Cal Thomas, Larry Michael and Brent Shelton joined WMAL on Wednesday!

Mornings on the Mall

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Hosts: Mary Walter and Vince Coglianese

Executive Producer: Heather Hunter

5am – A/B     POLITICS AT THANKSGIVING DINNER:

• A new study from UCLA finds that the political divide caused Thanksgiving dinners to be shortened 20 to 30 minutes among politically divided families in 2016
• Nearly one third of American adults to avoid talking politics over holidays

5am – C         UBER HACKED:

• Uber concealed cyberattack that exposed 57 million people’s data. Uber is coming clean about its cover-up of a year-old hacking attack that stole personal information about more than 57 million of the beleaguered ride-hailing service’s customers and drivers. So far, there’s no evidence that the data taken has been misused, according to a Tuesday blog post by Uber’s recently hired CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi. Part of the reason nothing malicious has happened is because Uber acknowledges paying the hackers $100,000 to destroy the stolen information. The revelation marks the latest stain on Uber’s reputation. The San Francisco company ousted Travis Kalanick as CEO in June after an internal investigation concluded he had built a culture that allowed female workers to be sexually harassed and encouraged employees to push legal limits. It’s also the latest major breach involving a prominent company that didn’t notify the people that could be potentially harmed for months or even years after the break-in occurred.
• Uber paid hackers $100,000 to delete stolen data and keep quiet. Hackers stole the personal data of 57 million customers and drivers from Uber Technologies Inc., a massive breach that the company concealed for more than a year. This week, the ride-hailing firm ousted its chief security officer and one of his deputies for their roles in keeping the hack under wraps, which included a $100,000 payment to the attackers. Compromised data from the October 2016 attack included names, email addresses and phone numbers of 50 million Uber riders around the world, the company told Bloomberg on Tuesday.  The personal information of about 7 million drivers was accessed as well, including some 600,000 U.S. driver’s license numbers. No Social Security numbers, credit card information, trip location details or other data were taken, Uber said.

5am – D/E     SEXUAL HARASSMENT NEWS:

• CHARLIE ROSE:
• Charlie Rose fired by CBS, PBS and Bloomberg over sexual misconduct allegations
• Gayle King Says She Almost Canceled Her ‘Late Show’ Appearance Amid Firing of Former Co-Host Charlie Rose
• ‘CBS This Morning’ is ‘begging’ Oprah to fill in for Charlie Rose
• ROY MOORE: Trump backs Roy Moore: “He denies it” http://lat.ms/2z9mogN / President Trump backed Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore, avowing his support for the first time since Moore was accused of making advances against teenage girls years ago and molesting at least two. “He totally denies it. He says it didn’t happen,” Trump told reporters as he left the White House to spend Thanksgiving at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. “I do have to say, 40 years is a long time.”
• CONYERS: ANOTHER ONE: Second Woman Accused John Conyers Of Sexually Harassing Her. Second woman accused Conyers of harassment but later dropped lawsuit A second woman accused Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) of sexually harassing her in a civil lawsuit filed earlier this year, but then voluntarily withdrew the allegations when she found out they would become public. Maria Reddick, Conyers’ former scheduler, who used to babysit for his kids, said in court documents that the 88-year-old lawmaker — known as the “dean of the House” — tried on a number of occasions to get her to come home with him. According to Reddick, Conyers was “repeatedly coming to her desk, rubbing on her shoulders, kissing her forehead, making inappropriate comments, covering and attempting to hold her hand.”
• House Democrats are calling for the House Committee on Ethics to investigate Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., after it was reported he settled a wrongful dismissal case related to sexual harassment accusations. (Washington Examiner) — Reps. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., and Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., who both serve with Conyers on the House Judiciary Committee, said the sexual misconduct allegations against the Michigan Democrat are “troubling” and “serious.” The two lawmakers believe the Ethics Committee should probe the accusations involving Conyers, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee. “The allegations against Ranking Member Conyers are extremely serious and deeply troubling,” Nadler said in a statement. “Obviously, these allegations must be investigated promptly by the Ethics Committee. There must be no tolerance for behavior that subjects women to the kind of conduct alleged.”

6am – A/B/C TRUMP TWEET ON NFL / ANTHEM

• Donald J. Trump‏ @realDonaldTrump 2h2 hours ago The NFL is now thinking about a new idea – keeping teams in the Locker Room during the National Anthem next season. That’s almost as bad as kneeling! When will the highly paid Commissioner finally get tough and smart? This issue is killing your league!…..
• NFL owners could change anthem policy next season if protests continue. Some NFL owners believe there is a strong possibility they will enact an offseason change to the league’s national anthem policy if players’ protests during the anthem persist through the end of this season, reverting to a previous approach of keeping players in the locker room while the anthem is played, according to several people familiar with the league’s inner workings.

