Walz challenger Quist gets his national introduction

Allen Quist, the GOP candidate to replace Democrat Rep. Tim Walz, was speaking to a small crowd of voters last month when he made an off-hand comment about the threat posed by liberals. But as modern politicians learn every day, YouTube changes everything.

The Minnesota Independent highlighted a video of the event yesterday which showed Quist seeming to imply that defeating Democrats is more important than fighting terrorism.

"Every generation has had to fight the fight for freedom," Quist said. "This is our fight. And this is our time. This is it. Terrorism, yes - but that's not the big battle. The big battle is in D.C. with the radicals. They aren't liberals, they're radicals. Obama, Pelosi, Walz - they're not liberals, they're radicals. They are destroying our country. And people all over are figuring that out."

Within hours of the posting, what began as a stump speech in a gym was broadcast via MSNBC to the country as an example of how, as liberal host Rachel Maddow put it, Republicans no longer "know how to do terror politics."

This incident, in addition to some controversial comments made by another First District Republican, likely comes as good news to Walz, who faces a tough road ahead as a Democrat from a generally moderate district.

UPDATE: It didn't take long for Walz to jump on the news. On Tuesday afternoon, he sent a letter to supporters alerting them to Quist's "stunning" comment, which he called a "clear picture into the mindset of those who are doing all they can to stop the change we are fighting for every day."