Weather Channel's Ray Stagich, VDOT, MDSHA, John Matthews, Richard Kelsey, Jamie Colby, Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer, Dan Bongino and Simon Henderson joined WMAL on Tuesday.
INTERVIEW: JAMIE COLBY – host of new Fox Business show "Strange Inheritance"
INTERVIEW: DAN BONGINO – former Secret Service agent and author of Inside the Bubble
INTERVIEW – SIMON HENDERSON – director of the Gulf and Energy Policy Program at The Washington Institute, specializing in energy matters and the conservative Arab states of the Persian Gulf
Mornings on the Mall
Tuesday, January 27, 2014
Hosts: Brian Wilson and Larry O’Connor
5am – A INTERVIEW – RAY STAGICH – Meteorologist, The Weather Channel – previewed the snow forecast.
Today | Becoming partly cloudy later with any flurries or snow showers ending by noontime. High 38F. Winds NW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 30%. Isolated areas may see up to an inch or 2 of snow…rest of us, little to any.
5am – B James Franco: Weird to See ‘Right-Wingers’ Newt and Romney Support The Interview. James Franco was surprised to see some conservative icons so willingly support The Interview late last year, despite constantly demonizing Hollywood and having never seen the film itself. Despite their well-known resentment towards Hollyweird Liberals, Franco noticed many conservatives blindly supporting his film for a variety of reasons: “It’s funny to see all the different reactions, and the way they also changed,” Franco told The Daily Beast. “At first, it was as if all of Hollywood was under attack and we’re representing Hollywood, and then you have these right-wingers coming out and saying, ‘Go see this movie!’ Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney are saying, ‘Go see this movie!’ without having even seen it themselves, just because.”
5am – C Bowe Bergdahl to be charged with desertion, retired officer tells Fox. (The Washington Times) — Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who was released by the Taliban last year in exchange for five prisoners, is being charged with desertion, retired Lt. Col. Tony Schaffer told Bill O’Reilly on “The O’Reilly Factor” Monday. Mr. Shaffer, who now works for the London Center for Policy Research, said two separate military sources have confirmed to him that Sgt. Bergdahl’s attorney has been given a “charge sheet,” listing out the articles of the uniform military code that have been violated. “The army has come to its conclusion and Bowe Bergdahl will be charged with desertion,” Mr. Shaffer said. Sgt. Bergdahl left his unit in Afghanistan without permission in 2009 and was captured by the Taliban, and held prisoner by the group for five years. Following the much-criticized exchange, the Army conducted an investigation into his actions, which concluded three months ago. Mr. Shaffer also accused the Obama administration of trying to keep the detail of Sgt. Bergdahl’s charges hidden.
5am – D Mother ordered not to talk in Spanish to child during her supervised visitation. (The Washington Post) — Fortunately, a Florida appellate court reversed this order on Friday, in Perez v. Fay (Fla. Ct. App. Jan. 23, 2015). The mother had lost custody, and allowed only supervised visitation, because of her bipolar disorder (and possibly also because of “two criminal offenses in 2010,” though the court doesn’t offer many details on that). But the trial court also required that the mother’s supervised visitation be only in English: “The court [at first] ordered that the Mother could have daily telephone contact with her daughter at a time to be coordinated with and supervised by the Father. And, because the Father did not speak the Mother’s native language — Spanish — the court ordered the Mother to speak only English with her daughter during these daily telephone calls….” [Later, the trial court] made the language restriction during the Mother’s interactions with her daughter permanent [including in her in-person supervised visitation]. The court of appeals reversed this limitation
5am – E Sam Smith on Tom Petty Settlement: 'Similarities' But 'Complete Coincidence.' (Rolling Stone) — "Although the likeness was a complete coincidence, all involved came to an immediate and amicable agreement," Smith's reps tell Rolling Stone. Over the weekend, The Sun reported that Sam Smith had quietly and amicably settled a copyright dispute with Tom Petty over the likeness between Smith's three-time Grammy-nominated "Stay With Me" and Petty's Full Moon Fever hit "I Won't Back Down," co-written with ELO's Jeff Lynne. In a statement to Rolling Stone, Smith's reps have confirmed that "Stay With Me" is now co-credited to Petty and Lynne, adding that while there are undeniable "similarities" between the two singles, it was a "complete coincidence." "Recently the publishers for the song 'I Won't Back Down,' written by Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne, contacted the publishers for 'Stay With Me,' written by Sam Smith, James Napier and William Phillips, about similarities heard in the melodies of the choruses of the two compositions," Smith's rep tells Rolling Stone. "Not previously familiar with the 1989 Petty/Lynne song, the writers of 'Stay With Me' listened to 'I Won’t Back Down' and acknowledged the similarity." Smith's rep added, "Although the likeness was a complete coincidence, all involved came to an immediate and amicable agreement in which Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne are now credited as co-writers of 'Stay With Me' along with Sam Smith, James Napier and William Phillips." A representative for Petty was not immediately available for comment.
6am – A/B/C Snow News Update:
- INTERVIEW – JENNI MCCORD – VDOT SPOKESPERSON
- INTERVIEW – KELLY BOULWARE – Maryland State Highway spokesperson
- INTERVIEW – JOHN MATTHEWS – WMAL's news director
6am – B Food News:
- This Is the KFC Double Down Dog, With Chicken Breast Used as the Bun. So meaty. (IGN) — Fast-food chain KFC is offering a Double Down Dog at select locations in the Philippines. The Double Down Dog is a hot dog covered in cheese and wrapped up with a chicken breast instead of bread. It's only available today and tomorrow, with each KFC location only serving 50 per day to customers, according to a Facebook post by KFC Philippines. USA Today reports that KFC has no plans to bring the Double Down Dog to American locations.
- Good-bye Cadbury Creme Eggs? Deal bans British chocolates. (Detroit Free Press) — A new deal that bans all Cadbury chocolates from being imported to America is sparking anger from chocolate lovers. According to the New York Times, the deal was reached between the Hershey's Company and Let's Buy British Imports, or L.B.B. But the popular chocolates won't completely vanish from store shelves. Cadbury chocolates will be made by Hershey, albeit with a different recipe.
6am – C Obama wraps up three-day India visit, departs for Saudi Arabia. (Times of India) — NEW DELHI: US President Barack Obama left India for Saudi Arabia on Tuesday after a three-day visit focused on improving relations between the world's largest democracies. US President Barack Obama is leading a bipartisan delegation of lawmakers, senior US officials and two former secretaries of state to Saudi Arabia to pay respects to the royal family following King Abdullah's death. Obama's four-hour stop in Saudi Arabia was to include a meeting with new monarch King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud and a dinner with other Saudi officials.
Obama’s chewing gum habit: A diplomatic faux pas in India? (Christian Science Monitor) — During his visit to India, President Obama was once again spotted chewing gum at a public event. Diplomatic faux pas or a public struggle with nicotine addiction? Talk about a sticky situation. President Obama, in India for a state visit, was chided by local press after he was spotted chewing gum during Monday’s Republic Day parade, which celebrates the day that India’s 1950 constitution went into effect. Calling the incident “an ungainly sight,” the Times of India reported: “In the picture captured by cameras and posted on Twitter by some users, Mr. Obama was spotted removing his chewing gum while [Indian Prime Minister Narendra] Modi was seen trying to explain something to the US president.”
Hindustan Times @htTweets: Barack Obama chews gum at #RepublicDay parade, gets social media talking http://read.ht/n3W (Video inside)
5:00 AM – 26 Jan 2015
The incident is the latest report on the president’s increasingly documented habit. He has been seen chewing gum at all manner of events, not least during his own inauguration.
6am – D INTERVIEW – RICHARD KELSEY – Assistant Dean, George Mason School of Law
- Court: Ex-Virginia Gov. McDonnell Will Be Free During Appeal. (NBC News) — A federal appeals court has approved former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell's request to remain free while he appeals his corruption convictions. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond said McDonnell's appeal raises a substantial question of law or fact that could warrant reversal or a new trial. The ruling said McDonnell is "not likely to flee or pose a danger to the safety of any other person or the community if released." In a statement released Monday afternoon, the former governor said, “I am grateful for today's ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit allowing me to remain free on bond pending my appeal. I plan to spend time with my new granddaughter who was born this month, attend my sons' graduation ceremonies, and embrace family time with my daughters. I want to thank my family, friends and legal team for their tireless support and unwavering belief in my innocence. At this time our family requests privacy.” The ruling reverses an earlier one. On Jan. 13, Judge James Spencer had denied a request by McDonnell's attorneys for him to remain free during the appeal. The court ordered that briefs in the case be filed by March 2 and set a May 12 hearing.
