgement of Charlie Hebdo magazine for publishing “deeply offensive,” anti-Islamic cartoons. CARNEY: Well, we are aware that a French magazine published cartoons featuring a figure resembling the Prophet Muhammad, and obviously, we have questions about the judgment of publishing something like this. We know that these images will be deeply offensive to many and have the potential to be inflammatory. But we’ve spoken repeatedly about the importance of upholding the freedom of "expression that is enshrined in our Constitution.
7am – B Bill Cosby receives standing ovation despite protests. Comedian Bill Cosby received a standing ovation in Canada, at the end of his first live performance since November, despite protests outside the venue. The Cosby Show star personally thanked fans "for giving me the opportunity to bring laughter back into your lives". He told the Ontario audience he had had "a wonderful time". The 77-year-old has been accused by at least 15 women of sexual assault dating back to the '70s and '80s. Three more victims came forward on Wednesday. Cosby's lawyer made no immediate response to the latest accusations. The star, who has not been charged, has denied previous claims, calling them "fantastical" and "uncorroborated". The comedian's show in Kitchener, Ontario was the first of a three-date tour in Canada.
Exclusive: Bill Cosby Co-Star Tony Winner Phylicia Rashad Speaks Out for First Time, Defends Her Friend. (Roger Friedman) — It was just happenstance: I ran into Tony winner Phylicia Rashad today at Paramount’s super elegant lunch for the movie “Selma” at the Metropolitan Club. Rashad co-starred with Bill Cosby for 12 years as his TV wife– first on “The Cosby Show” and then on its sequel “Cosby” featuring Madeline Kahn. She will always be Claire Huxtable, wife of Dr. Cliff, and mother of the Huxtable family. No one knows Cosby better than the soft spoken, smart, articulate Rashad, for whom I have a lot of respect. So far she has not said a word about the scandal that has engulfed Cosby and is systematically destroying his 50 year career and reputation.
7am – C Report: '60 Minutes' correspondent Steve Kroft had wild 3-year affair. Veteran TV-news correspondent Steve Kroft enjoyed a string of hotel hookups with a sexy New York City lawyer, getting his kink on with the aid of Viagra and racy text messages, according to a new report from the National Enquirer, which hits newsstands Wednesday. The married CBS newsman — who once famously confronted Bill Clinton over the then-Arkansas governor’s rumored womanizing — convinced Harvard-educated Lisan Goines that he was trapped in a sexless marriage with his wife, author and fellow journalist Jennet Conant, the Enquirer reports. The pair then launched into a three-year affair — the details of which would never get past the censors on Kroft’s own award-winning show. In response to the report, Kroft insisted his dalliance had did not reflect on his job. "This was a personal failure, not a professional one, and had no impact whatsoever on my job as a journalist, he said.
7am – D INTERVIEW – STUART VARNEY – host of Varney and Company, Fox Business, weekdays at 11 am – discussed oil prices, Keystone and the concerns about the attack on free speech through terrorism in Paris.
7am – E TLC's 'My Husband's Not Gay' outrage. NEW YORK (CNNMoney) – TLC's upcoming one-hour special "My Husband's Not Gay" has caused an uproar before it has even aired. The special — which spotlights a group of married Mormon men who are attracted to other men but don't identify as gay — has caused outrage from organizations like GLAAD who find the themes of the show to be dangerous. "This show is downright irresponsible," said GLAAD President Sarah Kate Ellis in a statement. "No one can change who they love, and, more importantly, no one should have to." The cable network has responded to the criticism surrounding the special saying that it follows TLC's tradition of telling fascinating and true life stories. "TLC has long shared compelling stories about real people and different ways of life, without judgment," the network said in a statement. "The individuals featured in this one-hour special reveal the decisions they have made, and speak only for themselves." A Change.org petition has also been started that asks for TLC to cancel the special before it ever hits the airwaves. As of Tuesday afternoon the petition had over 82,000 signatures. "TLC is presenting victims' lives as entertainment, while sending the message that being gay is something that can and ought to be changed," the petition reads. "This message is harmful to both LGBT people and communities of faith." On Tuesday's "Good Morning America," host Robin Roberts (who in 2013 publicly acknowledged that she was gay) also spoke out about the show. "To even give the idea that it is a choice can be very dangerous," Roberts said. "Especially for young people who are dealing with their sexuality and trying to figure things out." "My Husband's Not Gay" is scheduled to air January 11 on TLC.
8am – A INTERVIEW – NEWT GINGRICH – Former Speaker of the House and 2012 presidential candidate – shared his thoughts on the Paris attacks, Jeb Bush & Mike Huckabee pondering 2016 bids for president and weighed in on the speaker battle in the new GOP Congress.
