February 11, 2010 2:43 PM

Debra Medina Says Comments on Glenn Beck Show about More than 9/11

By
Stephanie Condon
Topics
Campaign 2010
(AP PHOTO)
Debra Medina, a Republican candidate in the Texas gubernatorial race, is walking back some comments she made earlier today on the Glenn Beck radio show suggesting the U.S. government could have had a role in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Beck asked Medina whether she believed the government played a part in the attacks, the Statesman reports.

"I don't have all of the evidence there, Glenn, so I'm not in a place, I have not been out publicly questioning that," Medina said. "I think some very good questions have been raised in that regard, there are some very good arguments and I think the American people have not seen all the evidence there, so I have not taken a position on that."

When Beck asked her whether she would disavow any staffers who might be a part of the so-called "9/11 truther" movement, Medina said, "I'm certainly not into mind control or thought-policing people. We've got a very diverse team in this state, and it's because Texans are standing shoulder to shoulder to support and defend the Constitution. I frankly don't have time to go through and do psychological testing on people and know every thought or detail that they have. I don't see us having a team of radical individuals if you will."

Medina (shown on the right in the above picture) will face off against current Gov. Rick Perry and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison in a Republican gubernatorial primary. A businesswoman and activist who once volunteered for Texas Rep. Ron Paul, Medina has gained traction in the governor's race by appealing to grassroots conservatives. The most prominent faction of grassroots conservatives, the "tea partiers," is a disparate group that includes some extreme elements. The "truther" movement, however, is sometimes associated with those on the extreme left and recently became a problem for a White House adviser who subsequently resigned.

Medina made clear in a statement today that she has never been involved with the "truther" movement, and she said, "There is no doubt in my mind that Muslim terrorists flew planes into those buildings on 9/11."

She said she was caught off guard by Beck's question because it is not relevant to the Texas gubernatorial race. "This campaign has always been about private property rights and state sovereignty," she said. "It is focused on the issues facing Texans. It is not a vehicle for the 9-11 truth movement or any other group."

While she backed away from any association with the movement, Medina said she stood by the underlying premise for her response, which was the right to question the 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," she said. "It is absolutely the right and duty of a free people to question their government."

Add a Comment See all 32 Comments
by johngalt_ February 14, 2010 11:43 AM EST
Just another hatchet job by hypocrite Glenn Beck. He preaches about our Founding Fathers and the Constitution and then treats Debra Medina, who promotes these same ideas, as if she's a right-wing wacko... usually a term Beck reserves for himself.

Then he promotes Gov. Rick Perry and says he would like to French-kiss him. Beck is truly a disturbed individual who must be on Prozac or some other mind-altering substance.
Reply to this comment
by alltruth1 February 12, 2010 8:58 PM EST
Debra is NOT a conspiracy nut. She simply is leaving open the possibility that there "could" be more to the 9-11 attack than has been explained. She simply states that all the facts are not yet in. And Glenn Beck, if anyone, should appreciate her questioning any possibility without all the facts being in, especially since he holds so strongly to a famous quote "Question with boldness....." In her answer she answered honestly, not in the same old polished "tell them what they want to hear" canned answer so that many of today's career, self serving, politicians have perfected. That the Muslim major that killed GIs in Waco and whose anti-US hatred was ignored by his superiors for so long should be ample proof that it is possible that someone somewhere in a position of power by negligence or even complicity "could" have known something that would have prevented the 9-11 attacks. QUESTION WITH BOLDNESS!!!! Good for you, Debra Medina.
Reply to this comment
by jtoricelli February 12, 2010 12:30 PM EST
Debra's nutty conspiracy theories are disturbing and dangerous.
Reply to this comment
by NStuff2 February 12, 2010 10:34 AM EST
Lets get the FACTS STRIGHT GLEN
This is what has been posted to the medinafortexas website. Everthing has been taken down from the main page and this is what is there now.

Medina Campaign Responds to Glenn Beck Interview
by Debra Medina on Feb 11, 2010

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.

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 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.
Reply to this comment
by epoch487 February 12, 2010 9:45 AM EST
I used to love Glen Beck - listened to his radio show ALL the time - bought his books - including Christmas Sweater - and MET him at Barnes and Noble! Not too long ago I heard him hang up on a caller who simply asked what Glen's thoughts were regarding military grade nanothermite found at ground zero. He hung up on him, calling him a kook, nut, idiot, or some such thing. I was APPALLED!!! This guy (Beck) who constantly channels Thomas Jefferson "Question with Boldness" - Now he attacks a fellow PATRIOT (Medina) - and even asks what if she discovered 9/11 "truthers" in her employ?! What would you do?! Huh? Huh?! What a BULLY!!! What a JERK! I hope that more people really dig into the claims of 9/11 "truthers" with an open mind, if for NO OTHER REASON THAN TO SPITE Glen Bick.
Reply to this comment
by NStuff2 February 12, 2010 10:33 AM EST
Lets get the FACTS STRIGHT GLEN
This is what has been posted to the medinafortexas website. Everthing has been taken down from the main page and this is what is there now.

