11 affiliates in a highly rated show. Bestselling books. Popular newspaper columns. Not everyone will agree with him...
Posted on 11/19/2011 9:23:06 PM PST by raccoonradio
Howie thread for the week starting with his Sunday Boston Herald column
Sun column ping
Hackey days are over for Mikey
By Howie Carr | Sunday, November 20, 2011 | http://www.bostonherald.com | Columnists
William Faulkner once said, “The past isn’t dead, it isn’t even past.”
Just ask Mike McLaughlin. Talk about out of the past — this 66-year-old hack has been in the headlines since the 1970s, and always the words have been the same: “Embattled ... grand jury ... job-selling ... court order to testify ... wiretapped ... denies ... mobsters...”
And now, on the cusp of his greatest score — a $278,000-a-year state pension — Mikey sees a new word in the headlines, and it’s the most ominous yet.
FBI.
I hate to give the Globe credit, so let me put it this way. A couple of ex-Herald reporters have been doing a great job revealing the latest chapter in the squalid biography of Mike McLaughlin. In case you missed it, until a few weeks ago he was running the Chelsea Housing Authority at a reported salary of $160,000. But his real, unreported pay was $360,000 a year — more than the head of the New York City housing authority.
As he was being forced out, Mikey began wildly shredding documents. He had his hand-picked accountant — an ex-bouncer — cut him checks for $200,000.
Did I mention McLaughlin is a Democrat — a “normal Democrat,” as his pal Vinnie Piro used to say in the days before he was indicted on an attempted-extortion rap, which he beat, with McLaughlin sitting there in the courtroom every day, ready to run errands back to Winter Hill.
Mikey fit in old Somerville like a glove. Half-Irish, half-Italian, he was originally from Billerica — Somerville with trees. He was a young state rep when Paul Tsongas quit as Middlesex County commissioner in 1975 after being elected to Congress. Mikey slid into the courthouse gang and soon was running the state’s most outrageous hackerama, Middlesex County government.
One example: The county had a road department ... but no roads.
Mikey wasn’t a lawyer, so he made his living running housing authorities — Somerville, Lowell, Dracut, and finally Chelsea. That’s how he learned to handle city councilors and aldermen — he soon discovered you could win their eternal loyalty by bribing them with a plate of wings and a pitcher of beer at Hooters.
Which brings us to Lt. Gov. Tim Murray. Remember, Tiny Tim was a longtime Worcester city councilor. Easy pickings, and Mikey picked him clean. Some have speculated that Timmy is so dumb that he didn’t even know the past record of the thug who was running his organization in the Merrimack Valley. Not true.
Here’s a verbatim answer of Timmy’s from September when a former AP reporter asked him if he’d spoken to McLaughlin about a coup at the Dracut Housing Authority.
“Mike McLaughlin?” Murray stammered. “Uh, maybe at some point he might have mentioned, you know, the, the, um, mentioned it.”
By the way, Mikey now lives in Dracut — Somerville with trees north. He has an unlisted telephone number. I haven’t spoken to him since his son was unsuccessfully running for the state Senate, the same son Murray engineered a $68,000 hack job for at the RMV Board of Appeals.
Mikey even bought a condo in Naples, Fla. — winter home of the previous top two legislative hack state pensioners, ex-Senate president Billy Bulger ($200G) and ex-Speaker David Bartley ($150G). Mikey was on the verge of topping his old bosses.
Back in the days when we all lived in Somerville, one of the guys Mikey hated most was John Buonomo, the future reprobate register of probate who would be recorded on videotape stealing cash from the Middlesex Registry of Deeds.
I’ll bet Mikey was laughing his keister off when Buonomo was sentenced to a short bit in the Billerica House of Correction. Now Buonomo’s back on the street, and McLaughlin appears headed toward yet another photo finish with yet another grand jury.
If you made this story into a film noir, the title would have to be, “Out of the Past, the Sequel.”
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/columnists/view.bg?articleid=1382401
Howie Carr is an absolute piece of crap. He and his dopey sidekick Sandy have to be two of the most shallow personalities on radio. His opinions are ultimately driven by what is best for his ratings. When Cain was being attacked by feral pigs Howie jumped right on board because sex and controversy sells. Sandy even passed him a completely unvetted caller who went on and on about a ‘friend’ that ‘knew’ Cain was a monster. Howie sucked it up and let her go on for a few minutes without a single question to discuss her credibility. What a ‘reporter’! Now Mitt is back to being his favorite because he knows he has a chance to win and Howie wants him on his show should he actually do the unthinkable and win. Sandy practically wets herself whenever Brown calls in and Howie would rather hide in a corner rather than ask him a tough question. Why post the columns of one of Mitt Romney’s biggest and influential supporters ??? If I sound pissed it’s because I’ve been a fan of Carr’s since his days with Jerry Williams and though I knew he had limited character, I wouldn’t have thought his antics would continue with this country in the situation that it is in. Absolutely a no character slime ball.
