Mornings on the Mall

Monday, November 4, 2019

Hosts: Mary Walter and Vince Coglianese

Executive Producer: Heather Hunter

Legal analyst Joe diGenova, WMAL’s Redskins Analyst Trevor Matich, WMAL’s Maria Leaf and WJLA’s Kevin Lewis WMAL on Monday!

5am – A/B/C BETO IS OUT. WHO WILL OR SHOULD BE NEXT?

5am – D         IMMIGRATION NEWS:

• JUDGE BLOCKS TRUMP’S INSURANCE PROVISION FOR VISAS. (Fox News) – A federal judge in Oregon on Saturday blocked the Trump administration’s rule requiring immigrants applying for U.S. visas to prove they have health insurance or can afford medical costs from going into effect Sunday. U.S. District Judge Michael Simon granted the temporary restraining order while he considers a federal lawsuit brought Wednesday by seven U.S. citizens and a nonprofit organization, who contend the rule change would block nearly two-thirds of all prospective legal immigrants. It was not immediately clear when Simon would rule on the merits of the case.
• SMUGGLERS ARE CUTTING THROUGH THE NEW WALL (CNN) – The agents told the Post the saws can cut through the bollards in a matter of minutes. Engineers told the newspaper that because of the height of the bollards, which are between 18 to 30 feet tall, it’s easier to push the steel out of the way to pass through the other side.
• MEXICAN DRUG CARTEL BUSTED…….IN KANSAS. Court documents filed at the federal court in Wichita Kansas revealed that for more than a year, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Kansas City Police targeted 57-year-old Luis Martinez Carrango and 13 of his associates tied to the widespread distribution of methamphetamine throughout the Midwest. Accor ding to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, during a recent raid targeting the cartel cell, agents seized 220 pounds of methamphetamine in the Kansas City Metro Area.

5am – E         GRETA THUNBERG UPDATE:

• Teen Greta Thunberg Says Meeting with Trump ‘Would Be a Waste of Time, Really’
• Leonardo DiCaprio praises Greta Thunberg as a ‘leader of our time’
• Greta Thunberg Pleads for Help and a Carbon-Free Lift Across the Atlantic

6am – A/B/C Maryland county executive demands ‘Thin Blue Line’ flag be removed from police station. GERMANTOWN, Md. (ABC7) – What was meant to be a show of support for first responders has turned into a political feud putting Montgomery County cops and politicians at even further odds. On Monday, a Germantown resident James Shelton and his young son, Forrest, delivered wooden American flags to the Fifth District Police Station in Germantown and Fire Station 31 along Darnestown Road in North Potomac. The police department flag had a blue line running through it whereas the fire department flag contained a red line. On Wednesday, Montgomery County Police posted a photo on Facebook and Twitter showing Shelton, his son and three officers posing with the donated gift outside the district station. “Thank you to resident James Shelton, who presented Montgomery County 5th District officers with a wooden American Flag that he had made in recognition of National First Responders Day. The flag will be displayed in the 5th District Station,” the police department wrote in its social media message. Within hours, a handful of individuals left comments scolding Montgomery County Police for not only accepting, but also planning to exhibit an object that bears a strong resemblance to the Blue Lives Matter symbol. Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich (D) soon began to inquire about the few dozen negative online comments. On Friday evening, he made his ruling: the donated gift was not welcome. “The flag provides a symbol of support to some but it is a symbol of dismissiveness to others. Because it is divisive, the flag will not be posted at the 5th District nor in any public space within the Police Department,” Elrich said in a written statement. “Under my administration, we are committed to improving police relations with the community and will immediately address any action that stands against our mission.” According to Shelton, a fellow craftsman in Chicago enlisted woodworkers in all 50 states to make and deliver flags to their local fire and police departments on National First Responders Day, which is October 28. Shelton jumped at the opportunity to fill the void in Maryland. A search of #makersneverforget on Instagram returns dozens of photos of wooden flags being donated to first responder across the country.

