The Power of Talk Radio

I started reading Michael Smerconish and Maureen Faulkner's book, Murdered by Mumia, last night. We actually went to a local book signing for him and it was packed. Smerconish is certainly a master of public relations, a title he bestows upon himself in the Introduction. He acknowledges that it was too difficult for Maureen to write the story about her husband's murder by herself. Once he knew all the facts of the case, and how the media had distorted these facts, he volunteered to help tell her story. He knew it would sell, based on his previous track record--his last book, Muzzled, was a New York Times bestseller.

And how right he was--at least from what I have seen on a local level. Although I am not a devotee of his daily radio show where he has talked about this case for years and promoted this book for months, it certainly generates sales. Many people in line last night had already been to another Smerconish book-related event and were there to continue to lend their support to this project. It seems as if you either love Michael Smerconish or don't care for him. And if you love him, you do whatever he says.

I'm not that far along but I can tell you that he makes a convincing argument. The facts of the case are all in the book, including excerpts from the trial transcripts which Smerconish actually had posted on the web with the help of some of his listeners. It's easy to see why he was attracted to this story and why he felt compelled to get involved. Maureen Faulkner, an incredibly strong,principled woman was up against the world and was losing the battle. Smerconish is an equally principled person and when he stood up for decency and truth in the form of Maureen Faulkner he was also standing up for himself.

No wonder the guy is a public relations guru--how can you argue with truth and by extension how can you argue with him when he comes to represent truth?

Now, here's the $64 million question: how can I get him behind the Barbaro story? Because if he feels a story is worth telling, this guy never gives up.