Mornings on the Mall

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Hosts: Mary Walter and Vince Coglianese

Executive Producer: Heather Hunter

James Carafano, Liz Harrington and Joe Concha joined WMAL on Tuesday!

5am – A/B/C VINCE SHARES HIS EXPERIENCE WITH SWISS TV AND HOW THEY VIEW WHAT’S HAPPENING IN AMERICAN POLITICS

5am – D         BARR FIGHT! Report: AG Barr Disagrees With Key Finding In Watchdog’s Trump-Russia Report: Attorney General William Barr disagrees with a key conclusion from the Justice Department inspector general’s investigation regarding the origins of the Trump-Russia probe, according to a new report. The Washington Post, citing anonymous sources familiar with the matter, reports that Barr has told associates that he does not believe that the FBI had enough information to justify opening a counterintelligence investigation into Trump campaign associates in July 2016. Michael Horowitz, the inspector general, reportedly determined that the bureau had a solid legal basis to launch the investigation, which initially focused on four Trump campaign associates. […] Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec cautioned against people drawing premature conclusions Monday night stating, “The Inspector General’s investigation is a credit to the Department of Justice. His excellent work has uncovered significant information that the American people will soon be able to read for themselves. Rather than speculating, people should read the report for themselves next week, watch the Inspector General’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, and draw their own conclusions about these important matters.”

5am – E         House lawmakers got their first look at the Intelligence Committee’s impeachment report last night, a behind-closed-doors review ahead of today’s expected vote on whether to send the report to the Judiciary Committee. Ohio Republican Jim Jordan wouldn’t discuss details, but told reporters it’s “long” and, in his view, the same “lame case” against President Trump. Democrats are expected to say it makes a strong case that the president engaged in impeachable conduct.

6am – A         HIGHLIGHTS OF PRESIDENT TRUMP AT NATO

6am – B/C     ‘Your boss’: George Conway attacks Trump in Twitter reply to wife Kellyanne.  White House counselor Kellyanne Conway’s husband, George Conway, directly responded to his wife’s tweet on Monday, in a public escalation over their differing views about President Trump. Kellyanne Conway tweeted out a video of Trump’s rival Joe Biden recounting that, during his time as a lifeguard, children would play with his leg hair, writing, “WATCH: Sleepy Joe is Creepy Joe. We need Ukraine’s help to defeat THIS guy?” George Conway, who strongly opposes Trump, quote-tweeted his wife, responding, “Your boss apparently thought so.” It is the first time Conway has quote-tweeted his wife. The two have disagreed publicly about the Trump administration but have tended to keep away from directly confronting each other about it. Conway has told friends that he thinks that his wife, who has worked for Trump since before he was elected, is in “a cult.” Kellyanne Conway has said that any power her husband has, he derives from her, and has been critical of media outlets covering their relationship.

6am – D         GUN NEWS: 

• NRA Issues Warning About Virginia’s Upcoming ‘Confiscatory Gun Ban’… Dems Pre-Filing Bills For New Year… SB 16, introduced by Sen. Richard L. Saslaw, would create a total ban on commonly-owned semi-automatic firearms, like the AR-15. Even worse, the ban would even extend to common firearm parts. The restrictions included in the proposed legislation does not grandfather current owners. The legislation is clearly designed to be firearms confiscation, as current owners would be forced to dispossess themselves of their property or face a felony conviction.
• SCOTUS HEARING ARGUMENTS ON NYC GUNS LAWS: Chief Justice John Roberts appears to be the key vote in whether the Supreme Court considers expanding gun rights or sidesteps its first case on the issue in nearly 10 years. The court’s dismissal of the case would be a disappointment to gun-rights advocates and a huge relief to gun-control groups. The arguments dealt with a dispute over New York City restrictions on taking licensed, locked and unloaded guns outside the city limits. Because New York repealed the law after the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case, the city argued that the case should be dismissed as moot because there’s nothing left to fight over. Based on the comments by the justices Monday, it did not seem that a majority was willing to keep the case alive and rule on the broader gun rights issue.

6am – E         TRUMP CAMPAIGN WILL NO LONGER CREDENTIAL BLOOMBERG REPORTERS:

• The Trump campaign announced today that it will no longer credential Bloomberg reporters for campaign events in response to the outlet’s decision not to investigate its owner, Michael Bloomberg, or his Democratic rivals
• Editor-in-chief John Micklethwait defended his newsroom’s coverage on Monday, saying “the accusation of bias couldn’t be further from the truth.” “We have covered Donald Trump fairly and in an unbiased way since he became a candidate in 2015 and will continue to do so despite the restrictions imposed by the Trump campaign” he said.
• NYT executive editor condemns Trump campaign’s move barring Bloomberg News from events: Dean Baquet, executive editor of the New York Times, took issue with the move against Bloomberg News. “We condemn any action that keeps quality news media from reporting fairly and accurately on the presidency and the leadership of the country,” he said in a statement.

