Conservatives attack NRSC for having no plans to fund O'Donnell's race
Published
Following Christine O'Donnell's victory over Republican Rep. Mike Castle in the Delaware Senate Republican primary, right-wing media have taken up O'Donnell's cause, attacking the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) for reportedly deciding not to support O'Donnell.
O'Donnell slams GOP party faithful whose “credibility was hurt” by her election
NRSC reportedly said it “does not plan to spend money” on O'Donnell's campaign. According to The Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire, “The National Republican Senatorial Committee does not plan to spend money on its Delaware Senate nominee, Christine O'Donnell, an NRSC official said. ... The official noted that if her position improves, the committee might reconsider its allocation of scarce resources.”
O'Donnell attacks NRSC and “so-called [GOP] experts whose credibility was hurt” by her election. On the September 15 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends, O'Donnell attacked Fox News contributor Karl Rove -- who opposed her candidacy and said her victory ruined the GOP's chances of winning that seat -- saying that Rove was “one of the so-called experts whose credibility was hurt last night.” She added that Rove asked her tea party supporters to put “party over principles.” On the September 15 edition of ABC's Good Morning America, O'Donnell called it “a shame” that the NRSC has reportedly chosen not to support O'Donnell's general election campaign, but said that “they never thought that I could win this race, and I believe that we can win without them.”
Right-wing media take up O'Donnell's cause, choose O'Donnell over GOP
Carlson: NRSC's decision not to fund O'Donnell is “suicide” for GOP. On the September 15 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends, co-host Gretchen Carlson referenced the reported decision by the NRSC not to fund O'Donnell's general election campaign and stated: “If the Republican Party is smart, they're going to take these [tea party] candidates in, instead of doing what they're apparently doing now, which is maybe not to even support Christine O'Donnell in Delaware. That I don't think is a smart move at all. If you want the Democrat to win, then go ahead and let her flounder by herself.” Carlson later said, “This is suicide for the party.”
Hoft on NRSC's decision: “Good going GOP. That ought to fire up the base.” In a September 14 Gateway Pundit post, Jim Hoft noted the NRSC's decision not to fund O'Donnell and wrote: “Good grief. ... That was a quick announcement... Good going GOP. That ought to fire up the base.”
Dan Riehl: “John Cornyn should be held accountable and removed from his NRSC position.” In a September 14 blog post, Dan Riehl wrote that NRSC chair Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) “should be held accountable and removed from his NRSC position” over the decision not to fund O'Donnell. Riehl further wrote:
He has demonstrated his incompetence several times over and now this. It is time for John Cornyn to go. If the NRSC had decided to not fund O'Donnell that is one thing. But to leak word of it tonight as they did, on the very night of her compelling victory over their preferred candidate, is way over the top. Cornyn needs to resign in disgrace, or be replaced if the GOP establishment wants any cooperation from online bloggers and activists going forward.
HotAir: NRSC's making a “big mistake.” In a September 14 post, HotAir blogger Allahpundit noted reports of the NRSC's decision and wrote that the move was “not a surprise given their tepid congratulatory message tonight but a big mistake nonetheless." Allahpundit further wrote: “I understand the logic here -- they want to do triage by not wasting money on a race they think is unwinnable -- but they're going to alienate a ton of 'true conservatives' by writing off their new champion.”
Levin: NRSC at “war against the Tea Party movement.” On September 15, right-wing radio host Mark Levin tweeted:
