The Vince Coglianese Show

Best of: Matt Lewis, Alexandria Police's Courtney Ballantine, Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer, Stephen Moore, Jessie Jane Duff

INTERVIEW - KEVIN MCCARTHY -  film critic for FOX 5 DC @KevinMcCarthyTV – reviewed the latest Star Wars film.

Is The New Star Wars Film Awful? News Reports Suggest It's "On Track To Be The Worst-Reviewed Film" In The Saga

“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” is on track to be the worst-reviewed film in the nine-picture saga

All The Jedi Poso @JackPosobiec Disney paid $4 Billion to ruin Star Wars LOL

INTERVIEW - TIM MURTAUGH -- Director of Communications for the Trump 2020 campaign – shared his thoughts on last night’s Democratic debate and the House impeachment vote.

Trump campaign raises $5 million on day of impeachment. (NY Post) - President Trump’s re-election campaign raked in $5 million in donations Wednesday — the day the House of Representatives voted to impeach him, his campaign manager said. “Incredible fundraising numbers!” manager Brad Parscale tweeted. “[Trump] has raised over [$5 million] (still growing) today as Americans use their wallet to show support against Pelosi’s impeachment hoax!” he added. The Republican National Committee also brought in record fundraising numbers, gaining $20.6 million in the month of November, according to Federal Election Commission data obtained by Fox News. Party officials told the network that it has the most cash on hand that it’s had since 2012.

INTERVIEW - LARRY MICHAEL - Voice of The Redskins – previewed Redskins vs. Giants Week 16. 

Redskins vs. Giants Week 16: When the Redskins fell handily to the Giants in Week 4, things were a lot different for both squads. The win was New York's second in a row, and rookie QB Daniel Jones's second win in as many tries. But following that win, the Giants went on a nine-game losing streak before an Eli Manning-led Giants team defeated the Dolphins last week. The loss was Washington's fourth in a row, marking their worst start in close to two decades. After Washington lost the following week, they fired head coach Jay Gruden.  Redskins quarterback Dwayne Haskins saw his first NFL action in the Redskins' Week 4 loss to the Giants, a game the rookie would love to forget. In fact, he said on Wednesday he "throws up" when watching the film from that contest. Haskins is coming off his best game as a pro, and will look to carry that momentum into this week's contest against the Giants. Sunday's game also has a ton to do with draft position. If the season ended today, the Giants would select No. 3 overall, with Washington right behind them at No. 4. Assuming the Dolphins defeat the 1-12 Bengals this weekend, the loser of Sunday's Redskins-Giants contest would have a clear path to the No. 2 overall pick. So, in other words, the loser of Sunday's game is the winner of the Chase Young sweepstakes. This week will also be the first matchup between Jones and Haskins as starters, as Jones is expected to return to action this week. Everyone remembers Haskins' reaction on draft night when the Giants selected Jones over him. This game means a lot to both rookies.

INTERVIEW - NEWT GINGRICH  - Former Speaker of the House, host of "Newt's World" podcast and author of new book "Trump Vs. China: Facing America's Greatest Threat" – discussed this week’s House impeachment vote and last night’s Dem debate.

Mornings on the Mall

Friday, December 20, 2019

Hosts: Mary Walter and Vince Coglianese

Executive Producer: Heather Hunter

Newt Gingrich, Larry Michael, Tim Murtaugh and Kevin McCarthy joined WMAL on Monday!

 

5am – A/B/CIMPEACHMENT UPDATE:

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has made the decision to delay sending articles of impeachment to the Republican Senate. Pelosi announced Wednesday that she would delay sending the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate until Republican leaders offer more details about how they will handle an expected trial.

McConnell: Senate, House Democrats at 'impasse' over Trump impeachment Senate trial. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., returned to the Senate floor late Thursday to declare that the Senate and House Democrats were at an "impasse" over whether the House would transmit its articles of impeachment against President Trump to the GOP-controlled Senate for a constitutionally mandated trial.

 

5am – D/E     Durham Is Scrutinizing Ex-C.I.A. Director’s Role in Russian Interference Findings. (NY Times) -- WASHINGTON — The federal prosecutor scrutinizing the Russia investigation has begun examining the role of the former C.I.A. director John O. Brennan in how the intelligence community assessed Russia’s 2016 election interference, according to three people briefed on the inquiry. John H. Durham, the United States attorney leading the investigation, has requested Mr. Brennan’s emails, call logs and other documents from the C.I.A., according to a person briefed on his inquiry. He wants to learn what Mr. Brennan told other officials, including the former F.B.I. director James B. Comey, about his and the C.I.A.’s views of a notorious dossier of assertions about Russia and Trump associates. Mr. Durham’s pursuit of Mr. Brennan’s records is certain to add to accusations that Mr. Trump is using the Justice Department to go after his perceived enemies. The president has long attacked Mr. Brennan as part of his narrative about a so-called deep state cabal of Obama administration officials who tried to sabotage his campaign, and Mr. Trump has held out Mr. Durham’s investigation as a potential avenue for proving those claims. Mr. Durham is also examining whether Mr. Brennan privately contradicted his public comments, including May 2017 testimony to Congress, about both the dossier and about any debate among the intelligence agencies over their conclusions on Russia’s interference, the people said.

 

6am – A/B/C A Georgia family found an owl hiding in their Christmas tree. Atlanta (CNN) A Georgia family got a special holiday surprise last week after finding an owl hiding inside their Christmas tree. The discovery came last Thursday evening when Katie McBride Newman and her two children, India and Jack, were finishing dinner.

India, 10, had started to clear the table and was in another room when Newman heard her exclaim, "Oh my gosh!" "She comes very dramatically into the dining room and goes, 'Mama, that ornament scared me,'" Newman told CNN. "Then she bursts into tears." Newman said she's a big fan of owls, so the tree actually had about a dozen owl ornaments gracing its branches. At first, Newman said she thought India had just been spooked by one of those. So Newman checked it out, ready to calm her daughter's fears. But when she peered into the tree for the ornament, she saw the owl turn its head and look straight at her. "And I'm like, 'Oh, that's a real owl,'" Newman said. Meanwhile, India had disappeared into the other room, in tears again. Owl may have been in their tree for over a week. The family had purchased the tree from a store about two days after Thanksgiving, so at first they thought the owl must have flown in and taken refuge inside their tree, Newman's husband, Billy, told CNN. The family left their windows and doors open that night, hoping the bird would leave on its own -- but it didn't.

 

6am – D/E/F  DEM DEBATE HIGHLIGHTS:

Just a month and a half before the Iowa caucuses, the three-hour Democratic Presidential Debate in Los Angeles only seven candidates met the party's thresholds for qualification this time: former Vice President Joe Biden, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, and businessmen Andrew Yang and Tom Steyer.

Andrew Yang on loss of manufacturing jobs: "If you turned on cable network news today, you would think (Trump's) our president because of some combination of Russia, racism, Facebook, Hillary Clinton and emails all mixed together. But Americans around the country know different."

Woodruff looks at Steyer while mistakenly addressing her question to "Mr. Yang"

Yang claps at her, trying to get her to look in his direction: "Over here!"

Andrew Yang talks about being the only candidate of color at the Dem Debate: “It’s both an honor and disappointment to be the lone candidate of color on this stage tonight. I miss Kamala [Harris]. I miss Cory [Booker] although I think Cory will be back.”

‘I’m White As Well!’ Bernie Sanders Yells When Debate Moderator Points Out He’s An Old Man

“I’m white as well!” 2020 presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders yelled at a debate moderator who asked a question about the 78-year-old’s age during Thursday night’s Democratic debate.

Moderator Tim Alberta brought up remarks made by former President Barack Obama earlier this week when Obama said that old men not getting out of the way are to blame for many world problems.

Biden on Obama's slam on old male leaders: 'He wasn't talking about me'

Politico reporter tries to ask Biden if he will run again a second term

Warren, 70, replies she'd be 'youngest woman' president when debate talk turns to age

Joe Biden didn’t understand the debate moderator's pronunciation of Afghanistan

It was a big, big mistake to surge forces to Afghanistan,’ Biden says

 

7am – A         INTERVIEW - NEWT GINGRICH  - Former Speaker of the House, host of "Newt's World" podcast and author of new book "Trump Vs. China: Facing America's Greatest Threat" – discussed this week’s House impeachment vote and last night’s Dem debate.

