News & Politics

While President Obama and other gun control activists repeatedly take aim at the so-called gun show loophole as a dangerous gap in the effort to prevent criminals from obtaining deadly weapons, a decorated war veteran now serving in Congress says that narrative is almost entirely baseless.

The narrative against gun shows suggests that dealers and other sellers can much more easily transfer weapons without the proper background checks being performed.  Pro-second amendment voices often point out that none of the mass shootings in recent years featured weapons purchased at a gun show.

But it goes even further than that, according to Rep. Steve Russell, R-Okla.

Russell is best known for leading the U.S. Army unit that discovered Saddam Hussein hiding in a spider hole near Tikrit in late 2003.  After retiring, he entered politics.  Russell was elected to Congress in 2014. He says the idea of gun shows being some oasis that ignores gun laws is complete fiction.

“Here’s the law: If you are a business with a license and you are vending at a gun show and you sell a firearm, it must be done on a 4473 form with complete information by the buyer and a background check.  If you sell a firearm under your license without doing that process, you have committed a felony,” said Russell.

“This notion that people think that vendors and licensees that go to gun shows are somehow circumventing the law by not doing any background checks because they’re simply set up at a gun show rather than a brick and mortar is just false,” said Russell.

Russell says the Constitution does allow for gun owners to sell individual firearms.

“That is your right as an American citizen to sell a firearm.  If you know [the buyer] is a convicted felon and you sell that to him, then you’ve broken the law.  You don’t have to be a licensee to dispose of your personal property.  That’s a fourth amendment protection,” said Russell.

Gun shows vary from state to state as to whether someone needs to be a licensed dealer to sell a gun at a gun show, but Russell says the vast majority of transactions involving non-licensed sellers still involve background checks.

“In a show, they say if you’re going to conduct a sale under this roof then we have people that will call in checks and they will do that for free under their license and then you can make those purchases.  If you suspect that you want to sell something but you’re not sure, you can walk into any gun dealer and the two individuals can do that under their license and they will do that next check for you,” said Russell.

Russell says the Obama executive orders would involve the feds intruding into harmless transactions.

“They would prohibit you, as an American citizen, from disposing personal property when you’ve broken no law.  If you want to sell something to a neighbor or you want to pass something down to one of your kids that’s of legal age, they would prohibit that and that’s against our constitutional rights,” said Russell.

While Russell sees Obama’s actions as unconstitutional both in terms of content and in his unilateral action, he believes the president could find common ground with Republicans on gun laws if he’s really interested in addressing the problem.  Specifically, he says they could tackle illegal ownership of firearms.

“If (FBI) Director Comey comes to Congress or the president and says, ‘We really need help with the national instant check system or workers authorized or we need more funds so we can do this,’ we can have those discussions.  Let’s do that.  Let’s target the crime,” said Russell.

He says the recent terrorist attack in California is a prime example of where cooperation should be possible.

“If you sell to a felon and you know that and you’ve done that like this guy we saw in the San Bernardino shooting, he did what they call shill buys.  He knew he was breaking the law.  He provided firearms to somebody that should not have had them,” said Russell.

“Let’s target the lawbreakers.  Let’s not take away our constitutional rights,” said Russell.

As for addressing Obama’s executive orders, Russell sees two avenues for congressional Republicans.

“One, we can prohibit any funding to implement these measures through the ATF.  We can do that in legislation that prohibits, by line item, any funds.  We did that with DACA on the immigration issue,” said Russell, who believes funding is the quickest way to cut off Obama’s alleged overreach.

“The other thing we can do is we can challenge it in the courts.  It takes longer but in each case we’ve seen with courts, the Heller and McDonald cases in D.C. and Chicago, American citizens have the right to keep and bear arms.  Period,” said Russell.

Greg Corombos of Radio America and Jim Geraghty of National Review welcome the retirement of Rep. “Baghdad” Jim McDermott.  They groan as the government uses a heavy hand against Oregon ranchers but a small number of armed protesters seem to have the response all wrong.  And they have fun with Hillary Clinton’s promise to get to the bottom of whether we’ve been visited by aliens if she is elected president.

A bipartisan group over more than 100 U.S. lawmakers is urging President Obama to block further implementation of the Iran nuclear deal since the Iranians have already violated critical provisions on multiple occasions just months into the agreement.