6am – E Gary Sinise tells off Howard Dean: The ‘American Sniper’ flaps still haven’t ended. (Washington Post) — The box-office success of “American Sniper” continued in its second weekend of wide distribution, with $64.4 million in ticket sales. That’s on top of the estimated $107.2 million the Clint Eastwood film took in the previous weekend. The movie, based on Navy SEAL Chris Kyle’s life and four combat deployments to Iraq, is a massive commercial success. But the reaction to it — already inflamed — has become even more polarized, as celebrities, pundits and veterans all continue to weigh in (and sometimes respond to each other). The latest flap erupted following comments by former Gov. Howard Dean (D.-Vt.) on Friday night. They came on “Real Time with Bill Maher,” in which the show’s host ripped the movie for its lack moral ambiguity and Kyle for writing previously that he didn’t care about Iraq and hated the “savages” there. “‘Hurt Locker’ made $17 million because it was a little ambiguous and thoughtful,” Maher said, citing the opening weekend sales of another Iraq War filmed released in 2008. “And this one is just ‘American hero. He’s a psychopath patriot, and we love him.’” Dean said Maher had made a “very interesting point.”
7am – A INTERVIEW: JAMIE COLBY – host of new Fox Business show "Strange Inheritance"
- BIO: Jamie Colby, is the host of the new series Strange Inheritance, a treasure-hunt series on Fox Business, which is debuting on Monday, January 26th at 9pm ET. She also serves as co-anchor of Fox News Channel’s America’s News Headquarters (Saturdays 1-2PM/ET and Sundays 10-11AM and 12-1PM/ET). Upon joining the network in 2003, she has covered major national and international news stories, including the Boston Marathon bombing, the inauguration of Pope Francis as well as the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, the wake of the South-East Asia tsunami in 2004, the Columbia Space Shuttle investigation from the NASA headquarters in Houston, Texas, and many more.
- Jamie Colby hosts "Strange Inheritance," a new treasure-hunt series on Fox Business, debuted with back-to-back episodes at 8 p.m. Monday (Jan. 26). In this one, the treasures are stuff folks inherit from family members.
7am – B Tom Brady‘s ‘feelings got hurt’ by Deflategate pressure. (NY Post) — While Patriots coach Bill Belichick is all but daring the NFL to find him responsible for Deflategate, quarterback Tom Brady admitted he was initially affronted by the whole situation. “I personalized a lot of things and thought this was all about me and my feelings got hurt, and then I moved past it because it’s not serving me,” Brady said during his customary Monday morning interview on WEEI Radio in Boston. “I think what’s serving me is to try to prepare for the game ahead, and I’ll deal with whatever happens later. I’ll have my opportunity to try to figure out what happened and figure out a theory like everyone else is trying to do. But this isn’t the time for that, and honestly I’m not interested in trying to find out right now because we have the biggest game of our season ahead.” Deflategate is engulfing the NFL as Super Bowl Media Week in Phoenix begins, and there is no quick solution on the horizon. Brady said Sunday night during a Pro Bowl halftime interview on ESPN he has yet to speak to NFL investigators.
NFL looking at Patriots attendant. (ESPN) — The NFL has zeroed in on a New England Patriots locker room attendant who allegedly took the AFC Championship Game balls from the officials' locker room to another area on the way to the field, Fox Sports reported, citing sources. According to Fox Sports, the league has interviewed him and has video. The league is still gauging if any wrongdoing occurred, but he is a strong person of interest, Fox Sports reported. The location in question was a bathroom in which the attendant can be seen in the video entering and exiting in 90 seconds with the 24 footballs provided by both teams, according to Pro Football Talk, which cited an anonymous league source.
7am – C Five Northern Va. towns named most boring in all the state. (InsideNova) — Attention Lake Ridge, Dale City, South Riding, Burke and West Springfield! You need to spice things up, stat. According to the real estate blog Movoto.com, these five Northern Virginia locales rank among the top 10 most boring places in the whole state. Movoto released its report this week, naming the most dull — in order of yawn-worthiness — as Danville, South Riding (tied with Short Pump), Suffolk, West Springfield, Chesapeake, Lake Ridge, Dale City, Mechanicsville and Burke. They claim it’s all very scientific. First Movoto gathered U.S. Census information on population, percentage of residents aged 18-34 and population density. Then they crunched those numbers with business listings on nightlife, live music options, fast food versus non-fast food restaurants, parks and arts and entertainment options.
