COMMENTARY
“It may be true that there is a fool born every day, but Wilson is going to have to find 100 of them by March 31, if he is to achieve his membership goal.”
MARK SCHUMANN
This morning on Bob Soos’ Morning Magazine radio show Charlie Wilson began by saying, “I don’t particularly like controversy.”
Hardly anyone who knows Wilson could believe that statement to be true. Compounding irony with irony, the Professor of Political Baloney then quoting Edward R. Morrow. “In order to be believed, we have to be credible, and in order to be credible we have to tell the truth.”
Murrow’s famous quote rolling off Wilson’s lips was ironic, indeed. Wilson and Soos then spent the next 12 minutes and 46 seconds serving up Wilson’s distorted version of the truth about the partnership between the Indian River County Commission and the Indian River River County Chamber of Commerce. Among his many outrageously inaccurate claims was the assertion that the Chamber denied the City of Vero Beach’s request to use tourist tax revenue to repair storm damaged dunes. It was just one of a number of patently false statements made this morning on Soos’ program.
When asked how his new chamber of commerce will fund its efforts, Wilson claimed to have three sources of revenue, but named only one – membership dues. Wilson claimed his new chamber can bring worldwide attention to Vero Beach on “discounted” dues from the 100 members he hopes to recruit by the end of March. It may be true that there is a fool born every day, but Wilson is going to have to find 100 of them by March 31, if he is to achieve his membership goal.
Wilson inaccurately claimed his proposed dues, $195 to $325, are half those of the Indian River County Chamber of Commerce. In truth, the average Chamber member pays annual dues of $297. After misrepresenting this fact and others of importance, Soos and Wilson, 12 minutes and 17 seconds into the Professor of Political Baloney segment, had the following exchange:
Soos: “Well Charlie, we are out of time. Your 12 minutes are up. Actually, you don’t get 12 minutes, but…
Wilson, laughing: “That’s just one of the inaccuracies.”
Soos: “Seven (as in seven minutes).”
A review of the archived Morning Magazine programs available on the WTTB web site confirms that Wilson is regularly given 11 to 12 minutes each Tuesday morning to misinform the station’s listeners, whereas other regular guests on the show are allotted 5 minutes.
After entertaining Soos’ listeners, who by now must be numb to Wilson’s antics, the Professor of Political Baloney then went before the Indian River County Commission requesting representation for his new chamber on the Enterprise Zone committee, and on the Economic Development Commission and the Tourist Development Commission. The Commissioners advised him to first establish a track record for his new organization.
Editor’s Note: For whatever reason, WTTB station manager Jim Davis, who a number of years ago abruptly ended Wilson’s employment with the station, is content to let Soos and Wilson fill the airwaves each week with “political baloney.”
Anyone who thinks Wilson, Soos and Davis are abusing the public trust placed in WTTB as a licensee of the Federal Communications Commission is free to register their complaint with the FCC. http://www.fcc.gov/complaints
Indian River Guardian 
If someone tunes in on Tuesdays for the exchange between Mr. Soos and Mr. Wilson, it must be because their curiosity gets the best of them. However, I spent 7 years as Traffic Manager at a 50,000 watt, clear-channel radio station a long time ago, and this type of programming would not have been acceptable. In my opinion, it still shouldn’t be.
I think they did a fine job the Indian River Chamber of Commerce is a joke . Ver needs their own for their own interest , Enterprise zones pushed by the IR Chamber are picking winners and losers. .
The county commission is right in not getting involved with Charlie Wilson. The commission is wrong ; he does have a track record and it is not too good.
I’m not sure that I understand the last comment…
Charlie Wilson went before the county commission requesting representation on the Enterprise Zone Committee and the Tourist Development Commission , but was told to create a track record first., according to what was written above. The commission was right in saying get a track record first ; he has a track record in many areas and they are not too good. Let’s start with him being removed from the city council one month after he was elected. The one thing he does have is a very large ego.
Your are right, Frank. Charlie Wilson has a track record, and that is exactly his problem.
Sorry, I meant I didn’t understand twana jones’s comment.
Imsaid that charlie was right , The IRC Chamber stinks , We need another Chamber that isnt a arm of the local government .
Charlie Wilson and controversy are synonymous, Though Bea Gardner in just for fun.