Hoover’s Michael Auslin, Daily Mail’s Francesca Chambers and Washington Post’s Scott Allen joined WMAL on Thursday!

Mornings on the Mall

Thursday, May 31, 2018

Hosts: Mary Walter and Vince Coglianese

Executive Producer: Heather Hunter

 

5am – A/B/C Kim Kardashian went to the White House to discuss the pardoning of Alice Johnson, a 62-year-old woman serving a life sentence for a first-time nonviolent drug offense.

5am – D         Trump slams Sessions for Russia recusal: ‘I wish I did’ appoint a different AG.           

5am – E         Virginia Senate approves Medicaid expansion.

 

6am – A         ROSEANNE FALLOUT:

• Roseanne lashes out at co-stars who criticized her over racist tweet (The Hill) — Roseanne Barr is taking a swipe at her “Roseanne” co-stars, saying they threw her under the bus after a racist tweet she posted led to her TV show’s cancellation. In a whirlwind series of events on Tuesday, ABC pulled the plug on its top comedy following Barr’s ugly Twitter post against former President Obama’s aide Valerie Jarrett. Barr, 65, had written that the ex-White House adviser was the child of the Islamist organization Muslim Brotherhood and the movie “Planet of the Apes.” Actor Michael Fishman, who played Barr’s son D.J. on the sitcom, wrote he was “devastated” by his TV mom’s comment, calling it “reprehensible and intolerable.” “My character was designed to represent the inclusive nature of my views,” Fishman wrote on Twitter. Roseanne Barr @therealroseanne:  i created the platform for that inclusivity and you know http://it.ME . You throw me under the bus. nice! 5:00 AM – May 30, 2018
• TRUMP TWEET: Donald J. Trump ‏@realDonaldTrump: 17h17 hours ago: Bob Iger of ABC called Valerie Jarrett to let her know that “ABC does not tolerate comments like those” made by Roseanne Barr. Gee, he never called President Donald J. Trump to apologize for the HORRIBLE statements made and said about me on ABC. Maybe I just didn’t get the call?
• WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY SARAH SANDERS says Disney’s CEO apologizing for Roseanne, but not to Trump for remarks by other ABC employees, is a “double standard.”: “Where was Bob Iger’s apology to the White House staff for Jemele Hill calling the president and anyone associated with him a white supremacist?”
• Roseanne: “I am not a racist.” We’ve reached the “I am not a racist” stage of Roseanne Barr’s grief over losing her big come-back break over yet another tweet comparing a black female member of the Obama administration to an ape, this time Valerie Jarrett. Of course, that claim lost about 30% of its impact when she also retweeted what purports to be a Wikileaks drop of 1000 documents on Jarrett. “I’m not a racist. I never was & I never will be,” Roseanne tweeted angrily, just before re-tweeting the Wikileaks doc dump. “One stupid joke in a lifetime of fighting 4 civil rights 4 all minorities, against networks, studios, at the expense of my nervous system/family/wealth will NEVER be taken from me.”
• Racism isn’t a side effect: Ambien maker fires back after Roseanne employs the ‘Ambien defense’ (NBC News) — Roseanne’s Ambien defense got immediate blowback from Sanofi, which makes Ambien. “While all pharmaceutical treatments have side effects, racism is not a known side effect of any Sanofi medication,” the company tweeted from its official account.

6am – B         ROMNEY RIPS ON TRUMP:

• Romney says Trump not a ‘role model’ for his grandkids – and insists president’s media enemies ‘apologize when they get it wrong.’ Mitt Romney doesn’t think President Donald Trump is a good role model for his 18 grandchildren, saying ‘some of the things he has said are not ones that I would aspire for my grandkids to adopt.’ Romney explained the president’s tendency to not tell the truth is the main reason Trump is not a paragon of virtue for children to follow. ‘I don’t think that I would point to the president as a role model for my grandkids on the basis of his personal style. He has departed in some cases from the truth, and has attacked in a way that I think is not entirely appropriate,’ the Utah Senate candidate told NBC News. ‘I think that his policies have been by and large a good deal better than I might have expected. But some of the things he has said are not ones that I would aspire for my grandkids to adopt.’  The 2012 Republican presidential nominee also distanced himself from Trump when he defended the media and said the fourth estate apologizes when it makes a mistake.  Trump has long accused media outlets of writing fake news – his vitriol usually aimed at stories that are critical of his administration or ones that present it in a bad light.  ‘I know the media doesn’t always get it right. Alright? But I also know that when they get it wrong they indicate they made a mistake and they apologize for it. And I respect the first amendment and all of our amendments – I’ll fight for the right of people to express their own views, whether they’re religious or political,’ Romney said.  Romney was, at one point, under consideration for secretary of state under Trump. However, he was a vocal ‘Never Trumper’ voice during the 2016 Republican presidential primary and criticized the now-president on multiple occasions.
• Romney reveals he wrote in wife’s name for president in 2016. (The Hill) — Mitt Romney revealed Wednesday that when it came time to vote for president in 2016, he wrote in his wife Ann’s name. “I wrote in the name of a person who I admire deeply, who I think would be an excellent president,” Romney told the editorial boards of Utah’s Deseret News and KSL. “I realized it wasn’t going to go anywhere, but nonetheless felt that I was putting in a very solid name.” The former GOP presidential nominee and current Utah Senate candidate had not previously stated publicly for whom he had voted in the 2016 presidential election.

6am – C         Parkland Shooter’s Cell Phone Videos Released: ‘I’m Gonna Be The Next School Shooter’ (Daily Caller) — Prosecutors in the case against accused Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz have released cell phone videos allegedly taken by the gunman on the day of the shooting. Cruz laid out his plans in chilling detail, saying that he planned to catch an Uber to the school — which he eventually did — and that his goal was to get to the third floor where he could have the visual advantage like a sniper. He was unable to carry out that particular part of his plan once the shooting started. He also made it clear in the video that he intended to use the shooting to gain notoriety for himself, saying, “Hello, my name is Nick and I’m going to be the next school shooter of 2018. My goal is at least 20 people with an AR-15 and a couple tracer rounds. It’s going to be a big event. When you see me on the news you’ll know who I am. You’re all going to die. Pew pew pew pew pew. Ah yeah. Can’t wait.”

6am – D         Kim Kardashian meets with Trump to discuss prison reform. Washington (CNN) Kim Kardashian West met with President Donald Trump and other officials, including senior adviser Jared Kushner, at the White House on Wednesday to discuss prison reform. “Great meeting with @KimKardashian today, talked about prison reform and sentencing,” the President tweeted following the afternoon meeting, posting a picture alongside a stoic Kardashian West in the Oval Office. Kardashian West, who wore a black suit with bright yellow stilettos, was spotted leaving the White House with a small entourage about an hour after she arrived. She departed in a black Chevrolet SUV parked inside White House grounds, a surprising level of access and courtesy. VIP guests of the White House usually are required to walk through a gate to board their vehicles. Though she did not roll down her windows to greet a gaggle of cameras awaiting her departure, an aide in the front seat was seen recording the reporters on a phone.

Acosta Sanctimoniously Rants Against The President, Kim Kardashian. (Daily Caller) — Senior White House correspondent Jim Acosta targeted President Donald Trump and Kim Kardashian in his latest sanctimonious rant on CNN Wednesday. Acosta was unhappy with White House press secretary Sarah Sanders’ attack on the media during Wednesday’s press briefing. Sanders asserted that the media expects an apology from Roseanne Barr for her racist tweets but has never demanded apologies from people who attack the president and his administration. On CNN after the briefing ended, Acosta railed against the president for not apologizing for any of his mean comments.

6am – E         Brigitte Nielsen, 54, is pregnant with her fifth child. (ET Online) — Brigitte Nielsen is 54 and expecting her fifth child. The actress – best known for her roles in Beverly Hills Cops II and Red Sonja — broke the news to her Instagram fans a few days ago by sharing a photo of her growing baby bump. “Family getting larger #me #family #brigittenielsen #babybump,” she captioned the image. On Wednesday, she shared another pic of her cradling her tummy, writing: “Happy time positive vibes #happyness #positivevibes” Nielsen has been married to 39-year-old Italian TV producer Mattia Dessì since 2006, and has four other children from previous relationships.

6am – F         Deadbeat son: My parents are ‘harassing’ me with small talk (NY Post) — The last few days before his eviction date could not be more awkward for the upstate deadbeat who is being tossed from his parents’ house, because, he says, they are spending the time torturing him with their strongest weapon — small talk. “I think it’s really harassing, honestly,” Michael Rotondo, 30, groused to The Post on Wednesday. “You throw me out of the house. You’re not going to give me more time. Why would you continue to try to talk to me? I’m not interested in doing that.” Rotondo is under court order to vacate the Syracuse-area home of Christina and Mark Rotondo by noon on Friday.

 

7am – A         INTERVIEW – MICHAEL AUSLIN – the Fellow in Contemporary Asia at the Hoover Institution and latest book is “The End of the Asian Century: War, Stagnation, and the Risks to the World’s Most Dynamic Region” – discussed  Pompeo meeting North Korean official in New York. Top N. Korean official and Pompeo try to save summit over dinner.

• Top North Korean official lands in US for talks with Pompeo: (AP) — NEW YORK (AP) — A senior North Korean official and the top U.S. diplomat had dinner in New York on Wednesday as President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un try to salvage prospects for a high-stakes nuclear summit. It’s the highest-level official North Korean visit to the United States in 18 years. Kim Yong Chol, the former military intelligence chief and one of the North Korean leader’s closest aides, landed midafternoon on an Air China flight from Beijing.

7am – B         GOP Rep. Trey Gowdy defends FBI against Trump’s ‘Spygate’ claims. Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., said the FBI has used proper methods in its ongoing probe of potential Russian links to the Trump campaign, a rebuke to President Donald Trump’s recent rhetoric that a “spy” had been embedded in his campaign “for political purposes.”

Gowdy, who is chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and a leading player on the House Intelligence Committee, said Tuesday night that his view of the FBI was only strengthened after a briefing on Thursday with intelligence officials. “I am even more convinced that the FBI did exactly what my fellow citizens would want them to do,” Gowdy said in a Fox News interview. “It has nothing to do with Donald Trump.” Gowdy was among the congressional Republicans invited to a briefing last week with Justice Department and intelligence community officials to discuss the FBI’s use of the alleged informant. After being criticized for initially scheduling a single meeting without any Democrats present, the White House added another briefing that included members of the opposition party. Trump has repeatedly claimed that a spy was placed in his campaign for “political purposes,” an accusation for which no evidence is publicly available.

7am – C         The Washington Capitals beat the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 in Game 2. This is the 1st time the Caps have won a game in the Stanley Cup Final in the team’s history: LAS VEGAS (AP) — Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant for months talked about his team’s hard work, ability to battle and their devotion to playing a full “200 feet of hockey.” In pockets of Game 2 in the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday night, the Golden Knights were surprisingly outworked, outbattled and outhustled in losing 3-2 to the Washington Capitals. Game 3 is Saturday night in Washington and Vegas is going to need to up the energy level even further in a frantic series with scoring chances galore.

7am – D         INTERVIEW – Francesca Chambers @fran_chambers – White House Correspondent for Daily Mail – discussed the Trump administration’s Kim meetings: Kim Kardashian and Kim Jong Chol.

7am – E         Ben Rhodes On Election Night: ‘I Can’t Even…’

8am – A         Pres signs “Right To Try Act”: President Trump says terminally ill patients should have access to experimental treatments that could potentially save their lives and should not have to go from country to country to seek a cure. President Donald Trump urged Congress to pass “Right to Try” for terminally ill patients during his State of the Union address, and on May 30 he signed the bill into law.  The act, sponsored by Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., cleared the Senate in August 2017 and passed in the House in late May with a 250-169 vote. “Patients with terminal conditions should have access to experimental treatments that could potentially save their lives,” Trump said back in January. “It is time for the Congress to give these wonderful Americans the ‘Right to Try.'” Trump’s signature on the bill is seen as a victory for the administration.

8am – B         INTERVIEW – SCOTT ALLEN – Sports reporter, Washington Post

• Caps won: The Washington Capitals beat the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 in Game 2. This is the 1st time the Caps have won a game in the Stanley Cup Final in the team’s history
• Bryce Harper hit his 18th home run and the Washington Nationals beat the Baltimore Orioles 2-0 Wednesday night for a three-game sweep.

8am – C         Dem PAC Encouraging Leftists To ‘Take Out’ Scalise … For Donations. (Daily Caller) — The Democratic political action group behind the campaign to impeach President Donald Trump has a new cause: running ads for donations featuring the message “take out” House Majority Whip and victim of gun violence Steve Scalise. The group — Mad Dog PAC — is a political action committee that “solicits contributions from concerned citizens to fund billboards censuring Trump, the GOP and the NRA.” Its goal is simple: remove “treasonous” Republicans from Congress and replace them with Democrats who will impeach the president and work to “end” the National Rifle Association’s “powerful influence over our political system.” Mad Dog’s donation strategy is likely to raise some eyebrows given that Scalise was attacked and nearly killed in 2017 at the Congressional Baseball Game. A lone gunman shot Scalise, nearly taking his life on June 14, 2017. The bullet entered his body, shattering his hip, bones and tearing up some internal organs. The whip has spent much of the past year in and out of surgery and in recovery. He was still able to return to Congress in late September 2017.

8am – D/E     Chris_Matthews: GOP Must Read WSJ, Play Golf and Talk about Pro Sports. Chris Matthews, host of MSNBC’s Hardball asked a panel on Tuesday: “Is there a cultural problem with the Republican Party as opposed to most Americans?” He kept talking, didn’t he? Matthews continued: “Republicans are told to ‘read the Wall Street Journal, play golf, and talk about pro sports.’ The men especially are all programmed a certain way. They don’t have too many outliers, Republicans. They all behave basically the same, right?” Then he reiterated the stereotype further, saying, “(Republicans) must play golf, you don’t play tennis. You must watch sports and talk about the NFL. And what else? Read the Wall Street Journal and believe the op-ed page.”