Episodes
Thursday Dec 11, 2014
Mark Riley Show - 12.10.14
Thursday Dec 11, 2014
Thursday Dec 11, 2014
Top Stories….
Congressional leaders reach deal on spending. This is presented as a good thing because it averts a government shutdown. But exactly who gets hurt? Let’s see now……
Congressional leaders agree to cut aid to college students to pay student loan contractors. What???? Okay, there’s one group, college kids. Anyone else???
Oh yeah, the District of Columbia, and it’s attempt to legalize marijuana.
Brooklyn man shot after stabbing man inside synagogue. Act of terror? No, suicide by cop seems more likely.
As two sides rally, New York City Council introduces a bill to ban carriage horses. Still not sure which side of this divide I’m on. Don’t like to see union people put out of work, but also don’t want horses to be ill treated.
New York city and 8 labor unions reach tentative contract. They said he couldn’t pull this off. There’s still a way to go, but so far, so good on the labor front for this mayor.
Top court rules no worker pay for security screening. It’s on your time, pal!
Lead Story…..
CIA torture report- five years in the making, and triggering the usual partisan divide….or is it?
Bin Laden Intel through torture dissed.
Guest -John Cencich, Professor, Dept. of Criminal Justice, California University of Pennsylvania
To the Ridiculous….
Two words….Dick Cheney!
Thursday Dec 04, 2014
Mark Riley Show - 12.03.14
Thursday Dec 04, 2014
Thursday Dec 04, 2014
A special in-depth program on the Eric Garner case and the Grand Jury decision with special guests Andrew Rosario (Rise TV) and Les Payne (Newsday.)
Thursday Nov 20, 2014
Mark Riley Show - 11.19.14
Thursday Nov 20, 2014
Thursday Nov 20, 2014
FBI warns Ferguson grand jury decision “will likely” lead to violence. So remember way back last week or so when they aid the decision would come out…..some time last week? Hate to say it, but that cop will walk. Why else would the governor declare a state of emergency?
Leave of absence for an embattled aide in de Blasio’s office. Actually, I’m surprised it took this long. The cops in this town have long, long arms, and this is their way of getting even with Al Sharpton.
Mexico’ barbarous tragedy. 43 progressive students killed, accusations that the country’s president and first lady had something to do with it, and now the story’s gone dormant. Is that because we’re supposed to be strong boosters of this current government? Or is it, as some have said because “it’s only Mexicans???”
Health law turns Obama and insurers into allies. Why does this very headline make me nervous?
In Colorado, calls to change a restaurant’s name from “Illegal Pete’s”. We almost ate there when we were in Boulder couple of weeks ago. The controversy is a really big deal in Colorado. I tend to side with the owner.
Uber executive’s comments leave company scrambling. Didn’t anyone ever tell this guy not to mess with the media? They have the pens, after all.
Obama’s potential immigration plan could enter uncharted territory.
Guest: Immigration attorney and former Mayor of Englewood, NJ Michael Wildes
To the Ridiculous
NJ cop arrested for exposing genitals during traffic stops. He exposed himself to young men, this married father of two did. What was he thinking????
Wednesday Nov 12, 2014
The Mark Riley Show - 11/12/14
Wednesday Nov 12, 2014
Wednesday Nov 12, 2014
Mark's guests tonight:
Elinor Tatum, Publisher, NY Amsterdam News
Harry Siegel, Editorial Board member, columnist, NY Daily News.
Mark discussed these topics on the show tonight:
States race to improve health exchanges as open enrollment nears. One thing is for sure. The ACA is confusing, the state exchanges only slightly less so, and the Republicans want to go backwards. There’s never been a better time for Medicare for all.
Craig Spencer, Ebola patient, recovers. A true hero, who on leaving the hospital said we should all be focused on fighting Ebola where he did…..in Africa.
Domestic violence drives up New York shelter population as housing options are scarce. Maybe we need a Vision Zero not just for traffic fatalities, but for domestic violence as well. That would include providing proper shelter for any victim who needs it.
Notorious anonymous hacker shares motives from prison. Jeremy Hammond is doing 10 years. Why not cut his sentence, and say two words……Hack ISIS!!!
Arizona Loves the Constitution so much it has to ignore the constitution sometimes. Yet another case of Americans being American when they feel like being Americans.
NYPD to stop arrests for small amounts of marijuana. About time? Are we on the road to legalization?
Domino’s manager fired after calling Michigan customer “retard”, telling her to go “F” yourself. Here’s sauce in your eye!!!
Thursday Nov 06, 2014
Mark Riley Show - 11/05/14
Thursday Nov 06, 2014
Thursday Nov 06, 2014
Cancel the Midterms….So people just got finished voting, and now an NY Times Op-Ed says we shouldn’t bother anymore. The rationale is silly, hell, the whole article is silly!
Thousands rally against LGBT rights in Houston…Not much to say about this one, except I’m crossing Houston off my must visit list.
Terminally ill death with dignity advocate ends her life. Brittany Maynard caught some flack for her decision, and even came close to changing her mind, but in the end, he died her way, and that takes guts.
Banks, Pinero departures raise issue of race @ NYPD. This is a multi layered story, with some in the media grinding axes to the point of being pitiful. Beyond that, rthe question of diversity in the NYPD is a legitimate issue.
Election Winners and Losers…. We already know, the big winner is money, whether it’s Democrats or Republicans, everyone begs. For what? You need to ask?
KMart workers have to come to work before dawn on Thanksgiving Day. No, not Black Friday, Thanksgiving Day. So…its didn’t work last year, so let’s try it again!!! No wonder KMart and Sears are going broke.
Little opposition seen in some votes to raise state minimum wages. That means even “right to work” states are starting to get the message. Raising the minimum wage helps everyone.
A top British spy says big tech firms enable terrorists. A serious charge, along with the allegation that Edward Snowden’s leaks have also helped terrorists. Didn’t see much backup in the piece, however. Yep, give up our rights in the name of safety. And you’ll prove it’s worth it how???
Lead Story
5 state study finds unsafe levels of airborne chemicals near oil and gas sites. This study has been grossly underreported, which is why it’s out lead story.
Guest: Dr. David O. Carpenter, Director, SUNY Albany Institute for Health and the Environment/ Senior author of the study.
To The Ridiculous
“More dangerous than cigarettes”. Russians Remove iPhone statue following Apple CEO Tim Cook’s gay revelation. And we have a relationship with the homophobic Russian Czar Putin because…….????
Thursday Oct 30, 2014
Mark Riley Show - 10/29/14
Thursday Oct 30, 2014
Thursday Oct 30, 2014
CNN Poll: Voters are Angry. About what, exactly? The direction the country is headed. What direction is that? Lower unemployment, lower gas prices, more people with access to healthcare? There’s no pleasing some people.
The Bushes, led by W, Rally to make Jeb 45. Who do they think they are, the Kennedys? Seriously, not another one! Sad to say I don’t think they’re playing.
Andrea Peyser outraged the NYPD did something nice for grieving mother. Why this creepy woman has a column in this town is utterly beyond me. She should be selling “End of Days’ insurance to paranoid conservatives.
Report reveals wider tracking of mail, raising abuse concerns. And you thought nobody mailed anything important anymore. Shouldn’t the people running the PO be figuring out how to stop losing money (I’ve got some tips for them)?
Some doctors wary of taking insurance exchange patients. Can’t somebody pass a penalty for that? And the patients are being made to feel like leeches????
Lead story….The politics of Ebola….From Cuomo to Christie, to the CDC, to the Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to the White House, everybody’s got a partisan political stake in how to deal with the outbreak.
Guest: Award winning investigative journalist Tom Robbins.
To the Ridiculous
She may know how to pronounce Houston St., and what a bodega is, but what exactly qualifies Taylor Swift to be New Yoek’s Welcome Ambassador other than her song “Welcome to New York”? What, JLo, Jay Z, Alisha Keys, and yes, Sharon Jones all busy? Truly ridiculous.
Wednesday Oct 22, 2014
The Mark Riley Show – 10/22/14
Wednesday Oct 22, 2014
Wednesday Oct 22, 2014
Mark's guest tonight is Washington correspondent for the Nation Magazine, John Nichols. They discuss how billionaire oligarchs are becoming their own political parties.
Mark also discussed:
Astorino renews call to turn away flights with passengers from Ebola stricken nations. Now this is just brilliant. First, as Andrew Cuomo points out, the feds ban flights, not the states. Secondly, Astorino would render US citizens who went overseas to fight Ebola stateless. He thinks US citizens shouldn’t be allowed back either. And this guy wants to be governor???
Cuba’s impressive role on Ebola. We send troops, the Cubans send doctors. This is not the first time Cuba has stepped in to help those less fortunate. Just ask the Angolans about Cuban troops back in the ‘70s. Or ask US diplomats about the help the Cubans continue to give in the fight against drug trafficking in the Caribbean.
The Death of Klinghoffer turns jeers into cheers at Metropolitan Opera premiere. Never been a fan of opera, but have been a longtime fan of Adams’ work. Don’t think he’d be intentionally Anti-Semitic.
