In Part 1 (Part 1 is availble →HERE←), Phil looked at major issues at the core of the Republican Party’s decline and deepening defeat in Washington State, noted that local “Conservative” talk radio chose not to cover those issues, even though the grassroots are deeply concerned about them, and even though the hosts were, repeatedly, given the opportunity to examine the problems and potential solutions.
In Part 2 he takes a shot at the obvious question:
Why?
Why? Well, before I get into an explanation about why these talk radio shows don’t cover certain issues and problems, lets review just a few things they missed over the past few years:
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The behind-the-scenes shenanigan’s prior to the 2000 reelection of former GOP State chairman Chris Vance.
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The very questionable tactics of Reagan Dunn and the King County GOP leadership during his race with Steve Hammond for the county council nomination back in 2005.
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What the State GOP leadership and Mike McGavick tried to do to Susan Hutchison as she seriously considered running for the US Senate in 2006.
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Why, in the past six years as the Washington State Republican party systematically falls apart, they have stayed silent.
Again these are just a few examples of things they all refused to talk about.
OK, so why? Why have they ignored these stories? It would be easy to sum it up in one word : Access.
However, I believe there is more to it than that. To begin with, I do think that, yes, access does play a large part of it.
Let me explain: These talk show hosts know full well if they even in the slightest way look critically at some of these political figures, they will not get to talk to them anymore. In other words the access to these guys would be gone. So instead they suck up to these people and try and paint a rosy picture about Republican politics in the state of Washington… when, in reality, it just kept getting worse until the roof finally caved in on most of their radio shows.
But there is more to it than just access. Another problem is the constant claim by some of these guys that they are impartial in political races prior to the primaries. Take, for example, the Dunn-Hammond county council race. John Carlson would have us all believe he stayed out of that race until after the primary was over.
In the spring of 2005 Lisa Carlson was paid a total of 13,000 dollars by Reagan Dunn’s campaign to be an event consultant.
I want to make clear that I’m sure Mrs. Carlson did the work she was paid for. All I am saying is when your wife is a paid consultant to a political campaign don’t try and pretend you don’t have a vested interest in the outcome.
John Carlson was also on the advisory committee for Mike McGavick’s Campaign. I watched as he and his buddies did everything they could to prevent Susan Hutchison from running… all the while claiming to be her friend.
Mr. Carlson is not the only one who does this. Again, these are just couple of examples of many.
Their lack of respect for conservative organizations in the State of Washington is one more example of why local Republican radio is falling apart. I can’t remember the last time any of these shows had on a representative from any conservative organization in this state. Yet most of these hosts claim to be conservatives. They didn’t even acknowledge the fact that the Reagan Wing was barred from having a display table at the last State Republican convention. They never have state pro-life organizations on. The list goes on and on… and they wonder why there ratings continue on downward spiral.
Will they ever learn?
At least we can listen to the Sonics, on the Truth!
Well, they did have Human Life of Washington to talk about Mike McGavick. Does that count?
Mary,
yeah certainly it counts, but I’m guessing the whole
story wasn’t actually told. Had it been certain people
would have a hard time running for political office.
There is a history of tension between myself and the Washington State GOP. Of all the things that rankled them the most was that from the early 90s, I was constantly reminding them we could not lead because we had no vision and we wanted to be liked - and if we ever were to rise to majority (this was before 1994), we would succumb to the taunts of the media for this very reason.
The same is true of the local Seattle talk show hosts, who, by the way, came from party stock. Their service over the soundwaves is motivated more by their need for personal validation than from their vision for America.
Cominus,
Very well put.
I couldn’t have said it any better myself.
Well done well done.
Coming to power in ‘94 was the result of a conservative sweep at the national level, lead by Newt Gingrich. The WSRP was in the right place at the right time. Since then, they’ve lost both houses (which was another thing that got little to no airplay on these shows).
I’ve had numerous discussions with John Carlson via e-mail. Most centered around his treatment of conservatives in the party, especially religious conservatives. The last round was when I quit tuning in.
It’s good to hear that B. Suits is doing well in LA, but I quit listening to him because he acts like an adolescent. Hardly what a religious conservative would want to listen to.
I’m going to listen to Bose speak in Tacoma tomorrow. I’m hoping to hear something encouraging.
It seems local R radio has the same people over and over. They are predictable and don’t take on any issues that challenge the staus quo. They would never be critical of anything Republican even if it was leading the Party to total destruction (as it is). When Kirby’s show turned into that group huddle I quit listening. One of them says something and then the other two go YAH! YAH! Republican radio needs a complete overhaul!