Talking heads

News Hits can’t resist the opportunity to take a swipe at someone we feel particularly close to — Metro Times news editor Curt Guyette.

The morning following Detroit’s primary in September, Guyette appeared on the WCHB radio call-in show hosted by Mildred Gaddis. Appearing with Metro Times columnist Jack Lessenberry, the two were there to give their considered opinions about the mayoral elections. Upstart Kwame Kilpatrick had just stomped the entire field of 21 contenders, including a surprising 15-point finish ahead of runner-up Gil Hill. Asked what campaign advice he’d give Hill to ensure the council president had a fighting chance in the general election, Lessenberry, displaying his usual sheepishness, replied: “I’d tell him to just throw in the towel right now.” The esteemed Lessenberry opined that Hill had a roughly zero chance of overtaking Kilpatrick.

Guyette followed by pontificating that the Kwame campaign was like a train rolling downhill, and agreed that there seemed to be little chance poor ‘ol Gil would be able to halt the momentum.

Six weeks latter, the polls show Kwame and Gil running neck and neck. Obviously, that train ain’t rollin’ over Hill.

Asked about his obviously bad call, Guyette told News Hits: “I think in the future I’m going to leave the bold pronouncements to Professor Lessenberry. As for me, I’m learning to equivocate so that no matter what I say, I don’t end up looking like a complete idiot.”

So, what’s Guyette predicting the outcome of the runoff will be?

“A lot of it depends on the weather — rain could be really bad news for someone. Basically it’s going to come down to how much of the vote either side is able to turn out. That and the absentee ballots are going to determine this baby. The only thing we can say for certain is that, after Nov. 6, we’re not going to have Coleman Young to kick around any more.”