New York Post state editor Fred Dicker doesn’t think much of public radio host and newspaper publisher Alan Chartock, who yesterday accused Dicker of having an unholy alliance with the governor in some kind of agreement that included Dicker’s publisher, Rupert Murdoch.
“Chartock laid out a conspiracy theory so far-fetched it makes Glenn Beck look sober,” Dicker said this morning. “This is something from the John Birch society.”
The best part of the show came when Dicker read Chartock’s claim about Cuomo “knowing” that Dicker, sooner or later, will “turn” on him “like a mad dog.”
“Chartock has the presumptuousness of suggesting that Andrew Cuomo has told him this,” said Dicker, “because who else would be in a position to know of such an alleged conspiracy? Like I said, it makes Glenn Beck sound sober.”
(Dicker then took a moment to note Chartock has a Ph.D. in communications, which he says is “a nothing degree. What is communications? How do you get a doctorate in communications? Is that a serious academic discipline?”)
The charge was dismissed, summarily, by Dicker, who said it’s “sophomoric” and not based in any truth, and revealing of Chartock’s ignorance of the “complexities” of how the world actually works.
At one point in the show, Dicker said, “What’s really lacking here is a perspective of who this guy is.”
The words “sycophant” and “totally false and sophomoric, unsophisticated [views]” are used.
Dicker refuted Chartock’s allegation that he “single-handedly” destroyed Mario Cuomo’s bid for a fourth term.
Dicker said it was Chartock, and his student journalists at the Legislative Gazette, who were involved in “leaking” information about Cuomo aides discussing the sexuality of their rival at the time, Ed Koch.
Dicker–for the benefit of the “younger” reporters who may not have been around at the time–talked about an incident where a tape of Chartock conspiring with Mario Cuomo against George Pataki was leaked and broadcast on an Albany radio station.
“The tape was played on WGY around here. Everybody heard it,” said Dicker. “And that was the last anybody heard of Chartock around the capital.”
Dicker ended his show by saying Chartock is just “another reason why there should be not a nickel of public money going to these groups.”
