Gospel Music Pioneer Andraé Crouch Dies at 72

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Photo Credit: USA Today
Andraé Crouch, a gospel musician who bridged the worlds of church and mainstream music for more than 50 years, died Thursday afternoon. The 72-year-old singer, songwriter and choir director had been hospitalized since Saturday at Northridge Hospital Medical Center in the Los Angeles area after suffering a heart attack.

Crouch, sometimes called “the father of modern gospel music,” led the choirs that sang on such hits as Michael Jackson’s Man in the Mirror and Madonna’s Like a Prayer. As a songwriter, he wrote several gospel favorites, most notably The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power, My Tribute (To God Be the Glory) and Soon and Very Soon, a song sung at Jackson’s public memorial service.

A San Francisco native who grew up in the Church of God in Christ, Crouch wrote his first gospel tune at age 14. By 1960, he had formed the Church of God in Christ Singers, a group that featured Billy Preston on keyboards.

He started another group, Andraé Crouch & the Disciples, in 1965, eventually signing to a contemporary Christian label, Light Records. Crouch brought a contemporary pop and R&B melodic sensibility to gospel, making him uniquely suited to appeal to both black and white audiences during the early days of the countercultural “Jesus movement” and also bringing him attention beyond the church. (Read more from story “Andraé Crouch Dies at 72” HERE)

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It Only Took Bill Cosby Nine Words to Get Appalled Gasps From Audience

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It only took nine words from Bill Cosby Thursday night to draw “loud gasps” from an audience.

Cosby, performing in Canada, made a joke as one woman left the crowd to get a drink.

“You have to be careful about drinking around me,” he said, according to multiple reports.

The apparent joke, which comes on the heels of Cosby being accused by multiple women of sexual assault, resulted in “loud gasps from the audience,” according to Richard Warnica, a reporter for the National Post . . .

Following the joke, a heckler apparently accused the comedian of being a “rapist.” That man was escorted out by security. (Read more about what Bill Cosby said HERE)

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Obama Refuses to Call Paris Attack ‘Islamic’ and Rush Limbaugh Brings Up President’s Birth Certificate

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By Jerome R. Corsi. In response to the attack on the Paris magazine that published editorial cartoons mocking Islam, President Obama reluctantly classified it as an act of terrorism while refusing to associate it with Islam.

“I strongly condemn the horrific shooting at the offices of Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris that has reportedly killed 12 people,” Obama said in a carefully worded statement released by the White House press office.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this terrorist attack and the people of France at this difficult time. France is America’s oldest ally and has stood shoulder to shoulder with the United States in the fight against terrorists who threaten our shared security and the world.”

Speaking in both French and English, Secretary of State John Kerry expressed U.S. solidarity with France against the “extremism” reflected in the terrorist attack on Charlie Hebdo. He also took care to characterize the attack as terrorism without specifically characterizing it as “Islamic terrorism.” (Read more from “Obama Refuses to Call Paris Attack ‘Islamic'” HERE)

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Rush Limbaugh Brings Up Obama’s Birth Certificate

By Joe Kovacs. Historians are still buzzing about the 1795 Boston time capsule that was buried by American patriots Paul Revere and Samuel Adams.

Among them is radio host and U.S. history author Rush Limbaugh, who said on Wednesday’s broadcast:

Because of our children’s book series, ‘Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims,’ the fact that a time capsule that was planted, if you will, by Paul Revere and Samuel Adams was opened yesterday in Boston … is uncanny news to us!

Paul Revere and Samuel Adams left a time capsule. It was found, and it was opened yesterday. It did not contain Obama’s birth certificate. Many people were thinking that it might. But it didn’t.

(Read more from this story HERE)

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Retaliation, Boehner-Style: Tea Party Rebels Stripped of Leadership, Benefits

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By Alex Pappas. Speaker of the House John Boehner is apparently punishing Republicans who voted against his re-election Tuesday, despite previously saying he would not do so.

Reps. Daniel Webster and Richard Nugent are both losing their seats on the House Rules Committee, Politico reported Tuesday evening. Both Florida Republicans voted for Webster instead of Boehner earlier in the day.

Such moves seem to contradict recent statements made by Boehner and his office.

We asked last week if any Republicans who voted against Boehner would be punished, spokesman Michael Steel told The Daily Caller by email: “Boehner has said publicly that there will be no retribution for ‘no’ votes.” (Read more about how Boehner is punishing the tea party rebels HERE)

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Strange Twist: Boehner’s Re-Election Assured by Mario Cuomo’s Death

By Dana Milbank. John Boehner won reelection as speaker of the House on Tuesday with the help of an unlikely ally: Mario Cuomo, the former Democratic governor of New York.

Astute readers may have noticed that Cuomo is currently deceased. He died on New Year’s Day and was buried Tuesday — and thus, quite inadvertently, did he help to stack the deck for the Ohio Republican to keep the speaker’s gavel in the 114th Congress.

Dana Milbank writes about political theater in the nation’s capital. He joined the Post as a political reporter in 2000. View Archive

Twenty-five conservatives — more than 10 percent of the Republican caucus — rebelled against their leader on the first day of the new Congress. It was the largest revolt against a House speaker in more than a century, and the rebels were within striking distance of the 29 votes they would have needed to deny Boehner the speakership — if all sitting members of the House voted.

But more than two dozen were missing when Congress convened at noon, a few because of snow-related travel delays but most of them Democratic members of the New York delegation who were attending Cuomo’s funeral. Because the speaker is elected based on the majority of those voting, this reduced the number of votes Boehner needed from about 218 to 205 — and the conservative rebellion fizzled before it ever had a chance. (Read more from this story HERE)

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Agent Defends Ben Carson Against Plagiarism Charges

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On Tuesday, BuzzFeed posted an article showing similarities between Carson’s book, which he wrote with his wife Candy, and a variety of other sources, including from material published in 2002 by a website called SocialismSucks.net.

Entire paragraphs, word for word, like this from SocialismSucks.net appeared in Carson’s book: “Anytime you give to government the responsibility and authority to provide government-made jobs, old-age financial security, ‘free’ health care, and ‘free’ education and indoctrination of children, it will control the lives of the people who live under its jurisdiction, and individual liberty and freedom of choice are sacrificed.”

BuzzFeed noted how Carson’s book also apparently lifted material from authors Cleon Skousen and Bill Federer, a CBS News article and other works.

Speaking by phone, Yates, the literary agent, said he and the Carsons were in the process of trying to fully understand the situation. . .

Armstrong Williams, an aide to Carson, declined to make the former neurosurgeon immediately available for an interview, explaining Carson wants to wait before speaking out. (Read more from “Agent Defends Ben Carson” HERE)

Persecution: Atlanta Fire Chief Fired Because He is a Bible-Believing Christian

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Photo Credit: Fox News
Kelvin Cochran was five-years-old when he realized that he wanted to be a firefighter. . .

But now Chief Cochran’s storied career is up in smoke – all because of a book he wrote for a men’s Bible study group at his Baptist church.

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed announced Tuesday that Cochran had been fired. The announcement came on the same day Cochran was supposed to return to work following a 30-day suspension.

“The LGBT members of our community have a right to be able to express their views and convictions about sexuality and deserve to be respected for their position without hate or discrimination,” Cochran told me in an exclusive interview. “But Christians also have a right to express our belief regarding our faith and be respected for our position without hate and without discrimination. In the United States, no one should be vilified, hated or discriminated against for expressing their beliefs.”

Cochran had been suspended in November because of a passage he wrote about homosexuality in a book titled, “Who Told You That You Were Naked?” The book’s theme is about biblical morality [and was used in his church’s men’s bible study group]. (Read more about the persecution of this Atlanta fire chief HERE)

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Secret Past of Mayor de Blasio Comes to Light

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By Aaron Klein. Largely unreported in the news coverage of the recent race-related demonstrations is that New York Mayor Bill de Blasio has a history of working with extremist activist groups to stir protests.

Further, de Blasio has a largely unreported history with the controversial Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, or ACORN.

ACORN’s renamed group, the New York Communities for Change, is one of the organizations helping to lead the protests over the death of Eric Garner, who was killed by police in July.

De Blasio has been accused by critics, including New York police officers, of helping to fuel racial tension between police and protesters.

