ADAM McMANUS TO DISCUSS
BILL COSBY'S THOUGHT: ZIMMERMAN VERDICT NOT ABOUT RACE
CHARLES BARKLEY AGREES WITH HIS ACQUITTAL
A HOUSTON VET DENIED A GUN OVER 42-YEAR-OLD MISDEMEANOR
BARACK OBAMA: TRAYVON COULD HAVE BEEN ME
WILL YOU HAVE TO CHANGE DOCTORS UNDER OBAMACARE?
NEWLY RELEASED PHOTOS DOCUMENT BLOODIED BOSTON BOMBER
TODAY ON 1200, WOAI IN SAN ANTONIO
I will be guest hosting for Joe Pags today, Friday, July 19, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. central on 1200, WOAI, the 50,000-watt Clear Channel talk station of San Antonio which covers most of the state.
If you are out of the area, you can listen live to the broadcast from here.
In addition to listening to the show, I invite you to call in at 210.737.1200 or toll-free 1.800.383.WOAI.
Here is my line-up & stories I will reference today,
Friday, July 19, from 5:00-8:00 p.m. central
5:00 p.m.: I'll feature the audio of Bill Cosby in which he states that the Zimmerman acquittal was not about race and take your calls. Plus, I'll discuss Charles Barkley's conclusion that the verdict was correct.
BILL COSBY: GEORGE ZIMMERMAN ACQUITTAL NOT ABOUT RACE
Comedian Bill Cosby says the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the death of Florida teen isn't about racism.
Cosby, an outspoken voice on cultural issues, says the recent trial did not prove that Zimmerman had racist motives at any point during his confrontation with Martin. That means race shouldn't be a part of the conversation regarding the case.
"Let's not go into a racial discussion unless we really have something there," he told radio hosts Domenick Nati and Nate Foutz.
listen to audio
CHARLES BARKLEY ON ZIMMERMAN TRIAL: "I AGREE WITH THE VERDICT"
CHARLES BARKLEY: Well, I agreed with the verdict. I feel sorry that young kid got killed. But they didn't have enough evidence to charge him. Something clearly went wrong that night. Clearly something went wrong. I feel bad for anybody who loses a kid, but if you looked at the case and you don't make it -- there was some racial profiling, no question about it. But something happened that changed the dynamic of that night, and I know -- that's probably not a popular opinion among most people but just looking at the evidence I agreed with the verdict.
I just feel bad because I don't like when race gets out in the media because I don't think the media has a pure heart, as I call it. There are very few people have a pure heart when it comes to race. Racism is wrong in any, shape, form -- a lot of black people are racist too. I think sometimes when people talk about racism, they say only white people are racist. There are a lot of black people who are racist. I don't like when it gets out there in the media because I don't think the media has clean hands.
Watch video
5:30 p.m.: I will talk with Ron Kelly, a retired veteran from Houston, who cannot buy a .22-caliber rifle because of a 1971 pot conviction.
ARMY VET DENIED A RIFLE OVER 42-YEAR-OLD MISDEMEANOR
A retired Army veteran who fired tanks, cannons and machine guns while protecting this nation recently asked the U.S. government for the green light to buy a .22-caliber rifle from a Wal-Mart in Tomball.
Permission denied.
The FBI turned down Ron Kelly's application for gun ownership because of a 1971 conviction for minor drug possession.
He was busted with a small bag of marijuana while in high school in North Carolina. As a first-time offender, he was sentenced to a year of probation.
Two years later, right about the time the U.S. was withdrawing from the Vietnam War and there was a hippie on every corner, he enlisted in the Army.
"I went on to serve 20 years," said Kelly, who often wears a camouflaged Army cap over his head of gray hair. "I had a top-secret clearance. It is amazing that they won't let me buy a gun for a misdemeanor 42 years ago."
read story
6:00 p.m.: I'll talk about how President Obama has once again commented about the Zimmerman/Trayvon case in a very personal way.
