Time and there's a rush of news from the flu. But suffering continues in Syria Juliette Touma of Unicef says children suffer more than ever from malnutrition put the politics aside and think that they are starving children and. Across the country who need assistance and that story this hour where the Russian might lead next legal options for women who recently come forward with sex harassment charges and. As a woman who finds her voice in the late 1950 s. As a comic the marvelous Mrs Mays will 1st our newscast at Saturday December 2nd 2017 . Live from n.p.r. News in Washington on Giles Snyder the Senate voted $51.00 to $49.00 overnight to pass a sweeping $1.00 trillion dollar tax overhaul passage came following some last minute revisions N.P.R.'s Kelsey's now reports the measure is a step toward a major legislative triumph for the Republican Party passage of the tax legislation is a significant victory for Republicans who say the overhaul will cut taxes for businesses and most individuals the tax bill which passed with only Republicans voting in favor would lower the top corporate tax rate from 35 to 20 percent and change the rules for companies who earn profits abroad for individuals the plan would nearly double the standard deduction and cut most people's taxes for 8 years the sweeping overhaul also includes several provisions that are not related to taxes they include a plan to allow drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska and a measure that would effectively eliminate the individual mandate requirement of the Affordable Care Act Kelsey's now n.p.r. News the Capitol President Trump is tweeting about the tax bill this morning thanking Republican members of Congress as they prepared to work out differences between the Senate and House version of the bill was passed over the objections of Democrats who say they were not given enough time to read it before being asked to vote the Federal Reserve is widely expected to raise interest rates this month but Steve Bechler says some thought Officials are urging patience president nominee to succeed Janet Yellen as Fed chairman strongly hinted this week that the Fed raised short term interest rates a quarter point mid-month that would be the 3rd such move this year the Fed projects 3 more rate hikes next year but St Louis Federal Reserve Bank President James Bullard warns that if the Fed keeps raising short term rates while long term rates stay near current no levels it could cause an inverted yield curve that's when short rates exceed long ones a phenomenon that often preceded recessions so Bullard's. The thin edge of the cautious for n.p.r. News I'm Steve back to Germany now where police in the northern city of Hanover today used water Canada against protesters preventing delegates from attending the far right Alternative for Germany party conference the 600 delegates will be voting this weekend on a new party leader the B.B.C.'s Mike Saunders reports c.f.d. Won almost 100 seats in parliament in September's general election demonstrators mounted a concerted effort to stop the a.f.p. Conference going ahead one point they blocked a main route to the venue while others obstructed side streets some sat in the road and put up umbrellas as police doused them with water in temperatures approaching freezing police cleared a pos for the 600 delegates but more demonstrations are planned once the conference got on the way a film showed migrants charging the streets there was applause as the screen showed the slogan We want our country back the B.B.C.'s Mike Saunders reporting this is n.p.r. News. And Yemen a former president Ali Abdullah Saleh has says he is ready for what he called a new page in relations with the Saudi led coalition he appeared on television today amid a rift with his former allies who the rebels his supporters are battling who is the fighters for a 4th day on the streets of the capital a day of protests and vandalism has prompted a curfew in Honduras Maria Martin reports a tensions are high because last Sunday's presidential vote remains undecided. There were disturbances these disclosures and roadblocks Friday throughout Honduras a supporters of opposition candidates have either nostalgia took to the streets to protest what they feel is select a fraud on Friday night the government announced an executed decreases spending constitutional guarantees including the right of assembly from 6 pm to 6 am for 10 days the order doesn't apply to workers at the electoral tribunal or scheduled to continue the recount on the close race that now has incumbent president one or none at Nanda sleeting by one and a half percentage points for n.p.r. News I'm ready I'm Martin Pope Francis has wrapped up his trip to man bar in Bangladesh she left Dhaka several hours ago for the flight back home to Rome his trip to the region had been overshadowed by the crisis of me and Maher involving the country's Muslim rowing population the un accuses me and Maher of carrying out a campaign of ethnic cleansing Francis met with a group of rowing refugees in Bangladesh today he referred to them by name for the 1st time during his visit a joyous night or n.p.r. News. Support for n.p.r. Comes from the George Lucas Educational Foundation creator of Edutopia an online resource dedicated to improving the learning experience for America's students with information and strategies about what works in k. Through 12 education learn more at Edutopia dot org The c.c. Supporters include USA Network's limited series The center's starring Jessica Biel you can learn more at. USA Network dot com. Next time on the New York Radio Hour we'll visit Tangier Island Virginia where residents are watching and praying as the land under their feet washes out to sea that's next time on The New Yorker radio join us later this morning at 10 on 89.3 p.c.c. . This is Weekend Edition from n.p.r. News I'm Scott Simon Michael Flynn who was president trumps national security advisor briefly is cooperating with the special counsel after taking a plea deal for lying to the f.b.i. About conversations with the Russian ambassador before Trump became President Jonathan Turley teaches law at George Washington University and joins us in our studios John thanks thanks so much for coming in Thank You Can we assume that Mr Flynn wouldn't have gotten a deal if the prosecutors didn't already know he has something to say about higher ups I think that's a safe assumption you know he's what you might call a matinee defendant someone that usually you you cut plea bargains to capture or not to have as a witness and so for Maton a defendant either is only 2 reasons a cut a deal one is that the charges would be difficult to prove against him that doesn't seem to be the case with Michael Flynn and the 2nd one is that he