WTOP’s Interviews and Links

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

(By Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Michigan State’s Dr. Jennifer Cobbina on what Derek Chauvin’s sentencing means going forward ( )



 

Sending mental health professionals instead of cops

(Bby Mark Kerrison/In Pictures via Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Health Affairs Journalist Rob Waters on sending mental health pro’s instead of police ( )



Pfizer is asking the government to approve a COVID booster – but is it needed?

(By Adem Altan /AFP via Getty Images)

UCSF’s Dr. Monica Gandhi tells WTOP she’s seen no evidence we should get booster shots (Listen below and read)



March 19, 2024 | UCSF’s Monica Gandhi sees no evidence a COVID booster shot is needed right now ( )



 

 

 

One of the most-watched American athletes won’t even be in Tokyo

(By Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

WTOP discusses Sha’Carri Richardson’s exclusion from the Olympic Games with The Washington Post’s Jerry Brewer (Listen below and read)



March 19, 2024 | Washington Post Sports Columnist Jerry Brewer on Sha’Carri Richardson’s suspension for marijuana ( )



 

 

 

 

 

Democrats are concerned about getting the president’s agenda passed

(By Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Politico’s David Siders outlines progressive Democratic concerns about infrastructure, police reform and more (Listen below and read)



March 19, 2024 | Politico’s David Siders on Democratic anxiety about getting President Biden’s programs passed ( )



 

Victoria’s Secret revamp may be coming too late

(By Belinda Jiao/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Refinery29’s Irina Grechko on Victoria’s Secret trying to radically change its image ( )



 

 

 

 

The Biden infrastructure plan for the summer

(By  Win McNamee/Getty Images)

NBC White House Correspondent Mike Memoli tells WTOP the White House is performing a delicate balancing act (Listen below and read)



March 19, 2024 | NBC’s Mike Memoli on the Biden WH trying to pass major infrastructure measures (Dimitri Sotis)



 

 

Stalled election reform – and other issues – renew talk of blowing up the filibuster

(By Caroline Brehman/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Alayna Treene of Axios tells WTOP Democrats have some decisions to make (Listen below and read)



March 19, 2024 | Axios Congressional Reporter Alayna Treene on what might be done with the fillibuster ( )



 

What the Biden/Putin summit means for the United States

(Photo by Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | R Street Institute’s Paul Rosenzweig reviews the Biden/Putin summit ( )



 

 

Joe Manchin’s bipartisan effort appears to be failing

(By Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | ABC’s Rick Klein says Joe Manchin may be learning bipartisanship is supposed to be a two-way street ( )



 

 

Takeaways from the Biden/Putin summit

(By Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images)

Bradley Bowman tells WTOP cybersecurity was the biggest topic on the agenda and Biden did alright (Listen below and read)



March 19, 2024 | Bradley Bowman, with the Foundation For Defense of Democracies on Biden/Putin in Geneva ( )



Where is Donald Trump’s book deal?

(By Wojtek Laski/Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Politico’s Meridith McGraw on Donald Trump as the only recent former president without a book deal ( )



 

 

 

Putin looks tough in Geneva – while meeting with Biden – but the Russian leader is scared about what’s happening at home

(By Jim Watson /AFP via Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Journalist and podcast host Dana Lewis discusses the Biden/Putin summit ( )



 

 

Former Attorney General Bill Barr’s first comments on the Trump-era seizing of Democratic lawmakers’ data

(By  Michael Reynolds-Pool/Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Politico’s Daniel Lippman interviews Bill Barr about secretly seizing data on House Democrats ( )



 

 

 

 

Watch out for cryptocurrency scams – they’re all over the place

(Photo illustration by Edward Smith/Getty Images)

Consumerman Herb Weisbaum, with checkbook.org, tells WTOP it’s easy to be taken in, if you’re not careful (Listen below and read)



March 19, 2024 | Consumerman Herb Weisbaum warns of serious cryptocurrency scams ( )



 

Review: ‘In the Heights’ is a super-fun way for you to return to the movie theater

(By Gary Gershoff/Getty Images)

Christian Toto tells WTOP the Lin-Manuel Miranda musical is terrific…except for the somewhat thin story (Listen below and read AP’s take)



March 19, 2024 | (Dimitri Sotis)



 

 

 

Behind-the-scenes stories from the 2020 Democratic presidential campaign

(Courtesy of Viking)

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)



March 19, 2024 | ( )



 

 

President Trump’s Facebook ban is not as big a story as Facebook’s dealings with leaders around the globe

(By Mandel Ngan via Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | The Verge Senior Reporter Alex Heath on Facebook cracking down on world leaders’ posts ( )



 

 

 

Veterans advocate warns of ‘domestic insurgency’ in the United States

(By Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Veterans advocate Paul Rieckoff warns of potential danger from Trump supporters ( )



 

 

 

 

DC Mayor Muriel Bowser is among 9 Black women running large American cities

(By Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Politico’s Maya King on criticism of DC Mayor Bowser regarding some of the city’s Black residents ( )



 

First the gas supply, then the meat supply targeted by hackers

(By Jeff Kowalsky / AFP via Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | CyberScout’s Adam Levin on ransomware attacks getting more serious ( )



What the Tulsa race massacre means to America today

(By Mandel Ngan AFP via Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Dr. Andrea Boyles talks to WTOP about the systems the Tulsa race massacre represents ( )



 

Reactivating that credit card the company canceled during the pandemic

(Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Lending Tree’s Matt Schulz says tens of millions of Americans saw their credit cards cut off this year ( )



 

Keep your car loan at four years or less

(Getty Images)

Consumerman Herb Weisbaum, with Checkbook.org, shares with WTOP the dangers of taking out a long car loan (Listen below and read)



March 19, 2024 | Checkbook.org’s Herb Weisbaum on the dangers of a long car loan ( )



 

The feds try to prevent another ransomware hack like the one that hit Colonial Pipeline and kept you in long gas lines

(By Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

The Washington Post’s Ellen Nakashima tells WTOP Homeland Security is moving to regulate cybersecurity in the pipeline industry (Listen below and read)



March 19, 2024 | Washington Post Reporter Ellen Nakashima on efforts to prevent another pipeline cybersecurity attack ( )



 

Yale professor says you can’t have a racial reckoning without a change in the law

(By Alejandro Alvarez / WTOP)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Yale’s Monica Bell says it’s not enough to discuss racial justice – there must be a change in the law ( )



 

 

President Biden says Democrats still strongly support Israel

(By Jim Watson /AFP via Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Liz Landers of Vice News on President Biden’s Middle East tightrope walk ( )



 

American opinions of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are changing

(By Eyad Tawil/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

The Quincy Institute’s Kelly Vlahos tells WTOP all sides need to try something new after the cease-fire (Listen below)



March 19, 2024 | The Quincy Institute’s Kelly Vlahos tells WTOP Israel’s support is eroding in the United States ( )



 

 

 

Getting government help with your Internet bill

(Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Consumerman Herb Weisbaum on government help paying for web access ( )



 

President Biden’s short temper – and his deliberative way – help him reach policy decisions

(By Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | New York Times White House Correspondent Katie Rogers on what’s beneath Joe Biden’s folksy demeanor ( )



 

 

A GOP donor reflects on Matt Gaetz and the state of the Republican Party

(By Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | GOP Donor Dan Eberhart discusses the state of the Republican Party on WTOP ( )



 

 

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

(By Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | ABC Political Director Rick Klein on a hectic, but good, week for President Biden ( )



 

 

 

A COVID win for President Biden and a warning from progressives

(By Alex Wong/Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Politico’s Natasha Korecki tells WTOP progressives are pushing President Biden not to be limited by Republicans ( )



 

 

For a horror movie this weekend avoid ‘Spiral: From the Book of Saw’ and check out ‘The Djinn’

(By Brooke Palmer/AP)

Film Critic Christian Toto reviews both films on WTOP (Listen below and read more about Spiral and The Djinn)



March 19, 2024 | Critic Christian Toto tells WTOP does not succeed in the horror film Spiral ( )



 

Elise Stefanik’s transformation from moderate millennial Republican to full MAGA

(By Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Time Magazine’s Charlotte Alter on Elise Stefanik’s transition to a full Trumper ( )



 

 

What period of the COVID battle are we entering now?

(Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Alan Weil with Health Affairs on our new phase of COVID recovery ( )



Russia is accused in those ‘severe headache attacks’ against American spies and diplomats

(By Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images)

Politico’s Lara Seligman shares her reporting (and that of her colleagues) with WTOP (Listen below)



March 19, 2024 | Politico Pentagon Reporter Lara Seligman on Russia being blamed for the microwave attacks on the US ( )



 

 

Social media divides us but we can’t quit it

(Getty Images)

NBC’s Mark Murray shares with WTOP the results of a new NBC News poll (Listen below)



March 19, 2024 | NBC News Senior Political Editor Mark Murray on how most Americans believe social media divides us ( )



 

 

 

 

Kids 12 to 15 years old may be getting the Pfizer COVID vaccine by Thursday

(By Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

CBS News Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook tells WTOP about getting young teens vaccinated next (Listen below and read)



March 19, 2024 | Doctor Jon LaPook of CBS News on the Pfizer vaccine next going to those 12 to 15 years old ( )



 

 

