Anchorage Daily News

Arctic Power, the state-funded group that lobbies for drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, is paying to bring Watergate conspirator and talk radio host G. Gordon Liddy to broadcast live from Alaska.

The plan is for Liddy to broadcast from Alaska for five days in mid-July. Arctic Power spokesman Adrian Herrera said Liddy's listeners are mostly blue collar and middle-aged.

"That sort of demographic is very good. Those are voters. Those are people who will call their congressman and say, 'Hey look, I heard on Gordon Liddy the real truth about Alaska. And I think this is important and I think you should support Alaskan issues,' " Herrera said.

Talkers magazine, considered the authority on talk radio ratings, says an average of more than 1.5 million listeners tune in to Liddy's conservative radio talk show every week.

But Juneau Democratic state Sen. Kim Elton said bringing up Liddy sounds like a "sick joke."

"I think it's terrible. If Alaska wants to put the best face on things it's probably best to not hire felons," Elton said.

Liddy masterminded the 1972 break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in the Watergate building in Washington, D.C. The ensuing cover-up led to President Richard Nixon's resignation and Liddy served 4 1/2 years in prison.

Arctic Power co-chair Mike Navarre said most of the people who listen to Liddy's show nowadays probably don't even know the details of Watergate. He said bringing Liddy to Alaska is a cost-effective way to get the state's message out.

Arctic Power is looking for corporate sponsors to offset its costs in bringing Liddy, whose radio fans call him "G-man," and his crew to Alaska. The cost depends on how much in-kind help it gets -- like free hotels and rental cars -- but might be in the neighborhood of $50,000, Herrera said.

The plan is to fly Liddy up a few days before live broadcasts in Anchorage and on the North Slope. Arctic Power will bring him to Prudhoe Bay and probably Barrow and Kaktovik, Herrera said. He might also visit the Red Dog Mine outside Kotzebue.

It's about promoting Alaska energy and not just ANWR drilling, Herrera said.

Herrera said a 30-second ad on national radio or television would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. This is a chance for Alaskans to be on the show and take live questions.

"We'll be getting three hours a day; you can't ask for more than that," he said.

An attempt to reach Liddy for comment Friday was unsuccessful. An Arctic Power document said "his view to us is that he greatly wishes to promote Alaskan energy to the nation and is willing to be very flexible on how we guide him in delivering this message."

It also said "the show is based around the image of G. Gordon. This image is the rogue stealth agent, the 'Darth Vader of the Nixon Administration.' Fast cars, Big Guns and Hands on Can do know how. 'What others talk about G. Gordon does.' "

Navarre said the document was just some Arctic Power staff comments made to the organization's board when it was first considering the Liddy trip.

Arctic Power, a private nonprofit, has been the state's ANWR lobbyist since 1992.

The state provides the majority of its money, said Herrera. He wouldn't say how much it gets in private contributions.

The state Legislature approved $250,000 earlier this month for Arctic Power to spend in the fiscal year starting July 1. Gov. Sarah Palin has signaled she'll veto parts of the budget, so it's possible not all the Arctic Power money will remain.

Herrera, who is based in Washington, D.C., has been a guest on Liddy's show twice. The two of them came up with the idea for Liddy to broadcast from Alaska.

No Anchorage radio station currently carries the Liddy show live. But KBYR 700 AM airs a "Best of G. Gordon Liddy" show every Sunday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Herrera said some might object to Liddy "but you can't pick and choose" volunteers.

"How many radio stations or television stations for that matter are going to donate this sort of access? I don't think any. None," he said.

Liddy is pro-development. But Herrera said he got questions on the show from listeners who weren't convinced oil drilling in ANWR is a good idea.

He also said there's hope Liddy's Alaska effort will get national media attention.

"You turn it into an event that's reported on Fox News, on other radio stations around the nation, and then all of a sudden you have a real big hit. Then all of a sudden you have impact on Capitol Hill," he said.

Kristen Miller, legislative director for the Alaska Wilderness League, said it sounds pointless. Arctic Refuge drilling is dead on arrival in Congress, she said.

The Democrats control Congress. But Herrera said there is still potential for a push to open ANWR before the new president takes office in January. Pressure is on because all three presidential front-runners oppose drilling in the refuge.

There's also a need to battle efforts to make the ANWR coastal plain into a designated wilderness area with a permanent ban on oil drilling, he said.

Find Sean Cockerham online at adn.com/contact/scockerham or call him at 257-4344.

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