Chuck Thies, Stuart Varney, Md. Del. David Vogt, Drena Fegan and Jake Tapper joined WMAL on Thursday!

Mornings on the Mall

Thursday, February 4, 2016

Hosts: Brian Wilson and Larry O’Connor

Executive Producer: Heather Hunter

 

5am – A/B/C DRIVE AT FIVE INTERVIEW – DR. ZUDHI JASSER – author of “A Battle for the Soul of Islam: An American Muslim Patriot’s Fight to Save his Faith”, President of American Islamic Forum for Democracy and a former Lt. Commander in the US Navy – reacted to President Obama’s visit to a mosque.

• Reaction to Obama’s visit to a mosque

5am – D         Democratic Town Hall Highlights

5am – E         Utah Rep. Stewart: Hillary’s Emails Reveal Human Assets, Classified Sources. (Fox News) — House Intelligence Committee member Chris Stewart said Wednesday he has read Hillary Clinton’s withheld top secret emails, and he has never “read anything more sensitive than what these emails contained.” Further, the Utah Republican told Fox News “America’s Newsroom” host Martha Raddatz, Clinton “absolutely” sent and received the emails, despite her denials that she did not. They do reveal classified sources, and they do reveal human assets,” Stewart told Raddatz. “I can’t imagine how anyone could be familiar with these emails…and not realize these are highly classified.” He said he was not exactly shocked when he saw the emails, as he had a sense before going in, but there are even more emails withheld by state than the 22 the media has reported, and they leave questions about Clinton’s legal status. “There’s a legal process that will play out, but we have to ask ourselves this question,” he said. “Did Hillary Clinton demonstrate the judgment and respect for protocol that would allow her to protect national security? When I read these e-mails and see how they expose the most sensitive information or potentially exposed that I don’t know.”

6am – A/B/C Rockville H.S. principal concerned about planned senior trip. WASHINGTON — A group of seniors at Thomas Wootton High School in Montgomery County are planning a trip to Mexico for spring break, but a document they’re required to sign has outraged parents and school leaders. The document says the legal drinking age in Mexico is 18 and that “all travelers who choose to drink alcohol agree to do so responsibly.” That doesn’t sit well with acting principal Kimberly Boldon. “I am deeply saddened and frustrated,” she wrote in a letter to parents. “Allowing underage drinking here or in another country is irresponsible, dangerous and places our students in harm’s way.” Boldon says her school is not affiliated with the senior trip. Also of note: The husband of one of the trip’s organizers was convicted last year of allowing underage drinking at his house. Two 18-year-old Wootton graduates died in a crash after leaving a party at Tracie and Kenneth Saltzman’s home in June.

6am – D/E     2016 News:

• Donald Trump is ‘nominated for Nobel Peace Prize’ for ‘vigorous peace through strength ideology.’ The Republican candidate has made a number of divisive comments in the run-up to his campaign. Donald Trump makes a face as he and his wife Melania and members of their family leave the stage at his caucus night rally in Des Moines, Iowa Reuters. Monday was not a good day for Donald Trump. His infamous phrase ‘loser’ came back to haunt him when he was forced to admit defeat to rival Ted Cruz in the Iowa caucus after weeks of being billed as the Republican frontrunner.
• Trump calls for Iowa election do-over. NASHUA, N.H. (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is accusing rival Ted Cruz of stealing the Iowa caucuses and is demanding a do-over. “Based on the fraud committed by Senator Ted Cruz during the Iowa Caucus, either a new election should take place or Cruz results nullified,” Trump tweeted Wednesday. “Ted Cruz didn’t win Iowa, he stole it. That is why all of the polls were so wrong and why he got far more votes than anticipated,” he wrote. The inflammatory accusation marked a reversal for Trump, who on Monday night delivered a concession speech thanking Iowans for his second-place finish and congratulating Cruz. On Tuesday night in New Hampshire, he told reporters he was “very happy with what happened in Iowa.” But by Wednesday, Trump was laying out a list of accusations. He pointed to a mailer sent by the Cruz campaign headlined “voting violation” and resembling an official notice. The mailer showed recipients their history of voting or not in past caucuses, along with the turnout record of their neighbors, and drew complaints from Iowa’s secretary of state.
• Sens. Rick Santorum and Rand Paul Drop Out Of Presidential Race.
• Poor Jeb: Jeb Bush asks New Hampshire town hall crowd: “Please clap.”

 

7am – A         INTERVIEW – CHUCK THIES — Mayor Vincent Gray’s 2014 campaign manager, close friend and adviser.

• Former DC Mayor Vincent Gray to run for DC Council seat. WASHINGTON – Vincent Gray is looking to get back into D.C. politics. The former D.C. mayor will run for the Ward 7 seat on the city council, a source tells FOX 5’s Matt Ackland. Gray is expected to make an announcement on his council run Thursday.

7am – B         2016 News:

• Democratic Party Agrees to Schedule More Debates. Democrats will get four more debates. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz announced Wednesday that the Democratic National Committee has sanctioned four more debates following complaints from the Democratic candidates. The first debate added is an MSNBC debate on the campus of the University of New Hampshire on Feb. 4th. That debate was previously unsanctioned by the party, but the Clinton and Sanders campaigns said they would participate in hopes of getting a chance to debate before the upcoming New Hampshire primary. DNC chair Wasserman Schultz said that four debates were added in total—the New Hampshire debate, a March debate in Flint, Mich. and the two remaining debates in April and May.
• Carly Fiorina demands a spot in Saturday GOP debate. (CBS News) — Carly Fiorina is demanding a podium on the debate stage Saturday, the Republican party’s last forum before the New Hampshire primary on February 9. “Our debate process is broken,” Fiorina said Wednesday in a letter to the Republican National Committee (RNC), which is partnering with ABC News to host the debate. “Networks are making up these debate rules as they go along — not to be able to fit candidates on the stage — but arbitrarily to decide which candidates make for the best TV in their opinion. “Now,” she added, “it is time for the RNC to act in the best interest of the Party that it represents.” ABC News announced last week that its Manchester, New Hampshire debate will not feature an undercard stage, the first of the GOP forums to exclude one.
• Jimmy Carter: I would choose Donald Trump over Ted Cruz. Former President Jimmy Carter told the British Parliament on Wednesday that if he had to choose between Republican candidates Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, he’d prefer to see Trump win the White House. “I think I would choose Trump,” the liberal former president said to the House of Lords, when asked about the U.S. presidential race, “which may surprise some of you, but the reason is Trump has proven already that he’s completely malleable. I don’t think he has any fixed opinions that he would really go to the White House and fight for.” By contrast, Mr. Carter said, “Ted Cruz is not malleable. He has far right-wing policies, in my opinion, that would be pursued aggressively if and when he would become president.”

7am – C         Zika outbreak forces India’s Tata Motors to rename car. (Al Jazeera) — Zica presented at car show as the country’s biggest vehicles manufacturer confirms new name will be announced soon. Indian car manufacturer Tata Motors has confirmed it will rename its new small car Zica given its similarity to the Zika virus spreading across the globe. The car was presented at the Auto Expo 2016 in Greater Noida, outside New Delhi, on Wednesday as the World Health Organization declared a global health emergency following the latest Zika virus outbreak. Zica – an abbreviation for Zippy Car – has been endorsed by Argentina and Barcelona football star Lionel Messi who was named world player of the year 2015 at a FIFA gala in Zurich last month and claimed the Ballon d’Or trophy for the fifth time overall. “Empathising with the hardships being caused by the recent Zika virus outbreak across many countries, Tata Motors, as a socially responsible company, has decided to re-brand the car,” the company said in a statement.

7am – D         INTERVIEW – STUART VARNEY – Anchor, Varney and Company, Fox Business Network

• Fox Business Has Most-Watched Month Ever. With a lift from its second GOP debate, and a volatile month for the markets, Fox Business Network had its most-watched month ever in January. Every show on FBN saw new highs, and Lou Dobbs Tonight, once again topped CNBC at 7 p.m. ET in total viewers. More than 11 million tuned in for the GOP debate on FBN on Jan. 14 moderated by Neil Cavuto and Maria Bartiromo, making it FBN’s second most-watched show ever. The first was FBN’s first GOP debate watched by 13.5 million on Nov. 10 FBN ended 2015 as the fastest growing cable network on TV.
• THE TRUMP/CRUZ FIGHT PAVES THE WAY FOR RUBIO

7am – E         Entertainment News:

• Vin Diesel Confirms New ‘Fast & Furious’ Trilogy. Just two weeks after revealing the title of the 8th film in the “Fast & Furious” franchise, Vin Diesel has confirmed that there will be a 9th and 10th film in the series, and revealed the release dates for the final trilogy of the street racing saga. Diesel announced the news through a series of posts on his social media accounts on Tuesday. The first hint came after the 48-year-old actor posted a photo of him riding in a silver car with his daughter Hania, 7, in the passenger seat.
• The Flash & Supergirl Crossover Officially Confirmed. After months of rumors, ComicBook.com has learned that Grant Gustin will appear on Supergirl in his role as Barry Allen/The Flash next month. Gustin will head to National City on the series’ March 28 episode, the details of which haven’t yet been released. “We are so incredibly excited to announce something that we have dreamed of happening since we starting making Supergirl – The Flash and Supergirl are teaming up!,” said The Flash and Supergirl Executive Producers Greg Berlanti and Andrew Kreisberg. “We want to thank Grant Gustin for making the time to come visit (on top of his already immense workload) and all of the folks at CBS, The CW, Warner Bros. and DC for working this out. And finally thanks to the fans and journalists who have kept asking for this to happen. It is our pleasure and hope to create an episode worthy of everyone’s enthusiasm and support.” Supergirl airs Monday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS. The Flash airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on The CW.
• Christina Milian Cast as Magenta in Fox’s ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show.’ Fox’s “Rocky Horror Picture Show” is filling out with the addition of Christina Milian, who’s been cast in the role of Magenta, Variety has learned. Milian — who stars on Fox’s “Grandfathered” — joins the star-studded cast that includes Laverne Cox, Victoria Justice, Ryan McCartan, Adam Lambert, Reeve Carney, Staz Nair, Annaleigh Ashford and original “Rocky Horror” vet Tim Curry, who returns as the narrator. “Chelsea Does,” a new four-part documentary series on Netflix debuts at the Sundance Film Festival. Variety gets up close and personal with the comic as she preps for her next adventure. Fox’s version of “Rocky Horror” is a reimagining of the cult classic, which has the longest-running release in film history. The story follows sweethearts Janet (Justice) and Brad (McCartan), who stumble upon Dr. Frank-N-Furter’s (Cox) bizarre abode. Along with the help of his faithful servants Riff Raff (Carney) and Magenta (Milian), Frank-N-Furter, a sexually ambiguous, flirtatious alien mad-scientist is holding an annual, Transylvanian science convention to showcase the birth of “Rocky Horror” (Nair), a fit, attractive man created solely to fulfill Frank’s desires.