brought the little ripples that he can put on the table somebody more valuable than himself and so there's a lot of speculation on who that might be because this is a very good deal yeah you wrote in The Hill that that line to the f.b.i. Is serious but you said quote There is nothing in this indictment that offers serious support for the allegation of collusion with the Russians now isn't that what the motor investigation is supposed to be about it is and I think that people may be getting ahead of their skis a bit because the coverage was a bit breathless yesterday as people talk about a bombshell development most of us a. Expected Flynn would face multiple criminal charges or he would flip He was always the one most vulnerable he was the one that had the most clear criminal allegations against him so while it was highly significant it was also highly predictable that he would do this the plea itself is a remarkably small footprint it's a single count under 10011001 is what most people get nailed for in Washington you rarely go to jail in Washington for the scandal it's usually your response to the scandal and it's usually because you lied about something when investigators came knocking that's what Flynn essentially pleaded to so it is still removed from the White House and the campaign in the sense of there's nothing really substantial there about collusion the meetings being described in the indictment are not particularly shocking you know these were meetings that you would sort of expect a new administration coming in to tell the Russians look don't go crazy about any actions taken by the prior administration when they're leaving office there was an effort to reach out on Israel these were not the types of meetings we've been associating with collusion allegations and certainly nothing about the you know you help us and fill in the states and you'll have the kind of president that you want you know that's right and I think that both the man of Ford in the Flynn indictment and that sense are good news for the White House in that manner for it was entirely removed or essentially removed from the campaign or the White House Flynt clearly is related to the Russian vest a geisha because the meetings tell with Russians but there's still nothing here that that that moves the ball significantly in establishing any crime associated with collusion However the day is still young I mean if he got a deal for something and we have to wait to see what that is and there can there can be ome only so many senior officials. You know we're actually we're actually running out of senior officials so we're down to a relatively small group a lot of people are looking at the questioner Jared Kushner the son in law of President Trump and these meetings with the Russians fell within his portfolio of material there is there are news reports indicating that Kushner might have been the person that sent Flynn into at least one of the meetings but once again even if that's what we should out there news reports that N.P.R.'s not confirmed That's right and and even if that were to be confirmed it's not a smoking gun of a crime these meetings again were not collusion meetings of a quid pro quo they seemed to be fairly standard and also if this was a conspiracy was not a way to go about it you know the this was apparently the conversation was held with a group of people at Mar a Lago about what we should do about the Russians Now having said that there is a real danger here and that is once again $1001.00 is the trip wire that people and getting mail it getting prosecuted for. If Flynn can come forward with information indicating that someone else has made a false statement it's clear they're going to is going to act on it and he's going to charge it Jonathan Turley teaches law at the George Washington University always a pleasure to see you thanks so much for being with us thank you congressional Republicans are a step closer to passing a one of a half trillion dollar tax cut the Senate passed its version overnight with all but one of 52 Republican senators voting yes Republican leaders now hope to harmonize that Senate bill with the House version then bring it to the president for signature N.P.R.'s Scott Horsley joins us now good morning Scott good morning I have to ask 1st this was an almost 500 page bill that wasn't ready until a couple of hours before they voted to senators read it. I can tell you our hill colleague Kelsey Snell was making her OIC effort to read it she's got a great summary at npr dot org which is time stamped several hours after the vote 149 am I don't know if the lawmakers got through it we're all going to be there were some we senators who complained there are a lot of senators are complaining they could never chance to read it that's right although Republican leader Mitch McConnell says you complain about the process when you don't have the votes and what sort of accommodations did he make to get this bill done. There were a number of Ron Johnson of Wisconsin had been concerned that so-called passthrough businesses were not getting enough in the tax cuts so that was sweetened Susan Collins of Maine was won over with the addition of a tax deduction for local property taxes Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona set aside his concerns about the trillion dollars in red ink in this bill in exchange for a rather vague assurance that something will be done on Dhaka that some kind of relief will be offered for undocumented immigrants who are brought to the country as children and with the exception of the no vote from Senator Corker of Tennessee will note for the umpteenth time is not up for reelection this was a vote that was strictly along party lines. Why no by Per. Just an interchange there so often as on taxpayer Well the Democrats don't like this for a number of reasons one that it balloons the deficit even though there were assurances from the g.o.p. That these tax cuts would pay for themselves the congressional scorekeeper say that's not the case many Democrats were warning on the Senate floor that the g.o.p. Will use rising deficits as an excuse to call for cuts to popular entitlement programs the other big complaint from Democrats though is that even though it was marketed as a middle class tax cut most of the savings actually go to people at the top of the income ladder that's especially true in the later years because while the individual tax cuts in the bill are temporary the corporate tax cuts are permanent and the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center estimates by 2027 more than 60 percent of the savings go to the upper one percent that is people making more than $900000.00 and $1.00 of the differences between the House and Senate versions that would have to be worked out if if a tax bill actually goes to the president's desk for signature well that that is going to be a project in the coming days most of the last minute jocking on the Senate side move the Senate bill closer to the House version for example Republicans did not include the kind of automatic deficit trigger that Senator Corker was pushing for that might have been a deal breaker in the House the Senate bill takes a whack at Obamacare it does away with the penalty for people who don't buy health insurance that probably won't be a hard sell in the house assuming that provision survives by the way congressional Forecasters say it would boost Obamacare premiums by about 10 percent and leave 13000000 more Americans without health insurance another thing that people might want to pay attention to in the coming days as this harmonization process takes place if you live in a pricey housing market the House bill cuts the deduction for mortgage interest caps it at half a $1000000.00 The Senate bill leaves that untouched so that is a possible difference that people might want to pay attention to N.P.R.'s Scott Horsley thanks so much. For being with us and covering the story at all hours are great good with he's got the rough and tumble of politics may sometimes yield a win for the trumpet ministration as looks to be the case with the tax plan doesn't seem to go for the Trump organization tomorrow on Weekend Edition Sunday how the presidency may be keeping the some of President businesses down while others have been lifted up you can listen for that and more on Weekend Edition Sunday tune in tomorrow. President Trump is considering changing u.s. Policy on one of the world's most sensitive geopolitical issues next week Trump may declare Jerusalem to be the capital of Israel recognized by the United States the State Department has told u.s. Embassies in the Mideast to review security protocols because they fear protest from Jerusalem N.P.R.'s Daniel Estrin reports Jerusalem is at the heart of the Israeli Palestinian conflict 50 years ago Israel captured East Jerusalem where Palestinians in the city live and where the city's most important religious sites are Israel claims all of Jerusalem as its capital but the Palestinians want East Jerusalem to be the capital of a future independent Palestinian state no country has its embassy in Jerusalem to avoid taking sides for decades the u.s. Has said the matter should be resolved in peace talks President Trump has promised to move the u.s. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem but like previous presidents he signed a waiver this summer to delay the move he didn't want to harm efforts to restart peace talks now u.s. Officials say Trump is weighing some options he might delay the embassy move again but he could officially recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital Palestinian officials say the u.s. Hasn't consulted them about this a spokesman for the Palestinian Authority president says it would be dangerous to the peace process Jordan's King Abdullah has warned against stoking anger in the Arab and Muslim world Trump faces a Monday deadline to decide about the embassy Daniel Estrin n.p.r. News Jerusalem. When you're listening to n.p.r. News it's all 6 will get you should see supporters include Senator theatre the president of the new musical comedy something rotten in the midst of the Renaissance 2 brothers are about to create something that could alter the course of human history the world's 1st Broadway musical called the funniest things since the Book of Mormon by the Associated Press something rotten is now on stage 3 December 31st tickets and information at center theater group dot org. Hi this is Larry mad so we've got the latest news for you one weekend edition but keep your radio on after the show at 10 on k.p.c. C weekend it's the New Yorker Radio Hour with the magazine's best contributors making sense of the news at Leavenworth Wait Wait Don't Tell me making fun of the news at noon the film we critics join me to review the week's new movies your escape from the news keep the radio on Paul de k.p.c. See weekend here at 89.3 p.c. See. Giles Snyder with these headlines and you haven't former President Ali Abdullah Saleh says he is ready for what he calls a new page in relations with the Saudi led coalition he appeared on television today amid a rift with his former allies who the rebels his supporters are battling who the fighters for a 4th day on the streets of the capital clashes today in Hanover Germany police error of used water cannon to break up a crowd of protesters who tried to block delegates from attending the far right Alternative for Germany party conference the delegates are choosing a new leader this weekend and Pope Francis has wrapped up his trip to Asia he's now flying back home to Rome after acknowledging the rink a Muslim crisis on the last day of his visit on trial Snyder for n.p.r. News from Washington. Support for n.p.r. Comes from this station and from $23.00 and Me a personalized genetic service dedicated to helping people learn what their $23.00 pairs of chromosomes say about their health traits and ancestry learn more at 23 and Me dot com from the n.p.r. Wine club offering lines from around the world with the stories behind each one and bottles inspired by favorite n.p.r. Shows available to adults 21 Years or Older learn more at n.p.r. Wine Club dot org And from listeners like you who donate to this n.p.r. Station this is Weekend Edition from n.p.r. News I'm Scott Simon. The flood of allegations of sexual harassment against powerful men continued this week there have been consequences for many Matt Lauer was fired from n.b.c. Public Radio severed ties with Kerrison killer Russell Simmons resigned from his company that was all in the past few days N.P.R.'s senior vice president for news Mike arrests had to resign could there be legal consequences for any of their behavior and for the companies and institutions where they worked Gene Hyams as a California Civil Rights attorney she's represented women in sexual harassment cases she joins us from Berkeley California and we want to tell our audience that this conversation will have some adult material thank you for being with us it's a pleasure to join you we have learned all over again in the past few weeks how difficult it is for women to to sometimes come forward and speak out not just because of a company's culture but because of our culture in America. Does it make it difficult to prosecute those cases or seek. Relief in several penalties if the statute of limitations has expired the statute of limitations is a real problem around the country how long you have to bring a claim for sexual harassment really depends on where you live even under federal