Trevor Matich, Brian Darling, Michael Foley and guest co-host Benny Johnson joined WMAL on Monday!

Mornings on the Mall

Monday, December 24, 2018

Hosts: Mary Walter and Benny Johnson

 

5am – A/B/C Q & A with Benny Johnson

5am – D         MATTIS / SYRIA NEWS:

• Trump pushes out MATTIS sooner than planned
• Trump forces Mattis out two months early, names Shanahan acting defense secretary. President Donald Trump announced in a Sunday tweet that Defense Secretary James Mattis will leave his position on Jan. 1 — two months earlier than Mattis pledged to depart in his resignation letter last week. Trump said Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, a former Boeing executive, will take over as acting Defense Secretary.
• Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, not the president, notified Mattis of the decision, said a senior administration official who insisted on anonymity to discuss personnel issues.
• Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump Dec 22: When President Obama ingloriously fired Jim Mattis, I gave him a second chance. Some thought I shouldn’t, I thought I should. Interesting relationship-but I also gave all of the resources that he never really had. Allies are very important-but not when they take advantage of U.S.
• Donald J. Trump ‏@realDonaldTrump  20h20 hours ago: I am pleased to announce that our very talented Deputy Secretary of Defense, Patrick Shanahan, will assume the title of Acting Secretary of Defense starting January 1, 2019. Patrick has a long list of accomplishments while serving as Deputy, & previously Boeing. He will be great!
• White House says Erdogan promised Trump he’d finish off ISIS in Syria
• Donald J. Trump ‏@realDonaldTrump:  8h8 hours ago: President @RT_Erdogan of Turkey has very strongly informed me that he will eradicate whatever is left of ISIS in Syria….and he is a man who can do it plus, Turkey is right “next door.” Our troops are coming home!
• Turkey masses troops near Kurdish-held Syrian town BEIRUT (AP) — Turkey is massing troops near a town in northern Syria held by a U.S.-backed and Kurdish-led force, a war monitor said as Turkish media reported Sunday new reinforcements crossing the borders. The Turkish buildup comes even though Turkey said it would delay a promised offensive in eastern Syria in the wake of President Donald Trump’s decision this week to withdraw U.S. troops. Trump tweeted on Sunday that he had a “long and productive” call with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan in which they discussed “the slow & highly coordinated” pullout of U.S. troops from the area. This is the two leaders’ second phone conversation in 10 days. U.S. military officials are scrambling to come up with a schedule for the withdrawal of an estimated 2,000 troops. A statement from the Turkish presidency said the two leaders agreed to coordinate militarily and diplomatically to ensure the U.S. pullout from Syria does not lead to an “authority vacuum.”
• Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump  19h19 hours ago: I just had a long and productive call with President @RT_Erdogan of Turkey. We discussed ISIS, our mutual involvement in Syria, & the slow & highly coordinated pullout of U.S. troops from the area. After many years they are coming home. We also discussed heavily expanded Trade.
• Brett McGurk, US envoy to anti-ISIS coalition, resigns in wake of Trump decision to pull troops from Syria. Brett McGurk, the U.S. envoy for the global coalition to defeat Islamic State (ISIS), has resigned in the wake of President Trump’s decision to pull U.S. troops out of Syria, Fox News confirmed Saturday — coming on the heels of the resignation of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis earlier this week. U.S. officials said this week that the Trump administration is making plans to pull all 2,000 troops out of Syria, and Trump later tweeted that “we have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency.” Ground troops moved into Syria in 2015 to combat ISIS in the region, amid an escalating Syrian civil war. Trump had talked about pulling out of Syria before, but military leaders had warned about ISIS re-emerging should the U.S. do so. There is also concern about abandoning the U.S.’ Kurdish allies.

5am – E         SUPREME COURT INTERVENES IN APPARENT MYSTERY MUELLER CASE. (Daily Caller) — Chief Justice John Roberts stayed a contempt order in a case that likely arose from Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation on Sunday night. Roberts’ order could mark the first time that the Supreme Court has intervened in the Mueller inquiry. Very little is known of the case, which reached the justices on Saturday, because the matter has proceeded through the federal courts under seal, meaning strict confidentiality prevails over every detail. The scant facts which are available about the case are these: a grand jury issued a subpoena to an unnamed company owned by a foreign government some time during the summer of 2018. That firm, referred to in court filings as “the corporation” has been fighting the subpoena in federal court since August. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit released one of the few public filings in the matter on Dec. 18. Since the entity is owned by a foreign government, it sought to quash the subpoena under the protections of the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act. The D.C. Circuit rejected those arguments, and found that the corporation must comply with the subpoena. The company appealed that decision to the Supreme Court Saturday. The corporation faces a fine for every day that it fails to abide by the subpoena.  Roberts’ Sunday night decision temporarily halts the non-compliance fines. The Department of Justice must submit a response to the foreign company’s application by Dec. 31. The chief justice’s order is not a decision on the merits of the dispute, nor is it necessarily significant. The justices often issue a temporary reprieve of lower court decisions — called an administrative stay — while the full court considers how it wants to proceed.

