10 Questions with ... Bill Press

NAME:Bill Press TITLE:Host, "The Bill Press Show" STATION:Syndicated and XM Satellite Radio, plus over 30 local stations, including KTLK 1150, Los Angeles MARKET:Syndicated COMPANY:Jones Radio Networks BORN:Wilmington, Delaware RAISED:Delaware City, Delaware

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

Started TV career, political commentary, at KABC-TV in Los Angeles, 1980.
Started talk radio at KABC, 790 AM in L.A. Hosted "The Dueling Bills" with Bill Pearl.
Moved to KCOP-TV in 1990, political commentary.
Moved to KFI, 640 AM, in 1990. "Bill Press, True American."
Co-host, CNN's "Crossfire" - 1996-2003.
Co-host, CNN's "Spin Room" - 2000-2001
Co-host, MSNBC's "Buchanan and Press" - 2003-2005
Co-host, WMAL's "Morning Show" - 2003-2005
Host, "The Bill Press Show" - starting July 2005
Author, three books: "Spin This!" - 2001, "Bush Must Go!" - 2004, "How the Republicans Stole Religion"-2006

1. You've been a commentator, a talk host, and Chairman of the California Democratic Party. You also studied for the priesthood. When you were starting your career, what were you planning to do- What was your ambition? What, when you were becoming an adult, did you think you'd be doing by now?

I started out as a high school teacher, but soon got hooked on politics. At first, I wanted to run for office and become state legislator, member of Congress, U.S. Senator, or, what the hell, president. I even ran for office once, in California, but lost. That's when I decided it was more fun to talk about politics on radio and television than it was to be a politician myself. In my wildest dreams, I never thought I'd be hosting a national radio or television show.

2. About what are you most passionate these days?

I'm most passionate about the injustice I see in America today. We're bogged down in an unjust, unnecessary, immoral war. There's a bigger and bigger gap between the rich and the poor, with the middle class disappearing. In this richest country on earth, 45 million Americans have no health insurance at all. Our schools are overcrowded and in disrepair. We are despoiling the planet, producing more greenhouse gases than any other country by far, yet refuse to do anything about it. These urgent problems are all crying out for attention.

3. You've gone back and forth between television and radio- what do you like best about hosting a radio show (as opposed to TV)?

For most of my broadcasting career, I've had a radio show and a TV show at the same time. And I'm often asked: "Which do you prefer, television or radio?" My answer: Except for the salary difference, radio! What I love about radio is its immediacy and its intimacy, its direct and instantaneous connection to the listener. Compared to radio, I find television cold and distant. There's nothing like putting an opinion out there - and watching the phones light up!

4. Here's the obligatory way-too-early prediction question: who do you see winning the White House in 2008 (and we won't hold you to this one)? Why?

The way George W. Bush is leading the Republican party off a cliff, I think Democrats could run Mickey Mouse in 2008 and win the White House. Short of Mickey Mouse, I think the next President of the United States will be Hillary Rodham Clinton. The only question is: Will she appoint Bill as Secretary of State, or will he have to settle with just being "First Man?"

5. As someone who's hosted with several co-hosts with differing political views (Tucker Carlson, Pat Buchanan), you're the ideal person to consider this: the consensus over the past few years has been that America's become irreperably polarized between left and right. Do you think that this polarization will continue, or can you see the discourse ever returning to some measure of civility? Will it take another unifying national theme or incident, whether an attack or, say, unified opposition to the war?

The political polarization today is frightening. I remember the day when Republicans and Democrats could disagree on issues, but still get along. No more. I think it started with partisan bomb-throwers like Newt Gingrich and and Ronald Reagan used to tear each other apart during the day, then sit down and knock back a few drinks after hours. That's the way it should be.

6. Who are your heroes?

I don't have too many heroes, because too many have let me down. My dead heroes are John F. Kennedy and Eugene McCarthy. My living heroes are Russ Feingold and Jack Murtha.

7. You've talked a lot about the art of spin- you wrote a book on it, you hosted a show on it, so you're the expert. What's the single best spin job- in any field, politics or otherwise- you've ever seen? And which public figure's the worst at controlling spin?

My favorite example of spin is Scottie Pippen, former guard for the Chicago Bulls. One night, when the great Michael Jordan was still on the team, Pippen scored only 2 points, compared to Jordan's 67 points. His teammates razzed him in the locker room, wanting to know how he could ever live down the fact that Jordan put 67 points on the board and he only managed to add 2 points. Said Pippen: "I'll never forget the night Michael Jordan and I, together, scored 69 points for the Chicago Bulls!"

The worst practitioner of spin today, without doubt, is President Bush. When he tries to spin the war in Iraq as part of the war on terror, and somehow related to September 11, nobody believes him anymore. It's so patently untrue.

8. What do you do for fun?

I'm a lousy golfer, but I love the game and try to play 18 holes once a week, weather permitting. Of course, my golf game is pure spin!

9. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without _____________.

...2-3 Diet Cokes and my cell phone.

10. What's the best advice you've ever gotten? The worst?

The best advice I ever got was from my adviser in graduate theological school, who said I should forget about trying to get a doctorate in theology - and, instead, accept a job offer to become Chief of Staff to California State Senator Peter Behr in Sacramento. That put me on the political highway, and I've been happily stuck there, in one form or another, ever since. The worst advice? Auditioning for a job as TV news anchor. As much as I wanted to go for the big bucks, I soon realized it was no fun reading the news, if I couldn't give my own opinion.