Editore"s Note
Tilting at Windmills

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September 18, 2010

NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME -- OR SUNDAY MORNING.... In May, right-wing ophthalmologist Rand Paul, shortly after winning Kentucky's Republican Senate primary, agreed to appear on "Meet the Press." Upon realizing the candidate might be asked to explain his extremist ideology, the Rand campaign quickly walked away from the commitment.

Four months later, right-wing activist Christine O'Donnell, shortly after winning Delaware's Republican Senate primary, agreed to appear on "Face the Nation" and "Fox News Sunday." And wouldn't you know it, after realizing O'Donnell may be asked about her witchcraft-dabbling, gay-hating, anti-masturbation-crusading, delusion-sharing background, the Republican nominee discovered she has other plans tomorrow.

Yes, just one day before her scheduled appearances, O'Donnell backed out.

Campaign spokeswoman Diana Banister cited scheduling conflicts and said O'Donnell needed to return to Delaware for commitments to church events and afternoon picnic with Republicans in a key county where she has solid backing.

"Tomorrow the priorities are back in Delaware," Banister said. "Those are people who supported her, who were very helpful to her in the campaign, and she feels obligated to be there and thank them."

The campaign spokesperson added, "We felt really bad."

Of course.

It's one thing to duck "Face the Nation"; Bob Schieffer leans to the right, but he's a media professional who would have asked real questions. But O'Donnell also bailed on Fox News, suggesting either she, her team, the National Republican Senatorial Committee, or some combination of the three aren't even confident in her ability to handle questions from a Republican cable network.

Noting recent examples -- Palin, Angle, et al -- David Kurtz added, "It's become a staple of the tea party candidacy. You make a big splash onto the national stage then quickly retreat from any press scrutiny because you are so unprepared and ill-equipped for the rigors of the job that tough questions will expose you as the charlatan you are."

It's worth noting that Chris Coons, the sane candidate who's on track to defeat Christine O'Donnell, hasn't been invited onto any of the Sunday shows, even after her cancellations. Imagine that.

Steve Benen 2:20 PM Permalink | Trackbacks | Comments (29)

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Comments

There's only one solution-- a new fundamentalist network where the interviewers only speak in tongues.

Posted by: calling all toasters on September 18, 2010 at 2:36 PM | PERMALINK

So what's up with those hybrid mice being given human brains? Or was it rather the right-wing teapartiers and their candidates: humans with the brains of mice?

Posted by: neil b on September 18, 2010 at 2:39 PM | PERMALINK

Wouldn't it provide an incentive for those charlatans to appear if the network invited their opponent when they cancel? But then, they are after ratings, and I guess the less flashy Dems don't cut it.

Don't confuse them with actual news shows.

Posted by: Mimikatz on September 18, 2010 at 2:45 PM | PERMALINK

BTW, try this:
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/article/37203_ODonnell-_Evil_Scientists_Are_Creating_Mouse-Human_Hybrids

LGF, after years of carrying piss for the Right, finally gets some rationality religion ...
And don't forget: don't touch yourself! Don't pull that wrong "lever" on election day ...

Posted by: neil b on September 18, 2010 at 2:47 PM | PERMALINK

Boy If Coons only had better teeth hair and tits....he would have been invited . Soon only good looking mindless idiots need apply (hallo Scott Brown)...It's been turned into an American Idol popularity contest.

I take the liberty of reprinting a letter from Shelly in Denver in response to Gail Collins NYT article on the Conservative Values Forum where Ms. Dimbulb was a big hit .. I wish I had written that. 'Bout sums it up for me.

Listening to the Conservative Values Forum ( President Obama bashing forum) you would believe that freedoms have been stolen from this dismal lot. What freedoms did they lose, for heaven's sake? There they are all freely babbling nonsense and gibberish (which they can only understand). Perhaps it did not occur in their feeble minds that freedom has been lost to those unfairly reprimanded by the Bush/Cheney Patriot Act; freedom has been lost by those killed by gun toting loons due to lax gun control; freedom has been lost by those too sick but unable to fund their health insurance; freedom has been lost by those young soldiers killed in an unjustified war.
Freedom is not some scent of the day, but it is a real state determining the ability of EVERY American to live and pursue happiness.
Freedom is not just for them.

