Johns Hopkins University / Ozy
John McLaughlin is a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic Studies at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and a contributor to OZY, an online magazine. He served as Acting Director and Deputy Director of the CIA during the George W. Bush Administration.
Trump transition names loyal hardliners Three major appointments we announced this morning by the Trump transition team: Alabama Senator and hardliner Jeff Sessions for Attorney General; Kansas Republican Congressman Mike Pompeo to head the CIA; and former Lt. General Mike Flynn as the President's National Security Advisor. Flynn is famous for leading the chant "lock her up," aimed at Hillary Clinton during the Republican National Convention.
An FBI bombshell in the final stretch Last Friday’s October surprise by FBI Director James Comey hasn’t helped Donald Trump or damaged Hillary Clinton… at least so far. Early polls show voters knew about the latest email kerfuffle, but that they’d already made up their minds. Many said they wished this campaign were over. The political world is fully engrossed. Was Comey trying to influence the election? Did he violate the law? Did he have any choice? Democrats are outraged. Former attorneys general--even Republican Senators--are asking questions. But the most important won’t be answered until next Tuesday: will it affect the turnout?
Terrorism and tweets, hate speech and murder Just days before an election, Britain is coping with a rash of deadly terrorism, and Prime Minister Theresa May is on the defensive. And again today, President Trump has tweeted criticism of the Mayor of London. Later, a double murder in Portland, Oregon has revealed the ugly past of a supposedly “progressive” city. One immediate question: is “hate speech” protected by the First Amendment?
The Trump agenda: where's the beef? President Trump says big things are happening. After celebrating a House bill on health care, he doesn’t yet have Senate agreement. With James Comey’s public testimony scheduled tomorrow, the President today tweeted his selection of a new FBI Director. Is the Chief Executive all style and no substance? Later, terror attacks in Iran and conflicting claims about who’s behind them.
Trump's new look at civil rights and global warming President Trump is reportedly ready to pull the US out of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. We look at the possible consequences. On the second half of the program, we hear about cuts in Obama-Era civil rights programs called for by the Trump Administration's first budget plan.
Ex-FBI Director Comey tells his side of the story Today, former FBI Director James Comey came close to calling the President who fired him a liar. The White House denied the claim and called it insulting, but Republican Senators did not challenge Comey’s truthfulness. Many questions remain: did the President try to obstruct a federal investigation? Later, we’ll go behind the “velvet rope” for a look at 5-Star health care for the richest Americans.