House Foreign Affairs Committee member Ted Yoho, R-Fla, spearheaded a letter, which was sent to the White House just as members of Congress were wrapping up business before Christmas.  He says 105 members, both Democrats and Republicans , have signed on.

At issue, according to the letter, is Iran’s conducting of ballistic missile tests on Oct. 10 and Nov. 21 in 2015.  Such tests are specifically forbidden in the nuclear deal, which is formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA.

Yoho says the Iranian violations are obvious.

“Iran has broken the deal already, a minimum of two times, by test-firing the ballistic missiles.  This is just a blatant breach of that agreement,” said Yoho, who then elaborated on why the tests were a direct violation of Iran’s vow not to acquire nuclear weapons.

“The only reason you need a medium-range or intercontinental ballistic missile is for the delivery of a nuclear warhead.  There is no other reason to have that,” said Yoho.

For close to three months, there has been virtually no response to the missile tests from the Obama administration.  Yoho says that is not what Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry said would happen if Iran was caught cheating.

“The president and John Kerry said that if they breached the agreement, there would be immediate snapback and sanctions would be put in place,” said Yoho.  “We had over 105 congressional representatives, both Republicans and Democrats that signed on to that because it is such a blatant breach of this contract or this agreement.”

Yoho says Obama’s failure to make good on his word is yet another major blow to U.S. credibility around the world, after drawing the famous “red line” in response to Syrian use of chemical weapons only to back away.  He also cited the former Obama demand for the ousting of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.  Last month, during a visit to Russia, Kerry announced that was no longer the U.S. goal.

“Here again, they’ve drawn a line or set a line in the sand and said that this would not be tolerated and they’re walking away from it.  This is why our foreign policy has failed so miserably.  We don’t back up our words with actions,”said Yoho.

The congressman says Obama’s reluctance to follow through on his promise in this case is likely due to Obama’s quixotic approach towards the mullahs in Tehran.

“I think you’re trying to see the president bend over backwards to do whatever he can to get Iran on our side.  It’s not going to happen.  Iran will never be a friend of the United States,” said Yoho.

Yoho says there appeared to be an initial instinct for the administration to drop the sanctions hammer on the Iranians and some 12 companies connected with the ballistic missile program, but that’s since been pushed to the back burner.

“They announced, I think it was Wednesday of last week, that sanctions were going to be talked about at 10:30 in the morning.  Then they retracted that and said that they’re going to have to reconsider that,” said Yoho.

The administration has a history of not responding to letters from members of Congress, but Yoho says this is only the start of the effort.

“Our goal is to keep putting more pressure on this administration to hold Iran accountable.  If we don’t Iran is going to run amok and they’re going to walk away from this deal and they’re going to be legally allowed to develop their nuclear arsenal,” said Yoho.

But while Yoho and at least 104 of his colleagues call for a freeze on JCPOA, what exactly is left to implement?  Yoho says it’s the money, some $100 billion in frozen assets and oil revenues and other funds that is still yet to be delivered.  He says we can take it to the bank that a lot of that money will be spent making our national security weaker and even targeting American lives, a conclusion he says has been proven by the Iranians taking and maiming U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Seventy percent of those were done by IED’s.  Ninety percent of those were funded by the state of Iran.  Iran funds Hezbollah and they fund Hamas, two proxy groups that do nothing but acts of terrorism around the world.  So if they get access to that [money], you think they’re going to be playing nicer with the United States?” said Yoho.

Greg Corombos of Radio America and Jim Geraghty of National Review reveal their choices for most under-reported story, most over-reported story and the best story of 2015.

Greg Corombos of Radio America and Jim Geraghty of National Review hand out year-end political awards for best idea, worst idea and boldest tactic.

The entertainment world lost some of its brightest stars in 2015, from the big screen to television to music and beyond.

Omar Sharif landed two of the most iconic roles of the 1960s, first as Sharif Ali in “Lawrence of Arabia,” and then in the title role of “Doctor Zhivago.”  Later a world-class bridge player and columnist, Sharif was 83.

Maureen O’Hara was one of the last leading ladies of Hollywood’s Golden Age.  Known for roles in “How Green Was My Valley” and the Christmas classic “Miracle on 34th Street,” O’ Hara was 95 when she died in October.

Christopher Lee enjoyed was a successful actor over a nearly 70 year career after serving with distinction in the Royal Air Force in World War II.  However it was in his later years that Lee landed his most commercially successful roles, as Saruman in the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy and Count Dooku in Star Wars Episodes II and III.  Sir Christopher Lee was 91.

Anita Ekberg was a Swedish beauty queen who became a screen siren in the 1950s and 60s.  Best known for her star turn in “La Dolce Vita,” Ekberg was 83.

Rod Taylor came from Australia to strive for his Hollywood dream.  Known for his leading roles in “The Time Machine,” “The Birds” and “The Train Robbers,” Taylor was 84.

Alex Rocco enjoyed many roles during a long Hollywood career, but it was his role as casino operator Moe Green in “The Godfather” for which he will always be remembered.  Rocco was 79.

Robert Loggia was a successful character actor for decades.  Known for his memorable roles in “Scarface,” “Prizzi’s Honor,” “Independence Day” and “Big,” Loggia snagged an Oscar nomination for his work in “The Jagged Edge.”  Loggia later suffered from Alzheimer’s Disease and passed away in December.  The man with one of the great voices in Hollywood was 85.

Generation X moviegoers remember actress Amanda Peterson for her role in “Can’t Buy Me Love,” opposite Patrick Dempsey.  Peterson died of an accidental drug overdose in June.  She was 43.

Betsy Palmer was known for two very different things – being a famed panelist on the TV game show “I’ve Got A Secret” and for being the killer in the original “Friday the 13^th” film.  Palmer was 88.

Behind the camera, few names are more closely associated with horror flicks than director Wes Craven.  Craven created the “Nightmare on Elm Street” series and also directed all of the “Scream” movies, among many others.  Craven was 76.

Jerry Weintraub was one of the most accomplished producers in Hollywood, putting together classics like “The Karate Kid” and “Oceans 11” and its sequels.  Weintraub was 77.

In television, Mr. Spock was one of the most unforgettable characters in history on the sci-fi favorite “Star Trek.”  The Vulcan first officer on the USS Enterprise relied on logic over emotion for the duration of the series and then numerous hit movies.  Spock was the work of the great Leonard Nimoy, who died in February.  He was 83.

It would be hard to find a more different character from Spock than Ellie May Clampett of the “Beverly Hillbillies.”  The bubbly was blonde played by Donna Douglas.  Later a gospel singer, Douglas was 81.

Marjorie Lord was active in the acting world for more than 70 years but she will always be remembered as Clancy Williams opposite Danny Thomas on “Make Room for Daddy.”  Lord was 97.

On Batman, Yvonne Craig brought the character of Batgirl to life on the original “Batman” series.  Craig was 78 when she died in August.

Martin Milner starred in two popular series in the 1960s and 70s, first as Tod Stiles on “Route 66” and later as Pete Malloy on “Adam-12.”  Milner was 83.

The police work was a little more suspect on the “Dukes of Hazzard.”  One of the most memorable characters was the bumbling, corrupt yet somehow endearing Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane.  Coltrane was the work of actor James Best.  Best died in April at age 88.

In the early 1970s, one of the happiest shows on TV was the “Partridge Family.”  Fans of the how will remember little Tracy Partridge, played by Suzanne Crough.  Crough died in April at age 52.

Al Molinaro played key supporting roles on two of the most beloved comedies of the 1970s, first as Murray the cop on “The Odd Couple” and then as Al Delvecchio, owner and operator of Arnold’s on “Happy Days.” Molinaro was 96.

The most groundbreaking show of the 70s was “All in the Family.”  It was the brainchild of Norman Lear, but producer, writer and director Bud Yorkin was critical to making it a major hit.  Yorkin died in August.  he was 89.

“All in the Family” later spun off into “Archie Bunker’s Place.”  Anne Meara played cook Veronica Rooney on the show.  However, Meara was best known for her successful comedy act with husband Jerry Stiller, known as Stiller and Meara.  She died in May at age 85.

The longest-running comedy in television history is “The Simpsons.”  One of the brilliant creators of the series was Sam Simon.  He succumbed to cancer in March.  He was 59.

It seems Jayne Meadows was always on television.  A frequent game show panelist on “What’s My Line?” and “I’ve Got A Secret,” ever-present figure alongside husband Steve Allen, Meadows died in April.  She was 95.

In music, few were better known or more beloved than legendary blues guitarist and singer B.B. King.  Never far from his beloved guitar “Lucille,” King was 89 when he died in May.

One of the most iconic songs of the 1960s was “Stand By Me” by Ben E. King and it enjoyed a resurgence in the 80s thanks to a movie by the same name.  King was 76.

Percy Sledge also died this year.  Best known for “When A Man Loves A Woman,” Sledge was 73.

Lesley Gore wasn’t crying too much in the 60s, scoring big on hits like “It’s My Party,” “Judy’s Turn to Cry,” and others.  Lesley Gore was 68.

Lynn Anderson was a country star in three different decades.  Best known for “(I Never Promised You) A Rose Garden,” Anderson died in July.  She was 67.

Most country music fans can’t remember a time when Little Jimmy Dickens wasn’t on stage.  Performing since the 1930s and a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1948, Dickens was known for his short stature, big heart and rhinestone jackets.  Dickens was 94.

We still don’t really know what the song was about but everyone loves “Louie Louie” by the Kingsmen.  Lead singer Jack Ely died in April.  He was 71.

One of the favorite rock and roll groups in the late 60s and early 70s was Three Dog Night.  Lead singer Cory Wells left us in October.  He was 74.

Few gospel singers were as talented or beloved as Andrae Crouch.  Remembered for “The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power” and “My Tribute (To God Be the Glory),”Crouch died in January.  He was 72.

The Stone Temple Pilots were at the leading edge of grunge music.  Lead singer Scott Weiland had that unmistakable gravelly voice.  He died of a drug overdose this month.  He was just 48.

There are several other famous figures from many walks of life who left us in 2015.

There are now just two remaining Doolittle Raiders from the 80 courageous men who attacked Japan in April of 1942.  That’s because two others died this year.  Edward Saylor was 94 when he died in January.  Robert Hite died in March.  He was 95.

Ben Kuroki was of Japanese descent but his service as a combat pilot in Europe led to him becoming the only Japanese-American to fly missions against Japan.  Serving in 58 missions overall, Kuroki was 98 when he died in September.

Some of most grisly crimes of the 20th century were the Manson family murders, including the killing of actress Sharon Tate.  Vincent Bugliosi is the man who put Charles Manson behind bars.  The famed prosecutor died in June at the age of 80.

In religion, Edward Egan had the unenviable task of following John O’Connor as archbishop of New York.  But Egan also held a prominent role in the church during the sex abuse scandal and emerged with his reputation intact while other bishops did not.  Egan died of cardiac arrest in March.  He was 82.

Robert Schuller tried to mix Christianity and self-help.  Best known for his Crystal Cathedral, Schuller’s ministry later fell on very hard times.  He died in April.  He was 88.

When it came to motivational speaking, Wayne Dyer was among the most successful.  Dyer died in August at age 75.

John Nash had a beautiful mind.  The brilliant mathematician who was later the subject of a feature film, died in a car accident in May.  He was 86.

Romance novelist Jackie Collins also died this year.  A prolific author, Collins was 77.

And celebrity chef Paul Prudhomme died in October.  Best known for his Cajun creations, Prudhomme was 77.

 

As 2015 draws to a close, we once again pause to remember the lives lost over the past 12 months. For all of us there are family and friends we mourn and memories we cherish. As a nation, there are also the famous and infamous faces who left us. We will spend two segments remembering those figures – from the arenas of politics to media to sports and from the big screen to television and music.

Fred Thompson found his way into our lives in a number of different ways. He first gained fame as the Republican counsel in the Watergate hearings. He then embarked on a successful acting career that included roles in such films as “The Hunt for Red October” and “In the Line of Fire.” In 1994, Thompson jumped into the special Tennessee U.S. Senate election to replace then-Vice President Al Gore. Thompson won that race and one other election before retiring in 2002. Thompson then made a star turn as district attorney Arthur Branch on Law and Order. He left that show to run for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination. After that, it was on to radio and more acting. Fred Thompson died after a lengthy battle with cancer in November. He was 73.

While Fred Thompson portrayed a fictional prosecutor in New York City, Mario Cuomo was the real-life governor of the Empire State for 12 years. Cuomo first won in 1982 and, after a rousing speech at the 1984 Democratic convention, was thought to be a future nominee. But Cuomo never ran for president. He lost the governorship in a stunning upset to George Pataki in 1994. Mario Cuomo was 82.

She was once a heartbeat away from being first lady of the United States, but most New Yorkers remember her as the first lady of their state. Margaretta “Happy” Rockefeller, wife of former governor and vice president Nelson Rockefeller, was 88.

