Is It Howie, Or His Duplicate Body?
by Brian Maloney, January 4th, 2008 at 12:45am
Ever since he has returned from his self- imposed radio exile, I’ve been wondering if we’re hearing the real Howie Carr, or if the body-snatchers got him and this is his duplicate.
Case in point: his savage attack on Romney this morning, using harsh words even the former governor’s Globie foes weren’t willing to utilize. Take a look, starting with Carr’s new column, excerpted here:
Romney ego trips and falls flat in Iowa
Friday, January 4, 2008 -
For Mitt Romney, it may be one and done. Last night he looked like an overrated second seed out of the Big Ten who gets upset in the first round by Campbell College.
As for Hillary, as my listener Ron from Norwood put it, she’ll be the one taking hostages at her headquarters in New Hampshire today.
Mitt not only got his teeth knocked out by Mike Huckabee, but the Huckster and his new plug, ugly Ed Rollins, mussed up his hair pretty good, too. Unless something happens this weekend - and debates have not been Mitt’s strong suit this year - he could be going down in the record books as the John Connolly, the Phil Gramm, the Steve Forbes of the 2008 race.
The guy who blew millions on an ego trip off a political cliff.
See you in New Hampshire, Mitt said last night. Yeah, at Lake Winnipesaukee, on Fourth of July weekend. Is it safe to say, Mitt, that Huckabee brainwashed the GOP voters of Iowa?
Maybe Mitt should have run for re-election as governor after all.
Instead, he had a press availability scheduled in New Hampshire this morning at 2 a.m. That must have been some wakeup call, not to mention a wake. Mitt can spin it all he likes that the Huckster had a natural base in Iowa, but that’s what money is supposed to overcome. That’s why they call it the mother’s milk of politics.
It must grate on Mitt that already the McCainiac rumpswabs of the press corps are promoting the Republican fight as McCain-Huckabee. But the fact is, Mitt’s been fading in New Hampshire faster than he did in Iowa. Like sharks, the voters smell blood in the water.
And from the Globies:
DES MOINES — Mitt Romney congratulated Mike Huckabee for winning the Iowa caucuses tonight, but noted that he is projected to finish second and that Huckabee is not polling as high in New Hampshire, which holds its primary on Tuesday.
“This is obviously a bit like a baseball game, first inning in a — well, it’s a 50-inning ball game,” Romney said on Fox News. I’m going to keep on battling all the way and anticipate I’ll get the nomination when it’s all said and done.”
Romney’s supporters were glum tonight as the reality of a defeat sunk in.
At Romney’s post-caucus rally at the Des Moines Sheraton, supporters were somber, looking on grimly as the results scrolled across TV screens.
“Take that check off there,” exclaimed Al Doan, a volunteer, when he saw a local television station indicate Huckabee’s victory with a check mark by his name. “There’s no bigger blunder in politics than Mike Huckabee.”
Darrell Aldrich, 65, a retired Wells Fargo executive, said the results was “very disappointing. This country needs a leader and Huckabee is not the type of leader we need. I’m a Christian, but I think there are too many people for Huckabee who got wrapped up in the Christian part for this.”
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37 Comments
1. Rocky | January 4th, 2008 at 1:27 am
Go back to March,2000 and read Howie’s pessimism after Bush won in South Carolina. Howie was backing McCain at that point and was convinced that Gore would beat Bush with ease. So when it comes to national politics,Howie isn’t exactly a vatic figure.
Unfortunately,I think Howie is in the right in this case…now if only his radio show had half the passion of his writing. It used to,but now it’s rare.
2. joy | January 4th, 2008 at 7:19 am
p’shaw. Huckabee and his Gomer Pyle acolytes have had their moment in the goober sun. mitt romney corporate titan ceo george clooney handsome central casting presidential candidate will win it all, esp now that nh has more ma transplants and fewer trailer trash goobers
and howie does seem back brian you are right
hail!
3. Lisa | January 4th, 2008 at 8:08 am
I’m a little surprised at the level of weight and credence everyone in the media is putting on Iowa. I’m also disappointed that so few people who in my view do not represent the true wisdom of crowds are making important decisions for all of us.
I’ve just about had it with this ‘which state gets to weigh in first’ business. Living here in Mass. this is not the first election where I feel my voice will never really be heard.
Not as if I can change it, but I truly wish that all primaries would be on the same day. Then and only then do we all get a voice. Now by the time it gets to us, good people will have dropped out because a bunch of evangelicals fell in love with the new sermon on the mount.
As for Howie, I am particularly surprised he’s throwing in the towel so soon. If he really supports Mitt, he should be trying to marginalize the foolishness in Iowa, not validate it.
4. Anti-Braude | January 4th, 2008 at 9:13 am
“The guy who blew millions on an ego trip off of a political cliff”
The fat-guy on a greed trip who took his career off of a credibility cliff.
