Rational Radio Daily With Steele And Ungar

President Trump stated in a tweet over the weekend that he fired General Michael Flynn as National Security adviser for lying to Vice President Mike Pence and the FBI. The tweet set off a storm in the media as pundits talked about the issue of what the president knew and when he knew it. Does that build the foundations for an obstruction of justice case? Andrew McCarthy, a contributing editor to National Review and a former top federal prosecutor, weighs in on the potential strength of an obstruction case. He also discussed his calls to end non-disclosure agreements that help shield sexual harassers in Congress. Professor Andy Wright of Savannah Law School gives Rick Ungar and guest co-host Rick Tyler a different view on how a possible obstruction case would play out.

The Hill launched a new podcast series this week to expand its news coverage from Capitol Hill. The “HillCast” series consists of “AM View” on weekday mornings, “PM View” on weekday afternoons and “Power Politics” on the weekend. The series launches tomorrow, December 2. Niv Elis, a budget reporter for The Hill and host of “PM View”, talks about the Senate GOP's tax bill and covering this crazy week in Washington. Michael Steele and Rick Ungar debate where the Mueller probe is headed now that former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn has pleaded guilty and is cooperating with the special counsel's investigation.

During his speech at CPAC earlier this year, then-White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon said one of the Trump administration's most important goals would be the “deconstruction of the administrative state”. But what exactly does that mean? Look no further than the State Department. The State Department is facing an unprecedented shortage in funding, staffing and is having issues communicating with foreign diplomats. Ambassador Chris Hill, a four-time U.S. ambassador, shares his thoughts on how we've arrived at this point. He also talks with Rick Ungar and guest co-host Rick Tyler about the potential implications of a deconstructed State Department and how it could harm the United States. Former assistant U.S. attorney Kimberly Wehle discusses the gap between the way the entertainment industry and Capitol Hill respond to allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct.

In a speech to the International Center for Journalists, Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace put forth the idea that the news media is hastening its own fall from grace in the Trump era. Wallace implored journalists to abandon partisan rhetoric and commentary on President Trump and return to giving context and reporting the facts. Wallace joined Steele & Ungar to elaborate on his argument and weigh in on the firing of Today Show co-host Matt Lauer due to allegations of sexual misconduct. Michael Chui of the McKinsey Global Institute talked about the group's shocking report that automation could wipe out 30 percent of America's workforce over the next two decades.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai plans to hold a vote in December to repeal the main rules and regulations that make up net neutrality. Pai and his supporters believe the policy is government overreach and stifles investment in net-based infrastructure. Proponents of net neutrality argue it protects consumers from corporate greed, increases opportunities for smaller web outlets and encourages investment and innovation. Michael and Rick listened to both points of view tonight on Steele & Ungar. Democratic FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn argued the pro-net neutrality side and Professor Larry Downes of Georgetown University presented the case for ending the open internet rules.

The New York Times reported last week that former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn’s lawyers broke off communication with President Trump's legal team. The move suggests that Flynn is now cooperating with special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. Flynn’s cooperation seems even more plausible in the wake of a new Washington Post piece detailing even more of Flynn’s unregistered work on behalf of Russian interests. Michael Kranish, one of the Post reporters who broke the story, joins us to talk about how Michael Flynn’s legal woes could now be even bigger. Michael Steele and guest co-host Jonathan Capehart, a Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post columnist and the host of the “Cape Up” podcast, discuss how they think Congressional Democratic leadership is falling short in its response to allegations of sexual misconduct and harassment against Senator Al Franken and Congressman John Conyers.

Today, President Trump all but endorsed Roy Moore for Alabama's Senate seat. He cited multiple criticisms of Moore’s Democratic opponent, Doug Jones, citing his “terrible” record on crime, the border, the military and the need for a conservative to support his agenda. The president went on to defend Moore against accusations of sexual assault from nine young women, saying, “He says it didn’t happen. You have to listen to him also.” Michael and Rick discuss what this says about the sorry state of our politics and behaviors. Tom Jawetz, former chief counsel of the immigration subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee, talks about the coming battles on Capitol Hill over immigration policy regarding DACA and the Trump administration’s push to deport 60,000 Haitian refugees by removing their residency protections.

In 2012, filmmaker A.J. Ali was stopped by two police officers in Howard County, Maryland. The experience got Ali thinking about the nature of community relations in America, especially between members of law enforcement and the black community. That’s why he made “Walking While Black: L.O.V.E. Is The Answer”, a documentary that showcases the criticism and concerns from both communities and calls for compassion and finding common ground. Ali talks about the film and the goals of the “L.O.V.E. Is The Answer” movement. Michael and Rick also examine the cuts to Medicaid and other safety nets programs in the GOP's tax plan.

Award-winning director and writer Jonathan Lynn made his name as one of the great British political satirists of the Margaret Thatcher-era. In his television series, “Yes, Minister” and “Yes, Prime Minister”, Lynn used the power of the pen to educate Britain on the inner workings of the parliamentary bureaucracy. Lynn talked to Rick Ungar and guest co-host Rick Tyler about his new book, "Samaritans", a satirical take on the American healthcare system, and the power of educating through comedy. The Ricks discuss how and whether we should talk about politics around the Thanksgiving dinner table.

On Wednesday, November 15th, Rick opened the show with a monologue on the sexual assault allegations against Roy Moore and President Bill Clinton and the need for people on both sides of the aisle to hold their leaders accountable. In light of the new allegations against Senator Al Franken, Rick and guest co-host Kirsten Haglund reinforced the need for us to demand accountability from our leaders. Phillip Berenbroick, senior policy counsel for Public Knowledge, an open internet non-profit, talked about the potential economic fallout if the FCC votes to roll back net neutrality.

