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Mornings on the Mall

Wednesday July 12, 2017

Hosts: Mary Walter and Vince Coglianese

5am – A/B/C Poll: Majority Of Republicans Now Say Colleges Are Bad For America. Are you encouraging your children to go to college? A Pew poll released Monday shows that Republicans’ views of higher education institutions have taken a dramatic turn for the worse since 2015. In September 2015, 54 percent of Republicans told Pew that they had a positive stance on college and universities, while 37 percent felt negatively toward them. Today, their attitude seems to have taken a complete U-turn, with 58 percent of Republicans saying that colleges and universities had a “negative effect on the way things are going in the country.” Only 36 percent maintained that they’re good for the country. Since 2015, Republicans’ views of the impact of colleges have turned much more negative

5am – D  No, Trump isn’t breaching your First Amendment rights by blocking you on Twitter (Tom Rogan, Washington Examiner) Columbia University’s Knight First Amendment Institute has filed a suit against President Trump, alleging that Trump has breached the First Amendment rights of those he has blocked on Twitter. No, this is not a joke. The institute contends that Twitter is a “public forum” and that because Trump’s speech is government speech, no Americans can be restrained from interacting with the president. Let’s be clear, this is a very silly lawsuit. Jameel Jaffer, head of the Knight Institute says that the First Amendment “applies to [Twitter] in the same way it applies to town halls and open school board meetings.” Correspondingly, Jaffer contends, just as government cannot deny access to public events on the basis of individual views, it cannot contest access to Trump’s tweets. Jaffer is wrong. While Twitter is likely a traditional public forum under the law (a forum, like public streets, entitled to the most stringent deference from government), Trump’s Twitter account is not. Yes, because Trump is a government representative his tweets must be, and are, recorded. Yet just as Trump does not have the responsibility to open the Oval Office to any citizen who wishes to meet him, neither must he allow interactive access on Twitter. In part, that’s because being blocked by Trump does not overly preclude one’s ability to engage with Trump. Critics of the president remain able to state their opinions of Trump after being blocked. A president is not required to listen to their critics, they are simply not allowed to prevent critics from speaking. And blocked individuals have alternatives to see what Trump has said. They are able to set up an alternate account, they can read news reports on Trump’s tweets, or they can follow other Twitter accounts that retweet Trump’s tweets. This ensures that the Twitter public forum remains open. Functionally, the key issue here is that Trump’s Twitter account is not designed to be an interactive forum. Whether right or wrong, the president uses his account to tweet whatever he is thinking at any one moment. It is his megaphone. He does not use Twitter as a means of debating policy with other users. Even then, Trump is under no particular obligation to take a question from a specific individual. It might be different if blocked individuals had no means of knowing what Trump was tweeting, but that’s patently not the case here. Ultimately, the First Amendment exists to protect maximal speech on issues of public concern. And while Trump has shown a worrying tendency towards authoritarian notions of speech, his Twitter privileges are his alone.

5am- E Senate Republicans tell Mitch McConnell to cancel recess (Washington Examiner) A group of Senate Republicans on Tuesday repeated their demand that the GOP leadership cancel the August recess in order to advance the party’s agenda. Eight lawmakers, many of them newly elected, said the typical three-day Senate schedule coupled with a five week August recess will leave the GOP without enough time to take up a budget, reform the tax code, vote on an infrastructure bill and advance other important legislation, such as healthcare reform. “I’m urging the leadership to keep us here,” said Sen. Luther Strange, R-Ala., who took office earlier this year. The senators sent a letter to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., urging him to forgo the traditional August recess. They also met with McConnell to discuss the proposal. The senators said Tuesday they hear from constituents who tell they are looking for productivity in Congress. “Most of us are new,” said Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D. “So, we are very close to what people back home are telling us. And they expect results up here.” Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, acknowledged that the August recess has for decades been considered untouchable, but this year it should be different because the GOP has limited time to move an agenda. Senate Republicans are currently struggling to pass a bill to repeal and replace Obamacare and are aiming to next take up tax reform. Lawmakers must also pass spending bills and major legislation reauthorizing both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Flood Insurance Program. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin has asked lawmakers to pass a debt ceiling increase by the August recess. “What we are running out of is time,” Sullivan said. “We can create more time. We can do that. What should be more sacred, in our view, is getting things done.”