One of the major anti-police protests in New York that received media attention was an attempt to shut down Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue shopping district before Christmas. (Read more from “The Past of Mayor de Blasio Comes to Light” HERE)

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De Blasio Boots Judge Who was Tough on Criminals

By Jamie Schram. A Manhattan judge known for being tough on criminals has been booted from the bench by Mayor Bill de Blasio — even against the ­advice of his own vetting team, law enforcement sources told The Post on Tuesday.

The move comes on the heels of de Blasio’s reappointment of Brooklyn Judge Laura Johnson, who set free without bail two men who threatened to kill cops just days after a double police assassination.

The booted judge, Diana Boyar, “was fair, knowledgeable and ran the courtroom professionally,” a stunned source said. (Read more from this story HERE)

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White House Advisers Recommending Veto of Keystone Bill

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By Reuters. President Barack Obama’s advisers will recommend he veto a House bill approving construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline if the legislation reaches his desk, the White House said in a statement on Wednesday.

Republican senators started the new U.S. Congress on Tuesday with legislation to approve TransCanada Corp’s pipeline from Canada to the United States and White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Obama would not sign it. (Read more about the threatened veto of Keystone Bill HERE)

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Obama Blasted for Veto Threat on Keystone

By Fox News. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blasted President Obama on Wednesday for vowing to veto the first bill of the new, Republican-controlled Senate — legislation to approve the controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline.

In his first major floor speech as majority leader, the Kentucky Republican pushed for bipartisan cooperation on major issues but said it could “only be achieved if, if, President Obama is interested in it.”

He added: “And I assure you, threatening to veto a jobs and infrastructure bill within minutes of a new Congress taking the oath of office — a bill with strong bipartisan support — is anything but productive.”

McConnell’s top lieutenants echoed his concerns, with Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, calling the “premature” veto threats “deeply irresponsible and troubling.”

The White House on Tuesday threatened to veto two pieces of legislation being produced by the new Congress — one related to ObamaCare and the economy, and the other on the Keystone pipeline. On Wednesday, the White House issued formal statements vowing to veto the bills. (Read more about this story HERE)

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Veterans Suspect VA is Creating Federal Gun Registry With Free Gun Lock Offer

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Photo Credit: Scott Olson / Getty As President Obama dodges a reminder of the veterans’ health-care scandal this week, the Department of Veterans Affairs is offering free gun locks to veterans if they provide details on the number of guns they own and their home address, raising concerns about a government-run gun registry.

Some veterans have received a form letter in recent days from the VA offering gun locks if they return a completed form listing their name, address and number of guns in the home.

“As your partner in healthcare, we are committed to keeping you and your family safe,” states the letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Washington Times. “Gun locks have been shown to greatly reduce death and injury caused by firearms in the home. If you own a gun, we hope you will request and use a gun lock.”

The letter said agency officials “hope to reach all our veterans with this offer.” The VA said it will mail the locks to the address provided by a veteran.

One veteran who received the letter said it raises concerns about “a gun registry in disguise.” (Read more about the concerns along with the free gun lock offer HERE)

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Hillary Clinton is Enlisting People for 2016 Run

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Photo Credit: Frederic J. Brown, AFP/Getty ImagesHillary Clinton is beginning to put together the pieces for a likely campaign, tapping two top strategists — including President Barack Obama’s pollster — to work with her in the lead-up toward an ultimate decision.

Robby Mook, who worked on Clinton’s 2008 campaign and is widely expected to be Clinton’s campaign manager, and Joel Benenson, Obama’s pollster who had for months been eyed for a role on her team, have been working with her as she makes a final decision and begins to put together a framework for a staff, according to people close to the former Secretary of State.

But, if he is hired, Benenson’s presence in the campaign would mark a major departure for Clinton, who stayed in her comfort zone in her previous campaigns using Mark Penn, the pollster and message guru who had worked for her husband. After she shook up her campaign in the second half of the 2008 primaries, Clinton made Geoff Garin her main pollster.

Obama’s campaign used Benenson as part of a team of pollsters, an approach Clinton is said to be considering for her next effort. And he would come to her off two successful presidential races.

Mook, who won Obama aides’ respect for the job her did out-organizing them in a string of states in the 2008 primaries, has been holding meetings with people, according to multiple sources, to begin planning for a likely campaign. (Read more on Hillary Clinton enlisting people HERE)

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