Medina Campaign Responds to Glenn Beck Interview
by Debra Medina on Feb 11, 2010

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.

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 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.
by pursuitdriver February 12, 2010 8:11 AM EST
I will make this short and sweet, I do not like him for many reasons.
So I do not watch him anymore.
Reply to this comment
by Judiladybug February 12, 2010 4:28 AM EST
A VERY interesting development happened right after Debra Medina's interview with Glenn. Friends from Austin, Houston, Dallas & Fort Worth began getting robo calls from not only Perry but Hutch. They started within an hour or so after the Glenn Beck radio show, guess what enlightening news they had to share? That Debra Medina was not a worthy candidate because she is a 9/11 Truther. Wow!! Isn't that interesting. How was Mr. Perry's team so ready to start a massive robo blitz with this new Truther news so quick? Looks like someone is getting scared, and that he had a little help from a friend. Some coincidences are just to coincidental to be brushed aside. I am not any more of a Truther than Ms. Medina, but I have friends that feel that certain things don't add up with the 9-11 facts and questions OB"s birth certificate. Everyone has a right, no an obligation to question everything going on in our country.
Reply to this comment
by thephdofthc February 12, 2010 4:15 AM EST
*

Medina handled the 9-11 question with poise and I was very satisfied with her fair-minded response. When I first started watching Glenn Beck I definitely thought he was a neo-con but in the last few months it seems that he has moderated some of his more totalitarian ideals and come closer to the libertarian way of thinking. I guess I was a bit confused about his sincerity and his true political leanings but his interview with Medina yesterday showed his hand pretty clearly.

I know that Beck is intelligent enough to realize that the 9-11 Commission was a farce and that the commissioners themselves even admit as much. John Farmer, senior council to the 9-11 Commission has been quoted as saying ?the public had been seriously misled about what occurred during the morning of the attacks,? and Farmer himself states that ?at some level of the government, at some point in time?there was an agreement not to tell the truth about what happened.?

That being said, I think it is reasonable to further investigate 9-11 in a scientific manner without regard to emotions or politics. They already told us that we were lied to - therefore that step doesn't seem quite so offbeat to me.

Regardless, Beck chose to attempt to bully Medina into saying that she was a 9-11 'truther' despite the fact - as Medina herself stated - that issue has absolutely nothing to do with the Texas Governor's race. Then, when Medina declined to take a firm stand on the issue he tried to paint her as a rabid 9-11 truther.

We are not stupid, Mr. Beck. We know who and what you represent. You may be fooling a certain segment of brainless morons who believe anything they are told and who are too afraid to question, but a vast majority of Americans are smarter than that and your little schtick isn't going to play for much longer. Honestly, I am glad that you attacked Medina in the manner that you did because now you won't be fooling me anymore. So I guess I just want to say thank you, Mr. Beck, for being just not quite slick enough.
Reply to this comment
by erb0087 February 12, 2010 3:37 AM EST
If there's any truth to this, I hope Homeland Security is keeping a close watch on Dick Cheney.

Nothing could better serve his cause than for 9/11 to have a sequel during the Obama administration.
Reply to this comment
by getaclue45 February 11, 2010 9:33 PM EST
First, I hope any of you who commented have a clue about Texas. You are either an employer or employee, homeowner, taxpayer in Texas. If you are not, then pick another venue. Those of us who are Texan have a vested interest in becoming a part of something that is rightfully ours. My state has been my home since birth and my ancestors for generations. My country is in a huge mess. I can only work on my state for now. Debra Medina is the only candidate who is in the trenches fighting the legislation that has come to Texas in an "overall" state of mind. The other candidates help create that "overall" state of mind. Each state has it's own cross to bear. Texas should not be held to the policies of all states. Nullification is the only way to make that happen. If we decide the big dogs have a great idea, then so be it. But it will be up to us, not the entire nation as a whole. Did you want your family to choose your mate? Get a handle on what is really happening here. Forget the media and Glenn Beck and the others. Get some REAL information about each candidate and their proven actions for TEXAS. Then VOTE, VOTE, VOTE. Never give up on what you believe and don't think your VOTE is wasted. God Be With Us and Each Candidate. Texas IS the best state to live in. Not because a current politician says it is, but because there are still those of us who refuse to give in to the rhetoric.
Reply to this comment
by pwm_hTX February 11, 2010 9:52 PM EST
!!
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