Kayleigh McEnany, Susan Ferrechio and White House’s Raj Shah joined WMAL on Thursday morning!

Mornings on the Mall

Thursday, January 11, 2018

Hosts: Mary Walter and Vince Coglianese

Executive Producer: Heather Hunter

5am – A/B/C   MIDTERMS: With Rep. Issa’s retirement announcement, 31 House Republicans are not seeking reelection in 2018, a group that includes seven committee chairs.

5am – D/E     IMMIGRATION NEWS:

• Trump on whether he would sign an immigration bill that doesn’t include funding for the border wall: “No.”

• VP: “I think the president has made it very clear: there’s no deal on DACA without a wall.” #TheStory
• Judge cites Trump’s tweet in decision to block him from ending DACA.The federal judge who temporarily blocked President Trump’s decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program cited one of Trump’s own tweets in his decision.

6am – A         HOLLYWOOD HARASSMENT BACKLASH:

• WEINSTEIN: Harvey Weinstein Gets Slapped at Resort in Scottsdale.  An unidentified man began berating the mogul last night. Harvey Weinstein was accosted by a man at a resort in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Tuesday, according to video obtained by TMZ.  The disgraced movie mogul was at Elements restaurant at the Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort in Scottsdale when an unidentified man approached, began berating Weinstein before slapping him twice with the back of his hand, video shows.  “Our guests’ privacy is paramount at Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Resort & Spa. Therefore, we are unable to provide a comment,” a resort rep said in a statement to THR. A rep for Weinstein responded in an email: “The TMZ report is accurate.”
• JAMES FRANCO: New York Times Says James Franco Event Was Canceled Due to ‘Recent Allegations’
  • Franco accuser: Sarah Tither-Kaplan:  @sarahtk Hey James Franco, nice #timesup  pin at the #GoldenGlobes , remember a few weeks ago when you told me the full nudity you had me do in two of your movies for $100/day wasn’t exploitative because I signed a contract to do it? Times up on that!
  • James Franco Denies Sexual Misconduct Accusations on Colbert’s ‘Late Show’ At the end of a good-natured interview on “The Late Show” on Tuesday, Stephen Colbert asked James Franco to address the elephant in the room: allegations of sexual improprieties that had surfaced since Sunday. During Mr. Franco’s appearance at the Golden Globes, where he won for his lead role in “The Disaster Artist,” multiple women suggested on social media that he should not have been wearing a “Time’s Up” pin in solidarity with victims of gender inequality. The actress Ally Sheedy tweeted that he was an example of “why I left the film/tv business,” though she later removed the message. When Mr. Colbert asked for a response, Mr. Franco focused on the broader movement for gender equality, then denied any suggestion that he had acted improperly.
• RONAN: Woody Allen’s Son Ronan Farrow Says ‘Family Background’ Helped Him Understand ‘Abuse of Power’ (People) – Ronan Farrow is opening up about how his early family experience has galvanized him to take on abuse of power. The journalist is featured on the latest cover of The Hollywood Reporter where he gives insight into his in-depth coverage of the Harvey Weinstein scandal for the New Yorker — and how having Woody Allen as his father has shaped his life. “You see early in life with that kind of a family background the way in which the most powerful men in America wield power for good and for ill,” said Farrow, who is also actress Mia Farrow’s son. “And probably, yes, the family background made me someone who understood the abuse of power from an early age.”
• Ronan Farrow reveals he was forced to move out of his apartment while working on Harvey Weinstein exposé because threats against him became so dangerous – as he all but confirms his romance with Obama speechwriter (Daily Mail) —  Ronan Farrow has revealed that he was forced to move out of his Manhattan apartment while working on his explosive expose of Harvey Weinstein because the threats against his safety became so severe.  In a lengthy interview with The Hollywood Reporter which was published on Wednesday, Farrow, 30, eschewed credit for the MeToo movement as he reflected on his painstaking in New Yorker investigation into Weinstein and his alleged sexual misconduct.  Repeating earlier claims that editors, particularly at NBC, tried to pull him off the project as it intensified, he told how he became aware of mysterious men following him and recalled the threatening phone calls he received before the piece was published.  Mia Farrow, his actress mother, said she feared for his life as he persevered.  ‘He shared enough of what he was uncovering for me to be increasingly concerned for his safety.
• MICHAEL DOUGLAS: Michael Douglas denies sexual misconduct allegation. In a lengthy interview with entertainment industry website Deadline.com, Douglas denied he had masturbated in front of a woman who worked for him about 32 years ago. “This is a complete lie, fabrication, no truth to it whatsoever,” Douglas said. Douglas described the former employee as “sophisticated” and “intelligent”, with a “good sense of humour“. He said he had not had any contact with her in more than 30 years. The accusation by the unidentified woman has not been published but Douglas said he had been informed by his attorneys in December that The Hollywood Reporter and other publications were investigating her claim. “I felt the need to get ahead of this,” Douglas, 73, told Deadline. “I had the choice of waiting for a story to come out, one that will clearly get picked up by other newspapers and magazines, and then I have to sit there and try to defend myself.” The double Oscar-winner is the second celebrity to get his version of events out before being publicly accused of sexual impropriety in a scandal that has rocked Hollywood and led to many men being fired or cut out of projects. Documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock posted a social media message last month saying he was “part of the problem”, adding he had in the past been accused of rape and had settled a sexual harassment lawsuit. Douglas told Deadline he had been informed by his attorney that the woman also accused him of using coarse language around her, but not to her, and claimed that he had “blackballed” her in the industry after firing her. The actor denied blackballing the woman but admitted using “colourful language” in conversations with friends in his home and office.