8am – A         INTERVIEW — MARYLAND DELEGATE DAVID VOGT — Republican, District 4, Carroll & Frederick Counties

• Delegate calls for tax exemption curb on some mosques, decries Obama visit. Calling President Obama’s planned visit to a Baltimore mosque Wednesday an endorsement of terrorism, a Republican lawmaker from Frederick County proposed legislation that would prohibit religious organizations with “known ties to terrorism” from claiming tax breaks. Del. David Vogt, who is seeking the Republican nomination to Congress in the Sixth District, announced plans to introduce a bill empowering the state to deny exemptions and tax credits to churches, other religious institutions and other organizations if the Comptroller’s Office determines that they have terrorist ties. The text of Vogt’s bill does not mention mosques, but the delegate sent out a news release indicating that mosques are its main target. “One Maryland state representative is targeting mosques that promote radical Islam and endorse acts of terrorism,” Vogt said in his release. Vogt coupled his legislation with a denunciation of Obama’s plans to visit The Islamic Society of Baltimore — his first visit as president to an American mosque. “The President’s visit to a mosque with a history of promoting terrorism is a disgrace, and this bill ensures that Maryland’s taxpayers aren’t subsidizing special treatment for terrorist sympathizers,” Vogt’s release said.

8am – B         INTERVIEW – DRENA FAGEN — Director of Programs and Adult Services, New York Creative Arts Therapists PLLC

• Adult coloring book craze booms in US. New York (AFP) – Intricate adult coloring books are the latest lifestyle craze to grip the United States, generating millions of fans, booming sales and libraries falling over themselves to host workshops. Walk into any New York bookstore, and you’ll find them artfully laid out on tables or filling entire shelves. Buyers can choose from Sanskrit patterns, urban landscapes, butterflies and flowers all offering “stress relieving patterns.” The latest fashion? The swear word version. Amazon sells hundreds of them, including nine on the top 20 bestseller list. Fans post their finished designs and swap tips on Facebook or Pinterest. Dover Publications, which prints dozens of coloring books, decreed August 2 as National Coloring Book Day, sponsoring parties and hosting an online group discussion board for tips on how to throw a successful bash at home. “It calms us down to be coloring,” Linda Turner, a licensed creative arts psychotherapist in Manhattan, explained of the trend born in Europe. “If you are really with it, if you are really in the presence of coloring the colors and just being with the art, it is a wonderful way to support calming and presence and relaxation,” she told AFP.

8am – C         DeRay Mckesson files to run in Baltimore mayoral race. (Baltimore Sun) — “Baltimore is a city of promise and possibility,” said mayoral candidate DeRay Mckesson. In a surprise move, civil rights activist DeRay Mckesson jumped into the already crowded contest for Baltimore mayor Wednesday night, shaking up the Democratic field minutes before the deadline to file. “Baltimore is a city of promise and possibility,” the Black Lives Matter member told The Baltimore Sun. “We can’t rely on traditional pathways to politics and the traditional politicians who walk those paths if we want transformational change.” He said he planned to release a platform within a week. He said it would include a call for internal school system audits to be made public. Mckesson was the 13th and final candidate to jump into the primary race. In deep-blue Baltimore, the Democratic primary has long determined the winner of the general election. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake has declined to run for re-election. Leading candidates include former Mayor Sheila Dixon, state Sen. Catherine E. Pugh, City Councilmen Carl Stokes and Nick J. Mosby, lawyer Elizabeth Embry and businessman David L. Warnock.

8am – D         INTERVIEW – JAKE TAPPER – CNN host of The Lead and host of State of the Union – pushed back on the criticism of CNN’s reporting about Ben Carson during the Iowa caucuses.

8am – E         2016 News Round-Up: Dem Town Hall News & GOP News