The Tom Tait for Mayor Facebook page posted this yesterday:
It’s a link to Brian Calle, the editorial page director of the OC Register, on Fox News 11 taking issue with an independent expenditure against Mayor Tom Tait that landed in mail boxes last week:
Specifically, Calle, a strong supporter of the mayor, objected to being quoted in the mailer. His co-host, Tony McEwing, raises the topic a single mailer from one municipal election in the enormous LA media market (doubtlessly at the prior request of Calle)
McEwing: We want to talk to you, Brian, about a campaign mailer that has come out recently that actually relates to comments you made on this show.
Calle: Yeah, you know, I was really disappointed to see it happen. I’ve been in politics and in media for a long time, Tony. The former mayor of Anaheim, Curt Pringle, runs a PAC in that city, he’s a lobbyist in that city, and he’s been campaigning against the current mayor, Tom Tait, who we had on the show a couple weeks ago. And he took my words out of context to put on a mailer, and put the name of this show, put the name of the Orange County Register and my name, and basically used these disparaging words that were not true and accurate, against Tom Tait, and I just found it to be absolutely despicable. And it really calls into question some of the things that are going on in Anaheim, and I thought we should address it, and correct it.
This is an intriguing correction, as Calle never said what he said that had been taken out of context, or how it had been taken out of context, leaving viewers to wonder “What is he talking about?” [The Tait for Mayor FB page actually misquotes Calle when it posted that Called claimed he was misquoted.]
This is how the mailer quoted Calle:
It accurately identifies who Calle is and when/where he made the statement, so his objection to mentioning those pertinent facts is a little puzzling.
This is what Calle said on September 5 during an interview with mayoral candidate Lorri Galloway, as well as what he said it in response to:
Galloway: “The riots of 2012 are a chilling reminder of neighborhoods that are still besieged by issues of crime and gangs and graffiti…”
Calle (interrupting her): “But wasn’t the current mayor an advocate for the people who were rioting and their issues?”
How was Calle’s statement taken out of context? None of the meaning was lost. Calle said the mayor was “an advocate for the people who were rioting and their issues.” He said what he said, and it wound up in a mailer.
It would be one thing if Calle went on Fox News 11 and said, “Listen, during our interview with Lorri Galloway, I chose my words poorly and said something I didn’t mean. Here is what I was trying to say.” But he didn’t. Instead, Calle used the TV time to cast the mayor as a victim of “lobbyists” and attack the credibility of Tait critics and opponents – without ever addressing how his comments were allegedly “taken out of context” and leaving viewers no more informed about what he supposedly meant to say.
Scroll down a little on his FB page and you can see him posing with his BFF F.Moreno. Hollow claim that he hasn’t endorsed this liberal democrat. In fact, such claims are about as genuine as the forced pics of him in an Angels ballcap.
Calle should look in the mirror if he wants to criticize someone. I watched the interview with Galloway and couldn’t believe my ears when he said Tait spoke for the rioters! That was stupid thing for him to say. True, but politically stupid. It’s lame to blame Tait opponents for using the gift quote Calle gave them.
Call should have been transparent with Fox viewers and disclosed that he is good friends with Tom Tait and strong supporter of his.
It’s very obvious he coordinated this stunt with the Tait campaign. Calle’s partisanship for Tait compromises the integrity of the OC Register endorsement process when it comes to the Anaheim elections.
Why is this man blaming our former mayor for his mistake? Really makes me question his integrity as an editor and spokesperson. He seems very young and incapable of the role he plays at the paper. Someone should advise him to own his mistakes. I for one still appreciate Mayor Pringle and do not like to hear him disparaged.
I notice in the picture captured with this post that Brian Calle liked the mayor’s post, in addition to his paid campaign consultant John Lewis, that the Register now uses as a legitimate source in their news stories on Anaheim. Brian Calle should go on record admitting he is an official member of the Tait campaign and the Register should be listed as an official contributor. Calle’s actions are what was despicable in all of this. Just when you didn’t think the Register could sink any lower…let’s hope they find new ownership or just go away. I’m back to the LA Times.