...and the winner is...Debra Medina!

On the Glenn Beck show, Debra Medina made a statement regarding the 9/11 "Truth" Movement that should be crippling to her campaign (and if it isn't, then I've lost all faith in Texas). Here is the quote, taken from an Associated Press article:

'[C]omments made by Debra Medina on the Glenn Beck Show that there were "some very good arguments" that the U.S. was involved in bringing down the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.

"I don't have all of the evidence there, Glenn," Medina said. "I think some very good questions have been raised. In that regard there's some very good arguments and I think the American people have not seen all the evidence there."'

Wow.

Well, needless to say (and very very unsurprisingly) her two rivals in the race couldn't wait to assert that THEY weren't retarded.

"Perry said Medina's remarks "were an insult to the thousands of Americans who lost loved ones." He countered that anyone "should be ashamed" for suggesting involvement by former President George W. Bush's administration. Bush was Perry's predecessor as Texas governor.

Hutchison stressed that it was "al-Qaida terrorists who declared war on America. To suggest otherwise is an affront to the men and women who are sacrificing their lives to root out the terrorists in Afghanistan and around the globe.""

Perhaps a bit more diplomatic than I think I could have been able to stay, but they both made their points quite clear. Of course, after the cat was out of the bag, Medina still tried to get that mangy feline back in with this statement, pulled from her campaign website and printed in it's entirety (with some occasional interruptions by me, of course).

"I was asked a question on the Glenn Beck show today regarding my thoughts on the so-called 9/11 truth movement. I have never been involved with the 9/11 truth movement, and there is no doubt in my mind that Muslim terrorists flew planes into those buildings on 9/11. I have not seen any evidence nor have I ever believed that our government was involved or directed those individuals in any way. No one can deny that the events on 9/11 were a tragedy for all Americans and especially those families who lost loved ones."

Oh really? Well then why, may I ask, did you suggest quite the opposite?

"The question surprised me because it's not relevant to this race or the issues facing Texans. This campaign has always been about private property rights and state sovereignty. It is focused on the issues facing Texans. It is not a vehicle for the 9-11 truth movement or any other group."

The REASON you were asked this question, Debbie (may I call you Debbie?), is that quite a few libertarian leaning supporters of you actually DO think that 9/11 was an inside job. Now, let's be fair here. Not all libertarians are nut jobs. However, most of the nut jobs of the "truther" ilk happen to be libertarians, and that's just a fact. Why? I don't know. Also, Debbie, my question to you is this: I don't believe you BECAUSE it was a surprise question. The reason for this is that if a question is a surprise, one doesn't have the opportunity to formulate an alternative response than what they truly believe (also known as a LIE) and so the truth comes falling out of that individuals mouth like a dirty, polluted, waterfall.

Also, I don't care if the position is town council here in my own little town of Hebron, IN. If a person on the board is a "truther", I want him off. There is no position too low to make it acceptable to believe in crap like this and still be expected to make rational decisions regarding you're district, town, country, whatever. So yes, Deb, it IS relevant.   

"The real underlying question here, though, is whether or not people have the right to question our government. I think the fact that people are even asking questions on this level gets to the incredible distrust career politicians have fostered by so clearly taking their direction from special interests instead of the people, whether it's Rick Perry and his HPV mandate or Kay Hutchison and voting for the bank bailout. It is absolutely the right and duty of a free people to question their government. Texas does not need another politician who tells you what you want to hear, then violates your liberties and steals your property anyway. I fully expect to be questioned and to be held accountable as Governor, and that's the underlying issue here: should people be questioning their government. And the answer is yes, they should be."

Very nice politicking, Deb. You managed to smear both of you're running mates (and probably fairly smeared, as well, I'm not following this race real close so perhaps, Deb, you are the most conservative and most qualified for the job; however I'd vote for Ted Kennedy's ghost over you in any election because of your "truther" disease) and asserted your platform.

Thankfully, however, Beck asserted that he is not in favor of Medina anymore because of that statement, and has regained a few favor points from me. His quote:  "While I don't endorse anyone ... I think I can write her off the list," Beck said. "Let me take another look at Kay Bailey Hutchison if I have to. Rick, I think you and I could French kiss right now."

THIS is important because Beck is an influential figure to many libertarian leaning people and it shows that he won't tolerate this kind of nonsense either. I hope that the people of Texas take a GOOD, HARD, LOOK at Medina before they vote for her in the primary. Do the people of Texas REALLY want a nut-job conspiracy theorist as their Governor? Oh, wait, what am I saying? Ron Paul's been able to hold down a seat in District 14 there for 11 terms.