Audio and context around some of the interviews and stories on WTOP News. This blog is curated by WTOP’s Dimitri Sotis.
Derek Chauvin’s sentencing is just the beginning
Michigan State University’s Jennifer Cobbina tells WTOP about the racial justice starting point of Chauvin’s sentencing (Listen below and read about money devoted to racial equity efforts…trouble is we don’t know how much)
Sending mental health professionals instead of cops
Journalist Rob Waters tells WTOP about Eugene, Oregon’s CAHOOTS program that is serving as a model for the nation to reduce deadly interactions with police (Listen below and read)
Pfizer is asking the government to approve a COVID booster – but is it needed?
UCSF’s Dr. Monica Gandhi tells WTOP she’s seen no evidence we should get booster shots (Listen below and read)
One of the most-watched American athletes won’t even be in Tokyo
WTOP discusses Sha’Carri Richardson’s exclusion from the Olympic Games with The Washington Post’s Jerry Brewer (Listen below and read)
Democrats are concerned about getting the president’s agenda passed
Politico’s David Siders outlines progressive Democratic concerns about infrastructure, police reform and more (Listen below and read)
Victoria’s Secret revamp may be coming too late
Refinery29 Fashion Director Irina Grechko tells WTOP people find it hard to believe a company that has objectified women for so long – is suddenly all about supporting and respecting them (Listen below and read)
The Biden infrastructure plan for the summer
NBC White House Correspondent Mike Memoli tells WTOP the White House is performing a delicate balancing act (Listen below and read)
Stalled election reform – and other issues – renew talk of blowing up the filibuster
What the Biden/Putin summit means for the United States
R Street Institute’s Paul Rosenzweig tells WTOP there are ways for American to shore up its defenses against Russian cyberattacks (Listen below & read the NY Times’ take)
Joe Manchin’s bipartisan effort appears to be failing
ABC News Political Director Rick Klein analyzes Manchin’s efforts at bipartisanship likely being thrown in his face by Republicans (Listen below and read Politico’s take)
Takeaways from the Biden/Putin summit
Bradley Bowman tells WTOP cybersecurity was the biggest topic on the agenda and Biden did alright (Listen below and read)
Where is Donald Trump’s book deal?
Politico’s Meridith McGraw tells WTOP she’s been in touch with the big publishing houses and none will make a deal with the former president (Listen below and read)
Putin looks tough in Geneva – while meeting with Biden – but the Russian leader is scared about what’s happening at home
Journalist Dana Lewis tells WTOP he sees many problems in Russia that Vladimir Putin is trying to contain – and meeting with Biden could help (Listen below & read)
Former Attorney General Bill Barr’s first comments on the Trump-era seizing of Democratic lawmakers’ data
Politico’s Daniel Lippman tells WTOP about his phone interview with Barr, during which the former AG distanced himself from the matter (Listen below and read)
Watch out for cryptocurrency scams – they’re all over the place
Consumerman Herb Weisbaum, with checkbook.org, tells WTOP it’s easy to be taken in, if you’re not careful (Listen below and read)
Review: ‘In the Heights’ is a super-fun way for you to return to the movie theater
Christian Toto tells WTOP the Lin-Manuel Miranda musical is terrific…except for the somewhat thin story (Listen below and read AP’s take)
Behind-the-scenes stories from the 2020 Democratic presidential campaign
The Atlantic’s Edward-Isaac Dovere discusses with WTOP his new book “Battle for the Soul: Inside the Democrats’ Campaigns to Defeat Trump” (Listen below and read The Guardian’s take)
President Trump’s Facebook ban is not as big a story as Facebook’s dealings with leaders around the globe
Alex Heath with The Verge was first with the news about Facebook’s new policy on leaders who do harm through their posts (Listen below and read)
Veterans advocate warns of ‘domestic insurgency’ in the United States
Paul Rieckhoff tells WTOP the Pentagon, White House and FBI are preparing for more possible attacks (Listen below and read a new report on the January 6th Capitol riot)
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser is among 9 Black women running large American cities
Politico’s Maya King shares her reporting with WTOP about the tough year the DC mayor has had…along with Black female leaders in Atlanta and Chicago (Listen below)
First the gas supply, then the meat supply targeted by hackers
CyberScout’s Adam Levin tells WTOP businesses, governments and critical infrastructure must all coordinate to keep ransomware attacks at bay (Listen below and read about the largest meat producer)
What the Tulsa race massacre means to America today
