Earlier in the week, H&C had on as its guest University of Wisconsin instructor Kevin Barrett, who claims that the Bush administration orchestrated the 9/11 attacks and used controlled explosions to bring down the WTC towers.
On tonight's show, the guest was Barrett supporter Bob Bowman, member of the august Veterans for 9/11 Truth. Oh, and by the way, Bowman also happens to be . . . a Democratic candidate for congress from Florida's 15th District!
In any case, Bowman told Sean "I'm agnostic about these conspiracy theories," adding that Barrett's "conspiracy theory is far more believable than yours," and further: "I don't know who did it and neither do you."
Later, addressing himself to Bowman, Colmes said: "Bob, I'm Alan Colmes. I'm agnostic as well . . . As I understand it this theory while propounded in this class is not central to what he is teaching in this class. As a matter of fact, 400 pages are provided supporting the official government version and 75 pages supporting the alternative [crazy conspiracy] version that we are debating here."
Maybe in all the cross-fire I misread what Colmes was saying. But it sure sounds as if he is willing to entertain the possibilty that the Bush administration might have been responsible for the destruction of the WTC. If that's true, he has written himself out of the 'harmless liberal' category in my book.
Thursday morning update: I've since heard from several folks who viewed the segment and confirm that Colmes was indeed expressing 'agnosticism' as to who or what caused the destruction of the WTC towers.
Finkelstein lives in the liberal haven of Ithaca, NY, where he hosts the award-winning public-access TV show 'Right Angle.' Contact him at mark@gunhill.net