Nice to see a mention of Jerry Williams. He’s the guy who introduced me to talk radio. He is missed.
Howie? I understand what you’re saying, Mr.F, but at the same time I just shrug. He’s never been in Jerry’s league. I enjoy him sometimes, but mostly I just listen to a few minutes, and if the subject isn’t interesting, off he goes. He’s very lightweight. He gives Scott Brown a walk, but he gives everyone a walk except ordinary folks who call up. He’s inoffensive to me because, while I grant you all you say, he’s just not very important.
Some of my text got messed up so I’ll try again... Howie Carr is an absolute piece of crap. He and his dopey sidekick Sandy have to be two of the most shallow personalities on radio. His opinions are ultimately driven by what is best for his ratings. When Cain was being attacked by feral pigs Howie jumped right on board because sex and controversy sells. Sandy even passed him a completely unvetted caller who went on and on about a ‘friend’ that knew Cain was a monster. Howie sucked it up and let her go on for a few minutes without a single question to discuss her credibility. What a reporter! Now Mitt is back to being his favorite because he knows he has a chance to win and Howie wants him on his show should he actually do the unthinkable and win. Sandy practically wets herself whenever Brown calls in and Howie would rather hide in a corner rather than ask him a tough question. Why post the columns of one of Mitt Romney’s biggest and influential supporters ??? If I sound pissed it’s because I’ve been a fan of Carr’s since his days with Jerry Williams and though I knew he had limited character, I wouldn’t have thought his antics would continue with this country in the situation that it is in. Absolutely a no character slime ball.
He did ask Brown about the allegations of sexual abuse when Brown’s book came out.
I post the columns and threads about Howie because despite your criticism of him, I enjoy his show (as do others on the ping list) and he’s better than other talk show hosts in town. Your dissent is noted; have you called him to challenge
his actions, as you say? Not sure if you’d get on but he does put on callers who disagree (some of whom, like Josh and
Steve, provide comic relief). And yes, of course he’s doing it for ratings and money. Maybe next year at this time he’ll
do the same but for a different ratings flagship.
I love his books, show, and columns, as do many others. If he is shallow I don’t mind it. He’s sure to take heat for being back on the Romney bandwagon.
Howie is more of an entertainer while Jerry was activist—urging his listeners to contact their legislators, etc. He could be entertaining, too. I liked him also and he too was my introduction to talk radio, but I must admit I liked Howie a bit better than Jerry. When he filled in—when I tuned in and I heard Howie say, “Good afternoon New England, this is Howie Carr of the Boston Herald and I’m filling in for the Dean today”, I felt good.
Jerry helped to make Howie possible. Jerry was Elvis.
Howie is The Beatles. (Whom I prefer to Elvis, and I know
Howie will be mad when I use that comparison as he doesn’t think as much of the Beatles as I do, he’s more of a Stones guy.)
...a different STATION flagship I should say!
11 affiliates in a highly rated show. Bestselling books. Popular newspaper columns. Not everyone will agree with him...
I appreciate and understand your thoughts. I won’t lose sleep about him and in the past I largely just shrugged also. The Cain incident put me over the edge though. It blew me away how he let this caller go on and on absolutely ripping Cain based on the word of a ‘friend’ who told her about Cain. Not a single question from Howie. She was probably calling from either Mitt’s or Obama’s headquarters but Howie just jumped on board.
I didn’t hear the Cain call you mention, but it’s too bad he wouldn’t challenge such a blatantly political call. He seems very receptive when people call in claiming inside info, and I chuckle at that—hasn’t he been in radio long enough to know what’s going on?
Do you know the name ‘Tom Lang’? He is a radical, gay activist who posted the names of the Mass. citizens who signed the petition against gay marriage. Do you know where Tom Lang was the day ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ was repealed? In Washington at the signing ceremony with his ‘husband’. You know who invited him? Senator Scott Brown. I called Howie and got through when Brown was on. When I mentioned Tom Lang, I got cut off! I also called recently to clarify misleading stories about Cain’s position on abortion. I read the actual quotes from Cain yet Howie still goes with the media’s misleading lies.