law there's no uniform time limit around the country in some states you have only $180.00 days to file a claim with the e.e.o.c. The federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that's less than 6 months for someone who is dealing with the trauma of an experience of sexual harassment it takes time to get together the courage you know the support around you and the resources to step forward and understand your rights and assert them so it does cut women off and and and how often can the companies be held responsible as much as the individual perpetrator well companies are responsible for creating workplaces that are safe and where people can focus on their work and not the kinds of demeaning. And degrading things that happen not to mention the assaults that happen in terms of sexual harassment so anyone in the workplace can perpetrate sexual harassment and employers can be accountable for it whoever it is I'm talking about not just supervisors but coworkers customers vendors anyone who comes into contact with employees and engages in sexual harassment the employer can be held accountable in the case of supervisors if it's your supervisor who sexually harassing you your employer is liable for that in many states if any supervisor sexually harassing you your employer is liable beyond that as long as the employer knows or should have known what was going on in the workplace the employer can also be held liable miss I am recognizing that you for a lot of different reasons you might not be able to be real specific but all the cases that have gotten press attention this week do you see any circumstance in there were a lot of the women who've come forward sometimes years after the fact might be able to have some some legal recourse now. When the time limit has run the time limit has run it's a pretty draconian measure what I looking for at this moment and I think what all of these women who are stepping forward are looking for is more than legal recourse it's time for a cultural reckoning it's time for change in the workplace it's time for employers to step forward and change what is happening in American workplaces I hope that every woman who's experienced sexual harassment reaches out and finds out whether or not she has legal recourse their attorneys all around the country who do this kind of work every day and you don't necessarily have to have already decided that you're ready to bring a lawsuit to find out what your rights are and rights only exist if you know what they are and you assert them so the timing of sexual harassment and lawsuits is complicated there can sometimes be ways to. Work around statutes of limitations so I would encourage anyone who thinks that they might still have a claim to reach out to an attorney and find out Jane Himes as an attorney in California thanks so much for being with us thank you for having me a fresh round of peace talks is underway in Geneva but there is little hope a go she enters will broker an end to the civil war in Syria that's the news lead but there is another fact of life in Syria today hunger. Unicef has just completed a new survey in a suburb of Damascus and found alarming rates of acute malnutrition among children hunger is grown significantly worse over this year Juliette Touma joins us now from Amman she is Unicef chief of communications for the region Ms Touma thanks very much for being with us thank you Scott can you tell us what the days or weeks food might look like for a child and. What we know right now based on the survey that we've just conducted is that man attrition in East has reached its highest level since the war began in Syria more than 6 and a half years ago the situation is quite desperate the needs of these children are huge and we need to get there and if them supplies and systems that they need have had people in the region conducting the survey what did they learn from children and their families according to the survey 11 percent of the children surveyed have acute malnutrition and man iteration can be treated so this is why it's absolutely crucial that Unicef delivers therapeutic supplies to treat children with my new tradition we did have a. Very good window of opportunity earlier this week in fact a few days ago when Unicef was able with other human agencies to get in and deliver some supplies and that window of opportunity is a window of hope for the children of whom what we do need is more of these humanitarian convoys to get in to deliver assistance under a regular basis with no conditions but also quality access so that we as medical personnel and as humanitarian workers are able to spend time with the children to do assessments to get a better understanding on the situation on the. And so that we're able to send the assistance that people in this besieged area really need who would have to open those windows of access for you we have a cold and we do call again all parties to the conflict to pose for a bit in think about children to prioritize children's needs and to put the politics aside and I think in that there are starving children and there are children across the country who need assistance and above all what Unicef calls for is for this who are apt to come to find them and. There's a bell nutrition problem with children it suggests that nobody is Eating Well what we have in this particular area is limited availability of basic food commodities like milk like eggs like they are a product like fresh produce. Mothers are not able to breast feed or nurse their children because they either men nourish themselves or because they are stressed or were tired because of the violence and that can be another contributing factor to why we have so many children men nearest in that area Julia Touma of Unicef thanks so much for being with us thank you Scott thank you so so much for covering this story thank you. A proposal by Washington d.c. City council members taking on the difficult problem of how to discipline disruptive students and keep them in school but would it create other problems council member David Grasso as head of the Education Committee wants to ban out of school suspensions in d.c. As public and charter schools studies show that African-American students are 7 times more likely to be suspended than white students in the d.c. Schools school districts around the country have been reevaluating suspension policies d.c. Council member Dave aggressor joins us thanks so much for being with us thanks for having me what do you believe ending suspensions would do I think if we can figure out how to make students feel more comfortable and more welcomed in our schools I think we'll see attendance numbers go up in the District of Columbia and I think will also see greater success closing the achievement gap here in d.c. How would ending suspensions do that though how would that make students feel more comfortable when studies have shown us that over the past number of years as people have looked at suspensions that once you've been suspended once you're more likely to be suspended again and again and again and again there have been schools now in d.c. That have chosen to not do suspensions at all already and those schools have seen an increase in academic performance they've seen a decrease in incidences in the school that lead to less safety and it's just shows us that it's time to look at a new way of doing this the chance or the dishes schools and one Wilson and Scott Pearson who's director of the Public Charter School Board as you know have argued that these decisions should be made to educators principals for example do you worry that taking away the threat of suspension would make disruptive students feel that they just have more license to create problems. I'm not worried about the changes in the way that we approach accountability in schools so when a student acts out there needs to be accountability but it needs to be done in a different way so rather than push her out onto the street or out on her own out in the community for a 10 day period for example give her something more constructive to do and what we've done instead in the District of Columbia is fund more restored of Justice practices more trauma informed approaches to schools programs that actually give students the opportunity to make amends when they do act out but also get help when they need help the stressor when you say that in school suspensions can give students an opportunity to take part in counselling and restorative justice programs is there the money in the city budget to the Department of Education budget for all those special programs. You know in fact the District of Columbia has been steadily increasing funding over the past several years my number one budget item for this year is going to be to fund more social workers child psychologists school based mental health providers that can work they hand in hand with the teachers and the principals administrators to give the students the supports they need there in the schools so that student doesn't get pushed out. I'm sure there are teachers who would tell you that disruptive students make it difficult for them to teach they have to train so much attention on the students who is being disruptive that they don't often have an opportunity to really teach what they're supposed to to the youngsters who are ready for that what do you say to them. I think that's fair and it's true when there's a structure in the class that has to be dealt with what I'm saying though is that the bill that I've introduced is not banned in schools suspensions or in school remediation of some sort and therefore there are options to give an opportunity for student to calm down to bring the classroom back. Under order if that's necessary and to make sure that every student in the classroom has an opportunity to learn and so in order to really get to the root cause it's important that we stop pushing kids out of school and give them a chance to make amends within the school and move forward with their education d.c. Council member David Gresham who is head of the Education Committee thanks so much for being with us sir. I really appreciate your interest and talking with you it's damn well l. Is going on France order jerseys for its professional soccer club but when the jerseys were unpacked there was just one l. And the town's name not to penalty on the manufacturer but city officials didn't despair they donated they sent the one l. Jerseys to the city of money People year one. Where will be auctioned to raise money for the Montpelier high school athletic department and other charities including a church in Guyana that's where no well really Williams a Montpellier senior and soccer player was born she told t.v. Station w.c. I.x. And she screamed at the kite and the son of a little tiny compensated for everybody in the world to spread kindness that will be such a better place you know it sounds as if both day and Montpelier are going to have a great season. Hi It's Rachel Martin I know you've got a lot of choices about how you use your time and there's a tradeoff right if you watch a t.v. Show then you didn't email your sister if you helped a kid with homework you didn't do the dishes I get it that is my life too I know your time is valuable which is why at n.p.r. We put all we've got into reporting news and telling stories that are worth your time thanks so much for listening to this n.p.r. Station. And now it's time for sports. Like Manning streak of consecutive games is scheduled to come to an end tomorrow but in golf Tiger Woods might be back again N.P.R.'s sports correspondent Tom Goldman joins us com Thanks so much for being with us Scott thanks for having me. And Tiger is looking like he can play golf again isn't it. You know he certainly doesn't look like a nearly 42 year old man returning from his 4th back surgery in his 1st competitive golf in almost a year he has shot 2 straight rounds in the sixty's he's swinging free and hard he's hitting the ball far he's chipping in putting it looks solid granted Scott this tournament he's playing in has a nice little cushy event hosted by him in the Bahamas it only has 18 players although many of them are the world's top ranked guys it's just don't he's hosting his own event surely that that stacking the deck is not but go ahead yeah no no no I hear everyone is a shot there is no cut after 2 rounds so it's not the pressure cooker of a regular p.g.a. Tour event but he led for a time Friday going into today he was 5 shots behind the leader and Tiger mania is growing there's so many people who are so eager to see him do magical things on the golf course again he's had a lot of back trouble as you know for surgeries and to be sure personal trouble much of his own making. But he's only 4142 he could have some very strong years trickiest backs are Couldn't Yeah well he could bat but you know a few bad backs are very tricky especially with a violent torquing golf swing this like tigers and we should note that he played this event last year he did really well raised expectations like he is now and then in a couple of events after that his back deserted him he did play golf for 9 straight days before this event began to get his back in his body. In his mind ready after 2 really good rounds the pack appears to be holding up he said he took some advil during the round yesterday not because he was hurting but because of his surgeon's orders so we shall see if he can stay healthy 28000 could be a fascinating 2 year on the tour Eli Manning doesn't doesn't start