Tulane University’s Dr. Andrea Boyles talks to WTOP about the Tulsa attack and how the government can start to make things right (Listen below and read)
Reactivating that credit card the company canceled during the pandemic
Lending Tree’s Matt Schulz tells WTOP you should call to try to get your card working again and raise your credit limit (Listen below and read)
Keep your car loan at four years or less
Consumerman Herb Weisbaum, with Checkbook.org, shares with WTOP the dangers of taking out a long car loan (Listen below and read)
The feds try to prevent another ransomware hack like the one that hit Colonial Pipeline and kept you in long gas lines
The Washington Post’s Ellen Nakashima tells WTOP Homeland Security is moving to regulate cybersecurity in the pipeline industry (Listen below and read)
Yale professor says you can’t have a racial reckoning without a change in the law
Monica Bell tells WTOP all the ‘racial reckoning’ talk must be paired with action (Listen below and read what George Floyd’s brother is saying)
President Biden says Democrats still strongly support Israel
Vice News Chief Political Correspondent Liz Landers tells WTOP President Biden made news Friday with his comments on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and North Korea (Listen below and read)
American opinions of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are changing
The Quincy Institute’s Kelly Vlahos tells WTOP all sides need to try something new after the cease-fire (Listen below)
Getting government help with your Internet bill
Consumerman Herb Weisbaum, with checkbook.org, tells WTOP some families are choosing between paying the rent or staying online. The feds are now offering some help (Listen below and read)
President Biden’s short temper – and his deliberative way – help him reach policy decisions
New York Times White House Correspondent Katie Rogers tells WTOP about the sometimes lengthy way in which President Biden makes up his mind on policy (Listen below and read)
A GOP donor reflects on Matt Gaetz and the state of the Republican Party
As a Gaetz associate pleads guilty to sex trafficking charges – the political world waits to see whether another shoe drops. Canary CEO and GOP Donor Dan Eberhart talks to WTOP about where the party is and where it may be going. (Listen below and read about the Gaetz associate)
Despite a full plate (COVID mask questions, long lines at the gas station, deadly Middle East violence) President Biden is said to have a good week
ABC News Political Director Rick Klein says no particular crisis enveloped the Biden White House this week (Listen below and read about the CDC mask issue)
A COVID win for President Biden and a warning from progressives
Politico’s Natasha Korecki tells WTOP the timing of the new CDC mask guidelines could not be better for President Biden. She also shares her reporting about a warning to the president – from progressive activists – about working with Republicans. (Listen below)
For a horror movie this weekend avoid ‘Spiral: From the Book of Saw’ and check out ‘The Djinn’
Elise Stefanik’s transformation from moderate millennial Republican to full MAGA
Time Magazine’s Charlotte Alter – author of ‘The Ones We’ve Been Waiting For: How a New Generation of Leaders Will Transform America’ -tells WTOP Stefanik has even lost a 20-year-friendship because of her political transformation (Listen below and read)
What period of the COVID battle are we entering now?
Health Affairs Editor in Chief Alan Weil tells WTOP he doesn’t care to hear ‘the beginning of the end’ when it comes to the pandemic (Listen below and read about Maryland’s plans to lift restrictions)
Russia is accused in those ‘severe headache attacks’ against American spies and diplomats
Social media divides us but we can’t quit it
Kids 12 to 15 years old may be getting the Pfizer COVID vaccine by Thursday
CBS News Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook tells WTOP about getting young teens vaccinated next (Listen below and read)
That new car you’re looking for may not be there this year
Consumerman Herb Weisbaum, with checkbook.org, tells WTOP about a lack of new cars and high prices for the few that remain on the lot (Listen below and read)
“Wrath of Man” is not just another Guy Ritchie/Jason Statham movie…until it is
Critic Christian Toto has a review on WTOP and tells us what Paramount+ is promising next year (Listen below and read AP’s take on the movie)
The Aaron Rodgers/Green Bay Packers marriage hangs by a thread
Washington Post Sports Columnist Jerry Brewer says the idea of Rodgers leaving the team, after 16 years, is jarring (Listen below and read)
Washington Post reporters’ phone records were secretly obtained by the Trump DOJ
Does Biden go for one tax and spend package or two?