I’d rather have my teeth sanded with tinfoil than listen to Jay Severin.
He was probably eating when the caller was talking......
Carr and WRKO are Romney manipulators.
Because it is “good for them”.
They decimated Gov. Palin and everyone else in Romney’s
and Romney’s toadies’ ways.
They were not even happy until Romney made certain
Deval Patrick had a second term after Romney’s team
actually eliminated
the last GOP governorship primary
(like they are also trying to do in the Presidential primary).
Good point. Then his columns do not belong on FR.
Why dont you post the RomneyBOT's columns to DU where he/they belong.
I’m trying to get on the road and be in Las Vegas by Wednesday, so I can’t comment much, except to say that most of these comments are right on the mark.
Please don’t stop, rr.
Happy Thanksgiving to all.
Since Howie is now such a “piece of crap” I assume you will no longer be listening to him or calling his show. Why don’t you spend your time tutoring your hero on the issues so he’s not a walking one man gaff machine?
And love for this?
“The Massachusetts Republican Party died last Tuesday.
The cause of death: failed leadership.
The party is survived by a few leftover legislators
and a handful of county officials and grassroots activists
who have been ignored for years.
Services will be public and a mass exodus of taxpayers will follow.
In lieu of flowers, send messages to Republican voters
warning them about a certain presidential candidate named Romney.”
- Boston Herald, 11/12/2006
"In 2006, while Romney was chairman of the National Republican
Governors Association - a group dedicated to electing more
Republican governors - his own hand-picked Republican successor
as governor lost badly to the Democrat, despite the fact that Republicans
have held the governorship in Massachusetts since 1990. Romney largely
ignored the Massachusetts elections and spent most of the time
during the campaign out of state building his presidential campaign.
He came back and publicly campaigned for the Republican candidate
the day before the general election!
“Locally, this is a rebuke to Mitt Romney and checking out within six months
after being elected and having accomplished almost nothing,”
[Jim] Rappaport [former chairman of the state Republican Party]."
- Boston Globe, 11/8/2006
"Governor Mitt Romney, who touts his conservative credentials to out-of-state Republicans,
has passed over GOP lawyers for three-quarters of the 36 judicial vacancies he has faced,
instead tapping registered Democrats or independents -- including two gay lawyers who
have supported expanded same-sex rights, a Globe review of the nominations has found.
Of the 36 people Romney named to be judges or clerk magistrates, 23 are either registered Democrats
or unenrolled voters who have made multiple contributions to Democratic politicians
or who voted in Democratic primaries, state and local records show.
In all, he has nominated nine registered Republicans, 13 unenrolled voters,
and 14 registered Democrats."
- Boston Globe 7/25/2005
Romney Rewards one of the State's Leading Anti-Marriage Attorneys by Making him a Judge
Romney told the U.S. Senate on June 22, 2004, that the "real threat to the States is not the
constitutional amendment process, in which the states participate,
but activist judges who disregard the law and redefine marriage . . ."
Romney sounds tough but yet he had no qualms advancing the legal career of one
of the leading anti-marriage attorneys. He nominated Stephen Abany to a District Court.
Abany has been a key player in the Massachusetts Lesbian and Gay Bar Association which,
in its own words, is "dedicated to ensuring that the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court decision
on marriage equality is upheld, and that any anti-gay amendment or legislation is defeated."
- U.S. Senate testimony by Gov. Mitt Romney, 6/22/2004 P>
"Romney announces he won't fill judicial vacancies before term ends
Despite his rhetoric about judicial activism, Romney announced that
he won't fill all the remaining vacancies during his term - but instead
leave them for his liberal Democrat successor!
Governor Mitt Romney pledged yesterday not to make a flurry of lame-duck
judicial appointments in the final days of his administration . . . David Yas,
editor of Lawyers Weekly, said Romney is "bucking tradition" by resisting the urge to
fill all remaining judgeships. "It is a tradition for governors to use that power to appoint judges
aggressively in the waning moments of their administration," Yas said.
He added that Romney has been criticized for failing to make judicial appointments.
"The legal community has consistently criticized him for not filling open seats quickly enough
and being a little too painstaking in the process and being dismissive of the input of the
Judicial Nominating Commission," Yas said.
- Boston Globe 11/2/2006
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