6am – D         INTERVIEW – CAL THOMAS – Syndicated columnist

• Lots of sexual harassment news
• CHARLIE ROSE: Charlie Rose fired by CBS, PBS and Bloomberg over sexual misconduct allegations. Gayle King Says She Almost Canceled Her ‘Late Show’ Appearance Amid Firing of Former Co-Host Charlie Rose. ‘CBS This Morning’ is ‘begging’ Oprah to fill in for Charlie Rose.
• ROY MOORE: Trump backs Roy Moore: “He denies it” President Trump backed Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore, avowing his support for the first time since Moore was accused of making advances against teenage girls years ago and molesting at least two. “He totally denies it. He says it didn’t happen,” Trump told reporters as he left the White House to spend Thanksgiving at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. “I do have to say, 40 years is a long time.”
• CONYERS: ANOTHER ONE: Second Woman Accused John Conyers Of Sexually Harassing Her

6am – E         RIP DAVID CASSIDY: The Partridge Family’s David Cassidy Dies at 67.

David Cassidy has died, his family tells PEOPLE in an exclusive statement. “On behalf of the entire Cassidy family, it is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, our uncle, and our dear brother, David Cassidy,” his family said in a statement Tuesday. “David died surrounded by those he loved, with joy in his heart and free from the pain that had gripped him for so long. Thank you for the abundance and support you have shown him these many years.” The actor, widely known for his starring role as Keith Partridge on the 1970s series The Partridge Family, died from organ failure Tuesday in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He was 67. The actor had been in intensive care since he was hospitalized for liver and kidney failure last week.

6am – F         Trump pardons turkeys.

7am – A         What you need to know for the Black Friday shopping frenzy. Brace yourself for the trifecta of shopping. Grouped together, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday make for the busiest shopping week of the entire year. They’re critical to retailers who count on fourth-quarter sales could account for up to 40% of the yearly total. Local and national retail watchers are optimistic. The average American will spend $967 on holiday gifts this year, according to the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. The survey showed 69% of Americans — an estimated 164 million people — are planning to shop or considering shopping during Thanksgiving weekend. The numbers include Cyber Monday in addition to Thanksgiving Day, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Sunday. Black Friday as we know it is now a page in history. No longer is it one-day event as it has stretched over Thursday and Friday with the sales staggered throughout the two days. Each day caters to a different segment of shoppers. Thanksgiving evening and Black Friday draw the masses who are seeking deals. Saturday attracts socially conscious consumers who want to support local retailers. Monday draws people who prefer to avoid the crowds but still want a bargain. Black Friday will pull out all the stops. It got its name from retailers who saw it as the day they could finally leave the red ink behind turn a profit for the year – going in the black.  If you’re not into the bustle of malls and big-box stores, Small Business Saturday is the perfect day to shop.

7am – B         CHRISTMAS TREE SHORTAGE: Americans getting ready to pick out the perfect Christmas tree may want to bring a little extra cash with them this year. A shortage of local trees in several U.S. states is likely to make prices rise and the window to find a good tree much smaller.

7am – C         Newspaper article says Kirk Cousins was ejected from NBA game.

WASHINGTON (WUSA9) – What if you woke up one day and read in the newspaper that you were ejected from a game you never played in?  That’s exactly what Redskins’ quarterback Kirk Cousins did Tuesday morning.  After a flagrant foul was called on Pelicans’ DeMarcus Cousins Monday night, he was ejected from the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.   There was a lot of controversy over the call because the team and DeMarcus Cousins believed that Russell Westbrook actually flopped on the play.  A newspaper printed an article about the game, but instead of putting DeMarcus Cousins, it read Kirk Cousins.  Even though this misprint is sure to teach the writer a lesson, it gave everyone else a really good laugh.  
7am – D         SEXUAL HARASSMENT NEWS:

• CHARLIE ROSE: Charlie Rose fired by CBS, PBS and Bloomberg over sexual misconduct allegations. Gayle King Says She Almost Canceled Her ‘Late Show’ Appearance Amid Firing of Former Co-Host Charlie Rose.  ‘CBS This Morning’ is ‘begging’ Oprah to fill in for Charlie Rose
• ROY MOORE: Trump backs Roy Moore: “He denies it”
• CONYERS: ANOTHER ONE: Second Woman Accused John Conyers Of Sexually Harassing Her. Second woman accused Conyers of harassment but later dropped lawsuit
• House Democrats are calling for the House Committee on Ethics to investigate Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., after it was reported he settled a wrongful dismissal case related to sexual harassment accusations.

