Was Debra Medina Set-up?

I've no tolerance for so-called 9/11 Truthers. But there is something interesting going on here. Debra Medina seemed to really screw up any shot she may have had with a Glenn Beck interview that focused on that issue today.

At the same time, it appears the whole Medina as a truther thing started due to a Perry sockpuppet posting a blog comment claiming Medina was a truther. There's no real defense for her amateurish performance with Beck on the issue - though she does try to defend it.

It's a shame if she simply didn't want to risk losing some support from the fringe quasi-Paul crowd in Texas given that she's at such a disadvantage versus the usual pols. But she failed the test. Politics isn't easy and it ain't bean bag. I can't find anything pre-dating all this suggesting she's a 9/11 truther. But she blew it. Medina might not have many supporters except for elements of the fringe after today.

Perry supporter planted fake pro-Medina comments on our blog

Well, check out some of the other comments from this same IP address:

Dec. 19: Perry has done a great job for veterans. Probably the most pro-veteran governor we have had in the modern era. Perry also IS a veteran, having served for more than half a dozen years.

Dec. 4: Rick Perry is awesome. Texas is the best state in America! WOOT!

Nov. 22: KBH is a liberal RINO. Perry needs to point that out early and often.

Nov. 8: Rick Perry is doing a heck of a job standing up to the liberals and keeping Texas the most prosperous state in the nation.

Comments

[DANEgerus]

Drawing her out to scrutiny isn't the same thing as "setting up".

[LastRick]

I said this over at Hot Air when the story first broke: one of the early comments at Beck's site was questioning why the 9/11 topic even came up in the interview. Seems out of place in an interview for the Texas primary. Nice find, Dan, it would confirm some suspicions about this story, it stunk something odd from the minute it broke.

[Kentucky Colonel]

Beck gave her a great opportunity to dispel any notion that she might be a Truther. Whether or not the initial "suggestion" came from a Perry sockpuppet is irrelevant. Beck served her up a gopher ball, and she whiffed.

[Al in St. Lou]

The operative part of your post, "There's no real defense for her amateurish performance..."

[TRay]

"There is no way that the government was complicit in 9/11, and anyone who still thinks that after years of investigation and analysis by engineers and experts is at least a little unhinged"-Debra Medina

Whats that you say? That wasn't her answer? Well it should have been.

At least it should have been if she wanted to get elected.

Not Becks fault on this.

[ktgreat]

I'm sorry, on the subject of "Truthers", there is no middle ground, no room for the bullshit "let's get together and talk about it because talking is good and.............."--NO. If someone in Perry's camp found out about her fucked up beliefs and told Beck, good for him. If he didn't already have my vote, he'd sure as hell have it now. If she merely chose the political move of trying to pick up all the idiot Ron Paulers scattered throughout Texas, well at least if she believed it she had crazy as an excuse.

[A Balrog of Morgoth]

The only correct answer to the question is "No." If she was set up, good for the folks who set her up. Well played, Sir or Madam, whomever you may be.

[Paul Zummo]

Her backtracking also proved her to be nothing more than a typical politician. For such an "independent" thinker, she proved herself to be as every bit of a phony as all of the politicos here in DC.

[templar knight]

Dan, you can't be set up to be stupid. You're either stupid or you're not. She's stupid. And stupid is as stupid does. My mama told me that!

[Andrew X]

KT and Balrog got it. Fact is, maybe she's a nice person who got "set up" and didn't handle it well, whatever.

The fact is, in this game, a movement has GOT to kneecap SOME people, even if they are inherently sympathetic to the cause, because the price of not doing so is to just get more of that which is the problem, i.e. trutherism, blatant racism, etc.

Arguably, the "birthers" are close to kneecapping range, but that in the end a question about the exisitance of a document, and we can still just sort of roll our eyes to that and back away slowly if we choose.

There is NO compromise on "trutherism". It is the single most loathsome political idea I have ever been personally exposed to, and anyone who so much as dallys with it has to be cast upon an iceberg and set adrift. There is no further discussion to be had. None.

Wish her well..... and cut her off at the knees, with extreme prejudice. It ain't about her at all.... it's everyone else who might even think of going down that road, and it's about a nation-saving movement that cannot afford such nonsense for so much as a nano-second.

[Lisa Graas]

I have a challenge for Glenn "Let's Have Rand Paul on the Show" Beck
http://genuinegopmom.blogspot.com/2010/02/is-it-over-for-medina-in-texas.html

If he's a man, he'll do it.

[Kentucky Colonel]

Lisa, he's had Rand Paul on at least twice.

