But if the political smackdown between Fox News commentator Sean Hannity and Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson is going to happen, Rupert Murdock's bean counters better get out of the way.

Anderson and Hannity have pledged they are ready to roll. Well, rant. But the sticking point persists over whether the Fox affiliates, along with KSL Newsradio, would have exclusive broadcast rights, as Hannity's team prefers and Anderson rejects.

Patrick Thronson, Anderson's spokesman, says he has tried to contact Hannity's producers to work through the impasse.

"We haven't heard a response," he said Wednesday. "The most important thing is that this is an educational event, open to all members of the media, with the greatest possible public access."

Hannity says Anderson is using the broadcast story as an excuse to back out. He said as much on KSL Newsradio on Wednesday morning, adding that if the mayor didn't show up, he would replace Anderson on stage with a cardboard cutout.

At the same time, Hannity says he's steering clear of the broadcast issue, insisting the coverage decision is better left to KSL.

- Derek P. Jensen