Bill Good Blows a Gasket Over His Slobbering Affection for Gordon Campbell
In the ongoing saga of how far Bill Good can bury the once most valuable radio slot in Canada (thanks to Rafe), I was told over the weekend of the Vanilla Man’s on air faux pas.
After yet another, booooooring interview with his pal the Premier earlier in the week, on Friday, he was called to the mat by a caller that suggested he was soft on the Premier.
Bill’s response: “…well, that’s bullshit”
Now, imagine if I had used such profanity on air. Good himself would have been calling for my execution. But in his own mild-mannered defense, he basically walked over the mistake like it was nothing.
But it was something. Good knows damned well that the poorly attended Board of Trade roast for him (that I attended, since we were colleagues at CTV at the time) was the coming out party for him and the Preem. Extraordinarily, there was the Premier, front row, waiting to roast his pal Bill. Campbell even brought along his own model picket fence, suggesting of course, that Good was often riding one. It was a groaner, but illustrative of how both men operate–and the closeness of the relationship was obvious. Joking or not, Campbell must have been, and continues to be, appreciative of Bill’s obscenely easy softballs every time Campbell appeared or appears on his show.
An exception may have happened last week, though, as Bill actually asked ONE hard question of a man whose political career is in a dizzying tailspin. In an exchange about the HST, Bill asked him about it’s alleged revenue neutrality, to which Campbell fumbled something obsequious and moved on. Of course, no follow-up from the bumbler in Rafe’s old chair.
But never mind what’s happening now. It’s almost too late to ask the tough questions, since Campbell, I predict, will be gone very soon. Perhaps even as soon as this summer. But where was Bill Good during the last ten years???
Not one of the following was asked by Mr. Vanilla:
1) Premier, how is it that you allowed the sale of BC Rail when you said you wouldn’t? And does it not seem offside to you that two of your closest friends and political allies were intimately involved in the purchase? Mr. Kinsella is an advisor to you and your party and he vetted the deal, while Mr. McLean is your most storied bagman and the company he runs is the purchaser. Sir, does this not at least appear problematic to you?
2) Mr. Campbell, in the infamous Vancouver press conference after your arrest in Maui for drunk driving, you were asked by the CBC’s Terry Milewski if you were alone that night in your car, while driving in the opposite direction of your lodgings. Though, Sir, some sources familiar with your arrest, from Maui, have suggested that you were not alone at all. In fact, Sir, they are suggesting, and it has been written, that you were in the company of a woman who was also heavily intoxicated. You told Mr. Milewski, as firmly as I’ve ever heard you answer a question, that you were alone, but off-the-record police sources have claimed otherwise. Which is it? Did you lie to the people of B.C.? Follow-up: if so, who was the woman you were with, why did you lie about her existence and what else have you lied about?
3) You claim that the Carbon Tax is good for B.C.’s environment. But not one penny goes into a specific green initiative. In fact, you have friends and former and current party supporters involved in what is referred to as ‘Rape of River’ independent power projects. Your govt is also supportive of pipeline extensions through ecologically endangered areas and you permit lumber companies to log right down to the edge of sensitive streams. How can you say you care about the environment?
4) Sir, much has been whispered about your personal life. Gordon Wilson lost his political career for a moderate infraction of falling in love with a colleague, whom he is still married to. But the strong whisper campaign about you grows by the day. Have the ever been involved with a staffer or member of Cabinet? It’s important, Sir, because the taxpayers should know if these women are there for their qualifications, or because they are personally connected to you.
5) Whatever happened to John Les, Premier? About a month or two after he challenged you openly in Cabinet about the green file you seem to be on both sides of, he was under investigation in a probe that has mysteriously taken years to navigate. You haven’t once mentioned how much you wish the Attorney-General’s office would move quicker to determine if Mr. Les can return to Cabinet, but when it came to Kash Heed, you publicly opined that it would be optimal for an investigation to move quickly so that if Mr. Heed were exonerated, he could return to Cabinet. Why the two standards, Sir? What is it about Mr. Heed that you wanted so badly back in Cabinet that Mr. Les was lacking?
And these are all FAIR game. Not one came from Bill Good’s mouth, not one. And nothing even remotely close.
Come to think of it, it’s probably apropos of his track record of not having the journalistic integrity (and respect for his listeners) to ask the tough questions, that Bill used the word “bullshit” on air last week.
It’s precisely what a rapidly growing number of listeners going off to WX1130 are thinking–when tuning him out.
Pat Burns and Jack Webster must be turning over in their graves. Talk radio remains DEAD in this town.
Very good Alex, calling a spade a spade, also with Bill Good and Christy Clark, many intense callers who have rocked their world have been banned from calling in.
