Lighting up the phone lines with a 'we-were-had' lament

[Ruffhowse]

For devotees of conservative talk radio, nirvana looks a lot like the Washington governor's race, especially if Democrat Christine Gregoire hangs on and becomes governor.

Right-wing talk will have juicy conspiratorial material to gargle on for at least two or three years — perhaps as long as Gregoire is governor in a first term, or until Republican Dino Rossi lands his next political job, whichever comes first. Rossi already is mentioned for U.S. Senate and King County executive. He can run for either if he wishes, as long as the governor's race doesn't run on too long.

The Gregoire-Rossi contest will fuel the airwaves in a negative, "we-were-had" way for years. "We were had" is the top theme of such shows because it lights up the phone lines.

You want outrage, or even mildly informed outrage? Turn the dial and get into it.

In a promotional spot for his KVI-AM (570) morning talk show, host Kirby Wilbur talks about election officials and hollers, "This is such a screaming picture of incompetence." Good for getting the blood circulating on a cold Seattle morning.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2002142144_joni06.html

[imenja]

1. well maybe they ought to help reform the electoral system

If they don't like how votes end up being counted. Too bad there weren't more close Democratic upsets. It might have prompted the Republicans to advocate reform. (Okay, I'm probably nuts here. There reform would likely make things worse)