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Interview With Talk Show Host Steve Kane

Aired May 08, 2003 - 14:36   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: A man who makes his living talking now defending what he said recently during a debate at a Florida high school.
Yusila Ramirez from CNN affiliate WFOR in Miami has more on what's being said now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEVE KANE, TALK SHOW HOST: "Right wing" is like (EXPLETIVE DELETED), OK? Right wing...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whoa!

KANE: Hold on.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You just dropped the n-word and equated it with "right wing."

KANE: The what? Excuse me, the what? The what? The what? The what word?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The n-word.

YUSILA RAMIREZ, WFOR CORRESPONDENT: 1470 AM radio talk show host Steve Kane says he was caught off guard by all of the controversy that followed after he made that comment during a debate last week at Deerfield High School.

Wednesday night, Kane was with his adopted children at his Cooper City home, and he told us he didn't want to offend anyone.

KANE: Shocked and surprised. I did not use the word in a negative or insulting context.

RAMIREZ: Kane, who is a member of the Broward School Diversity Committee was part of a forum alongside "Sun Sentinel" columnist Michael Mayo in front of dozens of honor, government, and ROTC students.

The discussion was on affirmative action. When Mayo asked the often-controversial Kane if he was a "right winger," Kane compared it to the n-word.

KANE: I was making a point about an expletive, and I used it as an example of an expletive, and it is an example of an expletive, and I think people have just blown it way out of proportion. RAMIREZ: But some school board members don't think that's the case, and they want Kane off of the committee, including the board member who appointed him.

MARTY RUBINSTEIN, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER: Really disheartened that I had to take the action. But the idea -- again, it becomes an idea of sensitivity.

RAMIREZ: While Kane says he is still on the board, some school board members say that is still in limbo. Meanwhile, at least one of the kids who was in the class during that debate tells us he wasn't offended.

BRANDON ROLLINS, ROTC: I don't think it was bad, personally, because he didn't mean it as -- he wasn't insulting anybody. So that's how I feel.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Thanks again to Yusila Ramirez from CNN affiliate WFOR for that report, and let's continue on and discuss this a little more with the person at the heart of the matter, Steve Kane joining us now from Miami. Mr. Kane, good to have you with us.

KANE: Miles, nice to be with you this afternoon.

O'BRIEN: All right. It's interesting that the people who brought you on on this diversity committee of the school board are surprised about sensitivity issues. They hired a talk radio show host. Sensitivity is not exactly what your business is all about, is it?

KANE: Well, actually, I'm a pretty sensitive guy when it comes down to it.

O'BRIEN: All right. Then why did you use that word?

KANE: Well, what I said in that film clip that you saw is absolutely correct. I was shocked at the response. If I had used it as an expletive, it's a disgusting word. It's an expletive, it is an insulting word when used as an expletive. But, of course, I didn't use it as an expletive. I needed an example of a pejorative word to make my point to my opponent, and I picked the, I guess what you would call the mother of pejoratives.

O'BRIEN: I should say. I can think of some other pejoratives that wouldn't have gotten you in such hot water.

KANE: Well, I am going to say something, probably pretty controversial, but my opinion -- if my liberal counterpart in that debate had uttered the words, I don't think anyone would have raised an eyebrow. I think this has to do with the fact that I am a conservative, there are people that don't like that, and people that are using this to try to do political damage to further their own ends. O'BRIEN: Interesting. I don't want to debate you on that point, but I suspect if the word is said, no matter liberal or conservative, it still -- it's so supercharged with emotion that I think it still raises a lot of issues among people.

KANE: Sure.

O'BRIEN: I want to go to your Web site for just a moment...

KANE: Of course.

O'BRIEN: ... and show your family, because this is part of the story here. You have adopted three African-American children.

KANE: That is correct. All at birth, as a matter of fact.

O'BRIEN: Your family looks like a little piece of the United Nations there.

KANE: What I tell them is that Kanes come in all colors.

O'BRIEN: All right. My question to you is, would you use that word in front of your children?

KANE: Well, of course, the boys are seven, or a little young for this kind of discussion, but as far as my 11-year-old goes, I have worked long and hard to take away the power of that word from her. I've explained that it's an ignorant, hostile thing used by ignorant, hostile people and that when she runs into it, not to give it all that power.

You know, I think the word is given much too much power in our society. I said when you run into ignorant people, you walk away. There are too many nice people. Don't get caught up in giving such power to this word.

O'BRIEN: Let me ask you this. Does using the word as you did just give the word more power, as you put it?