[John]

Rand Paul has been on both Glenn Beck's TV and radio shows. He likes him.

[akw]

Beck didn't "set her up." People told him that Medina has been endorsed by Alex Jones and is a frequent guest on his show, and that she is a Paulite. Beck asked her a simple question - are you a 9/11 truther - and, like a typical 9/11 truther, she refused to answer. Medina wants the support of the Tea Party movement and for most of them, 9/11 trutherism is a deal-breaker. Kudos to Beck for asking the question.

[crosspatch]

Medina is a Ron Paul nutter. She isn't going anywhere.

[bishop]

Yeah, he likes his views of the Fed, and doesn't quite agree but isn't totally opposed to his foreign policy thread. I don't know how you get that question

[unseen]

roflmao....seems the roadrunner outsmarted the coyote again.

[Jack Burton]

I don't care what type of setup it was.

Q. Do you believe that 9-11 was an inside job?

A. Glenn, I think that saying 9-11 was an inside job is absurd.

Case closed, move on, nothing to see. But no, she had to throw fuel on the fire. She's an idiot, and thank God for Beck exposing her. We don't need anymore nuts in government.

[A Stephens]

If by set up you mean she was asked a simple and straightforward question, leaving her to dissemble like a typical politician trying to skirt the line between truth and exposure, yeah she was set up. BY HER OWN DUPLICITY!

The only thing one might have found conspiratorial was the tone of Beck and his sidekick after she hung up. I'll admit the giggling was curious, but I think it's more his morning drive DJ personality coming through than anything nefarious.

[Huey]

Lol, the original comment is clearly sarcastic, setting out many of the positions he believes Medina holds. Seems he was at least touching the borders of "right on" with the "truther" snark. Does he also have the right of it on the Pot issue and the "None Dare Call it Conspiracy" issue?

Dunno. I don't vote in Texas. But, if I did vote in Texas, I'd likely be thanking the sarcastic poster...and checking out the individual snarks.

[Jack Burton]

A Stephens,

I think they were laughing because of how stupid she is.

[Mary]

Do Texans use a tern like, "Woot"? Just can't fathom that one..

[ghostx]

Dan once again nice job . The best thing that can happen to tea parties is birthers and truthers are outed . Crazy as sh*t house rats both those groups are .

[Dennis D]

I listened to the Beck audio and it certainly sounded like she was a Truther. I can recall a situation when Bill Clinton was asked if 911 was an inside job. He responded with " How Dare You" make such an accusation and looked angry that anyone would suggest such a thing. Medina did not

[A Stephens]

Yeah JB, as a native Texan now living in NC I've been fascinated by her popularity and how she's closed in on KBH. I was predisposed to like her, and I thought she made some sensible points but she absolutely brought the roof down on herself trying to not answer the question. I was dumbfounded.

[A. Blinken]

If she was "set up," she was "set up" for a yes or no question that she blew, because she hangs out with the likes of Alex Jones and is either a Truther herself or tolerates Truthers. Neither is acceptable. Or, alternatively, she blew it because more than eight years isn't enough time for her to have figured out whether the government murdered a few thousand Americans in New York, on worldwide TV, in broad daylight. Well, lady, how long do you need? Most of us figured out that the terrorists did it when the second airplane hit the second tower.

According to her press release, she needed about two more hours past the Beck show to figure it all out. It's amazing how clarifying a self-inflicted crisis can be, isn't it.

[realamericanteapatriots]

Miss Medina was frighteningly stupid. "I don't have enough facts," "I did not have the time to do an independent investigation of the psychological state of my staff," "Not as far as I know."

These are disgraceful answers and the only thing that can explain it is that she is not much of a thinker and she is even less of a leader.

[Al in St. Lou]

Actually, what if she isn't a truther but she was afraid that Beck is? And she didn't want to alienate him?

Okay, that still means she's stupid.

[chris]

I listened and thought the question was clear. The answer was evasive and appeared to be the typical response of those that can be defined as "truthers" as in "we don't know the truth but there is evidence against our government.

Beck clearly gave her a chance to reconsider her response and she just dug deeper.

I had seen her name and the uptick in her numbers and was ready to give her benefit of doubt if she was nervous or a bit inarticulate. What I heard left me totally 100% against her for a Senate run. If she was truly clueless and didn't understand the question, she needs to start her career by pursuing a local office and gaining some experience.

[Mikey NTH]

Beck didn't ask 'have you stopped beating your wife'. No set up, and he telegraphed what he was going to ask before he did.

[Kentucky Colonel]

I still think that Beck asked her the question so that she could dispel the "rumor". Before her answer, I think Beck was prepared to give her a non-endorsement endorsement. I think he was truly shocked at her answer.

[Kentucky Colonel]

To answer Lisa Graas' implied stance by Rand Paul on 9/11, here's a direct quote from Paul to John David Dyche of the Louisville Courier-Journal:

"On 9/11/2001, nineteen terrorists attacked us aboard commercial airliners. I'll never forget coming out of an eye surgery and into a patient's hospital room to see the attacks on television. I've never doubted who attacked us and have never wavered in calling for a response. In fact, I would have demanded a vote on Declaration of War with Afghanistan and voted for it. Furthermore, I think we made a mistake by waiting one and one half months to attack the terrorist bases."

[Tom]

From what I can gather none of you folks live in Texas. So my point of view is this: your meddling in our business! Coming from a Texan dating back several generations...bottom Line? Governor Medina!

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=303144365137&ref=ts

[Dan Riehl]

For the Beck heads, I'm not saying he set her up. I said it appears a Perry sock puppet started the meme. Kinda funny though that Palin's new found Fox friend takes her down for it days after Palin stumps for Perry.

But as I also said, none of that excuses her answer. She could have gotten beyond it easily with a firm denial. That she didn't suggests she either IS a truther, or simply not ready for prime time. Either way, she's toast. So, who cares?

If there was an effort to paint her as a Truther and she wasn't one, it doesn't matter, now. She may well be exactly that - a truther, exposed.

[Huey]

Dan:

1) The "sock puppet's" comment was not even thinly disguised sarcasm.

2) The Glen Beck interview did not "concentrate" on this item. It was essentially one question that could have been disposed of in one answer.

3) It's no conspiracy that Palin's "new found friend," Beck asked a question. Paul has long been identified with "truthers." Medina worked for Paul. It's a legitimate question. It certainly appears to be QUITE legitimate based upon her response.

Hey, this issue is a "twofer!" You get to take shots at both Palin AND Beck in one thread!

[A Balrog of Morgoth]

Tom is a truther, apparently.

[unseen]

Posted by: Dan Riehl | Thursday, February

yeap....because Palin endorsed Perry months ago. the campaighn event was scheduled months ago before Palin signed with FOX. so Beck took out the competition.... ok there

Palin 2 Dan 0

try again?

[Lisa Graas]

Dan wrote: "Kinda funny though that Palin's new found Fox friend takes her down for it days after Palin stumps for Perry."

Dan, honestly? I thought exactly the same thing.......which is why I decided to challenge him on Rand Paul.
http://genuinegopmom.blogspot.com/2010/02/is-it-over-for-medina-in-texas.html

Will he do it? Or is he just a show pony?

[leilani]

Tom, I'm a Texan who's glad the sock puppet made Beck ask the question, if that's indeed the case, so that all Texans can vote with their eyes wide open about who she is. And I don't discount the suggestion from someone above that the sock puppet might have been just a Perry supporter being sarcastic about Medina's kooky-fringey-Paulish beliefs. Rumors about her being a little out there have been, well, out there for a while, so I kinda doubt Beck even needed a Perry sock-puppet to cue up the question for her.

Let's face it, even leaving aside her repugnant truther answer, she didn't exactly cover herself with glory on any of the other ones either. Clearly she's not ready for the Gov's office in a lot more ways than just this one, and a REAL Texan would recognize that. Unless of course you're an aggie, Tom, in which case, I wonder if this blog allows us to post jpg's of stick figures so I can explain it to ya? J/K. ;-)

Sometimes political unknowns coming out of the blue with no track record & running as 'outsiders' are best left outside. This is one of those times. We all hate the idea of career pols, but there's at least one good thing about having people move gradually up the ladder of elective power - we can find out what they're made of when they're city councilman or mayors or state reps - before they make a run for the more powerful offices & we get stuck with a nut who could wreak real damage.

PS) Andrew X: Damn good post, sir. Again. You're the best.

[Mikey NTH]

Dan - she could have just said that the idea that the US government was involved with the 9/11 attacks is 'daft'.

Or any other variation on 'daft'.

[Think4aSecond]

I'm not saying the government had any involvement in 9/11, but there are some questions that need to be better answered by the government. Which a new investigation would at least try to do.

BTW, didn't the Germans deny the holocaust at first? As they didn't believe their government could do such a thing. History so often repeats itself.

[Huey]

Lol...

Yeah... Bush is a moron on one hand and an evil genius on the other...just depends on which meme in in vogue on any particular day...

Yeah... A government which can't keep a BJ in the oval office secret when there were only two people involved can keep a conspiracy this large (and traitorous) secret.

