An Hour in a Different World

I've arrived very early for a taping of WRNI's Political Roundtable with Ian Donnis and Scott MacKay that will air tomorrow at 5:40 a.m. and 7:40 a.m. on 102.7FM and 1290AM (and then appear online). On the way into Providence, I drove past Lincoln Chafee walking toward the office building next to Hemenway's. The ACLU's Stephen Brown was in one of the interview rooms when I arrived. On top of a table of assorted literature in the waiting area — the only political publication in the pile — is a copy of The Nation., to which the radio station apparently subscribes.

It's a little discomfiting to think that a friendly smile won't serve me very well on the radio. But the good news is that I found a parking spot with a missing meter. (That doesn't mean I'm sure to be towed, does it?)

ADDENDUM & CORRECTION

Sheesh, a ten minute segment is by no stretch adequate to address multiple issues in a room of four strongly opinioned people. Just as a turgid writer type like me begins to formulate a coherent response to one panelist, another introduces a related, but distinct question, and the mind veritably explodes in the effort to respond to everything in a sentence. Which raises the old question: to talking point or not to talking point? But it was fun.

Incidentally, one of the WRNI folks from the office side came into the studio after the recording to correct me on one point: The Nation just sends issues to WRNI; the station does not subscribe in the sense of paying money or of having requested issues.