June 30, 2004
I got to talk some more this time...
My appearance on last night's Hannity & Colmes (sans Hannity) went pretty well.
Alan Colmes was the lead host; Sean Hannity's out on vacation this week. Oliver North was sitting in for Sean.
For those that know me, you know that the media (both "new" and "old") is in my blood. I've worked in the broadcast realm (mostly in radio) off and on for more than twenty years. And while I insist that I have a "face for radio," I keep stirring the stick around in the embers of television from time to time.
Fox's news studio is in a relatively small office space in the Georgia Public Broadcasting center in Midtown Atlanta, near Georgia Tech. I pulled into the garage and aftering being passed through security, came on into the office.
Jack, the producer who was there for my last FNC appearance a couple of months ago, remembered me, so we ended up chatting while I got miked up and all.
The studio is a tape archive room, with a painted "Fox Atlanta" mural in a frame on one wall. This serves as the backdrop for anyone on camera. The camera is a robotic affair, controlled from FNC in New York. High-powered lights are also controlled from the New York studios.
Once I got situated, there was more small talk, this time with the folks in New York, so they could get a mike check on me.
Then it was time to wait.
At about 20 after or so, I heard Alan intro me and the in-studio guest, Ron Daniels. I still have no idea what he looks like -- the monitors in the studio were turned away from me so that I wouldn't be tempted to look at them and away from the camera.
Back and forth the conversaation went, certainly longer than the last time I was on Hannity & Colmes.
Predictably, co-host Alan Colmes, along with Daniels tried to drag Iraq into the conversation. But unlike last time, I didn't allow myself to have my cage rattled, and I didn't allow them to drag me into the deep waters of somewhere that I was unprepared to go.
"That is immaterial to the conversation at hand," I retorted.
And with that, I brought the conversation back on point: whether or not Kerry truly enjoys support from black America.
My counterpoint? That black America hates George Bush so much that they'd vote for the local dog catcher, just as long as he wasn't George W. Bush. And that John Kerry is simply the dog catcher of the moment.
The point I didn't get to make was that much of black America does not care about John Kerry, let alone know anything of him. If anything, Kerry is the pandering white guy of the moment, passing through black churches and smiling as if that would be anything special. Black America hates George Bush far more than it likes John Kerry. This is underscored by the lack of support Kerry received from blacks during Primary season. Most blacks supported Wesley Clark, Dick Gephardt and Howard "The Scream" Dean.
One thing I could agree with Daniels on is that there is a realistic possibility of many blacks becoming so disgusted with BOTH sides that they may not come out to vote at all.
If the Democratic party has fooled themselves into believing that Kerry enjoys this broad-based support from black America, they're fooling themselves, and ultimately, it'll come back and bite them in the ass. Just not with George W. Bush.
Anyhow, far too quickly, the segment was over. I got some verbal jabs in ("What about personal responsibility?"), but remained at a disadvantage by being in a remote studio in Atlanta as opposed to sitting in place with the other guest and the hosts.
I hope I came across well.
Posted by mhking at June 30, 2004 08:12 AMOooh, goshdurnitall, missed it! If I'd known beforehand . . .
Posted by: Lola at June 30, 2004 08:33 AMYou did great!
I'm also glad that you brought up Maynard Jackson. Back when I lived in Atlanta I admired Mr. Jackson, and truly feel that the Democratic Party officially became the "party of fund-raising" (and no longer a "party of ideas") when the Clintons made McCauliff chairman. I'm sure this was a huge disappointment to Mr. Jackson.
You came across very well. I noted that you were more aggressive this time. Unfortunately, you really have to be against hosts that do that stuff every night. Your opponent was definitely weak. For my first appearance on FOX (I anticipate that it WILL happen), I hope to have weak opposition as practice for the heavy hitters. ;)
Appearances on FOX: a great resume enhancement. You make the Brotherhood proud!
Posted by: La Shawn Barber at June 30, 2004 08:47 AMMichael, I missed the show, but I wish they would fly you into New York and let you fill in for Sean once in a while. I'm sure Alan would love it!;)
It sounds like you did good. Keep it up.
Posted by: Stacey at June 30, 2004 08:53 AMI caught the re-run. Very impressive!
Posted by: Juliette at June 30, 2004 09:59 AMVery nicely done...my wife asked me before the segment if they were going to let you talk this time. You came across as cool under fire and I loved it when you brought the discussion back on topic.
Posted by: King of Fools at June 30, 2004 10:04 AMI was going to catch the rerun and completely forgot amid a tortuous post - blame Ambra. ;-)
I have to ask, but suspect there's a good post somewhere that explains in detail: we know how much black America hates George Bush, but why?
Posted by: Chris at June 30, 2004 10:19 AMI suspect that will end up being the subject of a new P21 article that seems to be trying to work it's way out of my addled brain. Give me a week or so to stew on it (I'm trying to work my way through planning a family reunion for next week while we speak as well).
Posted by: mhking at June 30, 2004 10:21 AMYou did very well, Michael! Sorry Sean wasn't around, but Ollie did a pretty good job. I respect Alan Colmes, but sometimes I want to smack him. :-) Last night was one of those times.
Posted by: Bonnie at June 30, 2004 11:28 AMI thought you did very well and did not let Ron or Allen push you around. It amazes me the that Ron continues to argue that even though the Democratic Party does not support the ideals and beliefs of the majority of mainstream and middle class black america - we should stay subservient to a party that looks to keep us on the welfare line of modern voluntary servitude.
And what was that crack about the 3 C's? How long did it take for him to think that up?
Posted by: Oliver Kellman at June 30, 2004 01:19 PMI'm so mad that I missed it. My website was mad too. It went down this morning as a result.
In true idiot fashion, I watched Fox News at the wrong time (Pacific Standard). Hopefully I'll catch it in re-run. I'm sure you were great. It's a real skill to be able to effectively come against monkeys in a short period of time, staring into a camera on national television.
Posted by: Ambra at June 30, 2004 03:52 PMI had never seen you before (other than here at your site) and thought you did a good job, all things considered. I could see you were frustrated with that little so-and-so Colmes stepping on your time and trying to steer the conversation, but you were exemplary in staying calm and on-topic.
Sadly, though, the whole thing reminded why I generally don't watch such shows. There's no time for any substantive debate; it's just a few quick jabs and then off to commercial and change subjects entirely for the next segment.
I honestly don't know how you have the patience to put up with all of it just for the opportunity to maybe score a sound bite. Good job.
Posted by: Alan S. at June 30, 2004 06:39 PMI just found your website a few days ago, and love it, and so I was eager to watch you last night. Then like a total idiot, I was blogging while you were on. So I checked to see when the rerun would be and it was at 1:00 am. I made some lovely hazelnut coffee and blogged on until 1:00 am. I remembered this time, and watched and was pleased to see that you speak very eloquently and have a nice camera presence; you seemed cool and collected. I wish you could have been actually in the studio because I agree with you that you were at a bit of a disadvantage by being in a separate studio. Maybe next time. Anyway, good job!
Posted by: Kris at June 30, 2004 08:05 PMMichael,
I will put the first $20 in to fly you to New York next time they want you on the show at FOX. I bet we could come up with enough to fly you and get a pretty good room for you to stay in.
R
Posted by: randall22000us at July 1, 2004 09:50 AMMan...again with the TV! Remember the rest of us little folk when you get your own show, my friend!
Nicely done. Doing the blogosphere proud.
Posted by: Jared at July 2, 2004 03:29 PM