The once giant cknw has but 2 class acts left..John Macolm..And Phillip Till, sometimes Sean Leslie although lately he has been marching, left, right, left, right…
Oh..Simi Sara plays it clean.
Cheers-Eyes Wide Open
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Thx Grant. Despite the inexorable lies about my former ownership of Britannia Beach you’ve allowed on your blog, I’ll allow this comment to go through, not because it’s complimentary, but because THIS is the Grant G that makes sense. And…you’re being civil, which I appreciate. Think of how much more effective your messaging is when you do not attack WITHOUT NECESSITY. I very much appreciate you coming by LIKE THIS. Cheers indeed.
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Have to agree with you on this Alex – the Campbell comments that is. I have no time for Bill good but that is a personal dislike of mine.
Gordon Campbell’s shennaningans are a different matter.
Here we have a premier who is exactly what parent doesn’t want in a child:-
dishonest, deceiving, arrogant, loud mouthed (sorry can’t think of a better term – vocal is too polite), bullying attitude and doesn’t listen to advice. Add the extra little bit required for a premier and you really do have a “can of wriggling worms”
You have it right it in that Campbell may not see the end of the year in office – I sure hope so. The BC Rail Corruption trial has barely started and yet revelations coming out paint a pretty miserable picture for the premier. And, these are the qualities that got Campbell an invite to the Blinderberg Meetings this year ?? Wow, how things have gone downhill eh ! I would very surprised to see Campbell get another invite once all the REAL INFORMATION GETS OUT – not the PAB stuff.
Keep up the good work – very much appreciated.
Thanks
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Thx Sir! Appreciate you stopping by.
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Maybe question #4 should be asked; well, definitely, I suppose, for the reasons you stated. But I’m not sure #2 is any of my business.
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It is and Mr. Campbell made it your business. I don’t care where Mr. Campbell finds his entertainment, but I want to know if I’m paying for it. It’s fair ball.
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Chasing someone around the water cooler is one thing, but wasn’t the Maui trip his private holiday? Please don’t think I’m excusing such sleazy behavior in any way, but I still think I’ll let Mrs. Campbell handle question #2. But the others: what a list! Would have made good radio, Bill…
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You’ve missed the point. This isn’t about where he was or what happens in the office, on the desk, floor or hanging from a velcro swing. IF he has someone on staff or in Cabinet that is there based on intensely personal qualifications then we need to know that. In this specific case, if he was with someone–man, woman or self-replicating alien (and after several martinis, I can confirm, such creatures exist!) then why the lie? If he covered it up, it’s news because that’s a pretty major lie–we’re not talking a fib or a little white one. If someone else was there, why lie about it? Remember that Milewski asked him if he was alone AND NOT as has been erroneously reported on other blogs about Basi-Virk and dedicated to electing the NDP–there was no question by Terry or anyone else asking about a specific person or woman. He simply asked if he, the Premier, was accompanied by anyone else–and the Premier’s response was clear, unequivocal and sharp to the point, “No, I was alone”. I contend that’s not true and that I know he was in the company of a woman–as confirmed for me by someone extremely familiar with the arrest. So, the point here isn’t about where the Premier is entertaining his nether regions. It’s about if he lied to a senior reporter asking a specific question that might cause him embarrassment. There have been other issues, bigger than his drunk driving arrest–like the sale of BC Rail. He was asked, for example, by three different reporters in Victoria about political issues emanating from pre-trial machinations leading up to the commencement of the trial, and he replied, again, emphatically, unequivocally, that he knew nothing about any of those issues. Is that true? Should we not care? It’s your tax dollar on the line Al, old boy, just as much as it’s mine…
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Campbell is accused of driving with an intoxicated women in the car the night he was caught in Hawaii?? What!!?? That better not be true – I defended him with many influential friends based on the genuine looking remorse that came out of him at the time.
If there was a woman in the car AND he did not tell the truth about it – then he has been a pathological liar from before then….
Just thinking about that is incredibly infuriating!
I still would like him to stay on long enough that he can be re-called in November. I don’t want Campbell doing ANYTHING that makes it look like he is in control of his destiny. I will personally take time off my busy schedule to volunteer as a canvasser for that vote.
His legacy will be worse than Brian Mulroneys.
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Let’s be clear. I spoke to someone in Hawaii who is intimately familiar with the arrest and this particular person swears up and down that there was “a female passenger”
As for Mulroney, he is a choir boy compared to Campbell.
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“many intense callers who have rocked their world have been banned from calling in.”
Yes and they’re not awfully polite about it either.
