(Thursday) Morning Run: Shriver v Trump, Macklemore-Sheeran-Kraft Continues, House Leaves Early, Another Execution Tonight, RIP Sunny, Spidey Beats Star Wars, & MORE!

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Speaker 1: Morning Run with Amy and TJ.

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Speaker 2: An iHeartRadio podcast.

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Speaker 3: Hey there, everybody, and welcome to your Thursday Morning Run.

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Speaker 2: It's Thursday, September 17th. I'm Amy Robach.

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Speaker 4: And I'm TJ Holmes.

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Speaker 1: A number of stops to make on this morning run, including in Texas, Alabama, the Kennedy Center, the empty, soon to be empty halls of Congress. Make a stop at the box office as well as at the Federal Reserve. But let's start right now. First leg of our run takes us by a building that all of a sudden has some fencing around it.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, it's a really sad sight at the Kennedy Center. As you just mentioned, just imagine this national treasure, this memorial with fencing up around it. The board voted yesterday to close the center after a judge refused to allow them to put President Trump's name on the building.

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Speaker 1: And not long after that, workers started putting up, yes, fencing around the Kennedy Center. And President Trump expressed via social media that renovations to the center would not happen unless his name... was on the building. Now, he repeated that stance to reporters.

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Speaker 4: In front of cameras.

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Speaker 1: They were asking him in particular, Sir, why is it so important that your name be on the building?

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Speaker 4: This was his response.

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Speaker 1: Quote, For the Trump administration, for me, to get involved and to take that on long term, to carry it or to raise money to carry it, I think the Trump administration should certainly have recognition. Because frankly, if we don't do that, it's going to close. It'll end up being ripped down.

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Speaker 3: Meanwhile, Maria Shriver, the niece of President John F. Kennedy, has responded to this latest development and take a listen to what she had to say.

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Speaker 2: And so here we are. This statement, the Truth Social post.

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Speaker 3: From Trump, blows my mind that a sitting president would not let any renovations to a public building go on unless he gets to first put his.

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Speaker 2: Name in the said building. What a sad state of affairs. What a tragedy.

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Speaker 3: Actually, how small-minded, how narcissistic. Actually, great men devoted to public service and the public good do.

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Speaker 2: Not act like this.

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Speaker 3: It seems that this man will not rest until his name is permanently connected to the name of a great president whose memory this building was dedicated to. Imagine spending your time and your days focused on this as everyday Americans struggle with health care, gas prices, rent, and food. Imagine spending your days focused on this while a war rages under your leadership.

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Speaker 2: Enough said. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

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Speaker 4: Well done, Ms. Shriver.

00:02:39
Speaker 1: We continue here on the run. Next leg takes us to the Federal Reserve, where, yes, they raised interest rates yesterday for the first time in over three years. This was an expected move. They raised it a quarter of a percent. So the main prime rate, as they say now, is between 3.75 percent and 4 percent. This was expected and meant to slow down. Inflation and Kevin Warsh, the president's guy, he put at the head of the Fed. He's up against it right now because he voted in a way that the president didn't like. The president blasted the Federal Reserve for not lowering interest rates as he wanted.

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Speaker 3: All right.

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Speaker 2: Much more to come on that one.

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Speaker 3: But next up on the run and TJ's favorite story of the day. Congress is heading home early because why not?

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Speaker 2: Well, there's actually a very specific reason.

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Speaker 3: The House of Representatives was supposed to head out for recess on Thursday, but Speaker Mike Johnson switched the schedule around, and now the House is going to adjourn earlier to head home after the midterms.

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Speaker 4: Well, here's the thing.

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Speaker 1: The House, they're adjourning today, so they're going to go back, and everybody needs to campaign for the midterms. So why, if they were going to get out on Thursday, why would he switch it and let them leave on Wednesday? Because by closing up shop early, this is going to prevent... Pete Hegseth, the Secretary of Defense, from having to face an impeachment vote. Republican thorn in Trump's side, Thomas Massey, introduced articles of impeachment against Hegseth. He timed it out so that members would be forced to vote on it before Congress left for recess on Thursday. But because now they're adjourning today, the vote won't happen today.

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Speaker 4: Before the midterms. Why this is important?

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Speaker 1: Because all those Republican members of Congress will not have to go on record saying that they like Pete Hegseth before they face voters.

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Speaker 4: This was a hell of a move.

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Speaker 3: Certainly. And it's interesting to know that it's all very obvious how vote will vote. He's a polarizing figure, so to speak. They don't want any of that controversy heading into the midterms. But next up on the run, two executions were scheduled for last night, but only one was actually carried out. That is because a judge issued a stay of execution for Stacey Humphrey's He was set to die by lethal injection for a 2003 double murder.

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Speaker 1: Now, the judge stepped in here and ruled that Humphreys might be entitled to resentencing under a state law that allows victims of abuse to have their cases reviewed. But last night in Texas, a different story for LeJames Norman. He was executed for a 2005 triple murder. As always, ropes were always interested. They asked if he had any last words. He had none.

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Speaker 3: All right, but we'll see if someone else has their last words this evening because, yes, there is another execution scheduled for tonight. This time it's the state of Alabama who is scheduled to execute Jeffrey Lee. He was convicted for the 1998 double murder. It happened during a botched robbery of a pawn shop.

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Speaker 1: A jury initially recommended life in prison for Lee. The vote was actually 7-5 to put him in prison for life, but the judge... chose to override the jury sentence. That was the law in Alabama. They have since changed that, I think, in 2017, but it wasn't retroactive. So he is still one of those guys who had a jury say one thing and a judge say another. He is going to be, Jeffrey Lee, the second execution carried out by Alabama this year.

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Speaker 3: And we'll have much more on this execution coming up later in the feed, so look out for that because this is an interesting case. He was set to die by nitrogen.

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Speaker 2: Gas.

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Speaker 3: I want to say some other weird... part of that chemical symbol. But no, nitrogen gas, that was delayed until tonight. So we'll have much more on Lee's case coming up. But next up on the run, Macklemore says he is donating his million dollar tour payday to Palestinian relief groups. And then he invited Patriots owner Robert Kraft.

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Speaker 2: To do the same.

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Speaker 1: As you've known by now, Macklemore was dropped as opening act from the Ed Sheeran tour after his Free Palestine comments at the New Jersey shows drew backlash. Kraft said he then wouldn't allow Sheeran's concert to happen in his stadium, Gillette Stadium, for an upcoming concert if Macklemore was on that lineup.

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Speaker 3: Now, all of Sheeran's opening acts dropped out in solidarity with Macklemore.

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Speaker 2: And that brings us to where we are today.

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Speaker 3: Macklemore donating his tour salary and challenging Kraft to match it. So Kraft responded via social media with this. I have dedicated much of my life to building bridges between all people. I believe deeply that all lives are worth protecting. Earlier today, before Macklemore challenged me to match his donation, Ed called me and asked me to commit $ 2 million to match his donation. to aid in the region to fight this humanitarian crisis. Ed now plans to reach out to other venue owners, and our goal is to continue to work together to build bridges. In addition, I'd like the people who are speaking in support of the Palestinian people to know that for decades I have supported efforts that create opportunity for Palestinians and have brought young Palestinians and Israelis together to build businesses, create jobs, and forge relationships.

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Speaker 4: What do you take from that statement?

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Speaker 2: Trying to make sure that he.

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Speaker 3: Is not as hated as he is among those who are in the Free Palestine cause.

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Speaker 4: I was confused.

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Speaker 1: It didn't sound like he's actually committed to donating the $ 2 million.

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Speaker 4: Well, exactly.

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Speaker 3: I also was wondering where in that statement did he say, I have agreed to match the funds of McLemore, I have agreed to match the funds of Ed Sheeran.

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Speaker 2: He didn't actually say... That he would.

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Speaker 1: These words always matter in these statements. That was significant. That's not an oversight. Ed called and asked me to. And that was all he said. He asked me to. He didn't say he would. It's very strange. I believe the story is where it is. Well, stay with us on this Thursday morning run. When we come back, some great health news. We've got a great update from one of President Trump's most important advisors.

