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.

But whatever harsh words Munson uses to describe 9/11 activists, they pale in comparison to the invective he heaped on Popular Mechanics, who pulled out their man just before the debate was to air. Said Munson, "I think that sounds awfully funky and I think they sound like a bunch of punks. So I’m prepared right now to say that the debunkers are funky punks."

Munson, who described Debunking 9/11 Myths as "fascinating, well-researched [and] scientifically sound," was originally pleased to host a debate between what he calls "the guy who’s shoveling the bunk" and "the guy who’s debunking." But he quickly changed his tone after the abrupt pull-out: "The people who are associated with this book are horrible, horrible, miserable people. Just awful. Awful, awful human beings."

As to who made the decision to withdraw from the debate, Munson’s producer said "There’s a middle man [a public relations firm] involved here. That’s what anguishes me so much about this." Munson agreed, saying "and middlemen are almost invariably weasels."

Munson, who cancelled the hour long segment altogether, was disgusted by the last minute pullout and questioned why the authors of Debunking 9/11 Myths "wouldn’t come on and address one of the conspiracy nuts." He also urged his listeners to "not buy the Debunking 9/11 Myths book because the people associated with it are pathetic weasels."

There’s no word yet on a possible rescheduling of the debate.

Thanks to Wesley Baker for the news submission!