Belo Corp. and The Dallas Morning News have painted themselves into a corner on the GOP gubernatorial debate they’re sponsoring Jan. 29. Days before Thursday’s public-TV debate in Denton, which featured Gov. Rick Perry, U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and libertarian/constitutionalist Debra Medina, Belo declared that Medina wouldn’t be allowed to join their upcoming party, for a variety of (sometimes labored) reasons.
Then something happened: the constitutionalist performed so well Thursday that some observers–including an analyst for CBS11–say she might have “won” the thing. Now the DMN/Belo is scrambling to defend its call against an onslaught of criticism. (If you don’t believe it, read the 80-plus commenters to the Trail Blazers post.) I have a simple solution for the Dallas-based media company: admit you made a bad decision, reverse it ASAP, and allow Medina to have her say on stage. It’s the right thing to do, guys.
26 comments
Medina would be a great replacement for KBH and her tired, half-hearted campaign. She is, “ready to come home,” indeed.
Everybody and their Momma knows that the real talk of this Governors race is Debra Medina. How refreshing it is to hear someone who truly cares about We Texans and our Liberty and Prosperity.
Of course , there is now no legitimate reason to exclude
Republican candidate, Debra Medina from any debate.
She was a real asset to the debate process last week in
Denton.
She added interest and that adds more viewers.
The goal of a debate is to inform voters of issues and perspectives they may not have thought about.
A debate should not be exclusionary. It is up to each
individual to do their best, and the public to decide.
Thank you Belo, in advance, for including Debra
Medina, Republican for Governor.
I was in a room of about 150 “Tea Party” folks at a debate-watching party last night; well over half of whom were PERRY supporters. Well, as it turns out, there was nary a peep or clap for anything Perry or Hutchison said; other than some actual “disgusted” hissing and booing. On the other hand, these same PERRY supporters loudly applauded and cheered just about every point Debra Medina was saying. Afterwards, they literally cleaned-out the Medina table of all of it’s signs, stickers and push-cards, while the Perry table was completely pristine and untouched! Now if THAT wasn’t a “telling” moment, I don’t know what is? Bear in mind that if it was happening here (Fredericksburg, in the Hill Country) then it was almost certainly happening throughout Texas!
LET DEBRA SPEAK!!
Thanks for the Medina love, Glenn. Even if you don’t support her, it’s plain to see that Debra Medina deserves a spot on that stage. And to top it off, there’s a pretty popular petition going on at http://tinyurl.com/medinadebate that’s threatening to boycott Belo, the DMN, WFAA, and their sponsors. That’s just about the last thing a struggling newspaper company needs right now. At the very least it needs it less than it needs a little slice of humble pie. Thanks again for the post.
There are even petitions going out to get Belo to invide Debra (included threats to boycott!)
Petition 1: http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/debmedina/
Petition 2 (with boycott!): http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/LetDebraDebate
Plus, some are organizing a rally/picket outside of Belo Headquarters in Dallas next Sat!
Someone in Belo better start re-thinking their decision…
Liberty in Texas,
Anthony J. Reed
Belo doesn’t even have to admit a mistake. They can simply say, “We have decided to include Medina.” Everyone is happy. Well, maybe not perry.
This article is so true.
I just wanted to clarify for the reader that Debra is a Republican and is running on the Republican ticket.
Medina absolutely won the debate unless your standards for winning are purely political theater related. Yes, Rick avoided answering any questions and spent the night bragging that TX is awesome. Yes KBH succeeded in lambasting the incumbent. Only Medina answered what she would do as governor and her answers were the correct ones for anyone wanting to see a return to Constitutionally balanced and limited government.
The East Texas Tea Partiers will be hounding BELO Corp til zero hour. They should let her be heard.
Republican Candidate Medina was the only one with real solutions – Constitutional ones at THAT! The other two were SO busy bickering that Medina drove a DUMP TRUCK through the hole in the other two candidates’ arguments!!!
I agree. Medina presents new thinking we need to hear. Belo is trying to make the campaign camps of Perry and KBH happy instead of exercising their responsibility to uphold the public trust.
I think that we can count on Belo to deliver the same quality of coverage of the candidates as they have provided on Climategate.
Thank you for your article. Not too hard to determine who both has a brain these days AND uses it also. Great advice, great insight, and just plain o smart!!
Debra is a Republican candidate, even though constitutionally gounded, she is sincere, studied, brave, and means what she says. We Texan will be there to help her bring freedom back to Texas. Thanks again for your direct, and up front reporting. I’ll be checking back on this link, I bookmarked it.
Looks like BELO might soon earn a W = BELOW, maybe even bankruptcy. Medina will not be bailing them out. Perry and or KBHutchinson just might. Looks like a lot to lose here for BELO either way. — Thanks again!
I am so glad Medina is in this race. She is a well spoken woman who truly represents Texas values. Her hard hitting questions had Perry fumbling for a diversion. Belo can easily and rightfully should include Medina in the debate.
Medina absolutely won the debate. She hung in with the far more experienced politicos, and she got her views out in a calm and collected fashion.
Of course, she’s nuts. On guns, she regretted that she can’t pack heat at her local grocery store. This is obviously because she wants everyone else at the grocery store armed, too. Everyone locked and loaded, everywhere, seems to be her modern-day read of the Second Amendment. On property taxes, she wants to chunk all of that funding and replace it by sales-taxing everyone to death, which would eat the poor, hurt the middle class, bust municipal and county budgets across the state, and not hurt the super-wealthy in the least, a fact totally lost on most Republicans and Tea Partiers, most of whom are NOT super-wealthy.
But I agree, she won the debate and should be in the upcoming Belo-sponsored show.
@Jackson – The Republicans have been very successful in convincing middle class voters to vote against their best interests and FOR the interests of the rich.
KBH should drop out and let Medina take her place. Perry versus Medina would be a lot better than a three-way debate. Hutchison is toast and everyone knows it.
Medina is just nutty enough to make it interesting.
Sammy is absolutely correct. The establishment candidates will do everything in their power in every election in 2010 to create the illusion that you are getting something good, when in reality the rich are made into super-rich while the Middle Class is destroyed. Vote for Debra Medina, the next governor of Texas.
I give her three stars!
The difference between the GOP candidates for Texas governor:
Kay and Rick: Both say one thing, mean another, and will do anything their masters tell them, even if inconsistent with either what they said or what they meant when they said it.
Debra Medina: Says what she means and does what she says.
Any questions?
Kay needs to give it up, I mean seriously, what was she thinking? Maybe her husband Ray can make more money with her running Texas than in the Senate.
We have to have Medina!
Medina, and the voters of Texas, deserve to hear her views expressed in the Belo Gubernatorial debate. Lest BELO forget, WE, THE PEOPLE, are YOUR customers, potential customers and potential LOST customers (heavy emphasis on the LOST CUSTOMERS). The groundswell is growing for Ms. Medina and BELO would just be showing how IRRELEVANT it’s media outlets are if they refuse to give in to public pressure. BELO … include her and you come out looking balanced, fair and courageous. Exclude her and the push back will be more than you are bargaining for. Your choice, do the right thing and be rewarded by the public who will watch the debate in huge numbers, do the wrong thing and reap what you sow – exclusion.
Belo admit it made a mistake? Belo acquiesce to public pressure? I will believe it when I see it. But, they should let the nutcase participate.
Medina won the debate hands down. Let her debate – throw the bums out! I’m blocking Belo stations on my DVR and will encourage others and a few advertisers I know do the same. If you do any business with Belo advertisers – let them know you won’t support them either!
What we have here is the same as in Washington…”The Governor’s Seat is for sale by WFAA and Belo”, all you need is money and you can say what you want on tv, but if you are a newcommer, then you do not have the funds to participate in purchasing the seat. Let Medina in the debate!!!!!!!!
Just heard BELO has relented and Medina will be invited to the debate. Democracy is still working (at least to a degree). This is great news!