Thank you to @DistrictMediaDC’s @bevhallberg for co-hosting on @WMALDC this morning with @VinceCoglianese! @IWF Listen here to podcast: https://t.co/YR4opg70Xr pic.twitter.com/loXxAYlsks

— WMAL DC (@WMALDC) June 19, 2019

Maria Keffler, Brad Thor, Josh Kraushaar, Robby Soave, and guest co-host Beverly Hallberg joined WMAL on Wednesday!

Mornings on the Mall

Wednesday, May 19, 2019

Hosts: Vince Coglianese and guest host Beverly Hallberg

Executive Producer: Heather Hunter

 

5am – A         Shanahan drops out of contention to lead Pentagon, as Trump taps Army secretary

• WAPO: As Trump’s defense pick withdraws, he addresses violent domestic incidents
• DAILY BEAST: Trump Admin Hid Shanahan’s Dark Past, Senators Say

5am –B/C      Why Gloria Vanderbilt’s son Anderson Cooper likely won’t inherit her massive fortune. (Fox Business) – Gloria Vanderbilt Opens a New Window. built a career as an actress, artist, fashion designer, author and socialite, amassing a fortune on top of her inherited money — but the heiress likely didn’t leave an inheritance for her son CNN anchor Anderson Cooper and other children. Vanderbilt, who died Monday morning Opens a New Window. after battling stomach cancer, was the beneficiary of a $5 million trust fund since she was born. The great-great-granddaughter of financier Cornelius Vanderbilt became known as the “poor little rich girl” in 1934 at age 10 when her mother, Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt, and aunt, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, were embroiled in a custody dispute. Whitney eventually won custody, and by 1945, Vanderbilt came into her own trust fund at age 21. Although it’s unclear what will happen to Vanderbilt’s estate, Cooper most likely won’t receive a trust fund from his mother. Cooper told Howard Stern on his radio show in 2014 Opens a New Window. that Vanderbilt had already made it clear “there is no inheritance.” “My mom’s made clear to me that there’s no trust fund. There’s none of that,” Cooper told Stern. “[And] I don’t believe in inheriting money.” The “Anderson Cooper 360” anchor said inheriting money was an “initiative sucker” and a “curse.” “Who has inherited a lot of money that has gone on to do things in their own life?” Cooper asked Stern. “From the time I was growing up, if I felt that there was some pot of gold waiting for me, I don’t know that I would’ve been so motivated.”

5am – D/E     AOC LIKENS MIGRANT DETENTION CENTERS TO ‘CONCENTRATION CAMPS’

• Ocasio-Cortez Calls Migrant Detention Centers ‘Concentration Camps,’ Eliciting Backlash. (NY Times) — WASHINGTON — Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the liberal freshman Democrat from New York who has made fighting for immigrants’ rights a signature issue, on Tuesday described the Trump administration’s border detention facilities as “concentration camps,” provoking backlash from Republicans who said she was minimizing the Holocaust. “This administration has established concentration camps on the southern border of the United States for immigrants, where they are being brutalized with dehumanizing conditions and dying,” Ms. Ocasio-Cortez wrote on Twitter, amplifying comments she had made on her Instagram feed on Monday night. “This is not hyperbole. It is the conclusion of expert analysis,” she added, citing an article in Esquire magazine that quoted a historian of the Holocaust who lectures at the University of Virginia. In the article, the historian, Waitman Wade Beorn, said, “Things can be concentration camps without being Dachau or Auschwitz.” But the invocation of Nazi imagery to describe the administration’s handling of immigrants and refugees set off a furor in Washington. Although not all Nazi concentration camps were death camps — some were forced labor camps — Ms. Ocasio-Cortez’s use of the phrase, which she said was intentional, opened the door for attacks from Republicans, led by Representative Liz Cheney of Wyoming, the sharp-tongued chairwoman of the House Republican Conference.
• Acting ICE Director Mark Morgan blasts AOC comparison of migrant detention centers to concentration camps: “Its completely inappropriate, it’s reckless, it’s irresponsible, it’s misinformed, and it’s flat out wrong”
• AOC: Ah yes, because history knows that people who run concentration camp systems almost always acknowledge to the public what they’re doing.
• Border Patrol Council VP slams Ocasio-Cortez’s ‘disgusting’ comparison of border facilities to ‘concentration camps’

6am – A/B/C ARLINGTON PARENTS PRESS SCHOOL BOARD ON THE PROPOSED NEW TRANSGENDER POLICY:

