COMMENTARY

Editor’s Note: In an email response sent to Inside Vero yesterday evening, WTTB’s morning show host, Bob Soos, wrote, “…you’re so full of  (#@*!) I’m surprised you can stand up.” Soos emphatically denied any knowledge of why his program from last Tuesday morning is missing from radio station’s website. Soos, Charlie Wilson’s Tuesday morning sidekick, vowed to correct the omission this morning. According to Soos’ email response, his multiple on-air use of the phrase “*!#@ off” last Tuesday appears not to have been a source concern for Soos or the station’s management.

MILT THOMAS

Why is the January 21 edition of a morning talk show no longer missing?

Apparently, my column about the missing January 21 edition of the Bob Soos Morning Show resulted in a response, that itself had to be edited for language. So, this column can now be based on what was actually said in the “Baloney” segment of his show.

The show began with Soos saying he was thinking of calling last week’s (Baloney) segment, “Let’s $%*&- off Mark Schumann,” but this week he will call it, “Let’s annoy Mark Schumann.”

The self-proclaimed “Professor of Political Baloney,” Charlie Wilson then talked about his latest venture, a new chamber of commerce, saying he was rushing to put together a presentation at tonight’s (January 21) Vero Beach City Council meeting because of all the “…misinformation that’s been put out there by some irresponsible people that claim to be reporters.” (see previous Inside Vero story on that presentation, “Charlie Wilson, ever the snake oil salesman” from January 22)

While referring to our “baseless speculation” about his new chamber, much of what Wilson then said in his presentation to the City Council confirmed what we had previously reported. In his Bob Soos segment he said if the City of Sebastian can have a chamber, how can Vero Beach having a chamber be a bad thing. Of course, it is the Sebastian River Area Chamber of Commerce, which includes Northern Indian River County and Southern Brevard. Vero Beach has had a chamber for more than 100 years, called the Indian River Chamber of Commerce, changing its name from Vero Beach Chamber because it is also authorized to represent the county for tourism and economic development. Sorry Charlie, having a second Vero Beach Chamber of Commerce IS a bad thing.

Wilson mentioned a number of other claims, such as listing ten things his chamber can do but the official Indian River Chamber cannot do (that evening, his presentation did not include any function not already being done by the Indian River Chamber). He also said he would tell us who was a member of the new chamber (two so far, Mark Mucher and Dan Stump) and about his funding (so far, he has only mentioned membership dues).

On the Soos show, Wilson mentioned a number of statements attributed to Inside Vero that he considered false, but many of those statements were not from Inside Vero.

When WTTB station manager, Jim Davis, was asked by Inside Vero why he allowed Wilson to continually make unsubstantiated statements that only support his personal agenda, Davis claims no control over Bob Soos, who is an independent contractor.

As to Wilson, he is not a government official or community leader, and his 11 minutes on Bob Soos  (almost 13 minutes on the January 21 show)  serves to parrot Wilson’s criticisms of city and county officials and institutions to serve his personal interests. For instance, Wilson has been a vocal critic of impact fees, while at the same time running a company that attempts to secure impact fee refunds to companies and collect a handsome fee for himself. He has also been critical of the school board, while acting as paid consultant and board director for Imagine Charter Schools. He has been especially critical of the Indian River County Chamber of Commerce, then announced on the January 21 show details of his own chamber of commerce.

Most of his criticism these days, however, is directed against Inside Vero. To repeat a saying used often by Wilson, if you can’t attack the accusation, attack the accuser.