6am – A/B/C Did Trump Jr do anything wrong? Trump Jr. Claims He Would’ve Reported ‘Shady’ Information (The Daily Caller) Donald Trump Jr. claimed in a Tuesday interview with Sean Hannity that he would have reported any “shady” information that came out of his meeting with a Russian lawyer. Trump Jr., along with former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and senior adviser Jared Kushner, met with the lawyer in the hopes of gaining opposition research. Email communications between Trump Jr. and Rob Goldstone–who set up the meeting–revealed that Trump Jr. was told the information involved was obtained by the Russian government. Trump Jr. initially claimed that he didn’t know the lawyer or the information could be connected to the Russian government. In an exclusive interview with Fox News’  Hannity Tuesday night, Trump Jr. partially blamed his “learning curve” when it comes to politics for the way he chose to handle the meeting request. Nevertheless, he claimed he would’ve turned “shady” information over to the authorities. “This is the first time we’ve ever done any of this,” Trump Jr. said. “I’m still way in the learning curve on all of this.” “That’s what we do in business–if there’s information out there you want it,” he continued. “If there was something that came from it that was shady, if it was a danger to national security, I would obviously bring it right to someone.” “Turns out there wasn’t anything,” he concluded. Russian Lawyer Veselnitskaya Says She Didn’t Give Trump Jr. Info on Clinton (NBC News) The Russian lawyer who met with Donald Trump Jr. during the presidential campaign denied in an exclusive interview with NBC News that she had any connection to the Kremlin and insisted she met with President Donald Trump’s son in 2016 to discuss sanctions between Russia and the U.S., not to hand over information about Hillary Clinton’s campaign. “I never had any damaging or sensitive information about Hillary Clinton. It was never my intention to have that,” Natalia Veselnitskaya said.

6am – D INTERVIEW – CAL THOMAS – Syndicated columnist

Topics: Obamacare Repeal/Donald Jr controversy/ New FBI Director

• McConnell: Senate will work through first two weeks of August recess. Cal says: “Finally, an answer for Senate Republicans who can’t seem to reach a deal on Obamacare: People Are Getting Exorcisms Instead of Going to the Doctor. When serious medical conditions are misdiagnosed as demonic possession, it can lead to some pretty disastrous consequences—even death.”
• Donald Trump Jr. tweets email chain that he says is about his meeting with a Russian lawyer.
• Confirmation hearings for Christopher Wray, President Donald Trump’s nominee for FBI director, are set to begin Wednesday, just over two months following the firing of James Comey — a move that set off a sequence of events that amplified the investigation into Russian meddling into last year’s presidential election, and potential collusion with the Trump campaign. Wray, an assistant attorney general under President George W. Bush who currently works as a lawyer in private practice, was nominated by Trump in June to lead the bureau.

6am – E DC Marijuana Arrests Nearly Tripled in 2016, Despite Legalization.  (NBC Washington)  Arrests for both the public use and distribution of marijuana in Washington, D.C. nearly tripled in 2016 and are on track to remain high in 2017. The Washington Post reported that Metropolitan Police records show more than 400 people were arrested in 2016 for public consumption, up from 142 arrests in 2015, when marijuana use was legalized. Records show that 78 people had been arrested for public use as of April 5. Arrests for distribution rose from 80 in 2015 to 220 in 2016. Records show that 79 people had been arrested for distribution as of April 5. Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck says that legalization has led to more arrests for public consumption, as smoking marijuana outside remains illegal.  Sternbeck says police are focusing drug enforcement efforts on illegal sales.

6am – F Hillary Peddles ‘Nasty Woman’ T-Shirts Hillary Clinton is on Twitter advertising “nasty woman” t-shirts where proceeds from the sales go to Planned Parenthood. The shirts are being sold by TBS, the network that hosts “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee,” a political comedy show. “Support Samantha Bee & Planned Parenthood & buy a Nasty Woman t-shirt!” Clinton wrote next to a photo of her holding the black “nasty woman” shirt. Lena Dunham Sells Dress She Cried In on Election Night to Benefit Planned Parenthood The co-creator of HBO’s The Girls, Dunham is selling 169 items from her wardrobe on TheRealReal, an e-commerce consignment shop. Most of the items are already sold, though several of the pricier items remain – such as Dunham’s Elizabeth Kennedy 2017 Met Gala gown, priced at $4,000, and her Zac Posen satin evening gown, selling for $1,495. One item that already sold is the dress Dunham reportedly wore on Election Night in November, as she found out Democrat Hillary Clinton lost to Republican Donald Trump. The “Kenzo Ruffled Print Dress” has apparently already sold for $125.

7am – A/B/C  Did Trump Jr do anything wrong? Trump Jr. Claims He Would’ve Reported ‘Shady’ Information (The Daily Caller) Donald Trump Jr. claimed in a Tuesday interview with Sean Hannity that he would have reported any “shady” information that came out of his meeting with a Russian lawyer. Trump Jr., along with former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and senior adviser Jared Kushner, met with the lawyer in the hopes of gaining opposition research. Email communications between Trump Jr. and Rob Goldstone–who set up the meeting–revealed that Trump Jr. was told the information involved was obtained by the Russian government. Trump Jr. initially claimed that he didn’t know the lawyer or the information could be connected to the Russian government. In an exclusive interview with Fox News’  Hannity Tuesday night, Trump Jr. partially blamed his “learning curve” when it comes to politics for the way he chose to handle the meeting request. Nevertheless, he claimed he would’ve turned “shady” information over to the authorities. “This is the first time we’ve ever done any of this,” Trump Jr. said. “I’m still way in the learning curve on all of this.” “That’s what we do in business–if there’s information out there you want it,” he continued. “If there was something that came from it that was shady, if it was a danger to national security, I would obviously bring it right to someone.” “Turns out there wasn’t anything,” he concluded. Russian Lawyer Veselnitskaya Says She Didn’t Give Trump Jr. Info on Clinton (NBC News) The Russian lawyer who met with Donald Trump Jr. during the presidential campaign denied in an exclusive interview with NBC News that she had any connection to the Kremlin and insisted she met with President Donald Trump’s son in 2016 to discuss sanctions between Russia and the U.S., not to hand over information about Hillary Clinton’s campaign. “I never had any damaging or sensitive information about Hillary Clinton. It was never my intention to have that,” Natalia Veselnitskaya said.

7am – D INTERVIEW – SENATOR BEN CARDIN – (D-Maryland)

TOPICS: FBI building funding, Obamacare repeal bill, and Donald Trump, Jr. controversy

• The federal government is canceling the search for a new FBI headquarters, according to officials familiar with the decision, putting a more than decade-long effort by the bureau to move out of the crumbling J. Edgar Hoover Building back at square one. The decision follows years of failed attempts by federal officials to persuade Congress to fully back a plan for a campus in the Washington suburbs paid for by trading away the Hoover Building to a real estate developer and putting up nearly $2 billion in taxpayer funds to cover the remaining cost.
• McConnell: Senate will work through first two weeks of August recess. Cal says: “Finally, an answer for Senate Republicans who can’t seem to reach a deal on Obamacare: People Are Getting Exorcisms Instead of Going to the Doctor. When serious medical conditions are misdiagnosed as demonic possession, it can lead to some pretty disastrous consequences—even death.”
• Maryland, Virginia senators blast Donald Trump Jr.’s dealings with Russian agents. WASHINGTON (ABC7) —  The four U.S. Senators from Maryland and Virginia blasted Donald Trump Jr.’s dealings with Russian agents, which are now revealed in his own emails. “If we were to be approached by someone who wants to give us information from a foreign government concerning our elections, that’s something where I would notify law enforcement,” Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) said.