6am – D         INTERVIEW – TREVOR MATICH – WMAL’s Redskins Analyst

• Redskins-Bills: Key moments from Buffalo’s 24-9 victory – The Washington Post.  Here are the biggest moments from the Washington Redskins’ 24-9 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday at New Era Field. Scroll down to see a full recap of the game. Cole Beasley gives Bills the lead (8:19 first quarter): After the Redskins went three-and-out on their opening possession and Tress Way’s ensuing punt traveled only 21 yards into a stiff wind, Buffalo capitalized on its excellent field position. On second and goal from the Washington 6-yard line, Bills quarterback Josh Allen connected with former Cowboys wide receiver Cole Beasley, who, working from the slot, started inside before stopping and cutting outside to beat cornerback Quinton Dunbar for a touchdown. Devin Singletary takes a screen pass 49 yards (5:31 first quarter): Way’s second punt of the game pinned the Bills deep in their own territory, but they wouldn’t be there for long. On second and six from the Buffalo 14-yard line, rookie running back Devin Singletary caught a screen pass from Allen, eluded a couple of would-be tacklers and used his blockers to navigate his way down the right sideline for a 49-yard gain. The play eventually led to a field goal that gave Buffalo a 10-0 lead. Adrian Peterson breaks free for a 28-yard run (13:37 second quarter): The 34-year-old Peterson accounted for 123 of Washington’s 165 yards through two quarters, the fifth-most he’s had in a first half in his 13-year career. Sixty-three of Peterson’s first-half yards came on three consecutive running plays to start the second quarter, the last a 28-yard scamper on first and 10 from the Buffalo 46, during which Peterson appeared to be stopped for a short gain before breaking outside for a big gain. The drive led to a Dustin Hopkins field goal that cut the Bills’ lead to 10-3.

6am – E         EPSTEIN CONSPIRACY NEWS:

• Trevor Noah Asks Hillary Clinton: ‘How Did You Kill Jeffrey Epstein?’  “The Daily Show” host Trevor Noah asked Hillary Clinton how she killed Jeffrey Epstein during a Thursday interview with the former secretary of state and her daughter, Chelsea. The comedian’s question was a play on a conspiracy theory that the Clintons had some kind of involvement in the death of Epstein to cover up their connections to the convicted sex trafficker.
• De Blasio dabbles in Epstein conspiracy theory. Mayor Bill de Blasio said Thursday “something doesn’t fit” about Jeffrey Epstein’s death, contradicting the city’s own medical examiner whose office determined the serial pedophile committed suicide. “I still stand by something doesn’t fit here,” de Blasio said at an unrelated press conference when asked about reports that a former city coroner — who was hired by Epstein’s brother — insisted his death was a homicide. “It just doesn’t make sense that the highest profile prisoner in America, you know, someone forgot to guard him,” Hizzoner added. “I want to understand — I think everyone wants to understand what really happened. I don’t know what the nature of the death was, I just know it should never have happened and we still don’t have good answer,” he said.
• Fox host cracks up as guest utters, ‘Epstein didn’t kill himself’ A Fox News segment came to an end after a military veteran blurted out, “Epstein didn’t kill himself” during the segment about hero dogs such as Conan, who helped kill ISIS leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi. Mike Ritland, a former Navy SEAL, asked host Jesse Waters of Watters World Saturday whether he could end the show with a public service announcement warning civilians not to buy Belgian Malinoises, the same breed as Conan, as pets. Ritland, the founder of Warrior Dog Foundation, said that the news surrounding Conan had created a demand for the dogs but that many people would not be capable of taking care of them and should therefore not own them. Right as he was ending his PSA, he slipped in, “And Epstein didn’t kill himself.”

6am – F   Ilhan Omar, at Bernie Sanders rally, calls for ‘mass movement of the working class,’ end to ‘Western imperalism’

7am – A         INTERVIEW – JOE DIGENOVA – legal analyst and former U.S. Attorney to the District of Columbia – discussed the latest on the impeachment inquiry, the whistleblower and the latest on Durham and Barr.

• What to expect next from the Trump impeachment efforts. (NY Post) – The House Democrats’ effort to impeach President Trump will hurtle into unknown territory this week as California Rep. Adam Schiff gears up for public hearings in the wake of Thursday’s party-line vote. But with only 16 days left on Congress’s official calendar — and just 92 days until the presidential primaries — Dems are pushing their specialized process into hyperdrive. “I don’t know what the timetable will be — the truth will set us free,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told Bloomberg News Friday. “I would assume there would be public hearings in November.” The constitutional process of impeachment starts in the House of Representatives, where a majority vote is all that’s needed to charge Trump with a crime — but that would not kick him out of the White House. Schiff’s Intelligence Committee has scheduled a dozen closed-door depositions for the coming week, when the House is in recess. Tuesday, Nov. 12 is the earliest date when Schiff’s public hearings can begin. Under the rules set by Thursday’s vote, Schiff alone will decide who takes the stand.
• OMB chief, a Mulvaney ally, to lead stonewall against Democrats’ impeachment inquiry. One of acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney’s top allies is preparing to deliver what President Trump wants but has failed to achieve so far in the impeachment inquiry: unquestioning loyalty from administration staff. Russell Vought, a Mulvaney protege who leads the White House Office of Management and Budget, intends a concerted defiance of congressional subpoenas in coming days, and two of his subordinates will follow suit — simultaneously proving their loyalty to the president and creating a potentially critical firewall regarding the alleged use of foreign aid to elicit political favors from a U.S. ally. The OMB is at the nexus of the impeachment inquiry because Democrats are pressing for details about why the White House budget office effectively froze the Ukraine funds that Congress had already appropriated.
• Whistleblower Is Willing To Submit Written Answers To House Republicans, Lawyer Says | The Daily Caller. The intelligence community whistleblower who filed a complaint against President Donald Trump is willing to answer questions from Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee in writing, his lawyer said Sunday. The attorney, Mark Zaid, said he reached out Saturday to GOP California Rep. Devin Nunes, the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, to offer to provide written answers under oath to Republicans.

