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WTOP’s Interviews and Links

close up programmer man hand typing on keyboard laptop for register data system or access password at dark operation room , cyber security concept(Getty Images/iStockphoto/Chainarong Prasertthai)

Audio and context around some of the interviews and stories on WTOP Ƶ. This blog is curated Ƶ’s Dimitri Sotis.

For previous blog posts in this series, please click here.

Pardon Power: How the Pardon System Works and Why

(Courtesy of Kim Wehle)

ABC Ƶ Legal Analyst Kim Wehle joins WTOP’s Dimitri Sotis to discuss her new book on U-S presidents’ king-like power.



December 14, 2024 | ABC Ƶ Legal Analyst Kim Wehle on her new book Pardon Power (Dimitri Sotis)



 

 

Will U.S. airstrikes deter iran?

(Getty Images)

U.S. fighter jets launched airstrikes early Friday on two locations in eastern Syria linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps. The strikes were in retaliation for recent drone and missile attacks against American servicemembers. tells WTOP he doubts this will be enough to cause Iran to back down



December 14, 2024 | Behnam Ben Taleblu with Foundation for Defense of Democracies ( )



 

 

 

Beyonce and Taylor Swift tours are generating billions of dollars

(Photo by Michael Kovac/WireImage)

When Beyoncé and Taylor Swift come to your town, they’re bringing a massive economic boost!   of the New York Times shares her with WTOP.



December 14, 2024 | New York Times Reporter Jordyn Holman on the billions generated by popular concert tours this summer ( )



 

 

Richard Haas worries about American democracy

Courtesy of Penguin Press

The Council on Foreign Relations president focuses on his own country in the new book and tells WTOP we must all do our part to save the nation.



December 14, 2024 | Richard Haas joins WTOP to discuss ‘The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens ( )



 

 

Tennessee abortion rights opponents eye contraception and IVF

(Getty Images)

ProPublica’s Kavitha Surana shares her reporting on Tennessee’s strict abortion ban – and where it could lead in a few years.



December 14, 2024 | ProPublica’s Kavitha Surana on whether Tennessee’s abortion ban could lead to other restrictions ( )



 

Digging out from credit card debt

(By Getty Images)

Inflation is causing many of us to rack up credit card debt. Consumerman Herb Weisbaum, with , tells WTOP you shouldn’t be afraid to get some help paying down your bills.



December 14, 2024 | Consumerman Herb Weisbaum on cutting down your credit card deb ( )



 

 

Time to find a credit card with 0% interest

(Getty Images)

‘s Matt Schulz tells WTOP how to handle your credit cards in this high-interest environment



December 14, 2024 | Lending Tree Analyst Matt Schulz on fighting mounting credit card debt ( )



 

 

Isn’t August way too early for pumpkin spice products?

(B Natasha Breen/REDA&CO/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Dunkin Donuts, Krispy Kreme, 7-11 and others are rolling out their pumpkin spice drinks and food long before there will be any frost on the pumpkin. joined WTOP to explain the madness. (which she supports)



December 14, 2024 | Kelly Tyko of Axios reports on all things pumpkin spice that are coming out in August ( )



 

 

As Congress remembers a million Americans dying from COVID – how do you protect yourself going forward?

(Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

tells WTOP precautions are a smart way to go during the rest of 2022 – in dealing with COVID



December 14, 2024 | CUNY’s Dr. Bruce Y. Lee on protecting yourself from COVID the rest of this year ( )



Could President Biden give student loan borrowers at least $10,000 off?

(By Paul Morigi/Getty Images for We The 45 Million)

The Washington Post’s tells WTOP about President Biden’s recent meetings on



December 14, 2024 | Washington Post White House Repotrter Seung Min Kim on President Biden possibly going big on student loan cancellations ( )



 

Is a labor union wave sweeping across Apple, Starbucks and Amazon?

(By Steve Pfost/Ƶday RM via Getty Images)

Georgetown Business Professor joins WTOP to discuss why workers – at some of the nation’s biggest companies – are scrambling to and join unions right now



December 14, 2024 | Robert Bies, Professor of Management at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business ( )



 

Critics say Alabama’s new law will hurt trans kids

(By Julie Bennett/Getty Images)

Trans children fear a new Alabama law that targets their medicine and which bathrooms they can use. We discuss the effect of such laws with Boston University’s



December 14, 2024 | Boston University’s Linda McClain on various laws and proposals affecting trans kids ( )



 

 

 

The People’s Convoy has left DC – for now

(B  Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images)

The Daily Beast’s summarizes the demonstrators’ three weeks in – and around – the nation’s capital



December 14, 2024 | Daily Beast Reporter Zach Petrizzo on the trucker convoy’s time in DC ( )



 

 

 

Discussing ‘the slap’ with a man who’s been part of the Hollywood system for decades

(By Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)

talks to WTOP about the cloud hanging over the Oscars and his many decades doing all kinds of jobs in the entertainment industry



December 14, 2024 | Character actor and author Larkin Campbell on Hollywood’s latest controversy ( )



 

 

Former WH pandemic adviser on the next COVID wave

(By Shari L. Gross/Star Tribune via Getty Images)

Andy Slavitt, former senior adviser to President Biden’s COVID-19 pandemic response team, talks to WTOP about the rising BA.2  subvariant and being sensitive to those most vulnerable to the disease. (Check out his podcast and – and listen to the full WTOP interview below)



December 14, 2024 | Podcaster, author and former senior adviser for WH COVID response – Andy Slavitt – talks about the next wave of the virus ( )



 

 

Black people say they face discrimination as they try to leave Ukraine

(By Maciej Luczniewski/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

We talk about a in Ukraine refugee treatment w/ on WTOP



December 14, 2024 | Author Tarek Kteleh on Black people experiencing discrimination as they try to flee Ukraine ( )



 

China is Russia’s economic lifeline

(Getty Images)

Between the sanctions, and hundreds of companies leaving, who can Russia rely on economically? tells WTOP the answer appears to be China



December 14, 2024 | Axios China Reporter Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian on China supporting Russia during the invasion of Ukraine ( )



 

 

Ukrainians can win if they prepare Kyiv for urban warfare

(By Emin Sansar/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Retired Army Major tells WTOP the Ukranians will have to practically destroy Kyiv in order to save it  (here’s the latest on the war)



December 14, 2024 | Retired Army Major John Spencer, Chair of Urban Warfare Studies, Madison Policy Forum on defending Kyiv ( )



 

Black women, working in healthcare, face the most danger for the least money

(Getty Images)

l tells WTOP about her research into Black women as the backbone of healthcare, and how they deserve a lot more pay for what they do



December 14, 2024 | The University of Minnesota’s Janette Dill on Black women’s major contributions to healthcare ( )



 

 

Waiting for the Biden Administration to act on student loans

(By Paul Morigi/Getty Images for We, The 45 Million)

Will there be another COVID-related pause on student loan payments? Could there even be major loan forgiveness? tells WTOP we should know by May 1st, 2022



December 14, 2024 | Attorney, and Forbes contributor, Adam Minsky on whether the Biden Admin. will forgive student loans ( )



 

 

Meta says Apple will cause it to lose $10 billion in sales

(Getty Images)

New York Times Reporter tells WTOP why Apple’s privacy efforts are tormenting other



December 14, 2024 | NY Times Lead Consumer Tech Reporter Brian Chen on Apple causing Meta to lose billions ( )



 

 

 

 

Georgetown Law & Supreme Court controversy

(By Win McNamee/Getty Images)

discusses Ilya Shapiro’s criticism of President Biden’s vow to nominate a Black woman to the Supreme Court



December 14, 2024 | Politico’s Josh Gerstein on Georgetown Law’s SCOTUS controversy ( )



 

 

 

The latest Trump rally and election deniers

(By Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

Vice Ƶ Chief Political Correspondent Liz Landers talks about former President Trump’s rally near Houston, where he promised to pardon January 6th rioters if he wins office again. We also looked at election deniers who are across the country.



