Vox Populi: The O'Shaughnessy Files

Cover......Page 1
Contents......Page 10
Foreword......Page 16
Preface......Page 20
Acknowledgments......Page 26
F.O.B. (Friends of Bill)......Page 32
PART I: BROADCASTING, CENSORSHIP, AND THE FIRST AMENDMENT......Page 46
The Silencing of Imus......Page 48
The Undoing of Don Imus......Page 50
Bob Grant on the Imus Controversy......Page 53
Obsequious Acquiescence......Page 56
Free Speech......Page 63
Censorship in Paradise......Page 64
Nancy Pelosi v. James Madison......Page 66
Further Notes on the First Amendment......Page 76
U.S. Court of Appeals Ruling on Decency......Page 82
Remarks Prepared for The Media Institute......Page 83
Rallying the Troops: A Letter to Broadcasting Colleagues......Page 86
One Tall Order: A Memo to Central Casting about the Criteria for Leadership at the NAB......Page 87
The ‘‘F-Bomb’’......Page 92
Remarks at Hofstra University......Page 93
Interview with David Rehr, Ogden Rogers Reid, Governor Mario Cuomo, and Gordon Hastings on Free Speech on the Airwaves......Page 111
Interview with Governor Mario M. Cuomo about Indecency in Broadcasting......Page 123
Interview with Louis Boccardi......Page 130
Interview with Frederic Dicker, State Editor, New York Post......Page 135
Interview with Matt Davies, 2004 Pulitzer Prize–Winning Editorial Cartoonist, Journal News......Page 144
Interview with John Crigler, Washington Communications Attorney......Page 149
Interview with Ralph R. Martinelli......Page 153
Today’s Supreme Court Opinion on Fleeting Expletives......Page 158
The Post Cartoon......Page 159
The New York State Broadcasters Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, Fiftieth-Anniversary Conference......Page 162
Dan Rather Lawsuit......Page 165
The Decline of CBS......Page 167
Missing in Action......Page 169
Whitney Radio No-No’s: Banned from the Airwaves!......Page 172
Bob Grant’s Return!......Page 173
M. Paul Redd Dies Suddenly!......Page 174
Governor Mario M. Cuomo’s Remarks on the Passing of M. Paul Redd......Page 176
The Hell-raiser......Page 177
PART II: ONE ON ONE: INTERVIEWS......Page 180
James Brady: Author-Columnist......Page 182
The Shining City on a Hill’’: America’s Greatest Orator . . . Twenty Years Later......Page 188
A Conversation about Christmas . . . and Life......Page 194
Mario Cuomo, Esq., Talks about Martha Stewart, the Judicial System, and, Always, about Mr. Lincoln......Page 200
Mario M. Cuomo on the Death Penalty, Saddam Hussein, President Bush, Christmas, and Grandchildren......Page 206
Murray Richman, Esq., on Guy Velella......Page 209
Dick Gidron: Legendary Car Dealer Back in Action, Suing General Motors for $150 Million!......Page 212
Barbara Taylor Bradford: ‘‘A Woman of Substance’’......Page 219
Louis Cappelli at the Jacee Lynn Cappelli Diabetes Center of Sound Shore Medical Center......Page 227
Governor Mario M. Cuomo on a Grim Election Day, 2004......Page 230
Meeting Steve Forbes and Governor Mario M. Cuomo for ‘‘Breakfast at ‘21’ ’’......Page 236
Chris Matthews, ‘‘Breakfast at ‘21’ ’’......Page 242
Joseph A. Califano Jr.......Page 254
Composer–Songwriter–Saloon Singer: Murray Grand at Eighty-five......Page 266
Governor Mario M. Cuomo Talks about John Edwards and How to Bring Peace to Iraq......Page 278
Interview with Marian B. Javits on the 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Senator Jacob K. Javits......Page 283
‘‘True Love’’: Ward Quaal Talks about President Reagan......Page 307
State Senator Joe Pisani Talks about Jeanine Pirro, Politics, and His New Life......Page 311
Andy Spano Talks about Westchester Medical Center, Homeless Shelters, His Hair, and His Wife......Page 317
Robert J. Grey Jr., President, American Bar Association......Page 329
John Spicer......Page 347
Milt Hoffman......Page 364
Sy Syms......Page 368
PART III: AT THE PODIUM......Page 376
Dr. Richard Rocco Pisano......Page 378
Remarks on the New Rochelle Police Foundation......Page 381
Frédéric Fekkai at Little Flower Children and Family Services......Page 382
The Robert Merrill Postal Station......Page 385
Andy Albanese: An Icon Properly Restored (with a little help from four governors!)......Page 388
Bruce Snyder at ‘‘21’’......Page 392
Joe Macarillo and the Sun Valley Trio......Page 397
Maestro Sirio: The Ringmaster......Page 400
Sirio: The Brightest Star......Page 405
On the Grill......Page 408
W.O. as Speechwriter......Page 410
Judge Ye Not......Page 412
September Song: With a Little Help from Her ‘‘Friends’’......Page 416
The ‘‘Uber Diva’’......Page 420
Talese the Writer......Page 422
Mount St. Mary College 46th Commencement Ceremony......Page 425
‘‘The Future Is Here . . . Behold the Future!’’......Page 431
Four Seasons Roast: 50th Anniversary......Page 443
Eliot Spitzer, Once and Former Governor......Page 447
Lowey for Congress: Where Once Giants Walked the Land......Page 449
Latimer for Assembly......Page 453
The Last Public Remarks of Ossie Davis......Page 455
Broadcasters Foundation of America Remarks of Barbara Taylor Bradford, Ambassador Ogden Rogers Reid, and Chairman Phil Lombardo......Page 461
Jeanine Pirro at the Dutch Treat Club......Page 468
Mario Cuomo at the Dutch Treat Club, 100th Anniversary......Page 476
Mario Cuomo at the Dutch Treat Club, 104th Anniversary......Page 486
Thoughts in the Summer of 2006......Page 512
Mario Cuomo’s Omega Society Speech: A Meditation on Ultimate Values......Page 528
Lesley Stahl Interviews Governor Mario M. Cuomo for ‘‘Breakfast at ‘21’ ’’......Page 534
Advice for President Obama from President Lincoln via Governor Cuomo......Page 540
Mario Cuomo’s Remarks on the Occasion of Jimmy Breslin’s 70th Birthday......Page 544
‘‘Reason to Believe’’: Life Lessons—Mario M. Cuomo at the 92nd Street Y......Page 547
Interview with Governor Mario M. Cuomo Re: the Supreme Court, Senator Robert Byrd, Larry King, Andrew Cuomo, and the BP Oil Spill, July 2, 2010......Page 554
Sir Laurence Olivier......Page 565
PART IV: 30: WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE......Page 566
For Michael......Page 568
Remarks of Father John O’Brien for Michael Pasquale......Page 573
Larger than Life: Departed Souls Who Speak to Us Still......Page 577
Mr. Mara of the New York Giants......Page 581
‘‘An Irishman Named Wellington Whose Father Was a Bookmaker’’: Eulogy to His Father by John Mara at St. Patrick’s Cathedral......Page 584
Kirby......Page 589
Dr. Stanton of CBS......Page 591
Nancy Q. Keefe: A Remembrance......Page 592
Mama Rose Migliucci: ‘‘The First Lady of Little Italy’’......Page 593
Robert Merrill (1917–2004)......Page 598
Emil Paolucci: ‘‘The Maestro’’......Page 600
A Winter’s Tale of Fathers and Sons......Page 602
Lawrence Bruce Taishoff (1933–2006)......Page 604
Jean Ensign......Page 607
‘‘A Death in the Family’’: Tim Russert......Page 608
Paul J. Curran......Page 613
Edward J. ‘‘Ned’’ Gerrity Jr. (1924–2009)......Page 617
A Daughter’s Last Breath......Page 623
Governor Mario M. Cuomo Eulogizes Bill Modell......Page 625
Jack Newfield......Page 628
Jack Newfield Eulogized......Page 630
Tributes to Tony Malara......Page 632
Tony Malara......Page 639
‘‘Tony’’......Page 643
Governor Mario M. Cuomo on William F. Buckley Jr.......Page 644
Funeral Service for Ossie Davis......Page 646
The Simple Priest......Page 663
Mario Cuomo Speaks of Senator Ted Kennedy......Page 667
John Branca......Page 671
EPILOGUE: MORE RIFFS, RANTS, AND RAVES (SUMMER EDITION)......Page 674
In the Midst of Winter......Page 683
Highlights from the Historic WVOX/Worldwide 50th-Anniversary Broadcast......Page 695
Afterword......Page 731
Supporting Cast......Page 734
Glaring Omissions......Page 736
A......Page 738
B......Page 739
C......Page 742
D......Page 746
F......Page 748
G......Page 750
H......Page 752
J......Page 754
K......Page 755
L......Page 757
M......Page 759
N......Page 763
O......Page 764
P......Page 765
R......Page 767
S......Page 770
T......Page 773
W......Page 775
Z......Page 777
Photographs follow pages......Page 98