OBAMA: 'TRAYVON COULD HAVE BEEN ME'
Speaking at the White House on Friday, President Obama addressed the verdict in the George Zimmerman trial for the killing of Trayvon Martin for the first time since 2012, when he declared that if he had a son, he'd look like Martin. This time, Obama said, "Trayvon Martin could have been me 35 years ago."
Barack Obama as a young man.
Obama also said, "Reasonable doubt was relevant, and they rendered a verdict. Once the jury's spoken, that's how our system works."
Obama said he was "bouncing around" ideas with his staff on how to respond to the Zimmerman verdict, adding, "I think it is going to be important for us to do some soul searching." Pushing against Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law, Obama stated, "If Trayvon Martin was of his age and armed, could he have stood his ground on that sidewalk?"
read second story
6:30 p.m.: Will you be able to keep your doctor or not under ObamaCare. I'll get to the bottom of it.
YOU MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO KEEP YOUR DOCTOR UNDER OBAMACARE
As Obamacare was being pushed through Congress in 2010, the Obama administration and its allies were unequivocal in two claims: If you like your doctor and you like your current health care plan, you can keep them both. HHS Secretary Kathleen Sibelius and then-House speaker Nancy Pelosi backed the president fully in this regard.
The White House even went so far as to post a "Health Insurance Reform Reality Check" on its website, where "Linda Douglass of the White House Office of Health Reform debunks the myth that reform will force you out of your current insurance plan or force you to change doctors." President Obama upped the ante, putting the promise in the form of a "guarantee":
read story
7:00 p.m.: I'll talk about these newly released pictures which document Boston Bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev at the point of his capture with a red sniper's laser beam pointed at his head. They were taken by Sergeant Sean Murphy, a tactical photographer with the Massachusetts state police, who has now been suspended, to show the real face of terrorism.
DRAMATIC NEW PICTURES EMERGE OF THE MOMENT 'BOSTON BOMBER' CLIMBED FROM THE BOAT WHERE HE HAD BEEN HIDING, AS A SNIPER TOOK AIM AT HIS HEAD
Dramatic new images have been released showing alleged Boston bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev bruised and bloodied with his hands in the air as he emerges from his final hiding place.
Cornered by police, the photos show the 19-year-old in a blood-splattered black jumper, with hands stained red and a sniper's laser aimed directly at his forehead.
The sobering pictures were released by Sergeant Sean Murphy, a tactical photographer with the Massachusetts state police, in a bid to show the real face of terrorism in reaction to the 'glamorized' image of Tsarnaev that graces the cover of Rolling Stone magazine's controversial new issue.
The officer has now been suspended over his decision to leak the photos and is facing an internal investigation.
Massachusetts State Police spokesman David Procopio said Murphy was not authorized to release the photographs and that there will be a hearing to decide if he will be suspended until the investigation is complete.
Murphy accompanied the Swat teams as they descended on a boat in the backyard of a Watertown home, where Tsarnaev sought refuge following one of the biggest manhunts in U.S. history.
Murphy released a collection of his official shots from the April arrest to Boston Magazine, after Rolling Stone's depiction of the bombing suspect so outraged him, and many others.
He told the magazine, that having been a police officer for 25 years he was personally insulted by Rolling Stone's decision to portray Tsarnaev as some sort of rock star and that the move could spur on copycat attacks by people who want the same celebrity treatment.
'The truth is that glamorizing the face of terror is not just insulting to the family members of those killed in the line of duty, (but) it also could be an incentive to those who may be unstable to do something to get their face on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine,' Murphy told Boston Magazine.
He added of his own photos: 'I hope that the people who see these images will know that this was real. It was as real as it gets. This may have played out as a television show, but this was not a television show.
Officer Dick Donohue almost gave his life. Officer Sean Collier did give his life. These were real people, with real lives, with real families. And to have this cover dropped into Boston was hurtful to their memories and their families.'
He went on to explain that photography was very simple and 'brings us back to the cave.'
