May 31, 2013 07:28 AM UTC

Media Omission: Founder of Black Tea Party group gives State GOP Chair "Almost Human" honors

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• by: Jason Salzman

(Sort of fascinating – promoted by Colorado Pols)

There’s a talk-radio show in Colorado Springs called “Black, White, and Right.”

"Black" because one of the show’s hosts is the African-American founder of Rocky Mountain Black Tea Party, which has the tough job making the conservatism more appealing to African-Americans.

"White" because one of the co-hosts is a white guy, Robert Blaha, who challenged Rep. Doug Lamborn in last year’s congressional primary in Colorado Springs.

"Right" because both of the show’s hosts are righties. (Note that the show was not called, “Black, White, and Correct.”)

Each week, the hosts name someone as “almost human,” kind of like Westword's "Schmuck of the Week" or Colorado Inside Out's "Disgrace of the Week."

This past Saturday on "Black, White, and Right," Blaha's "Almost Human" was a woman in Florida who's under federal indictment after using embezzled money to throw a birthday party for her boss.

But the African-American host, Derrick Wilburn, surprised me by picking "The Republicans" generally, and State Republican Chairman Ryan Call in particular, for “Almost Human” honors.

Wilburn feels unloved by Call, as you’ll see below, but as a connoisseur of conservative talk radio, I have to say that his attack on Call was so authentic and raw that I recommend it to all of you. 

Read it below if you want, but listening here is better.

Blaha: This is dark! This is just dark!!

Wilburn: I’m in a bad mood! I’ve had it up to here. Our state chairman embodies “The Republicans,” whoever that is.

Blaha: OK.

Wilburn: I formed the Rocky Mountain Black Tea Party. It’s been almost two and a half years, and we’ve had monthly, on-the-ground meetings every single month for two and a half years. except once, we got snowed out, this year, March. You know. You come to our meetings. We get 60, 70, 80, 90, 100 people sometimes. We had 600 once.

Ryan Call has never set foot in one of our meetings, ever! [We’ve met] every month for two-and-a-half years in Colorado Springs, every month for a year in Denver. He’s been to one meeting, when he was the invited guest speaker. He knows what I’m trying to do. He’s heard my presentation, as you have, and the plan we’re putting forth to reach out to minorities.

[Call] invites me to come to this meeting with Reince Priebus. Reince Priebus comes to town, and there is a small, unannounced, closed-door meeting.

Blaha: Who, by the way, is the head of the Republican Party for the United States.

Wilburn: He flies in for meeting with about 35 or 40 of us. He has a hard exit. He’s got to leave at 3:30 to catch a flight.

Ryan Call goes around the room, gives the microphone to every white elected official in the state, and lets them go off for as long as they want to. [BigMedia emphasis]

Gives me the microphone at 3:29 and thirty seconds. Thirty seconds left in the meeting, and says 'I’m sorry,' and I get thirty seconds to speak to the man.

I get to speak at the State Central Committee meeting. I get invited to speak. The guy who's trying to reach out to the young people, whom we know we all need. He puts us up there last! And puts the Doug Lamborns of the world up there first!

These people don’t get it! They're almost human. And if we don’t get rid of some of ‘em and replace them with people who do [get it], we’re in a world of hurt.

Blaha: You got to your point. Well, let me make my point to your point: The permanent political class has got to go, folks!

Ryan Call did not return an email seeking comment, but I'm guessing he'd say he understands that the GOP needs to diversify. But Wilburn's comments make you wonder what he's doing about it, when reality pops up and he has to make actual decisions that affect African-Americans, Hispanics, women, young people, etc.