David Pakman

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David Pakman
Born February 2, 1984 (age 23)
Buenos Aires, Argentina

David Pakman (born February 2, 1984 in Buenos Aires, Argentina) is an Internet and Radio news and politics personality best known for politics website Hear the Issues. He also hosts "Midweek Politics with David Pakman" locally on Valley Free Radio in Northampton, Massachusetts, and available nationally as a syndicated show through Pacifica Radio and on the show's website.

Although Ben Ferguson is listed as the youngest nationally syndicated radio personality in the country, this has no been called into question due to Pakman's recent syndicated on Pacifica. Because Pacifica is non-profit radio, affiliates do not pay for syndication rights, there is some controversy over this claim, although at its core, Midweek Politics is a nationally-syndicated radio program.

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[edit] Education

Pakman earned a BA in Economics and Communication from University of Massachusetts in Amherst, MA. He is currently enrolled in the MBA program at Bentley College.

[edit] 2006 election and Deval Patrick

During the leadup to the 2006 mid-term election, Pakman had more than one run-in with Massachusetts Governor-election Deval Patrick on the issue of polling. During an August 23, 2006 interview, Patrick was reluctant to admit that the Democratic candidate who would go on to win the primary in September was in a strong position to win in the general election in November, although the polls were overwhelmingly pointing in that direction.

This issue was brought up again in person by Pakman at an October 3, 2006 debate at American International College in Springfield, Massachusetts. At this point, Patrick had already won the Democratic primary and was, according to some polls, more than 30 points ahead of the second place Republican Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey. When asked if he would finally admit to having some comfort in his lead, Patrick explained that "he doesn't always trust the polls." When asked by Pakman whether or not Healey should be worried that she is more than 30 points down, Patrick shrugged the question off by asking "is it now that much?" and moving on to another reporter's question.

[edit] Hear the Issues

Hear the Issues became well known in the internet news community just prior to the 2004 Election with an article linking intelligence of voters to which candidates they tend to support. The article drew criticism primarily from Republican voters.

The website has linked many other controversial issues, such as voter preference and abortions, gay marriage and divorce, as well as the politics of sports and television.

[edit] Midweek Politics

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Main article: Midweek Politics

Pakman's radio show includes political debate between political figures and experts, as well as analysis of current political events. Pakman debuted on Valley Free Radio in Northampton, Massachusetts in August 2005. The show currently airs most Wednesdays at 7:00pm Eastern Standard Time and is archived on Hear the Issues.

As of September 2006, Midweek Politics has been syndicated on the Pacifica Radio network, and is currently being aired in syndication by multiple Pacifica stations across the country.

[edit] Howard Stern

Pakman has come under fire from both traditional liberals as well as religious conservatives for his support of free speech specifically as applied to Howard Stern and censorship. On September 27, 2006, Pakman specifically defended Stern, the Sirius Satellite Radio business, the success of Stern's show to date, and stated that he believes the type of ideology stated by Rush Limbaugh and other talk radio hosts is equally or more offensive than the type of content censored when Stern's show was on terrestrial radio.

In an article published in the Daily Hampshire Gazette on December 13, 2006, the statement that Pakman claimed Howard Stern as a "hero" was made, although disputed by Pakman. In a correction/letter to the editor published on December 21, 2006, Pakman clarified that while he is a Sirius Satellite Radio subscriber and a fan of Howard Stern's, the statement that Stern was a hero was never made nor implied.

[edit] Westboro Baptist Church

In a segment spanning two Midweek Politics shows, on October 4, 2006 and October 11, 2006, Jonathan Phelps of the Westboro Baptists Church (known for their "God Hates Fags" slogan) was intervied by Pakman in what turned out to be a controversial segment. Pakman was accused of not being sufficiently openly critical and confrontational with Phelps, who was once brought up on a variety of criminal charges stemming from information gathered following a raid of Westboro.

In follow up interviews and programs, Pakman defended the interview by saying that if both goes without saying that he did not agree with Phelps, and has condemned the church on the program in the past. In addition, he said that because interviews with members of Westboro often turn into unproductive shouting matches, staying calm and letting Phelps speak would "allow listeners to hear the heinous nature of the church and their views."

During the same interview, Phelps resorted to ad hominem attacks, claiming that Pakman and his producer were, among other things, pinheads. In addition, Phelps threatened to "end this pretense of an interview" when the idea that Phelps' church's views were based on one interpretation of the Bible, as opposed to the only interpretation. Phelps did, however, stay on to complete the interview.

[edit] Press & appearances

[edit] External links

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