Legal analyst Joe diGenova, Trevor Matich and Tucker Carlson joined WMAL on Monday.

Mornings on the Mall

Monday, December 8, 2014

Hosts: Brian Wilson and Larry O’Connor

5am – A/B/C Rams roll Redskins, score second straight shutout. LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — On a day in which the St. Louis Rams finished off their first back-to-back set of shutouts since 1945 — and made a not-so-subtle statement about getting the better of the Robert Griffin III trade — they again sent a message that's bigger than football. Several Rams players wrote the words "I Can't Breathe" on their equipment Sunday, displaying the message before and during a 24-0 win over the Washington Redskins. "I feel like we should support what we feel is right," said guard Davin Joseph, who had the words on his cleats during the pregame warmup.

5am – D         Congress Preview:

• Congressional Republicans to grill Obamacare consultant at hearing. WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republicans in the U.S. Congress plan to renew their attacks on President Barack Obama and his signature healthcare plan on Tuesday when they grill a consultant who said "the stupidity of the American voter" helped ensure the law's passage.Republicans have seized on videos in which Gruber, a healthcare economist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an Obamacare consultant, says the law was written in a "very tortured way" to hide taxes, and passed thanks to "the stupidity of the American voter." Issa said the public deserved an explanation from Gruber at Tuesday's hearing.
• Boehner’s Budget Cram-Down Imposes Risks On GOP Reps. (Daily Caller) — House Speaker John Boehner is releasing the huge, $1 trillion 2015 government budget on Monday, only three days before the vote on Wednesday, Dec. 11. That delay jams GOP legislators, who won’t be able to identify or oppose many of the unpopular spending programs that are likely buried deep inside the complex budget, which was drafted by GOP and Democratic members of the appropriations committees. “There’s no way this huge bill can be addressed effectively,” Sen. Jeff Sessions, the ranking GOP member of the Senate’e budget committee, said on Sunday. “There are going to be thousands of pages.” Boehner has held the budget bill secret until the last days before much of the federal government shuts down for lack of cash on Dec. 12. Boehner declined to describe or release the proposed budget last week, which would have allowed legislators — plus GOP voters and advocacy groups — time to identify and rally against spending programs that are opposed by their constituents and supporters.
• John Kerry to face off with senators. The controversial subject of ISIL will get a public airing. President Barack Obama’s war against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant — and the lack of congressional action on it — will come to a head this week as Secretary of State John Kerry testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. On Tuesday afternoon Kerry will stare down a panel stocked with senators critical of the Obama administration’s war policies, particularly because the administration has escalated its air war against the Islamic State without a congressional authorization of the use of military force. The president has said that he would “welcome” congressional approval, but has drawn criticism from Republicans for not sending Congress a military authorization to consider. Some lawmakers have decided to forge ahead on their own. On Thursday, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) threatened to offer an amendment to an unrelated foreign water bill that declared war on militants in Iraq and Syria, eyeing one of the last opportunities for debate on force authorization during the lame duck session. Paul eventually shelved his amendment, but not before committee leaders agreed to work on an authorization of force this week.

5am – E         Six Guantanamo prisoners sent to Uruguay as refugees. (USA Today) — Six men held for more than 12 years at Guantanamo Bay arrived in Uruguay on Sunday to be resettled as refugees as part of a deal between the South American nation and the Obama administration. The transfer prompted immediate criticism from the head of the House Intelligence Committee. The six — four Syrians, a Tunisian and a Palestinian — were detained as suspected militants with ties to al-Qaeda but were never charged. A Pentagon statement said the United States worked with Uruguay's government to ensure the transfers took place. The government identified the men as Ahmed Adnan Ahjam, Ali Hussain Shaabaan, Omar Mahmoud Faraj, Abdul Bin Mohammed Abis Ourgy, Mohammed Tahanmatan and Jihad Diyab. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Mich., said the United States should reconsider transfers. "I've been opposed to the notion that we are going to farm out Gitmo to places," Rogers said Sunday during an interview on CNN's State of the Union. He said foreign intelligence agencies often are ill-equipped to monitor newly released detainees. "What we have found in the past is it doesn't work very well," he said. "I don't think that surprises anybody. So I argue that maybe we ought to rethink what we're doing here." The six are the first prisoners transferred to South America from the detention camp in Cuba, part of a number of recent releases amid a renewed push by President Obama to close the prison.

