I called WROW this morning and talked to Paul Vandenburgh. He's a conservative, doesn't like me the way most people don't like lawyers (thinks I'm too smart for my own good I think - you know - one of those liberals that lets the reality based world interfere with good ole conservative common sense), but he almost always puts me on the air.
Well this morning he was talking about, what else? - Hillary Clinton and the latest smear book that's about to come out. He used that to segue into NYS politics and start hammering local republicans for not bashing Hillary. He said, "Sometimes, folks, in the world of politics, silence is a real strong message. It says more than words. And you have no republican leaders challenging Hillary on anything!"
At that, I called:
Me: Hi Paul, how are ya?
Paul: Good, Mike... whassup?
Me: Well, Paul, I think you said a mouthful when you said silence can speak volumes. I've heard you talk A LOT on your show about Hillary with all the undertones about corruption and bad ethics... But I still haven't heard you address Tom Delay's problems. You know, at a time when America is exporting jobs, he took a $70,000 trip to South Korea - paid for by lobbyists... there is something wrong with that, don't you think?
Paul: Mike, Mike, Mike... yeah.. but... the problem is, if you are going to go after him, there are a lot of other people...
Me: But Paul - he's the House Majority Leader... you hear that? he's the LEADER. He's setting the example.
Paul: Yeah, but as far as I've been able to tell, he's done nothing wrong.
Me: $70,000 Paul - paid for by lobbyists. For a trip - a vacation - for him and his wife. How do you spend $70,000 on a trip? You know, you are giving away a trip this month to a 5 star hotel in Vegas. How much is that trip worth? 2-3 thousand dollars, tops? How do you spend $70,000 on a vacation Paul? The normal American just doesn't live that way.
Paul: But Mike, there's nothing illegal there.
Me: Paul, it's not illegal for me to cheat on my wife. But it's wrong. That's what Delay did - he cheated on the American people. He's sworn to promote American interests, and at a time we are shipping jobs to South Korea, he's selling us out by taking expensive trips over there... trips paid for by their lobbyists. It's like being caught in the hotel room with your mistress - you won't gop to jail, but you've betrayed a trust.
Paul: Well, I say if he's done something wrong, gte him out. Anyone that's broken the rules should not just step down from their leadership position, they should be kicked out.
Me: So you agree with me, and Santorum and Shays - that Delay should answer the questions and step down?
Paul: Yes!! I do. If he's done something wrong, get him out!
Me: Well, thanks for letting me talk about it...
Paul: Sure thing...
Then the calls started coming. For the next 15 minutes people called in to defend Delay... it's all good by me - I took him off his Hillary topic and got his wing nut following to talk about a scummy guy that almost no New Yorkers respect. Even better? The radio station reaches a significant part of John Sweeney's district. He's the Republican from Clifton Park that's been involved in all sorts of behind the scenes republican shenanigans - including organizing the 2000 mob that stood outside the vote counting room in Florida raising hell. I love making troupble for him.