'An image like this on the cover of Rolling Stone ... we see it instantly as being wrong. What Rolling Stone did was wrong. This guy is evil. This is the real Boston bomber. Not someone fluffed and buffed for the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.'
Shortly after Murphy released the harrowing shots it emerged that he had been relieved of his duties with the police.
Police arrived at his home last night and removed his gun, badge, handcuffs and other official pieces of equipment.
His status will be reviewed next week, as authorities decide whether he will be allowed to resume his police duties.
Boston Magazine editor John Wolfson tweeted at around 9pm last night: 'Murphy has been relieved but not yet fired. Duty hearing next week.'
The bloody pictures of Tsarnaev came after the editors of Rolling Stone refused to apologize for using the controversial image on the front of its magazine, despite overwhelmingly negative reactions to the cover of its August 3 issue.
The iconic glossy has experienced a nationwide outcry over its choice of cover star with Boston Mayor Thomas Menino describing it as a 'total disgrace' and saying it should have put survivors or first responders on the cover.
MBTA Transit Officer Richard 'Dic' Donahue, who almost died when the Tsarnaev brothers allegedly shot him in a firefight days after the marathon attacks said, 'I cannot and do not condone the cover of the magazine.'
'Why are we glorifying a guy who created mayhem in the city of Boston?' Retorted Menino, before adding that he would be letting publisher Jann Wenner know exactly what he thinks of the decision by the respected monthly magazine.
'Why would we want to heroize this guy? He's a terrorist. We don't want him in our neighborhoods. We don't want him on magazines. We don't want him anywhere,' Menino said to WHDH.
The cover of August's edition is a self-taken portrait of Tsarnaev, 19, in which he looks more like a rock star than a terrorist. He is identified simply as 'The Bomber' and the article promises to explain 'how a popular, promising student was failed by his family, fell into radical Islam, and became a monster.'
Rather than issue an apology, Rolling Stone editors tried to defend the cover by claiming it was in keeping with their long tradition of serious journalism.
In their brief statement, Rolling Stone - founded in the 1960s by Jann Wenner who is still editor-in-chief - said their 'hearts go out to the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing, and our thoughts are always with them.'
'The cover story we are publishing this week falls within the traditions of journalism and Rolling Stone's long-standing commitment to serious and thoughtful coverage of the most important political and cultural issues of our day.'
Pointing out that Dzhokhar is in the same age group as many of their readers, Rolling Stone said that fact 'makes it all the more important for us to examine the complexities of this issue.'
The use of Tsarnaev as cover star caused an immediate backlash on social media and both CVS/Pharmacy and Walgreens announced on Wednesday that they would be boycotting this new edition of Rolling Stone from their stores nationwide.
Between them, CVS and Walgreens have more than 15,000 locations nationwide.
CVS issued a statement in which it said that out of respect for the victims of the attack and their loved ones, they would not be selling August's publication of Rolling Stone.
'As a company with deep roots in New England and a strong presence in Boston, we believe this is the right decision out of respect for the victims of the attack and their loved ones,' the statement said. CVS is headquartered in Woonsocket, R.I.
Throwing his voice into the debate Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick was more restrained in his comments.
'I haven't read it, but I understand the substance of the article is not objectionable, it's apparently pretty good reporting,' Patrick said. 'But the cover is out of taste, I think.'
MBTA officer, Richard 'Dic' Donohue, who was shot during a chaotic exchange of gunfire with the Tsarnaev brothers following the bombing was disappointed.
'My family and I were personally affected by these individuals' actions. I cannot and do not condone the cover of the magazine, which is thoughtless at best,' he said.
'I am confident that our Boston Strong community will remain intrepid and unshaken by the cover of this magazine.'
Tsarnaev has already attracted a gaggle of female supporters organized as the 'Free Jahar' movement who have posted comments on social media sites expressing their love for him.
Responding to questions from reporters on Wednesday, Thomas Menino said that if the magazine had wanted to choose anyone for its iconic cover, it should have been the survivors or the first responders.