5. tangoman | January 4th, 2008 at 10:59 am
Excellent post, Brian
perfect comments, Lisa and Anti Braude!
Joy, if that is the “real” you—you need to climb out of that beanie babie foxhole!
I too, am tired of the media bashing of Romney and any other republican it thinks cannot win.
Look at what they are doing to their “flavour of the month”–Obama—-they practically have his arse in the white house!
Gawd help us all if he, or Satan (aka thunder thighs) wins
And I’ve stopped listening to Howie–he has no credibility left anymore with me—he is just J&J’s sock puppet. If he stopped bashing Healey long enough, she just may have been the Governor, instead of the useless hack Mass. has now. (I got tired of waiting for tax relief–I moved, and made my own tax relief!)
I would like to see a Romney/Guiliani ticket—McCain is just too damned old, and him and Huckabee–are too soft on Illegal Aliens.
(did I just say that??)
My new years resolution, was to be PC no longer!
And for you Liberals (aka “progressives”)–if you get your wish for a democrat in office—-be prepared for another 911—-thats just what the terrorists want—-maybe its time for us sane people to leave the country, like your pal Fat boy Baldwin said he would do, and never did,LOL
6. bjd | January 4th, 2008 at 11:09 am
Romney sounds more and more like BJ Clinton. McCain has that little Amnesty thing he’s got to fix. Paul is OK UNTIL you get to forgien policy. (I have to inform the Paul People that it is NOT the USA’s fault that Islamists want to kill us.) Rudi wants to take your guns, along with some other stuff. What has Fred done? Remember the last guy Hope AK gave us?
Howies show is at the Merrimack in Manchester today. Duncan Hunter is supposed to be there. Should be worth a listen.
7. LooseLips | January 4th, 2008 at 11:16 am
After reading Howie’s column excerpt, my only
conclusion is that he is spot on. Another con-
clusion is it takes a phony to recognize one.
8. BigBish | January 4th, 2008 at 11:53 am
Since the post was about the Howie you see now, I’ll stick to that and keep away form political commentary.
There are 2 Howies as far as I am concerned- The sharp, cogent one that writes for the Herald and the dull blade that panders to WRKO.
He’s got a rep to win back, and much like his backstabbing of Christy Mihos, who you remember when he was on the Pike and rabble rousing was as close to Howie as Barbara Anderson was (and when’s the last time you heard her on the show)? Last time I heard her voice was on E&B) he does it at the expense of others in print. And even those columns seem little more than recycled gangster & hack stories.
On radio- forget it. He’s mailing it in. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - There is no live & local. I haven’t heard Carr’s trademark acid tongue on any local issues in MONTHS- The fireman Therese Murray bumped from 622 to # 1 through patronage? Nothing. Anything Cadillac Deval does? Nothing. Tommy Taxes and his pension? Nothing. Big Dig is done? Nothing.
I have to admit; I have found myself changing the station from RKO on my drive home more & more often. He’s just not as sharp as he used to be
9. dave | January 4th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
I wish Howie would back Mitt a little stronger, he does on the radio show, but this column bashed him. And do you notice how the Herald savages Mitt, front cover yesterday, soft on crime.
Did anyone hear the caller yesterday that welcomed Howie back, and asked him if he was happy, after a 3 second pause, howie says ” no comment”. Boy, he is bitter at J&J and his attorneys.
10. bjd | January 4th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Bish,
My post was about Howie and todays show. When posting about a political article, it’s difficult to avoid touching on some stuff political.
Yes, on the radio, Howie IS calling it in and I agree with you that the once mighty Pitt Bull of Beacon Hill has been turned into a neutered pug on a VERY short leash. He DOES need to get his credibility back. I too find myself flipping on my drive home.
This morning felon was poking the neutered pug some. To gain some credibility, he should call him on it.
11. Diane | January 4th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
The Felon called Carr a “gas bag” this morning. I think I’ll go with “wind bag” since his opinions change with the wind. Tangoman, I agree with all your points. BigBish, I’m not tuned to HC much anymore either and I’ve been a listener since Jerry Williams.
12. Rocky | January 4th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
Howie’s “no comment” speaks volumes. I’ve almost completely given up on him,the show gets slighter all the time. Even his arch enemy,the desiccated,elderly cowboy shows more spark than HC.
13. anti-phylis | January 4th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
I have been listening to HC for a long time (okay, truth be told, I am over 50). I have never enjoyed him more I must say. Not as hard-hitting, perhaps, but massively funny and oh-so-cute. Is there anything wrong with a older, plus-sized gal having a rich fantasy life?
