Note to anyone considering guesting on Dale Jackson’s show: don’t go on if you’re going to try to run from tough questions. Dale posted the below article to his website after “interviewing” PSC candidate Kathy Peterson. Sheesh.
By: Dale Jackson
I had completely insane candidate for Public Service Commission President Kathy Peterson on my radio show this morning for an interview. It did not go well at all.
A little background: I thought Dale Peterson’s campaign for Agricultural Commissioner was idiotic. I thought Kathy Peterson’s earlyinternet video with her husband Dale Peterson were idiotic. I thought the campaign she was running up until today was idiotic. And the radio ad she ran on WVNN and other News/Talk stations was the most innuendo-filled piece of crap ever that has ever run on my fine radio station.
Listen to it here….
Embarrassing.
Payoff, ethics commission complaints, no backbone, everyone is mad at Twinkle and office hopping.
Ok, the office hopping part is legit.
The rest… a pile of garbage. But the Peterson’s have learned that being stupid gets you attention.
I called her on this today and needless to say the woman with the solid backbone and gun toting husband (her two largest assets to her campaign, apparently) now pulled her ads from my radio station.
That is what I want, a politician that tries to punish media outlets for asking hard questions… Tell me more about that backbone, Kathy…
Make no mistake, this is an attempt to punish me and my radio station for not giving her a nice interview. All it will do is backfire, she will NOT gain votes this way and her pulling her spots gives more even more ammo to point out how insidious and absurd this woman is.
Let me tell you how this started.
I have been trying to book Kathy Peterson on my show for weeks, she wanted to only come on next Tuesday. No idea why, I let folks come on more than once but I just thought “whatever, she knows I have been critical and doesn’t want to do a phone interview”. What she wanted to do is not come off like she was avoiding me, but only have to do my show once.
Fair enough. I had spoke my mind on her ads before, I stated to my sales manager and on the air that I was “shocked that these ads passed legal muster at corporate”.
Here is where the story gets interesting…
I was contacted by the Kathy Peterson campaign and asked the following.
“BREAKING NEWS:
HERMAN CAIN will be in Huntsville on Friday, March 9th, campaigning for Kathy Peterson (running for President of the Public Service Commission)!! He will be having a HUGE rally at Stanlieo’s Sub Villa at 3:00pm! Kathy and Herman will be mingling with the crowd and speaking and Dale Jackson of WVNN talk show fame will be MC. Nick Banazak from WHNT Channel 19 will also be present at the event! Afterwards (at 4:30), a private fundraiser will be held at the home of Charles and Deborah Orr. For prices and information on the private fundraiser, please contact me. The rally is free of charge, but donations to Kathy Peterson’s campaign are encouraged.”
I thought, “Why, I can’t stand this woman”. The answer is obvious, I am Dale Jackson, they know I am the big dog and they know having me on stage at an event will help them. In the interview you will here Peterson claim that it was so I “could get my little face out there”… Garbage, i get plenty of face time.
I said “yes”, knowing I was laying a trap.
Off the Peterson campaign went, promoting the fact that I would be there with them…
That is when I knew I could get her on and get at the issue of her BS ads… I contacted there folks and told them I would NOT be at any rally until I got a few questions answered. They had no choice to come on and talk to me or they would have an event with a lesser known emcee and critical Dale Jackson.
They agreed to an interview today and it did not go well… Stalling, hedging, lying, fake laughs, horrible condescension and a campaign implosion.
Listen to this mess here…
Let’s fact check some of her crap…
Allegation by Peterson: The Alabama Ethics Commission is investigating Twinkle Cavanaugh.
The Truth: Peterson filed a baseless ethics complaint against her as part of her negative campaign tactics. The Ethics commission recognized the complaint for what it was – a political ploy — and sent the complaint back to Mrs. Peterson explaining they do not investigate elected officials 60 days before Election Day.
Commissioner Cavanaugh led the effort at the Alabama Public Service Commission to bring about ethics reform by proposing and passing a tough ethics package at her first Commission Meeting in November of 2010. She has also stood by her pledge not to take a lunch, dinner, ticket, trip or anything else from any lobbyist or anyone else for that matter.
Allegation by Peterson: Twinkle Cavanaugh was using her office for political gain by sending out certificates.
The Truth: Commissioner Twinkle Cavanaugh sends out certificates to deserving citizens just like countless other officeholders including, the Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, Treasurer and members of the Alabama legislature. Twinkle has sent certificates to pastors that said the opening prayer of commission meetings, teachers of the year, boy scouts and citizens celebrating a 100th birthdays and special Anniversaries. This is an inexpensive way to thank deserving citizens of our state.
Allegation by Peterson: Commissioner Cavanaugh allowed an employee to engage in unethical activity at the PSC.
The Truth: An employee at the PSC was severely disciplined for using a state cell phone for personal use; this wrongdoing occurred BEFORE Commissioner Cavanaugh took office at the PSC.
Commissioner Cavanaugh took swift action against this employee once her situation came to light, and she was dealt the most severe punishment allowable under the precedents at the PSC without risking a lawsuit for wrongful termination – which would have cost taxpayers considerably more money to defend. This employee received a six week suspension WITHOUT PAY, and she had to pay restitution on the phone bill, as well as being placed on probation upon returning to work. In this economy, anyone would consider a six week suspension without pay to be a severe punishment apart from the other conditions she had to meet.
Folks, the facts are facts. Kathy Peterson will do anything to get elected.
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