Nationally syndicated progressive talk show host Thom Hartmann, (Air America), has issued a challenge to those researching 9/11.

He wants a representative from the skeptics of the Government's "Official Conspiracy Theory", the "OCT", and a defender of the OCT, to come on his show at the same time, and debate their positions in a civil manner.

Hartmann tasked his producer approximately 6 months ago to find a well-known defender of the OCT to accept the terms of the debate, and not a single one would. On Friday, June 15, Hartmann renewed his challenge on air, and noted that the problem seems to lay with the OCT defenders, who won't come on the show at the same time as the skeptics, and won't take calls from the public following a few rounds of debate.

On Monday, June 18, Hartmann renewed the call again;

"I mentioned on the program a couple days ago that we tried to put together a program about 9/11 where we wanted to get on the folks from Popular Mechanics, or some variation, someone who would take the position of the 9/11 Commission... and get some representatives from the 9/11 Truth community of one of its variations, and Dave, my producer came on and said we couldn't find anybody who would come on and debate.

First of all we can't find anybody, NOBODY has contacted us (on the OCT side), and we've contacted a number of them, the magazine (Popular Mechanics) wouldn't do it... would come on and take that position, and so... to have somebody come on and say, "it was a controlled demolition", and not to have somebody on the other side say, "no, wait a minute, here", it wouldn't be a discussion, it just be... bad.

It's amazing, I've gotten several hundred emails over the last couple days in consequence of that, many of them people saying, "I'd be glad to come on", I'd be glad to debate... all of them on the conspiracy side of it...

(More after the jump.)

9/11 discussion to air on RETN - burlingtonfreepress.com

A panel discussion on the ballot items in Burlington and Lincoln asking for a new investigation of the events of Sept. 11, 2001, will air at 8 p.m. today on Regional Educational Technology Network, Channel 16. It will air simultaneous online at www.retn.org.

RETN asks viewers to participate in the discussion by phone or e-mail.

The panel will include proponents of a new investigation: Kyle Hence, executive director of 9/11 Citizens Watch and producer of the documentary "9/11: Press for Truth"; Burlington writer and musician Mark Estrin; and former City Councilor Doug Dunbebin.

"During the program we will welcome all perspectives on this important subject," said Scott Campitelli, the executive director of RETN.

If anyone is in the Burlington, Vermont area and can record this event tonight please do!

Thanks to Jon Gold for the heads up!

This was sent in by Benaton;

Hi, I'd appreciate it if you could spread the word about this. Tonight
there will be a debate on http://www.thedebatehour.com/ streaming live
over the internet. Michael Berger of 911truth.org will debate Roger
Schlueter who will try to debunk his beliefs.

The show starts promptly at 8pm Eastern Standard time and will run until
9pm. After that the broadcast is cut off, but the stream will still
continue on http://www.stickam.com/ for people watching the live video
feed.

Listen live (streaming audio):
http://www.freethoughtmedia.com/listen.m3u

Watch live at the following link:
http://www.stickam.com/profile/infidelguy **Recommended

During the broadcast you can click the magnifying glass to open the video
stream + chat room to ask questions. No registration is required.

Or Call in at 888-503-0802.

The Debate Hour is hosted by Reginald Finley Sr., who recently had Scott
Horton, a contributor to anti-war.com, discuss the war in Iraq and global
empire.

Gutless UW Profs Won't Debate Barrett, Fetzer Thurs. 10/5/06 - indymedia.org

by Kevin Barrett

It appears that Kevin Barrett and Jim Fetzer will debate two empty chairs Thursday, October 5th, 2006 at 6 p.m. at the Curti Lounge, 5243 Humanities, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

The History Students' Association tried to find one or more U.W.-Madison professors willing to defend the 9/11 Commission Report in a debate with Barrett and Fetzer, to no avail. This seems odd, since UW Political Science professor Donald Downs has claimed that Barrett's views are preposterous, while Physics professor M.F. Onellian has engaged in childish name-calling: http://mujca.com/groucho.htm

The fact that not a single U.W.-Madison professor is willing to defend the 9/11 Commission Report in public speaks volumes. The cowardice of professors who call names, but won't debate the facts, is astounding.

Ironically, the Oshkosh Northwestern just ran an editorial bemoaning the fact that no academics are willing to debate Barrett:
http://www.thenorthwestern.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061004/OSH06...

Continued...
Thanks, Daithí.

911truth.org has updated their site with downloads of yesterday's debate between Mike Berger and Matthew Rothschild. I caught the last half of the show and it is definately worth the listen.

You can find the MP3s here:
Breaking News: Mike Berger/Matthew Rothschild Debate - 911truth.org

Thanks MediaPuppet for the heads up!

****From http://whisperingloudly.spaces.live.com***** Loud Whispers

I just finished watching the debate between the magazine Popular Mechanics who produced the book ''Debunking The Myths of 9/11'' I believe, and I tried log back into the site 911blogger.com to get more information for this post but it must be flooded with hits because it's down right now. During the debate though, I noticed how young the film makeres of Loose_Change are, but also how passionate they are. Even though I don't believe it went very well for the youngsters, they don't have much to debate. Everything is on film.