The family of Vice President Joe Biden faced the devastation of losing his son, Beau. An Iraq War veteran and a former attorney general in Delaware, Beau Biden died of brain cancer in June. He was 46.

Up on Capitol Hill, Jim Wright was a passionate Democratic House member for over 34 years and, in 1987, ascended to Speaker of the House. An ethics scandal prompted his resignation less than three years later. Wright was 92.

Mississippi congressman Alan Nunnelee died in February, also of brain cancer. He was 56.

Edward Brooke made history as the first black senator from Massachusetts. A Republican, Brooke served two terms in the upper chamber in the 1960’s and 1970’s. He died in January at age 95.

Wendell Ford served four terms in the U.S. Senate from Kentucky, rising to the second highest leadership post on the Democratic side. Ford was 90 when he died in January.

On the foreign stage, Saudi King Abdullah died in January at age 90. Abdullah served in his own right for several years and often acted in the king’s capacity while his brother, King Fahd, was in ill health before him.

Abdullah was in close consultation with the U.S. during both the Gulf War and the Iraq War. Across the border in Iraq, one of the key figures in those conflicts was Iraqi foreign minister Tariq Aziz, who was often the mouthpiece for Saddam Hussein. A rare Christian in the Hussein regime, Aziz died in June. He was 79.

One of the key figures calling for the deposing of Saddam Hussein and insisting Hussein still had an active weapons of mass destruction program was Ahmed Chalabi. He became a controversial figure after the Bush administration stated it did not find the amount of WMD it expected in Iraq. Chalabi later returned to serve in the new Iraqi government. He was 71.

In between the two Bush administrations, one of the people that advised President Clinton on Iraq and other hot spots was national security adviser Sandy Berger. Berger later wound up in legal trouble after attempting to leave the National Archives with classified documents stuffed in his pant and socks as he prepared to testify before the 9/11 commission. Sandy Berger was 70.

Sarah Brady never held public office. But after her husband, former Reagan press secretary James Brady, was nearly killed in the attempt on Reagan’s life, she became an outspoken gun control advocate and founding Handgun Control, Inc. Sarah Brady was 73.

Two other people close to Reagan died this year. On the policy side, few had the president’s ear more than trusted aide Martin Anderson. Also the author of multiple books about Reagan, Anderson was 78 when he died in January.

Before getting to Washington, Reagan relied on the exquisite writing and keen insights of Peter Hannaford. Hannaford died in September. He was 82.

Pollsters are a dime a dozen in Washington but none was more respected than the Pew Center’s Andrew Kohut. He was 73.
The media world was stunned in February when highly respected 60 Minutes correspondent Bob Simon died in a New York City car accident. The CBS fixture was 73.

Arnaud de Borchgrave was born into Belgian nobility but in fleeing the Nazis wound up serving in the British Navy. After coming to the U.S. after the war, de Borchgrave served many years with Newsweek before heading up the editorial page of the Washington Times among many other roles. One of the most knowledgeable journalists on foreign affairs in the world, he was 88 when he died in February.

M. Stanton Evans was a fixture in the conservative movement for 60 years and was known for his fierce intellect and disarming humor. Evans became the youngest editor of a major newspaper in the nation when he assumed the helm of the Indianapolis Star at just 26 years old. Later he founded the National Journalism Center and for the next quarter century trained aspiring journalists on how to craft a story and understand basic economic and the principles of the American founding. I am a proud alumnus of the NJC. Evans trained interns here at Radio America until falling ill with cancer. He died in March. He was 80.

Another critical figure in the history of Radio America and in my development as a reporter was former network news director Dave Teeuwen. He later moved on to USA TODAY and played a vital role in the paper’s digital transformation. Eventually rising to managing editor for the paper, Teeuwen died after a long battle with cancer in November. He was 45.

On the funny pages, few one-panel comics had the endurance of Marmaduke. Brad Anderson relayed the antics of America’s favorite Great Dane for decades. He was 91.

The sports world lost several critical media figures in 2015. Stuart Scott revolutionized sports highlights by bringing his own lingo and brand of fun to the daily scores and news. Scott was 49 when he died of cancer in January.

Ray Gandolf was a very different type of sports commentator for CBS and ABC in an earlier generation. Known for always finding the human angle to sports coverage, Gandolf was 85 when he died in December.

One the many strokes of genius of the National Football League was to market it to many more fans through the iconic NFL films. The genius behind the videos was Ed Sabol. The hall of famer died in February at the age of 98.