That new car you’re looking for may not be there this year

(Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Consumerman Herb Weisbaum on few new cars available right now ( )



 

 

“Wrath of Man” is not just another Guy Ritchie/Jason Statham movie…until it is

(Courtesy MGM)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Critic Christian Toto reviews ‘Wrath of Man’ on WTOP and says Paramount+ is promising a lot of new movies ( )



 

The Aaron Rodgers/Green Bay Packers marriage hangs by a thread

(By Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

Washington Post Sports Columnist Jerry Brewer says the idea of Rodgers leaving the team, after 16 years, is jarring (Listen below and read)



March 19, 2024 | The Washington Post’s Jerry Brewer on a possible split between Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers ( )



 

 

Washington Post reporters’ phone records were secretly obtained by the Trump DOJ

(By Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Washington Post Reporter – and author – Devlin Barrett tells WTOP this happened early in the Trump era after reporting on Russia’s interference in the 2016 election (Listen below and read)



March 19, 2024 | Washington Post Reporter Devlin Barrett ( )



 

 

Does Biden go for one tax and spend package or two?

(By Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)

Hans Nichols with Axios tells WTOP a lot will depend on meetings between the president and Republicans next week. (Listen below and read)



March 19, 2024 | Axios Reporter Hans Nichols tells WTOP about whether Democrats and Republicans might pass an infrastructure package together (Dimitri Sotis)



 

 

Donald Trump’s Facebook ban continues as the GOP convulses

(By Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Daily Beast Senior Columnist Matt Lewis on Trump v Facebook and Cheney v New GOP ( )



 

President Biden aims to vaccinate 7 out of 10 Americans by July 4th

(By Alex Wong/Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Vice News’ Liz Landers on President Biden’s next COVID vaccine goal ( )



 

Liz Cheney may soon lose her GOP leadership position

(By Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

Axios Congressional Reporter Kadia Goba talks to WTOP about her scoop that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has had enough of Liz Cheney (Listen below and read more from AP)



March 19, 2024 | Kadia Goba of Axios talks to WTOP about a big threat to Liz Cheney’s leadership in the House ( )



 

The White House says President Biden’s patience is not unlimited

(By Alex Wong/Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Politico’s Anita Kumar on President Biden’s plans to pass his legislation ( )



 

Fact check: Did President Joe Biden and Senator Tim Scott exaggerate?

(By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Politifact’s Lou Jacobson fact-checks President Biden and Tim Scott ( )



 

 

 

Some of the most vulnerable missed critical medical appointments due to COVID

(Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Tulane’s Kevin Callison on people forced to miss crucial medical appointments during the pandemic ( )



 

 

The FBI investigates a deadly police shooting one day after the Derek Chauvin verdicts were read

(By Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Michigan State’s Jennifer Cobbina on the rarity of a verdict like the one in the Chauvin trial ( )



 

A panel recommends the Pentagon end commanders’ power to stop sexual assault investigations

(By Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

The Brookings Institution’s Michael O’Hanlon tells WTOP this new recommendation makes sense (Listen below and read)



March 19, 2024 | The Brookings Institution’s Michael O’Hanlon on the prospect of taking sexual assault investigations out of commanders’ hands ( )



 

 

 

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny ends his hunger strike

 

 

(By Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Scholar Anatol Lieven on the threat Alexei Navalny may pose to Vladimir Putin ( )



 

 

Supporters hope for new momentum in passing the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act

(By Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

Politico’s Nicholas Wu tells WTOP there are conversations but no breakthroughs among Democrats and Republicans (Listen below and read CNN)



March 19, 2024 | Politico Congressional Reporter Nicholas Wu on police reform ( )



 

 

 

Will Americans demand a long prison sentence for Derek Chauvin?

(By Megan Varner/Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Vice News Correspondent Trone Dowd on next steps after the Chauvin trial ( )



 

 

The Derek Chauvin guilty verdict and reimagining safety

(By Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | The Washington Post’s Molly Roberts on the end of the Derek Chauvin trial ( )



 

 

 

 

 

 

Derek Chauvin is found guilty – how much time could he serve?

(By Scott Olson/Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | University of Baltimore Law Professor Kim Wehle on Derek Chauvin being found guilty of murder ( )



 

 

 

Remembering Walter Mondale

(Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | ABC News Political Director Rick Klein remembers Walter Mondale ( )



 

 

Get ready for pop-ups on your iPhone in favor of your privacy

(By Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Journalist Bob Sullivan on Apple’s new pop-ups meant to protect your privacy ( )



 

 

 

 

Where are the rental cars?

(By Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Gettty Images)

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)

 



March 19, 2024 | Consumerman Herb Weisbaum says there aren’t enough rental cars this spring and summer ( )



 

 

 

 

After the Riot: NBC’s Frank Thorp on his interviews and unforgettable black and white portraits of those who experienced January 6th up close

(By Frank Thorp NBC News)

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)



March 19, 2024 | (Dimitri Sotis)



 

 

Review: ‘Jakob’s Wife’ is a feminist vampire tale

(Courtesy AMP International)

Critic Christian Toto tells WTOP he’s quite impressed with this horror flick (Listen below and read the LA Times review)



March 19, 2024 | Christian Toto tells WTOP ‘Jakob’s Wife’ is the best scary movie he’s seen in a while ( )



 

 

 

The slow process of prosecuting the accused Capitol rioters

(By Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

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)

 



March 19, 2024 | NBC4’s Scott MacFarlane on the backlog of Capitol riot cases at U-S District Court for DC ( )



 

 

Daunte Wright’s death and Black people’s interactions with police

(By Megan Varner/Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Diversity specialist Lorenzo Boyd on Daunte Wright’s killing and policing in America ( )



 

 

 

FEMA funeral hotline is flooded

(By Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Consumerman Herb Weisbaum on FEMA covering your COVID funeral costs ( )



 

 

President Biden says American forces will be out of Afghanistan by September 11th

(By Andrew Harnik-Pool/Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Politico’s Lara Seligman on President Biden’s pledge to leave Afghanistan in early September ( )



 

 

An online gamer posed as a White House correspondent for months

(By Brendan Smialowski AFP via Getty Images)

Politico’s Chris Cadelago tells WTOP we still don’t know who this person is (Listen below and read)



March 19, 2024 | Politico’s Christopher Cadelago on the fictional White House Correspondent Kacey Montagu ( )



 

 

 

Underfunded state health department were unprepared for COVID

(By Andrew Aitchison / In pictures via Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Alan Weil with Health Affairs on how underfunded state health departments failed against COVID ( )



 

 

 

 

Parents of color worry about automatic discrimination against their kids

(Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Jennifer Ng’andu on parents of color fearing automatic discrimination against their kids ( )



 

 

President Biden’s $715 billion defense budget

(By Caroline Brehman/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Bloomberg’s Roxana Tiron tells WTOP there could be a battle over these Pentagon numbers (Listen below)



March 19, 2024 | Bloomberg’s Roxana Tiron on President Biden’s defense budget plan and possible withdrawal from Afghanistan ( )



 

 

President Biden’s executive action on guns and possible future struggles in the Senate

(By Alex Wong/Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Greg Walters of Vice News on President Biden’s challenges with gun control, the Senate and Afghanistan ( )



 

 

 

COVID vaccines vs. variants

(Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Dr. Jay Schnitzer with Mitre Corporation on the race to vaccinate the world to protect from COVID ( )



 

 

Multiplying mental health problems because of COVID

(Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Former Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin on the mental health crisis created by COVID ( )



 

 

CDC travel guidance for the newly-vaccinated

(By Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | UCSF infectious disease expert Monica Gandhi on the latest COVID trends as we move into April ( )



 

 

Can large companies change anything in Georgia?

(By Tami Chappell/AFP via Getty Images)

Politico’s Zach Montellaro joins WTOP to discuss the business world’s reaction to Georgia’s controversial election law (Listen below and read)



March 19, 2024 | Politico’s Zach Montellaro on whether Coca-Cola and Delta will make a difference regarding Georgia’s new election law ( )



 

Reviewing ‘The Unholy’ and noticing ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ is making money at the theater

(Courtesy Screen Gems)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Christian Toto reviews ‘The Unholy’ and says ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ might be the film to bring people back to the theater ( )



Analyzing President Biden’s second $2 trillion project

(By Oliver Contreras/Sipa/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | NBC News Digital’s Jonathan Allen on President Biden’s infrastructure plan ( )



 

 

Kamala Harris has a huge job related to migrants crossing the southern US border

(By Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Politico’s Eugene Daniels on Kamala Harris’ big challenge at the southern border ( )



 

 

 

Will Amazon’s Alabama warehouse workers unionize?

(By Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Motherboard’s Lauren Gurley on why many workers at an Alabama Amazon warehouse want to unionize ( )



 

 

 

Roughly half the nation’s COVID deaths involved seniors in nursing homes – except for those staying in retirement ‘green houses’

(By Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Health Affairs’ Rob Waters tells WTOP about a new model of small nursing homes that keeps your parents and grandparents safe (Listen below & read)



March 19, 2024 | Rob Waters of Health Affairs discusses ‘green house’ facilities for elders, largely COVID safe ( )



 

 

 

 

 

What happens if GPS goes down?

(Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Former DOT Assistant Secretary Diana Furchtgott-Roth on the importance of protecting the GPS system ( )



 

 

 

President Biden gives his first formal news conference since taking office

(By Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Politico’s Anita Kumar joins WTOP to discuss the news President Biden made in his first, hour-long news conference (Listen below and read)



March 19, 2024 | Politico White House Reporter Anita Kumar on Joe Biden’s 1st news conference ( )



 

 

Review: ‘Nobody’ is nothing to get excited about

(By  Allen Fraser/Universal Studios)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Christian Toto reviews Bob Odenkirk as an action star in ‘Nothing’ ( )



 

 

A race between the COVID variants and our ability to quickly vaccinate

(By Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | AAMC’s Doctor Ross McKinney on battling COVID this spring and getting vaccinated ( )



 

 

The Washington Post examines police reform and public safety

(By Allison Dinner/AFP via Getty Images)

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’



March 19, 2024 | Washington Post Editorial Writer Emefa Addo Agawu on ‘Reimagining Safety’ ( )



 

 

 

 

Black workers are hit twice by COVID

(By Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for Gap, Inc.)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Politico’s Megan Cassella on how Black Americans are hit coming and going by COVID ( )



 

 

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)



March 19, 2024 | Weight-loss specialist Domenica Rubino on a new drug’s promise to help people lose weight ( )



 

 

 

 

Can the Senate’s G-20 gang achieve bipartisanship?

(By Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

Politico Congressional Reporter Burgess Everett on efforts to save the filibuster and get senators to work together (Listen below and read)



March 19, 2024 | Politico’s Burgess Everett on a new ‘gang of 20’ trying to save the Senate ( )



 

Review: ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’

(Photo by Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images)

Critic Christian Toto tells WTOP this four hour epic is much better than the 2017 version. (Listen below and read AP’s take)



March 19, 2024 | Christian Toto says Zach Snyder’s Justice League is far superior to the 2017 version ( )



 

 

 

The Biden Administration and the southern US border

(Photo by JUSTIN HAMEL/AFP via Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | NBC News Correspondent Julia Ainsley on the Biden Administration’s effort to be humane AND to keep migrants out ( )



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How airports have changed since COVID

(By Scott Olson/Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Former TSA Executive Steve Karoly says airports have changed since COVID ( )



 

 

 

President Biden’s strongest words yet about Andrew Cuomo

 

(By Brook Christopher/WireImage)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Politico White House Correspondent Daniel Lippman on Joe Biden and Andrew Cuomo ( )



 

 

 

Scammers are now using fake badges to try to fool you

(Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Consumerman Herb Weisbaum on new ways crooks try to rip you off over the phone ( )



 

Georgetown’s Cal Newport envisions ‘A World Without Email’

(Courtesy Penguin Random House)

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



March 19, 2024 | ( )



 

President Biden’s victory and upcoming challenges

(By Alex Wong/Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Politico’s Alex Thompson on President Biden selling his new COVID relief law ( )



 

 

 

 

‘Cherry’ is no Marvel movie

(Photo by fupp/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)

Critic Christian Toto reviews ‘Cherry’ starring Tom Holland – and directed by the Russo Brothers (Listen below & read AP’s take)



March 19, 2024 | Christian Toto reviews the new movie ‘Cherry’ and discusses Matthew McConaughey possibly running for TX governor ( )



 

 

 

Analysis: President Biden setting realistic goals

 

(Chris Kleponis/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

ABC News Political Director Rick Klein looks at Joe Biden’s first presidential prime-time address to the nation (Listen below and read)



March 19, 2024 | ABC Political Director Rick Klein on Joe Biden’s first presidential prime time address ( )



 

 

Tax season is a lot tougher for people already ripped off by identity thieves

(Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Consumerman Herb Weisbaum on unemployment-theft victims having tax trouble ( )



 

What it’s like to get your COVID shot at Six Flags in Bowie

(By Caroline Brehman/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | WTOP’s George Wallace talks about getting his first COVID shot ( )



 

 

 

What passing the COVID relief bill means for President Biden

(Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Politico’s Chris Cadelago on the COVID relief bill about to become law ( )



 

 

 

No signs the Biden Administration is ending migrant family detention

By Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

NBC’s Julia Ainsley shares her reporting with WTOP (Listen below)



March 19, 2024 | NBC Homeland Security Correspondent Julia Ainsley tells WTOP migrant families are still being detained ( )



 

The main healthcare elements in President Biden’s COVID relief bill

(Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Health Affairs Editor in Chief Alan Weil on what’s in the 2021 COVID relief bill ( )



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Senator Joe Manchin is the most centrist and the most powerful person in the chamber

(By Olivier Douliery / AFP via Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | National Journal’s Jeff Dufour on Joe Biden’s headaches with a 50-50 Senate ( )



 