The editor of the magazine of Popular Mechanics and the books editor are visibly better schooled at debate but there's some key points I'd like to mention about their side of the debate......
The editor of Popular Mechanics has twice stated about pictures he has seen of wreckage inside the Pentagon and the photos of the other 6-8 security camera's perched atop that captured the ''plane'' approaching the building. The editor of Popular Mechanics stated this on todays debate and earlier last month on a broadcast on an Arizona radio station. On the broadcast from Arizona, the host asked why the government would allow the editor of a magazine to view those photos but not the rest of the world. He didn't have an answer whatsoever---- except that he wasn't allowed to publish them. But he stood by his comment that HE was allowed to see them.

I had a very bad feeling last night about the upcoming debate on Amy Goodman's show, and 9/11 Truth in general. Although I couldn't quite pinpoint it at the time, now it seems as plain as day. Simply put, The Movement is currently coming under a most vicious, strategic attack by the official storytellers and the powers that be. Let me repeat myself: ladies and gentlemen, make no mistake about it: WE ARE UNDER ATTACK.

This all began over the past couple of weeks, as the disinfo regarding no planes at the WTC started to appear en masse on this site. I've been a regular visitor and contributor to 911 Blogger for a number of months now and I've never seen so much organized commentary on these fringe, unscientific topics prior to this recent period of time. In addition, The Movement has been receiving much press coverage over the past month or so- the vast majority of it highly unflattering and unhelpful.

Virtually every single instance of mainstream media coverage that has covered so-called "conspiracy theories" regarding 9/11, follows this modus operandi:

• first and foremost, ignore and prevent any mention, whatsoever, of WTC Building 7
• never debate or give credence, or acceptance, to any of the skeptical points raised, no matter what

Popular Mechanics invited to the National 9/11 Debate - teamliberty.net

This letter / invitation was “hard copy” mailed to Popular Mechanics Editor-In-Chief James B. Meigs, and editors of the Popular Mechanics book, Debunking 9/11 Myths, Brad Reagan and David Dunbar. Meigs was recently on Fox News, O’Reilly Factor touting the Popular Mechanics book as the final answer on 9/11. Let’s see if they really stand behind their work! Call them, write them, e-mail them, and let them know its time to debate because their book is debatable!
..
Dear James Meigs, David Dunbar, and Brad Reagan,

The National 9/11 Debate will be held on March 10, 2007 in Charleston, SC at the Charleston Convention Center / Embassy Suites. There will be two, seven-member debate teams. You are probably familiar with a few of the names on the debate team that rejects the government’s official version of 9/11.
..
have noted that Popular Mechanics is now touting itself as the final answer that debunks 9/11 Myths. The question now is will the people behind and responsible for the book titled Debunking 9/11 Myths, people such as yourself, stand firmly behind your work and participate in the National 9/11 Debate?

Two hours before he was to debate a member of "Scholars for 9/11 Truth" on a Seattle radio talk show, a research editor for "Popular Mechanics" magazine pulls out.

Seattle - The magazine Popular Mechanics, which recently released a book slamming the 9/11 Truth movement, cancelled a radio debate Tuesday between one of the book's contributors and a 9/11 truth activist just two hours before airtime. The debate, planned two weeks in advance, was scheduled to air on the Dori Munson talk radio program on KIRO AM 710, August the 22nd, at 1:00 PM.

Richard Curtis, PhD, an Adjunct Professor of Philosophy at several Seattle area colleges and an active member of "Scholars for 9/11 Truth," was scheduled to debate Davin Coburn, a research editor at Popular Mechanics and one of the contributors to the book Debunking 9/11 Myths: Why Conspiracy Theories Can't Stand Up To The Facts, on Munson's radio show. Munson, furious about the last minute cancellation, said that the books PR firm was responsible for the decision and that none of the contributors to the new book would be allowed on the air with anyone from "Scholars for 9/11 Truth."

Despite Munson’s views that those who doubt the official account of the 9/11 attacks are "wingnuts" and "nut-jobs," he had interviewed Curtis on his program three times before. Curtis’ organization, "Scholars for 9/11 Truth," is a burgeoning movement of hundreds of respected academicians who are convinced that the official story about 9/11 is highly suspect, that the 9/11 Commission was a contemptible whitewash and that the government has used the attacks as an excuse to attack and occupy Afghanistan and Iraq.

Dr. Frank R. Greening to argue in support of government account of the events of September 11, 2001 at the National 9/11 Debate

Dr. Frank R. Greening to argue in support of government account of the events of September 11, 2001 at the National 9/11 Debate

The National 9/11 Debate is pleased to announce that Frank R. Greening Ph.D. has agreed to participate in the National 9/11 Debate on March 10, 2007 in Charleston, South Carolina. Frank R. Greening will be part of a seven-member debate team that will support the U.S. government’s official account of 9/11 events.

Frank R. Greening was born in London, England in 1947. He has a Ph.D. in physical chemistry and has carried out research in physics, chemistry, and materials science for 30 years in academic and industrial positions. He has published approximately 80 research reports and journal articles, including numerous articles supporting the government’s collapse sequence theories of World Trade Center Buildings 1 & 2.

While the 9/11 Commissioners and NIST scientists remain invited to participate in the National 9/11 Debate, the Muckraker Report has expanded the potential government debate team members to any qualified persons that are willing to publicly defend the government’s account of 9/11 against the opposing debate team already assembled. Dr. Greening is the first such expert that has agreed to debate members of Scholars for 9/11 Truth as well as other experts that oppose the government’s account of 9/11 to include Philip J. Berg, James H. Fetzer, David Ray Griffin, Steven E. Jones, George Nelson, Morgan Reynolds, and Judy D. Wood.