tomorrow. New York Giants against the open Raiders ending a streak of 210 regular season games at that number now the gints of had a miserable season but as Eli Manning the reason why he's not the entire reason it's you know it's a team failure but yeah you look at it a few key stats and and Manning doesn't appear to be the guy who led the Giants to 2 Super Bowl titles in the last 9 years you know perhaps it was time to move on but it's the way the Giants did it has appalled many fellow players and fans he was told he could keep starting the final games of the season to keep the streak alive but that he'd come out of games of the team could take a look at his backups he wanted none of that he said that was more about chasing hollow numbers than competing Yeah the n.f.l. Has been dealing with social actions and protests this season they announced a social action plan initiative of their own this week but are you seeing it. It's a response to the player protest begun by calling Captain a class season which you know multiplied this season the n.f.l. Reportedly will put up about $90000000.00 over 7 years for social justice programs programs that deal with improving education community police relations the criminal justice system some players still are suspicious of this and say the play The league is trying to buy its way out and get players to stop protesting but there are a lot supporting the plan and at the very least this appears to be a step in a good direction N.P.R.'s Tom Goldman thanks so much for being back with us Dr always a pleasure Scott. And this is n.p.r. News. Supporters include Ross Moines property management managing residential real estate from single family homes to apartment buildings committed to offering management with integrity in the Glendale Pasadena neighborhoods since 1979 more at Ross mind dot com This is a next time on film critics review Woody Allen's new movie and it's short a Laughs It's a drama Wonder Wheel set on Coney Island in the 1950 s. It's film week later today at noon on k p c c. Next week. The series of special reports homegrown all about the legalization of recreational pot. One of the more challenging subjects how to talk with your kids about it it's a big one but in homegrown will tell you everything. Starts Monday on. And on mine. I'm trial Snyder with these headlines President Trump has made his 1st public comments about the guilty plea by his former national security adviser Michael Flynn he told reporters at the White House this morning that there was absolutely no collusion between his campaign and Russia yesterday Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the f.b.i. And agreed to cooperate and special counsel Robert dollars investigating president was also committing the Senate for passing its version of a sweeping tax server hall the $1.00 trillion dollar measure was approved along a $51.00 to $49.00 party line vote overnight Democrats say they were given enough time to read it before being asked to vote and fund Secretary Jim Matta says in Cairo today as part of a 5 day trip that will also take him to Jordan Pakistan and Kuwait I'm trial Snyder for n.p.r. News from Washington. Support for n.p.r. Comes from this station and from Cigna a global health service company dedicated to helping people improve their health well being and sense of security more information is available at Cigna dot com from the y.m.c.a. a Nonprofit working to fill gaps and bridge divides in 10000 u.s. Communities details about the impact of donations are available at y.m.c.a. Dot net slash giving the y. For a better us and from the John d. And Catherine t. MacArthur Foundation at mac found dot org. This is Weekend Edition from n.p.r. News I'm Scott Simon so far President Trump has had only limited success with Congress but he has made remarkable stride toward changing the court the judge story is an untold story nobody wants to talk about it but when you think about it Mitch and I was saying that it has consequences 40 years out pending at the age of the judge Trump has nominated 59 federal judges so far the patients breakneck actually unmatched into the next an era nearly 50 years ago we're joined now by Joyce white van she served as United States attorney for the northern district of Alabama for 8 years under President Obama she joins us from the studios of w.b. H.-m. In Birmingham thanks very much for being with us thanks for having me recognizing you served in a democratic under a Democratic administration do you notice any kind of video logical profile in President Trump's nominees so far I think it's difficult to cast a broad brush when you look at nominees many of President trumps judicial nominees like those in administrations beforehand or people who are well qualified and I think it's important to say that they're getting support from people who are both Democrats and Republicans but increasingly in this administration and more so in this administration than others there is the perception that there are many judicial nominees who are ill logs people who will not set aside their personal beliefs when they put on the robe and sit at the bench and judge the law and so we're seeing the American Bar Association which has vetted judges for administrations and issues reports on those judges before their nomination proceedings a number of the Trump nominees have received an unqualified rating and that's extraordinary it's virtually unheard of but but I have seen reports that suggest that these are judges who are unable to set aside their deeply held social agendas who will not be able to be objective who will not respect legal precedent and. It's troubling and should be troubling to all of us and what about the idea if I might ask him as fans that Democrats for example wouldn't sit still have someone for a judge that was nominated to the federal judiciary who ruled against abortion rights for example. So abortion is always such a difficult conversation to have in a legal context though we have law gives us guidance and what we expect from our federal judges is that they will follow the law whether they agree with it or disagree with it personally and I'll give you a great example my father in law was a federal judge and he was personally against the death penalty he sat as a judge on the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals which includes Alabama Georgia and Florida and he heard many death penalty cases and I would listen to him talking after he had made those decisions and they were public and he would talk about how he struggled with the facts in the case and whether or not the legal standard for applying the death penalty was met but I never heard him interject his personal opposition to the death penalty in those decisions that's really the kind of