You have more choices than ever for a safe car

(Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Consumerman Herb Weisbaum tells WTOP you no longer have to spend the most money to drive the safest car ( )



 

 

 

Capitol on high alert

(By Alex Wong/Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Politico’s Anita Kumar on the March 4th Capitol security threat ( )



 

 

 

President Biden says it’s far too early to take the masks off

(By Montinique Monroe/Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Mitre Corporation’s Paul Jarris says keep masking and distancing a little longer ( )



 

 

Former Trump CDC Director Robert Redfield is now advising Maryland’s COVID response

(By Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Politico Pro’s Darius Tahir on Donald Trump’s former CDC director now advising Maryland ( )



 

 

 

Neera Tanden withdraws her OMB nomination / Enough COVID shots for all Americans by May

(Bby Andrew Harnik-Pool/Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Vice News Correspondent Cam Joseph on Neera Tanden and more COVID shots coming ( )



 

 

 

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



March 19, 2024 | Journalist Sarah Kwon tells WTOP about American Indians’ growing presence in medicine ( )



 

 

 

 

Does the Joe Biden White House have a transparency problem?

(Photo by Michele Eve Sandberg/Corbis via Getty Images)

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



March 19, 2024 | Politico’s Anita Kumar reports ‘good government’ groups aren’t happy with the Biden Admin. ( )



 

 

 

Is Paramount Plus too late to the streaming game?

(Mark Kauzlarich/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

CNET’s Roger Cheng says CBS All Access is changing to Paramount Plus (Listen below and read)



March 19, 2024 | CNET’s Roger Cheng on yet another streaming service Paramount Plus ( )



 

 

 

 

 

 

A new documentary examines a viral moment at the Lincoln Memorial

(Courtesy RNC via Getty Images)

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



March 19, 2024 | Christian Toto reviews the ‘Rush to Judgement’ documentary on WTOP ( )



 

 

 

Has your favorite restaurant closed down due to COVID?

(David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Lending Tree’s Matt Schulz on losing your favorite restaurant to COVID ( )



 

 

 

 

Traditional Republicans with nowhere to go

(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Politico’s David Siders joins WTOP to discuss his article about anti-Trump Republicans’ struggles to find a new political home

 



March 19, 2024 | Politico’s David Siders on Anti-Trumpers with nowhere to land ( )



 

 

 

 

Do you have to pay taxes on your stimulus checks?

(Getty Images)

Consumerman Herb Weisbaum, with checkbook.org, tells WTOP about the latest tax rules (Listen below and read)



March 19, 2024 | Consumerman Herb Weisbaum on what you pay taxes and what you don’t ( )



 

 

 

 

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)



March 19, 2024 | WTOP Car Guy Mike Parris reviews the new Ford Ranger ( )



 

 

 

Review: ‘Nomadland’ is Oscar worthy

(Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Critic Christian Toto was blown away by Nomadland ( )



 

 

Which businesses are committed to diversity?

(Getty Images)

Consumerman Herb Weisbaum, with checkbook.org, tells WTOP about the Black Dollar Index (listen below and read)



March 19, 2024 | Consumerman Herb Weisbaum on the Black dollar Index ( )



 

 

 

Sizing up the second Trump impeachment trial

(Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | University of Baltimore’s Kim Wehle on the 2nd Trump impeachment trial ( )



 

Where’s your emergency fund? You can set one up even if you live from hand to mouth.

(Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Consumerman Herb Weisbaum on starting a rainy day fund even if you’re poor ( )



 

Maryland Republicans push for voter ID and mail-in voting legislation

(Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Maryland Matters Reporter Bennett Leckrone on a new proposed voter ID law ( )



 

 

 

More than half of Americans will place a Super Bowl bet

(Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Lending Tree credit specialist Matt Schulz on responsible Super Bowl betting ( )



 

 

Watch out for credit repair scams

(Getty Images)

Consumerman Herb Weisbaum – with Checkbook.org – tells WTOP to watch out for bogus credit repair offers (read and listen below)



March 19, 2024 | Consumerman Herb Weisbaum says you can repair your credit for free ( )



 

Coronavirus risks rose a year ago as the US handled evacuees from Wuhan

(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

The Washington Post’s Dan Diamond shares his story with WTOP (Listen below)



March 19, 2024 | WaPo’s Dan Diamond on his story about heightened COVID risks involving US evacuees ( )



 

President Trump considered replacing his acting AG to further push voter fraud claims

(By Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

Katie Benner of the New York Times joined WTOP with her DOJ exclusive (Listen below and read her story)



March 19, 2024 | The NY Times’ Katie Benner on former President Trump’s last-ditch effort to stay in office ( )



 

