More breeze than bite from Finneran

It was a moment any talk radio host would love. Governor Deval Patrick was on the line, after a week that brought news of questionable decisions by the Department of Social Services, a state senator who cursed in front of high school students, and Patrick's plans to make it harder for employers to obtain the criminal records of job candidates.

But Thomas M. Finneran is not any talk radio host. He is the former speaker of the Massachusetts House, a former lobbyist, and a longtime player in state politics. As he made his debut as host of his own show, "Finneran's Forum," on WRKO yesterday, he was still such a creature of the political establishment that he did not ask any questions of the man he called his "special friend."

"Speaker DiMasi and I are going to challenge you and the lieutenant governor to a pleasant, social, recreational round of golf," Finneran told Patrick. "There'll be no press coverage. We'll have a lot of fun."

As his producer waved frantically from a glass booth, yelling for Finneran to ask about DSS, Finneran appeared not to notice. Instead, he urged Patrick not to be afraid to take trade missions.

"You are the very best salesman we have," Finneran told Patrick. "And if the press gives you a hard time, you know you've got comfort and protection over here."

Seventeen months have passed since Finneran exited the State House, but on the radio yesterday he sounded as though he never left.

In a medium that thrives on bombast and conflict, Finneran seemed more comfortable with the sort of backslapping bonhomie he routinely served up at Chamber of Commerce breakfasts and tribute sessions on the House floor. For long stretches yesterday, as he talked about the vitality of the Massachusetts economy, the greatness of Harvard and MIT, and gave Patrick a "five-star commendation" for his budget plans, the phone lines at WRKO remained dark.

To be sure, Finneran tried to spice things up with typical morning show bravado. He talked about Anna Nicole Smith, but only to lament that her death has crowded out more serious news about Iraq and Iran.

He teased a guest, Republican consultant Holly Robichaud, joking that she was sexually attracted to him. And he cut off one caller, saying the man must be drunk .

But often, he lapsed into upbeat chatter and tempered disquisitions on policy that made his producers roll their eyes.

"Once he's willing to shed his veneer and say, 'I'm going to give my opinion,' then we're going to have the guy we hired," said Finneran's producer, Rich Teter. "He's an intelligent guy. He can play in any field. We just need him to let loose, and we'll have a winner."

Finneran, 57, took the gig after pleading guilty last month to a felony charge of obstruction of justice in connection with a 2004 redistricting lawsuit. The Mattapan Democrat had his law license suspended and lost his job as president of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council.

A deft political operator who served 26 years in the House, eight as speaker, Finneran said he wants his new radio career to highlight weightier matters. His show airs weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m.

"Good morning; that's right, it's neither a dream nor a nightmare," he said in his opening greeting. "Welcome to the first edition of 'Tom Finneran's forum.' "

Finneran does seem up for the challenge. After waking at 4 a.m. yesterday, he burst into the studio at 5:45 a.m. clutching crumpled newspapers and a box of blueberry muffins to share. He settled into his chair, nervously adjusted his hair, and slipped on his headphones. The on-air light blinked on, and talk with his guest, Joe Sciacca, an editor at the Boston Herald, turned to Smith, the former Playboy playmate. Sciacca called her death "a truly great story."

Finneran vehemently disagreed. "This is a very, very scary thing that Anna Nicole is treated this seriously, literally, so that it suffocates virtually everything else that's going on," Finneran said. "It's an amazing development to me and quite frustrating to me."

Finneran said he wants a regular segment on his show to highlight good news, called, "Things For Which I Am Grateful." And he spent time yesterday talking about the importance of the Kurds to a stable Iraq, lauding Harry S. Truman as "my political hero" and telling Patrick, "We all hope and pray for our governors to succeed."

"Well, I appreciate that," Patrick said.

At times, he did light up the callboard, especially when he got callers talking about Iraq. Several said they were thankful for the respite from partisan bickering.

"I always appreciated and admired the way you treated others with respect, Democrats and Republicans alike," said Erin from Milton. "And today, you've showed that's what you're going to do on the show."

Perhaps the raciest moment came when Finneran, a devout churchgoer, had to read a Valentine's Day ad from The Vermont Teddy Bear Co.

"I have no idea why these bears work, but women just love them," Finneran said, blushing and giggling. "They have so many great bears, like the Loverboy, with the heart-shaped tattoo. Or get straight to the point, with the new Let's Get Bear Naked Bear wearing only a fig leaf. It is guaranteed to get some booty."

Hearing the courtly, once powerful speaker shilling for scantily clad teddy bears had his producers in the booth laughing.

"Mark that!" Teter ordered. The clip, he said, would be used in the next ad for "Finneran's Forum."

Michael Levenson can be reached at mlevenson@globe.com.