7am – E ENTERTAINMENT NEWS: Kermit the Frog is getting a new voice actor after 27 years The voice of Kermit the Frog is changing for the first time in 27 years. Steve Whitmire, who has voiced the iconic Muppets character since 1990, has been replaced by fellow Muppets performer Matt Vogel, according to reports. Whitmire, 57, became the voice of Kermit following the death of Muppets creator Jim Henson in 1990. He was selected by Henson’s son Brian to inherit the character, according to a profile in the magazine Kill Screen. After joining “The Muppet Show” in 1978, Whitmire also voiced Ernie from 1990-2014 and played Rizzo the Rat, Beaker and other characters. The news was first reported by Muppets fan site Tough Pigs and confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter. The Muppets Studio declined comment on the reasons for his departure.  Vogel’s first appearance as Kermit will be next week in a “Muppets Thought of the Week” video. Clint Eastwood Casts Real Soldier Heroes in Paris Train Attack Movie (Hollywood Reporter) Anthony Sadler, Alek Skarlatos and Spencer Stone will play themselves in the upcoming movie about their experience thwarting a terrorist attack. As of late, Clint Eastwood has been in the business of turning laymen heroes into big-screen fodder with his movies Sully and American Sniper. The director has always called on big Hollywood talent to play his heroes, as opposed to the heroes themselves. But, for his next film, The 15:17 to Paris, Eastwood has opted to cast the real-life heroes on which the film is based. Anthony Sadler, Alek Skarlatos and Spencer Stone will play themselves in Eastwood’s upcoming movie about their experience thwarting a terrorist attack.  While traveling in Europe, the trio stopped an attempted attack on a train from Brussels to Paris by overpowering the man, who was armed with an AK-47. The story was heavily covered on cable news, where the friends, one of whom was in the Oregon National Guard and another in the U.S. Air Force, were lauded for their bravery. Jenna Fischer, Judy Greer and Ray Corasani have also been cast in the feature. Playing the various younger versions of the three leads will be Paul-Mikél Williams, Max Ivutin, Bryce Gheisar, Cole Eichenberger and William Jennings. The Warner Bros. movies is be based on the book The 15:17 to Paris: The True Story of a Terrorist, a Train, and Three American Heroes, written by Sadler, Skarlatos, Stone and Jeffrey E. Stern. Dorothy Blyskal adapted the book for the feature, which will be produced by Eastwood, Tim Moore, Kristina Rivera and Jessica Meier. Daniel Craig has reportedly been convinced to return as ‘James Bond’ (Forbes) Reports appear to confirm that Daniel Craig has “changed his mind” and is returning to the James Bond franchise, despite publicly stating that he’d rather slash his wrists than commit to the role ever again.  No word yet on what convinced Craig to don the suit once more, but Eon Productions must have made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Like, a lot of money.I’m fairly pleased Craig is returning; his depiction of the character really does seem like the kind of man who kills for a living, his dry wit serving as an essential coping mechanism. Craig’s expressionless face manages to, somehow, convey Bond’s deeply repressed inner torment without twitching an eyelid. His Bond, reserved, alcoholic, self-hating, is more authentically British than a steak and Guinness pie.

8am – A/B INTERVIEW – RON MEYER- member of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors (Broad Run District)

TOPIC: It’s a decades-old debate, but it’s back up and running once again – the prospect of building a new Potomac River bridge into and out of Loudoun County

• Planners to weigh 2nd Potomac River crossing from Montgomery — again. (Washington Post) — A second Potomac River bridge connecting Montgomery County and Northern Virginia — an idea that has been studied and debated since the 1950s — is again drawing both interest and criticism, as elected officials and transportation planners search for ways to ease the region’s notoriously heavy traffic. Next week the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board, the body that helps set transportation priorities for the metropolitan area, will consider listing the bridge project for further analysis.
• “This is my number one for the region,” said Loudoun County Supervisor Ron Meyer (R), a member of the regional planning board. He served on a task force that winnowed more than 80 potential road and transit projects down to 10 for the full board to consider at its July 19 meeting. The idea of a river crossing north of the perpetually clogged American Legion bridge has long interested businesses, planners and many road-weary commuters.
• Montgomery Council President Roger Berliner (D-Potomac-Bethesda), said Monday that the project would seriously damage the county’s 90,000 acre agricultural reserve. Maryland’s transportation dollars, he added, would be better spent widening Interstate 270 and the Legion bridge. “We need to fix what is broken, not fantasize about a bridge that will never happen,” Berliner said at his weekly news conference. Berliner said he will sponsor a resolution at Tuesday’s council meeting condemning the project. “In my judgment this is a zombie bridge, and we need to put a stake in this.”