6am – A/B/C Holiday tipping: Who to include and how much to give. (AMNY) — Did you get a holiday card from your newspaper delivery guy? Did your building manager send out a staff list of all the people you "might want to thank" this year? Yep, it's holiday tipping season in New York City.

• Dog walker: The peace of mind you get from knowing your pooch isn't cooped up all day is priceless. But as far as a tip, go for up to one week's pay if giving cash, or a gift.
• Babysitter / Day-care provider: For a babysitter, consider giving up to one night's pay as a tip. If you bring your child to day care, give a gift or $25 to $70 for each staff member who works with your child. A small gift from your child is also a nice touch.
• Live-in nanny or au pair: You likely know this person well, so this might be the occasion to choose a gift over cash. But a tip of up to one week's pay and a gift from your child is also appropriate.
• Garage attendants: Cash or a gift are both appropriate options here. You should tip between $10 and $30 for each person.
• Doorman or superintendent: You probably see your doormen more than you see your mother, and they've always got a smile on their face when they greet you. The range here is a large one, so you'll have to use your discretion. Give a cash tip of anywhere from $15 to $80 per person, according to the Post institute. A gift for each person would also be appropriate. Superintendent: If your building has a superintendent, the range is between $20 and $80, or a gift.
• Pet groomer: If the same person grooms your pet all year, give a gift or cash up to the value of one session.
• Teacher: You shouldn't ever give your child's teacher cash, which could be seen as a bribe. Instead, opt for a small gift — a book, school supplies or something chosen by your child will go a long way.
• Hair salon staff: Because they talk you down from your crazy ideas and work magic with a blow dryer, show your hairdresser how you appreciate him or her with a cash tip or a gift. A tip should be up to the cost of one salon visit divided for each staff member who works on you. And not having an appointment near the holidays is no excuse — make sure to drop in or mail the tip in a card. Same goes for a barber.
• Cleaning person: At the end of a long day in the smelly city, there's nothing better than walking into your apartment to the scent of Lysol. Your cleaning person was here. For the holidays, thank them with a tip equal to one week's pay and/or a small gift.
• Newspaper delivery: They brave the elements and they get up really early. Show your appreciation with a tip of $10 to $30. If you tip regularly throughout the year, consider throwing in a few extra bucks with your regular tip near the holidays.

6am – D/E     Race relations worse under Obama, poll finds. (The Hill) — A slim majority believes that race relations have gotten worse since President Obama took office in 2009, according to a poll released Sunday. The poll was conducted for Bloomberg Politics in the days following a grand jury decision not to indict a white New York City police officer who killed an unarmed black man. It found that 53 percent of respondents think race relations have gotten worse under the nation’s first black president. Thirty-six percent say relations have stayed the same, and only 9 percent say they have gotten better. Among black people, only 45 percent say race relations have gotten worse, though that figure is still the plurality in the poll. Fifty-six percent of white people think the situation has deteriorated.

Obama: Racism 'deeply rooted in our society.' President Obama will sit down with BET Networks to discuss calls for criminal justice reform after two controversial grand jury decisions cleared white officers in the death of black men. In a special segment, "BET News Presents: A Conversation with President Barack Obama," the president will help find meaningful solutions to unrest after the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner sparked nationwide protests. "This isn't going to be solved overnight," Obama said in an excerpt of the interview to air Dec. 8 at 6 p.m. The interview, hosted by BET host and TV journalist Jeff Johnson, marks the president's first network discussion outlining his strategy to investigate the incidents and ways the country can unify during this time.

7am – A         INTERVIEW – JOE DIGENOVA – legal analyst and former U.S. Attorney to the District of Columbia