KANE: Well, I don't -- I don't believe so. I mean, I think if there was -- I wasn't trying to make a point at the time. But if I was, I think this whole story has shown the inordinate -- an interesting story. In ancient Israel, the Jews would never mention the name of God because it was so exalted and so powerful that they weren't even allowed to speak his name.

Basically, what we have done with this particular word is exalt it to that level. We've become slaves to this word, and in my opinion, I think that's a big mistake.

O'BRIEN: I'm curious what the reaction is among your listeners.

KANE: Well, today on the air, after all the things that came out yesterday, I got tremendous support. The diversity committee is a very important thing to me. We deal with issues of seeing that there is equity in funding between black schools and white schools. I'm very active on this committee. This is a major, major interest that I have.

Unfortunately, there are people on that committee that do not want me to be successful in this, and that basically are trying to use this to dilute my power.

O'BRIEN: What do you think this says, big picture here, about race relations in our country?

KANE: Well, I think it's a very sad and unfortunate thing. The message I went to this school with -- and the class was predominantly black -- was basically the message of Martin Luther King. Martin Luther King preached a color blind society, where color did not matter, and we were all Americans.

And what's happened is since Martin Luther King died, people have co-opted that movement, and it's exactly the opposite of what he wanted. Now race appears to be everything, and that's very unfortunate.

O'BRIEN: Do you have any regrets and do you wish to apologize to anybody?

KANE: Well, I've thought about this long and hard. I have a personal regret that this thing -- that I permitted this thing, I take responsibility for that -- has gotten blown up to the point where it's taken the attention away from where it belongs, which is the kids in our inner city schools here, and the primarily black or the predominantly black schools that need the help, that need the focus. It's an issue that we've got to work on. And I'm afraid that this has, in the end, detracted the center of attention from that.

But basically, my intentions were not bad. I did not use -- in fact, I think that young black student who was present, I think, said it all. I had no evil intent, and he took no exception.

O'BRIEN: And you make no apologies?

KANE: The apology I've made is -- here, is the apology I'm making.

O'BRIEN: All right. Steve Kane, radio talk show host in Miami. We appreciate you joining us.

KANE: Thank you very much.

(CROSSTALK)

O'BRIEN: ... giving us a little more context in all of that.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired May 8, 2003 - 14:36   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: A man who makes his living talking now defending what he said recently during a debate at a Florida high school.
Yusila Ramirez from CNN affiliate WFOR in Miami has more on what's being said now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEVE KANE, TALK SHOW HOST: "Right wing" is like (EXPLETIVE DELETED), OK? Right wing...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whoa!

KANE: Hold on.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You just dropped the n-word and equated it with "right wing."

KANE: The what? Excuse me, the what? The what? The what? The what word?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The n-word.

YUSILA RAMIREZ, WFOR CORRESPONDENT: 1470 AM radio talk show host Steve Kane says he was caught off guard by all of the controversy that followed after he made that comment during a debate last week at Deerfield High School.

Wednesday night, Kane was with his adopted children at his Cooper City home, and he told us he didn't want to offend anyone.

KANE: Shocked and surprised. I did not use the word in a negative or insulting context.

RAMIREZ: Kane, who is a member of the Broward School Diversity Committee was part of a forum alongside "Sun Sentinel" columnist Michael Mayo in front of dozens of honor, government, and ROTC students.

The discussion was on affirmative action. When Mayo asked the often-controversial Kane if he was a "right winger," Kane compared it to the n-word.

KANE: I was making a point about an expletive, and I used it as an example of an expletive, and it is an example of an expletive, and I think people have just blown it way out of proportion. RAMIREZ: But some school board members don't think that's the case, and they want Kane off of the committee, including the board member who appointed him.

MARTY RUBINSTEIN, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER: Really disheartened that I had to take the action. But the idea -- again, it becomes an idea of sensitivity.

RAMIREZ: While Kane says he is still on the board, some school board members say that is still in limbo. Meanwhile, at least one of the kids who was in the class during that debate tells us he wasn't offended.

BRANDON ROLLINS, ROTC: I don't think it was bad, personally, because he didn't mean it as -- he wasn't insulting anybody. So that's how I feel.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Thanks again to Yusila Ramirez from CNN affiliate WFOR for that report, and let's continue on and discuss this a little more with the person at the heart of the matter, Steve Kane joining us now from Miami. Mr. Kane, good to have you with us.

KANE: Miles, nice to be with you this afternoon.