6am – B         STATE OF THE UNION / ALL BLACK PROTEST:

• Lawmakers invited to wear black to State of the Union to support #MeToo movement. Washington (CNN) Some members of Congress plan to make a statement during President Donald Trump’s first State of the Union address later this month by wearing the color black. The gesture is meant to show support for the anti-sexual harassment #MeToo and #TimesUp movement, which has spread across the country. The sexual harassment scandal has plagued Congress in recent weeks, forcing several members to resign from office as a result. Democratic Rep. Jackie Speier of California, who has led the #MeToo movement on Capitol Hill by sharing her own story and encouraging fellow members and staffers to do the same, is part of the group planning to don black ensembles on January 30.

6am – C         RASMUSSEN POLL: OPRAH 48% TRUMP 38%… TV personality Oprah Winfrey is the likely winner over President Trump if the 2020 election were held today, but there are a lot of undecideds. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 48% of Likely U.S. Voters would opt for Winfrey, while 38% would choose Trump. But a sizable 14% are undecided. Winfrey has the support of 76% of Democrats, 22% of Republicans and 44% of voters not affiliated with either major political party. The president earns 66% of the vote from Republicans, 12% of Democrats and 38% of unaffiliateds.

6am – D/E     TRUMP / RUSSIAN COLLUSION:

• Trump refuses to commit to Mueller interview: Why do an interview when there’s no collusion?
• Trump says it ‘seems unlikely’ he would need to be interviewed in Russia probe, declines to say whether he would meet with Mueller
• Trump: “There was absolutely no collusion. Everybody knows it… It’s a Democrat hoax that was brought up as an excuse for losing an election.”
• Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump: The single greatest Witch Hunt in American history continues. There was no collusion, everybody including the Dems knows there was no collusion, & yet on and on it goes. Russia & the world is laughing at the stupidity they are witnessing. Republicans should finally take control!
• AXIOS: 49% of voters believe it is somewhat or very likely that Trump will be cleared in the Russia probe.
• Sean Hannity & Sara Carter Just Confirmed With Multiple Sources That Obama’s FBI Used The Fake Russian-Made Dossier To Get FISA Warrants To Wiretap Trump.

6am – F         DIET COKE MAKEOVER: Mango? Ginger lime? Diet Coke rolling out new flavors, new look.  Coca-Cola Company announced a massive makeover to its Diet Coke brand, adding a slew of new flavors and a sleek new design, while also slashing some old favorites from its lineup The new flavors — feisty cherry, ginger lime, twisted mango and zesty blood orange — and the original Diet Coke flavor will be packaged in tall, thin cans that have a distinct stripe to identify their respective flavors, according to BuzzFeed News.

7am – A         Meghan McCain confronts Michael Wolff about factual errors in book: ‘This is why people hate journalists’

7am – B/C     INTERVIEW – KAYLEIGH MCENANY – author of new book “The New American Revolution: The Making of a Populist Movement” @kayleighmcenany

• Kayleigh’s new book ties into the upcoming anniversary of Trump’s inauguration. Kayleigh traveled across the nation, speaking one with countless frustrated Americans whose voices had long been ignored by Washington’s elite. These salt-of-the-earth people shared their deeply personal tales and the issues that are most important to them, such as illegal immigration, safety from terrorist attacks, and religious freedom. In Hillbilly Elegy tradition, The New American Revolution portrays a forgotten people, and how those people rose up and changed the course of political history forever.

7am – D         INTERVIEW – SUSAN FERRECHIO – the chief congressional correspondent for the Washington Examiner @susanferrechio – discussed the latest on the DACA deal, FISA vote today and GOP retirements.

