Bernie Ward

Bernie Ward (born Bernard Vincent Ward on April 5, 1951) is an American talk radio host on KGO 810 AM in San Francisco. He was placed on leave when he was indicted on charges of allegedly downloading and distributing child pornography and surrendered to federal authorities on December 6, 2007. He is still employed by KGO pending a verdict in this criminal trial.

Biography

Ward was born in San Francisco, California, USA, North America.

Ward was the host of "The Bernie Ward Show," a nightly 'news talk' show that runs on KGO 810 AM radio weekdays 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., and the three-hour GodTalk on Sundays mornings. On December 4 2007, Ward was placed on leave from the station pending the resolution of a federal criminal indictment for possession and distribution of child pornography.

Ward is a Roman Catholic and former priest of the Catholic Society of the Precious Blood order. A humorous promotional introduction for his entertainment show bills him as “the Lion of the Left”. Ward used to describe himself as “unabashedly liberal,” prior to sometime in 2006, when he opted for the new self-description “progressive” (vs. the somewhat pejorative antithesis, “regressive” — arguing that the established terms “left,” or “liberal,” vs. “right,” or “conservative,” had lost their traditional meanings in an age when, as Ward alleges, the leadership of the American conservative movement no longer adheres to former hallmark principles such as small government).

Ward served at KGO for decades, first as a reporter and then as a full-time talk show host since December, 1992. He is also known for his local charitable endeavors for the homeless, including St. Anthony's Dining Room (San Francisco). He ends his nightly show with the enigmatic-sounding aphorism, "It's easier to ask for forgiveness than it is permission," which he has attributed on-air to computing pioneer and U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Grace Hopper, explaining the saying in its widely-used context of surviving in bureaucracies. Ward's Sunday morning program closes with a more reverent apothegm, "The world is alive with the grandeur of God."

Education and early career

Ward was educated at Catholic schools in San Francisco; beginning with Holy Name Grammar School, then St. Ignatius High School, and then the University of San Francisco. He then studied for three years at the Franciscan School of Theology in Berkeley, obtaining a Masters Degree.

Ward taught theology at Cardinal Newman High School in Santa Rosa, California. Ward moved to Washington, DC, in 1981, where he taught at a private school while his wife attended medical school. "It was a school with a nine-hole golf course around it," Ward later told the San Francisco Chronicle, adding "All the wealthy people send their kids there. I found out they were ripping off all the teachers and tried to precipitate a strike." Ward was not rehired, and claims the teachers got a 40-percent pay raise the next year.

From brash political reporter to political talk

Ward's first job at KGO radio was as a city hall reporter. Jerry Carroll of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote on October 25, 1995, "...it became a ritual for [San Francisco] Mayor Art Agnos to denounce him for lies at the start of every news conference."

In a San Francisco Chronicle article on October 17, 2003, Ward summarized his approach: "The problem with a lot of liberal talk show hosts is they work very hard to get both sides on, to be nice and they're perceived as being weak or wishy-washy or milquetoast," Ward said. "In many cases it's not as entertaining, whereas I give as good as I get. I'm aggressive. I'm unapologetic. I'm essentially the left version of all of the crazy right. That's never been a trait of liberal talk radio."[1]

In July 1994, KGO-AM-810 conservative daytime talk host Lee Rodgers (currently KSFO-560-AM) left for Seattle. The late Duane Garrett, then KGO's main fill-in host, was an attorney and nationally known Democratic strategist who'd managed [now Senator] Dianne Feinstein's successful senatorial campaign. Garrett and Ward competed openly for the slot. Garrett won. Ward inherited the full-time weekday slot when Garrett subsequently committed suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge.

San Francisco Bay Area media critic Bill Mann gave Ward the "Human Bullhorn Award" in 1995 in one of the "lows" for the year. Mann wrote: "To KGO Radio's obnoxious Bernie Ward, self-proclaimed Lion of The Left, who screams 'That's not what I asked!' repeatedly at callers among his many hectoring techniques." [2] San Francisco Examiner writer Rob Morse referred to Ward as "a talk-show pundit and pain-in-the-butt." [3]

For a brief time, Ward's talk show was nationally syndicated, but the syndication came to an end in 1997. Shortly thereafter, his contract with KGO came to an end as well, on Halloween that year. When word leaked out that KGO would not renew Ward's contract, the talk show host's supporters began protesting. In the words of San Francisco Examiner columnist Rob Morse, "The problem seems to be that KGO did a focus group on Bernie, and he was either hated too much or not hated enough, whichever it is that's bad for talk-show hosts."[4]

In 1997, when it was leaked that KGO might let Ward go from its schedule, listeners protested against this by bringing canned food to the station, highlighting his charity work for local food banks. As it happened, Ward's ratings had steadily been rising, especially with a critical demographic, women, ages 25 to 54, as he softened his rhetoric after being dumped from national syndication.[5]

In the fall of 2000, Ward upped the ante with a provocative and controversial interview of publisher Larry Flynt of Hustler. Ward had heard that Flynt accused George W. Bush of having been "involved" in an abortion in the 1970s, but the mainstream media had avoided the unsubstantiated story. Flynt later discussed this on the popular CNN program Crossfire on the October 20, 2000 program.[6] [7] Ward found that transcript, and then interviewed Flynt on his KGO radio program.

In 2004, rumors circulated that the liberal Air America radio network would syndicate Ward's radio program. [8] The arrangement never materialized.

On Anderson Cooper's CNN news show Anderson Cooper 360° (July 20, 2004), regarding a concert manager pulling Linda Ronstadt from the stage after her anti-Bush comment, Ward accused some country music fans of being members of the Ku Klux Klan: "Come on, I have to go — I like country music. I have to go to country concerts where you have to bring your own sheet — I have to sit there and listen to every kind of form and redneck right fascist patriotism, and I have to sit there nobody says anything about that."[typo-ridden transcript: 'THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.' http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0407/20/acd.00.html]

On CNN on December 10, 2004, nationally syndicated conservative columnist Armstrong Williams debated Ward about the war in Iraq. Williams accused Ward of not being objective. Williams said: "We can at least give him [President Bush] the benefit of the doubt and show some support instead of being bitter, as you are, sir, because you don't like the President."[9]

Controversial views on Judaism and Catholicism

Ward has made a number of comments concerning religion which have sparked controversy, including those concerning Judaism and his own Catholic faith.

On Dec. 9, 1996, Ward said that Christianity is "morally superior" to Judaism because it is based on unconditional forgiveness. Judaism, Ward said, "was left in the backwater of history because Judaism could not go beyond the rules and rituals and the need for revenge." When one apology from Ward was rejected, Ward replied: "Jews need to get a thicker skin."[10]

Writer Aleza Goldsmith (Jewish News Weekly) wrote on September 21, 2001, "During his program on Wednesday, Sept. 12 -- the day after the terror attacks -- Ward compared the tactics of religious fundamentalists to those used by Nazis. Fundamentalists, he said, included 'the ultra-Orthodox' in Israel." [[11] ] He also alleges that the beliefs of Muslim, Jewish and Christian Fundamentalists are similarly dangerous in character. [12]

Ward has also has made controversial comments regarding the Catholic Church. On March 16, 1996, Ward charged that the "right wing fascist" who ran the Catholic Church during the Vietnam war did not allow opposition to the war. [13]

On March 24, 2006, Ward criticized the confrontational antics of the gay group ACT-UP. Ward was upset with the recent invasion of a mosque, but justified the 1989 invasion of a Catholic church (St. Patrick's Cathedral). According to The Catalyst, Ward said that "homosexuals had a good case to make (against the Catholic Church). He explained his answer by arguing that the Church 'has encouraged homophobia and homophobic actions.' He even went so far as to say that the Roman Catholic Church 'is encouraging people to be violent against gays, that is justifying the violence against gays, and that is taking a position that will spread a fatal disease, then you can understand why people would be upset by that and would consider the need to do some kind of form of public protest'." [14]

The Catholic League responded to some of Ward's most provocative comments: "Bernie Ward's hatred of the Catholic Church has allowed him to misrepresent history and promote instead a bigoted portrayal of Catholicism. ... The Catholic Church has never encouraged violence against gays or any other group. Moreover, its teachings on sexual ethics have promoted restraint, the very virtue that is a necessary toxin against sexually transmitted diseases. Ward's apparent fixation on discrediting Catholicism will not win but it is a sad commentary on his twisted sense of reality." [15]

The Catholic League, an organization for religious and civil rights, took exception when Ward compared a local bishop to Frank Nitti, "the man who carries out the executions, the man who closed the churches...." [16] Furthermore, he said, "...when you become a pastor; you get your hands on the money...I would be very very very careful about donations or anything else that would go his (the bishop’s) way." Ward later issued a retraction stating that his comments were not appropriate, and that the named priest was innocent of any inappropriate conduct.

In June of 2007, Ward has referred to the United States Supreme Court as the "Catholic Mafia", and has stated that "the Justices should take their direction from the Constitution, not the Vatican."

Iraq war views

On CNN with Wolf Blitzer, on September 30, 2002, discussing the possible military action against Iraq, Ward commented on Saddam Hussein:

"He has not shown any threat to anyone; he was kept right in his own little box. ... This is exactly the point: The point is that one, we do not know what he has, two, whatever he has presents no direct threat to the United States whatsoever. You know what it presents a threat to, though? — Israel."

God Talk

Ward was the creator and host of "God Talk", a show on the topic of religion, and other related topics. Ward was placed on leave as host of the show in December 2007 pending the completion of a criminal trial for alleged possession and distribution of child pornography.

Causes

Among the causes and groups Ward currently champions are the Center for American Progress; Common Dreams, a progressive organization; the Woodhull Institute for Ethical Leadership, a San Francisco based think tank and retreat for young women; Democracy Now, an alternative media source. He also leads a pledge drive for Thanksgiving Charities every year, which supports four charities in the bay area: Sacred Heart Community Services in San Jose; St. Anthony's Foundation in San Francisco; St. Vincent De Paul dining room in Oakland; and Fresh Start in Walnut Creek. The charity drive has been going on since the late 1980s and raised over $4 million dollars. Ward also participates every year in the KGO leukemia cure-a-thon, which has raised over $13 million for research into leukemia and lymphoma causes. Ward also helped raise over $75,000 for the family of KGO host Dwayne Garrett.

Cable News

Ward has appeared on Chris Matthews' Hardball, on MSNBC, as well as on CNN's Crossfire. He also appeared one time on Fox News Channel's The O'Reilly Factor, passionately arguing his case from a liberal point of view.

Recognition

The Scripps Howard Award for Excellence in Journalism is among the honors Ward has earned, for investigative journalism examining the financial scandals of the Archdiocese of San Francisco.

Child pornography allegations and federal indictment

In late October, 2007 Ward was indicted on federal child pornography charges. When these charges became public, on December 6, 2007, he was placed on leave from the KGO lineup. [17] According to Ward's attorney, the talk-show host downloaded images depicting child pornography because he was "exploring the subculture. It was done for what seemed to be a good purpose." [18] Ward's attorney also revealed that Bernie Ward not only downloaded child porn images but also “he exchanged them with adults who do the same thing." No explanation was given by Ward's attorney to why his client had any need to collect, save, and then distribute the pornographic images of children. The book Ward claims to have been working on, was never published. [19] According to authorities familiar with the criminal investigation, Ward is alleged to have been monitored while discussing and trading child pornography while in internet chat rooms [20]

To this date, Bernie Ward has not provided an explanation for his distribution of Child Pornography as described in the unsealed indictment[21]. Since he and his lawyers were aware of the charges at the time of their denials, this suggests that he was trying to misdirect public opinion about his distribution of child pornography.

Articles

• KGO Radio's Bernie Ward apologizes to Jews Aleza Goldsmith, The Jewish news weekly of Northern California
• Jewish leaders reject KGO talk-show host's apology Lesley Pearl and Natalie Weinstein, The Jewish news weekly of Northern California
• Collins proving left-leaning radio host can succeed Paul Kilduff,San Francisco Chronicle
• Highs, lows of Bay Area broadcasting in 1995 Bill Mann, San Francisco Chronicle
• KGO talk show host Bernie Ward indicted on child porn charges Associated Press, San Jose Mercury News
• Talk show host Ward charged with Internet kiddie porn San Francisco Chronicle
• Liberal Talk Show Host Indicted for Child Porn San Francisco Examiner

External links

• KGOam810.com — Bernie Ward's KGO Radio webpage
• About.com — 'Profiles of Popular and Extraordinary Radio Personalities: Bernie Ward', About.com
• home.att.net — 'KGO History — Some Events of the Past Decade'(Unauthorized and out of date)
• SFGate.com — 'A Limbaugh for the Left: KGO's Bernie Ward gets a national radio talk show', Jerry Carroll, San Francisco Chronicle (October 25, 1995)
• SFGate.com — 'The canning of Bernie Ward (a radio drama), Stephanie Salter, San Francisco Examiner (October 26, 1997)
• sfgate.com — Priest's misconduct story brings KGO national award.
• sfgate.com — For Mia and Glenn, love was on the air.