Mayor de Blasio rules out billion dollar subsidy proposal for JP Morgan chase. And Harold Ickes, de Blasio’s friend, was lobbying for Chase. And you didn’t think he could say no to friends.
Subway busker claims he was tired of cops not knowing performers’ rights. Maybe they know, but they want to hassle you anyway, pal.
Wednesday Oct 15, 2014
THE MARK RILEY SHOW – 10/15/14
Wednesday Oct 15, 2014
Wednesday Oct 15, 2014
Mark speaks with Dr. Kristina Talbert-Slagle, senior scientific officer at the Yale Global Health Leadership Institute and a lecturer at the Yale School of Public Health. They discuss Ebola projection for Africa: Up to 10,000 cases per week. What are some of the truths, and misinformation about this disease?
Mark also speaks about these topics:
Hundreds march in Ferguson, descending on university campus. And that was the other day. Ferguson has become a flashpoint for something no city really wants to confront: The profound distrust between black communities and the police.
Senate contest in South Dakota is free for all. This is how the media processes a race with more than two contestants. Some might call it democracy.
Wells Fargo employee asks CEO for raises for all 300,000 colleagues. Won’t happen, but a gutsy request. That employees should be glad they don’t work part time at WalMart.
Should white mom given black man’s sperm by mistake be paid for banks’ mix up? This is a tough one. Will the parents put the child up for adoption?
Man smoke bombs West Village restaurant from subway hatch. Was it the food
Selfie crooks take photos showing off handguns on stolen phone, which sends incriminating pics to cloud and police. Well, DUH!!!
Thursday Oct 09, 2014
The Mark Riley Show - 10/08/14
Thursday Oct 09, 2014
Thursday Oct 09, 2014
De Blasio stands by aide who omitted boyfriend on background check form. Can he keep standing by her? Pressure coming from many sides, including the cops.
Victim of Sharpton lawyer “rape” looked sober in video. Any allegation of rape must be taken very seriously, but Sandy Rubenstein and Rachel Noerdlinger have one thing in common….Al Sharpton. His relationship with de Blasio is the real end game for those who want to see this mayor fail.
Democrats lean heavily on PACs in co-ordinated push to counter GOP. While you can understand why Dems are doing this, that doesn’t make it any less unconfortable.
An Obama ally parts with him on war powers. Va. Senator Tim Kaine understands precedent and the Constitution better than the president.
The great wage slowdown of the 21st century. You might say “tell me something I don’t know”. NY Times piece actually does. This is what’s really behind “recovery”.
Family of Eric Garner plan to sue NYPD and city for $75 million dollars. You knew this was coming.
High school in New Jersey cancels football season amid allegations of harassment, intimidation, and bullying. Is this the right thing to do, or are the many being made to pay for the actions of a few? Emotional board meting last night in Sayreville, with football players storming out after board upheld decision.
Almost all (90%) female restaurant workers have experienced sexual harassment. One word….horrifying!
Lead Story
Supreme Court allows gay marriage to begin in five states.
Thursday Oct 02, 2014
The Mark Riley Show - 10/01/14
Thursday Oct 02, 2014
Thursday Oct 02, 2014
Today on The Mark Riley Show, Mark's guest is Costas Panagopoulos, Ph.D., is Associate Professor of Political Science and Director of the Center for Electoral Politics and the Master’s Program in Elections and Campaign Management at Fordham University. He is also Research Fellow at the Institution for Social and Policy Studies at Yale University. They discuss Scotland’s recent referendum on independence was illuminating on one particular level. 85% of the eligible electorate turned out to vote. Venezuela had similar numbers in their last presidential election. By contrast, NYC’s mayoral election last year had a 24% turnout. Why is this, and what needs to happen to drive turnout in the USA?
Mark also discusses:
Many Missteps in Assessment of ISIS Threat. Obama blames Intel, Intel strikes back, says WH wasn’t interested. With the inroads ISIS is making, can we really afford to play blame game?
White House Intruder Gets Past Front Door, Made it as Far as East Room. Can’t anyone here do security???
And if that weren’t enough, an armed security contractor rode with the President in an elevator in Atlanta. This should cost a few Secret Service people their jobs!!!
Mayor signs executive order expanding living wage to thousands more. FINALLY, something really progressive to talk about.
The Hole in Holder’s Legacy. Joe Nocera writes in the Times that Holder’s failure to prosecute those responsible for the nation’s financial collapse is a serious stain on his time as AG. Not that he didn’t do some good things, but acting like nothing criminal happened in the Great Recession means he had blinder
Trump Gets Punked! Donald Trump falls for Twitter prank. Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy!