Gearhart: A population ignored by Gov. Phil Murphy (Opinion)

For the past year during the pandemic, Gov. Phil Murphy has held briefings several times a week to make announcements about state actions. He's discussed where to get tested for COVID-19, announced executive orders and promoted the availability of vaccines.

Murphy has also previewed his announcements on national news networks and on TV and radio stations in New York and Philadelphia.

But Jim Gearhart noted that the governor has not come onto the airwaves of New Jersey 101.5 to make such announcements or to speak with any of the hosts or news anchors one-on-one.

“I don’t know by what logic he will not appear on this radio station. Presumably, he is afraid to face our audience or this segment of the population,” Jim Gearhart said of the idea during the latest weekly Jim Gearhart podcast and Facebook Live show, presented every Thursday at 10:30 a.m. on Facebook.com/NJ1015.

After two appearances early in his administration, Murphy declined to appear further on New Jersey 101.5’s “Ask the Governor” program in which the sitting governor spends an hour speaking with host Eric Scott and taking calls from listeners. Jim hosted the program during the Florio and Whitman administrations. Gov. Jon Corzine also would not come on "Ask the Governor" but was an occasional in-studio guest with Jim when he hosted the morning show.

Jim complimented Jim McGreevy for coming on the program even as his administration became enveloped in controversy.

“He had courage. Eric would corner him on issues but he never blew his cool, he never got mad. We’re all friends when he left the studio and he had guts. He had the courage to face his own actions,” Jim said.

He recalled the great importance Gov. Chris Christie put on appearing on New Jersey 101.5 as Superstorm Sandy bared down on New Jersey in 2012.

“That was important enough to Gov. Christie to fulfil his obligation to spend the hour with Eric that he would put off running to shelter in a bad storm. He took that obligation very seriously,” Jim said.

The Jim Gearhart Show podcast is available every week on New Jersey 101.5 and in the New Jersey 101.5 app. You can also subscribe with your favorite podcasting app for iPhones, Android devices.

The Jim Gearhart show is LIVE on Facebook every Thursday at 10:30 a.m., at Facebook.com/NJ1015. Got an idea for an upcoming installment of Jim's show? Meet Jim at Facebook.com/NJ1015 to suggest it in the comments, or email Jim@nj1015.com.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5's Jim Gearhart. Any opinions expressed are Jim's own.