 

7am – B/C     A D.C. strip club had been there for years. But a new name is sparking protest. (Washington Post) -- For several decades, the neighbors had maintained an uneasy coexistence with the Northwest Washington strip bar, at one point forging an agreement that banned the proprietor from putting up signs that contained any hint of sexual innuendo. But new owners have re-christened the club “Assets,” scandalizing residents who contend that the name — rendered in pink neon above the awning — is not fit for a spot that borders two residential neighborhoods: Dupont Circle and Kalorama. A community leader, in a protest letter to District officials, cited no less an authority than the Urban Dictionary — that crowdsourced scroll of street slang — to complain that the signage suggests a “person’s body, as in boobs,” and a “well known, vulgar term for a person’s rear end.” “It’s just crass,” said Marie Drissel, who lives in a townhouse toward the far end of a long block down from the club, which is at Connecticut and Florida avenues NW. “It’s 2019 — what are they thinking? Why didn’t they pick a nondescript name? The minute I saw it, I knew what it was.” Gabby Miller, 26, the club’s proprietor, described Assets as “the perfect name” for her establishment — “cheeky” and suggestive of “something of value” — and brushed aside criticism that it demeans women. Miller, who is African American, said the naysayers are unhappy because of a perception that she caters to a black clientele. “The problem is that there are some black faces on this side of Connecticut Avenue,” she said. “They’re seeing dark faces coming in and out of the building. They’re seeing the bouncers outside. They’re saying the things that you would expect a 75-year-old Caucasian to say.” Donald Friedman, the head of a citizens group who wrote the letter citing the club’s name, described himself as “flabbergasted” by Miller’s claim, one that he first heard her make at a community meeting. “Our jaws dropped,” said Friedman, 74, the leader of the Sheridan-Kalorama Neighborhood Council. “I and most of the people — virtually everybody I talked to — were unaware of who their clientele is. Race has no issue.”

 

7am – D         WINE CAVES:

2020 Democrats' debate erupts as candidates spar over donors'

Long-simmering tensions boiled over at Thursday night's 2020 Democratic presidential primary debate in Los Angeles, as a blunt one-on-one sparring match erupted between Pete Buttigieg and Elizabeth Warren over their fundraising -- just minutes after businessman Andrew Yang slammed Democrats' "obsession" with President Trump and impeachment. Sen. Warren, D-Mass., began the fiery exchange by criticizing Buttigieg's recent lavish fundraiser in Napa, Calif., saying he was cavorting with "billionaires in wine caves." That prompted Buttigieg to retort that Warren, a multimillionaire, was a populist in name only. "You know, according to Forbes magazine, I'm literally the only person on this stage who is not a millionaire or billionaire," Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Ind., said. "This is the problem with issuing purity tests you yourself cannot pass."

Warren calls out Mayor Pete for doing a fundraiser at a wine cave

Buttigieg responds that he’s literally the only person on stage who isn’t a millionaire or billionaire.

 

7am – E         INTERVIEW - LARRY MICHAEL - Voice of The Redskins – previewed Redskins vs. Giants Week 16. 

Redskins vs. Giants Week 16: When the Redskins fell handily to the Giants in Week 4, things were a lot different for both squads. The win was New York's second in a row, and rookie QB Daniel Jones's second win in as many tries. But following that win, the Giants went on a nine-game losing streak before an Eli Manning-led Giants team defeated the Dolphins last week. The loss was Washington's fourth in a row, marking their worst start in close to two decades. After Washington lost the following week, they fired head coach Jay Gruden.  Redskins quarterback Dwayne Haskins saw his first NFL action in the Redskins' Week 4 loss to the Giants, a game the rookie would love to forget. In fact, he said on Wednesday he "throws up" when watching the film from that contest. Haskins is coming off his best game as a pro, and will look to carry that momentum into this week's contest against the Giants. Sunday's game also has a ton to do with draft position. If the season ended today, the Giants would select No. 3 overall, with Washington right behind them at No. 4. Assuming the Dolphins defeat the 1-12 Bengals this weekend, the loser of Sunday's Redskins-Giants contest would have a clear path to the No. 2 overall pick. So, in other words, the loser of Sunday's game is the winner of the Chase Young sweepstakes. This week will also be the first matchup between Jones and Haskins as starters, as Jones is expected to return to action this week. Everyone remembers Haskins' reaction on draft night when the Giants selected Jones over him. This game means a lot to both rookies.