integrity that we should expect from our judges on hard issues like abortion and on the more mundane more pedestrian issues that they consider every day so far apparently 91 percent of President Trump's nominees are white and 81 percent are male and this is according to an analysis by The Associated Press. In this day and age do you have to go out of your way and I'll be blunt about it do you have to exercise bigotry to appoint so many white males. I think we should be blunt about it it's a disturbing trend many of these judicial nominees are highly qualified people I don't think anyone would quibble with them as individuals but the overall numbers are deeply troubling There are many women people of color people from the community at the height of the legal profession it would be easy in every state in this country to find qualified diverse candidates and so it's some point you have to say why are we seeing predominantly white male nominations it looks deliberate Is it racism is it sexism is it simply an outmoded effort to have people who look like those who are now and in power populate the ranks of the judiciary Joyce white branch former u.s. Attorney under President Obama be a chairman Birmingham thanks so much for being with us thank you for having me. Now it's time for movies we missed holiday edition played our whole dish 1st will make snow angels for 2 hours and then we'll go ice skating and then wait a whole rule of Toll House cookie dough as fast as we can and then to finish the snuggle Now it sounds like a solid Saturday afternoon to me but what's up for dinner we all stressed the forming food groups with candy candy canes candy corn syrup diet of champions the 2003 film elf stars Will Ferrell as body lovable human who was adopted by sand as chief toy maker that's a long story so he's grown up at the North Pole believing that he is an elf just before 30th Christmas at the workshop but he learns the truth and he sets out to find his biological father in New York City high jinks ensues this naive elf and fish out of North Pole waters tries to adjust to a human world that can glitter but also hurt Tom Love it is a community development planner from Owensboro Kentucky he's never seen Elf until we asked him to Mr Levitt thanks for being with us pleasure to be here what do you usually feel about Will Ferrell movies. Not a fan I have I have had friends who have wanted to disown me over this this is one of your deep dark secrets I don't find Will Ferrell funny so Elf was just an easy skit for me on all well Ok now that you've seen it what do you think well I'm going to give him credit on this one it was a funny movie I really enjoyed it one of the things that Will Ferrell does that I'm not fond of it seems like he's just completely over the top it's just so frenetic and in this was really good in him and he had this focused goal to find his family and do a nice Christmas movie and I thought it came off really well according to a film history Jim Carrey was originally attached to the project and I think he's a great clown but Will Ferrell brings an earnestness and a gentleness to this role doesn't it yes I think he does I mean you just see keep. Like a little kid you know I've got children I remember that wide eyed little kid thing and he did that really really well yeah you watch it with your family I did my boys and I watched it and they laughed all through it I'd left a little less but you know we all it was a real fun family thing last night there there are a lot of references I think at the time they called them quotations from other classic Christmas films. Peter Billingsley from a Christmas story plays another elf and there's the Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer claymation figures did you like those kind of nods loved it I'm. Approaching in the middle age now so I grew up on the on the Rudolph the radio's reindeer and the Frosty the Snowman animated claymation animation movies I thought that was a lot of fun what about the. The chemistry between buddy the elf and the character played by Zoe Deschanel who also works at the department store and I thought that was when Wilson Ferrell really shone the most was when he is trying to bridge this little kid elf. Nature that he has with being a 30 year old male and finding himself he's kind of attracted to a girl and trying to a figure out what that means and then be how to handle it in she plays it well too you know she could have you know she had gotten all her you're a creepy stalker but she didn't you know she was willing to accept his in it's his kind of wide eyed innocent and I think that played really really well do you think will be a love it family staple for a few years we'll certainly make some time to watch it again it's a it's a it's a pretty good film and when we enjoy it now I have to tell you I think this is the best movie Will Ferrell is ever made but I like his other films too. I am a sucker how welfare all it might well have Might there be a reassessment going on as to well but. You know I don't know I want to see Anchorman and truthfully I thought the only joke in Anchorman was the joke that was perpetrated on me to get 750 out of my wallet out me on that theater and I just cringed through the whole thing I just didn't like any of it. And I think what he did in Elf and this is going to sound odd to say is he kind of downplays some of the mania you know like when you see an actor like Will Ferrell or Jim Carrey bring that mania down some you find it actually have some serious acting chops and do a really good job and I think that's what he did in Elf now whether I can go back and give some of the other movie you know Ricky Bobby or some of those others a chance we'll see. Tom Lovett speaking with us from Kentucky and we ask you all to remember this way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear fall. That's a nice moment there's been a lot of thanks so much thank you. When does a comic 1st realize that he or she can make people laugh maybe for Mary amazing will that comes when she gives a toast to her own Woody I have been very lucky I have wonderful parents I've had a very comfortable life and though I knew that love would be great I had no idea it would be anything that could justify what I paid for this dress what I paid for that dress we're very happy and because it's better than anything like that imagined I thought I should get up here today and tell all of you that I love that they say that. And yes there is Symphony eggrolls. And Rachel Brosnahan is Miriam Midge made Alex Borst in works at a Greenwich Village Club that Mitch frequents Tony. Will also star in a series for Amazon created by Amy Sherman fellow Dino and Daniel Palatino the marvelous Mrs Mays will Rachel Brosnahan joins us in our studios in New York thanks so much for being with us thank you for having me are you a comic who is playing a comedian or do you consider yourself an actress playing a comedian No I am most definitely not a comic about it that is a badge of honor in that I cannot claim to where I am an actress and not that's how I approach this role let's let's set the story a bit after that wedding toast we just heard the maze olds have 2 children an Upper West Side marriage. Has a job you truly detest while you have struggles to make a breakthrough or is a comic in the late 1950 s. That life comes apart when it doesn't yes very much does much to Midge's surprise and dismay her husband announces that he's leaving her for his secretary for his not so smart secretary which is a big blow to Midge Yeah and sharpening pencils and yeah now if she cannot scam figured out it's electric all she had to do was push. I hear Mrs Mays will come in . And then she decides she has a story to tell and has seen enough of the Enough of the stage at this dim smoky club that maybe that's the place to do it what does she get there or does she really this 1st time we ever see Midge on stage is a prolonged mental breakdown. Her picture perfect world that she has designed for herself has crumbled and the rose colored glasses have come off she's seeing the world in a new way and she is angry she's so angry and she's a woman who gets funnier as she get angrier and that's what you see at the end of the 1st episode and continued on that season there were almost no women doing comedy in this period right that we're talking about. I'm wondering in your study did the example of Joan Rivers Phyllis Diller member a lot of people don't recall toadie feel they did they mean anything to you of course they're the pioneers they are they are extraordinary women of comedy but I also to a woman named Jean Carroll who is a little bit lesser known as well but one of the 1st female standups Joan Rivers certainly I think I think a lot of midges sense of humor is very similar to Jones the kinds of taboo subject matters that they don't explore but the comedy comes from a very different place I've seen images comes from fact that her whole life has fallen apart and Joan Rivers came from the fact that she felt like she never fit it she felt like an ugly duckling image Meanwhile fit in better than everyone else so they they arrive at similar subject matter from very different places the scene where Midge without giving too much away gets up in the middle of the night to. Take care of her beauty routine Yes and then wakes up pointedly before the alarm goes off for husband never knows why gosh what does that say. Well it's a few things I think to a modern audience I mean clued it. I see a scene like that and gosh what a terrible burden to have to perform that level of perfection all the time but for marriage genuinely It's something that brings her joy it's something that makes her feel accomplished and I think there is an unrealistic expectation that was placed on women then and arguably still is today but it's it's a challenge that she enjoys rising to there's a line that keeps going around in my mind someone who works at the club one of the most interesting care if she wonderful and I really look forward to seeing more of her life she tells Mrs May's all she doesn't care if she's alone she just doesn't want to be in significant. Does that particularly reach into Bijou's heart absolutely in a way that that I don't think she expected I don't think Ms expected that to touch her so much I don't think she believes she's in significant I don't think she believes she ever has been but suddenly everything is different and it's frightening and I think that's one of the 1st moments that these 2 women connect and it's probably the beginning of this beautiful friendship that begins to form between them yeah so you're learning along with this character do you think Absolutely this is brand new to me comedy thing it's it's a crazy it's those scary but also thrilling by the same token I have always said I wanted to do things that scared me and for quite a while and in the series these stand up sets of midgets are just her talking off the top of her head and as an actor that's something that I have a way into and I got to adjust to this rhythm in her sense of humor and Amy sense of humor which obviously are mostly one of the same and by the time we reached a point where marriage was honing jokes and learning to work a room and to read an audience and to have a genuine interaction with them in the moment that was something that I was learning alongside her Rachael Brosnahan She's married a marriage made in the marvelous Mrs Mitchell on Amazon thanks so much for being with us thank you so much thanks for having me. This is Weekend Edition from n.p.r. News I'm Scott Simon. Support for n.p.r. Comes from this station and from the pajama gram company offering $29.00 matching holiday pajamas for the whole family including cats and dogs and with minions and Charlie Brown themes in its fleece and flannel more at pajama gram dot com and from avel era committed to helping businesses of all sizes simplify their sales tax compliance with real time rates and automatic filing learn more at a v.a. L.a. R.a. Dot com. Tax Compliance done right. You know there was no shortage of important complex news and 2017 k.p.c. See an n.p.r. Where they're bringing you the reporting analysis and conversations that help make sense of it all be a lot of important stories to cover in $2802.00 so now's the time to stand up and show your support Donny now the power all the engaging stories and valuable journalism you'll be relying on next year make your year in tax deductible gift to keep the c.c. Dot org Thanks. It's hard to believe this movie is almost 30 years old beautiful get together. Hi this is Larry natural and Die Hard is the next movie in our film week screening series dedicated to a movie set in Southern California join me Saturday December 16th at the theater race hotel for John Maclean's one man battle to save Century City from the forces of evil Get your tickets a k p c c dot org slash in person next to the voice. You don't have to miss a word if your schedule conflicts with your favorite shows just get the k.p.c. Listen whenever you want wherever you are on demand or on a live stream. Store to download it today. This is 89.3 c.c. Pasadena Los Angeles community service of Pasadena City College they aim to buy the Aspen Institute one of the top 10 community colleges in the United States to learn more at Pasadena dot edu. From n.p.r. News in Washington d.c. This is Weekend Edition. I'm Scott Simon Michael Flynn is pleaded guilty to lying to the f.b.i. That's serious is he about to make things serious for.