But Sabol might not have been able to create the brand he did without the innovation of Tony Verna. Verna invented instant replay, which has now become an integral part of the game. Verna was 81.

As for those who took the field, none was more beloved than legendary Yankees catcher Yogi Berra. Known for his endearing personality and bewildering statements, Berra was also one of the greatest catchers of all time, both at the plate and behind it. He has still been to more World Series – and won more – than anyone in Major League history. Also a World War II veteran who saw action on D-Day in the U.S. Navy, Berra was 90 when he died in September.

Along with Berra, perhaps no one was a better ambassador for the game than Chicago Cubs legend Ernie Banks. Starring both at shortstop and first base, Banks clubbed 512 home runs in his career. His Cubs never reached the World Series, of course, but Banks and his “let’s play two” attitude endeared him to generations of fans. Ernie Banks was 83.

Lennie Merullo did play shortstop for the Cubs in the World Series – in 1945, the last time the team reached the fall classic. In fact, Merullo was the last man alive to have played for the Cubs in the World Series, until he died in May at the age of 98.

Minnie Minoso was one of the first Cuban stars in professional baseball, finding success first with the Cleveland Indians, but he will always be connected with the Chicago White Sox. A nine-time all-star and three-time Gold Glove winner, Minoso also made history by playing in five different decades. Minoso was 90.

Joaquin Andujar was a very talented and very combustible star pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals. His excellence helped the team win the 1982 World Series. His epic meltdown became one of the lingering images of the Cardinals blowing a commanding lead in the 1985 series. Andujar was 62.

On the hardwood, few college basketball coaches were more respected or more successful than North Carolina’s Dean Smith. Once college’s all-time leader in wins, Smith won two national championships and made 11 trips to the Final Four. Also a trailblazer in breaking the color barrier in his conference, Smith was 83 when he died in February.

When Smith retired in 1997, he handed the reins to longtime assistant Bill Guthridge. He coached just three seasons, but made two trips to the Final Four. Guthridge was 77 when he died this year.

Another college coaching legend died the same week as Smith. Jerry Tarkanian led previously unknown UNLV to four Final Four appearances and the 1990 national championship. His tenure was marked by strong teams that emphasized smothering defense and fast-break offense and by an endless battle with the NCAA over alleged violations. Tark the Shark was 84.

In pro hoops, Flip Saunders turned the moribund Minnesota Timberwolves into contenders. Also making stops in Detroit and Washington before returning to Minnesota, Saunders was 60.

As for the players, one of the most dominant big men in history was Moses Malone. Coming from high school straight to pro basketball, Malone dominated with the Houston Rockets and Philadelphia 76’ers. Malone won three NBA most valuable player awards and was the key ingredient to the 76’ers sweeping to the 1983 title. Malone was 60.

Malone replaced another dominant big man in Philadelphia. Darryl Dawkins also made the jump from high school to the NBA. Known for his shot blocking and backboard shattering dunks, Dawkins, nicknamed Chocolate Thunder, enjoyed a 25 year pro career. He was 58.

Jerome Kersey was one of the best defending small forwards of his era and was a critical factor in the Portland Trailblazers reaching the NBA Finals in 1990 and 1992. Kersey was 52.

Roy Tarpley was a can’t-miss prospect at the University of Michigan…but he missed anyway after constantly battling drug and alcohol addiction. Tarpley lasted just five NBA seasons but did enjoy a long career in Europe. He was 50.

One of the early stars in the NBA was Dolph Schayes. A dominant big man, who was a 12-time All-Star, Schayes led the Syracuse Nationals to the 1955 title. Later a successful coach, Schayes died in December at age 87.

On the gridiron and in the broadcast booth, few did it better than Frank Gifford. Known as a great running back and receiver, Gifford constantly helped lead the Giants into title contention. After retiring, Gifford became a mainstay as a broadcaster, most famously as a longtime announcer on Monday Night Football – sharing the booth with the irrepressible Howard Cosell and Don Meredith. All three are gone now. Gifford was 84 when he died suddenly in August.

Gifford’s coach at the tail end of his career was Allie Sherman. Sherman led the Giants to three straight title games but came up short each time. Later a successful broadcaster in his own right, Sherman was 91.

Chuck Bednarik was the last of the two-way stars in the NFL. A solid offensive lineman and a dominant defender for the Philadelphia Eagles, Bednarik is also known for the clothesline that shortened Gifford’s career. A leader on the 1960 Eagles – the last Philadelphia to win a title – Bednarik was 89.