December 14, 2024 | Vice Ƶ Chief Political Correspondent Liz Landers on the latest Trump rally in Texas ( )



 

 

Democrats and Republicans are leaving the US House – but it’s mostly Dems

(By Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images

FiveThirtyEight’s tells WTOP why so many Democratic House members have decided not to run again



December 14, 2024 | FiveThirtyEight’s Geoffrey Skelley on a bunch of Democrats – and some Republicans – leaving the House ( )



 

 

Not willing to pay a subscription fee? Your car may not fully operate

(By Getty Images)

Consumerman Herb Weisbaum, with , tells WTOP car makers are looking for new revenue streams through these subscription services. If you don’t pay the fees – you could be without features behind the wheel



December 14, 2024 | Consumerman Herb Weisbaum on the perils of car subscription services ( )



 

 

 

Republicans and Democrats are strongly divided over Jan. 6th 2020

(By Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

The Washington Post’s joins WTOP to discuss the new that shows major divides over January 6th



December 14, 2024 | The Washington Post’s Dan Balz on American attitudes as we approach 1 year since the Capitol riot ( )



 

 

 

Vladimir Putin may not really want to invade Ukraine

(Photo by Peter Klaunzer – Pool/Keystone via Getty Images)

American Enterprise Institute’s tells WTOP the tactical analysts she works with believe invading Ukraine – – is too expensive for Putin



December 14, 2024 | AEI’s Kori Schake on Russia, Ukraine and the United States ( )



 

 

President Biden’s 2021 foreign policy triumphs and blunders

(By Ron Sachs-Pool via Getty Images)

joins WTOP to review President Biden’s geopolitical efforts (Listen below and check out Schanzer’s )



December 14, 2024 | Jonathan Schanzer, Foundation For Defense of Democracies, on President Biden’s foreign policy in 2021 ( )



 

 

Remembering John Madden

(By Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

Prolific sportswriter & author John Feinstein – his latest book – shares his thoughts and memories on the late NFL great 



December 14, 2024 | Author John Feinstein on what made John Madden unique ( )



 

 

 

Muriel Bowser vs. Robert White for DC Mayor 2022

(By Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Matt Santoro has worked for both the incumbent and the challenger and tells WTOP will likely be quite competitive



December 14, 2024 | Matt Santoro, who has worked for several DC politicians, previews the 2022 race for mayor ( )



 

 

 

 

Trust in the military drops

Taliban holds a military parade with equipment captured from U.S. army in Kandahar, Afghanistan on November 8, 2021. (By Murteza Khaliqi/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

tells WTOP she believes deadly drone strikes have helped and support for the U-S Armed Forces



December 14, 2024 | The Quincy Institute’s Kelley Vlahos on an erosion of trust in the U-S military ( )



 

 

 

Where did President Biden go wrong on COVID?

(By Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Politico’s tells WTOP about former President Trump promoting COVID boosters and current President Biden’s messaging on the pandemic



December 14, 2024 | Politico’s Erin Banco on the current – and former – presidents & COVID ( )



 

 

Advocates for kids say millions are about to fall back into poverty

(Getty Images)

Alessandra Lezama with on-demand child care platform tells WTOP the expiration of the will be disastrous



December 14, 2024 | Child care advocate – and business owner – Alessandra Lezama ( )



 

 

 

 

 

Football biopic makes the best holiday movie

(Courtesy Lionsgate)

reviews – along with The Matrix Resurrections & The Tender Bar – on WTOP



December 14, 2024 | Christian Toto reviews three movies out over Christmas week ( )



 

 

 

You probably don’t have to rush to return those gifts

(Getty Images)

Consumerman Herb Weisbaum, with , talks to WTOP about this year’s gift return policies (Listen below and read)



December 14, 2024 | Consumerman Herb Weisbaum on returning holiday gifts ( )



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unanswered questions about the tornado that ravaged Kentucky

(By Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

talks to WTOP about whether the recent deadly and destructive Quad-State tornado is the on record and whether it was caused by climate change



December 14, 2024 | Villanova Disaster Geographer Stephen Strader talks to WTOP about the devastating Kentucky tornado ( )



 

 

 

‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ fills movie theaters again

(Courtesy Sony Pictures Entertainment)

The new Spider-Man movie has a huge opening weekend – as Christian Toto offers a review on WTOP and we offer AP’s ٲ



December 14, 2024 | Critic Christian Toto reviews Spider-Man: No Way Home & Nightmare Alley on WTOP ( )



 

 

 

Female doctors make less than their male counterparts

(By Getty Images)

The RAND Corporation’s Chris Whaley tells WTOP about his new study in Health Affairs 



December 14, 2024 | RAND’s Chris Whaley says – over a 40-year career – female doctors make $2 million less than men ( )



 

Kentucky factory workers say they were told not to leave before the tornado hit

(By Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images)

NBC Ƶ Reporter Deon Hampton tells WTOP he spoke with who said they were threatened with being fired if they left the facility to take cover



December 14, 2024 | NBC Ƶ Reporter Deon Hampton on Kentucky factory workers threatened with their jobs before the twister hit ( )



 

 

 

Abortion rights supporters and opponents prepare for a ‘post-Roe’ world

(By Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Politico’s tells WTOP how people on both sides of the abortion issue will likely if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade



December 14, 2024 | Politico health care reporter Alice Miranda Ollstein on the Supreme Court hearing the Mississippi case that could overturn Roe v. Wade ( )



 

Are store credit cards worth it?

(Getty Images)

Consumerman Herb Weisbaum, with , discusses the pros and cons of store credit cards, that can sometimes give you 10 to 15% discounts on the spot



December 14, 2024 | Consumerman Herb Weisbaum on the benefits and dangers of in-store credit cards ( )



 

 

 

 

 

Some high-profile Jan. 6th defendants may try to reverse their convictions

(Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/For The Washington Post via Getty Images)

NBC-4’s Scott MacFarlane tells WTOP about – and others – regretting their guilty pleas and possibly trying to appeal them



December 14, 2024 | NBC4 Investigative Reporter Scott MacFarlane tells WTOP some Jan. 6th defendants may try to appeal their own guilty please ( )



Avoiding holiday crowds at the airport and the stores

(By David McNew/Getty Images)

Google Tech Expert Marley McAliley shares travel tips with WTOP even as the TSA warns our local airports will be crowded this holiday week



December 14, 2024 | Google Tech Expert Marley McAliley on Thanksgiving travel and shopping ( )



Potentially revolutionary weight loss drug now to be tested in pill form

( Getty Images)

is currently injected into patients – now Arlington, Virginia’s is about to launch a clinical trial to test the drug in pill form & she shares details with WTOP  (Listen below and sign up for the trial)



December 14, 2024 | Weight loss specialist Dr. Domenica Rubino needs volunteers to test the new drug Wegovy in pill form ( )



 

 

Preparing for a 5th COVID wave

(Getty Images)

JHU’s tells WTOP about coronavirus infection rates as Thanksgiving approaches (Listen below and )



December 14, 2024 | JHU Epidemiologist David Dowdy joins WTOP to preview a possible 5th COVID wave ( )



 

New book details the race for a COVID vaccine

(Courtesy Penguin Group)

The Wall Street Journal’s Gregory Zuckerman introduces you to some of the pandemic’s vaccine heroes in



December 14, 2024 | Journalist Gregory Zuckerman shares his new book on COVID vaccine development with WTOP ( )



New book pulls back the curtain on the National Rifle Association

(Dutton Books)

NPR’s Tim Mak discusses on WTOP



December 14, 2024 | NPR Washington Investigative Correspondent Tim Mak on his new book about the NRA ( )



 

 

‘Buy Now Pay Later’ offers are everywhere

(Getty Images)

Consumerman Herb Weisbaum, with , gives WTOP the pros and cons of ‘buy now, pay later‘ over the holidays



December 14, 2024 | Consumerman Herb Weisbaum on the benefits and drawbacks of BNPL ( )



 

 

 

Democrats and Republicans have plenty of divisions/disagreements among themselves

(By Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Washington Post Polling Analyst Emily Guskin takes us through a bit of the and its 9 categories of the electorate



December 14, 2024 | WaPo polling analyst Emily Guskin on Pew’s 9 categories of voters and potential voters ( )



Election Day in Virginia

(By Win McNamee/Getty Images)

offers WTOP analysis soon before Election Day voting begins (Listen below and read)



December 14, 2024 | Kyle Kondik, Sabato’s Crystal Ball, on Election Day in VA 2021 ( )



 

 

 

Manchin is not ‘all in’ on President Biden’s plan

(By Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Vice Ƶ Chief Political Correspondent explains the wrench newly thrown by moderate West Virginia Democratic Senator Joe Manchin (Listen below and read)



December 14, 2024 | Liz Landers of Vice Ƶ on Joe Manchin’s new social spending delay ( )



 

Could Trump upend the race for Virginia governor?

