A“discussion” between Kaua‘i State Senate candidates is set for Thursday live on KKCR-FM radio. The station broadcasts out of Princeville and radio host Michael Van De Veer said incumbent State Sen. Gary Hooser, a Democrat, and his Republican challenger, former
A“discussion” between Kaua‘i State Senate candidates is set for Thursday live on KKCR-FM radio.
The station broadcasts out of Princeville and radio host Michael Van De Veer said incumbent State Sen.
Gary Hooser, a Democrat, and his Republican challenger, former Kaua‘i mayor Maryanne Kusaka have committed to come out to the station to be heard on the broadcast.
“This is to be a conversation, not a debate,” the radio host said of the direction he hopes the show takes.
Van De Veer said he invited Hooser and Kusaka to his radio station about two months ago.
“We’re going to ask two questions,” he said, which will focus on what would they do differently if they could, and what has the other candidate done that you like. The candidates will also be allowed to ask each other questions, and, time allowing, will field calls from the public.
Sandy Brodie, who hosts the Kauai Soap Box on KKCR, is going to serve as co-host and time keeper, during the broadcast, taking a more conservative role during the broadcast, he said.
Van De Veer said he’s asking callers in advance to plan to not attempt to make on-air speeches, but to be prepared to ask concise questions.
He is hoping to have Congressional candidates Rep. Ed Case and his challenger, Mike Gabbard, on a future show.
The North Shore radio announcer said his main reason for having the candidates on is to show respect for them for the service they provide when in elected office.
“It’s not easy, and not paid well,” he said of elected office.
Van De Veer’s “Out of the Box” live radio show airs on Thursdays from noon to 1:3 0 p.m.
“We discuss anything, from what’s on our heart to national and international politics,” said the radio host who is from Alabama and has lived on the North Shore for 20 years.
The radio show started on an auspicious day, September 11, 2001. Van De Veer said he ended up staying on the air for hours to help people who were felling fearful, angry and going through other emotions on the day of the terrorist attacks on America.
He said the station is expanding its broadcast footprint soon to O‘ahu, and on cable radio that will be available throughout the state.
Listeners can also tune into www.kkcr.org through Internet browsers. The Web broadcast has drawn calls from around the world, the radio host said, including from the Middle East and faraway Belize.
Van De Veer has had live on-air discussions with other political figures including Gov. Linda Lingle, then mayoral candidates Bryan Baptiste and Ron Kouchi, and even received a call from presidential candidate Ralph Nader.