• Arlington Parent Coalition says APS transgender policy is troubling. APS to vote on transgender plan in July. ARLINGTON, Va. (WDVM) — Earlier this month, Arlington Public Schools was crafting a plan to “ensure all students have safe, supportive and inclusive school environments.” On Tuesday, some APS parents told WDVM they find the transgender policy to be troubling. “That’s my responsibility to teach my kids about the birds and the bees,” said Maria Keffler, Organizer of The Arlington Parent Coalition. On Tuesday, several members of the group met with the superintendent of Arlington Public Schools as they set to act on the procedure that’s said to protect transgender kids from discrimination and bullying. “Our concerns are about parental rights and girls protections. Part of the ethos of this policy is that kids need to be protected from their parents that parents are somehow a threat so the school wants to step in and tell parents about their kid’s mental and physical health,” Keffler said. As previously reported, the policy implementation procedure requires teachers to address students by names and pronouns that correspond to their gender identity. It also allows students to use the bathroom of their choice, an idea that worries Keffler’s 10th grade son.
• First speaker was an elementary kid named GRACE reading the story of her friend “GRIFFIN” who is 9 YEARS OLD 3rd Grader in Arlington, is a transgender girl and is supportive of the policy change
• Student speaker EMEREST JONES, junior at Yorktown High — identifies as TRANSGENDER, NON-BINARY, my gender pronouns are THEY, THEM – supports the policy and talks about how a teacher wouldn’t let them use the bathroom that they wanted to use
• Student speaker: a transgender 6th grader JORDAN FUNK is annoyed that “he” can’t use the boys bathroom.  Is annoyed they substitute teachers don’t call her by her “preferred name” and chosen “pronouns”… one substitute teacher told her that’s not right… shouldn’t it be A HUMAN RIGHT to be called what you want?
• One parent reads a statement from a family who is not there because they are celebrating their TRANSGENDER 5TH GRADER’SS GRADUATION
• One pro-transgender speaker likens the transgender movement to climate change
• One Arlington mother questions the policy process and notes that we don’t even know if the input given has entirely been from Arlington parents or people from the outside
• One parent expresses concern that some kids could ‘abuse’ the policy by changing their mind each day what they are
• Arlington School Board member Tannia Talento gave a passionate pro-transgender monologue at the meeting about concerns on “abuse” of the policy

6am – D         BIDEN WALKS INTO A GAY BAR

• Biden makes unannounced Stonewall stop days ahead of NYC Pride parade. “It all started here.” Joe Biden made a surprise visit to the historic Stonewall Inn in New York, taking photos with supporters and paying for patrons’ drinks. Later this month will mark the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.
• At Biden’s unscheduled 40 minute stop at Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village with Dr Biden, he pulled out his American flag credit card to buy a round when a woman at the bar asks if he’ll buy her a beer.
• 50 years after police raided the gay bar and patrons rioted, the leading 2020 Democratic presidential candidate paid a visit.

6am – E/F      HIGHLIGHTS OF PRESIDENT TRUMP’S 2020 ANNOUNCEMENT RALLY:

• President Donald Trump kicks off 2020 campaign at Orlando rally. President Donald Trump in Orlando: “I stand before you to officially launch my campaign for a second time.” Trump has held over 50 rallies since taking office and formally filed his 2020 re-election paperwork on Inauguration Day more than two years ago.
• President Trump unveils 2020 slogan to replace 2016 rallying cry during campaign rally: Keep America Great.
• CNN stops covering Trump rally after crowd starts chanting “CNN sucks”
• Trump campaign kickoff appears to outdraw similar event for Obama’s re-election bid
• Trump: “No matter what label they give, a vote for any Democrat in 2020 is a vote for the rise of radical socialism & destruction of the American Dream. Don’t ever forget, this election is about you. It’s about your family, your future, & the fate of your country.”
• President Trump: “If I got a subpoena for emails, if I deleted one email—like a love note to Melania—it’s the electric chair for Trump.”
• Trump: ‘Something I want to make clear to the media: we have among the cleanest and sharpest — crystal clean, you’ve heard me say, I want crystal clean — air and water anywhere on Earth’
• President Trump: “This time, we’re going to finish the job.”

7am – A         INTERVIEW – MARIA KEFFLER  –  a former school teacher and parent whose children attend Arlington Public Schools – recapped the Arlington School Board meeting.

7am – B/C     MORE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE ARLINGTON SCHOOL BOARD MEETING / LGBT NEWS: Female Student Athletes Push Back Against Trans Policies In Connecticut

7am – D         INTERVIEW – BRAD THOR – NY TIMES bestselling author of new book “BACKLASH” – discussed his new book.

• BOOK EVENT WITH LARRY O’CONNOR IN DC COMING UP: Wednesday, June 26th 6:30pm at KramerBooks. He’ll be in conversation with Larry.

