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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Huckleberries Online

Did Spencer Hang Up Or Not?

On Wednesday, Larry Spencer denied in a Huckleberries Online comments thread that he hung up on SReporter Erica Curless during a phone interview about his race.  You can read his comments by following this thread here. Curless reported in her story that Spencer had hung up on her. Curless sent this sequence re: the disputed hang-up:

  • Curless: Just a reminder that you hung up on me this morning, refusing to answer my questions and indicating that you would only answer email questions. I have received your emails. I still want to talk with you about these issues instead of receiving written sound bites.
  • Spencer: Erica, the only question you asked prior to my receiving a call I needed to take was about my age. I told you I needed to take a call that was coming in, and had informed you of that prior to your telling me you had more questions. While the conference call repeatedly called me, I asked you to send the questions by email. I took a lengthy unscheduled interview a few days ago, but my schedule today simply doesn't provide me the opportunity today. Thanks for understanding.
  • Curless (to me via email): I also sent him a text indicating that I had more questions and wanted to talk with him on the phone. We were way past the age question and into his legal dealings when he told me he wasn't going to respond and to send e-mail questions and then he hung up when I indicated that was unacceptable.

Question: Wouldn't Spencer have been better served had he simply answered the questions rather than create a mini-flap by seeming to avoid a reporter?



D.F. Oliveria
D.F. (Dave) Oliveria joined The Spokesman-Review in 1984. He currently is a columnist and compiles the Huckleberries Online blog and writes about North Idaho in his Huckleberries column.

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