8am – B Oregon Trail returns, dysentery included. NEW YORK (CNNMoney) Nostalgic for your Oregon Trail days? No more. The Internet Archive, a nonprofit digital archive, has added over 2,300 MS-DOS games and programs to its site. Everything from Oregon Trail to Sim City to Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? is now available to play in most browsers (but works best in Firefox and Chrome). And it's all free. For those too young to remember, MS-DOS (short for Microsoft Disk Operating System) was the popular operating system in the '80s and '90s, before Microsoft (MSFT, Tech30) Windows took over. But don't expect things to be exactly as they were in the good old days. "Of course you can't really save things off for later, and that will limit things," wrote archivist Jason Scott in a blog post. "But on the whole, you will experience some analogue of the MS-DOS program, in your browser, instantly."
Marvel & Netflix Announce Release Date for Marvel's Daredevil. The Man Without Fear will be available to audiences around the world! (Marvel) — We’ve teased you with casting announcements and photos from “Marvel’s Daredevil,” but now we can finally tell you when you can see the series for yourself: April 10, Exclusively on Netflix. That’s right Marvelites, Season 1 of “Marvel’s Daredevil” will premiere with 13 one-hour episodes on April 10, 2015 at 12:01 a.m. PT in all territories where Netflix is available. To celebrate the announcement, we also have an incredible new motion poster for the series that you can see above, as well as a static version right here!
TV Star Kaley Cuoco Jokes About Her 'Apology Tour' For Anti-Feminist Comments. (Daily Caller) — As actress Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting presented the Favorite Comedic Movie Actress Award during the People's Choice Awards Wednesday night, she was asked by a fellow presenter: "Kaley, are you sure you want to do this category given your anti-feminism stance?" She quipped: "Yeah, I have to. It's part of my 'apology tour' and now, here are the nominees…" The 29-year-old actress recently came under fire for commenting in Redbook magazine that she enjoys cooking for and "serving" her husband. She told the magazine that she was "never that feminist girl demanding equality." Cuoco-Sweeting is best known for her roles in the upcoming film The Wedding Ringer and in CBS' The Big Bang Theory.
8am – C D.C. improperly ticketed Md. drivers for D.C. law. (WTOP) — WASHINGTON — Most of the more than 2 million parking tickets written in Washington, D.C. every year are good tickets for people breaking the laws, but others are glaring errors. For example, tens of thousands of tickets each year are written for failure to display an inspection sticker, a $50 ticket. Under D.C. law, drivers must display a valid inspection sticker on their front windshield. Under Virginia law, drivers must also display a safety inspection sticker on their front windshield. But last year, the District also wrote 47 inspection sticker violation tickets to Maryland drivers, according to records obtained by WTOP Ticketbuster. Under Maryland law, drivers must only display a registration sticker on the rear license plate. Maryland law does not require an inspection sticker to be displayed on the front windshield. Maryland’s Motor Vehicle Administration issues a card that drivers must keep in the glove box to cover inspections. “The requirement in Maryland is to carry the emissions inspection certificate at all times inside the vehicle,” says MVA spokesman Buel Young. Out of the 47 tickets written, the D.C. Department of Public Works wrote 20 of them.
8am – D French policewoman killed in shoot-out, hunt broadens for militant killers. (Reuters) – France's Prime Minister said on Thursday he feared Islamist militants who killed 12 people in an attack on a satirical newspaper could strike again as a manhunt for two men widened across the country. A policewoman was killed in a shootout in southern Paris, but Police sources could not immediately confirm a link with Wednesday's killings at the Charlie Hebdo weekly newspaper that marked the worst attack on French soil for decades. National leaders and allied states described the assault on Charlie Hebdo, known for its lampooning of Islam and other religions as well as politicians, as an assault on democracy. The bells of Notre-Dame cathedral rang out during a minute's silence observed across France and beyond. Many European newspapers either re-published Charlie Hebdo cartoons or mocked the killers with images of their own. Montrouge Mayor Pierre Brossollette said the policewoman and a colleague were attending a reported traffic accident when Thursday's shooting occurred. Witnesses said the assailant fled in a Renault Clio and police sources said he wore a bullet-proof vest and had a handgun and assault rifle. But one police officer at the scene told Reuters he did not appear to resemble the Charlie Hebdo shooters. Prime Minister Manuel Valls was asked on RTL radio after an emergency cabinet meeting with President Francois Hollande whether he feared a further attack.
TOMORROW: Dr. Alveda King, Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer and Bret Baier
