The Midday Brief: February 11, 2010

Your afternoon reading:

For an extra dose of the Beck-Medina "9/11 insider" conversation and how Texas is reacting, catch up with the latest here:

"Republican gubernatorial candidate Debra Medina, a Wharton businesswoman and activist whose insurgent campaign has been gaining steam for a month, may have hit a major speed bump today."– Medina says she doesn't have position on whether U.S. government helped 9/11 attackers – Austin-American Statesman

"This morning, ascendant GOP primary candiate Debra Medina appeared on Fox News host Glenn Beck's radio show and, by Beck's estimation, steered her campaign onto the fast-track "'back to 4 percent.'" - 2010: Debra Medina, Glenn Beck and 9/11 "truth." – The Texas Tribune

"TV and radio commentator Glenn Beck dismissed the candidacy of Debra Medina when she left open the door to a conspiracy fringe group that believes the U.S. government might have been behind the 9-11 destruction of the World Trade Center." – Glenn Beck slams Debra Medina for not disavowing 9-11 truthers – The Dallas Morning News

And the rest of today's highlights:

"Before she pleaded guilty to federal tax fraud charges last week as part of the long-running Dallas City Hall corruption scandal, did any of you think that she might be clean in the scheme to extract bribes from low-cost housing developers?" Pity for Terri Hodge? Save it for the Voters She Betrayed – The Dallas Observer

"That upset for Edward Kennedy's seat was especially traumatic for Democrats and uplifting for Republicans, and since then, Sessions said, 'we've had a number of very good days" in terms of fundraising.'" – Sessions says recent GOP victories aided fundraising for party – The Dallas Morning News

"It's one of those covert relationships that not too many people in Washington knew about. But after learning of the death of former Texas Rep. Charlie Wilson, one of his key partners in the war against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan went public." – Defense Sec. Gates lauds 'patriot' Charlie Wilson. San Antonio Express-News

"Obama made it sound like he doesn’t 'begrudge' the multi-million dollar bonuses collected by JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon or Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein." Left rips President Obama bonus comments – Politico