Weather Channel’s Ray Stagich, London correspondent Karin Caifa, Mark Levin, Rep. Steve King and Bret Baier joined WMAL on Friday!

Mornings on the Mall

Friday, May 18, 2018

Hosts: Mary Walter and Vince Coglianese

Executive Producer: Heather Hunter

 

5am – A/B/C VA BEACH POLICE MOVE TO ENCRYPT POLICE SCANNERS. City police plan to begin encrypting all the radio channels they use, ending the public’s ability to listen in. It will go forward if the City Council approves a five-year, $6.2 million plan when they vote May 15 on the budget. In city documents, police said encryption is needed because criminals listen to police communications. It would greatly increase officer safety and help protect citizens, they wrote.

5am – D         ‘Bigger than Watergate’: Trump joins push by allies to expose role of an FBI sourceTRUMP: Report that Obama FBI spied on campaign could be ‘bigger than Watergate’…

• Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump: Wow, word seems to be coming out that the Obama FBI “SPIED ON THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN WITH AN EMBEDDED INFORMANT.” Andrew McCarthy says, “There’s probably no doubt that they had at least one confidential informant in the campaign.” If so, this is bigger than Watergate! 8:45 AM – May 17, 2018

5am – E         INTERVIEW — RAY STAGICH – Meteorologist for The Weather Channel  @TWCRayStagich ‏– discussed whether the rain will ever end.  

• Today|Periods of rain. (some heavy) High 67F. Winds ENE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall possibly over one inch. Localized flooding is possible.
• Tonight|Rain likely. Thunder possible. Low 57F. Winds ENE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%.
• Tomorrow|Rain and scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon. High around 80F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
• Tomorrow night|Cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 70F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph.
• Sunday|A few thunderstorms possible. Highs in the upper 80s and lows in the upper 60s.

 

6am – A/B/C AUDIO: MEDIA RAGES OVER PRESIDENT TRUMP’S MS-13 ANIMALS COMMENTS:

• Kellyanne Conway: Trump owed an apology after criticism from calling some immigrants “animals”
• MSNBC Blames Trump for Media ‘Confusion’ Over His MS-13 Comments
• “The president was very clearly referring to MS-13 gang members, who enter the country illegally and deportations are hamstrung by our laws,” Press Sec says of President Trump’s “these aren’t people, these are animals” comment
• “I am referring to the MS-13 gangs that are coming in. I was talking about the MS-13 and if you look further under the tape you will see that.” President Trump clarifies “These aren’t people, these are animals” comment.
• CNN, AP Forced to Correct Stories Saying Trump Called Immigrants ‘Animals,’ Clarify He Meant MS-13
• Press Sec Smackdown: If the Liberal Media ‘Want to Defend MS-13, They’re More Than Welcome to’
• Nancy Pelosi defends violent MS-13 gang members in response to Trump, says they’re not animals
• Journalists Defend ‘Humanity’ Of MS-13 To Smear Trump
• CNN’s Navarro: Trump’s MS-13 ‘Animals’ Remark a Nazi-Like Attempt to ‘Dehumanize’ Immigrants

6am – D         SUPERHERO NEWS:

• Michael Keaton caps commencement speech with two words: ‘I’m Batman.’ Michael Keaton ended his commencement address on Saturday with two words — two “very important” words. “I’ve got one more thing to say and it’ll only take me a second, and I’ve got two words that I want you all to remember,” he said, capping off his nearly 20-minute-long speech. “They’re very important, and if I leave you with anything, I’m going to leave you with these two words. And those two words are: I’m Batman.” Keaton uttered those words in Tim Burton’s Batman from 1989 and its 1992 sequel Batman Returns. It’s since become his signature as he continues to make various fan appearances.

6am – E         ROYAL WEDDING NEWS:

• Kensington Palace says Prince Charles will walk Meghan Markle down the aisle in her wedding to Prince Harry.
• Meghan’s pot farmer nephew’s tasteful wedding gift – meet ‘Markle Sparkle’ (Daily Mail) — EXCLUSIVE: Meghan’s pot farmer nephew’s tasteful wedding gift – meet ‘Markle Sparkle’ which is ‘sweet, silky with a hint of blueberry’ and ‘a royal weed for a royal wedding.’ Meghan Markle’s nephew has revealed that the pot he is growing in her honor has a ‘very sweet, silky taste’ with a hint of Blueberry. Tyler Dooley released full details of the ‘Markle Sparkle’, which he grows at his marijuana farm in Oregon – where growing and selling the drug is legal – and said it would give users a euphoric tingling sensation. The $150-an-ounce strain is supposedly good for insomnia, pain and anxiety but has been engineered so that it doesn’t make users feel too hungry. arkle’s marketing effort may help make up for him, his mom and his brother all being dropped by ITV from commentating on the wedding for Good Morning Britain.
• HOW TO WATCH THE ROYAL WEDDING:  If you miss early 2000s SNL: The Royal Wedding Live With Cord and Tish! “Broadcast legends” Cord Hosenbeck and Tish Cattigan (Will Ferrell and Molly Shannon, playing an unctuous local-news team) host HBO’s coverage of the wedding  as only they can. The hilarious characters, who hosted this year’s Tournament of Roses Parade on Amazon, will start at 7:30 a.m. ET/4:30 PT on May 19 (re-airing at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT), commenting on all things royal and profane, with some special guests along the way. 

6am – F         AVENATTI NEWS:

• Michael Avenatti’s Company Fired Pregnant Woman For Being Pregnant, Court Docs Show.  Michael Avenatti’s coffee chain fired a top-performing store manager in July 2016 because she became pregnant, a court found according to documents obtained by The Daily Caller News Foundation.
• Show Starring Avenatti and Scaramucci Is Being Pitched to Television Executives. MSNBC, CNN Have Been Pitched Show Featuring Avenatti, Scaramucci. You might liken it to “Crossfire” for the era of President Donald Trump. (USA Today) – Talent agency UTA has casually pitched MSNBC and CNN the idea of a new program featuring Trump confidant Anthony Scaramucci and anti-Trump attorney Michael Avenatti, according to a person familiar with the situation. No deal has been made, this person said, and there is no guarantee the concept will come to fruition. A show could not launch until after Avenatti dispenses with current client obligations, this person cautioned, including the case he has been pursuing on behalf of adult actress Stormy Daniels. MSNBC declined to comment. UTA declined to comment.  A CNN spokesperson could not be reached for immediate comment. The nascent effort to package the two figures was reported previously by The New York Times.
• Michael Avenatti @MichaelAvenatti: Lol. I have no interest in television right now. I’ll leave that to the experts. I enjoy practicing law and look forward to prevailing on behalf of my client Stormy Daniels. That’s where my focus is. #focused #basta

 

7am – A         INTERVIEW – KARIN CAIFA — WMAL correspondent in London

• Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on Saturday, May 19. The ceremony at Windsor Castle is expected to begin at 7:00am (ET) with the church service lasting approximately one hour. Afterwards, the newlyweds will greet guests outside the chapel, then travel in a two mile procession around the town of Windsor. The couple will then attend a reception hosted by Queen Elizabeth II on the castle grounds
• Royal wedding 2018: Prince Charles to walk Meghan down the aisle / BREAKING: Kensington Palace says Prince Charles will walk Meghan Markle down the aisle in her wedding to Prince Harry.

7am – B         WH TAKES ON LAUREL OR YANNY:

• Trump’s White House tackles America’s most divisive question: Laurel or Yanny? (USA Today) – A new video from the White House shows various administration officials giving their take on the audio clip that has divided the nation. “So clearly Laurel,” an amused Ivanka Trump says while looking at the viral post that started it all.  “It’s Laurel,” says Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway. “But I could deflect and divert to Yanny if you need me to,” adds the woman who coined the phrase “alternative facts.”  When asked about reports that she hears “Laurel,” White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders responds, “Clearly, you’re getting your information from CNN, because that’s fake news. All I hear is Yanny.”  “Who’s Yanny?” Vice President Pence asks.  “All I hear is covfefe,” President Trump says.  
• You can hear “Brainstorm” or “Green Needle” based on whichever one you think about. Pure black magic. We’re well past ‘Yanny’ and ‘Laurel’!

7am – C         Fox News Names Its First Female CEO: ‘She Has Now Made History’ (Daily Wire) — “The only woman running a major news organization that includes both cable and broadcast.” Fox News has named the permanent replacement for CEO Roger Ailes, who was ousted in 2016, and in the spirit of “Time’s Up,” the new chief executive of the top-rated cable news network is a woman: veteran programming executive Suzanne Scott — the first ever female CEO of Fox and now the only woman running a major cable and broadcast news organization. The appointment of Scott as CEO of both Fox News and Fox Business Network comes amid a larger restructuring of 21st Century Fox as part of its deal with Disney, which is acquiring the bulk of the company’s assets. CNN reports that Rupert Murdoch, who acted as CEO after Ailes was forced out in 2016 amid sexual harassment allegations, will continue to serve as executive chairman of the reformed parent company, along with his son, Lachlan. Scott has been with Fox News since it launched in 1996 and spent several years helping develop and oversee programming at the network, serving as president of programming for the last year.

7am – D         INTERVIEW – MARK LEVIN — “The Great One” — WMAL host from 6 to 9 pm, host of Levin TV and host of new Fox show “Life, Liberty & Levin” – shared his thoughts on the Crossfire Hurricane NYT story and the one year anniversary of the Mueller probe.

7am – E         Starbucks apologizes after racial slur written on customer’s cup (The Hill) — Starbucks apologized Wednesday after a customer reportedly found a racial slur written on their cup, just two weeks before the coffee chain is set to hold company-wide racial bias training for employees. A Latino man named Pedro found the word “Beaner” written on his iced coffee drink at a Starbucks near Los Angeles, a local CBS affiliate reported, citing a friend of the man who spoke to the affiliate through a translator. “He went to Starbucks, and they asked for his name, and his name is ‘Peter,’ and they wrote this ‘beaner,’” the friend, Miguel Acosta, told the affiliate. The company issued a statement apologizing for the incident. “This is not indicative of the type of experience we want our customers to have when they walk into our stores. We have apologized to the customer directly and are working to make things right,” it said, according to CBS2. Starbucks will close all 8,000-plus company-owned stores across the nation on May 29 to conduct racial bias training with its employees, weeks after an incident where a store manager in Philadelphia called the police on two black men who were waiting on a friend but who had not ordered anything.

8am – A         INTERVIEW — REP. STEVE KING – R-IA — discuss the immigration fight on Capitol Hill – discuss the immigration fight in Congress.

• Steve King @SteveKingIA: May 16: “Holly Cow! Freedom Caucus is linking Amnesty Bill to Farm Bill! Do I have to start an Anti-Amnesty Caucus? @realDonaldTrump @RepMarkMeadows”
• Paul Ryan: Forcing votes on immigration reform is “futile” (The Hill) — House Speaker Paul Ryan said he is trying to work out a deal with Republicans on an immigration reform bill that has enough support to pass. But so far, he said, no bill has enough support, and he argued against holding votes on bills that can’t go anywhere. “Clearly, we don’t have 218 votes for a specific bill,” Ryan, R-Wis., said Thursday.
• Trump wants action on border wall, immigration (The Hill) — President Trump on Tuesday demanded that Congress make progress on building his signature wall along the Mexican border, underlining his frustration with the lack of legislative progress on immigration. During a visit to Capitol Hill, Trump called on Congress to beef up border security, crack down on so-called sanctuary cities and end the practice of “catch and release” immigration laws — a slate of ideas that have run into a buzz saw of opposition from Democrats. “We are calling on Congress to secure our borders, support our border agents, stop sanctuary cities and shut down policies that release violent criminals back into our communities,” Trump said at an event outside the Capitol honoring fallen law enforcement officers. “We don’t want it any longer. We’ve had it. Enough is enough.”
• Immigration Bills Split House Republicans (WSJ) — WASHINGTON—Support grew in the House for an effort to force a vote on several immigration proposals, sparking some conservatives to consider using a coming vote on the farm bill as leverage to try to block them. GOP Reps. John Katko of New York and David Trott of Michigan on Wednesday joined a push from 18 other centrist Republicans to force a House floor vote on a series of immigration bills, including ones with a path to citizenship for young undocumented immigrants known as Dreamers.
• McCarthy to GOP: DACA vote could cost us the House (Politico) — The House Majority Leader warns centrists that forcing votes on immigration could cost the party its majority in the midterms.
• Two more Republicans back immigration discharge petition (The Hill) — Reps. John Katko (N.Y.) and Dave Trott (Mich.) have signed on to a discharge petition to force a series of votes on immigration, becoming the 19th and 20th Republicans to back it. The growing support for the petition comes as GOP leaders have warned rank-and-file Republicans not to support it. The petition, introduced by Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-Fla.) last week, would force votes on four immigration measures on the floor, getting around leadership in the process. The leadership of the majority party can generally control what gets to the floor for a vote, but if a majority of members back a discharge petition, they can force a vote.

8am – B/C     AUDIO: MEDIA RAGES OVER PRESIDENT TRUMP’S MS-13 ANIMALS COMMENTS

8am – D         INTERVIEW – BRET BAIER – Anchor of “Special Report” on the Fox News Channel and author of new book ‘Three Days in Moscow: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of the Soviet Empire’ – discussed his appearance on The View and reflected on the anniversary of Mueller probe this week.

8am – E         Man to armed robber: ‘You’re not getting my Louis Vuitton’ HOLLAND TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — Despite the warning shots from a man trying to rob him, Jerad Kluting said he refused to give the perpetrator his Louis Vuitton bag. The robbery attempt happened around 5 p.m. Monday as the victim walked along Riley Street west of US-31 in Holland Township. Authorities say would-be robber pulled a gun on Kluting, demanded the bag and fired at least three shots from a handgun. Shortly after the incident, authorities pulled over the 21-year-old suspect and arrested him. Ottawa County Sheriff’s Capt. Mark Bennett said the man had a stolen handgun with him in the car. Police did not release the suspect’s name Tuesday because he has not been charged but Bennett said the young man had no known criminal history. A decision on charges in the case is expected to be made Wednesday. “It happened very fast. In one motion he took the gun out of his waist belt and with the other hand put up a bandana over his mouth and pointed, was like, ‘Give me your bag,’” Kluting explained when he returned to the scene of the crime for an interview Tuesday. “I was like, ‘You’re not getting my Louis Vuitton.’ I worked very hard for this and this bag I’ve had forever and it means a lot to me. I wasn’t about ready to relinquish it to some thug that was going to demand it from me.”