7am – B/C     NATS CELEBRATING OVER THE WEEKEND AND HEADING TO THE WHITE HOUSE TODAY:

• The Nationals, fresh off their World Series parade, kept the party going at a Capitals game
• Trump to host World Champion Nationals to the White House. WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump will host the World Champion Washington Nationals baseball team on Monday at the White House.
• Nationals pitcher Sean Doolittle declines White House visit and says he “just can’t do it,” The Washington Post reports

7am – D         NY POST: More cheers than boos greet President Trump at UFC 244 at MSG: Trump, who traveled with Reps. Kevin McCarthy, the House Minority Leader, and Mark Meadows, (R-NC), touched down at John F. Kennedy Airport at 8:05 p.m. The entourage arrived at the Garden an hour later, after a quick hop on Marine One to the downtown heliport near Wall Street, followed by a motorcade trip up the FDR and over to Midtown. The first “cage fight” of the evening would have been the unevenly-matched crowds of pro- and anti-Trumpers lining Seventh Avenue — but the president entered the arena more securely, through an underground garage. Inside, Trump stood up in his seat in the VIP section and waved to a crowd that mostly cheered — though there were also plenty of “boos” and the occasional raised middle finger as well.

• DON JR: Despite the bullsh*t from blue checkmark Twitter, when we walked into the arena it was overwhelmingly positive. @danawhite said it was the most electrifying entrance he seen in 25 years of doing this. @ufc

7am – E         DEMS INVADE AHEAD OF VA ELECTION:

• Biden rallies Virginia Democrats ahead of pivotal state election on Tuesday – The Washington Post. The Democratic presidential hopeful and former vice president rallied party activists in Virginia on Sunday, two days before a pivotal state election. But he spoke for fewer than eight minutes and then plunged into the crowd in Sterling to spend the next 40 minutes hugging, selfie-shooting and grinning. The partisan crowd of about 200 loved it. On a sunny autumn Sunday, Biden joined former Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe (D), local Democratic officeholders and party leaders on an outdoor stage set up in an office park.
• Biden backed by Gold Star parents Khizr and Ghazala Khan at 2020 fundraiser.  A key campaign antagonist of Donald Trump from 2016 attended a fundraiser with 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden. Gold Star parents Khizr and Ghazala Khan clashed with Trump last cycle after their emotional address at the 2016 Democratic National Convention in support of Hillary Clinton’s White House bid. Three years later, the couple attended an exclusive event for Biden donors hosted by former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, another Clinton ally, according to a pool report.Khizr Khan, a Pakistani immigrant lawyer, lost his son, Humayun Khan, a U.S. Army captain, when a car bomb exploded while he was stationed outside his base in Iraq in 2004. Humayun Khan was posthumously awarded a Bronze Star and Purple Heart.
• President Barack Obama Endorses Delegate Hala Ayala’s Re-Election. Obama endorses ‘outstanding group of Virginia Democrats’ ahead of state elections. Delegate Ayala was one of the historic 15 Democrats to flip a Republican-held seat in the Virginia House of Delegates in 2017, and she is one of the first Latina women ever elected to the Virginia House. During her 2017 campaign, she promised to bring Medicaid expansion to Virginia, which she helped to deliver in her first session in Richmond.  Incumbent Hala Ayala and Richard Anderson are running in the general election for Virginia House of Delegates District 51 on November 5, 2019.
• PENCE IN VA: Vice President Mike Pence has made a campaign swing through Virginia to try to shore up support for Republicans as they try to maintain control of the state legislature in Tuesday’s election. VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence made a campaign swing through Virginia on Saturday to try to shore up support for Republicans as they try to maintain control of the state legislature in Tuesday’s election. Pence was surrounded by Republicans in a middle school gym in Virginia Beach, where a crowd of about 900 people chanted “USA!” and “Trump!”, The Washington Post reported. The GOP holds a slim majority in Virginia’s General Assembly.