(By Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

For a few hours, Wednesday night, it looked like Donald Trump might be coming to Virginia before election day – reports aides say it won’t happen but National Journal’s Jeff Dufour joined WTOP to ask ‘what if…’



December 14, 2024 | National Journal’s Jeff Dufour on the prospect of Donald Trump visiting Virginia in the election’s final days ( )



Going to college next year? Now is the time to fill out your financial aid form

(Getty Images)

Consumerman Herb Weisbaum, with , tells WTOP you don’t even need to know which school you’re attending yet (Listen below & read)



December 14, 2024 | Consumerman Herb Weisbaum on federal financial aid for college ( )



 

 

 

If used wisely store credit cards can help you save a lot

(Getty Images)

Lending Tree’s Matt Schulz tells WTOP about the benefits and risks of signing up for store credit cards



December 14, 2024 | Lending Tree’s Matt Schulz on saving big money with store credit cards – you must pay them off fast ( )



 

 

 

The January 6th panel sets a criminal contempt vote for Steve Bannon

(By Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

National Journal’s talks to WTOP about the Jan. 6 panel’s efforts to get Bannon to appear



December 14, 2024 | National Journal Editor-in-Chief Jeff Dufour on the January 6th House panel vs. Steve Bannon ( )



 

 

The latest controversy surrounding the Washington Football Team

(By Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

Former employees are asking NFL sponsors to help release the full report on sexual harassment allegations regarding the WFT – meantime the reports the team offered financial settlements to former employees. WaPo Columnist offers her thoughts on the team – and Jon Gruden’s resignation on WTOP



December 14, 2024 | Washington Post Sports Columnist Sally Jenkins on Jon Gruden & the Washington Football Team investigation ( )



 

‘No Time to Die’ not the best Bond film but hardly the worst

(By Tolga Akmen / AFP via Getty Images)

Critic Christian Toto reviews Daniel Craig’s last Bond movie and discusses three aging actors who keep getting better (Listen below and read about Craig saying goodbye to Bond)



December 14, 2024 | Christian Toto reviews the latest 007 film ‘No Time to Die’ ( )



 

 

 

Zuckerberg’s response to the whistleblower

(By Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Journalist Bob Sullivan responds to Mark Zuckerberg’s to Facebook’s recent controversies (Listen below)



December 14, 2024 | Independent tech journalist Bob Sullivan says you should be able to opt out of Facebook’s algorithm ( )



 

 

 

How to fix Facebook

(Getty Images)

CNET’s Ian Sherr gives WTOP his reaction to the testimony of Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen (Listen below & read)



December 14, 2024 | (Dimitri Sotis)



Facebook and its platforms come back to life after a multi-hour worldwide outage

(By Ivan Romano/Getty Images)

podcast cohost Adam Levin joins WTOP with lessons learned from this outage



December 14, 2024 | Online security specialist Adam Levin on the Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp outage ( )



 

 

 

 

 

 

“The Many Saints of Newark” might’ve been better as a series

(By Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

Critic tells WTOP the Sopranos prequel is not as good as even the worst season of the groundbreaking HBO series (Listen below and read AP’s take)



December 14, 2024 | (Dimitri Sotis)



 

Improving mental health through photography

(By Getty Images)

Health Affairs’ Jessica Bylander tells WTOP about a Denver program in which people take pictures and write narratives to help in their mental health recovery. (Listen below and )



December 14, 2024 | Jessica Bylander with Health Affairs discussing a Denver mental health program involving taking photos and telling stories ( )



 

‘The Problem With Jon Stewart’ may suffer from the host’s previous groundbreaking success

(By Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Washington Post TV Critic Inkoo Kang tells WTOP she isn’t too impressed with Stewart’s new Apple TV+ series (Listen below and )



December 14, 2024 | WaPo’s Inkoo Kang tells WTOP Jon Stewart’s new Apple TV+ show is too long and not funny ( )



 

 

 

Instagram under the microscope in Congress

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

On Thursday senators pressured Facebook/Instagram to do better by young people, especially those suffering with body image issues

