A Taste of Radio Hedgecock

On defeated U.S. Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork :

“The reason his nomination will not be successful is that he refuses to be a slavish sycophant to the kind of wrong-headed liberal thinking . . . that some would like to see on the court.”

On proposals to increase the minimum wage :

“The stupidest thing you could do would be to raise the minimum wage. This is Ted Kennedy’s favorite hobby horse, (and) this is certainly the most haggard of his nostrums. It’s wrong economically; it’s wrong socially.”

In response to pro-Sandinista comments from a teacher recently returned from Nicaragua :

“Give me a break! You’re not going to take over my show with your Communist propaganda!”

Agreeing with a caller who says children watch too much television and adults should limit viewing:

“I hope other parents fail to heed your advice, because then my kids will just zoom past the flood . . . who sit in front of a TV for hours every day.”

To a caller who complained that the smell from a skunk beneath his house was causing his wife and infant to vomit, and that animal-control officers would not help:

“They’re throwing up and you’re still in the house? Get the hell out of there, take your family to a motel and then go back and get rid of (the skunk) yourself, and stop asking me and the government to solve your problems!”

The following exchange occurred during a debate on Hedgecock’s show between two San Diego City Council candidates, lawyer Michael Aguirre and college history professor Bob Filner. Listeners, however, could have been forgiven for concluding that the debate was actually between Hedgecock and Aguirre, who helped win a $40-million settlement for investors defrauded by J. David (Jerry) Dominelli, who pleaded guilty to charges of illegally financing Hedgecock’s 1983 mayoral campaign. Filner charged that Aguirre had broken a campaign promise and this exchange followed:

Hedgecock: See what your problem is? You will not answer the question . . . . You want to equivocate. You want to use all your lawyer’s tricks.

Aguirre: I’m not equivocating. But the people of San Diego should know that Roger Hedgecock is closely aligned with the same corrupt elements that . . . .

Hedgecock: So your answer is to attack me. Let’s go ahead and attack me now. Go ahead and attack anyone who would ask you a question you can’t answer.

Aguirre: Roger, don’t lose your cool. Don’t lose your cool . . . . Roger, you stand on your show every day, and you can’t take it. You get on this show and you attack me.

Hedgecock: Because you won’t answer the question.

Aguirre: Roger, I answered your question . . . . You should be a host and you should stay out of it . . . . Do you deny that you have attacked me on your show in the last two weeks and mentioned my name in a derogatory way and said it would be the worst thing for San Diego if I get elected? Do you deny that? Yes or no, sir.

Hedgecock: Mr. Aguirre, based on your performance today, I’m likely to continue!

Footnote: In the election, Aguirre lost to Filner, 54%-46%.