Susan Ferrechio, Steven Overly, Joe Stern, Jake Tapper and guest host Cherylyn LeBon joined WMAL on Thursday!

Mornings on the Mall

Thursday, September 8, 2016

Hosts: Brian Wilson and guest host Cherylyn LeBon

Executive Producer: Heather Hunter

 

5am – A/B/C 50th anniversary of the first episode of ‘Star Trek’ #StarTrek50. On September 8, 1966, NBC aired the first episode of a new TV series about a starship on a five year mission of space exploration. Today, Star Trek turns 50.

5am – D         FBI director defends Clinton email probe, document releases. Washington (CNN)FBI Director James Comey is defending the bureau’s Friday afternoon release of documents from the Hillary Clinton email investigation, saying “we don’t play games” and that the documents were put out when ready.

5am – E         Hillary Bought Used BlackBerries On Ebay. Hillary Clinton purchased some of the BlackBerries she used as secretary of state on eBay, Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz said on Wednesday. “That’s what she liked, so she did it. It creates this huge vulnerability. And it’s unnecessary,” Chaffetz, who chairs the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said during a forum hosted by the American Enterprise Institute. The forum was held to discuss last year’s hack of the Office of Personnel Management. “I don’t want to get into this too much, but part of what was happening with the secretary of state is, she was acquiring technology that wasn’t even supported by BlackBerry. You couldn’t buy it. She was actually buying this stuff off of eBay because somebody was selling their old machine,” Chaffetz said.

6am – A/B/C Clinton-Trump Commander in Chief Forum last night: Who Came Off As a Better Commander In Chief?

– Clinton calls military force only a ‘last resort’ option at #NBCNewsForum

– Clinton stresses modernization of the VA, but no privatization

– Clinton: “We are not putting ground troops into Iraq ever again, and we’re not putting ground troops into Syria.”

– Trump: When Putin calls me brilliant, I’ll take the compliment

– Trump: undocumented person wanting to serve in military & stay in U.S. presents “a very special circumstance.”

– Trump says that, if elected, he would have a ‘very good’ relationship with Putin, Russia.

– Trump responds to Clinton, saying he doesn’t support privatizing VA

– TRUMP on Putin: I think when he calls me Brilliant, I’ll take the compliment

– MATT LAUER has pressed TRUMP about his comments on “knowing more than the generals about ISIS” and Trump says under the Obama admin, the generals have been reduced to rubble

– Navy Vet to Clinton: How Can We Trust You?  During NBC’s Commander in Chief Forum, a former naval flight officer asked Hillary Clinton how those who’ve been entrusted with classified information should be expected to have any confidence in her leadership as president when she “clearly corrupted our national security.” Clinton replied that classified material is designated with a header “so that there is no dispute at all.”

– Hillary Clinton forgets Benghazi, claims ‘we did not lose a single American’ in Libya

6am – D/E     Comedian Amy Schumer: Hillary Clinton Haters ‘Aren’t Informed’ (Newsbusters) — Opponents of Hillary Clinton “aren’t informed” and can’t offer “meaningful” arguments, according to Amy Schumer. And no, the 35-year-old comedian wasn’t joking. Tuesday night, BBC Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis interviewed Schumer following her stand-up tour in Europe. Amid talk of introverts and sex, Maitlis asked Schumer about U.S. politics.  “If you say the name Hillary Clinton, you know, in America, you get incredible responses,” Maitlis began. “There’ll be those who love her, and they’ll be those with visceral hatred on their faces.” According to Schumer, “those people,” or Clinton haters, “aren’t informed.” “If you go, ‘Why don’t you like Hillary?’ they’ll go, ‘She lied about her e-mails. What else is she going to lie about?’” Schumer said of Americans who don’t support the Democratic presidential nominee. “People get one fact and that’s what they latch onto about a candidate.” She added, “I haven’t had a conversation with anyone who doesn’t like Hillary where they’ve had anything meaningful to say.”

7am – A         INTERVIEW — SUSAN FERRECHIO — Chief Congressional Correspondent for the Washington Examiner

• Latest Congress news:
• Chaffetz has scheduled yet another Clinton email hearing for Thursday, is not ruling out more. (Washington Post) — With just a few working weeks of Congress left, House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) has pledged to hold fresh hearings on Hillary Clinton’s use of a private server before leaving the State Department. In an interview with radio host and cable news commentator Hugh Hewitt, Chaffetz said that at least two hearings were coming, with the first, on the Freedom of Information Act, scheduled for this coming Thursday. “How is it the State Department essentially lied to the media, the world, and the public?” Chaffetz said Tuesday morning. “It’s our information. These aren’t Hillary Clinton’s emails. These are federal records”
• Battle over Zika funding: Paul Ryan – ‏@SpeakerRyan: “The House passed the $1.1 BILLION dollar bill to fund fight against #Zika. Senate Democrats should stop blocking it.”
• House to vote this week on letting 9/11 families sue Saudis (USA Today) — WASHINGTON — The House will vote this week on whether to allow 9/11 survivors and family members of those killed that day to sue Saudi Arabia in connection with the attacks, a spokeswoman for House Speaker Paul Ryan confirmed Wednesday. he Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) passed the Senate unanimously in mid-May. President Obama has threatened to veto the legislation, saying it could open the door for other countries to allow lawsuits against Americans in courts abroad. But Congress appears to have enough votes for an override. “We are firm believers nobody is going to vote against this bill,” Terry Strada, national chair of the 9/11 Families and Survivors United for Justice Against Terrorism, said Wednesday.

7am – B         2016 News:

• Whoops: Independent candidate appears to have accidentally picked a running mate. (Politico) — Evan McMullin intended the vice presidential candidate listed on his applications for state ballots to be only a placeholder, but the states say the name will appear on the ballot in November. Evan McMullin is running as an independent conservative alternative to Donald Trump. Who McMullin is running with, however, is a bit of a mystery. In all nine states where he has officially qualified to appear on the presidential ballot, McMullin has listed a “Nathan Johnson” as his vice presidential nominee. McMullin’s campaign won’t provide any more information about Johnson — including which of the thousands of people named Nathan Johnson the campaign is referring to — saying he is only a placeholder until McMullin names an actual running mate.
• Hillary Clinton tops Donald Trump in August fundraising totals. WASHINGTON, Sept. 7 (UPI) — Both presidential campaigns made large fundraising hauls in August, with Hillary Clinton bringing in $143 million, the high-water mark for any candidate in the election. Donald Trump raised $90 million, a figure first reported Wednesday.
• Big fundraising number by fundraising groups shows GOP moving aggressively to defend Senate majority. Two independent political groups aligned with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell raised a total of $42 million in August, a haul that suggests nervous Republican donors are training their focus on keeping control of the Senate. The record fundraising number posted by Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC, and One Nation, a nonprofit group not required to disclose its donors, will enable Republicans to aggressively defend vulnerable Senate Republicans in a last-minute effort to preserve the Republican majority. The groups are run by Stephen Law, a former chief of staff to Mr. McConnell.

7am – C         Russian jet flies within 10 feet of US Navy spy plane over Black Sea. (Fox News) — A Russian fighter jet zoomed within just 10 feet of a U.S. Navy spy plane over the Black Sea on Wednesday, the latest in a string of daring maneuvers involving Russian aircraft and the U.S. military, a defense official with knowledge of the incident told Fox News. The Russian Su-27 Flanker jet flew dangerously close to a U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft used primarily for anti-submarine warfare while on routine patrol in international airspace, defense officials said. The Russian defense ministry accused the Navy plane of flying with its transponder—which emits an identifying signal—turned off. A U.S. defense official would neither confirm nor deny the accusation but told Fox News, “It is not a requirement for a military aircraft to have its transponder turned on.”

7am – D         INTERVIEW – STEVEN OVERLY — Innovations editor, The Washington Post

• Steven Overly anchors and edits The Washington Post’s Innovations blog, where he explores emerging technologies and groundbreaking ideas.
• Apple says it took ‘courage’ to remove the headphone jack on the iPhone 7. Apple confirmed the fears of many technology enthusiasts and headphone owners worldwide: the 3.5mm headphone jack would not be making its way to the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. In its place, the company will rely on three alternatives: a Lightning-compatible pair of new included EarPods; a pair of $159 wireless Bluetooth AirPods that require no physical connection; and a free dongle to connect old, analog headphones to the device. When describing this change, Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller gave a peculiar defense.
• STEVEN OVERLY: Apple eliminated the iPhone 7’s headphone jack. Twitter balked and barked.  By Steven Overly September 7 at 5:25 PM // Even before Apple formally confirmed that the iPhone 7 would no longer include a headphone jack for listening to audio, Twitter was abuzz with (mostly) informed speculation and premature criticism from disgruntled customers. The snark, in short, was rampant.

7am – E         Highlights of Commander In Chief Forum

8am – A/B/C             Sports News:

• Mets to sign Tim Tebow to minor league deal. (ESPN) — The New York Mets are going to sign Tim Tebow to a minor league contract, an MLB source told ESPN on Thursday. The former quarterback will be sent to the Arizona Fall League or the Instructional League to begin his professional baseball career. The Mets made the decision to sign Tebow on Wednesday, a source said. General manager Sandy Alderson met with team co-owner Jeff Wilpon, who signed off on Alderson’s suggestion that they get a deal done. Atlanta Braves general manager John Coppolella had confirmed earlier this week that they had interest in Tebow and had “multiple” conversations with Tebow’s representatives as a step toward signing him to a professional baseball contract. Tebow, 29, worked out for 46 scouts representing 28 teams last week in Los Angeles.
• Stephen Strasburg to undergo MRI on right elbow Thursday. Stephen Strasburg left Wednesday night’s game after getting one out in the third inning, a troubling turn of events for the right-hander who was activated from the disabled list before the game. Nationals Manager Dusty Baker said Strasburg felt a “pinch in the back of his elbow,” and will be undergo an MRI exam Thursday. “I don’t have much to tell you,” Baker said. “He’s going to get an MRI tomorrow. And we didn’t want to chance taking him any further. He didn’t stick around because he’s just frustrated and upset.” Strasburg had been on the disabled list with what the team called “right elbow soreness,” a move that seemed largely precautionary as he returned shortly after being eligible to do so. The Nationals analyzed his mechanics, velocity, spin rate and other indicators, and found no signs of major trouble. Strasburg underwent an MRI before he signed his seven-year, $175 million extension in May, and all was well. But whether because of a new problem or an old one, he experienced discomfort 42 pitches into his return.
• Report: Ryan Lochte is suspended 10 months by USOC and USA Swimming:  (Sports Illustrated) — The United States Olympic Committee and USA Swimming have suspended Ryan Lochte 10 months and banned him from the 2017 world swimming championships, USA Today’s Christine Brennan reports. In addition to Lochte, the USOC is expected to hand down punishments to three other swimmers for their behavior and actions at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in which they allegedly vandalized a gas station bathroom, according to USA Today’s Nicole Auerbach. Lochte is expected to get a longer punishment and sanction than the other swimmers.
• Rapinoe stymied in bid for second national anthem protest. (AP) –  BOYDS, Md. The Washington Spirit prevented Seattle midfielder Megan Rapinoe from kneeling again during the national anthem by altering its pregame ceremonies rather than “subject our fans and friends to the disrespect we feel such an act would represent.” The National Women’s Soccer League team moved up the anthem, playing it while the teams were off the field at the Maryland SoccerPlex. “We decided to play the anthem in our stadium ahead of schedule rather than subject our fans and friends to the disrespect we feel such an act would represent,” the Spirit said in a statement. “We understand this may be seen as an extraordinary step, but believe it was the best option to avoid taking focus away from the game on such an important night for our franchise.”
• Team USA hockey coach says he’ll bench any player who sits for national anthem. The always-colorful John Tortorella will be behind the bench as head coach of Team USA during the World Cup of Hockey later this month.  He’s already making it known that he’s not going to tolerate any national anthem protests from his players during the tournament. “If any of my players sit on the bench for the national anthem, they will sit there the rest of the game,” Tortorella told ESPN’s Linda Cohn on Tuesday.

8am –B/C      INTERVIEW – JOE STERN – Cobblers Bench Shoe Repair, stores in Washington, DC area — helped with shoe design for the elephant

• Arthritic Elephant At National Zoo Gets Pachyderm Pedicures And Giant Teva Boots. Asian elephant Shanthi plays in an enclosure at the Elephant Community Center during the unveiling of the major expansion of the elephant house at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in 2013. Veterinarians at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo have turned to an unconventional therapy for an arthritic 41-year-old Asian elephant — shoes. Huge black boots designed by Teva for Shanthi’s front feet, to be exact. They are “about a size 20, with an EEEEEEEEEEEE width,” as The Washington Post reports, adding that “a single boot resembled a rubberized birdbath.”

8am – D         INTERVIEW — JAKE TAPPER — Anchor of The Lead and State of the Union on CNN

• TRUMP CLOSING THE GAP? National poll finds Trump, Clinton locked in virtual tie. Washington (CNN)A new national poll out Wednesday shows Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump locked in a virtual tie, the latest survey to show an exceedingly tight race with just over two months to go before Election Day. The George Washington University poll finds 42% of likely voters supporting Clinton and 40% backing Trump, within the survey’s margin of error.
• Poll: Trump Leads Clinton Among Military and Veteran Voters. Donald Trump leads Hillary Clinton by 19 points — 55 percent to 36 percent — among voters who are currently serving or have previously served in the U.S. military, according to the latest NBC News|SurveyMonkey Weekly Election Tracking Poll.
• His thoughts on the Commander in Chief Forum last night
• Hillary Clinton tops Donald Trump in August fundraising totals. WASHINGTON, Sept. 7 (UPI) — Both presidential campaigns made large fundraising hauls in August, with Hillary Clinton bringing in $143 million, the high-water mark for any candidate in the election. Donald Trump raised $90 million, a figure first reported Wednesday.
• Big fundraising number by fundraising groups shows GOP moving aggressively to defend Senate majority. Two independent political groups aligned with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell raised a total of $42 million in August, a haul that suggests nervous Republican donors are training their focus on keeping control of the Senate. The record fundraising number posted by Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC, and One Nation, a nonprofit group not required to disclose its donors, will enable Republicans to aggressively defend vulnerable Senate Republicans in a last-minute effort to preserve the Republican majority. The groups are run by Stephen Law, a former chief of staff to Mr. McConnell.
• FBI director defends Clinton email probe, document releases. Washington (CNN)FBI Director James Comey is defending the bureau’s Friday afternoon release of documents from the Hillary Clinton email investigation, saying “we don’t play games” and that the documents were put out when ready.

8am – E         50th anniversary of the first episode of ‘Star Trek’ #StarTrek50. On September 8, 1966, NBC aired the first episode of a new TV series about a starship on a five year mission of space exploration. Today, Star Trek turns 50.