Saturday Night Live ran a skit this past weekend featuring the “fresh faces” of the Democratic Party who promised “fresh, new ideas”. Those fresh faces included House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, former VP candidate Tim Kaine, Vice President Biden, Senator Bernie Sanders and others. The skit reflects a growing opinion that the Democrats have an age problem when it comes to their party leadership. Bob Shrum, campaign adviser to Al Gore and John Kerry and a veteran of presidential politics, said the critique is misguided, but talked about the need for fresh blood and new ideas in the Democratic Party. Gordon Chang, author of “The Coming Collapse of China” and “Nuclear Showdown: North Korea Takes on the World”, discussed some of his major takeaways from President Trump’s Asia trip.

The New York Times' story, “Deep Security Breach Cripples N.S.A.”, is one with massive implications. A group of hackers called ‘The Shadow Brokers’ worked its way into the National Security Agency’s databases, stole cyberweapons used by the U.S. to spy on other countries, and then leaked those cyberweapons on the internet. Morgan Wright, an expert on cybersecurity, cyberterrorism, identity theft and privacy, talks about just how serious and dangerous this situation is. Seth Hanlon, former special assistant to President Obama for economic policy, shares his thoughts on the latest developments with the GOP's House and Senate tax plans.

At a press conference today, Beverly Young Nelson accused Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore of sexually assaulting her when she was a teenager. The allegations led to a new flood of criticism against Moore. Senate Majority Leader (R-Ky.) affirmed his belief in Moore's accusers and floated the idea that a write-in campaign is “an option”. Former RNC Chairman Michael Steele unequivocally stated, “This was the final nail.” Dr. Evelyn Farkas, former deputy assistant secretary of defense for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia, explains the national security concerns over President Trump’s continued denial that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia meddled in the 2016 presidential election.

Congressman Jack Bergman (R-MI 1) is a former three-star Marine general, the highest ranking military official ever elected to the United States Congress. Congressman Bergman joins Michael Steele and Rick Ungar to celebrate Veterans Day and the 242nd birthday of the Marine Corps and talk about what the House Veterans Affairs Committee is doing to help our vets. The guys discuss the emerging cracks in the "House of Steele", the GOP House majority that Michael built as RNC chairman. 

Now that House and Senate Republicans have released their tax plans, the GOP is ready to begin the hard push for its first major legislative victory of the Trump presidency. Congressman Brendan Boyle (D-Pa. 13), a member of the House Budget Committee, joined Rick Ungar and guest co-host Rick Tyler to discuss his issues with the House GOP's tax proposal. Boyle said the tax plan fell short in many ways and doesn’t address problems like wage stagnation and the deficit. The Ricks also reacted to the Washington Post's report on Roy Moore’s alleged sexual misconduct with minors. Will this sink his campaign for Alabama’s senate seat?

The Democrats won big in elections across the country Tuesday night. DNC Chairman Tom Perez attributed those wins to party unity, a strong ground game and solid candidates up and down the ticket. Perez joined Steele & Ungar to discuss the Dems’ winning formula for 2017 and how that will inform their strategy for 2018 and beyond. Amber Phillips of the Washington Post reviews some takeaways from Tuesday night and how those results will affect both parties as they look ahead to the 2018 midterms.

11 of Saudi Arabia’s most prominent business and political leaders, including Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, one of the wealthiest men in the world were arrested and detained over the past weekend under orders from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Saudi Attorney General Sheikh Saud al-Mojeb described the arrests as a crackdown on corruption in the government, stating that they are “merely the start of a vital process to root out corruption wherever it exists”. Were these arrests really an attempt to eliminate corruption or was it merely a way for the Crown Prince to rid himself of potential political opponents? Ambassador Gerald Feierstein, director of the Center for Gulf Affairs at the Middle East Institute, explained the palace intrigue rocking Riyadh. Mikhail Zygar, a Russian journalist and filmmaker, joined us to talk about Russian politics, the influence of the Bolshevik Revolution on Russia 100 years later and his new book, “The Empire Must Die: Russia's Revolutionary Collapse, 1900-1917”.

Just one year out from the 2018 midterms, the electoral landscape is as unpredictable as we've seen in some time. While polls project an advantage for the Democrats in the Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial races, the 2016 election drove home the fact that polls can be misleading or wrong. The Democrats continue to suffer from political infighting and a lack of strong messaging while the Republicans struggle to define themselves in the era of Trump. Jim Antle, politics editor for the Washington Examiner, shares his perspective on where the two parties stand right now.

Alex Marlow, editor-in-chief of Breitbart News Network and host of Breitbart News Daily on SiriusXM Patriot (Channel 125), joins Rick and guest co-host Kirsten Haglund to talk about and celebrate the two-year anniversary of Breitbart News Daily and how Breitbart has influenced the national political conversation. We hope you enjoy this Rational Radio Daily Double for you on Freaky Friday!

A.B. Stoddard, associate editor and columnist at Real Clear Politics and the host of No Labels Radio on SiriusXM POTUS (Saturday at 10 a.m. ET and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. ET), joined Rick and guest co-host Kirsten Haglund to preview her interview with freshman Senator John Kennedy (R-La.) and discuss the news of the day. Congressman Dan Donovan (R-N.Y.) jumped on with us to explain why he disagrees with and would vote against the GOP's current tax plan.