KFKA guest host Brad Jones on new Colorado Senate President Groff: "I guess we should congratulate him that he's black"

Commenting on the January 9 legislative election that made state Sen. Peter Groff (D-Denver) the first African-American president of the Colorado Senate, guest host Brad Jones remarked on the January 10 broadcast of 1310 KFKA's The Amy Oliver Show, "I guess we should congratulate him that he's black." Later in the broadcast, Jones stated, "I want to know, if there was a white male being president, being voted president of the Senate yesterday down in Denver ... would he have his picture on the front page of the Rocky Mountain News?

Jones, who is the founder and managing editor of the "news" website Face the State, also questioned the descriptors used for Groff, asking, "[W]hen is it appropriate to say 'black,' and when is it appropriate to say 'African-American'? I don't know. I mean, these things are so complicated now." He added, "I know some websites are [going to be] all over me for sayin' the things that I do about Peter Groff and about them makin' a big deal out of this. But I think -- I mean, I think this borders on racism."

From the January 10 broadcast of 1310 KFKA's The Amy Oliver Show, with guest host Brad Jones:

JONES: My question to you this morning: Does it matter if Peter Groff is the first black president of the Colorado Senate? Doesn't matter to me. And scant mention of some of his priorities. It's just -- I guess we should congratulate him that he's black. I don't know.

[...]

Well, and also, it gets me: Where did "African-American" go? Is it "black," or is it "African-American"? I mean, does -- I'm assuming the press releases that went out from the Colorado state Senate said "black," and that's why they're calling him "black." I mean, do you get to choose if you're "black" or "African-American," or is it -- when is it appropriate to say "black," and when is it appropriate to say "African-American"? I don't know. I mean, these things are so complicated now. And I know some websites are [going to be] all over me for sayin' the things that I do about Peter Groff and about them makin' a big deal out of this. But I think -- I mean, I think this borders on racism. I really, truly do. When you put, for no other reason -- if there was a, I want to know, if there was a white male being president, being voted president of the Senate yesterday down in Denver -- they had to vote on it, it was unanimous -- if it was a white male, would he have his picture on the front page of the Rocky Mountain News? And no, I'm not talking about this ridiculous concept of reverse discrimination. Don't put those words in my mouth. What I'm talking about is whether or not it would be newsworthy for the papers to put this in.

[...]

They [Democrats] want to be treated seriously, yet the number-one story that they are pushing is racist! They're throwin' one of their own, Senator Peter Groff, a man who I imagine has to be a very intelligent person to be elected Senate president -- and what is the story? Not about what he's going to do for Colorado. Not about his, the power of his mind, but the fact that he is a black person. That's what they put forward.

— E.B.

Posted to the web on Thursday January 10, 2008 at 8:01 PM EST