Republican Senator's Aide Gets Press For "Student Obama Debate Challenge"

By GottaLaff

Remember that student who challenged President Obama to "an Oxford style debate" at the Grand Junction town hall meeting the other day? It turns out he is actually an aide to Greg Brophy, a rightie-wingy Republican state senator.

How ironic is it that the Rushpublics accuse Obama of planting questioners?

Although he has removed his profiles from LinkedIn and Twitter as far as I can tell, Zach Lahn's Twitter info was copied over to me in an e-mail:

@Zach Lahn - Determined Christian Conservative in CO, home state of
IA not stopping until everyone agrees w/me Pro-Life, Pro-Guns,
Pro-Reagan, Anti-Big Gov

Via Political Punch:

After a weekend of relatively tame town halls President Obama found one vocal skeptic in a college student who challenged the President to an Oxford debate over the public option at his Grand Junction, Colo., town hall this evening.

Zach Lahn, a 23-year-old student at the University of Colorado got the President's attention after shouting out during the Q and A a few times. The President finally called on him during the end of the town hall.

"I just want proof here that I'm happy to get a good debate going," the President said, knowing that he could be wading into harsher waters than he is used to.[...]

Lahn said he didn't want any generalities, or philosophical arguments from the President as a response...

"It's good to see a young person who's very engaged and confident challenging the President to a Oxford-style debate, I think this is good," he said. "You know, this is good. You know, I like that. You got to have a little chutzpah, you know."

And via ColoradoPols.com:

It also takes some "chutzpah" to fail to disclose to either the President or to reporters interviewing you afterward that you're a staffer for one of the hardest-right Republicans in the Colorado Senate, Sen. Greg "Obama's Gonna Take Yer Guns" Brophy, wouldn't you say?

Of course, anyone can ask a question at a town hall meeting, that's not a problem. However, it's always interesting to see what new amusing little twist the Rushpublics will provide next. Aren't they fun?

Had this been a Boy Georgie town hall, you can bet no Democratic staffer would have made it into the room... or even into the nearest parking lot... across the street.