This isn't the first time this particular image has been used in the media since the April 15 Boston Marathon bombing, which Tsarnaev stands accused of carrying out with his brother, Tamerlan. The photo appeared on the front page of The New York Times in May.
However the cover of Rolling Stone is typically occupied by rock stars and actors, and many feel the cover is glorifying Tsarnaev, who is accused of killing three people and wounding more than 260.
The decision to go with the bombing suspect has been widely lambasted as tasteless. More than 13,000 comments have been left on the magazine's Facebook page with the vast majority express anger and displeasure:
'Very un-American, Rolling Stone. I thought it was supposed to be an honor to be on your cover?'
'Whoever subscribes to this worthless rag should cancel their subscriptions TODAY!!! This is unacceptable!!
'I shared this on my news feed, but not in support of your magazine, I shared it to show people how low you have gone by putting this terrorist on your cover. Rolling Stone, go and read all the shares of your picture, there are a lot of angry people that you would make such a disgusting choice.'
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other stories which I might get to:
DAVID AXELROD: 'HILLARY CLINTON PROBABLY WILL BE THE CANDIDATE' Hillary Clinton will likely be the Democratic candidate for president in 2016, according to longtime Obama adviser David Axelrod, and only if she passes up a presidential bid will vice president Joe Biden run.
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| David Axelrod: 'Hillary Clinton Probably Will Be The Candidate' |
"I think that Hillary Clinton probably will be the candidate. If she doesn't run, I think Biden will run," Axelrod told MSNBC. He went on to note that Clinton and Biden share a common view of national security and that he hopes the Democratic primary will give rise to a "healthy debate" about the future of America's foreign policy.
JESSE JACKSON: 'INCLINATION' TO TREAT FLORIDA AS 'APARTHEID STATE'
"No doubt, the inclination is to boycott Florida, stop conventions, to isolate Florida as a kind of apartheid state..."
THREE TEXAS PLANNED PARENTHOOD CLINICS TO CLOSE
Planned Parenthood has announced that clinics in Bryan, Huntsville, and Lufkin, Texas, will be closing their doors.
The new regulations barring abortions after 20 weeks and requiring that clinics meet hospital-grade health and safety standards were signed into law by Governor Rick Perry on Thursday. Planned Parenthood told staff at the three clinics, only one of which performs abortions, on Wednesday that they would be closing.
Melaney A. Linton, president and CEO of the Gulf Coast branch of the women's-health organization, attributed the closings to the "increasingly hostile environment" that Texas lawmakers have created for clinics in the state.
REP. PETER KING: WOULD RUN FOR PRESIDENT TO SAVE THE GOP
Rep. Peter King of New York - who told Newsmax this week he may seek the GOP nomination for president in 2016 - says the major reason he would run is to save the troubled Republican Party.
And the New York congressman took a shot Sen. Rand Paul and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and other Republican lawmakers for their "isolationist policies."
"It bothers me when the leading Republicans out there - someone like Rand Paul seems more concerned about an American being killed in Starbucks by a CIA drone than he is about Islamic terrorism," King told MSNBC's "Morning Joe."
read story
FLORIDA GOV. SCOTT: NO SPECIAL SESSION ON 'STAND YOUR GROUND'
Protesters who set up camp in the state Capitol building earlier this week finally got to meet with Gov. Rick Scott late Thursday, and they urged him to push for the repeal of Florida's "state your ground" law and to take steps to combat racial profiling.
In a conference room near his office suite, Scott met for nearly an hour with seven leaders of the protest, which began Tuesday. They described their frustration about last weekend's acquittal of George Zimmerman in the death of Trayvon Martin and their own experiences of being racially profiled.
read story
FETAL HEARTBEAT BILL INTRODUCED IN TEXAS LEGISLATURE
Gov. Rick Perry just yesterday signed a very restrictive bill which bans abortion after twenty weeks gestation. But some anti abortion activists in the Legislature still aren't satisfied.
