McCain Supporters Fall Hook, Line, and Sinker

Macrini, rarely one to miss an opportunity to take a poke at his audience or guests, is a reasoned moderator who artfully elicits reactions from both. Once, when then Senator and Presidential front-runner George Allen responded to a Macrini question containing criticism of the federal deficit by commenting that it was too early in the morning to discuss that matter, Macrini responded, "Well, maybe it's too early in the morning for you to be President." On another occasion he claimed without challenge that the Treaty of Hildago included a requirement for bilingual education in the territories ceded by Mexico. And, yesterday the unintended consequence of his Obama observations was an apparently overwhelming irrational response from the Republican base.

During the past few days, there have been numerous Obama ads during Macrini's Morning Show on WNIS; many more Obama ads than McCain ads. Macrini, an early critic of the Iraq War, constitutionalist, and pragmatic libertarian, often finds himself at odds with those who fancy themselves "true" conservatives. Add this to the chiding of McCain by Macrini over the last few weeks and that was enough for the Republican base to convict the station of outright endorsement of Obama. Not having access to listeners' FAXs and E-mail, but listening to some of the later phone calls, one can surmise that they were overwhelmingly angered by their unreasonable interpretation of bias.

Macrini found himself taking time mid-way through yesterday's program to explain that the FCC requires all commercial radio stations to sell ads to any political candidate who wants to purchase time and that those ad rates have to be the lowest available. Trying to disabuse the audience members of the notion that political ads were editorial decisions of the station, it was clear that they weren't willing to listen; phone calls continued later during the show in the same vein. He went further to explain, again tongue-in-cheek, that if the listeners didn't think there were enough McCain ads being aired, they could tune in to the station during the afternoons and listen to what constitutes a six hour McCain commercial in the form of the Limbaugh and Hannity programs.

Then, during the afternoon, the station played the equivalent of public service announcements explaining the same points; this, likely in an attempt to disperse any pitchfork toting crowd gathered outside the station.  McCain supporters might remember, when you lose your sense of humor, you lose. By the way, George Allen never again took the risk of appearing on Macrini's show.

Comments