 

8am – A         INTERVIEW - TIM MURTAUGH -- Director of Communications for the Trump 2020 campaign – shared his thoughts on last night’s Democratic debate and the House impeachment vote.

Trump campaign raises $5 million on day of impeachment. (NY Post) - President Trump’s re-election campaign raked in $5 million in donations Wednesday — the day the House of Representatives voted to impeach him, his campaign manager said. “Incredible fundraising numbers!” manager Brad Parscale tweeted. “[Trump] has raised over [$5 million] (still growing) today as Americans use their wallet to show support against Pelosi’s impeachment hoax!” he added. The Republican National Committee also brought in record fundraising numbers, gaining $20.6 million in the month of November, according to Federal Election Commission data obtained by Fox News. Party officials told the network that it has the most cash on hand that it’s had since 2012.

 

8am – B/C     Fairfax County School Board memberRyan McElveen: I’m immensely proud that, beginning January 27, 2020, Fairfax County Public Schools will become one of the first school districts in the nation to allow excused absences for civic engagement activities.

 

8am – D         INTERVIEW - KEVIN MCCARTHY -  film critic for FOX 5 DC @KevinMcCarthyTV – reviewed the latest Star Wars film.

Is The New Star Wars Film Awful? News Reports Suggest It's "On Track To Be The Worst-Reviewed Film" In The Saga

“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” is on track to be the worst-reviewed film in the nine-picture saga

All The Jedi Poso @JackPosobiec Disney paid $4 Billion to ruin Star Wars LOL

 

8am – E         Miss America Is Now a Scientist! Camille Schrier of Virginia Wins Crown After On-Stage Experiment. "Miss America is someone who needs to educate," said the 24-year-old PharmD student. (People) -- Miss Virginia Camille Schrier earned the title of Miss America 2020 on Thursday night, beating out 50 other contestants for the prestigious crown after performing the show’s first-ever science demonstration in the talent portion. Schrier, 24, showed the audience the catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide, and earned high praise from the judges — Kelly Rowland, Queer Eye‘s Karamo Brown and Superstore actress Lauren Ash — when she told them, “Miss America is someone who needs to educate.” Prior to her win, Schrier — a PharmD student at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy — thanked the pageant for “taking the focus off our bodies” and giving her a chance to be recognized for her smarts, personality and mission.Schrier said her goal as Miss America was to promote drug safety and abuse prevention while also championing STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education. She was presented with the crown, which comes with more than $300,000 scholarships and a year of representing the organization, by her predecessor, Miss America 2019 Nia Franklin, 26.

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Mornings on the Mall Podcast - 2019-12-20

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Mornings on the Mall

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Hosts: Mary Walter and Vince Coglianese

Executive Producer: Heather Hunter

Saagar Enjeti, Mark Krikorian, Jenna Ellis and Tom Bevan joined WMAL on Thursday!

 

5am – A/B/C IMPEACHMENT:

Trump impeached over Ukraine dealing, as Pelosi floats holding up Senate trial. Without any Republican support, the House on Wednesday night voted to impeach President Trump for "abuse of power" and "obstruction of Congress" related to his dealings with Ukraine, making Trump the third American president ever to be impeached. The separate votes on the two counts teed up an all-but-certain acquittal in the Senate, should House Democrats forward the charges to the GOP-controlled chamber. They also fulfilled a promise made by some Democrats ever since Trump's inauguration to impeach him, even as polls have shown a decline in public support for the action. However, late Wednesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif, floated the possibility that the House would not send the articles of impeachment to the Senate, where Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., likely would oversee a strong defense of the president that could prove politically damaging for vulnerable Democrats."We’ll make a decision ... as we go along," Pelosi told reporters, adding that "we'll see what the process will be on the Senate side." "We have acted," Pelosi continued, repeatedly refusing to commit to sending the articles of impeachment to the Senate. "Now, they'll understand what their responsibilities are, and we'll see what that is.”

Pelosi threatens to withhold impeachment articles until Senate guarantees 'fair’ trial. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) will not commit to delivering two approved articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump to the Senate.

