On his radio show yesterday, progressive radio host Thom Hartmann spoke with populist Texas writer Jim Hightower about Gov. Rick Perry and the troubling tale of Cameron Willingham, a man who was “almost certainly” innocent, yet still was put to death.

“This guy really puts the goober in gubernatorial,” Hightower quipped.

Perry has presided over 234 executions, more than any other governor of any state in modern times — a fact that Republicans cheered at a recent debate.

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The most recent Perry-approved execution, which was supposed to be carried out last night, was put on hold by the Supreme Court. Evidence presented against the man, whose guilt was not actually in question, was tainted by racially-motivated insinuations and could not be legally carried out.

“This man, who claims to be a man of religion and morality, seems to have no conscience at all about doing some rather ugly things,” Hightower said.

This video is from The Thom Hartmann Show, broadcast Sept. 15, 2011.