 

6am – A/B/C Please don’t wish me ‘Merry Christmas.’ It’s impolite and alienating to assume I follow your religion. By Julia Ioffe / Julia Ioffe, a correspondent for GQ Magazine, is currently at work on a book about Russia. (Washington Post) — ’Twas five nights before Christmas, and my Lyft driver was the umpteenth person to wish me a “Merry Christmas” that day. He probably just meant it the way most people do, as a kind of December shorthand for “have a good day.” But he had a cross hanging from his rearview mirror. I said thank you, wished him the same, got out on my street — decorated with lights and wreaths and nativity scenes — went into my house and sighed. I like good cheer. But please do not wish me “Merry Christmas.” It’s wonderful if you celebrate it, but I don’t — and I don’t feel like explaining that to you. It’s lonely to be reminded a thousand times every winter that the dominant American cultural event occurs without me.

6am – D         SHUTDOWN NEWS:

• Santa tracker to run despite government shutdown. (AP) — DENVER — The government may be partially shut down, but that won’t stop hundreds of volunteers dressed in Christmas hats and military uniforms Monday from taking calls from children around the world who want to know when Santa will be coming. The military says the NORAD Tracks Santa won’t be affected by the partial shutdown because it is run by volunteers Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado and is funded by the Department of Defense’s budget that was approved earlier this year. It’s the 63rd year for NORAD Tracks Santa, and the military says it won’t be affected by the federal government shutdown. Now in its 63rd year, the Santa tracker became a Christmas Eve tradition after a mistaken phone call to the Continental Air Defense Command in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 1955. CONAD, as it was known, had the serious job of monitoring a far-flung radar network for any sign of a nuclear attack on the United States. When Col. Harry Shoup picked up the phone that day, he found himself talking not to a military general, but to a child who wanted to speak to Santa Claus. A Colorado Springs newspaper had run an ad inviting kids to call Santa but mistakenly listed the hotline number. Shoup figured out what had happened and played along. The tradition has since mushroomed into an elaborate operation that attracts tens of thousands of calls every year.
• White House makes ‘counteroffer,’ asks for less than $5B for border wall funding. (USA Today) — WASHINGTON – The partial government shutdown could go on for potentially many more days – and perhaps weeks – but the White House indicated Sunday that it was backing down on its main sticking point: It was requesting less than $5 billion for border wall funding. Still, acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney didn’t indicate what that number was. President Donald Trump is not backing down from his “fight over border security,” Mulvaney told Fox News Sunday. “I don’t think things are going to move very quickly,” Mulvaney said. He also said “there’s a chance this could go into the next Congress,” which begins Jan. 3. Mulvaney said the White House provided “a counteroffer” Saturday to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and is awaiting a response.
• ‘Very possible’ shutdown could last into new year, White House budget director Mick Mulvaney says (Washington Post) — The partial shutdown paralyzing large portions of the federal government may last into January when Democrats retake control of the House, the White House acknowledged Sunday, as negotiations over funding for President Trump’s border wall sputtered to a near-standstill and congressional leaders abandoned Washington for Christmas. “It’s very possible that this shutdown will go beyond the 28th and into the new Congress,” White House budget director and acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said Sunday, referencing Jan. 3, when the new Congress convenes. “I think it’s a really good question here as to whether or not this deal can be cut before the new Congress comes in.” Mulvaney spoke as the shutdown of about 25 percent of the federal government entered its second full day. The breakdown, coming in the final days of the GOP’s unified control over government, stems from an intractable gulf between Trump’s demand to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and congressional Democrats’ refusal to authorize wall funding.

6am – E         Activists Suggest The Next James Bond Should Be TRANSGENDER. (Daily Wire) — Activists — including high-profile British actor Dominic West — are encouraging the producers of the popular James Bond franchise to abandon 007’s traditional roots and cast a transgender individual as the next Bond. Speaking to the Sunday Times of London, West claimed that there are enough transgender individuals in the UK’s military to justify making the next MI6 agent male-to-female (or female-to-male). “They should have a transgender Bond because there are a lot of transgender people in the army. That’s actually a brilliant idea,” West said. He even had a suggestion: Hannah Graf, whom the Independent says is the “highest-ranking transgender soldier in the British army.” Graf is married to another transgender individual, Jake Graf. Both have appeared in film. She thought the idea was great, telling British media that, “I don’t think I’m going to become an actress anytime soon, but there’s no reason why there shouldn’t be a transgender Bond. We’ve seen too many men in hero-type roles and women playing second fiddle.” Activists probably won’t get their way anytime soon, however. Bond’s longtime producers, the Broccoli family, have often bristled at the thought of deliberately changing Ian Fleming’s signature character. The series’ executive producer, Barbara Broccoli, unequivocally ruled out the idea of a female Bond earlier this year. “Bond is male,” Broccoli she told the Guardian. “He’s a male character. He was written as a male and I think he’ll probably stay as a male.” “Let’s just create more female characters and make the story fit those female characters,” she added.

6am – F         Supreme Court Justice Ginsburg has surgery to treat lung cancer. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had surgery Friday to remove two malignant nodules found in her left lung, the Supreme Court said. Ginsburg, 85, is “resting comfortably” following the pulmonary lobectomy, which she underwent at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, Supreme Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg said. The nodules were discovered in November after Ginsburg was admitted to George Washington University Hospital in Washington, D.C., after she fell and fractured three ribs. Ginsburg’s thoracic surgeon, Valerie Rusch, said the nodules were found to be malignant, but there is “no evidence of any remaining disease” following her surgery, according to the Supreme Court. Scans that were performed before Ginsburg’s surgery “indicated no evidence of disease elsewhere in the body.” No further treatment is planned, the Supreme Court said.

7am – A         SECRET SANTA: Christmas is all about getting presents — at least that seems to be the case for one woman. According to an anonymous post on Reddit, a mother allegedly reached out to her Secret Santa gifter to both say thank you for the presents, and ask for another one. “Hey, thanks for the chocolates and the blanket! I really appreciate it!” a screenshot the text exchange begins. The message thread seems to continue normally, until the woman, who identifies herself as having kids, brings up the spending amount placed on the company’s Secret Santa activity. “So…I know this is kinda awkward…but the spending limit was $50 and I looked online and it seems that the blanket and chocolates only add up to about $30?” the woman’s text reads. “do you think it’s possible you could get me something else? My kids have been spending me up the wazoo! LOL.” The co-worker writes back, “Yeah, no problem. I could just give ya $20 if you’d like. That way you could get yourself and your kids something nice for the holidays!”

7am – B/C     Parkland Leader David Hogg Enrolling at Harvard Next Fall. (TMZ) — David Hogg is leaving the Sunshine State and shipping off to Boston — the Marjory Stoneman Douglas student’s been accepted to Harvard.  David’s mom shared the incredible news this week after her son finally allowed her to spread the word. As you can imagine, she’s super proud and said she’s excited for David’s bright future!  The Stoneman Douglas grad — who emerged as one of his school’s leaders after the mass shooting in Parkland, FL — says he plans to major in political science. It seems right up his alley … you’ll recall, David helped organize the March For Our Lives rally that attracted nearly 800,000 people pushing for sensible gun reform. David should feel right at home on campus … he’s already spoken twice this year at Harvard, and some of his mother’s relatives attended the prestigious institution.

7am – D         Latest on Mattis and Syria

7am – E         NTERVIEW – TREVOR MATICH – WMAL’s Redskins Analyst – recapped the Redskins game.

• Redskins eliminated from playoffs. The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Houston Texans Sunday and the Washington Redskins were officially eliminated from playoff contention. The Redskins’ up-and-down season, complete with a 6-3 start and NFC East division lead which disappeared after a plethora of injuries to quarterbacks and offensive linemen, a rejuvenated Adrian Peterson, a quartet of quarterbacks, multiple players involved in multiple off-the-field issues, front office miscues, and calls for wholesale organizational changes, will officially come to an end Sunday against the Eagles at FedEx Field, a place of controversy itself. Jake Elliott’s 35-yard field goal sealed Philadelphia’s 32-30 win.

 

8am – A         INTERVIEW – BRIAN DARLING – Founder of Liberty Government Affairs,  Former Sen. Rand Paul Communications Director and Counsel

• ‘Very possible’ shutdown could last into new year, White House budget director Mick Mulvaney says
• White House makes ‘counteroffer,’ asks for less than $5B for border wall funding

8am – B/C     Trump Jr. says his father is a regifter, has given him back monogrammed items. (USA Today) — WASHINGTON – Having your fathers name and the keys to his business doesn’t always have its perks.  Donald Trump Jr. said in an interview with “Extra” that his father, President Donald Trump, doesn’t always offer the most original gifts and sometimes regifts items, even things that Trump Jr. purchased and had monogrammed for his father, who has the same initials.  Trump Jr. said one Christmas he’d gotten a gift from his father that he’d given him the previous year and had monogrammed, catching his father in the act. “Well, I’m the namesake, so I got regifted all the things that were monogrammed for him at times,” Trump Jr. told Extra. “There was one Christmas where he may or may not have given me the gift I had given him the year before because I monogrammed it.” Trump Jr. said he confronted his dad about the humorous mishap. “I’m like, ‘I know you didn’t get this.'”

8am – D         INTERVIEW – MICHAEL FOLEY – author of “Drinking with Saint Nick: Christmas Cocktails for Sinners and Saints”

• Raise a Glass to Jolly Saint Nick! Christmas Cocktails, Tasteful Toasts, and Festive Fables for Sinners and Saints. Washington, D.C.— How in the name of Christmas are you going to surprise and delight your friends and family with a fun and festive holiday celebration they’ll remember forever? Raise a glass to Christmas as it should be celebrated with the help of Drinking with Saint Nick: Christmas Cocktails for Sinners and Saints (Regnery History; October 16, 2018; $19.99) by bestselling author of Drinking with the Saints: A Sinner’s Guide to a Holy Happy Hour and expert mixologist, Michael P. Foley. One-part bartender’s guide, one-part spiritual manual, a dash of lightheartedness, and mixed with Christmas spirit, this book brings holiday cheer to sinners and saints alike.