O'BRIEN: All right. It's interesting that the people who brought you on on this diversity committee of the school board are surprised about sensitivity issues. They hired a talk radio show host. Sensitivity is not exactly what your business is all about, is it?

KANE: Well, actually, I'm a pretty sensitive guy when it comes down to it.

O'BRIEN: All right. Then why did you use that word?

KANE: Well, what I said in that film clip that you saw is absolutely correct. I was shocked at the response. If I had used it as an expletive, it's a disgusting word. It's an expletive, it is an insulting word when used as an expletive. But, of course, I didn't use it as an expletive. I needed an example of a pejorative word to make my point to my opponent, and I picked the, I guess what you would call the mother of pejoratives.

O'BRIEN: I should say. I can think of some other pejoratives that wouldn't have gotten you in such hot water.

KANE: Well, I am going to say something, probably pretty controversial, but my opinion -- if my liberal counterpart in that debate had uttered the words, I don't think anyone would have raised an eyebrow. I think this has to do with the fact that I am a conservative, there are people that don't like that, and people that are using this to try to do political damage to further their own ends. O'BRIEN: Interesting. I don't want to debate you on that point, but I suspect if the word is said, no matter liberal or conservative, it still -- it's so supercharged with emotion that I think it still raises a lot of issues among people.

KANE: Sure.

O'BRIEN: I want to go to your Web site for just a moment...

KANE: Of course.

O'BRIEN: ... and show your family, because this is part of the story here. You have adopted three African-American children.

KANE: That is correct. All at birth, as a matter of fact.

O'BRIEN: Your family looks like a little piece of the United Nations there.

KANE: What I tell them is that Kanes come in all colors.

O'BRIEN: All right. My question to you is, would you use that word in front of your children?

KANE: Well, of course, the boys are seven, or a little young for this kind of discussion, but as far as my 11-year-old goes, I have worked long and hard to take away the power of that word from her. I've explained that it's an ignorant, hostile thing used by ignorant, hostile people and that when she runs into it, not to give it all that power.

You know, I think the word is given much too much power in our society. I said when you run into ignorant people, you walk away. There are too many nice people. Don't get caught up in giving such power to this word.

O'BRIEN: Let me ask you this. Does using the word as you did just give the word more power, as you put it?

KANE: Well, I don't -- I don't believe so. I mean, I think if there was -- I wasn't trying to make a point at the time. But if I was, I think this whole story has shown the inordinate -- an interesting story. In ancient Israel, the Jews would never mention the name of God because it was so exalted and so powerful that they weren't even allowed to speak his name.

Basically, what we have done with this particular word is exalt it to that level. We've become slaves to this word, and in my opinion, I think that's a big mistake.

O'BRIEN: I'm curious what the reaction is among your listeners.

KANE: Well, today on the air, after all the things that came out yesterday, I got tremendous support. The diversity committee is a very important thing to me. We deal with issues of seeing that there is equity in funding between black schools and white schools. I'm very active on this committee. This is a major, major interest that I have.

Unfortunately, there are people on that committee that do not want me to be successful in this, and that basically are trying to use this to dilute my power.

O'BRIEN: What do you think this says, big picture here, about race relations in our country?

KANE: Well, I think it's a very sad and unfortunate thing. The message I went to this school with -- and the class was predominantly black -- was basically the message of Martin Luther King. Martin Luther King preached a color blind society, where color did not matter, and we were all Americans.

And what's happened is since Martin Luther King died, people have co-opted that movement, and it's exactly the opposite of what he wanted. Now race appears to be everything, and that's very unfortunate.

O'BRIEN: Do you have any regrets and do you wish to apologize to anybody?

KANE: Well, I've thought about this long and hard. I have a personal regret that this thing -- that I permitted this thing, I take responsibility for that -- has gotten blown up to the point where it's taken the attention away from where it belongs, which is the kids in our inner city schools here, and the primarily black or the predominantly black schools that need the help, that need the focus. It's an issue that we've got to work on. And I'm afraid that this has, in the end, detracted the center of attention from that.

But basically, my intentions were not bad. I did not use -- in fact, I think that young black student who was present, I think, said it all. I had no evil intent, and he took no exception.

O'BRIEN: And you make no apologies?

KANE: The apology I've made is -- here, is the apology I'm making.

O'BRIEN: All right. Steve Kane, radio talk show host in Miami. We appreciate you joining us.

KANE: Thank you very much.

(CROSSTALK)

O'BRIEN: ... giving us a little more context in all of that.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com