Former White House speechwriter Clark Judge, Heritage's Jim Carafano and Grover Norquist joined WMAL on Tuesday.

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Mornings on the Mall

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Hosts: Brian Wilson and Larry O’Connor

5am – A/B/C Joni Ernst to brave State of the Union rebuttal. Washington (CNN)It's the hardest act in town to follow: the leader of the free world, framed by his Vice President and the Speaker of the House, delivering what is usually a fairly rousing address to both houses of Congress. Joni Ernst, the Republican Party's latest rising star in the Senate, will do just that Tuesday, tapped by the GOP to deliver the rebuttal to Obama's State of the Union address.  She'll likely sit or stand, alone, facing a camera, countering the President's policy proposals and implicitly — or pretty openly — reminding Americans that partisanship is alive and well. Throw in the fact that fewer Americans watch the State of the Union — and even fewer the opposition party's response — and 10 minutes of uninterrupted national TV time doesn't seem so glossy anymore, especially when so much has gone wrong in recent years.

5am – D         Space News:

• Three New Earth-Size Planets Found "Nearby." (Forbes) — The Kepler space telescope has spotted over 1,000 exoplanets beyond our solar system, and its latest finds are three almost Earth-sized planets, including one in the habitable zone circling the star EPIC 201367075, just 150 light years from Earth. In the cosmic sense, that’s right around the block, making it one of the 10 closest known stars with observed planets in its gravitational hold. Of course, such distances in the cosmic sense also would take many generations to traverse, so don’t invest in real estate there just yet. Still, the relative closeness of this “EPIC” star and its planets provides an advantage for astronomers in studying their atmospheres and potential habitability. “Most planets we have found to date are scorched. This system is the closest star with lukewarm transiting planets,” said UC Berkeley graduate student Erik Petigura, who discovered the planets while analyzing Kepler data, in a release. “There is a very real possibility that the outermost planet is rocky like Earth, which means this planet could have the right temperature to support liquid water oceans.”
• Air Force UFO files hit the Web. (USA Today) — The truth is out there — now on the Web. The fabled Project Blue Book, the Air Force's files on UFO sightings and investigations, have tantalized and frustrated extraterrestrial enthusiasts for decades. But this past week, nearly 130,000 pages of declassified UFO records — a trove that would make Agent Fox Mulder's mouth water — were put online. UFO enthusiast John Greenewald has spent nearly two decades filing Freedom of Information Act requests for the government's files on UFOs and other phenomena. On Jan. 12, Greenewald posted the Blue Book files — as well as files on Blue Book's 1940s-era predecessors, Project Sign and Project Grudge — on his online database, The Black Vault. Project Blue Book was based at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio. Between 1947 and 1969, the Air Force recorded 12,618 sightings of strange phenomena — 701 of which remain "unidentified."
• 'The X-Files' to return to TV? (CNET) — We want to believe! Fox executives are in talks with series creator Chris Carter, along with original actors Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny, to bring back the sci-fi drama to TV. It's not one of Agent Mulder's conspiracy theories. Hit supernatural show "The X-Files" — which aired on Fox from 1993 to 2002 — could be returning to Fox with none other than original actors David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson reprising their roles. Fox executives Dana Walden and Gary Newman revealed during the TCA (Television Critics Association) press tour that they are in talks with "X-Files" creator Chris Carter about bringing back the show for a new generation of fans to debate and love. "It's true that we've had some conversations on 'X-Files,'" Newman told Entertainment Weekly. "We're hopeful of being able to bring that back at some point."

5am – E         New police radars can 'see' inside homes. (USA Today) — At least 50 U.S. law enforcement agencies quietly deployed radars that let them effectively see inside homes, with little notice to the courts or the public. WASHINGTON — At least 50 U.S. law enforcement agencies have secretly equipped their officers with radar devices that allow them to effectively peer through the walls of houses to see whether anyone is inside, a practice raising new concerns about the extent of government surveillance. Those agencies, including the FBI and the U.S. Marshals Service, began deploying the radar systems more than two years ago with little notice to the courts and no public disclosure of when or how they would be used. The technology raises legal and privacy issues because the U.S. Supreme Court has said officers generally cannot use high-tech sensors to tell them about the inside of a person's house without first obtaining a search warrant. The radars work like finely tuned motion detectors, using radio waves to zero in on movements as slight as human breathing from a distance of more than 50 feet. They can detect whether anyone is inside of a house, where they are and whether they are moving.

6am – A/B/C Let's Pay for 'Free' Community College by Taxing College Savings! Obama's new tax proposals hit more than the rich.  President Barack Obama's State of the Union Address tomorrow proposes $320 billion in taxes over the next 10 years. Pretty much every new story is presenting it as "increasing taxes on the wealthiest" to pay for programs to help the middle class. That's bad enough. It's not like he's proposing increasing taxes to pay for fundamental government operations. It's just a wealth transfer to cover the "costs" of offering up tax credits to famillies with two working parents (screw you, stay-at-home moms and dads!). But beyond that, Americans for Tax Reform looked at the package and point out several ways these tax increases are going to potentially come back and hurt others besides the richest among us. Obama previewed his plan for "free" community college for students seeking associate's degrees a couple of weeks ago. The administration has put a price tag of $60 billion over 10 years for it (which means it's likely to be much higher). Part of how Obama plans to pay for it is to tax the special saving funds, called 529 plans, that people can use to gather money to pay for their children (or themselves) to go to college:

6am – D         Hollywood Liberals Walk Back ‘American Sniper’ Criticism: Seth Rogen, Michael Moore ignite 'Sniper' debate. (USA Today) — Clint Eastwood's American Sniper is continuing to make waves across Hollywood. While the film has been a hit with audiences — with a record-setting debut at the box office, and A-plus CinemaScore rating — its subject matter is causing controversy among some in Hollywood for its perceived pro-war message. Seth Rogen, whose latest film caused its fair share of controversy, tweeted about Sniper:

 Seth Rogen        ✔ @Sethrogen: American Sniper kind of reminds me of the movie that's showing in the third act of Inglorious Basterds. 2:05 PM – 18 Jan 2015

Rogen is referring to the fake film that showed up in Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds, about a German sniper killing Allied soldiers from a clock tower, essentially comparing Eastwood's film to Nazi propaganda. Later, Rogen clarified his tweet.

 Seth Rogen        ✔ @Sethrogen: I just said something "kinda reminded" me of something else. I actually liked American Sniper. It just reminded me of the Tarantino scene. 5:55 PM – 19 Jan 2015

Director Michael Moore, who famously criticized the Iraq War in his 2003 Oscar acceptance speech, also took to Twitter to express his views, calling snipers "cowards".

 Michael Moore        ✔ @MMFlint: My uncle killed by sniper in WW2. We were taught snipers were cowards. Will shoot u in the back. Snipers aren't heroes. And invaders r worse 3:40 PM – 18 Jan 2015

 Michael Moore        ✔ @MMFlint: But if you're on the roof of your home defending it from invaders who've come 7K miles, you are not a sniper, u are brave, u are a neighbor.

8:35 PM – 18 Jan 2015

6am – E         86-year-old woman lives full-time on luxury cruise ship. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — An 86-year-old widow has been living on a luxury cruise ship almost seven years, a decision she made after her husband died. Lee Wachtstetter, aka Mama Lee, has lived aboard the 11-year-old Crystal Serenity longer than most of its 650-plus crew members. Wachtstetter sold her five-bedroom, 10-acre Fort Lauderdale home and made the move permanent. She and her husband went on 89 cruises during their 50-year marriage. He died in 1997 and since then she has just about tripled that number and has gone on 15 world cruises. sked how many countries she has visited, Wachtstetter said she stopped counting after 100. Wachtstetter says she leads a “stress-free, fairy-tale life” that will cost her $164,000 this year.

7am – A         INTERVIEW – CLARK JUDGE – former Reagan White House speechwriter – previewed State of the Union.

7am – B         DC News:

• Christopher Barry, Son of "Mayor for Life," to Turn Himself in Over Outburst at Bank. (NBC Washington) — The son of the late Marion Barry is expected to turn himself in as early as Tuesday to face charges stemming from an angry outburst at a local bank. Marion Christopher Barry, who is a candidate in the special election to fill his father's unexpired term, faces charges of making a threat and destruction of property, according to lawyers handling the issue for Barry. Both charges are misdemeanors. The lawyers say Barry is expected to turn himself in Tuesday or Wednesday.  Christopher Barry, according to a police report, last week cursed a PNC bank teller on 7th Street downtown during a dispute over his account and said he would "have somebody waiting for you when you get off work."
• DC Fire lieutenant criticizes Metro's response to smoke incident. (Fox 5) — WASHINGTON – The D.C. Fire & EMS lieutenant who was the first to reach passengers on a smoke-filled train last week is criticizing Metro for the way it handled the emergency. Lt. Stephen Kuhn says he had no idea anyone was trapped on the train until he got to the tunnel with his crew and spoke with a Metro Transit Police officer.  Kuhn, who is assigned to Rescue Squad 1, says the fans were not clearing the smoke as he entered the tunnel, and his radio failed as soon as he attempted to reach the incident commander on the scene. Based on a new timeline released over the weekend by D.C. Fire & EMS, we now know it took far less than the 13 minutes the District government said it took for Rescue Squad 1 to get inside the tunnel at the L'Enfant Plaza Station. In fact, we now know that the members of Rescue Squad 1 went down the smoke-filled tunnel four minutes before   battalion fire chief was told the power to the third rail was shut down.  Lt. Kuhn says he got the all-clear from a police officer on the platform.

7am – C         Billy Crystal says some TV gay sex scenes too graphic. (USA Today) — Billy Crystal, who played one of TV's first-ever gay characters in the 1970s, says he's put off by today's sometimes gratuitous and graphic portrayals of LGBT themes. "Sometimes I think, 'Ah, that's too much for me," the comedian said at the Television Critics Association press tour in Pasadena. Crystal was there to promote his new show, The Comedians, which premiers in April on FX. Of course, his critique could also apply to graphic sex scenes on TV involving straight people, too. In fact, later, after a Twitter outcry, Crystal made that point to The Hollywood Reporter: "What I meant was that whenever sex or graphic nudity of any kind (gay or straight) is gratuitous to the plot or story, it becomes a little too much for my taste," he told THR in a statement. But his comments are notable because Crystal played Jodie Dallas on the ABC comedy Soap from 1977 to 1981, making him one of the first to play a series-regular character who was openly gay.

7am – D/E     Jindal On Assimilation: You’re Not Welcome If You Don’t Want To Pursue American Dream. (Daily Caller) — Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, while in Europe on Monday, blamed “political correctness” for the lack of cultural assimilation of Muslims in America and Europe. “I think it’s dangerous in America and dangerous in Europe. It used to be normal to call America the great melting pot. Now because of political correctness, some people think it’s cultural arrogance or it’s colonial somehow to insist that people wanting to come to America should want to be Americans.  They should share in the freedom of religious liberty, freedom of expression and the right to self-determination.” Jindal told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer in an interview. Jindal continued: “We have a huge challenge in those who do not want to assimilate. They don’t want to integrate and quite frankly, we have a right as a country that if you want to come to America to be an American and pursue the American dream, freedom and opportunity, we welcome you. If you don’t, we don’t want you in our country.” He pointed to assimilation as a key to preventing more terror attacks.

8am – A         INTERVIEW – JAMES CARAFANO – Heritage Foundation’s Vice President, Foreign and Defense Policy Studies @jjcarafano

• State of the Union Address to be Light on Foreign Policy.
• State of the Union unlikely to focus on military.

8am – B         Virginia governor admitted to hospital after fall from horse in Africa. (CNN) Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe had fluid drained from his chest cavity Monday after breaking seven ribs when he was thrown from a horse while vacationing in Africa last month. The procedure took place at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center. His wife, Dorothy McAuliffe, said the first-term Democratic governor who was elected in November 2013 will be back in action in days. "My husband is resting comfortably after a successful procedure this afternoon. He and I want to thank the outstanding medical team at VCU Medical Center who just informed us that he is expected to recover well and get back to his full schedule within the next few days," Virginia's first lady said in a statement. "We would also like to thank the many well-wishers from all across Virginia who expressed concern and support for Terry as he continues to recover," she said.  His spokeswoman, Rachel Thomas, said McAuliffe returned from Tanzania on Jan. 2 with seven broken ribs and was "operating in his normal duties" in Virginia until doctors identified Monday "increased fluid around his lungs that require a procedure to remove."

8am – C         'Celebrity Apprentice': And the fired celebrities are… Two more celebrities were fired tonight by Donald Trump in another back-to-back episode extravaganza that also featured Geraldo Rivera in a top hat and tails, two Real Housewives frolicking in lingerie on Ian Ziering’s bed, and an appearance by the late great Joan Rivers, who acted as an advisor on the first task. The first project had the teams creating a mobile boutique to promote Ivanka Trump’s shoe line, leading Sig Hansen to complain that, “All of our tasks have been so feminine lately I can’t find my penis in the morning.” (Keep looking!) Vivica Fox’s team lost, but Shawn Johnson was fired for not stepping up as Project Manager/being too boring. Joan Rivers also got a good zinger in about offering Geraldo the card for her plastic surgeon. Then, for the second challenge, the teams were asked to create a viral video for Chock Full o’ Nuts. Project Manager Leeza Gibbons had feuding Housewives Kenya Moore and Brandi Glanville partake in a fantasy foursome with Ian Ziering and Johnny Damon, which was enough to beat Lorenzo Lamas’ concept that had something to do with Geraldo walking around Washington Square Park looking vaguely like Mr. Peanut. After Lorenzo refused to bring anyone back into the Boardroom, he was fired on the spot. The Renegade has left the building.

8am – D         INTERVIEW – GROVER NORQUIST – President, Americans for Tax Reform

State of the Union Preview:

>> Let's Pay for 'Free' Community College by Taxing College Savings! Obama's new tax proposals hit more than the rich.

>> Obama to seek tax raises on wealthy

TOMORROW:          Rep. Comstock, KT McFarland and Governor Mike Huckabee