John Kerry Taser Incident, Talk Radio Response

TALKING TASERS

Will Some Hosts Short-Circuit Their Own Careers?







In the peculiar world of talk radio hosting, most breaking news stories fall from the sky in a way that can be discussed without much heavy lifting.

Occasionally, however, a topic comes along that's a bit more complicated. For lazy hosts not accustomed to thinking through their show prep, this can present career- damaging pitfalls.

After a University of Florida student activist was tasered for apparently asking Senator John Kerry one too many questions, today became one of those tricky days. After reviewing the coverage, including video shot at the event, how would you handle this one?

Would you ask why campus police seemed so intent on tasering this kid, even if he did seem obnoxious? Would you explore why Senator Kerry reacted in such a seemingly disaffected manner? How about looking into the number of deaths caused by the misuse of this weapon?

Or, hosting your own program, might you take the easy way out and simply laugh at 21- year- old Andrew Meyer while playing a clip of his screams?


First, let's take a look at what we know so far, then examine some of the on- air response.

From FOX News:

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A University of Florida student was Tasered and arrested Monday when he attempted to speak at a forum with U.S. Sen. John Kerry during a question and answer session, university officials said.

Andrew Meyer, 21, asked Kerry why he did not contest the 2004 presidential election, which he lost to President Bush, and why there had been no moves to impeach Bush.

"He apparently asked several questions — he went on for quite awhile — then he was asked to stop," university spokesman Steve Orlando said. "He had used his allotted time. His microphone was cut off then he became upset."

While as many as four police officers tried to remove Meyer from the forum, he yelled for help and asked "What did I do?" Minutes after Meyer started speaking, he was Tasered.

Meyer was charged with resisting an officer and disturbing the peace, according to Alachua County jail records. No bond had been set. Meyer was scheduled to appear in court Tuesday morning, a jail official said.

Orlando said university police would conduct an internal investigation on the incident.

"The police department does have a standard procedure for when they use force, including when they use a Taser," Orlando said. "That is what the internal investigation would address — whether the proper procedures were followed, whether the officers acted appropriately."

From Channel 10 in Florida:

Student Zapped With Taser Caught On Tape

Florida Student Who Questioned John Kerry To Be In Court

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- A University of Florida student was Tasered and arrested after trying to ask U.S. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., about the 2004 election and other subjects during a campus forum.

Videos of the incident posted on several Web sites show officers pulling Andrew Meyer, 21, away from the microphone after he asks Kerry about impeaching President George W. Bush and whether he and Bush were both members of the secret society Skull and Bones at Yale University.

"He apparently asked several questions -- he went on for quite awhile -- then he was asked to stop," university spokesman Steve Orlando said. "He had used his allotted time. His microphone was cut off, then he became upset."

From Michelle Malkin:

You know what the lamest part is? Listening to impotent John Kerry’s voice droning apathetically during the entire incident.

***

Update: Speaking of tasers, did you know that immigration officers cannot use them against illegal aliens in federal detention facilities? Yep. Tom Tancredo is challenging the differential treatment. Too bad Meyer didn’t claim he was “undocumented”…

And from Ace Of Spades:

Questioner Arrested, Tasered At Kerry Q&A


"What did I do?" he wants to know. It's a fair question.

Boy, that security team sure was in a wicked hurry to lay hands on someone disrespecting a Democrat, weren't they?

Meanwhile protesters are allowed to menace and charge conservative speakers at will.

In fairness, he seems to have hogged the mic for a while.

The guy carries on like a bitch, and I sure hope he's not one of ours (he seems to be Truther-ish), but still, the alacrity with which campus security jumps to protect a Democrats' dignity is surprising. Couldn't they have just turned off the mic and ignored him?

Don't expect to see this make the news. Only Republicans are complicit in the Ill Winds Chilling Dissent.

And of course, the now- infamous YouTube video clip:






So how have radio talkers handled this so far? Two separate morning hosts in Boston didn't even bother to delve into the issues we've raised above. Instead, in a true sign of lazy, sloppy work, they simply played the clip of Meyer begging not to be tasered and repeatedly laughed at him.

Isn't that easy? Let's get a cheap chuckle out of the guy.

While his behavior was somewhat out- of- hand, it's hard to justify the weapon discharges, isn't it?

And even if you disagree with the Radio Equalizer's position, the point of talk radio is to bring a debate about the day's key issues to the table. From there, it's up to callers to decide whether they agree with the host or not. The lazy talker fails to frame the story or find the right ways to cover it, ruining the topic.


By contrast, Rush Limbaugh looked at the material and found his own angle: after a long career as an anti- government protestor, why did John Kerry look so befuddled by the student's behavior? Didn't he once participate in many similar actions? Why wasn't he more sympathetic or understanding?

Instead, Kerry merely droned on with his boring lecture while Meyers continues to scream. A full day later, the senator from Massachusetts has now condemned the arrest. Why did it take so long to form an opinion?

In addition, FOX News Radio's Judge Andrew Napolitano is incensed with both the police and John Kerry. Johnny Dollar has the clip here.


When issues emerge that are a bit more complicated than usual, the distinction between thoughtful and substandard hosts becomes more clear. Today, a few of these guys may find a taser gun has short-circuited their own career potential.


UPDATE: Meyer has heckled others in the past.


FOR Boston- area talk radio updates, see our other site.


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