news-record.com

In announcing as a candidate for the 13th Congressional District, which includes part of Guilford County, Republican William “Bill” Randall accused incumbent Democrat Brad Miller of being “out of touch.”

But Randall’s recent cockeyed ramblings that the Obama administration and BP have conspired to spill oil in the Gulf of Mexico should cause voters to wonder if he’s out of touch ... with reality.

Tuesday, Randall, a Navy veteran from Wake Forest, faces off against Raleigh businessman Bernie Reeves. In May’s four-person first primary, he topped Reeves by 135 votes. The winner takes on Miller in November.

Responding to a reporter’s question about offshore drilling, which he supports, Randall speculated about collusion and a “cover-up” of what really caused the April 20 explosion, which has pumped millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf and claimed 11 lives.

Although he couldn’t cite any evidence as to why the government and BP would conspire, he still wants  someone to investigate.

Making such groundless accusations without even the flimsiest corroboration will add nothing to the national dialogue on cause, response, accountability and how to prevent such an unprecedented environmental catastrophe from ever happening again.

There’s nothing wrong with healthy skepticism and looking for the story behind the story. However, mixing in   large doses of paranoia and innuendo is counterproductive.

Trying to make sense of the seemingly inexplicable is nothing new. Look no further than persistent conspiracy theories relating to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. For some events, there is no tidy explanation.   

While Randall certainly is entitled to his unsubstantiated theory on a government-BP plot, it raises questions about his credibility as a candidate. Voters will have to decide for themselves.