100 more presidential pardons may be on the way

Photographer: Peter Foley/Bloomberg via Getty Images
(Photo by Prince Williams/Wireimage)

Will Lil Wayne and Sheldon Silver get a pardon? Will President Trump pardon himself? Politico’s Anita Kumar joins WTOP with the latest (Listen below and read more from Kumar & the NYTimes)



March 19, 2024 | Politico White House Correspondent Anita Kumar on a final batch of pardons ( )



 

Capitol Police report warned of the January 6th attack

(Photo by Dmitry Kirsanov TASS via Getty Images)

Washington Post Political Investigative Reporter Carol Leonnig tells WTOP about her Friday night exclusive (Listen below and read)



March 19, 2024 | The Washington Post’s Carol Leonnig reports Capitol Police predicted the riot three days earlier ( )



 

 

 

‘One Night in Miami’ is thought-provoking and inspirational

(Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images for AFI)

Christian Toto reviews the new Amazon Prime offering on WTOP (Listen below and read AP’s take)



March 19, 2024 | Critic Christian Toto has high praise for ‘One Night in Miami’ ( )



 

 

The slow COVID vaccine rollout is deadly

(Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Alan Weil of Health Affairs on the slow coronavirus vaccine rollout ( )



 

 

 

When is your stimulus check coming?

(Photographer: Oliver Contreras/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Consumerman Herb Weisbaum on stimulus part 2 ( )



 

 

 

Donald Trump is permanently banned from Twitter

(Photo Illustration by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

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 



March 19, 2024 | CNET’s Ian Sherr on Donald Trump being permanently banned from Twitter ( )



 

QAnon announced its plans to storm the Capitol weeks ago

(Photo by Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images)

Vice TV’s Marley Clements tells WTOP law enforcement would’ve known the U.S. Capitol attack was coming if it had monitored QAnon’s online chatter. (Listen below and read hereQAnon: The Search for Q” premiers January 26th at 10pm ET 



March 19, 2024 | Vice TV’s Marley Clements on the upcoming ‘QAnon: The Search for Q’ ( )



 

 

‘Wonder Woman 1984’ review

(Warner Bros. via AP)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Christian Toto reviews ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ on WTOP ( )



 

 

Avoiding high checking overdraft fees

(Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Consumerman Herb Weisbaum on avoiding bank overdraft fees ( )



Covid stimulus suspense

(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Paul Blest of Vice News on the president and Covid relief drama ( )



 

 

 

 

Hack against US agencies reaches Energy Department and those in charge of nuclear weapons

United States Chamber of Commerce building in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)

Politico’s Natasha Bertrand shares her reporting with WTOP



March 19, 2024 | Politico’s Natasha Bertrand on ‘The 9/11 of cyber breaches’ (Dimitri Sotis)



 

 

‘We want them infected’: Emails show Trump appointee wanted young people to catch Covid-19

(Alastair Pike/AFP via Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Politico’s Dan Diamond on herd immunity promoted at Trump’s HHS ( )



 

 

 

Republican senators seem reluctant to hold hearings for Joe Biden’s people

(Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

Alayna Treene of Axios tells WTOP the GOP seems reluctant to hold hearings for Biden’s nominees before the inauguration



March 19, 2024 | Alayna Treene of Axios says Biden’s nominees may be stalled on Capitol Hill ( )



 

 

 

The FDA considers the Pfizer Covid vaccine

(Photo by Angela Weiss / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)

Health Affairs’ Alan Weil tells WTOP a coronavirus vaccine can be successful without everybody in the nation getting it (Read and listen below)



March 19, 2024 | Alan Weil of Health Affairs on the U-S on the cusp of getting the vaccine (Dimitri Sotis)



 

 

What were we searching for on Google in 2020?

(Gabby Jones/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Google’s Molly VandenBerg tells WTOP ‘election results’ was a bigger search topic than even ‘coronavirus’ this year (Listen below and read more here)



March 19, 2024 | Google’s Molly VandenBerg on the top trending topics of 2020 ( )



 

Facebook faces a barrage of antitrust lawsuits

(Photo illustration by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

WTOP Tech Guy Gregg Stebben responds to a WaPo report Facebook is being hit with antitrust cases from 40 states and the feds.



March 19, 2024 | WTOP Tech Guy Gregg Stebben on antitrust cases Facebook faces ( )



 

 

Should Metro sell its land?

(Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Emily Hamilton tells WTOP Metro should sell the land surrounding its stations to solve its money problems



March 19, 2024 | George Mason’s Emily Hamilton on avoiding Metro’s deep cuts ( )



 

 

 

Get rid of your unused online accounts

(Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Consumerman Herb Weisbaum on the importance of deleting unused accounts ( )



 

Protect yourself while shopping online

(Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | CyberScout’s Adam Levin on not losing your identity while holiday shopping ( )



 

 

 

 

Is Warner Brothers killing movie theaters?

(Photo Illustration by Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

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.



March 19, 2024 | Critic Christian Toto on WB streaming its new films on HBO Max ( )



 

‘Hillbilly Elegy’ is worth a look

(Netflix)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Christian Toto reviews ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ and ‘Uncle Frank’ on WTOP ( )



 

Debit cards can get you into trouble

(By Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Consumerman Herb Weisbaum on the advantages of credit cards over debit ( )



 

 

 

Expect a coronavirus vaccine to be injected into your arm by May or so

(By Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | NYU’s Dr. Arthur Caplan on Covid-19 vaccine distribution next year ( )



 

 

 

Leaving porch pirates empty-handed

(By Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | SecurityNerd’s Julie Ryan Evans on protecting your holiday packages ( )



 

The Trump Administration’s last-minute policy changes include federal executions

(Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua via Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | ProPublica’s Isaac Arnsdorf on last-minute Trump policy changes ( )



 

 

 

The pollster’s dirty little secret

(By Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Pollster David Hill explains why presidential polls are less accurate now ( )



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waiting for the coronavirus vaccine

(Photo by JOEL SAGET/AFP via Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Yale’s Jason Schwartz on Covid-19 vaccines rolling out soon ( )



 

 

 

Jackie Chan is back with ‘Vanguard’ – ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ comes to HBO Max this Christmas

(Clay Enos/Warner Bros Pictures via AP)

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



March 19, 2024 | Christian Toto reviews Vanguard and prepares for Wonder Woman 1984 ( )



 

 

 

 

Sexual harassment allegations at a Washington Football Team foundation aimed at helping Native Americans

(Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

The Washington Post’s Will Hobson discusses his latest article outlining sexual harassment allegations against the WFT (listen below and read)



March 19, 2024 | Washington Post National Sports Reporter Will Hobson on the latest WFT controversy ( )



 

 

 

Routine election certification becomes anything but routine in Michigan

(AP Photo/David Goldman, File)

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)



March 19, 2024 | Journalist Kayla Ruble on Michigan’s election certification drama ( )



 

 

 

 

 

 

‘Fatman’ is too heavy for its own good

Courtesy Saban Films

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 FatmanCome AwayFreaky)



March 19, 2024 | Christian Toto reviews ‘Fatman’ ‘Come Away’ and ‘Freaky’ on WTOP ( )



 

 

 

 

 

 

The delayed presidential transition

(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

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.



March 19, 2024 | Todd Zwillich of Vice News on the delayed presidential transition ( )



 

 

Joe Biden’s history

Courtesy of Scribner

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.



March 19, 2024 | The New Yorker’s Evan Osnos on his new Joe Biden book ( )



A new horror flick for Halloween ‘Come Play’

Amblin Partners/Focus Features

Film Critic Christian Toto tells WTOP whether ‘Come Play’ is full of scares despite its PG-13 rating (Read his review and listen below)



March 19, 2024 | Christian Toto reviews ‘Come Play’ on WTOP ( )



 

 

 

 

The US is behind other countries in children’s health

Jose Luis Pelaez Inc

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)



March 19, 2024 | Princeton’s Janet Currie on a lack of government investment in kids and families ( )



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Record package delivery brings out the crooks

By Getty Images

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)



March 19, 2024 | Checkbook.org’s Herb Weisbaum on crooks trying to rip us off through package deliveries ( )



 

The Nissan Sentra grows up

By Mike Parris / WTOP

WTOP Car Guy Mike Parris says this compact sedan has a lot more to offer than past models (Listen below and read here)



March 19, 2024 | WTOP Car Guy Mike Parris reviews the 2020 Nissan Sentra ( )



Fact-checking 2020’s final presidential debate

(Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI,JIM WATSON,MORRY GASH/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

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)



March 19, 2024 | WaPo Fact Checker’s Glenn Kessler on the final presidential debate ( )



Borat returns to a changed America

(Photo by Don Arnold/WireImage)

Christian Toto reviews the Borat sequel ‘Subsequent Moviefilm’ on WTOP (listen below and check out AP’s take here)



March 19, 2024 | Film Critic Christian Toto reviews Borat 2 ( )



 

 

Russia and Iran are interfering in the 2020 election

By Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images
(Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

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.



March 19, 2024 | WTOP National Security Correspondent JJ Green on Iran’s election interference (Dimitri Sotis)



New questions about some generic drugs

By July Toy, Getty Images

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.



March 19, 2024 | Stanford’s Kevin Schulman on generic drug inconsistencies (Dimitri Sotis)



 

 

 

 

 

 

Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you.

Sign up