Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante has refused to denounce the racist group MEChA, instead identfying it as one that helps develop leaders.

Earlier, Bustamante was questioned pointedly about his membership as a college student in the Chicano activist organization MEChA, or Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan. The group's strident rhetoric urged retaking the American Southwest, among other things.

Asked if he still supports MEChA's goals, Bustamante suggested the organization is fairly tame.

"I think ... what takes place in those organizations is to provide student leadership. For me and many, many others, we were running for student government. That's how I got here today."

And the KKK helped Sen. Robert Byrd, so it's all good.

Of course, Byrd has denounced the KKK...

It's too early to say yet if this story has legs -- it should, but one never knows.