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Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn refuses to appear on the Ron and Don Show to debate the effectiveness of gun buybacks. (AP file)

Why won't Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn debate gun buyback with KIRO Radio's Ron and Don?

BY Josh Kerns  on January 31, 2013 @ 12:40 pm (Updated: 4:20 pm - 1/31/13 )

UPDATE: A spokesman for Mayor McGinn has politely declined Don's request to appear on the show again as of Thursday afternoon. Don now vows to stalk him and confront the mayor in public since the mayor won't come to him. Stay tuned!

Seattle mayor Mike McGinn's plans to stage another gun buyback is drawing sharp criticism on KIRO Radio's Ron and Don Show, and the mayor refuses to come on to talk about it.

Don argues the gun buyback and the concurrent open-air gun market that broke out around last Saturday's event in Downtown Seattle was nothing more than a "circus" and PR stunt that did little to solve the ongoing problem of gun violence.

But a spokesman for the mayor repeatedly declined requests for an interview this week.

"He doesn't want to talk about guns and he doesn't want to talk about this farce in my opinion," Don says. "He needs to be stopped and it is my intent if he does this again to stop him."

Don says he simply wants a "vigorous and respectful" debate, but questions whether the mayor really wants the same.

"He wasn't declining Q13 when he went on there and they gave him all these softballs, and he wasn't declining all the television cameras when he could just jump out there and say 'Hey we got three street sweepers and we saved a lot of lives today,'" Don says.

The mayor and other officials called the buyback an overwhelming success, despite the influx of private gun sellers that flocked to the area. Police say people turned in over 700 guns including several high-capacity shotguns.

But Don blasts the mayor for even considering another buyback given what happened Saturday.

"He called it a gun bazaar, he called it insanity, he called it crazy and so he wants to do it again."

Ron and Don both argue the mayor is simply using the buybacks as photo opps for his re-election effort, even though many agree they do little to address the real issues such as mental illness.

"You [Don] want to apparently actually solve a problem of violence against people, he [McGinn] wants to do something that appears like he's doing something," Ron said to Don in response to his complaints about the mayor's approach.

"Buying guns back isn't going to help. Demonizing the AR-15 isn't going to help. Demonizing people that wrap themselves in the Second Amendment and the NRA is not going to help," Ron says.

"This is a complex problem and there's nothing that bothers me more than people trying to give really easy solutions to complex problems. They're just coming at it willy nilly. No strategy. Your strategy is 'Oh my gosh something bad happened, now what do we do.'"

Don vows that if McGinn won't come on the show to discuss the issue, he'll simply provide the opportunity for all the other mayoral candidates to appear and talk about it instead.

Listeners from the Ron and Don Nation have strong feelings about the mayor as well as Ron and Don's argument the gun buyback is a failure and shouldn't be repeated:

Mark: "Mr. Mayor, please have another gun buyback program, the last one was a great advertisement I didn't even know about it. For those of us that want to buy more guns, I'll be there. Just let me know the date and time."

Sharon: "You just don't get it. We in Seattle are in favor of the gun buyback program initiated by our mayor. It really does work. Stop your senseless rambling."

Mark: "It's silly that we're even talking about guns. It's the sick people that use gun, not the law abiding citizens like me."

Claire: "The mayor is a serious coward. Every show that presents to him the slightest bit of challenge, he slinks away from, respectfully though. He's a bit passive aggressive this way and really needs to represent Seattle as a leader in some of these issues and not shy away."

What do you think?

Josh Kerns, MyNorthwest.com Reporter
Josh Kerns is co-host of KIRO Radio's Seattle Sounds (Saturday nights 7-8) and a digital content producer for MyNorthwest.com.
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Comments (65)


  • Add A Comment

  • Ron_Spins wrote...
    I Listen to Ron and Don everyday
    January 31, 2013 2:57 pm
    While I do not agree with their politics most of the time this gun discussion is actually needed ...why would someone NOT want to have a adult conversation about it?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Saltchucker wrote...
    uh, Ron-Spins
    January 31, 2013 3:32 pm
    I've never heard an adult conversation on the Ron & Don show....wich would be why Mayor McGinn is a no show.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    Ron Spins
    January 31, 2013 7:19 pm
    Because Mayor McMubbles is the most incompetent, inept, patheticly stupid person to EVER be elected as Mayor of this city....he is a JOKE. He has accomplished NOTHING!!!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Ron_Spins wrote...
    Twitter @ mayormcginn
    January 31, 2013 10:07 pm
    Tweet Mayor McGinn and tell him to stand up and defend his position.The previous Mayor of Seattle got kicked out for similar stupidity.My personal position on this subject is defensible ...Why not his?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Ron_Spins wrote...
    https://twitter.com/Ronspins/status/297241739700350976/photo/1
    January 31, 2013 10:18 pm
    .
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • shark75 wrote...
    Jtravis wrote...
    January 31, 2013 3:07 pm
    Agree with you about Ring My Belle. It's just the daily "I'm gonna talk about how much I love gays" show or some other PC subject. Don annoys the h.ell outr of me but I gotta say he is the only one that is using his head over this gun issue. Ron shows daily how much of a brainwashed feminized moron he is.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • WAmovesRight wrote...
    ... why I quite listening to R&D
    January 31, 2013 4:14 pm
    ... I liked their light-hearted approach to some topics... and appreciate their passion about Operation Japan...

    But when it became all about gays... every day just trumpeting how much they like them, want to be with them, how can we support them... well I just decided I don't want that junk in my life every single day.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • hnuh wrote...
    those guys(Ron and Don)
    January 31, 2013 3:20 pm
    are just awful. Just awful. Gaahh... Must be cheap or something... A great piece of advice for radio personalities... School your voice.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Levy Pants wrote...
    Respectful debate...
    January 31, 2013 3:21 pm
    like calling him names?? Like you have continuously throughout his term? Mayor Mcmumbles, Mayor Mcschwinn. I wouldn't debate Don the crying emotional screaming BABY either. i don't agree with just about everything this Mayor does, but I wouldn't debate you either. GO MAKE AN EMOTIONAL CRYBABY RAMBLING SPEECH DON!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Zagnut wrote...
    An interesting article from the MSM.
    January 31, 2013 4:59 pm
    http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57567018-504083/atlanta-school-shooting-update-armed-officer-working-at-middle-school-disarmed-suspect-says-chief/
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Bremerton Voice wrote...
    Awwww Poor Poor Don
    January 31, 2013 5:41 pm
    This is news worthy? The Mayor doesn't want to talk to you get over it and report some real news.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • longwayhome wrote...
    Mayor McGinn
    January 31, 2013 6:00 pm
    Doesn't want to be abused like dorky munson abused our former governor. Ron and Don have made it obvious they don't respect him so why should he subject himself to their abuse?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • boeingmarcus wrote...
    Why?
    January 31, 2013 6:33 pm
    Because Ron and Don are idiots. This is a stunt. I bet you don't go anywhere near a news conference the mayor has. You are all talk, all hot air, all about self promotion. Rachel is the worst sounding person on the radio. Pump up your arms Don, make up for your lack of IQ and true ability to debate.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • BigGovSux wrote...
    Keep it up Liberals!
    January 31, 2013 8:41 pm
    I just get a kick out of all your "solutions". Lol! I know, let's just declare the city of Seattle a "Gun-free zone"! That'll fix the problem of violence on our streets! I can't remember the last time a mass murder was committed outside a "Gun-free zone", can you?? You silly liberals and your "solutions" usually end up with more of us "law-abiding" citizens dead. When are you gonna take credit for your screwed up solutions going wrong? Ok, now you'll ban "assault weapons" and "high capacity magazines" and problem solved, right? Your ideas are so stupid and not based in reality that I would laugh, if it didn't cause even more deaths. To ban this stuff is akin to banning cars because they cause deaths every year. It's a flat-out stupid, feel-good idea that does NOTHING!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • longwayhome wrote...
    maplecarp
    January 31, 2013 7:15 pm
    So, after checking in with your kids in college, that you so proudly support with your huge income and ego, do they still think their "Dad" is an idiot? I hope so, because I sure do.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HPD 5-0 wrote...
    wrongay..just in time...
    January 31, 2013 9:16 pm
    ...to defend his butt-buddy, Assiah. Get a room....I suggest Capitol Hill.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HPD 5-0 wrote...
    "just making shure your looking at every word."
    January 31, 2013 8:54 pm
    Suuure. Yeah. It was just a "test". You run with that, Sparky. I can only imagine how sad & pathetic it must be to be you. We college graduates will laugh...all the way to the bank. And by the way. When you start a sentence, it's proper to star with a capital letter. Ask your mom what that is....
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • BigGovSux wrote...
    If it wasn't so sad....
    January 31, 2013 9:00 pm
    I would laugh at idiots like this. The only problem is that they cause more death and destruction with their idiotic programs and laws than they realize. When was the last time anyone saw a mass murder OUTSIDE a "Gun-Free Zone"? If they were that effective, why don't we just declare all public areas "Gun-Free Zones"? Problem solved, right? Liberals never fail to amuse me....
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • BigGovSux wrote...
    If only some politician had made....`
    January 31, 2013 9:02 pm
    that Newtown school a "Gun-Free Zone", those kids would've been saved! Oh, wait....
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }