Remembering Governor Fordice

If you live here in Mississippi, you’re well aware Kirk Fordice, a former governor and the first GOP gov since Reconstruction, died this week after a battle with leukemia.

After spending years running a construction company in Vicksburg, Fordice took his business smarts in winning the governorship in 1991.

The closest in contact I ever got to the governor was during his re-election bid. On a week I was filling in for Scott Sands at SL-100, somehow, an interview with the then Governor Fordice was scheduled on the first day of Scott’s vacation.

One of the governor’s representatives called the station to make sure everything was set. I, naturally, was perplexed. I had no indication until then an interview with Governor Fordice was part of the plan. So, I took down the guy’s number and called Scott just as he was packing up.

After some phone tag, this interview ended up on the air after all. Scott on one phone line, Governor Fordice on another. Great interview — just wish I had an aircheck.

I recall one of the issues brought up in the interview was the possibility of another Fordice succeeding Kirk Fordice as governor — his then wife, Pat. Call me crazy — but I’d love to see Pat Fordice lead our state in the future.

But, if you’ve lived here within the last five years or so, you know the Fordices went through a messy divorce, Governor Fordice was seen at the Memphis airport with “another woman” and… well… let’s not speak ill of the dead, OK?

 

Sidebar note: Speaking of Scott, I’ve been meaning to do a follow-up entry on this — the most visited page of Doug Morris dot org. I just haven’t had the time.

I’ll briefly note this much on Indianapolis radio:

\Julie and Steve are no longer with WENS. They were fired several months after their much-publicized “move across the street”. Format at WENS changed not long after the firings.

\Over at WZPL, where Scott’s now programming, Julie and Steve’s replacement — Dave Smiley — has been warmly received. Everything I’ve read about him’s been positive. Yes, that’s his real name. “Smiley In The Morning.” Sounds like a kiddie show, doesn’t it?

\However, in the last ratings period, The Indianapolis Star reported ZPL’s fall from 8th to 11th as “a noticeable slip”. I don’t have the break downs (how certain stations did with certain demos and such). All I can say is, “Hmmmmmmmm.”

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