Donald Trump’s Facebook ban continues as the GOP convulses
The Daily Beast’s Matt Lewis talks to WTOP about the former president being kept off Facebook and what Liz Cheney’s battle with the Republican Party says about the GOP (Listen below and read about Cheney & Trump/Facebook)
President Biden aims to vaccinate 7 out of 10 Americans by July 4th
Vice News Chief Political Correspondent Liz Landers talks to WTOP about the administration’s incentives and other methods to get most everyone vaccinated (Listen below and read)
Liz Cheney may soon lose her GOP leadership position
The White House says President Biden’s patience is not unlimited
Politico’s Anita Kumar tells WTOP her reporting shows – in a month or two – President Biden may go it alone on passing the measures he considers vitally important. (Listen below and read)
Fact check: Did President Joe Biden and Senator Tim Scott exaggerate?
Louis Jacobson tells WTOP how both politicians stretched the truth, at times, during their Wednesday addresses (Listen below and read Politifact’s take on the Biden speech and the Scott speech)
Some of the most vulnerable missed critical medical appointments due to COVID
Kevin Callison tells WTOP about his new entry in Health Affairs on people who were forced to miss out on critical medical appointments due to COVID (Listen below and read)
The FBI investigates a deadly police shooting one day after the Derek Chauvin verdicts were read
As the feds investigate Andrew Brown Junior’s death in North Carolina – WTOP hears from Dr. Jennifer Cobbina about the rarity of a guilty verdict for police officers (Listen below and read about Brown’s case in NC)
A panel recommends the Pentagon end commanders’ power to stop sexual assault investigations
The Brookings Institution’s Michael O’Hanlon tells WTOP this new recommendation makes sense (Listen below and read)
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny ends his hunger strike
Anatol Lieven, with Georgetown University in Qatar and The Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, tells WTOP about whether Navalny’s opposition is a real threat to Vladimir Putin (Listen below and read the NY Times report on Navalny)
Supporters hope for new momentum in passing the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act
Politico’s Nicholas Wu tells WTOP there are conversations but no breakthroughs among Democrats and Republicans (Listen below and read CNN)
Will Americans demand a long prison sentence for Derek Chauvin?
Trone Dowd with Vice News tells WTOP about Chauvin’s potential prison sentence and the work racial justice activists would like to see done now that this ex-cop has been found guilty (Listen below and read Dowd’s piece on Nancy Pelosi’s comments after the verdicts)
The Derek Chauvin guilty verdict and reimagining safety
Washington Post Editorial Writer Molly Roberts joined WTOP minutes after the verdict was read in the Minneapolis courtroom (Listen below and read WaPo’s recently published Reimagine Safety)
Derek Chauvin is found guilty – how much time could he serve?
Kim Wehle, University of Baltimore, gives WTOP her reaction to Derek Chauvin being found guilty across the board and his possible sentence (Listen below and read more from wtop.com)
Remembering Walter Mondale
The former vice president – and Democratic presidential nominee – is dead at 93. ABC News Political Director Rick Klein joined WTOP with his reflections of the man who transformed what it means to be a veep. (Listen below and read)
Get ready for pop-ups on your iPhone in favor of your privacy
Apple is about to shake up the very business model the Internet is built on. Pop-ups on your iPhone will ask you whether a particular app can track your activity. Journalist Bob Sullivan says this is revolutionary and offers details to WTOP (Listen below and read)
Where are the rental cars?
Now that we’re finally getting vaccinated and are planning trips again, here’s a real kick in the face. There aren’t enough rental cars! Consumerman Herb Weisbaum, with checkbook.org, explains on WTOP (Listen below and read)
After the Riot: NBC’s Frank Thorp on his interviews and unforgettable black and white portraits of those who experienced January 6th up close
NBC Producer/Reporter Frank Thorp used one of those old-time professional flashbulb cameras to capture amazing portraits of some of the people who lived through the Capitol riot – and he asked them to reflect on what happened. The result is “After the Riot” (Listen to Thorp’s WTOP interview below)
Review: ‘Jakob’s Wife’ is a feminist vampire tale
Critic Christian Toto tells WTOP he’s quite impressed with this horror flick (Listen below and read the LA Times review)
The slow process of prosecuting the accused Capitol rioters
NBC-4’s Scott MacFarlane tells WTOP about the hundreds of cases flooding the U.S. District Court for DC (Listen below & watch/read here)
Daunte Wright’s death and Black people’s interactions with police
Dr. Lorenzo Boyd joins WTOP to talk about the latest out of Brooklyn Center, MN and why there are still so many violent interactions between Black and brown people and police. (Listen below and read more about Daunte Wright)
FEMA funeral hotline is flooded
Consumerman Herb Weisbaum, with checkbook.org tells WTOP about FEMA’s offer to help pay your funeral costs if they’re related to COVID. FEMA says their phone lines have been overwhelmed but they’re working on a fix. (Listen below and read)
President Biden says American forces will be out of Afghanistan by September 11th
Politico Pentagon Reporter Lara Seligman joins WTOP to discuss Joe Biden accomplishing what has eluded four other presidents (Listen below and read AP’s analysis)
An online gamer posed as a White House correspondent for months
Underfunded state health department were unprepared for COVID
Health Affairs Editor in Chief Alan Weil tells WTOP about a new report showing why U-S testing and contact tracing was so poor early in the pandemic (Listen below)
Parents of color worry about automatic discrimination against their kids
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Jennifer Ng’andu tells WTOP about its recent survey outlining the optimism and fears of parents of color. (Listen below)
President Biden’s $715 billion defense budget
Bloomberg’s Roxana Tiron tells WTOP there could be a battle over these Pentagon numbers (Listen below)
President Biden’s executive action on guns and possible future struggles in the Senate
Vice News Political Reporter Greg Walters, host of “The Couch Report” on Vice Digital, tells WTOP about future struggles for this new president’s agenda. (Listen below and read about guns)
COVID vaccines vs. variants
We talk about the race to vaccinate the world for COVID, ‘vaccine passports’ and more with Dr. Jay Schnitzer on WTOP (Listen below and read about blood clots as a vaccine side effect)
Multiplying mental health problems because of COVID
Former Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin tells WTOP a lot of mental health issues go unchecked during, and after, the pandemic. She and colleagues at the Bipartisan Policy Center say family doctors should be paired with mental health professionals (Listen below)
CDC travel guidance for the newly-vaccinated
UCSF’s Dr. Monica Gandhi answers questions from WTOP about the government’s revised travel guidelines, mixing COVID vaccines and more (Listen below and read)
Can large companies change anything in Georgia?
Politico’s Zach Montellaro joins WTOP to discuss the business world’s reaction to Georgia’s controversial election law (Listen below and read)
Reviewing ‘The Unholy’ and noticing ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ is making money at the theater
Critic Christian Toto tells WTOP ‘The Unholy’ is perfectly fine but we’ve seen this kind of horror film before – meantime ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ sends people to the cinema even though they could stay at home and watch HBO Max (Listen below & read the NY Times review)
Analyzing President Biden’s second $2 trillion project
NBC’s Jonathan Allen joins WTOP on the Biden infrastructure plan and the book he recently wrote with The Hill’s Amie Parnes – “Lucky: How Joe Biden Barely Won the Presidency” (Listen below and read more about the new plan)
Kamala Harris has a huge job related to migrants crossing the southern US border
Politico’s Eugene Daniels discusses the ‘live political grenade’ President Biden has handed Vice President Harris (Listen below and read Daniels’ story on the political stakes)
Will Amazon’s Alabama warehouse workers unionize?
It’s organized labor’s biggest story in decades: Thousands of Amazon warehouse workers in Bessemer, Alabama are voting on whether to join a union. Motherboard’s Lauren Gurley joins WTOP to explain the situation at this warehouse (Listen below and read)
Roughly half the nation’s COVID deaths involved seniors in nursing homes – except for those staying in retirement ‘green houses’
Health Affairs’ Rob Waters tells WTOP about a new model of small nursing homes that keeps your parents and grandparents safe (Listen below & read)
What happens if GPS goes down?
GW Economist (and former Transportation Department Assistant Secretary) Diana Furchtgott-Roth tells WTOP about her Wall Street Journal op-ed on the risks to our GPS system and how it must be shored up (Listen below)
President Biden gives his first formal news conference since taking office
Politico’s Anita Kumar joins WTOP to discuss the news President Biden made in his first, hour-long news conference (Listen below and read)
Review: ‘Nobody’ is nothing to get excited about
Critic Christian Toto tells WTOP – despite Bob Odenkirk being such an interesting actor – ‘Nobody’ leaves you with nothing. (Listen below and read AP’s take)
A race between the COVID variants and our ability to quickly vaccinate
Dr. Ross McKinney, Chief Scientific Officer, Association of American Medical Colleges on our battle with COVID in mid-2021 (Listen below and read the latest about the AstraZeneca vaccine)
The Washington Post examines police reform and public safety
WaPo Editorial Writer Emefa Addo Agawu speaks with WTOP about the Post’s 7-part series and how nobody should jump to any conclusions when they hear ‘police reform’
Black workers are hit twice by COVID
Politico’s Megan Cassella tells WTOP Black Americans were among the first to lose their jobs in early 2020 and are now being left behind in the recovery (Listen below and read here piece)
Semaglutide could be a revolutionary weight-loss drug
(Getty Images)
Dr. Domenica Rubino (Washington Center for Weight Management & Research) tells WTOP about a new study she led on how the diabetes drug semaglutide helped reduce people’s cravings to overeat. (Listen below, read more & sign up for a clinical trial)
Can the Senate’s G-20 gang achieve bipartisanship?
Politico Congressional Reporter Burgess Everett on efforts to save the filibuster and get senators to work together (Listen below and read)
Review: ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’
Critic Christian Toto tells WTOP this four hour epic is much better than the 2017 version. (Listen below and read AP’s take)
The Biden Administration and the southern US border
NBC’s Julia Ainsley joins WTOP to discuss the continuing flow of unaccompanied minors coming into the United States from Mexico. She also talks about her reporting the Biden Administration is limiting what the Border Patrol can tell the media. (Listen below)
How airports have changed since COVID
Former TSA Executive Steve Karoly tells WTOP going to the airport these days means you have to do a lot of the things airport employees used to do for you (Listen below and read)
President Biden’s strongest words yet about Andrew Cuomo
The president tells ABC News New York Governor Andrew Cuomo should resign if the state attorney general’s investigation confirms the claims against him. Politico’s Daniel Lippman has analysis on WTOP (Listen below and read)
Scammers are now using fake badges to try to fool you
Consumerman Herb Weisbaum, with checkbook.org, tells WTOP about new, threatening ways crooks pretend to be from Social Security, to steal your identity and your money (Listen below and read)
Georgetown’s Cal Newport envisions ‘A World Without Email’
Georgetown Computer Scientist Cal Newport talks to WTOP about how your always-full inbox messing up your work and adding to your stress – all outlined in his new book “A World Without Email.” Listen to the full interview below
President Biden’s victory and upcoming challenges
Politico’s Alex Thompson discusses the president’s new, massive COVID relief bill and the risks it may not be felt by all Americans (Listen below and read)
‘Cherry’ is no Marvel movie
Critic Christian Toto reviews ‘Cherry’ starring Tom Holland – and directed by the Russo Brothers (Listen below & read AP’s take)
Analysis: President Biden setting realistic goals
ABC News Political Director Rick Klein looks at Joe Biden’s first presidential prime-time address to the nation (Listen below and read)
Tax season is a lot tougher for people already ripped off by identity thieves
Consumerman Herb Weisbaum, with checkbook.org, tells WTOP it’s bad enough crooks used people’s identity to steal unemployment benefits last year…now those same victims are having tax-filing problems. (Listen below and read)
What it’s like to get your COVID shot at Six Flags in Bowie
WTOP Sports Director George Wallace got his first dose of the Pfizer COVID vaccine at Six Flags America, one of Maryland’s mass vaccination sites. (Listen below and read)
What passing the COVID relief bill means for President Biden
Politico’s Christopher Cadelago joins WTOP after The American Rescue Plan passes the House on the way to President Biden’s desk (Listen below and read)
No signs the Biden Administration is ending migrant family detention
The main healthcare elements in President Biden’s COVID relief bill
Health Affairs Editor-in-Chief Alan Weil tells WTOP about how the nearly $2 trillion measure could help improve Americans’ health (Listen below and read about a new Health Affairs study on high turnover in nursing homes)
Senator Joe Manchin is the most centrist and the most powerful person in the chamber
National Journal Editor-in-Chief Jeff Dufour talks to WTOP about the nine-hour logjam that stalled the Senate’s work on the COVID bill Friday, and how Manchin was at the heart of it. (Read and listen below)
You have more choices than ever for a safe car
Consumerman Herb Weisbaum, with checkbook.org, tells WTOP about a record number of 2021 models earning a Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (Read and listen below)
Capitol on high alert
The House passes police reform and voting rights measures before getting out of the Capitol Thursday morning for security purposes. Politico’s Anita Kumar explains on WTOP (Read and listen below)
President Biden says it’s far too early to take the masks off
President Biden slams the Texas and Mississippi governors for ending mask mandates, even as most Americans remain unvaccinated. Mitre Corporation’s Doctor Paul Jarris talks about it with WTOP (Listen below and read)
Former Trump CDC Director Robert Redfield is now advising Maryland’s COVID response
WTOP asks Politico Pro’s Darius Tahir whether Maryland stands to benefit from Redfield’s advice on fighting coronavirus. (Listen below and read about the selection)
Neera Tanden withdraws her OMB nomination / Enough COVID shots for all Americans by May
We discuss Tuesday’s big stories from the White House with Cam Joseph of Vice News (Listen below and read about Tanden and WH/vaccines)
American Indians make greater inroads into the medical world
(Courtesy of The University of North Dakota)
Native Americans are more likely to get COVID and other diseases. Now more indigenous people are graduating from medical school and returning to their communities to help. Journalist Sarah Kwon shares her Health Affairs article with WTOP
Does the Joe Biden White House have a transparency problem?
Government watchdogs say Joe Biden’s administration could be doing a lot more to promote transparency. Politico’s Anita Kumar shares her article with WTOP
Is Paramount Plus too late to the streaming game?
A new documentary examines a viral moment at the Lincoln Memorial
Christian Toto reviews ‘Rush to Judgement’ a documentary about the Covington Catholic kids’ DC visit in January 2019. The movie features analysis by WTOP’s Neal Augenstein
Has your favorite restaurant closed down due to COVID?
Lending Tree’s Matt Schulz tells WTOP half of Americans say they’ve lost their favorite food place to the pandemic (Check out the survey and listen below)
Traditional Republicans with nowhere to go
Politico’s David Siders joins WTOP to discuss his article about anti-Trump Republicans’ struggles to find a new political home
Do you have to pay taxes on your stimulus checks?
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Consumerman Herb Weisbaum, with checkbook.org, tells WTOP about the latest tax rules (Listen below and read)
Car Review: The Ford Ranger may be just right for those who don’t need a bulked up truck
(Mike Parris/WTOP)
WTOP Car Guy Mike Parris reviews the new Ford Ranger (Listen to his comments below)
Review: ‘Nomadland’ is Oscar worthy
Critic Christian Toto highly recommends Nomadland at the theater or on Hulu – he also wants you to check out the Cruella trailer
(Listen to his Nomadland review below and read the AP’s take)
Which businesses are committed to diversity?
Consumerman Herb Weisbaum, with checkbook.org, tells WTOP about the Black Dollar Index (listen below and read)
Sizing up the second Trump impeachment trial
University of Baltimore Law Professor Kim Wehle joins WTOP on the eve of the impeachment vote (Listen to her analysis below and get the latest from AP)
Where’s your emergency fund? You can set one up even if you live from hand to mouth.
