Posted on 04/22/2005 4:17:53 AM PDT by Columbus Dawg
Mayor Michael B. Coleman received national exposure as a Democratic candidate for governor on shock-jock radio Wednesday.
It’s a venue he would have preferred to avoid, the mayor admitted later.
"It didn’t end up well."
But Coleman said he "just couldn’t bite my tongue" any longer after what he characterized as three days of bullying and "blasting the city" by conservative talk-radio host Glenn Beck.
Even though Coleman was less than his rhetorical best during the chaotic eight-minute exchange with Beck, he said, "I’ll never be regretful of standing up to those who are not telling the truth, who misrepresent the facts, and who are bullying us around."
Beck, whose syndicated show is based in Philadelphia and aired locally from 9 a.m. to noon weekdays on WTVN (610 AM), devoted his shows this week to the sex-abuse scandal at Mifflin High School. Beck has railed against Columbus schools officials for firing just one of the four Mifflin administrators implicated in the failure to report the alleged sexual assault of a 16-year-old developmentally disabled girl.
In an interview yesterday, Beck said he learned about the incident from a Dispatch article last week and was outraged. He said he has a daughter with cerebral palsy and when he "imagined it happening to my daughter, it ripped my heart out."
Beck, 41, said he wanted to talk to Coleman because he assumed the mayor would be "as outraged as I am." Instead, he said, when Coleman got on the air, "all I heard was blah, blah, blah. He was being a politician. . . . I wanted to talk to him as a dad, not as a politician."
In the interview, Coleman and Beck continually talked over and past each other. The result was verbal chaos.
As Beck began one question by saying, "I’m asking you as a man and a father," Coleman cut him off and said, "Don’t question my manhood. Don’t you ever question my manhood." Coleman later said he misheard the question.
Beck’s is the highest-rated morning show in Columbus, with 100,000 people listening during the week, said Steve Konrad, WTVN program manager.
Coleman said his interview with Beck "was never scheduled," an assertion Beck disputed. On the air Wednesday morning, Beck said Coleman was scheduled to appear on the show at 10:30 a.m. and when Coleman didn’t call, the heckling heated up.
On air, someone on Beck’s staff posed as Coleman. The faux Coleman said he was having an office party, debating the issue of sexual assault.
"There were two sides," the fake Coleman waffled, "one side against rape and one side for rape of handicapped children."
That was the last straw for Greg Haas, Coleman’s political consultant, who said he urged the mayor to call the show, conceding it might have been a mistake.
Coleman knew he’d be attacked but decided to call anyway: "I’m concerned about our kids. . . . (Beck) eventually will move on to the next topic, rant and rave to keep his ratings up, and I’m left to deal with this situation."
Beck yesterday talked about coming to Columbus to host a show.
Since the exchange, segments have been repeated on WTVN — a move Coleman called "irresponsible."
But Konrad said reairing it is the right thing to do. The station also put a copy of the interview on its Web site, www.610 wtvn.com.
"Our phones have been blowing up with people wanting to talk about it," Konrad said.
The embarrassing exchange could have political consequences for Coleman. Yesterday, Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Dennis L. White said Lee Fisher told him he was "80 percent sure" he would enter the governor’s race. Fisher was the party’s 1998 nominee and Coleman was his running mate.
Lee Fisher is 80 percent sure he is running. No sign of support for Coleman from Denny White either.
??? I listen to Glenn...often....Not quite that shocking...IMO. Sick freak ,yes, but shocking?
After that performance, I wouldn't elect Coleman for dog catcher, much less governor...
Coleman is a joke. He certainly is barely equipped to be out in public, much less serve the public.
Just a guess: the victims is white and the perps are black. I could be wrong, but that would account for it.
Glen Beck is no Howard Stern, thank God!
I heard some of that. Beck may have trashed Coleman's chances to be elected governor. My money is on SecState Blackwell if he runs.
Just a guess: you are a rebel-flag waving white person with a white hood in the closet. I could be wrong, but that could account for it.
BTW, the rape victim was black. Jumping to stereotype conclusions might not be such a great idea, eh?
Many people got to see the ugly side of Coleman. I'm sure this will ruin his chance for governor. BTW, Coleman pulled a Kerry *flip-flop* he's now outraged about the incident. What an idiot!
His guess is the safe bet to take when no races are mentioned. Stop feigning outrage. {yawn}
That, IMO says a whole lot of bad about the teachers, the students that did nothing, the school district, the police in Columbus....and now the demwit mayor.
In this case, being a conservative makes Glenn Beck a shock jock.
Agree.
His ugly side is well known among people who keep an eye on things.
Last year, he called a female Franklin County Commissioner (who was older than Coleman) a "b----."
Reports have him also telling a community activist after one event, "I am going to kick your a--."
Both of these incidents were out in public.
And when Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro (a candidate for governor) was asked about the high rate of crime in Columbus, Petro said Columbus needed to hire new police officers.
Coleman blasted Petro for not giving him grants and called him "Silent Jim" and "shallow."
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