R.I.P. Florida Talker Bob Haa Dies At 65

Bob Haa

One thing that station manager Steve Manuel is certain about when it came to Bob Haa, the morning talk show host on WWJB-1450 AM (Brooksville, FL): You never had to guess about his viewpoint on a particular issue.

To those who lean toward the conservative end of the political spectrum, Mr. Haa was a sage, thoughtful voice of reason. But to those on the other side, whom he often labeled as leftists, Marxists and "fruitcakes," he was an indignant smart mouth who would say just about anything to stir the pot.

Manuel, who hired Mr. Haa (pronounced HAY) in 1990 and gave him free rein to run his weekday talk show as he saw fit, said he never regretted the decision.

According to The Tampa Bay Times, the 65-year-old host of WWJB's Haa-Wire program died Monday at Brooksville Regional Hospital, where he was admitted Saturday. Manuel said he didn't know the exact cause of death, but believed it was related to cardiac and respiratory health issues that kept Mr. Haa off the air for several weeks last year.

On Tuesday morning, callers to the station sang Mr. Haa's praises and remembered him as a man who stood up for his beliefs and played watchdog to their interests, especially when it came to local government.

"He was like a big brother who stood up for you," recalled Doug Davis, a Brooksville resident who called Haa's show frequently. "He got people fired up and believing that they had a valid say in the way things are being run by the people they elected. He didn't like seeing them get away with things."

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