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Well, look at the way I was treated by Bill and subsequently by his dimbell producer Craig Sorokin. And then, most disappointingly by his other producer Rebecca Scott, who is hardly dim, but has a very overinflated opinion of herself. She could have picked up the phone after my first column on what happened and asked what she could do, but didn’t. CKNW is one rich man’s cheque writing expedition from a bottomless pit of nothingness–if someone with about $5,000,000, no more, kicking about started a new station, NW ratings would be cut in half by the following reporting period, Bill Good would be fired and Christy would be forced to lose the shmaltz and get down to some excellent investigative stuff like what she did on the Vancouver Board of Education donnybrook with the province–she schooled Patti Bacchus.
They just lost Dan from their newsroom to 1130 and they’ll be more defections, but they still have McComb, Nafiza, Janet and Brent–there are still some VERY good reporters there. But Gord MacDonald winning an award for commentary?! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!. It’s hysterical.
And they’ll replace Dan with some kid from BCIT, still wet behind the ears. They are dialing it in because there is no competition. But thx to people like Stu Ferguson and others over at the old Buzz (what a STUPID name) 1410, who sank the station with moronic themes and stunted players like Leary etc, NW execs can rest their Guccis comfortably at night without a care for real, provocative talk radio. It’s a real shame. With no competition they can continue the circlejerk. They’ve got a good property in Christy, but she’s busy during major issues talking to her pal the sex therapist. It’s ABSURD radio.
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You do yourself a disservice: This is a snoozer of a title for this entry. How about making the title as provocative/hard-hitting as the questions, with Campbell’s name highlighted.
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Your wish is my command, my dear. Many thx for the suggestion…I thought about it and against my better judgement stuck with this…I should have known better than to think ANYTHING on the Preem at this point, wouldn’t get extra attention. I’m making the change now. Thank you so much for your suggestions. Always appreciated.
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Let me be perfectly clear AGT….
You have a flare with words and you`re like a pit bull in pursuit of a poodle when it comes to chasing down scandals and stories.
I admire those qualities, you take no guff, and yes indeed those questions and more should have been asked by Bill Good of the premier years ago.
However, I find you personally rude, your beliefs and mine are oil n water, they don`t mix well.
I appreciate good writing, one day I will achieve that, for now Alex, we will have to agree to disagree on most subjects.
Stay vigilant.
Cheers
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Um…how bout a pit bull in pursuit of another pit bull?
Have you ever seen some of the politicians I prey upon? LOL!
Fair enough, Grant. Nice to have a civil conversation. Many blessings to you and yours. Must be getting warmer up there by now. It’s still miserably inconsistent down here. Take care.
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Alan, I generally agree with you, and I too defended the Premier when the DUI occurred, feeling it was more of a crime of stupidity that could have been tragic; but it was a hint of irresponsibility to deny the presence of someone in the car, and not merely chivalry on his part in not wanting to embarrass her (we have no idea if it was a case of infidelity). I know of few people who have never driven while under the influence at one time or another. However, when politicians make moral errors, it affects us all. When Svend Robinson stole the ring, it was a moral failure and he had to step down ( he was never charged) because someone who would steal in a situation such as this, would just as likely steal from the people. A man who would cheat on his wife, is cheating on his children also, and would just as likely cheat on the people, which the Premier appears to have done.
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I agree with you Larry, in general terms, but for me it’s more than a morality play. I’m hardly the moral exemplar to be bandying about ethical judgements. But this speaks to the Premier’s ability (or lack thereof) to tell the people the truth. THAT’S what most important to me. IF he breaks some sort of religious covenant, it means little. I’ve known dozens of politicians who got very lonely on cold winter nights away from wifey…and they were, for the most part, decent guys who didn’t lie to the public. Cheating is a lonely business. I’ve been there and it’s a losing proposition. As for Svend, now THAT was an entirely different matter. He disgraced folks with bipolar disorder everywhere by suggesting that’s what made him steal. Absurd! I know a few folks with bipolar disorder and they wouldn’t even dream of it. But Robinson got away with it because ‘Stinky Feather’ or whatever name they gave him, is a linguine left coaster, that most media members identify with. If he was a Tory they’d have demanded a jail sentence and advocated for the return of the death penalty by firing squad. LOL!
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True, when traveling pols are on the road it sure gets lonely! What a bunch of wimps these married guys are, can’t go a night alone in bed. Imagine now, if you can, how lonely it gets for sweet wifey all alone. Are we willing to condone her little indiscretions? Yeah right! But you are right, anything but the truth is a lie, and a lie is the worst way to treat anyone. As for Svend, he didn’t steal for any other reason that that he is a thief, it is what thieves do; they steal!
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Agreed!
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“Anything but the truth is a lie” just about says it all , eh! Cheers, gentlemen!
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I wonder if Bill Good and his two pals are still taking gigs for their Cutting Cheese from the Ledge roadshow that Plutonic and the IPP crowd was sponsoring a while back.
Maybe you could do a column about pundits and conflicts of interest and ask the boys to explain which of the organizations they report upon, including the Province of BC, have been paying shiny honorariums and other fancy named fees and expenses.
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Plutonic were sponsoring the Cutting Edge of the Ledge segment? When?! I’d be all over that like a wet blanket!
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BC Chamber of Commerce 56th Annual General Meeting and Conference, Fairmont Chateau Whistler, May 2008:
“Plutonic Power Corporation Delegates Luncheon, featuring the Cutting Edge of the Ledge Panel, Live and In Person. The panelists include Bill Good of the Bill Good Show, Keith Baldrey of Global BC, and Vaughn Palmer of the Vancouver Sun. That’s one not to be missed!
To receive a copy of the Program at a Glance by email, please contact Alexis Hoy.”
ahoy@bcchamber.org”
Taken from a Google cache copy of a page from the BC Chamber website that is no longer available.
See also:
http://www.plutonic.ca/s/Media.asp?ReportID=297960&_Title=Cutting-Edge-of-the-Ledge-Vaughn-Palmer-and-Keith-Baldrey-join-Bill-Good
http://greeneconomyconference.ca/bio_3.html
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Unbelievable. I’ve never seen this before. I’m on it. Thx for this!
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Great article Alex id love to see the preem answer those questions along with a few more but i have a feeling they wont let you have him in a studio alone anytime soon too damn bad :}
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Don’t hold your breath on that one!
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Bill Good Blows a Gasket Over His Slobbering Affection for Gordon Campbell
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Slobbering, interesting description , for e.g. getting slobbered while one is driving can lead to a temporary lack of vehicle control, particularly if one is somewhat tipsy.
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It’s not lost on me, or I gather my readers, that you go by a pseudonym; the name of a man who, if we are to believe the French police, had exactly that problem…
Rather eery, no?
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Eh bien oui
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Oui, vivre les bon mots!
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Hi Alex, Another excellent column, I only have one complain, when I just try a quick check of your latest inserts, I find myself involved far longer than planned, thanks not only to your writing, but those of most commentators and interesting links.
Re: the initial banning request (right reasons, wrong solution) I think your attitude is the right one, let your readers evaluate, even complete nonsense and ban only illegal or quasi-illegal stuff, it is the best way (your reply helps) to expose their foolishness.
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And that’s the way it is. Chris Keam is a guy who is part of a very radical agenda and his job is to spike posts on the internet with the drivel his lobby needs to get out there. It’s not effective here because I happily send him along after a little truth serum. But think of the damage he does elsewhere with his lies and spin. It’s astounding. IF he comes around too often, I do in fact limit him, because he has all day long to play his game, while the rest of us are working. Additionally, I’ve been told by those close to Vision Vancouver that he is VERY much one of them and I’m working on that information as we speak. It might not be worth a column but we’ll see. Thx Pedro!
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Ah yes, graft, politics and the media! It would appear that ex-Media Baron, Conrad Black may be getting out with only 1/3rd of his sentence of 6 years served.
Apparently his lawyers have persuaded the courts in the States to re-assess one of the laws Black was charged under. When the news hit Canada, Global News had Peter C. Newman comment on this new development. Newman, who made a lot of cash commenting obsessively on the wealth of the Canadian establishment, was full of snide remarks and vitriol over Black’s good fortune in the matter. One might sense a certain bias here, seeing as he seems to begrudge mainly Christian entrepreneurs who run afoul of the law. Now Black was accused of playing fast and loose with $1/2 billion of investor’s money, which was pretty much the same amount that Garth Drabinski and his cohort Myron Gottlieb were accused of stealing from others through their entertainment company, Livent. Nor, as far as I know, has he extemporized on the business practices of Bernie Madoff, another member of the tribe, although in this case, of American citizenship. In the interview, Peter is seen wearing the same silly sailor hat he has affected these many years; or possibly he bought a gross of them at wholesale prices.
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Peter Newman is a complete fool. Always has been. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Connie Black is the only business titan to go to jail for making his investors and partners BILLIONS of dollars. Unlike Lay, Ebbers, Gottlieb, etc., Black delivered billions. If I were blessed enough to sit on the Board of Hollinger, I would have asked him if he’d like to double down on his take since he had left the company in exceptional shape. It was Radler the weasel that caved it all in. And, sadly, Black should have just paid back $8M and let the whole thing go. What he did might be unsavory, but he in that world, at that level, he HURT NO ONE, except himself. He doesn’t belong in jail. He got stuck in a bad legal climate. Would I have done the same, no, of course not, but his circumstances were exceptional. He should have just paid what they originally asked for and still walked away with a king’s ransom.
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Just P.S. to the above. In all fairness, I gleaned the above from Theresa Tedesco, and it should be noted that the National post and many of their regular columnists have been relatively supportive of Black in his troubled times.
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They should be. He write a terrific column for them and created the best paper in the country with the most talented writers.
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