EDITORIAL
FROM OUR PRINTED DEC. 2022 EDITION
Howie Carr: Faker or Failure?
Anyone ever take the time to ring up the political scorecard of the former Boston-based, political talk-show animal, Howard Lawrence Carr?
Don’t take things wrong. Carr is a great entertainer. He’s written some great books and the guy is loved by many. But politics? Ah, he talks a lot, but what are the results? While Carr might wax poetic about candidates such as Anthony Amore (the only Republican Liberal Lame-Duck Trump-Hating Mass. Gov. Charlie Baker endorsed), a Democrat took the win. Amore (and Carr) lost. Strike one.
He spoke volumes of support for Sheriff Tom Hodgson, but a Democrat took the win. Hodgson (and Carr) lost. Strike two.
He endorsed and gave the big Howie Carr wet kiss to – what was his name? Oh yes, political wannabe Chris Doughty who burned $2.6 million in pursuit of the governor’s seat (and a nice chunk to Carr for radio ads as well as $7,500 for Carr to put out some personal text messages). Doughty lost the primary race despite Carr’s nearly continuous radio-a-thon praise, as well as Carr’s strange screeds against his former friend, Geoff Diehl. Doughty (and Carr) lost the primary. Strike three.
Carr has been in print and on air for decades. He says he’s a big supporter of Republicans and fights hard against Democrats. But former listeners who felt betrayed this cycle keep asking us: Is it an act, or is he really trying?
Carr graciously, every two years, reserves the last hour of his election-eve show to give Republican candidates one minute to call in and make their pitch. Between Carr speaking, infommercials and such, perhaps a dozen get a chance to speak. Cue the (sarcastic) applause track. The Carr Network is on the air five days/week, seven hours/day, and to quote some of the talk jock’s favorite words “a paltry” 30-40 minutes every two years is the best they seem to offer to supposedly help move the political needle? To quote the radio master: “pa-leezze.”
Carr apparently makes a great living attacking and destroying others. And, if one measures up the amount of time he spends creeping into Geoff Diehl’s and MassGOP Chair Jim Lyon’s lives, and bashing the two, and going easy on Democrats in comparison, one wonders: Is Carr just an act? Is it all about the “mulla” and the “cha-ching, cha-ching”? Carr doesn’t give a rat’s (you know what) about moving the needle in Mass. politics or, if he does, he’s not scoring too well.
In contrast, his predecessor on talk radio, Jerry Williams, not only fought the good fight, but turned the needle a few times, even going as far as running his own successful ballot petition to repeal the seat belt law (but the legislators later overturned the citizens’ votes).
Jerry was a legend. Now, with all the Diehl bashing, RINO-loving election cycle actions from Carr and company, we wonder what his legacy will be. Cue the infomercials? ♦
Sad to see Howie going out this way. I too listened to him on the radio and read his columns religiously. Love a couple of his books on the Bulgers and the Mob. But to see him end his days going after Diehl and Lyons the way he is doing is really pathetic. And for what? Had to be about money, advertising money for his show, which he wholly owns. As I said, sad.
Totally agree. Follow the money to greedy carr. BTW. Mr. Carr never served in the military..