6am – F         New video shows chaos erupting near National Zoo. (FOX 5 DC) — WASHINGTON – New video shows the chaos near National Zoo on Saturday before two juveniles were shot. A group of young people mobbed an ice cream shop and assaulted the owners. “There were like 50 people in the store, some as young as 10 or 12, some 20 (years old),” said Kevin McMahon, who owns FrozenYo on Connecticut Avenue, across from the zoo. His surveillance video shows dozens of juveniles walking into the shop, knocking over furniture and other items. McMahon said they were there to pick a fight with two girls. As he tried to get everyone out, he was assaulted and then a young child jumped on his back. As his wife, Carole, tried to help him, the boy punched her in the face with a closed fist. “I didn’t know it-my wife came out of the kitchen and tried to pull him off my back,” said McMahon. “He punched her a couple times in the face and this girl punched my wife two, three, four times in the face.” Carole had to get stitches and tells FOX 5 this was the scariest experience of her life.

7am – A         INTERVIEW – JAMES “JIM” CARAFANO – vice president of foreign and defense policy studies, The Heritage Foundation. Carafano is a leading expert in national security and foreign policy challenges

• President Trump began a two-day summit meeting on Tuesday to mark the 70th anniversary of NATO — strained, in part, by his own brash handling of overseas allies — by stepping into an unlikely role as defender of an alliance he once called “obsolete.”  In a meeting with Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary general of NATO, Mr. Trump said President Emmanuel Macron of France had been “very insulting” to the alliance when he warned recently about the “brain death” of NATO. Mr. Macron had suggested that Europe could no longer assume unwavering support from the United States. The two leaders were scheduled to meet later in the day.  “I think nobody needs it more than France,” Mr. Trump said of the alliance, “and that’s why I think when France makes a statement like they made about NATO, that’s a very dangerous statement for them to make.”

7am – B/C     FIRST LADY DECORATES THE WHITE HOUSE BUT WASHINGTON POST’S FASHION CRITIC MAKES RIDICULOUS COMMENTARY:

• First Lady Melania Trump Unveils Christmas at the White House 2019. The First Family is celebrating their third Christmas in the White House.  This year’s theme, “The Spirit of America,” is a tribute to the traditions, customs, and history that make our Nation great. Designed by First Lady Melania Trump, the White House decorations celebrate the courageous individuals who have shaped our country and kept the American spirit alive. Upon entering the East Wing, visitors are welcomed by the cherished Gold Star Family Tree. Proudly decorated by Gold Star families, it is adorned with golden stars and patriotic ribbons. This tree reminds us of the service and selflessness of the American heroes who defend this great land. Around the corner, the East Colonnade is a timeline of American design, innovation, and architecture. Through the archways, the East Garden Room displays the First Family’s annual ornament and Christmas card. This year, both showcase the American flag – a symbol of our Nation’s pride.
• Melania Trump’s Christmas decorations are lovely, but that coat looks ridiculous. (Washington Post/By Robin Givhan) — First lady Melania Trump unveiled this year’s White House Christmas decorations in a gauzy video in which she strolls through the public rooms marveling at their holiday luster. She gingerly adjusts a single red rose in a lush floral swag draped over a mantelpiece and delicately sprinkles glittery faux snow on one of the many white-decorated trees. The theme this year is “The Spirit of America,” and the dominant color is wintry white with festive bursts of holiday red. It’s all quite lovely. So there’s that. For her tour, Mrs. Trump wears all white: a dress with a simple jewel neckline, white stiletto-heeled pumps and a white coat. The coat is draped over her shoulders as she strolls through the White House. The coat looks ridiculous. But more than a silly fashion folly, the coat is a distraction. It’s a discomforting affectation taken to a ludicrous extreme. In a video that is intended to celebrate the warmth and welcoming spirit of the holiday season, that simple flourish exudes cold, dismissive aloofness.

