Hans Von Spakovsky, Pete Hoekstra, Steve Hayes and guest host Katie Pavlich joined WMAL on Wednesday!

Mornings on the Mall

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Hosts: Brian Wilson and Katie Pavlich

Executive Producer: Heather Hunter

 

5am – A/B/C   Ivanka Trump may serve as first lady in place of Melania. (Blaze) — With Melania Trump not moving into the White House until after Barron Trump is finished with school, the position of first lady will be unfilled. So instead of leaving it open, President-elect Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump may fill the roll. Heat Street first noted that Ivanka seems set to fill the position. It seems Trump’s daughter Ivanka, who was instrumental in his Presidential campaign, may be looking to fill the ceremonial role. A piece by the New York Times revealed that Ivanka, like her father, is distancing herself from her role at Trump Corporation, where she serves as one of several Vice Presidents (along with her brother, Eric Trump). Ivanka has been integral to Trump’s campaign, and he has already let her sit in on the meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. While some would consider it odd for a daughter to take the roll of first lady, Trump would not be the first to select a woman other than his wife. Thomas Jefferson and Harry S Truman are both presidents who had their daughter’s serve as first ladies. Emily Donelson, President Andrew Jackson’s niece, served as Jackson’s first lady since the President was widowed.

5am – D         McConnell Promises Tax Overhaul Is Coming Next Spring. (TPM) — Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) told reporters Monday that Republicans plan to tackle a tax overhaul in the spring of 2017. The Senate will use the procedural process known as budget reconciliation, which only requires 51 votes to pass in the Senate, to undertake the tax overhaul. While Republicans will use the first budget resolution in January to repeal the Affordable Care Act, the second will be used in the spring to cut taxes.

5am – E         Trump Meetings And Trump Transition Picks:

• Tech execs from Microsoft, Apple, Amazon and others have much to teach Trump. Tech executives have much to offer President-elect Donald Trump when they meet with him Wednesday in New York. PRESIDENT-elect Donald Trump could learn a thing or two from America’s leading tech companies when he meets with their executives in New York on Wednesday. Better than anyone, the leaders of Microsoft, Amazon.com, Apple and others can explain the value of free trade, welcoming immigrants and embracing the diversity of employees and customers.
• IBM Lays Out Plans to Hire 25,000 in U.S. Ahead of Trump Meeting. IBM Chief Executive Officer Ginni Rometty said she plans to hire about 25,000 people in the U.S. and invest $1 billion over the next four years, laying out her vision for filling technology jobs in America on the eve of a meeting of industry leaders with President-elect Donald Trump. Rometty, who is on Trump’s advisory panel of business leaders, will join Facebook Inc.’s Sheryl Sandberg, Amazon.com Inc.’s Jeff Bezos and Alphabet Inc.’s Larry Page and Eric Schmidt at a summit with Trump Wednesday in New York that is said to focus on jobs. During the run-up to the election, Trump made employment issues a mainstay of his campaign, promising to scrap trade deals he viewed as draining jobs from the country and impose tariffs on imports if necessary. He has since claimed credit for preventing thousands of manufacturing jobs from moving overseas and used state incentives to strike a deal with Carrier, a unit of United Technologies Corp., to pull back on its plans to move some operations to Mexico.
• Donald Trump picks Montana Rep. Ryan Zinke for interior secretary. President-elect Donald Trump has offered Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Montana, the post of secretary of the interior, CBS News’ Sopan Deb confirms, citing a source familiar with the transition. The former Navy SEAL commander, who is a decorated Iraq veteran, just won his second term in Congress. Zinke is the first Navy SEAL elected to Congress and is the sole Montana congressman in the House. He supported Mr. Trump early on during the campaign, and he met with the president-elect Monday at Trump Tower.  Politico first reported the pick. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers was also in the running for interior secretary.
• President-elect Trump selects former Texas Gov. Rick Perry as nominee for energy secretary, sources tell CNN. (CNN) President-elect Donald Trump has selected former Texas Gov. Rick Perry to be his nominee for energy secretary, the transition team announced Wednesday, which would make him head of an agency he once sought to eliminate. Perry, twice an aspirant for the White House and for decades a swaggering figure in the Texas Republican Party, returns to the national limelight after his career in politics withered amid scandal and embarrassment. If confirmed by the Senate, Perry will inherit a department that has focused on promoting clean energy and reducing dependence on fossil fuels, but has also seen domestic production of oil explode. And his selection is a nod to the traditional GOP emphasis on energy sources like coal and oil.

6am – A/B     “Female-Friendly” Steakhouse STK Is Closing Its DC Location. The last day of service is December 17. Two-and-a-half years after bare-midriff models in short skirts graced its red-carpet opening party, the DC location of “Not Your Daddy’s Steakhouse” STK is closing. Its last day will be December 17, a receptionist confirmed. OpenTable reservations also cut off after the 17th. Management from the restaurant could not immediately be reached for comment. STK promoted itself as a “modern steakhouse geared toward females,” yet it played up gender stereotypes. The restaurant seemed to peddle the notion that women want petite portions by offering small versions of its steaks. And between its “sexy” decor and cocktails dubbed “summertime fling” or “secret affair,” the place looked more like it was designed for men trying to pick up women. “It’s for the crowd that wants that sleek sexy flirtatious experience,” the restaurant’s then-marketing and PR director told me in 2013. STK still has outposts in Las Vegas, London, Los Angeles, Miami, and beyond.

6am – C         Chef José Andrés Tweets He Wants to End Lawsuits with Donald Trump. José Andrés and Donald Trump have been tied up in lawsuits and countersuits with one another for over a year now, ever since Andrés pulled his project from the President-Elect’s new hotel in Washington D.C. Now, the Spanish chef wants to bury the hatchet and do something more useful with their time and money.  Andrés Tweeted at Trump, hoping to end their legal troubles once and for all.

José Andrés @chefjoseandres: Mr. @realDonaldTrump can we end our lawsuits and we donate $ to a Veterans NGO to celebrate? Why keep litigating? Let’s both of us win.. As of now, Trump hasn’t responded.

Donald Trump set to be deposed in José Andrés case just before inauguration. Weeks before he takes the oath of office, President-elect Donald Trump is scheduled for another kind of oath — he’s set to face lawyers’ questions during a deposition in the $10 million breach-of-contract lawsuit he filed against Washington-based celebrity chef José Andrés. In filings last week, attorneys for Trump and Andrés’s company argued over the details of the session slated to take place the first week of January. Trump wanted the deposition to take place in New York, where he lives and where his presidential transition is based, not in Washington, for security reasons. Andrés’s lawyers agreed. But Trump’s team has other objections: The real estate executive wants to limit questioning to two hours and prohibit questions covered in a previous deposition.

6am – D         INTERVIEW – HANS VON SPAKOVSKY – a former counsel to the assistant attorney general for civil rights in the Justice Department, former commissioner for the Federal Election Commission from 2006 to 2007, senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation  — discussed the Electoral College drama.

• 40 Electoral College members demand briefing on Russian interference. Forty members of the Electoral College on Tuesday signed a letter demanding an intelligence briefing on Russian interference in the election ahead of their Dec. 19 vote. Ten electors originally signed the letter when it was published Monday, and 30 more have since added their names. The open letter — led by Christine Pelosi, the daughter of House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) — urged Director of National Intelligence James Clapper to give a detailed briefing on President-elect Donald Trump’s ties to Russia. “We further require a briefing on all investigative findings, as these matters directly impact the core factors in our deliberations of whether Mr. Trump is fit to serve as President of the United States,” the letter read.

6am – E         Trump compares Paul Ryan to a ‘fine wine,’ stops Wisconsin crowd from booing him.  House Speaker Paul Ryan was booed in his home state of Wisconsin after President-elect Donald Trump mentioned him by name at a rally Tuesday night. “Speaker Paul Ryan,” Trump began saying, drawing a loud round of boos from the crowd in West Allis, the latest site of Trump’s “Thank you” tour. “Oh no,” Trump said over the jeers. “I’ve come to appreciate him!” Ryan had appeared onstage moments earlier to introduce Trump, and received an enthusiastic response. Later, Trump compared Ryan to “a fine wine” — “Every day I appreciate his genius more and more,” he said. The praise is a dramatic shift in tone from his presidential campaign, when the two were highly critical of each other. Ryan initially held off on endorsing Trump after the businessman won the Republican primary, but he eventually reversed his position in June.

7am – A         INTERVIEW — PETE HOEKSTRA – is the former Chairman of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee

• Pelosi calls for further investigation into election hacking claims
• US Senate panel plans hearing on Russia hacking in January The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee plans a closed briefing and a public hearing on the Russia hacking issue as soon as the Senate returns from its year-end recess in the first week of January, a spokeswoman said.
• Is Rex Tillerson’s relationship with Russia of concern?
• Does Trump need to have intel briefings everyday?

7am – B         Detroit voting machines registered more votes than the number of voters: report. Too many votes registered in Detroit precincts. (The Hill) — Voting machines in 37 percent of Detroit’s precincts registered too many votes in the presidential election last month, the Detroit News reported Tuesday. Records from Wayne County show optical scanners in 248 of the city’s 662 precincts registered more ballots than the number of votes tallied in the poll books. The city’s voting irregularities prompted a call for an audit by Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson’s office, according to the publication. President-elect Donald Trump won Michigan by 10,704 votes, but Hillary Clinton received more votes in Detroit and Wayne County. The state’s recount effort ended Friday after a decision by the Michigan Supreme Court. Detroit precincts were among some of the precincts that couldn’t be counted during the presidential recount because of a state law that bars the precincts from being recounted if the numbers don’t match, unless there’s a valid explanation. In Detroit, the discrepancies resulted in 392 precincts that couldn’t be counted. Two-thirds of those precincts had too many votes, according to the Detroit News.

7am – C         Fed expected to raise rates for first time in a year. WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve is expected to raise its key interest rate for the first time in a year when its policy meeting ends Wednesday. The move would lift the rate by a quarter point to a range between 0.5 percent and 0.75 percent, likely nudging up the cost of some consumer and business loans.  The Fed last increased rates in December a year ago, when it hiked its benchmark rate from a record low set at the depths of the 2008 financial crisis.

7am – D         Trump talked to Kanye about possible administration role: report. Trump, Kanye West discussed ‘entrepreneurial role’: report. Rapper Kanye West and President-elect Donald Trump discussed a potential leadership role during their meeting Tuesday morning, E News reported. Trump spoke with West about becoming an “ambassador of sorts” in an “entrepreneurial leadership role,” the entertainment news site reported. West made waves when he and an entourage entered Trump Tower on Tuesday morning for a meeting with the president-elect. The duo emerged for photos after the meeting, where they “discussed life,” Trump told media. Rapper Kanye West and President-elect Donald Trump discussed a potential leadership role during their meeting Tuesday morning, E News reported.

7am – E         Entertainment News:

• Paula Patton, Candace Cameron Bure, Larry King and more celebrities react to Alan Thicke’s death. (People) — Alan Thicke’s death sparked an instant outpouring of mourning and support on social media. Thicke, who starred in Growing Pains from 1985-1992 as Dr. Jason Seaver, passed away on Tuesday, PEOPLE confirms. He was 69. Thicke suffered a heart attack while playing hockey with his son Carter, the Los Angeles Times confirmed. Celebrities took to Twitter and Facebook to express their condolences and share their favorite moments with the actor and composer. Carter, Thicke’s youngest son, tweeted: “Today I lost my best friend and my idol, and the world lost one of it’s finest. You are a legend and I love you Pops. Until next time.”
• Brat Pack, ‘Roger Rabbit’ added to National Film Registry. WASHINGTON (AP) — While not usually regarded as a golden age of American cinema, the 1980s produced plenty of popular classics — and a few more of them have now been added to the prestigious National Film Registry. The Library of Congress announced Wednesday that “The Breakfast Club,” ”The Princess Bride” and “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” are among the 25 movies tapped for preservation this year. They join three other more obscure 1980s titles on this year’s list. The national library also picked a few more recent favorites, including “Thelma & Louise,” Disney’s “The Lion King” and “Rushmore.” The library selects movies for preservation in its audio-visual vault in Culpeper, Virginia, because of their cultural, historic or artistic importance. This year’s picks bring the total number of films in the registry to 700. The choices have become increasingly diverse and eclectic since the registry began in 1989. Still, the library always makes room for some crowd-pleasers. Considered a feminist landmark for its portrait of women who stand up to abusive partners and find liberation on a crime spree, “Thelma & Louise” achieved a rare distinction when its co-stars, Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon, were both nominated for the best-actress Oscar. (Jodie Foster won that year, for “The Silence of the Lambs.”) It’s the third movie directed by the prolific Ridley Scott to join the registry, following “Alien” and “Blade Runner.” Lauded for its sensitivity, “The Breakfast Club” (1985), from writer-director John Hughes, is the most enduring collaboration of the so-called “Brat Pack,” a short-lived troupe of young stars that included Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson and Ally Sheedy.

