The NYPD, embroiled in controversy and at least one scandal, may not be on everyone's holiday card list, but the man who heads the department is enjoying sky-high approval ratings. If not among his own troops, then certainly among the New York City electorate.
And so now there's some churning buzz about Kelly - who will turn 72 by the time of the next election - running as a GOP alternative to the cast of Democratic Party peeps who want Mike Bloomberg's job when his term expires on Jan. 1, 2014.
We're following the political crumbs, tonight at 11.
Also at 11 - another perfect day - and another perfect day for brush fires. The timber is dry, the air is dry and it's literally been a long season without measurable rain (1 inch) - January 12 to be exact. So for the second time in a week, a brush fire in Manorville in Suffolk County on Long Island - threatening up to 100 homes this afternoon. Dozens of volunteer fire departments responded. We'll have the latest at 11.
And under the heading - what kind of brainiac would do this? A Taliban commander in Afghanistan saw his name on a wanted poster - along with a promise of a $100 reward. So he turned himself in.
Really.
U.S. troops asked Mohammad Ashan, "Is this you?"
"Yes, yes, that's me!" he reportedly said. "Can I get my award (sic) now?"
I'm just sayin'.
And news about one other brainiac - former rocker Ted Nugent, who's now being investigated by the Secret Service (although that doesn't mean quite what it did before this past weekend, does it?). Nugent, a supporter of Mitt Romney and the NRA, made headlines this weekend when he called the Obama Administration "vile, evil and America-hating."
"We are aware of (what he said) and we are conducting the appropriate follow-up now," Secret Service spokesman George Ogilvie told ABC News.
And Liz Cho tonight at 11, with the help of Consumer Reports, looks into the trend of using GPS devices to keep track of pets who wander off.
We'll also have any breaking news of the night, plus Meteorologist Lee Goldberg's AccuWeather forecast, and Rob Powers with the night's sports. I hope you can join Liz (in for Sade Baderinwa) and me, tonight at 11.
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