SOMETIMES we try too hard when the auxver(s) might be staring us in our face. Consider Guam’s popular talk-show host Ray Gibson and Guam’s Democratic Party chair Tony Charfauros, leader of the Populist movement if you will.
Ray Gibson tries his best every day to put on a good show for his listeners even if at times he talks to try a little too hard when he feels he has to “compete” with the likes of a Travis Coffman, his colleague and afternoon king of radio waves?
People listen to Gibson because he eases everyone into the morning mood (no raving or ranting) while getting important tid-bits out and news clipping that affect us all (like no trash pickup in two weeks). But still he would be #2 when it comes to Patti Arroyo, the 3rd member of this “sect” as she has made it quite clear who she likes more as a colleague—Travis Lee Coffman. (Just listen to Fridays 10-12 and compare it with when Travis was off-island.) For Gibson to become more popular,” when there is such thing in Patti’s eyes, Mr. Popular at K-57 is Coffman as far as she goes, it would be better to “stick to script,” so to speak.
Similarly, Tony Charfauros calls in to keep in touch with the news events (plus he is a retire) but he does not do so to “score points” for Democrats even if it might seem so since he wears a partisan hat. Every question Tony asks, Ray Gibson and presumably the listeners think that, I believe, Mr. Charfauros is trying to bring down the Camacho administration (when it will fall by itself like the U.S.S.R. did) when he has no such “malicious bone” in his body.
Tony is not worried, unlike Ray, about being popular or liked. He is more worried about the state of the island like most of us are. (The phone-bankers and “hate ads” only appear later in ’08.) But it is difficult for Tony to articulate his position like the Dems do.
Maybe it is tome for Tony Charfauros and be like a Ray Gibson: Worry about people’s perceptions and judgments and tailor his questions and comments as such because the DPC is a partisan position like the RPC position. And we all know EXACTLY where Phil Flores stands on many issues when we don’t know for sure if Dems are fiscal conservatives tax-raisers, big government lovers, small government advocates, etc. Otherwise, Dems will always be second best like Ray is to Travis when it comes to Patti or the voters.

MATT PHILLIPS
Mangilao, Guam