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CLAY VERSUS CLINTON STYLE
By J. Grant Swank, Jr.
May 28, 2003, 00:15

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Granted. There were conflicting reports concerning the votes from American Idol. Ooops.

Ratings flew off the charts. Voters called in till their fingers fell off. Twenty-four million callers couldn’t be wrong. Or could they? Or could those who were doing the tallying be incorrect? In other words, what’s with adding without calculators?

Or could have enthusiasts been dialing the wrong number?

Clay supporters were not happy faced when American Idol host Ryan Seacrest changed figures during the TVcast. Seacrest said that Ruben topped by winning over Clay with a mere 1,335 votes.

Seacrest also announced that the number came to a 50.28 percent pitch.

But after further investigation — with much media attention attending same — the company overseeing the voting glut states that it oversaw more than 240,000 misdialed call-ins. There were those trying to make connection with American Idol who missed the connection.

Marketing manager for the company said that his workers handled 169,382 calls for Clay and 72,114 calls for Ruben. What goes there?

Cinergy Communications has voice-mail support as part of its telecommunications services. CC found out that calls were in fact going to a church in Franklin TN!

But there were not just a few calls going to the House of God, a quarter of a million were flooding the church. Not that the pastor wasn’t pleased with the inquiries; but he would have been happier if they had been desiring spiritual help rather than voting for a star singer.

The church’s phone number was simply one button off from the American Idol toll-free figure. Ooops major.

In the meantime, count on Clay Aiken, the diplomat as well as super vocal chords, to come through on the side of personality and integrity and good sportsmanship.

While Fox spokesman Scott Gorgin told media that "we can’t be responsible for people who dial the wrong number," Clay refused to kick up dust, go for a lawsuit and spoil America’s fun celebration over a Ruben win.

Whew. If only a Clinton could have been molded in the likes of a Clay we could have saved a nation angst in the last presidential election.

Oh well, not all are singers par excellence. Nor individuals of outstanding personal quality.

Clay refused to kick up dust, go for a lawsuit and spoil America’s fun celebration over a Ruben win. Whew. If only a Clinton could have been molded in the likes of a Clay we could have saved a nation angst in the last presidential election.

Amen to that.

By the way, Clay was being more than gracious when he dismissed any ideas that perhaps he was the real winner. That's who he is--a totally nice, un-self-absorbed guy, unlike The Bent One.

However, the inability to get through to vote for him was pervasive throughout many states, not just in Raleigh.

But it appears that--given his and Ruben's schedules, he is going to come out totally a winner, no matter the skewed voting.

The cream always rises to the top.