WTOP recently spoke to the Wall Street Journal’s Jeff Horwitz about his paper’s reporting-series on Facebook that shows the company knows its platforms are full of flaws that hurt people



December 14, 2024 | WSJ’s Jeff Horwitz on The Facebook Files ( )



 

 

 

The McAuliffe campaign causes concern at the White House

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

The race for Virginia governor is tight. That has the Biden White House worrying about a domino effect of Democratic losses if Terry McAuliffe falls to Glenn Youngkin. Politico’s Maya King shares the with WTOP



December 14, 2024 | Politico’s Maya King on how a Democratic loss in Virginia could set off a cascade of failure for Democrats ( )



 

 

Colin Kaepernick gave athletes of all kinds the language of social justice

(Courtesy The New Press)

Dave Zirin, author of talks to WTOP about how the former NFL starting QB changed the world



December 14, 2024 | Dave Zirin shares part of his new book ‘The Kaepernick Effect’ with WTOP ( )



 

 

 

 

Russia’s latest parliamentary elections are disputed

(By Olga Maltseva / AFP via Getty Images)

Amid videos of ballot-stuffing in the Russian parliamentary elections – we offer a recent chat with New York Times Moscow Reporter Andrew Kramer who interviewed opposition leader Alexei Navalny who remains in a prison near Moscow (Listen below and read )



December 14, 2024 | The New York Times’ Andrew Kramer on his recent interview with the imprisoned Alexei Navalny ( )



Women should stop worrying about being ‘too loud’

(Courtesy Penguin Random House)

Women’s empowerment specialist Andrea Owen shares her new book with WTOP



December 14, 2024 | Andrea Owen discusses empowerment in her new book ‘Make Some Noise’ ( )



 

 

Some QR codes could take you to bad places

(Getty Images)

Consumerman Herb Weisbaum, with , warns scammers are now using QR codes to try to steal from you (Listen below and read)



December 14, 2024 | Checkbook.org’s Herb Weisbaum on the convenience, and sometimes danger, of QR codes ( )



 

President Trump set the template for vaccine resistance and distrust of science

(Courtesy HarperCollins)

talks to WTOP about her new book – with –  and about why some people are turning to potentially harmful medications like ivermectin instead of getting vaccinated for COVID (Listen below)



December 14, 2024 | ‘Nightmare Scenario’ co-author Yasmeen Abutaleb on WTOP ( )



 

 

 

 

“What Do You Say?” authors say they can help you better communicate with your kids

(Courtesy Penguin Random House)

Neuropsychologist Bill Stixrud and test prep tutor Ned Johnson say it’s imperative you talk to your kids and really get through to them (Listen below and )



December 14, 2024 | ‘What Do You Say’ authors tell WTOP not all kids increased their stress levels during COVID ( )



 

 

 

Former Army Ranger says the Biden Administration made a mistake at almost every turn in Afghanistan

(Courtesy Allen Media Strategies)

Former Army Ranger and author tells WTOP the military performed admirably during the Afghanistan airlift but the White House did not (Listen below and read about how the president defends his actions and decisions)



December 14, 2024 | Former Army Ranger Tom Amenta is critical of the Biden White House for its handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal ( )



 

 

The 20-year Afghanistan War is over

(By Aamir Qureshi /AFP via Getty Images)

Soon after the final military flight left Kabul Politico’s Lara Seligman joined WTOP with her analysis – including her on why Thursday’s deadly terrorist attack wasn’t stopped (Listen below)



December 14, 2024 | Politico’s Lara Seligman tells WTOP about America’s final day in Afghanistan ( )



 

Afghanistan may be headed toward civil war

(By Olivier Douliery AFP via Getty Images)

International Security Expert talks to WTOP soon after the Kabul terrorist attack (Listen below and read about some of the servicemembers who were killed)



December 14, 2024 | Emily Harding, CSIS, on the deadly debacle that Afghanistan has become this summer ( )



 

 

 

Former Army Special Operations Ranger laments the situation in Kabul

(Courtesy Allen Media Strategies)

Author and former Army Ranger tells WTOP keeping Bagram Air Base open – and much greater communication – may have spared much death and grief in Afghanistan (Listen below and read)



December 14, 2024 | Former Army Ranger Dan Blakely on the mistakes made while leaving Afghanistan ( )



 

How the Biden Administration handled Afghanistan this week

(By Taylor Crul/U.S. Air Force via Getty Images)

ABC Ƶ Political Director Rick Klein tells WTOP relying on the Taliban is dangerous business (Listen below and read)



December 14, 2024 | ABC Ƶ Political Director Rick Klein on the precarious position the U-S is in with the Taliban ( )



 

 

It’s almost time to start repaying your student loans again

(By Getty Images)

Herb Weisbaum, with , tells WTOP the pause on paying federal student loans ends January 31st (Listen below and read)



December 14, 2024 | Consumerman Herb Weisbaum on the final months of the student loan repayment pause ( )



 

 

 

The US may have leverage over the Taliban

(By Aykut Karadag/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

The Brookings Institution’s tells WTOP the Taliban wants to be part of the international community and that could benefit the United States (Listen below and read)



December 14, 2024 | Brookings’ Michael O’Hanlon on the next steps in Afghanistan ( )



 

 

 

COVID has changed so many things – could DC traffic be next?

(By Alex Wong/Getty Images)

The Washington Post’s Emily Guskin tells WTOP about a new on whether you’re willing to ride Metro and drive to work as you did before COVID (Listen below)



December 14, 2024 | WaPo Polling Analyst Emily Guskin on what DC traffic patterns could be like post-COVID ( )



Is the Biden Administration handling its business on COVID?

(By Shawn Thew/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

National Journal’s Josh Kraushaar tells WTOP – while the chaotic Trump COVID briefings may be over – the Biden Administration is having its own major struggles with coronavirus (Listen below and )



December 14, 2024 | National Journal’s Josh Kraushaar says the Delta variant has knocked the Biden Administration on its heels ( )



 

 

 

Seven months after the Capitol riot, DC Police Officer Michael Fanone still has a long battle

(By Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Time Magazine’s Molly Ball talks to WTOP about her cover-story-profile of Fanone – who almost died defending the Capitol from the pro-Trump mob on January 6th (Listen below and )



December 14, 2024 | Time Magazine’s Molly Ball on her Capitol riot cover story ( )



 

 

 

‘The Suicide Squad’ is far superior to 2016’s ‘Suicide Squad’

(Courtesy Atlas Entertainment)

Critic Christian Toto tells WTOP some of the same actors are here but this ‘Suicide Squad’ reboot is nothing like the failure of 5 years ago (Listen below and read the AP’s take)



December 14, 2024 | Critic Christian Toto loves ‘The Suicide Squad’ almost as much as he hated ‘Suicide Squad’ ( )



 

The eviction ban and other Biden Administration challenges

(By Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Politico’s Anita Kumar joins WTOP to discuss part of President Biden’s week – including COVID vaccination efforts, an extension of the eviction ban and the damning report on Governor Andrew Cuomo (Listen below and read more about the )



December 14, 2024 | Politico’s Anita Kumar on President Biden’s challenges in August and beyond ( )



The ‘cleverness’ of COVID

(By Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Health Affairs Editor-in-Chief Alan Weil tells WTOP we are not on the way to eradicating COVID, we an only hope to control it (Listen below and read)



December 14, 2024 | Health Affairs’ Alan Weil on a critical month or two ahead in fighting COVID ( )



 

 

President Biden copes with COVID vaccination resistance, evictions and Governor Andrew Cuomo’s controversy

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

ABC Ƶ Political Director Rick Klein talks to WTOP about President Biden’s rotating list of challenges (Listen below and read what we know so far about the Andrew Cuomo investigation)



December 14, 2024 | ABC Ƶ Political Director Rick Klein on President Biden’s eviction moratorium and the Cuomo scandal hanging over the Dems ( )



 

Calls for NY’s Governor Cuomo to step down / Will Youngkin and McAuliffe ever debate in Virginia?

