After six months of testing the waters, Jerry Springer finally figured out that not many Ohioans want to share his hot tub.

Springer announced he would not seek the Democratic nomination to challenge U.S. Sen. George Voinovich next year.

Good choice.

It's not that Springer isn't smart. He is very smart.

It is not that he is not charming, personable, enthusiastic and well spoken. He is all of those things. He can speak articulately on everything from tax reform to terrorism. The problem is not that Springer comes from the world of entertainment. After all, Ronald Reagan did that.

No, the problem with Jerry Springer is that he is hollow - and the people of Ohio know it.

His charm and brains gave him a successful political career in Cincinnati (with one notable slip, which the voters quickly forgave). He showed his stuff during several terms on council and one year in the mayor's office. Then he went into television news and commentary. He might have come back to politics from that (just ask Charlie Luken).

But a decade ago Springer reinvented himself as a founder of trash television. He became the ringmaster of a syndicated freak show that puts the bizarre on display for cheap laughs. Chair tossers, pimps, prostitutes and cheats of all shapes, sizes and sexes are his standard fare. If you have a rotting skeleton in your closet, you can air it out on Springer's show.

Springer describes the program as "silly," and notes that everyone who appears on it does so voluntarily.

He seemed to miss the point that these "volunteers" often are pathetic and disturbed individuals and he shamelessly exploits them all. He thought he could exploit the voters the same way.

He sounded mystified Wednesday, when he said: "As long as I'm doing that show, my message, no matter how sincere and no matter how heartfelt, does not get through to the people I need to reach." He should not be surprised that prospective voters, even those who watch his show, wonder if his campaign promises are as empty as the smarmy "commentaries" he offers up after each debasing exhibition on his show.

This is a free country with a long history of lowbrow entertainment. Springer has every right to put on his show and get rich doing it.

But as his own research showed, people don't confuse celebrity with sincerity.

Related stories:
Springer won't throw his chair into the ring
Dems face battle for Senate