Posted by: johnr on September 18, 2010 at 2:52 PM | PERMALINK

i was saying this on another blog. coons has been the nominee for months and not a damn interview paper online tv. but somehow newt and crew can sneeze out something redamndiculous and be on 7 networks for hours straight. jack conway nope, mcadams nope, coons nope.

Posted by: allamr18 on September 18, 2010 at 3:31 PM | PERMALINK

So what's up with those hybrid mice being given human brains? Or was it rather the right-wing teapartiers and their candidates: humans with the brains of mice?
Posted by: neil b on September 18, 2010 at 2:39 PM |

***********************************************

I think the moderator of Meet the Patsies, David 'swollen lips' Gregory is the prefect embodiment of what she was taking about ........

Posted by: stormskies on September 18, 2010 at 3:34 PM | PERMALINK

@Mimikatz

You read my mind - before I even had the thought, lol.

Of course, the problem is, the network would then have to let the Democratic opponent bash a candidate they very much hope will win. That's a problem.

Just think how many lovely viewers regular appearances by, say Senator O'Donnell would bring - not to mention pleasing the hell out of the corporate overlords.

Posted by: unEasyOne on September 18, 2010 at 3:43 PM | PERMALINK

All laughing aside, Ms. O'Donnell is ON the ballot this November as a Senatorial candidate!

Call, write, email, Twitter, and Facebook your friends and loved ones in the Great state of Delaware and suggest they will be tainted if they vote for the crazy on that fateful Tuesday in the first week of the eleventh month, AD2010!

I don't want to end up with a mouse's brain! -Kevo

Posted by: kevo on September 18, 2010 at 3:47 PM | PERMALINK

But she's running as a fiscal conservative. a woman who defaulted on her mortgage, left her house filthy so it had to be fumigated, lived on her campaign money and made $5800.00 last year, had numerous tax debts, loan debts etc.It seems like repubs these days qualify for ethical wrong doing even before they are elected.Of course they pursue Ms Waters and Charlie Rangel, but never Vitter or Ensign.

Posted by: js on September 18, 2010 at 4:21 PM | PERMALINK

A good-looking female loon is much more entertaining than a boring policy spewing male who speaks in complete sentences. And entertainment is what it's all about. The Sunday morning clown shows stopped being about news or politics long, long ago.

She should not have canceled. Nothing will dissuade her supporters from voting for her. Indeed she could get away with posing nude for a centerfold just as Scott Brown did. It would probably get her more votes from the masturbating male set.

The divide between the reality-based world and the delusional can no longer be bridged. The problem is they're going to take over.

Posted by: rrk1 on September 18, 2010 at 5:11 PM | PERMALINK

If Ms. O'Donnell were true to her cause and reformation, she would be leading the charge against her own church, first and foremost...If, in fact Ms. O'Donnell were true to her cause...and not the faux populist opportunist that she is. This nation does not have the time to waste on these narcissistic idiots as we face so many serious and pressing issues.

Posted by: H.Finn on September 18, 2010 at 5:45 PM | PERMALINK

when does the new season of SNL begin?

Posted by: andyvillager on September 18, 2010 at 6:00 PM | PERMALINK

David Kurtz added, "It's become a staple of the tea party candidacy. You make a big splash onto the national stage then quickly retreat from any press scrutiny because you are so unprepared and ill-equipped for the rigors of the job that tough questions will expose you as the charlatan you are."

This wasn't a problem for G.W.Bush, either. So let's not pretend it's something new.
~

Posted by: ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© on September 18, 2010 at 6:04 PM | PERMALINK

The campaign spokesperson added, ‘We felt really bad’.

You look even worse.

Posted by: Joe Friday on September 18, 2010 at 7:30 PM | PERMALINK

"It's worth noting that Chris Coons, the sane candidate who's on track to defeat Christine O'Donnell, hasn't been invited onto any of the Sunday shows, even after her cancellations."

Let me be the first to predict, he aint gonna win. THere was a time when a candidate like O'Donnell would have gotten maybe ten minutes of brutal coverage then they would have disappeared. The media has made her a star. She's a celebrity now, and as such, she'll win in November. News is reality tv now. O'Donnell is a Real Housewife of Somewhere, she's got some sort of American Talent and she would have no problem handeling any rose ceremony.

I love Bill Maher, but he spent nearly half of his show last night talking about her. If Coons had been asked to appear on Face the Nation all he would have been asked about would have been O'Donnell's stunning success and O'Donnell's spectacular nationwide popularity. We're living in an age where the news media is choosing and promoting the candidates they want to win...and we all know who's pull their strings and who stands to gain.

There's no fighting this. This unqualified, unhinged woman is getting a monstrous publicity push that there's no competing with. She's gonna win.

Posted by: SaintZak on September 18, 2010 at 8:20 PM | PERMALINK

Why aren't these Tea Party Turkeys just IGNORED. That's the treatment they have earned. Don't mention their names in print. Paint them all with a BROAD brush, a broad brush of incompetency.

We don't give attention to sprinters who do the 100 yd dash in 15 seconds, do we?

Posted by: anomaly on September 18, 2010 at 8:36 PM | PERMALINK

One has to really wonder what happened to the Republican Party.

Just as one has to wonder why any sane American citizen would vote for any Republican after eight years of the worst Republican administration in American history, one that drove up budget deficits, started costly illegal wars, outed covert CIA agents, deliberately withheld federal disaster assistance during Hurricane Katrina and almost destroyed single-handedly world financial markets before Bush and Cheney left office.

And now right-wing billionaires, like the John Bircher Koch brothers and Aussie Rupert Murdoch, have unleashed a bunch of Tea Party fanatics on our nation, people who are about as nutty as nutty can get.

But thank God for Bill Maher. He sat on and didn't air this Politically Incorrect video segment until after the Tea Party Republicans in Delaware had chosen O'Donnell over Castle in the Republican Senate primary. Brilliant move by Bill Maher.

But one has wonder why the Republican establishment (and Castles' campaign) didn't do a more thorough vetting of O'Donnell's past, including her "dabbling into witchcraft." They were probably too busy masturbating to pictures of Ronald Reagan.

Posted by: The Oracle on September 18, 2010 at 9:39 PM | PERMALINK

Local wussy Democrat candidate Congressman Russ Carnahan STILL WILL NOT debate his GOP opponent Ed Martin even in an event sponsored by a former Democrat governor. Of course, we can't talk about that though. Oh yes, speaking of duckling the media what about the Democrats in 2008 during Presidential primary who refused to participate in a Fox News-sponsored debate. We can't talk about that event either.hmmm

Posted by: Kevin H on September 18, 2010 at 9:44 PM | PERMALINK

Hey, remember when we were told that the whole point of the Tea Party was to concentrate on fiscal issues rather than culture wars? What happened to that theory? O'Donnell is a straight-up religious nutball. Isn't it obvious by now that the so-called Tea Party is actually just the craziest, most hardcore slice of the right?

Posted by: FlipYrWhig on September 18, 2010 at 10:20 PM | PERMALINK

I'd like to make two comments. The first is that this particular occasion illustrates the old maxim that it is better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt. The second is that she's complained or bragged (?) that she's had several relationships with guys, but they all broke it off when she wouldn't sleep with them.

Other than sex, what does this woman have to offer? Intelligent conversation? Decent companionship? Fun to be with? Or none of the above? And given her financial history, she's a blood sucking leech who uses the guys to pay her dinners, her entertainment, and undoubtedly, her daily expenses. Why would any close to sane guy WANT to carry on a long term relationship with her?

Posted by: Texas Aggie on September 18, 2010 at 10:42 PM | PERMALINK

Wow...someone found ONE Democrat that won't debate...there are boat loads of republicans who refuse, routinely. And NO one I know considers Fox News an actual news organization,they are more of a rather elaborate well earning conservative PAC. Ain't nothing to talk about...

Posted by: H.Finn on September 18, 2010 at 10:48 PM | PERMALINK

It's worth noting that Chris Coons, the sane candidate who's on track to defeat Christine O'Donnell, hasn't been invited onto any of the Sunday shows, even after her cancellations. -- Steve Benen

So, OK, Coons (is anyone else tickled by the fact that the Delaware race is between a Chris and a Christine?) haven't been invited to speak on TV, not even to take up Pristine O'Donnell's vacated space. By now, it should be obvious that it's "par for the course" behaviour on the part of the mainstream media. The question is... Can the non-mainstream media do anything to counteract that?

I enjoy a good giggle as much as the next person (possibly more) but I get tired when everyone -- from Benen, through TPM, to Gail Collins in NY Times -- takes the easy route of piling up on that poor specimen of humanity and wannabe politician. She's dabbled in witchcraft. She slept around before she's had her "come to Jesus" moment:
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/09/christine_odonnells_sexual_evolution.php
She can't keep her finances straight (and ditto her ethics in regards to same, drawing on campaign contributions to support herself). Nobody seems to have a clue as to how she's been making a living all these years... All this is fascinating as well as amusing, so I'm not surprised everyone wants to get onto the bandwagon. But...

What about COONS? What do we know about him (other that he is -- presumably -- saner than Missy Pristine)? How can he be hurt, once the Repubs finish scrubbing not just O'Donnell's website but her entire persona and get her ready -- as best as they can -- for "prime time"?

I cruise several national "lefty" blogs every day, on top of reading that "liberal bastion" known as NY Times. And, although every one of them has gone to the dance with Miss O'Donnell, I have yet to see any of them put a single article devoted to Coons -- his positions, his strengths, his weaknesses, even his early-life peccadilloes (which might come back and bite him, same as they're coming up to bite O'Donnell). I don't even know what he looks like, even as I've seen at least 20 photos and clips of O'Donnell. The way we're *not* discussing him, one might suspect that we want to sweep him under the rug as much as the Repubs would like to do with O'Donnell.

I can understand the same "model" operating in the case of Sharron Angle; we already know all we need to know about Reid and her amusement potential is, seemingly, endless. On top of which Reid is an old hand and seems to be doing a very good job "selling himself" to Nevadans. But, what about the Kentucky race? Again, we're concentrating on taking down the opposition but not balancing it with building up our own. I am, probably, mumbling "Rand Paul" in my sleep but "that other guy"? His name is on the tip of my tongue, but I can't, quite, recall it. Carney, maybe?

PS. I did notice, over the past few days, the postings of the Unstable Isotope, which do more than just tear O'Donnell down. He (she?) even posted a video of a debate between O'D and Coons. But I've been having some trouble recently watching clips (and this is a new 'puter, too. Pox on technology!), so protect my ulcer by watching only very short ones. And, anyway... I like my food-for-thought pre-gummed by my fav bloggers :) So... Steve... Can you tell us something exciting about Chris Coons and the what's-is-name in Kentucky?


Posted by: exlibra on September 18, 2010 at 10:49 PM | PERMALINK

If you think about it the fact that Christine O'Donnell used to be a Satanist makes perfect sense. Let's say you want to be both evil and a Christian. As a Republican you can do both. Why it's simplicity itself.

Posted by: Hieronymus Braintree on September 18, 2010 at 11:22 PM | PERMALINK

Sarah Palin accepts the blessing of Pastor Thomas Muthee, who asks Jesus to fund her political campaigns, and protect her from witchcraft.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwkb9_zB2Pg

Pastor Thomas Muthee tried to drive the demons out of Palin. He, obviously, failed.

Posted by: sammy on September 19, 2010 at 2:17 AM | PERMALINK

Most of the "outrage" on this blog is tribal. You pile on if it's the other team and you look the other way if it's one of "ours".

Your screen name is improper. One can easily observe posts about "ours" from Steve. Steve routinely has opined negatively about Lincoln, Nelson, Rangel and quite a few other democrats, including Obama. The only difference is these folks do not have extreme views, nor have they dabbled in witchcraft and have financial problems. Has Vitter or Ensign even been charged with a crime? Has Rangel been convicted? Do you observe the difference?

Posted by: flyonthewall on September 19, 2010 at 5:42 AM | PERMALINK

Via Balloon Juice: Saint Gidget of Narnia

Posted by: koreyel on September 19, 2010 at 7:48 AM | PERMALINK

She cancelled!
Oh shucks I wanted to learn about witchcraft in our government, these un-expected unscheduled important picnics do have a way of cropping up!

Posted by: js on September 19, 2010 at 9:00 AM | PERMALINK

@flyonthewall.

I think you know that's a silly non sequitor reply. I would point out the "besides the point" nature of your response to my comment but someone at Washington Monthly has deleted it.

Perhaps the link to National Review was a bridge too far. Who knows.

It would be good to put people on notice that the moderator of this blog may delete non-profanity, non-obscenity, non-rude comments. Seems like bad form to me.

C'est la vie.

Posted by: Observer on September 19, 2010 at 11:08 AM | PERMALINK




 

 

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