14. Chris | January 4th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
In the same way that the TV and radio media love to turn even a squirrel getting hit by a car into ‘BREAKING NEWS!!!’, there is a rush to declare this whole thing over after a bunch of corn farmers had their say. This is what Howie is doing: ‘declaring’ the results when we haven’t even gotten into the real meaningful (read: industrialized, populous) states. It’s too early to count any of the top two or three candidates ‘out of it’ or the ‘declared winner.’ But that’s not stopping Howie from creating his own tea leaves to read.
15. The Mad Dem | January 4th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
That’s not Howie! Look at the photo - the guy in the photo is like 40 years old! STOP USING THE HIGH SCHOOL PHOTO HOWIE!
16. Josh | January 4th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
If there are two Howies, then maybe there are two “tommy tune outs”. If so, then the one with the talent got hidden somewhere…
Maybe that’s too harsh, it’s the management that put him in there. They share the blame if he s**ks.
This is why I quit the business
What do you guys think of Reese?
17. Al Bowlly | January 4th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
I love, respect, and have enormous gratitude for the contributions Howie Carr has made to MA society over the years. He is an Ishmael, a John The Baptist in the squalid wilderness that is our state.
I haven’t given up on him by any means.
I’m a big office streamer and I have to admit I’ve been going to Hannity on WABC more frequently than to Howie since he’s been back. And I’ve always considerd Hannity kind of dull.
Also, this attack on Mitt is really dissapointing. Why is his bitterness towards his malpracticing attorneys and scummy bosses being aimed at Mr. Romney?
18. Wilvus | January 4th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
I have not listened to Howie much since his return because I started to listen to music again and I just can’t take his attitude anymore. I always knew that he was a self centered egotist, playing the everyman, while pocketing big bucks and living large with multiple homes in 3 or 4 states. But he was sort of amusing and I fell into a routine. Same with the Herald, I bought it to read his column, but no more. The guy has worn out his bit with this listener/reader. I can’t take the sniping snarky tone anymore. Never a positive thing to say, and rewrites/retreads of the some ole thing, again and again. Boring. Mumbles, death pool, veterinarian, fried clams, tv shows over and over again. Yuck. His columns have always been like a second tier Hunter S. Thompson. “Like sharks, the voters smell blood in the water” could have been written in 1970 by HST and seemed fresh. Gonzo prose is not like fine wine, it doesn’t get better with age.
19. tttc | January 4th, 2008 at 10:09 pm
Hey empress.
Your Daddy says naughty naughty.
Ooops.
Nope.
Thats what he forgot to say.
No real friends.
Nobody cares.
Daddy spoiled you.
Thats the problem sweetkins.
It’s not that hard.
He wasn’t thinking of you.
He just spoiled you to indulge himself.
Otherwise he would have done the hard work,
of actually raising you instead of entertaining himself with your antics.
Get it?
quite sad actually.
Nobody cares.
sad sad little lonely girl.
cant find a friend
joy was her only friend
who told her the truth.
and now she’s gone.
poor pitiful empress.
20. AW | January 4th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
I’m not giving up on Howie either…and who’s to say he’s not just waiting for a shakeup in management at that place?
As they say, “time wounds all heels.”
21. Tony Jankowski | January 5th, 2008 at 12:47 am
Howie badmouths Ron Paul on a daily basis, and then turns around and spouts Ron Paul’s message. Kinda idiotic. . .since Dr. Paul is our best chance for more personal freedom and less intrusive government.
22. Rocky | January 5th, 2008 at 1:04 am
Tony,you hit the ball out of the park. Howie’s dismissive treatment of Ron Paul just illustrates that Howie is a double talker. HC,Severin..almost ALL of these talk show hosts claim to be “conservative”,but they’re not. The ridicule of Dr. Paul and his supporters proves it. But REGISTERED DEMOCRAT Howie isn’t a conservative at all. He and Finneran are closer than they realize..
23. Lisa | January 5th, 2008 at 7:37 am
Did anyone else catch Howie’s live from somewhere in Manchester yesterday? It was pretty pitiful (although I think it was funny at times.) Mitt dissed him as well he should despite Sandy’s protestations to the contrary. I came ‘this close’ to switching to Severin where perhaps some serious talk was underway. Howie had the Colonel and his cop buddy stopping by and it was more like a frat party than a journalistic endeavor. One or two callers tried to call him on it but got nowhere.
He is certainly phoning it in.
24. Rocky | January 5th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Lisa, Howie’s NH show was horrible. The Colonel’s interruptions and non-sequiturs were painful. Bay Buchanan should have walked out,every time she spoke,the decepit war pig would make some stupid remark. I guess the Colonel is the new “Giles”..a dottering,crotchety fool. I gave up around 4:30,it wasn’t getting better.
25. NHradiofan | January 5th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
Rocky,
I agree that Howie’s friday show from Manchester, NH was not one of his best. It was fun to hear “Officer Mark” who got off some of the best one-liners but the Colonel (who I generally enjoy) could not keep from talking over whoever had the floor.