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

We discuss the Andrew Cuomo controversy…and the Virginia governor’s race…with on WTOP (Listen below and read about the )



December 14, 2024 | J. Miles Coleman of the UVA Center for Politics on why the VA. candidates for governor haven’t debated ( )



 

The best advice is to get vaccinated for COVD

(By Kena Betancur /AFP via Getty Images)

We talk about the spreading COVID Delta variant – and a 70 percent vaccination rate (at least the first shot) for Americans – with of UCSF on WTOP (Listen below and read)



December 14, 2024 | UCSF’s Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo on the Delta variant and COVID’s 4th wave ( )



 

South Carolina’s Lindsey Graham becomes the first vaccinated senator to test positive for COVID

(By Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Axios Politics Reporter talks to WTOP about Graham’s new diagnosis and Kevin McCarthy’s latest comments regarding Nancy Pelosi (Listen below)



December 14, 2024 | Sarah Mucha with Axios on congressional developments/controversies to start off the week ( )



 

What surging COVID cases mean for the economy during the summer and autumn

(By Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

President Jane Oates expects an economic slowdown as many of us mask up again (Listen below and read)



December 14, 2024 | Working Nation’s Jane Oates on how coronavirus could slow the economy during the rest of 2021 ( )



 

‘They’re not going to f**king succeed’: Top generals feared a Donald Trump coup

(Courtesy Penguin Random House)

The Washington Post’s Phil Rucker joins WTOP to discuss the book he co-wrote with WaPo colleague Carol Leonnig  “I Alone Can Fix It” (Listen below and read)



December 14, 2024 | ‘I Alone Can Fix It’ co-author Phil Rucker on WTOP ( )



 

As the Tokyo Olympics rolls on how is the COVID situation in Tokyo?

(By Behrouz Mehri/AFP via Getty Images)

New York Times Tokyo Bureau Chief Motoko Rich updates WTOP on coronavirus in the Japanese capital during the Games (Listen below and )



December 14, 2024 | New York Times Tokyo Bureau Chief Motoko Rich on COVID as we approach the Olympics’ halfway point ( )



 

The Delta variant forces us to mask up again

(By Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

UCSF’s says masking and a new vaccine-push are needed – in some parts of the country – to put down COVID (Listen below and read)



December 14, 2024 | UCSF’s Dr. Monica Gandhi on the latest steps needed to control COVID ( )



 

 

 

Officers feared for their lives on January 6th

(By Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

NBC-4’s Scott MacFarlane gives WTOP his impressions of the first public hearing from the congressional panel investigating the Capitol riot (Listen below and read)



December 14, 2024 | NBC-4 Reporter Scott MacFarlane on what the first public congressional hearing on the Capitol riot could yield ( )



 

COVID causes chaos across the world’s borders

(Getty Images)

Migration Policy Institute’s tells WTOP there’s an opportunity to create harmony out of chaos if countries work together to reopen after COVID (Listen below and read about the current EU travel mess)



December 14, 2024 | Migration Policy Institute’s Meghan Benton on another ‘9-11 moment’ for the world’s borders ( )



 

 

Veterans Affairs requires COVID shots for most healthcare workers

(Bby Matthew Hatcher/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Nearly 60 medical groups say those who interact with patients must get vaccinated for COVID – The Washington Post’s Dan Diamond reports the voluntary approach seems to have run dry  (Listen below and read)



December 14, 2024 | The Washington Post’s Dan Diamond on health groups insisting their workers get their COVID shots ( )



 

 

 

 

 

Republican leaders start promoting COVID vaccines in greater numbers

(By Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

ABC Ƶ Political Director Rick Klein tells WTOP vaccine resistance is hardening even as many GOP leaders say it’s now time to get your shots (Listen below and read)



December 14, 2024 | ABC Ƶ Political Director Rick Klein on new GOP support for people getting their COVID shots ( )



 

 

A new book takes you deep into Trumpworld

(Courtesy Twelve Books)

The Wall Street Journal’s talks to WTOP about his new book  (Listen below and read )



December 14, 2024 | (Dimitri Sotis)



 

 

COVID’s Delta variant spreads like wildfire

(By Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

UCSF’s tells WTOP Delta means some of us may have to mask up again and everyone must redouble their efforts to get as many people vaccinated as possible (Listen below and read)



December 14, 2024 | UCSF’s Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo on the dangerous Delta variant and the urgency in getting vaccinated ( )



 

 

 

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)



December 14, 2024 | Michigan State’s Dr. Jennifer Cobbina on what Derek Chauvin’s sentencing means going forward ( )



 

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