7am – D Woman Mistakenly Receives Bag of Cash at a Burger King Drive-Thru. Here’s one very expensive way to “have it your way.“ A Burger King customer accidently received a bag full of cash instead of her order at a drive-thru last week in Rochester, N.H., reports Foster's Daily Democrat. When the customer, Janelle Jones, opened the bag on her way home from Burger King, she expected to find a sweet tea and junior spicy chicken sandwich. Instead, she was shocked to discover $2,631. Jones and her husband reported that they briefly considered keeping the cash. However, they decided to give back the money, which was intended for deposit at the bank, and returned to the fast-food restaurant about an hour after the mix up. Grateful employees promised Jones five free meals in gratitude for her honesty. While $2,631 could have bought several hundred bacon cheeseburgers, the Joneses said that returning the money felt much better than keeping the cash would have.
7am – E INTERVIEW — LT COL TONY SHAFFER — a CIA trained former senior intelligence officer and the New York Times bestselling author of Operation "Dark Heart: Spycraft an Special Operations on the Frontlines of Afghanistan – And The Path to Victory." His latest book is The Last Line. He is a senior fellow with both the London Center for Policy Research and the Center for Advanced Defense Studies
- Bowe Bergdahl to be charged with desertion, retired officer tells Fox. (Washington Times) — Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who was released by the Taliban last year in exchange for five prisoners, is being charged with desertion, retired Lt. Col. Tony Schaffer told Bill O’Reilly on “The O’Reilly Factor” Monday. Mr. Shaffer, who now works for the London Center for Policy Research, said two separate military sources have confirmed to him that Sgt. Bergdahl’s attorney has been given a “charge sheet,” listing out the articles of the uniform military code that have been violated. “The army has come to its conclusion and Bowe Bergdahl will be charged with desertion,” Mr. Shaffer said.
8am – A INTERVIEW: DAN BONGINO – former Secret Service agent and author of Inside the Bubble
- Drone crash inside White House grounds was apparently accidental, Secret Service says. Government employee piloted drone that crashed at White House. (USA Today) — WASHINGTON — A government employee told the Secret Service that he lost control of a small drone before it crashed on the grounds of the White House shortly after 3 a.m. on Monday, officials said. The man, not identified by the government, has been "been fully cooperative" and "initial indications are that this incident occurred as a result of recreational use of the device," the Secret Service said in a written statement. The pre-dawn incident triggered an early morning lockdown of the White House perimeter and revived concern about the security of the presidential mansion. The Secret Service said "an individual called the Secret Service this morning at approximately 9:30 a.m. to self-report that they had been in control of the quad copter device that crashed on the White House grounds early this morning."
8am – B French court stops child from being named Nutella. A French court has stopped parents from naming their baby girl Nutella after the hazelnut spread, ruling that it would make her the target of derision. The judge ordered that the child be called Ella instead. He said in his ruling that the name Nutella was the trade name of a spread that is commonplace in Gallic homes. "And it is contrary to the child's interest to have a name that can only lead to teasing or disparaging thoughts," he pronounced. French parents are usually free to choose the names of their children, but local prosecutors are empowered to report what they deem to be unsuitable names to a family court.
8am – C 'Celebrity Apprentice': And the fired celebrities are… Monday’s Celebrity Apprentice offered up a new recipe for disaster: Take nine ferocious celebs (at various points in their careers) and just add water. The first hour tasked Teams Infinity and Vortex with planning duel boat tours of New York City, and as even the most casual Apprentice viewers could have predicted, there was some serious drama on the high seas. Despite Team Infinity’s initial setback — its original theme was Mardi Gras, an experience unique to New Orleans — a quick course correction by project manager Brandi Glanville saved the day. (No comment on Kenya Moore’s performance. It was a thing that happened, and now we can all move on.) As for Team Vortex, it could be argued that its biggest misstep was sexing up its tour with Hooters girls… but I’m pretty sure that Geraldo Rivera blurting out “Screw the terrorists!” was far more damaging.
8am – D INTERVIEW – SIMON HENDERSON – director of the Gulf and Energy Policy Program at The Washington Institute, specializing in energy matters and the conservative Arab states of the Persian Gulf
- U.S. President Barack Obama will travel to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday in order to meet the newly appointed monarch, King Salman, and pay his respects to the family of the late King Abdullah.
TOMORROW: KT McFarland and Tucker Carlson