 

5am – D         Surveillance footage outside of Jeffrey Epstein’s cell during suicide attempt is missing. New York Daily News |Surveillance footage of the outside of Jeffrey Epstein’s cell at the troubled Metropolitan Correctional Center during his suicide attempt has gone missing, prosecutors revealed Wednesday. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Swergold admitted nobody can find the footage of the outside of the cell the multimillionaire perv shared with accused quadruple murderer Nick Tartaglione during a hearing in White Plains District Court. Tartaglione, a former Briarcliff Manor cop, faces the death penalty for the alleged murders in a drug deal gone bad. Bruce Barket, an attorney for Tartaglione, confirmed the stunning revelation that the footage was not preserved. The Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s Office declined comment. Tartaglione’s attorneys filed a request for the footage to be retained two days after Epstein’s unsuccessful suicide attempt on July 23, Barket said. It is on the surface troubling,” Barket said. “I’ll reserve judgement until I’ve found out more details.” Judge Kenneth Karas asked the government to look further into what happened to the footage. The Daily News previously reported that Tartaglione claimed to have saved Epstein’s life after the pedophile perv tried to hang himself. Epstein reportedly claimed that Tartaglione attacked him.“ Nick acted appropriately and admirably,” Barket said. The video footage was relevant to Tartaglione’s defense because it is potentially evidence of the ex-cop’s good character. In the event Tartaglione is found guilty and reaches the death penalty phase, the Epstein incident could possibly be evidence showing why he doesn’t deserve to die.

 

5am – E         Presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard votes 'PRESENT' on impeachment articles against Trump

 

6am – A/B/C CHAOS IN CONGRESS -- PELOSI SCOLDS CHEERS ON SOLEMN DAY, DEMS CELEBRATING AND FIESTY HOUSE FLOOR SPEECHES:

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi: "December 18th, a great day for the Constitution of the United States. A sad one for America that the President's reckless activities necessitated us ... to introduce articles of impeachment"

Speaker Pelosi: "I view this day, this vote as something that we did to honor the vision of our founders, to establish a republic, the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform to defend our democracy and that republic"

Speaker Pelosi, invoking the late Elijah Cummings: "We did all we could, Elijah. We passed the two articles of impeachment. The president is impeached."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she “could not be prouder or more inspired than by the moral courage of the House Democrats” after House votes to impeach Pres. Trump

Nancy Pelosi: "We have legislation approved...that will enable to decide how we send over the articles of impeachment." "We cannot name managers until we see what the process is on the Senate side...so far we haven't seen anything that looks fair to us."

PELOSI SCOLDS: THE LOOK PELOSI GIVES... Nancy Pelosi had to scold her caucus for cheering after the article of impeachment against President Trump was adopted

CELEBRATING DEMS: Sad day for Democrats? Source on the Hill sends me video of staffers having a party in California Democrat Mike Thompson’s office, where it appears to be wine o’clock for staff

WATERS GETS AN APPLAUSE: Democrats erupt in applause after Rep. Waters touts, “yes I called for Trump’s impeachment early”

RASHIDA TLAIB IS GIDDY TO GO VOTE TO IMPEACH TRUMP: Here is Rashida Tlaib  celebrating on her way to vote for #impeachment. Woman is heard in the back: Woo!! (This is the same woman who said “we’re gonna impeach the mother fucker” hours after being sworn in. That statement was 6 months BEFORE Trump called the Ukrainian President, which the impeachment is based on.)

MORE SQUAD NEWS: Ilhan Omar Yells ‘Stop It’ On House Floor When McCarthy Cites Tlaib’s ‘Impeach The Mother F**Ker’ Comment.    “And a few mere hours after that, Congresswoman Tlaib said she was going to ‘impeach the mother f-er,'” he said. At which point someone, later reportedly identified by PBS Newshour senior reporter Daniel Bush and others as Rep. Omar, could be heard yelling “Stop it!” at least three times.

Rep. Doug Collins Why do you keep calling it a solemn occassison you have been wanting to do this since he got elected

GOP Rep. Doug Collins criticizes Democrats over the impeachment proceedings: "I guarantee you, one day you'll be back in the minority and it ain't going to be that fun."

 

6am – D/E/F  SPENDING BILL

Congressional spending bills are expected to permanently repeal taxes funding the Affordable Care Act and raise the tobacco buying age to 21.

Rep. Chip Roy‏ @RepChipRoy: Tomorrow we vote on #impeachment. For those who were paying attention today, House leadership purposefully separated the bloated spending bills so that @realDonaldTrump wouldn’t have to go back on his commitment to never sign another huge omnibus. Mr. President, don’t sign.