This constant “talk-over” gave the broadcast a muddy feel. It was difficult to listen to and often seemed to devolve into nothing more than inside jokes. The producer should have done his job and alerted Howie to how this sounded so he could have made some changes or corrections during a break. No one could get a complete sentence out before the Colonel jumped in with a smart-assed remark.
Like I said, I like the Colonel and his viewpoints, but it quickly grew tiresome. Just because it is called a “Talk Show” does not mean YOU have to do all of the talking yourself. Perhaps Monday and Tuesday’s shows from Manchester will show some semblance of what we generally enjoy about Howie Carr.
Or, maybe Howie really is mailing it in, like so many posters here seem to believe and, therefore, he doesn’t really give a damn what it sounds like. Could be.
26. sams | January 5th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
“he doesn’t really give a damn what it sounds like”.
yup
“he doesn’t really give a damn what it sounds like”.
most definately
“he doesn’t really give a damn what it sounds like”.
you got that? wow.
“he doesn’t really give a damn what it sounds like”.
pay check for nada honey.
“he doesn’t really give a damn what it sounds like”.
oh yeah.
27. Rocky | January 5th, 2008 at 5:33 pm
NH,
Count me among the “Howie is in mailing it in” opinion. And letting that live broadcast descend into “Big Show” territory yesterday was another example. That was the Colonel’s worst performance,he sounded half in the bag. I expected yesterday to be one of HC’s best outings since he returned,but that didn’t happen.
He’s fortunate that Severin wasn’t much better yesterday. It wasn’t chaotic like HC,but it was deadly dull.
The Big Show had AWFUL Clemens/Roids talk ,Felger had sub-par playoff talk,because those partisan,mouthbreathing mongoloids from “Patriot Weekly” were on.
Severin won by default…
28. selma | January 5th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
what are you talking about rocky?
Severin was smokin yesterday. Best he has ever been!!!
What is your deal?
You got some weird agenda man.
29. Ratings Watcher | January 5th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
descend into “Big Show” territory
Last time I checked The Big Show is the gold standard in PM Drive. Howie should be so lucky as to ASCEND to that level.
30. seventytimesseven | January 5th, 2008 at 10:05 pm
hey tangoman!!
joy is dead i tell you.
a f**king pin oak fell on the babe.
the helmet didn’t save her.
empress came and kissed the coffin
I f’n cried for a week seeing the empress skirt tucked up in her panties cryin over her only friend joys coffin, her daddy was right next to her but ahhh now, he was busy fixen somebody else’s skirt if you know what i mean.
it was the most f’n touching scene.
and tango pffft! you kidding me. Romney be kicken it! don’t you worry. we ain’t a gunna put no Muslim in the white house and we ain’t a gunna put no billary in there neither. However like ‘ol wise one once said: it is possible we may be the Theocracy of the United States come 2008. won’t that be sweeeeet. me gettin me saddle and sword ready now!!!!!!!!!
31. Rocky | January 5th, 2008 at 11:26 pm
Selma?!(nice name..) Severin was doing his Romney Rumpswabbery…hoorible. He’s a “libertine libertarian”..but is FIRMLY OPPOSED to Ron Paul. Yeah,makes perfect sense. Severino is a fake.
Rating$ Watcher…Glenn Ordway and the Big Show get big ratings because they APPEAL TO MORONS-creating fake controversies and the co-hosts are sycophantic stooges. Idiots. So yeah,like reality tv,rap and other mass consumption trash,it does well among the moron masses. ANYTHING ON WEEI in the drivetime slot is going to get ratings. The Big Show Sucks.
32. wrapitup | January 6th, 2008 at 1:05 am
“You” appeal to morons. yes you Rocky.
and……you……play……..those ……fools
cruel you are. ouch!
33. rebel in massachusett | January 6th, 2008 at 9:15 am
HC is the new submitt. the show with the Col. Hunt was just an awful waste. how about a reality check on Ronmey record and less mocking the others because he’s so upMittsButt.
But that’s “Submitt”. word from the legal types in boston, his lawfirm’s[MintzLevin] billing was well over $500K—for that charade. what a mess.
34. Rocky | January 6th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
“wrapitup” cadence and grammar awfully redolent of fellow hater of capitalization..”joy”. Hello..you psycho.
35. JazzOrganist | January 6th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Thank you, Rocky, for pointing out Severin’s self-contradiction.
36. trailerparktrincket | January 6th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
rocky
don’t give it all to joy ok?
I want some of that.
(isn’t joy dead?)
I hear taps.
Just you and me rocky!
37. schnuckuponu! | January 6th, 2008 at 5:42 pm
“Thank you, Rocky, for pointing out Severin’s self-contradiction.”
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!
Loveee! Gilligan? anyone?