They've filed a bill in the Special Session what would essentially outlaw abortion.
Called the Fetal Heartbeat Bill, the bill introduced by Texas State Rep Phil King, would outlaw any abortions after a doctor could detect a beating heart in the fetus in the womb. That heartbeat can be detected as early as 18 days after conception, and after no more than six weeks in the womb.
read story MICHAEL MOORE FILES FOR DIVORCE FROM WIFE OF 21 YEARS
Documentary filmmaker Michael Moore has filed for divorce from wife Kathleen Glynn. The story appears in Michigan's MLive. The Moores have been married since 1991 but have been together much longer than that. They are said to have a net worth of around $50 million. All of Moore's hit movies- from Roger and Me to Sicko- have been made during the marriage. Glynn was a producer on several of the films and worked with Moore for at least 20 years. The couple otherwise has no children.
It's never easy to report on a divorce when you know the couple have had a real life together. Both Moore and Glynn were born in Flint, Michigan where they reside. The couple hosts the Traverse City Film Festival, which begins this year on July 30th and certainly won't be easy under these conditions. When I saw them last December at the Motion Picture Academy Governor's Ball in Los Angeles, they were planning for the festival and everything seemed just fine.
read story
MCCAIN STUMPED BY QUESTION ABOUT HIS OWN IMMIGRATION BILL
Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.), a member of the "Gang of Eight" that helped write and pass the immigration reform bill in that chamber, said he did not know how many passports a person could forge under the proposed law before being charged with a crime.
On Capitol Hill on Wednesday, CNSNews.com asked McCain, "Senator McCain, can I ask you a question about the Senate immigration bill? Under the bill, how many passports can someone forge before it becomes a crime?"
read storyDETROIT FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY WITH 100,000 CREDITORS The city of Detroit filed for bankruptcty on Thursday afternoon, ending weeks of speculation about a possible such move.
Kevyn Orr, the city's emergency manager, handed over a 3,000 page document detailing all the money which the city is unable to pay.
The list of those owed includes the names of all of the city's active employees and its retirees, a list of properties that have tax claims with the city, numerous bondholders, business creditors and companies that insured Detroit debt.
The largest creditor is the city's general pension scheme, which is owed $2 billion.
SEXUAL ADDICTION ISN'T A REAL DISORDER
A University of California, Los Angeles study suggests that so-called sexual addiction isn't a real disorder.
Sex addiction, which has been a hot-button issue in the past few years, reportedly affects 16 million Americans, including a number of well-known celebrities such as Tiger Woods, Russell Brand and David Duchovny.
In a recent study, UCLA scientist Nicole Prause monitored the brain activity of 39 men and 13 women-all with sexual image issues-while they were shown various erotic images.
GOVERNMENT TRACKING ALL CARS
Chances are, your local or state police departments have photographs of your car in their files, noting where you were driving on a particular day, even if you never did anything wrong.
Using automated scanners, law enforcement agencies across the country have amassed millions of digital records on the location and movement of every vehicle with a license plate, according to a study published Wednesday by the American Civil Liberties Union. Affixed to police cars, bridges or buildings, the scanners capture images of passing or parked vehicles and note their location, uploading that information into police databases. Departments keep the records for weeks or years, sometimes indefinitely.
ZIMMERMAN ON 'SLAVE PATROL' WHEN HE SHOT MARTIN, LIBTALKER SPEWS
To all too many on the left, America has barely budged since the '50s when it comes to civil rights. As far as liberal radio host Thom Hartmann is concerned, America has barely budged since the antebellum era.
Hard to believe anyone, even a hard-core leftist, can spread such drivel, what with a man of color holding the highest office in the land -- one to which he was just comfortably re-elected -- and the Justice Department being run, go figure, by another man of color. What's truly amazing is that both men are actually slaves, at least in the Amerika that Hartmann finds so primitive and backward.
listen to audio clip and read story
