Talk Show hosts Quinn and Rose came to Mike’s Place in Kent yesterday morning to broadcast their WHLO radio show and meet listeners. “I’ve learned more about history from your show than from Ohio State,” remarked Brandon Fleischour of North Canton to Quin

Credit: Andrew popik

May 4 is known for politics and demonstrations.

It isn’t normally associated with a conservative point of view.

That changed when Jim Quinn and Rose Tennent, hosts of the syndicated morning talk radio show Quinn and Rose, came to the Kent restaurant Mike’s Place yesterday. The show was broadcast at Mike’s Place from 6 to 9 a.m. on 640 AM WHLO.

About 60 people crowded into a backroom at Mike’s Place. With hardly a place to park, some sat and grabbed breakfast while others came purely to listen to an alternative to the normal May 4 events.

Quinn and Tennent set out to “hear the story from those who where there,” according to an advertisement on WHLO’s Web site.

“There’s always been a lot of talk, but it’s always been one-sided,” Rose said. “We don’t feel the other side was represented.”

The duo discussed the role of outside agitators on campus during the May 4 protests. They also attempted to reject the idea of blaming the National Guardsmen because guards were exonerated.

“Some people will interpret this as a disrespect for the kids who died, but that isn’t the case,” Quinn said.

Paul Kengor, an associate professor of political science at Grove City College, and David Horwitz, a former member of the communist party who switched his politcal viewpoint to the right, also spoke on the show via phone.

For much of the crowd it was a welcome change from the normal protests on campus during May 4.

“I’m glad they did,” said Steve Staggs who drove about an hour from Louisville to see the show in person. “There’s not nearly enough of a conservative voice in this part of the country. I think it was a good idea to show up in Kent today as a rebuttal to the lies.”

Jim Bossler, 2003 Kent State alumnus, said he has seen enough of normal May 4 activities and said he welcomed the opportunity to see one of his favorite talk radio shows in person.

“Your not going to get that on campus,” Bossler said. “It really was an alternative. What the campus was offering was pretty one-sided.”

While much of the media focuses on the student’s deaths, Rick Bond of Monroe Falls said points made during the broadcast, such as the burning of the ROTC building by students, are not normally talked about.

The idea to come to Kent State began as just a comment, but eventually it gained momentum until the two found themselves conducting the radio show while eating breakfast at Mike’s Place.

“It was like an off-hand remark and the next thing you know we got roped in,” Quinn said .

Mike’s Place owner Mike Kostensky said he wasn’t even aware of the radio show’s existence or content but agreed to host it at his restaurant.

“When they told me, they just said they wanted to be back in case people came by,” he said.

The show went off without any problems. There was some dissent to Quinn and Tennent’s appearance prior to yesterday, but there was no visible protest during the event. Kostensky said he received a few phone calls and Quinn said Alan Canfora put a message about the show on his Web site.

Contact public affairs reporter Matt Peters at [email protected].