In the 1970s, few quarterbacks were tougher than Oakland’s Ken Stabler. The Snake perennially had the Raiders in title contention but they were often foiled by the Steelers. In 1976, the Raiders put it all together and crushed the Vikings to win Superbowl XI. Stabler was 69.

Stabler was one of the legendary quarterbacks at Alabama for coach Bear Bryant. But Bryant had only one Heisman Trophy winner in his career, running back John David Crow at Texas A&M. Crow was 79.

In the 1960s and 70s, the Dallas Cowboys were one of the most dominant teams in the league, thanks in large part to their stifling defense. Jethro Pugh was one of the anchors of that devastating defensive line that contributed to two Superbowl wins and three other trips to the big game. Pugh was 70 when he died in January.

One of the greatest defensive minds in history was that of Bill Arnsparger. Credited with the building the Miami Dolphin defense that won back to back Superbowls, including a perfect season, Arnsparger was 88 when he died in July.

Lindy Infante enjoyed success calling plays for the high-octane Cleveland Browns offense in the late 1980s. That success led to the top job in Green Bay, where he had one successful season but never made the playoffs. Later he got another chance in Indianapolis, but lasted just two years, one of them resulting in a playoff appearance. Infante was 75.

Al Arbour was a winner, both as a hockey player and as a coach. Arbour took home the Stanley Cup playing for the Red Wings, Blackhawks and Maple Leafs. He later coached the New York Islanders for 13 years, winning four straight cups from 1980 through 1983. Arbour was 81.

In golf, Billy Casper was a winner – even in an era dominated by Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. Casper was an outstanding ball striker and putter, so good that he won two U.S.Opens and the 1970 Masters. Casper was 83.

Calvin Peete was a solid tour pro for years. He was 71 when he died April.

In NASCAR, Buddy Baker was a constant threat to take the checkered flag for more than 20 years. Baker won each of the sport’s four big races, including the 1980 Daytona 500. Later a successful analyst, Baker was 74.

Justin Wilson was a young star on the Indy Car circuit. Just 37, Wilson was fatally injured when a piece of debris from another car struck him.

In pro wrestling, few personalities were as memorable as Rowdy Roddy Piper. Known for his trash talking and his Piper’s Pit segments even more than his performances in the ring, Piper died of heart failure in July. He was 61.

Dusty Rhodes did not have the physique of today’s chiseled pro wrestlers, but no one had more fun. The American Dream was 69.

Long before pro wrestling was big business, it featured pioneers who toiled in pain and anonymity for little pay. One of those who paved the way was the legendary Verne Gagne. He was 89.

Sports are certainly a big business, and some of the biggest names in business also died in 2015. Kirk Kerkorian became a multimillionaire by building an airline bringing gamblers to Las Vegas. He was also a critical figure in the development of Las Vegas and a major player in the auto industry. Kerkorian was 98 when he died in June.

Ralph Roberts founded the cable television behemoth known as Comcast. Roberts was 95.

Douglas Tompkins established the popular outdoor apparel company North Face. He died after a kayaking mishap at the age of 72.

Chuck Williams created Williams-Sonoma. He was 100, when he died earlier this month.

That’s a look at the names and faces who left us from politics, media, sports and business. Be sure to find the second half of our special, as we remember those from film, television, music and more who took their final bows in 2015.

Greg Corombos of Radio America and Jim Geraghty of National Review are pleased to see the federal government acknowledge that the Chattanooga attacks were terrorism inspired by foreign groups and that those killed and wounded were awarded Purple Hearts.  They also cringe as the omnibus spending bill turns out to be a massive giveaway to Democrats.  They scold Defense Secretary Ash Carter for using his private email for government business even as the Hillary Clinton scandal was exploding.  And they hammer Bill O’Reilly for saying people want to hear people like Trump say they will go after our enemies, not hear pinhead comments from the likes of Rand Paul about whether things are constitutional.

Greg Corombos of Radio America and Jim Geraghty of National Review applaud Marco Rubio for slipping language into a recent spending bill that makes it much tougher for the government to bail out health insurers, which may provide an opportunity soon to change the system.  They also discuss a newly released email suggesting the Pentagon did have a military response ready to deploy to the Benghazi attacks.  And they shake their heads as Bernie Sanders ducks questions on ISIS.