7am – E         INTERVIEW – LARRY MICHAEL – Voice of The Redskins

• Redskins-Giants prime-time matchup on Thanksgiving

8am – A         INTERVIEW — BRENT SHELTON of BFAds.net, the go-to site to research for Black Friday deals and a Black Friday expert

• Bfads.net: You can search for a specific product and see all the discounts available using this site.

8am – B         Girl Scouts to parents: Don’t force your daughter to give hugs this holiday. (NY Post) – As the holiday season approaches, the Girl Scouts of America is sending a stern warning to parents: Your daughter doesn’t “owe” anyone in the family a hug. The organization is sending the message as top figures from Hollywood to Washington are being accused of sexual misconduct and harassment, in some cases dating back years. “Have you ever insisted, ‘Uncle just got here – go give him a big hug!’ or ‘Auntie gave you that nice toy, go give her a kiss,’ when you were worried your child might not offer affection on her own?” the group said in a 373-word blog post. “If yes, you might want to reconsider the urge to do that in the future.” By urging your child to show affection just because it’s been a while since they’ve seen Uncle Tom, it may “set the stage for her questioning” whether she owes someone else affection if they, for instance, bought her dinner or another gift when she gets older. Dr. Andrea Bastiani Archibald, a developmental psychologist at the Girl Scouts, said the notion of consent might appear to be a “very grown-up” topic, but how girls establish physical boundaries and the expectation that they be respected can impact how she sees herself into adulthood.

8am – C         Trump’s NFL Tweet:

• Donald J. Trump‏ @realDonaldTrump: 2h2 hours ago: The NFL is now thinking about a new idea – keeping teams in the Locker Room during the National Anthem next season. That’s almost as bad as kneeling! When will the highly paid Commissioner finally get tough and smart? This issue is killing your league!
• NFL owners could change anthem policy next season if protests continue. Some NFL owners believe there is a strong possibility they will enact an offseason change to the league’s national anthem policy if players’ protests during the anthem persist through the end of this season, reverting to a previous approach of keeping players in the locker room while the anthem is played, according to several people familiar with the league’s inner workings. “I think that if players are still kneeling at the end of the year, then it could very well happen,” said one person familiar with the owners’ deliberations on anthem-related issues. That person said it was “too early to tell” for certain if the change to the anthem policy will be made by owners and the league. The person was “not sure” if a formal vote of the owners would be required to enact such a change but said, “I think most owners would support it, particularly if players continue to kneel this season.”

8am – D         WASHINGTON POST’S CRAZY NEUROTIC THANKSGIVING DINNER:

“What I learned when I tried to make my blended family a gluten-free, kosher, no-soy, vegan, organic, low-acid, no-dairy Thanksgiving” (Washington Post) — It was the first Thanksgiving of a second marriage. Our six kids — three his, three mine — would be with us, as well as all four of our parents, three of our siblings, a handful of nephews and assorted family friends. I had announced early on that I wanted to host Thanksgiving. For the duration of my first marriage, the holiday had belonged to my then in-laws. Thanksgiving — the only secular holiday we celebrated amid the long lineup of Jewish holidays — was parceled out as a consolation for the fact that we spent Passover Seders with my parents. But now that along with my marriage, I’d left the Orthodox Judaism with which I was raised, Thanksgiving presented a new possibility. With my parents and siblings’ families — all Orthodox — each holiday came with an established set of religious practices, a scripted set of laws. For my new husband and his family, who were also Jewish but decidedly secular, these rules felt like restrictive impositions; they didn’t want to partake of a religious world in which they didn’t believe. Could Thanksgiving, a day without religious rituals or rules, somehow represent neutral terrain — a holiday for all of us?

8am – E         TRUMP TWEETS ABOUT LAVAR BALL:

• Donald J. Trump‏ @realDonaldTrump 3h3 hours ago: It wasn’t the White House, it wasn’t the State Department, it wasn’t father LaVar’s so-called people on the ground in China that got his son out of a long term prison sentence – IT WAS ME. Too bad! LaVar is just a poor man’s version of Don King, but without the hair. Just think..
• Donald J. Trump‏ @realDonaldTrump 3h3 hours ago: …LaVar, you could have spent the next 5 to 10 years during Thanksgiving with your son in China, but no NBA contract to support you. But remember LaVar, shoplifting is NOT a little thing. It’s a really big deal, especially in China. Ungrateful fool!
• Joey Mannarino‏ @Realjmannarino 3h3 hours ago Replying to  @Realjmannarino @realDonaldTrump The ungratefulness is something I’ve never seen before. If you get someone’s son out of prison, he should be grateful to you! Period. I don’t care. If Hillary got my kid out of prison, as much as I hate the woman, I’d thank her corrupt ass!