I laugh in the general direction....

[A Balrog of Morgoth]

Think4aSecond employs the "I am just asking questions" Truther strawman.

And BTW, the "Germans" claimed they did not know about the Holocaust because they did not want to be special guests at war crimes trials.

[leilani]

Yes, A Balrog, so is Ms. Medina apparently 'just asking questions'. She went on the Houston ABC affiliate tonight to try to 'clarify' her statement but basically stepped in it all over again with an interviewer who kept pressing. Like all truthers, it seems she also still has the classic strawman 'questions' about how the towers came down (guess she studied physics with Rosie O'Donnell?).

So I'm with Andrew X: cut her off at the knees. NOW. Then hand her her shoes & and tell her that if she wants to give the rest of her legs a proper burial, we'll meet her at the border of her choice to give 'em to her, but only after she's crawled the hell across the state line - FOREVER.

Here's the clip:

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/politics&id=7272110

[Pablo]

"For the Beck heads, I'm not saying he set her up. I said it appears a Perry sock puppet started the meme. Kinda funny though that Palin's new found Fox friend takes her down for it days after Palin stumps for Perry."

1. Beck and Palin have been friendly for quite some time. She was the first guest on his CNN show, well before McCain picked her. http://tinyurl.com/7hkhay

2. The first thing he says in the clip explains why he asked the question: Having said he would have Medina on the show, he got tons of email in which Medina = truther was a recurring theme.

It isn't a set up when someone gives you a chance to explain yourself and you do so, badly.

Could Perry people have sent such mail to Beck? Sure, they probably did. So what?

[Pablo]

Check that...she was a guest on his CNN show, the first guest on his Fox show.

[syn]

No tolerance for 9/11 Truthers? Gee, I do hope CPAC embracing of 9/11 Ron Paul Truther's Campaign for Liberty is not CPAC's way of saying Ronald Reagan was an evil NEO-CON!

According to Ron Paul's Campaign for Liberty, the only REAL Conservative is a 9/11 Truther.

You've Been Lied To: Why Real Conservatives are Against the War on Terror
Delaware Ballroom
Sponsored by Campaign for Liberty (60 minutes)
Speakers: Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Karen Kwiatkowski and Jacob Hornberger, President of FFF
Open to All CPAC Attendees

Thanks CPAC, now that you have you embraced the 9/11 Truthers you've now helped the Democrats screw America's right to defend herself!

Sincerely,

from NYC where Islamists f&*king attacked twice! MFers!

[syn]

I hope the wallets of RON PAULITES are looted, pillaged and plundered to death; I have ZERO interest in protecting fat MFers a$$ets after these MFers spent the last eight years helping the Democrat Party sabotage America's right to defend herself, as well as, sabotage a Commander-in Chief during a time of war!

The only REAL Conservative is a MFer CIA-conspiratorial 9/11 Truther!

Thanks but no thanks, I love my country more than the RON PAULITES fat MF 9/11 Truther wallets!

[david r]

Perry was robocalling voters with an indignant statement about Medina an hour after the Beck interview. Perry's operatives were behind the "e-mails" to Beck asserting Medina was a truther. This is classic Rick Perry. Why Palin would support him is beyond me. Is it his haircut and good looks? Is she thinking with the wrong part of her anatomy? In any event, Medina is not ready for prime time.

[Huey]

david: You make allegations without factual support. You even say that the emails were "classic Rick Perry," again without any factual support.

As has been pointed out several times on this blog, Palin's endorsement came before the tea party movement even began, when Perry's only challenger was KBH. As between the two, are you asserting that Palin was "thinking with the wrong part of her anatomy" when she chose Perry over KBH? (And, what could POSSIBLY cause you to make such a crude remark about Palin escapes me.)

Clearly Medina harbors some thoughts as to the causes of 9-11 which came out when she attempted to answer Beck's question. Why the question came about is unimportant; it is her ANSWER which is important.

When a candidate to public office has information about another candidate which he/she thinks the public should know and, which if known, may alter voter attitudes, is it your position that that candidate shouldn't try to get that information to the public? (This ASSUMES that your accusations against Perry and his operatives is correct...) What's he/she to do? Sit tight and HOPE that the information becomes public -- somehow -- someway -- before the vote is cast?

This reminds me of the attacks on Giles and O'Keefe for taping ACORN. We should be utterly unconcerned as to HOW the tapes were made (unless there is some deceit as to what is created); we should ONLY be concerned as to what the tapes REVEALED. The same is true of Medina's beliefs on the cause of 9-11. I could give a tinker's damn as to HOW her views were revealed -- I just care WHAT was revealed.