7am – E         MORE HIGHLIGHTS OF PRESIDENT TRUMP’S RALLY:

• President Trump: “If I got a subpoena for emails, if I deleted one email—like a love note to Melania—it’s the electric chair for Trump.”
• Before the rally started, DON JR was warming up the crowd and was ripping on Joe Biden. DON JR: “Joe Biden comes out. ‘Well, if you elect me president, I’m going to cure cancer.’ Wow. Why the hell didn’t you do that over the last 50 years, Joe?”

 

8am – A         INTERVIEW – JOSH KRAUSHAAR – political editor for National Journal – recapped President Trump’s 2020 announcement rally.

• President Donald Trump kicks off 2020 campaign at Orlando rally. President Donald Trump in Orlando: “I stand before you to officially launch my campaign for a second time.” Trump has held over 50 rallies since taking office and formally filed his 2020 re-election paperwork on Inauguration Day more than two years ago.
• Democratic lawmakers sound off on the party’s presidential free-for-all — and the dilution of their own power to choose a nominee. (Politico) – Tom Perez isn’t facing blowback only over his management of his party’s unruly presidential primary field. He also has 280 constituents in Congress, some of whom are sounding off publicly. The Democratic National Committee chairman is the face of presidential debate rules that will allow a meditation guru to take the stage next week while a red state Western governor watches on TV. Against that backdrop, a collection of Democratic lawmakers are still aggravated with Perez after he yielded to the party’s base last year and agreed to dilute their power as superdelegates — a problem Perez is still trying to defuse in private meetings with Democrats.
• S.C. Democrats to only allow MSNBC to cover state convention live; other networks barred.  The South Carolina Democratic Party will only allow MSNBC to cover its state party convention, barring news outlets including Fox News, CNN and C-SPAN in an unprecedented move. Speakers at the event will include 21 of the 24 Democratic presidential candidates. In an email obtained by the Examiner on Tuesday, the South Carolina Democratic Party announced MSNBC had “exclusive rights” to the event, while adding a warning that “any footage taken by other outlets may not be aired live.”

8am – B/C     MCONNELL ON REPARATIONS / COCAINE BUST:

• House panel to hold a hearing on reparations for slavery today. Washington (CNN) A House panel will hold a hearing this week on the topic of reparations for slavery. The House Judiciary Committee’s subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties is set to hold a hearing June 19 on legislation that would establish a commission to study the consequences and impacts of slavery and make recommendations for reparations proposals. The hearing is titled “H.R. 40 and the Path to Restorative Justice.” The bill is sponsored by Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas. The bill would create a commission of 13 members who would compile
• Danny Glover to testify at House slavery reparations hearing
• Mitch McConnell: Slavery reparations aren’t a ‘good idea.’ Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he opposes paying reparations for slavery, arguing “none of us currently living are responsible” for what he called America’s “original sin.”
• Over 16.5 tons of cocaine worth $1 billion seized at Philadelphia port. PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Federal authorities have seized more than 16.5 tons of cocaine, with a street value of over $1 billion, at the Packer Marine Terminal in Philadelphia. An official said the ship was headed from Chile to Europe when the drugs were found in Philadelphia after authorities received a tip Monday night. The cocaine was discovered inside eight containers from a cargo ship, sources tell Action News. According to a senior DEA official in Washington, the latest count of the seizure is at 34,341 pounds which is just over 17 tons. The ship’s course started in Chile then stopped in Peru and the Bahamas before making its way to Philadelphia. The US Attorney’s Office Eastern District of Pennsylvania says the ship was then headed to Europe with a stop in Rotterdam. The intended destination for the cocaine shipment is unclear.

8am – D/E     INTERVIEW – ROBBY SOAVE –  associate editor at Reason.com and author of new book, “Panic Attack: Young Radicals in the Age of Trump” — IN STUDIO

• ABOUT BOOK: Panic Attack: Young Radicals in the Age of Trump / by Robby Soave (Author) — Since the 2016 election, college campuses have erupted in violent protests, demands for safe spaces, and the silencing of views that activist groups find disagreeable. Who are the leaders behind these protests, and what do they want? In Panic Attack, libertarian journalist Robby Soave answers these questions by profiling young radicals from across the political spectrum. Millennial activism has risen to new heights in the age of Trump. Although Soave may not personally agree with their motivations and goals, he takes their ideas seriously, approaching his interviews with a mixture of respect and healthy skepticism. The result is a faithful cross-section of today’s radical youth, which will appeal to libertarians, conservatives, centrist liberals, and anyone who is alarmed by the trampling of free speech and due process in the name of social justice.