8am – A         INTERVIEW – MARIA LEAF – WMAL News Anchor — recap the Nationals parade and celebrating this weekend

• Nationals’ Parade Draws Thousands as D.C. Celebrates Its Latest Champions. After a seven-game World Series in which both teams lost all their home games, the parade was the first opportunity for many fans to revel in the Nationals’ victory with the team. WASHINGTON — For the second year in a row, the stretch of Constitution Avenue that runs along the National Mall swelled with an unfamiliar demographic: neither tourists nor demonstrators, but a merry sea of red-clad local fans. Still buzzing with enthusiasm from the Washington Nationals’ improbable run to a World Series title last week, thousands flocked to the team’s victory parade on Saturday, lining the street, filling the steps of the National Archives and climbing to ambitious heights in the stand of trees outside the United States District Courthouse. Some attendees arrived with homemade posters reading “19-31,” the team’s sour record at a low point in the regular season, from which they bounced back to qualify for the playoffs. Many more held signs reading “Fight Finished,” a play on the “Finish the Fight” motto supporters plugged throughout the multiple elimination games the team survived. At the end of the parade route on Third Street, many players gave speeches touching on related themes, and the unlikely odds the team faced of reaching the title.
• Nationals bring their World Series celebration to the White House. Before heading off to golf courses and warmer climates for their abbreviated offseason, the Washington Nationals will stop by the White House Monday for a World Series celebration that could mark the team’s final appearance with two of its biggest stars. Stephen Strasburg, who announced Saturday that he will opt out of his contract and become a free agent, and Anthony Rendon, who also will be one of the most highly sought free agents this year, will attend the ceremony with President Trump, who was booed by fans at Nationals Park during Game 5 of the World Series. At least one member of the team, reliever Sean Doolittle, will be skipping the trip. “There’s a lot of things, policies that I disagree with, but at the end of the day, it has more to do with the divisive rhetoric and the enabling of conspiracy theories and widening the divide in this country” Doolittle told The Post’s Jesse Dougherty.

 

8am – B/C     SNL GOES AFTER WARREN / PELOSI WARNS DEMS:

• Saturday Night Live Goes After Elizabeth Warren in Cold Open: ‘Money Doesn’t Exist.’ Saturday Night Live was back for another episode tonight, with Kate McKinnon’s portrayal of 2020 presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren in full force. “Look at me, I am in my natural habitat. A public school on the weekend. And I just had a Nature Valley bar in the hallway so I’m jacked up and ready to pop off,” McKinnon said. The sketch poked fun at Warren herself and made fun of her expensive plans and her inexplicable love of the HBO show Ballers. She also rolled out an incomprehensible chart to explain the costs of her health care proposal.
• WARREN IN IOWA tries to explain her insurance plan: Q: Where do those who work in health insurance go when private insurance is eliminated? Sen. Warren: “No one gets left behind. Some of the people currently working in health insurance will work in other parts of insurance. In life insurance, in auto insurance, in car insurance.”
• PELOSI WARNS 2020 DEM CANDIDATES: Nancy Pelosi Is Worried 2020 Candidates Are on Wrong Track. Speaker Nancy Pelosi is issuing a pointed message to Democrats running for president in 2020: Those liberal ideas that fire up the party’s base are a big loser when it comes to beating President Donald Trump. Proposals pushed by Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders like Medicare for All and a wealth tax play well in liberal enclaves like her own district in San Francisco but won’t sell in the Midwestern states that sent Trump to the White House in 2016, she said. “What works in San Francisco does not necessarily work in Michigan,” Pelosi said at a roundtable of Bloomberg News reporters and editors on Friday. “What works in Michigan works in San Francisco — talking about workers’ rights and sharing prosperity.”

8am – D         INTERVIEW – KEVIN LEWIS – News Reporter for ABC 7 News – WJLA in Washington, D.C

• A handmade flag gifted by a Germantown, Maryland, woodworker to the Montgomery County Police Department on National First Responders Day is drawing mixed reactions from the community.
• Maryland county executive demands ‘Thin Blue Line’ flag be removed from police station

8am – E         WAPO: Which students perform better in school? A study says the better-looking ones excel. The research, by Barnard College economist Daniel Hamermesh and colleagues, finds that people whose looks are “one standard deviation above average” attain nearly five more months of schooling than an “otherwise identical average-looking individual.” The finding is surprising, they write, because prior research has shown that many of the factors of educational achievement on which policymakers tend to focus, such as teacher quality and program effectiveness, have a relatively small affect on student achievement — “often nearly zero.”