• Congressional Republicans to grill Obamacare consultant at hearing. WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republicans in the U.S. Congress plan to renew their attacks on President Barack Obama and his signature healthcare plan on Tuesday when they grill a consultant who said "the stupidity of the American voter" helped ensure the law's passage. Representative Darrell Issa, chairman of the House Oversight Committee, said panel members will ask consultant Jonathan Gruber about possible deceptions and a lack of transparency in the 2010 Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare. Republicans have seized on videos in which Gruber, a healthcare economist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an Obamacare consultant, says the law was written in a "very tortured way" to hide taxes, and passed thanks to "the stupidity of the American voter." Issa said the public deserved an explanation from Gruber at Tuesday's hearing.
• Obama: Racism 'deeply rooted in our society' = President Obama will sit down with BET Networks to discuss calls for criminal justice reform after two controversial grand jury decisions cleared white officers in the death of black men. In a special segment, "BET News Presents: A Conversation with President Barack Obama," the president will help find meaningful solutions to unrest after the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner sparked nationwide protests. "This isn't going to be solved overnight," Obama said in an excerpt of the interview to air Dec. 8 at 6 p.m. The interview, hosted by BET host and TV journalist Jeff Johnson, marks the president's first network discussion outlining his strategy to investigate the incidents and ways the country can unify during this time.
• Rolling Stone clarifies its apology on UVA story.  (AP) — Rolling Stone has clarified its apology over a story that had reported a female student was gang-raped at a University of Virginia fraternity, telling readers the mistakes were the magazine's fault, not the alleged victim's. That's a shift from the original note to readers, issued Friday, when it said of Jackie, the woman who claimed to have been gang-raped at a Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, "Our trust in her was misplaced."
• House Intelligence Chairman Rogers: Report will spur attacks. Tensions grew Sunday over the impending release of a Senate report examining the alleged use of torture by the CIA, with a top House lawmaker saying that the release will cause "violence and deaths" abroad. The comments by Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, came after Secretary of State John Kerry on Friday urged Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., the senator in charge of the report on CIA interrogations, to reconsider the timing of the release. Obama administration officials said they still support making the report public.

7am – B         Kennedy Center Honors Recap:

• Obama: 'I kind of wish I was called Sting.' President Obama on Sunday welcomed the 2014 Kennedy Center Honorees to the White House, ahead of a gala performance. Obama told the crowd that he watched actor and filmmaker Tom Hanks’s classic “Big” on Saturday night. “That's a great movie,” Obama said. “I got kind of choked up." Singer Al Green, comedienne Lilly Tomlin, ballerina Patricia McBride and singer-songwriter Sting were also honored. “POTUS is a pretty good nickname, but let’s face it, it’s not as cool as Sting," Obama said. “I kind of wish I was called Sting. But I’m stuck with POTUS.” Sam Waterston, Stephen Spielberg, Whoopi Goldberg, Stephen Colbert, former Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Secretary of State John Kerry were among those in the crowd in the East Room, according to a pool report.
• Hanks, Tomlin, Sting Among Those Celebrated At Kennedy Center Honors. WASHINGTON (AP) – An actor hailed as America's "favorite son" and a musical genius who rose from a British shipyard town to make his mark won this nation's highest honors Sunday for influencing American culture through the arts. Tom Hanks and Sting joined Lily Tomlin, singer Al Green and ballerina Patricia McBride in being awarded this year's Kennedy Center Honors. Top performers and power players from Hollywood, Broadway and Washington gathered to salute them in a gala performance. The show hosted by Stephen Colbert will be broadcast Dec. 30 on CBS.

7am – C         China Overtakes the U.S. as World’s Largest Economy.  The International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently released the latest results for the world economy. And when you measure national economic output in “real” terms of goods and services, China will this year produce $17.6 trillion – compared with $17.4 trillion for the U.S., Market Watch reports. The U.S. had the world’s highest economy since 1872. In 2000, the U.S.A. produced nearly three times as much as the Chinese. China now accounts for 16.5% of the global economy when measured in real purchasing-power terms, compared with 16.3% for the U.S. China’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per-person is still less than one-quarter that of the U.S., so China is still far from being the world’s wealthiest nation.The IMF made the calculations by measuring purchasing-power parity (PPP).  Similar goods cost the same in both Shanghai and New York, as far as PPP is concerned.

7am – D         INTERVIEW — TREVOR MATICH – WMAL's Redskins Analyst – recapped the Redskins severe loss to the Rams.