 

7am – A         INTERVIEW - SAAGAR ENJETI - Chief Washington Correspondent & Host at The Hill -- discussed the impeachment vote, presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard voting 'PRESENT' on impeachment articles against Trump and previewed his interview with Tulsi today.

 

7am – B/C     Washington Post, CNN journos under fire after Trump impeachment for celebrating 'Impeachmas.' (Fox News) - Several Washington Post reporters were under fire late Wednesday night for celebrating "Impeachmas" following the impeachment of President Trump. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., continued to insist that the impeachment -- just the third in U.S. history -- was a "solemn" occasion for the nation but that did not appear to be the case for the group of WaPo journalists, who were seen in an online post marking the historic night with drinks. "Merry Impeachmas from the WaPo team!" WaPo Congress reporter and CNN political analyst Rachael Bade remarked in the post, in which she was seen with colleagues Paul Kane, Mike DeBonis, as well as Seung Min Kim and Karoun Demirjian, who also are CNN analysts. Bade deleted the tweet roughly an hour after it was posted.

 

7am – D         INTERVIEW - MARK KRIKORIAN  - Executive Director of the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) – discussed citizenship for 4,000 Liberian illegal aliens … snuck into a 3,430-page defense bill.

US citizenship path for many Liberians tucked into spending bill. Defense bill headed to Trump's desk includes legislation that provides pathway to citizenship for thousands of Liberians. Thousands of Liberian immigrants without permanent legal status in the United States will be eligible to apply for green cards and eventual US citizenship under the terms of a defence spending bill passed by the US Senate on Tuesday. The pathway to citizenship - even for a relatively small cohort of immigrants - is a victory for pro-migrant activists and politicians who pushed for citizenship for Liberians covered by temporary deportation relief programmes. The legalisation, which protects Liberians who have been in the country since 2014, is the first of its kind in nearly two decades, according to immigration experts. US President Donald Trump has attempted to phase out most enrollment in humanitarian immigration programmes such as Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED), which are offered at the discretion of the administration. Liberians have been protected both by TPS and DED. Trump unexpectedly postponed a winding down of DED protections for Liberians earlier this year, pushing back the end date until March 2020. In that announcement, Trump cited the "unique" history of Liberia, a nation founded in 1847 by freed American slaves. A pair of Democratic US senators, Tina Smith of Minnesota and Jack Reed of Rhode Island, pressed to include the provision for Liberians in the $738bn National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA. Minnesota had the largest population of Liberian immigrants of any US state in 2018, according to US Census Bureau estimates.

 

7am – E         DERSHOWITZ:  SCOTUS COULD OVERTURN IMPEACHMENT: (The Hill) - Two former, well-respected justices of the Supreme Court first suggested that the judiciary may indeed have a role in reining in Congress were it to exceed its constitutional authority. Justice Byron White, a John F. Kennedy appointee, put it this way: “Finally, as applied to the special case of the President, the majority argument merely points out that, were the Senate to convict the President without any kind of trial, a Constitutional crisis might well result. It hardly follows that the Court ought to refrain from upholding the Constitution in all impeachment cases. Nor does it follow that, in cases of presidential impeachment, the Justices ought to abandon their constitutional responsibility because the Senate has precipitated a crisis.”

 

8am – A         INTERVIEW - JENNA ELLIS - Senior Legal Advisor to the Trump Campaign, a Constitutional Law Attorney and the author of "The Legal Basis for a Moral Constitution" -- discussed the unconstitutional impeachment vote in the House yesterday.

Trump impeached over Ukraine dealing, as Pelosi floats holding up Senate trial. Without any Republican support, the House on Wednesday night voted to impeach President Trump for "abuse of power" and "obstruction of Congress" related to his dealings with Ukraine, making Trump the third American president ever to be impeached. The separate votes on the two counts teed up an all-but-certain acquittal in the Senate, should House Democrats forward the charges to the GOP-controlled chamber. They also fulfilled a promise made by some Democrats ever since Trump's inauguration to impeach him, even as polls have shown a decline in public support for the action. However, late Wednesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif, floated the possibility that the House would not send the articles of impeachment to the Senate, where Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., likely would oversee a strong defense of the president that could prove politically damaging for vulnerable Democrats. "We’ll make a decision ... as we go along," Pelosi told reporters, adding that "we'll see what the process will be on the Senate side." "We have acted," Pelosi continued, repeatedly refusing to commit to sending the articles of impeachment to the Senate. "Now, they'll understand what their responsibilities are, and we'll see what that is.”

