It was a scoop that Peter Lucas, then a Herald columnist, thought the mayor had given him a night earlier, only to learn 24 hours later that White would not seek a fifth term.
For a brief time, the Herald seemed to have beaten all of its competitors among the Boston news media in the feeding frenzy to get the hottest political story of the year.
Rooney’s display of the incorrect headline on Monday - and, with it, her assertion that White had purposely deceived Lucas - touched off a full frontal attackon the former Herald columnist by her second guest, George Regan, a Boston public relations heavyweight.
At the time of the 1983 incident, Regan was White’s press secretary.
Exactly what was said during the segment, which was recorded, is being kept under wraps by Rooney and her producers. They declined a request by the Globe for a copy of the segment that never aired.
But the screaming match appears to have centered on whether White intentionally misled Lucas about his plan to run again, causing the erroneous headline and story or whether Lucas misinterpreted what White told him. The verbal exchange was intense enough that Rooney was forced to junk the take, calm down her guests, and reshoot the segment so it was suitable for television.
Interviews yesterday with both Lucas and Regan confirmed the essential facts and the bitter tone that engulfed what is usually a collegial public affairs show.
Regan was indignant, holding back little in denouncing Lucas for perpetuating what he said was a myth. Even Rooney, a seasoned television interviewer and host, was seemingly unable to redirect the conversation.
Yesterday, Regan showed no signs of regret over the scuffle.
“On the evening before Kevin’s wake, I was going to make sure the record was set straight,’’ said Regan who helped arrange White’s funeral.
“I’ve had a very draining week,’’ Regan said. “Kevin White was like a second father to me. I needed to rebut what Lucas has been saying. . . . Kevin would have haunted me the rest of my life if I hadn’t.’’