7am – D/E     Montgomery County Council member wants to use cameras to crack down on distracted drivers. (WTOP) — A Montgomery County Council member wants Maryland state lawmakers to consider a bill that would use cameras to cite drivers for distracted driving. County council member Tom Hucker said the cameras would work the same way that red light and speed cameras do. “This doesn’t expand or change what is currently legal or illegal. This just adds a different way to enforce the law,” said Hucker, a Democrat representing the 5th District, which includes Takoma Park, Silver Spring and Burtonsville. Currently, drivers who are caught using a hand-held device while a car is in motion can be cited. A first offense includes an $83 ticket but no points. Under a separate existing law, drivers who are caught texting, or reading texts or email, on their devices while operating a car in the travel portion of the roadway can be issued a $70 ticket and one point on their license for the first offense. Under Hucker’s proposal, cameras to catch drivers engaged in distracted driving would be used in addition to those already used for speeding and red light violations. Asked about concerns regarding privacy, Hucker said the same issues came up when the Maryland General Assembly considered red light cameras. “The courts have said you have no expectation of privacy,” he said. “We expect you to behave the right way when you’re … in the public right of way and driving a vehicle that could be deadly.” Hucker explained that while his proposal would be restricted to Montgomery County, legislation is needed at the state level. Maryland’s General Assembly session begins Jan. 8.

8am – A         INTERVIEW – LIZ HARRINGTON – Spokesperson, RNC — discussed the president heading to NATO, Dems continue impeachment push and share her thoughts on the 2020 Dem field.

8am – B/C     Apostrophe Protection Society shuts down because ‘ignorance and laziness’ won. (Washington Examiner) — An organization dedicated to preserving correct apostrophe usage has folded as its founder expressed despair at the declining standards of English grammar. Former journalist John Richards, 96, who founded the Apostrophe Protection Society in 2001, said, “With regret I have to announce that, after some 18 years, I have decided to close the Apostrophe Protection Society.” He went on to explain that he is shuttering the society because of his advanced age and because no one seems to care. Richards, who started his society after seeing the same mistakes repeated, further lamented, “We, and our many supporters worldwide, have done our best but the ignorance and laziness present in modern times have won.” The common mistakes against which the Apostrophe Protection Society was dedicated include using “it’s” as a possessive instead of a contraction, confusing “you’re” and “your,” and using apostrophes to denote plurals.

8am – D         INTERVIEW – JOE CONCHA – Media reporter, The Hill – analyzed the latest media news.

• TRUMP CAMP NOT CREDENTIALING BLOOMBERG REPORTERS: The Trump campaign announced today that it will no longer credential Bloomberg reporters for campaign events in response to the outlet’s decision not to investigate its owner, Michael Bloomberg, or his Democratic rivals
• NEWSWEEK FIRES A REPORTER / DEMOTES AN EDITOR:
  • Newsweek fires reporter Jessica Kwong over ‘inaccurate’ Trump Thanksgiving story. A Newsweek reporter was fired for writing an article that claimed President Trump would be “Tweeting, golfing and more” on Thanksgiving before the commander-in-chief made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan to visit US troops on the holiday.  The article by Jessica Kwong was published Thursday morning before details of Trump’s Afghanistan trip became public. The headline said, “How is Trump spending Thanksgiving? Tweeting, golfing and more.”
  • Newsweek demotes editor behind inaccurate Trump Thanksgiving story. Newsweek has demoted the editor who published and failed to update an inaccurate story about President Trump’s Thanksgiving Day plans, days after the publication terminated the reporter who wrote the story. Kwong alleges that her editor did not update her piece in a timely manner. The story was updated hours later with a new headline, with a note at the bottom of the story. The angle of the story was also changed to focus on the president’s trip. The new headline reads, “How is Trump spending Thanksgiving? Tweeting, golfing — and surprising U.S. troops in Afghanistan,” while the note at the end of the story reads, “This story has been substantially updated and edited at 6:17 p.m. EST to reflect the president’s surprise trip to Afghanistan. Additional reporting by James Crowley.”
• JOY REID SHOW ISSUES CORRECTION OVER LABELING FORMER NAVY SECRETARY RICHARD SPENCER AS A WHITE SUPREMACIST: MSNBC’s Joy Reid Issues ‘Big’ Correction After Network Confused A Fired Trump Official With White Supremacist Richard Spencer. MSNBC host Joy Reid issued a correction Sunday morning after her show’s producers apparently confused white supremacist leader Richard Spencer for a fired Trump administration official.
• “I want to make a quick correction. This is a pretty big correction,” Reid said on “AM Joy” after a segment discussing Defense Secretary Mark Esper’s move to fire former Navy Secretary Richard Spencer in November over a disagreement he had with President Donald Trump.
• MEDIA COVERAGE OF VICTIM LISA PAGE:  Daily Beast Mourns Trump ‘Victim’ Lisa Page Put Through ‘MAGA Meat Grinder’