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Consumerman Herb Weisbaum, with Checkbook.org, tells WTOP you must get in the habit of setting money aside in case of emergency (Read and listen below)
Maryland Republicans push for voter ID and mail-in voting legislation
While Virginia is close to adding a Voting Rights Act – some Maryland Republican state senators are pushing for laws on voter ID and mail-in ballot signature verification. Maryland Matters’ Bennett Leckrone joins WTOP with the story (read and listen below)
More than half of Americans will place a Super Bowl bet
Lending Tree’s Matt Schulz tells WTOP a lot of people, who are putting money on the game, run the risk of going into debt (read and listen below)
Watch out for credit repair scams
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Consumerman Herb Weisbaum – with Checkbook.org – tells WTOP to watch out for bogus credit repair offers (read and listen below)
Coronavirus risks rose a year ago as the US handled evacuees from Wuhan
President Trump considered replacing his acting AG to further push voter fraud claims
Katie Benner of the New York Times joined WTOP with her DOJ exclusive (Listen below and read her story)
100 more presidential pardons may be on the way
Capitol Police report warned of the January 6th attack
Washington Post Political Investigative Reporter Carol Leonnig tells WTOP about her Friday night exclusive (Listen below and read)
‘One Night in Miami’ is thought-provoking and inspirational
The slow COVID vaccine rollout is deadly
Health Affairs Editor-in-Chief Alan Weil discusses the slow pace of coronavirus vaccine distribution (Listen below, read about things possibly speeding up and read about the article Alan mentions at the end)
When is your stimulus check coming?
Consumerman Herb Weisbaum with Checkbook.org tells WTOP some of us may have to wait until we file our 2020 tax returns (Listen below and read Herb’s article)
Donald Trump is permanently banned from Twitter
No matter which handle President Trump tries to use his tweets are being deleted. CNET’s Ian Sherr joins WTOP with his take. (Listen below, read Ian’s new column & the latest from wtop.com
QAnon announced its plans to storm the Capitol weeks ago
‘Wonder Woman 1984’ review
Christian Toto loved the first ‘Wonder Woman’ but has few nice things to say about the sequel (Listen below and read AP’s more charitable take)
Avoiding high checking overdraft fees
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Consumerman Herb Weisbaum, with checkbook.org, says overdraft fees are higher than ever and you need to stop paying them (Listen below and read more at wtop.com)
Covid stimulus suspense
The country waits to see what President Trump will do as a government shutdown looms and COVID relief hangs in the balance. Paul Blest of Vice News has analysis on WTOP (Listen below and read the latest from AP)
Hack against US agencies reaches Energy Department and those in charge of nuclear weapons
‘We want them infected’: Emails show Trump appointee wanted young people to catch Covid-19
Politico’s Dan Diamond tells WTOP former top Trump appointee Paul Alexander repeatedly urged top health officials to let millions of Americans be infected by the virus, in the name of “herd immunity.” (Listen below and read Dan’s article)
Republican senators seem reluctant to hold hearings for Joe Biden’s people
Alayna Treene of Axios tells WTOP the GOP seems reluctant to hold hearings for Biden’s nominees before the inauguration
The FDA considers the Pfizer Covid vaccine
Health Affairs’ Alan Weil tells WTOP a coronavirus vaccine can be successful without everybody in the nation getting it (Read and listen below)
What were we searching for on Google in 2020?
Google’s Molly VandenBerg tells WTOP ‘election results’ was a bigger search topic than even ‘coronavirus’ this year (Listen below and read more here)
Facebook faces a barrage of antitrust lawsuits
WTOP Tech Guy Gregg Stebben responds to a WaPo report Facebook is being hit with antitrust cases from 40 states and the feds.
Should Metro sell its land?
Emily Hamilton tells WTOP Metro should sell the land surrounding its stations to solve its money problems
Get rid of your unused online accounts
Checkbook.org‘s Herb Weisbaum tells WTOP it’s time to delete your unused online accounts – or valuable data may be stolen (Listen below and read more at wtop.com)
Protect yourself while shopping online
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Cybershopping records are being broken left and right during the pandemic – CyberScout’s Adam Levin tells WTOP there are a lot of online scams to look out for (Listen below and read about a new CyberScout/Harris Poll survey)
Is Warner Brothers killing movie theaters?
In a seismic shift Warner Brothers will stream all its 2021 new releases on HBO Max. Christian Toto joins WTOP to talk about whether this is the beginning of the end for going to the movies.
‘Hillbilly Elegy’ is worth a look
Christian Toto differs from many of his fellow critics by giving ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ on Netflix a pretty good grade – we also discussed ‘Uncle Frank’ (listen below and read other reviews of Hillbilly Elegy and Uncle Frank)
Debit cards can get you into trouble
Checkbook.org‘s Herb Weisbaum tells WTOP you’re much better off using credit cards for your holiday shopping (listen below and read Herb’s article)
Expect a coronavirus vaccine to be injected into your arm by May or so
Dr. Arthur Caplan tells WTOP how soon he thinks we’ll be able to get our Covid shots and start to live our lives again (Listen below and read about new coronavirus restrictions)
Leaving porch pirates empty-handed
SecurityNerd‘s Julie Ryan Evans tells WTOP – with record holiday package delivery this year – there are ways to make sure crooks don’t grab your gifts before you get home. (Listen below and read more here)
The Trump Administration’s last-minute policy changes include federal executions
ProPublica’s Isaac Arnsdorf tells WTOP dozens of policy-changes are underway during the administration’s final weeks (Listen below and read Isaac’s article)
The pollster’s dirty little secret
David Hill of Hill Research Consultants tells WTOP people generally won’t pick up the phone to talk to pollsters anymore, and that is making presidential polls less accurate (Listen below and read Hill’s op-ed here)
Waiting for the coronavirus vaccine
Yale’s Jason Schwartz, and colleagues, are writing about the biggest expected challenges related to the new Covid-19 vaccines. (Listen to Schwartz below, read their Health Affairs research and their USA Today op-ed)
Jackie Chan is back with ‘Vanguard’ – ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ comes to HBO Max this Christmas
Critic Christian Toto tells WTOP Chan’s film is terrible (check out the neutral NY Times review) while the Wonder Woman streaming release could change movie history
Sexual harassment allegations at a Washington Football Team foundation aimed at helping Native Americans
The Washington Post’s Will Hobson discusses his latest article outlining sexual harassment allegations against the WFT (listen below and read)
Routine election certification becomes anything but routine in Michigan
Journalist Kayla Ruble was in the room Tuesday night as two Republican members on Michigan’s Wayne County Board of Canvassers voted against certifying of the county’s votes — then abruptly reversed course amid heavy criticism. (Listen to Ruble below and read about how this process usually works)
‘Fatman’ is too heavy for its own good
Christian Toto reviews the new, dark, holiday comedy, starring Mel Gibson. He also tells us whether we should see ‘Come Away’ and ‘Freaky’ (listen below and read other reviews of Fatman – Come Away – Freaky)
The delayed presidential transition
Ten days after the election, President Trump refuses to concede. Read more here and listen below to Vice News Deputy DC Bureau Chief Todd Zwillich tell WTOP Republican Senators are saying one thing in front of the microphones and another behind the scenes.
Joe Biden’s history
The New Yorker’s Evan Osnos talks to WTOP about his new book “Joe Biden: The Life, the Run, and What Matters Now” and the difference between Biden’s failed presidential run in the late 80’s and now.
A new horror flick for Halloween ‘Come Play’
Film Critic Christian Toto tells WTOP whether ‘Come Play’ is full of scares despite its PG-13 rating (Read his review and listen below)
The US is behind other countries in children’s health
Princeton’s Janet Currie tells WTOP when it comes to supporting the health of children and families, what Americans say is not what we do. She writes about it in the latest issue of Health Affairs (listen below)
Record package delivery brings out the crooks
Checkbook.org‘s Herb Weisbaum says criminals know about all the packages we’re ordering and they’re trying to fool us. (Listen below and read here)
The Nissan Sentra grows up
WTOP Car Guy Mike Parris says this compact sedan has a lot more to offer than past models (Listen below and read here)
Fact-checking 2020’s final presidential debate
The Washington Post’s Glenn Kessler tells WTOP both candidates got their facts wrong but President Trump did it much more often (more from AP)
Borat returns to a changed America
Christian Toto reviews the Borat sequel ‘Subsequent Moviefilm’ on WTOP (listen below and check out AP’s take here)
Russia and Iran are interfering in the 2020 election
The U.S. intelligence community says threatening emails were sent by Iran, but made to look like they came from far-right American group Proud Boys. WTOP National Security Correspondent JJ Green talks about FBI promises that your vote WILL count, despite this interference.
New questions about some generic drugs
Generic drugs don’t always work as well as the brand names. Stanford medical professor Kevin Schulman found that out when his daughter’s ADHD medication was refilled. He writes about it in Health Affairs and shares with WTOP.