In a September 18 post, right-wing blogger Michelle Malkin defended comments by GOP Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell, in which O'Donnell said she had once “dabbled into witchcraft.” Malkin wrote that O'Donnell says in the clip that “she opposes witchcraft because she has had first-hand experience with what they do” and that O'Donnell “tried it. She rejected it. And she learned from it.”

But Malkin also claimed that O'Donnell's critics on the "left-wing blogs (and a few short-sighted rightie ones)" “missed ... the context for the discussion” and further cited an Associated Press story that stated the “context of what led to the comment is not clear.” Malkin stated that the context is clear “if you paid close attention to the clip” and then wrote:

At 1:03 in the video, one of the panelists on the show criticizes O'Donnell for criticizing Halloween -- “Wait a minute, I love this, you're a witch, you go 'Halloween is bad,' I'm not the witch, I mean wait a minute.” She responds by explaining that she opposes witchcraft because she has had first-hand experience with what they do.

So, she tried it. She rejected it. And she learned from it.

However, what's not clear is why Malkin believes this context changes the substance of O'Donnell's remarks. Regardless of what the other panelist said, it doesn't change the fact that O'Donnell said she “dabbled into witchcraft.” Malkin may have pointed out why O'Donnell made the comment -- a discussion of Halloween, it appears -- but it doesn't seem to change the meaning of what O'Donnell said.

Perhaps Malkin should study up on what taking a comment out of context really looks like.

From Malkin's post:

Narcissism. Blackmail. Distortion. All wrapped in his trademark smirk of pallor. Yes, it's tired old liberal “comedian” Bill Maher trying to get Senate GOP primary candidate Christine O'Donnell to come on his show by baiting her with a brief video clip in which she mentions having “dabbled” in “witchcraft” and hung around people who practiced it.

The left-wing blogs (and a few short-sighted rightie ones) are having a field day. What they all seem to have missed is the context for the discussion. The AP says the “context of what led to the comment is not clear.”

But it is if you paid close attention to the clip:

[...]

At 1:03 in the video, one of the panelists on the show criticizes O'Donnell for criticizing Halloween -- “Wait a minute, I love this, you're a witch, you go 'Halloween is bad,' I'm not the witch, I mean wait a minute.” She responds by explaining that she opposes witchcraft because she has had first-hand experience with what they do.

So, she tried it. She rejected it. And she learned from it.

Somehow, this Maher-edited clip (which was never aired on TV, by the way) warrants a declaration from my friend John Hinderaker at Power Line that O'Donnell's career is “RIP.”

Nonsense. She has nothing to be ashamed of -- except, perhaps, for going on Maher's show so many times.