The Show Goes On

I caught my friend Tico Perez on his Orlando WDBO-AM 560 radio show "Talkin' with Tico" this afternoon as I was trying to find the Dolphins-Seahawks game. I generally avoid listening to Tico's show because I don't want what he says to impact my regard for him, as I'm sure it would given his lurch to the right (and to the wrong side of history) . But nothing much seemed to be happening with the game at the time (though that changed in the fourth quarter), so I decided to listen in on what Tico had to say.

And right off the bat, Tico alluded to the idea that, as a result of the election of Barack Obama and the further solidifying of the Democratic congressional majority, he may end up being taken off the radio by the reinstatement of the "Fairness Doctrine."

Aside from the fact that Tico is just bloviating and stirring up his audience, I wasn't aware that Barack Obama, or anyone during this campaign cycle, had made an issue of the Fairness Doctrine. And as it turns out, Barack Obama actually opposes a reintroduction of the Fairness Doctrine.

“Senator Obama does not support re-imposing the Fairness Doctrine on broadcasters,” said [Obama] press secretary Michael Ortiz in an e-mail to B&C late Wednesday.

“He considers this debate to be a distraction from the conversation we should be having about opening up the airwaves and modern communications to as many diverse viewpoints as possible,” said Ortiz.

So why does Tico - who is a smart guy who should know better and have more respect for his listeners - make that comment? Apparently Tico is reading too many of the dishonest right-wing blogs. Kevin Drum has more. Matt, too.