AP Photo/Eric JamisonWith all the California-centric beauty-queen action happening these days, it's been easy to forget that one young lovely was actually named Miss USA a couple weeks ago.
But Kristen Dalton doesn't mind.
The winner of the 2009 Miss USA Pageant told E! News that she thinks the Carrie Prejean hullabaloo has been good for the cause.
"I really think that it's great for the Miss Universe Organization, because it's given us a lot of publicity," Dalton told E!'s Daily 10. "And there's gonna be a lot of people watching this Miss USA pageant next year."
And as for Miss California, Dalton—who's from North Carolina—says the outspoken Prejean "was friendly to everybody, so I don't really think anyone has a problem with her."
How about with her views on a certain divisive political issue?
"Everybody has the right to vocalize their own opinion," Dalton began, quickly adding, "Me personally—I think that everybody deserves equal rights; it's really as simple as that."
Donald Trump's Miss Universe Organization insisted that it didn't take issue with what Prejean said, but rather that she appeared to be shirking her Miss California duties to pursue her own agenda. That, and the topless lingerie photos she took when she was 17.
Although dethroned Miss Nevada 2007 Katie Rees feels Trump has created a double standard by keeping Prejean but stripping her own crown away due to some three-year-old party pics that surfaced after she won, Dalton sees a difference between the two situations.
"If you look at the photos, they're completely different," Miss USA said. "Carrie's were modeling photos, and Katie's were in action."
"Donald Trump approved [the photos]," Dalton added. "He's the owner of this organization and I fully support what he thinks is best.
"And you know, she's gonna have the opportunity to go back to California and try to be the best Miss California USA that she can be."
(Originally published May 15, 2009, at 4:11 p.m. PT)