8am – A         INTERVIEW — STEVE HAYES – the new Editor-In-Chief of The Weekly Standard

• Stephen Hayes named editor-in-chief of The Weekly Standard. The Weekly Standard has named senior writer Stephen Hayes its next editor in chief. Bill Kristol, the magazine’s co-founder and current editor in chief will transition to a new role as editor at large. Current deputy editor Richard Starr will become editor, and Fred Barnes will remain executive editor.
• Trump compares Paul Ryan to a ‘fine wine,’ stops Wisconsin crowd from booing him. House Speaker Paul Ryan was booed in his home state of Wisconsin after President-elect Donald Trump mentioned him by name at a rally Tuesday night. “Speaker Paul Ryan,” Trump began saying, drawing a loud round of boos from the crowd in West Allis, the latest site of Trump’s “Thank you” tour. “Oh no,” Trump said over the jeers. “I’ve come to appreciate him!” Ryan had appeared onstage moments earlier to introduce Trump, and received an enthusiastic response. Later, Trump compared Ryan to “a fine wine” — “Every day I appreciate his genius more and more,” he said.
• Steve’s thoughts on the uproar over Rex Tillerson pick for Secretary of State
• President-elect Trump selects former Texas Gov. Rick Perry as nominee for energy secretary

8am – B         Takoma Park bans use of disposable plastic bags in checkout aisles. TAKOMA PARK, Md. (ABC7) – In yet its latest progressive, tree-hugging move, Takoma Park is parting ways with the use of disposable plastic bags in store checkout aisles. The ordinance, which took effect on December 1, bans retail establishments within the bohemian-esque city of 17,000 residents from supplying customers with plastic bags. The legislation, enacted by the seven-member city council, states that plastic bags have, “short and long term adverse effects to marine ecosystems, solid waste management, global resource consumption and litter.” At the Old Takoma Ace Hardware, employees had not gotten the anti-plastic memo. A stash of brown plastic bags was still in place behind the front counter.

8am – C         Ivy League Students Tear Down Shakespeare Portrait In Name Of Diversity. (Daily Caller) — Students at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) have removed a portrait of William Shakespeare and replaced it with a picture of a black, lesbian poet for the sake of having greater diversity. The large Shakespeare portrait had resided near a staircase in Fisher-Bennett Hall for years, until a gaggle of activist students removed it and placed it in the office of English department head Jed Esty. In its place, they taped up a photograph of Audre Lorde. The portrait won’t be moved back, according to a statement from Esty, because as a white male, Shakespeare didn’t embody the value of diversity. “Students removed the Shakespeare portrait and delivered it to my office as a way of affirming their commitment to a more inclusive mission for the English department,” Esty told The Daily Pennsylvanian. Penn’s English department had actually voted on its own to remove Shakespeare’s portrait years ago, but despite the vote no action was taken. Now, Esty says the Lorde photo won’t be removed until the department can decide what should be done long-term. “We invite everyone to join us in the task of critical thinking about the changing nature of authorship, the history of language, and the political life of symbols,” Esty said in a statement.

8am – D         Trump Meetings And Trump Transition Picks:

• Tech execs from Microsoft, Apple, Amazon and others have much to teach Trump.
• IBM Lays Out Plans to Hire 25,000 in U.S. Ahead of Trump Meeting.
• Donald Trump picks Montana Rep. Ryan Zinke for interior secretary.
• President-elect Trump selects former Texas Gov. Rick Perry as nominee for energy secretary, sources tell CNN.

8am – E         DC Public Schools Spokeswoman Wants To ‘Get Rid Of’ All White Men. (Daily Caller) — A spokeswoman for Washington, D.C.’s public school system tweeted Tuesday about her desire to “abolish” all white men. The declaration by Hilary Tone, who works a day job as communications director for D.C. Public Schools, was prompted by president-elect Donald Trump’s selection of Rick Perry to lead the Department of Energy. Pointing towards Perry’s stated desire to abolish the department he’s been tapped to lead. Tone quipped that she would personally like to lead (and presumably also eliminate) the “Department of White Men.” For good measure, Tone made a similar comment on her Facebook page, suggesting she wanted to “get rid of” all white men. Thirteen percent of DCPS’s students are white. Assuming half of those white students are male, then DCPS is educating approximately 3,150 white men right now. The Daily Caller News Foundation reached out to Tone for comment via email. She didn’t immediately reply, but did delete her original tweet shortly after being contacted. She then made a follow-up tweet apologizing for the “poor taste” of her original comment.

Hilary Tone @HToneTastic: Hey Internet – upon reading my mentions, it occurs to me that my tweet about white men earlier today was in poor taste. My apologies. 10:02 PM – 13 Dec 2016