7am – E         Revised Obama Presidential Library Looks Like The Stump Of The Washington Monument.

• Lavish Obama Center hits mounting opposition in Chicago as profs blast plans, ‘socially regressive’ ideas. (Fox News) – Plans for the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago are coming under fire amid concerns about the cost and doubts about the benefits for the local area, with a group of professors from the school where Barack Obama once taught slamming one proposal as “socially regressive.” The former president said in a video statement released Tuesday that he had been “pretty hands-on” with the project and had high hopes for what it could do for the local area. “Michelle and I want this center to be more than just a building,” Obama said. “We want to create an economic engine for the South Side of Chicago, a cultural attraction that showcases the South Side to the rest of the world.” The Obama Foundation, which unveiled updated plans on Wednesday, says that the center is estimated to support nearly 5,000 new jobs during construction and 2,500 permanent jobs once it opens. It also claims that in its first 10 years, the center is expected to have a total economic impact of $3.1 billion. But in an open letter published Monday, more than 100 University of Chicago professors and faculty members said they share the concerns of a wide range of neighborhood and activist groups that “the Obama Center as currently planned will not provide the promised development or economic benefits to the neighborhoods” on the South Side of Chicago.

8am – A         INTERVIEW – RAJ SHAH – Principal Deputy Press Secretary for the White House @RajShah45 — discussed the president’s immigration priorities on WMAL.

8am – B/C     Calls on Trump’s immigration plans.

8am – D         INTERVIEW – LT. COL. TONY SHAFFER – a CIA trained former senior intelligence officer and the New York Times bestselling author of ” Operation Dark Heart.” @T_S_P_O_O_K_Y ‏

• NORTH KOREA / TRUMP: South Korea’s president credits Trump for talks with North Korea (Washington Times) — South Korea’s president said Wednesday that President Trump “deserves big credit” for renewed talks between South and North Korea, and that Mr. Trump has offered to negotiate personally with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. “It could be a resulting work of the U.S.-led sanctions and pressure,” President Moon Jae-in told reporters. “I think President Trump deserves big credit for bringing about the inter-Korean talks.” Mr. Trump told Mr. Moon in a phone call that he is open to talking with North Korea, the South’s presidential office said. Mr. Trump also said there would be no military action while talks are ongoing, the statement said. The White House said that Mr. Moon thanked the president “for his influential leadership in making the talks possible.” The North-South talks, held on Tuesday, were the first in two years, and North Korea announced that it would send a delegation to the Olympics in Pyeongchang next month. Mr. Trump said Vice President Mike Pence will lead the U.S. delegation to the games.
• IRAN:  Trump is likely to keep Iran deal in place — for now. Trump must decide by Friday whether to continue waiving key sanctions that were lifted as part of the 2015 nuclear accord between the United States, Iran, China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and Germany. President Donald Trump is expected to announce this week whether the U.S. will remain committed to the Iran nuclear pact. President Trump is expected to waive sanctions on Iran this week under the terms of the Iran nuclear deal, the AP reports citing U.S. officials. Why it matters: By not immediately reimposing the sanctions, Trump is avoiding a step that could effectively end the Iran nuclear deal. But he’s expected to add new sanctions on Iranian businesses and people, some of which apply to entities that saw their sanctions scrapped under the deal. That “could test Tehran’s willingness to abide by its side of the bargain,” per AP.
• TRUMP / RUSSIAN COLLUSION: Trump refuses to commit to Mueller interview: Why do an interview when there’s no collusion? Trump says it ‘seems unlikely’ he would need to be interviewed in Russia probe, declines to say whether he would meet with Mueller

8am – E         D.C. Council looking to open more public bathrooms in the city. WASHINGTON (WMAL) – There are only three public restrooms open 24/7 in D.C.

Those facilities are located at the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials and Union Station. Wednesday the city council discussed a bill that would set up a working group to look into creating more public restrooms in the city and offering financial incentives to private businesses to get them to open their bathrooms to the public. “I think there’s a willingness from the business community to step up to the plate, but they want to be in partnership with the District, and I think, as we’ve seen with Starbucks, they don’t want to be the only one doing it,” Will Handsfield with Georgetown’s Business Improvement District told the council. Handsfield said, not surprisingly, many people use the bathroom at the two Starbucks locations in Georgetown as a public bathroom, which is becoming problematic. He believes Starbucks and other businesses would be willing to open their bathrooms to the public if the city reimbursed them for toilet paper, other supplies and the costs of having the bathrooms cleaned.