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Speaker 4: We'll explain.

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Speaker 1: Also, some tough news for the former president. first family they lost a family member that the country certainly got to know also coming up 60 minutes okay it was just the first episode of the season but not a good start for 60 minutes and a hell of a start and finish for spider-man it's now number one in a new category and it ain't done yet.

00:09:35
Speaker 3: Welcome back to your Thursday morning run. And next up on the run, great update, a really great update from Trump's chief of staff, Susie Wiles. She has now announced that she is cancer free. And she shared the news via social media saying after a medical appointment at the Mayo Clinic this week, my pathology results came back clear.

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Speaker 2: I am cancer free.

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Speaker 3: And you may remember she first publicly revealed her cancer diagnosis back in March and she kept on working throughout her treatment.

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Speaker 2: So congratulations to Susie.

00:10:08
Speaker 1: It was a good high profile cases to see someone that public facing, to see someone working that hard, that demanding of a job and I mean, maybe she didn't think she could take a day off, and maybe a lot of women do think that. But to see her go through this and not miss a beat, congrats to her. I thought it was a great story.

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Speaker 2: It certainly is.

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Speaker 3: All right, next up on the run, we have to issue some condolences to the former first family. President Obama announced their family dog has passed away.

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Speaker 2: Remember Sonny? Do you remember? I don't know which was which. Well, I couldn't tell them apart either.

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Speaker 3: But he was a Portuguese water dog that joined the family in 2013 when Obama was in his second term.

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Speaker 2: And second term, that was his second dog.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, they previously got Bo, another Portuguese water dog. They looked like twins for the most part, except one had a white streak down the middle. But Bo had passed away in 2021. They just lost the other dog. Sonny's name was trending all over the place yesterday. People sending their condolences after President Obama made the announcement.

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Speaker 4: But that's a big deal. That is a family member.

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Speaker 2: Oh, absolutely. So, yes, our condolences to the Obamas.

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Speaker 3: But next up on the run, after making headlines for acrimony and firing at 60 Minutes, the show got itself together, launched its 59th season Sunday, and.

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Speaker 2: Not so great of a start.

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Speaker 4: Yeah.

00:11:31
Speaker 1: This is, okay, let's say the number first. The show was down 20% from its season premiere last year. That's significant. Just under 8 million viewers on Sunday compared to 10 million last season. Something else is happening when you see those types of numbers year over year. It's not supposed to have that kind of drop. Now, what happened and why, who knows, but this is not a show. And even in normal television news, shows that aren't as popular, been around as long, Don't have 20 percent drops.

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Speaker 2: No, that is almost unheard of.

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Speaker 3: But obviously, Scott Pelley, all of the news with that when he was fired, all the other correspondents, the show's executive producer were all cleaned or they cleaned house there.

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Speaker 2: And so, yes, they have. their new EP in place that certainly was controversial.

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Speaker 4: Never been in TV before, right?

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Speaker 3: Never been in TV before, and that was part of the back and forth that happened between Scott Pelley and the new EP, and Scott Pelley's the one who ended up being booted. But look, we don't know how much this is going to change things. They do have a massive interview they've announced that will be airing this Sunday. They have Patrick Clancy. That is certainly going to boost the numbers.

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Speaker 4: I wonder, and if it doesn't... I'd be very curious.

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Speaker 2: Did you see who interviewed him? I did not.

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Speaker 4: I did not.

00:12:49
Speaker 2: I actually, I looked to see and they didn't, I didn't see any.

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Speaker 4: It wasn't one of the old heads we know. Correspondence. Yeah, it wasn't one of the old heads we know. It was a name I wasn't familiar with, I think. Interesting.

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Speaker 2: I would have thought they would have given it to Nora or somebody like that.

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Speaker 4: No, no, no, no.

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Speaker 2: Wow. All right. Next up on the run, it is official.

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Speaker 3: Spider-Man is now the highest grossing movie of all time at the domestic box office.

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Speaker 2: It was pretty much just a matter of time. We saw where this was headed.