 

8am – B/C     Trump Rally Highlights

 

8am – D         INTERVIEW - TOM BEVAN - co-founder and president of RealClearPolitics -- previewed the 2020 Democrat Debate tonight.

Seven Democratic presidential hopefuls will take the stage in Los Angeles on Thursday for the sixth Democratic debate. Co-hosted by PBS NewsHour and Politico, the event at Loyola Marymount University is set to begin at 8 p.m ET. It will be the last debate of 2019. The event is officially a "go" after a labor dispute that threatened to derail it was settled. The dispute involved Sodexo, the food service provider for Loyola Marymount University, and its workers, with the Democratic candidates pledging to boycott rather than cross a picket line. Unite Here Local 11, the union representing the food service workers, announced early Tuesday that a tentative contract agreement has been reached.The field of candidates appearing on stage at the presidential debates continues to shrink as the campaign continues. Senator Kamala Harris, a Democrat from California, dropped out of the race earlier this month, while eight other Democrats failed to qualify, including Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey and Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii. The two newest entrants into the race, former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, will also not be on stage. Here are the seven candidates who will appear:     Former Vice President Joe Biden, Mayor Pete Buttigieg,  Senator Amy Klobuchar, Senator Bernie Sanders, Tom Steyer,  Senator Elizabeth Warren and Andrew Yang.

 

8am – E         More of Trump’s rally: Trump laments that Debbie Dingell voted to impeach him despite the fact that he allowed the normal state funeral to proceed for her late husband, former Rep. John Dingell. Trump then suggests John Dingell is in hell -- to audible groans. "Debbie Dingell, that's a real beauty," Trump says. "I gave them the A treatment," he says, of the family after Rep. John Dingell died. Says Dingell told him her husband would be looking down happy. "Maybe he's looking up," Trump says.

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Mornings on the Mall Podcast - 2019-12-19

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[02:00:28] 6:59 am - Mornings on the Mall

[03:00:39] 7:59 am - Mornings on the Mall

[04:00:49] 8:59 am - Mornings on the Mall

INTERVIEW – SUSAN FERRECHIO – Washington Examiner’s Chief Congressional Correspondent – previewed the House impeachment vote today.

INTERVIEW - MATT LEWIS - Senior Columnist for The Daily Beast. Political Commentator at CNN. Podcaster – discussed whether holiday traditions are important.

Pundit Kat Timpf recently tweeted this: “Why would you ever put up a Christmas tree?” Timpf rhetorically asked. “I mean, my family does it—but, personally, I just don’t get it. It’s just creating another mess that you’ll have to put away. To me, it’s the same as taking all of the clothes out of your dresser and decorating them with lights.”

The Daily Beast's Matt Lewis had this response: A Christmas-related tweet sent by conservative TV personality Kat Timpf caught my eye, the other day.  “Why would you ever put up a Christmas tree?” Timpf rhetorically asked. “I mean, my family does it—but, personally, I just don’t get it. It’s just creating another mess that you’ll have to put away. To me, it’s the same as taking all of the clothes out of your dresser and decorating them with lights.” Maybe she was just trolling us, or maybe she means it? Either way, it struck me as a teachable moment.  That’s because, almost all the traditions and practices that bring long-term joy could also be considered a pretty big pain in the tuchus.  Think about it. Making a big Thanksgiving dinner for your extended family could easily constitute “creating another mess.” Besides, relatives can be annoying. Let’s be honest, eating pizza alone is pretty awesome.  Getting my kids up on Sunday, getting them dressed, and getting them to church is likewise, a hassle. Come to think of it, the very idea of having kids is an expensive (often thankless) ordeal (which helps explain why so few of us are doing it).  If the goal is creating an easy or simple life, lots of baggage can be eliminated.

INTERVIEW - LT COL TONY SHAFFER -- Homeland Security Advisor for Stafford County Sheriff's Office and president of the London Center for Policy Research – discussed the Stafford County Second Amendment Sanctuary vote last night.  Tony has been advising the Stafford Sheriff on the 2A Sanctuary issue.