• >> Opposition Rising Against Plan To Study Second Potomac River Crossing in Montgomery County. (Bethesda magainzine) – Opposition is beginning to build against a regional transportation group’s plan to study a second Potomac River crossing in Montgomery County. On Tuesday morning, Montgomery County Council President Roger Berliner introduced a resolution that would formally put the council in opposition to the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board’s plan to study the feasibility of a bridge that would help connect Virginia Route 28 to the Intercounty Connector in the county. Supporters of the proposed bridge say the connecting route would help ease traffic on I-270 and the American Legion Bridge on the Beltway and provide better connectivity to Dulles International Airport.
• WJLA: Montgomery Co. Council opposes adding Potomac River crossing

8am – C ‘Aladdin’: Disney Struggles to Find Stars for Its Live-Action Movie (Hollywood Reporter)

Guy Ritchie and the studio are trying to wrap up a months-long search that has included names (Riz Ahmed, Dev Patel) and complete unknowns from around the world to play the street hustler turned prince. Disney’s magic carpet ride has hit a bit of turbulence. The studio and Aladdin director Guy Ritchie launched a global casting call in March to find the stars for the musical based on the hit 1992 animated film about a street kid who teams with a genie to woo the princess Jasmine.  Disney, Ritchie and casting director Randi Hiller brought on casting directors around the world, from London to Egypt to Abu Dhabi and India, for what sources say is a massive global search: Around 2,000 actors and actresses have read for the lead roles of Jasmine and Aladdin. But finding a male lead in his 20s who can act and sing has proven difficult — especially since the studio wants someone of Middle-Eastern or Indian descent (the animated film is set in the fictional Middle Eastern city of Agrabah). The original casting call specified that production was slated to begin by July, but the search has dragged on, with Disney and Ritchie having to go back to the drawing board multiple times. Sources say there have been several rounds of tests in London, with the actors coming in for up to two weeks at a time. “The test process was a mess,” says one agent with a client who tested. While the studio had interest in Dev Patel, 27, and Riz Ahmed, 34, the male lead will likely be a newcomer. Sources say the studio is eyeing Power Rangers actress Naomi Scott, 24, or Indian actress Tara Sutaria, 21, to play Jasmine, but can’t lock the deal until the male lead has been selected since chemistry is so important to the story. (Will Smith is signed on to play the Genie, and sources say the studio is after known names for the role of the villain Jafar). With shooting for Aladdin now planned to start in August, Disney may have to use all three of its wishes to find its diamond in the rough.

8am – D Paris and Los Angeles set to get 2024 and 2028 Olympics (CNN) Paris and Los Angeles are probably getting the Summer Olympics for 2024 and 2028. It’s just not clear which city will host in which year. The International Olympic Committee voted unanimously Tuesday to break with tradition and award two games at once. Paris and LA are the only competitors left for 2024. But it’s been clear since early this year that the IOC is leaning toward awarding the next two games at the same time, to streamline the selection process and provide greater financial stability to the games. Hosting a modern Olympics practically guarantees massive debt and cost overruns, and many cities have abandoned bids recently. Researchers at Oxford’s Saïd Business School estimate the cost overrun for the 2016 Summer Olympics, in Rio de Janeiro, was $1.6 billion

8am – E Floyd Mayweather, Conor McGregor trade insults as press tour begins (ESPN) The Floyd Mayweather-Conor McGregor spectacle is officially underway. Mayweather, boxing’s former pound-for-pound king, and McGregor, the UFC’s biggest superstar, launched their joint promotional tour on Tuesday inside Staples Center. The four-stop tour, which promotes their Aug. 26 boxing match at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, ends in London on Friday. The pay-per-view event will air on Showtime and is expected to generate hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue. Conor McGregor predicted Tuesday that he would knock out Floyd Mayweather inside four rounds. Mayweather, meanwhile, said he would beat McGregor in any arena, boxing or MMA.  McGregor, 28, addressed the throng of fans and media first, and he wasted no time in calling the tour exactly what it is — a spectacle for the ages. “I’m absolutely honored to be here before you and give you this great spectacle. Somebody’s ‘0’ has got to go,” said McGregor, referencing Mayweather’s perfect boxing record. Mayweather, 40, who is coming out of a retirement that began in 2015, briefly teased a physical altercation onstage, before saying, “We’ll save that for the payday.”