7am – E         Mary Landrieu Is Defeated by Bill Cassidy in Louisiana Senate Runoff. BATON ROUGE, La. — Mary L. Landrieu, the last Deep South Democrat in the United States Senate, was defeated in a runoff election here Saturday by Bill Cassidy, a Republican congressman who incessantly attacked the incumbent for her support of President Obama. With Mr. Cassidy’s victory in what had been the last undecided Senate race of the midterm elections, the Republicans gained a total of nine Senate seats, giving them 54 senators and firm control of the upper chamber when the 114th Congress convenes in January. For Democrats, Saturday’s outcome was yet another sobering reminder of their party’s declining prospects in the South, a region they dominated for much of the 20th century. Ms. Landrieu was the last statewide elected Democrat in Louisiana, and Mr. Cassidy will join a fellow Louisiana Republican, David Vitter, in the Senate, making it the first time in 138 years that a Democrat from the state has not sat in the Senate. Speaking to supporters at the Crowne Plaza Hotel here, Mr. Cassidy said, “This victory happened because people in Louisiana voted for a government which serves us but does not tell us what to do. Thank y’all.” Even though Ms. Landrieu narrowly edged out Mr. Cassidy in a multicandidate primary in November, his victory was widely expected. A second conservative candidate with a significant following, Rob Maness, ran a strong third in the primary, and subsequently endorsed Mr. Cassidy.

8am – A         INTERVIEW – TUCKER CARLSON – Editor, The Daily Caller

>> Obama: Racism 'deeply rooted in our society' = President Obama will sit down with BET Networks to discuss calls for criminal justice reform after two controversial grand jury decisions cleared white officers in the death of black men. In a special segment, "BET News Presents: A Conversation with President Barack Obama," the president will help find meaningful solutions to unrest after the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner sparked nationwide protests. "This isn't going to be solved overnight," Obama said in an excerpt of the interview to air Dec. 8 at 6 p.m. The interview, hosted by BET host and TV journalist Jeff Johnson, marks the president's first network discussion outlining his strategy to investigate the incidents and ways the country can unify during this time.

8am – B         House intel chairman: Raid should ‘reengage’ ransom debate. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) said the failed raid to free an American hostage in Yemen should “reengage” the debate over paying ransom for hostages. But Rogers, the outgoing chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, also made it clear that he agrees with current policies against paying ransom to groups such as al Qaeda, which was holding American photojournalist Luke Somers and South African teacher Pierre Korki before killing both in Saturday morning’s raid. “What we know is they are still trying to ransom,” Rogers said of al Qaeda’s Yemen operation. “I think this should reengage the debate about ransom. When you pay ransoms, you get more kidnapping,” he said. “It’s certainly what we saw across Africa, we’re certainly seeing it in Yemen as well.” Rogers, speaking on CNN’s “State of the Union” Sunday morning, said countries that pay ransom for their hostages end up funding al Qaeda’s terrorist operations. Al Qaeda’s northern Africa branch was, until about 2012, the largest money contributor to the organization, thanks to its success in getting ransom. “That’s a pretty bad plan to start with,” he said. Rogers said he agreed with President Obama’s decision not to pay ransom, and instead to send a special forces team in to rescue him.

8am – C         ROYALS VISIT: William and Kate have a full schedule of events in New York, including a visit to the National Sept. 11 Memorial and Museum and a basketball game between the Brooklyn Nets and the Cleveland Cavaliers. William is also scheduled to meet with President Barack Obama at the White House on Monday while visiting Washington to attend a World Bank conference. At that meeting, he is expected to speak about combating illegal trade in wildlife parks. Kate was scheduled to tour a New York child development center with the city's first lady, Chirlane McCray. Their visit will also include some events with other high-profile guests. Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and daughter Chelsea Clinton are accompanying William and Kate to a New York reception highlighting conservation efforts.

8am – D         University of Virginia urged to end suspension of fraternities. The pressure comes after Rolling Stone magazine backtracks on a story about an alleged rape there. (The Washington Post) — Groups representing fraternities and sororities urged the University of Virginia on Sunday to end the suspension of Greek organizations it imposed last month after a magazine story about an alleged gang rape at a campus fraternity house. Rolling Stone last week backed away from the story it had published Nov. 19 and issued a more thorough explanation of concerns about the article over the weekend after published reports questioned key details of the allegations in it. The magazine’s managing editor apologized for “discrepancies” that he said had emerged in the horrific account of a woman who said she was raped in 2012 at the Phi Kappa Psi house in Charlottesville. That account was at the core of an article that sent shock waves through the university community and drew national attention. On Nov. 22, University of Virginia President Teresa Sullivan announced a suspension of all fraternities, sororities and other Greek organizations until Jan. 9. The suspension, Sullivan said at the time, was meant to give the university time to “assemble groups of students, faculty, alumni, and other concerned parties to discuss our next steps in preventing sexual assault and sexual violence” on the campus.

TOMORROW:          Larry Kudlow, Jonathan Hunt and Col. Morris Jones