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Speaker 1: Yeah. This is a big deal because the, The movie it beat, Star Wars The Force Awakens, that was in 2015. That's a movie that we had waited decades. That was when they relaunched the whole Star Wars universe. So that was a pretty phenomenal movie to surpass. But it's now at $ 936 million in the U.S. and still counting. Though it's made $ 2. 45 billion worldwide. It's still number three on that list besides Avatar and Avengers. But It still could get to a billion dollars in the U.S. That's a mark that obviously no movie has ever gotten to, and it's hard to find one on the horizon that could ever get close to this again.

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Speaker 3: You know, I don't think I've seen any, well, I did see the Star Wars one, but this does kind of make me want to see it. We haven't seen it yet, but to think that this is the highest-grossing movie of all time here in the United States, and we didn't see it, I don't like feeling left out like that.

00:14:15
Speaker 1: I'm still on Tobey Maguire I mean, Tom Holland's awesome. Clearly, he's the perfect Spider-Man. But I guess when these movies started launching again, it was.

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Speaker 4: It was Tobey Maguire.

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Speaker 2: That's where it's always going to be for you?

00:14:28
Speaker 4: That's kind of my guy.

00:14:30
Speaker 2: All right, next.

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Speaker 3: Oh, I guess this is the final leg of our, we haven't said it yet, Friday Eve morning run. It's Friday Eve. And so how about some inspiration? Or just some exasperation?

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Speaker 4: Yeah.

00:14:42
Speaker 3: Forbes just released its annual list of the richest Americans.

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Speaker 2: And you started with this. Bill Gates is 14th.

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Speaker 4: That's how things are going now.

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Speaker 1: Because there was a time that there was nothing to talk about other than Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, for the most part. Who else was in there for a while? They were just the same two or three names at the top. Bill Gates is now 14th. That's just how things have exploded.

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Speaker 4: Over the years.

00:15:09
Speaker 1: I think Warren Buffett's actually at 10th, but no surprise that Elon Musk is at the top. But I guess the surprise really, Robes, is just how far.

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Speaker 4: Out he is. It's not a competition. It is not close. He is in a world of his own.

00:15:22
Speaker 3: Yes.

00:15:22
Speaker 2: And, well, you know, and at one point he did have a T instead of a B. He was at the trillion dollar mark. Stock market's a little volatile.

00:15:31
Speaker 3: So Elon Musk comes in at number one with $ 908 billion. Wow.

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Speaker 2: And the next.

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Speaker 3: Closest richest man in the world, Jeff Bezos, at $ 378 billion.

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Speaker 2: Larry Page, $ 278 billion. Michael Dell, $ 263 billion.

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Speaker 3: Then you've got Sergey Brin, Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Ellison, and yeah, Bill Gates, all the way down at $ 14 at $ 116 billion.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, a bunch of Google and Oracle and Dell and all that stuff is mixed up in there. But yeah, the rich... Yeah, they are getting richer.

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Speaker 2: It's like mind boggling. I don't even know how you manage and.

00:16:11
Speaker 3: Look at your bank statements. I mean, it would be a good problem to have, but like that's so overwhelming. How do you even know where all that money is?

00:16:19
Speaker 1: I'm overwhelmed by other things that are far less than that.

00:16:23
Speaker 4: So I would take those problems.

00:16:25
Speaker 1: All right.

00:16:26
Speaker 3: And for your quote of the day on this Friday Eve, the bravest thing you can do is loosen your grip on how it was supposed to go and open your heart to what still can.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, I was having that conversation with Sabine since eighth grade started, and things aren't exactly going her way. I need to send that to her this morning.

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Speaker 3: Yes, the bravest thing you can do is loosen your grip on how it was supposed to go and open your heart to what still can. I do appreciate that because sometimes we all get lost on, it should have, could have, would have, nah.

00:17:02
Speaker 2: It is. Accept it.

00:17:04
Speaker 3: Embrace it. And, yeah, try to enjoy it, everybody. So thank you for running with us on this Thursday Eve.

00:17:10
Speaker 2: I'm Amy. Friday Eve. I'm Amy Robach.

00:17:12
Speaker 4: And I'm TJ Holmes. We'll run with you on Friday.