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Last Night's Winners And Losers In Media And Politics
Riehl World View ^ | September 15, 2010

Posted on 09/15/2010 7:04:36 AM PDT by La Lydia

Byron York at the Examiner: Christine O'Donnell gives GOP establishment a thumpin'. It's not every day you win the Republican Party's nomination for a seat in the U.S. Senate and the Republican Party tells you to get lost. But that's exactly what happened to Christine O'Donnell here Tuesday evening. Sore losers, perhaps? Oh, you bet. But I'll focus below on the media angle. Last night, along with Christine O'Donnell and Mike Castle, there were winners and losers in media, as well. If blogs and other new media outlets were winners, I'd argue that our established beltway media were the big losers here.

Many of us, including me, probably didn't really believe Christine O'Donnell could pull it off. But what have we mostly been reading and discussing, if not fighting against, for two weeks? NRO, The Weekly Standard (TWS) and others published every negative bit of information on Christine O'Donnell they could get their hands on. That in turn told us O'Donnell was bound to lose. Only, a funny thing happened on the way to Delaware's election booths. Evidently, no one outside of the Beltway was reading our largest beltway-based, Right-side publications. Stacy McCain has a new item up at the American Spectator - This Changes Everything.

DOVER, Delaware -- Christine O'Donnell did not merely defeat Mike Castle in Tuesday's Senate primary. She beat the Republican establishment, both nationally and in Delaware, and she beat a veritable army of naysayers who said she couldn't do it.

O'Donnell also beat a vicious negative attack campaign into which her Republican opponents dumped every bit of trash they could find. Yet this had no apparent effect on the Tea Party-backed, Sarah Palin-endorsed candidate, who won with 53 percent of the vote to Castle's 47 percent.

As workers cleaned up late Tuesday night at the Elks Lodge here that hosted O'Donnell's victory celebration, longtime state GOP activist Vance Phillips said: "This changes everything."

I spoke to another high-level GOP source myself last night. He said, "I thought it would at least be close. Conventional wisdom is out the door." Until recently, much of our political conventional wisdom was formed within the beltway, was it not? However, with so much new media today, that may no longer the case.

Man, it must really suck to be in the DC-based media today, as they wake up to face their limitations in reaching the men and women of Delaware - and in essence, of America - the very people who make the difference by showing up at election booths....


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: conservatives; progressives; rinos; sorelosers; teaparty
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To: maica
Byron York and the National Review

Whatever will Charles K. do to enrage us tonight, maybe he will have to good sense to not show up tonight.

41 posted on 09/15/2010 7:38:18 AM PDT by itsahoot (We the people allowed Republican leadership to get us here, only God's Grace can get us out.)
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To: jagusafr
Amen - I changed my self-description 2 years ago to “conservative”, about the same time I started telling the GOP moneyraiser callers that the party left me and I will not contribute a dime to “big GOP”.

I tell them that I am donating . . . directly to cut out the middle man and make sure my dollars go to candidates I respect. I do not trust Rove, Cornyn to make that decision for me. I don't even trust Jim DeMint or Sarah Palin to make that choice for my dollars, although at least with them I check out the candidates they endorse.

42 posted on 09/15/2010 7:40:10 AM PDT by Pollster1 (Natural born citizen of the USA, with the birth certificate to prove it)
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I understand the GOP establishment is trying to backtrack this morning. They have made a huge mistake. This has been very instructive......the Progressives are systematically outing themselves and being exposed for who they really are.

Support Jim DeMint’s Senate Conservatives Fund and the individual candidates.


43 posted on 09/15/2010 7:43:03 AM PDT by JACKRUSSELL
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To: Mountain Mary
Some of us have freeped that we are interested to hear Rush and Sean today on their buddy, Rove. Will they refrain from commenting or do the right thing: lambast him, like the rest of us, for his serious lack of judgment last night.What are your predictions?

I didn't watch the Hannity show last night, but from reports here on FR, it would appear he contested Rove's snit-fit. If so, it will be interesting to find out how he plays that this afternoon

Rush is another matter. I'd hope he would call Rove on his snit-fitty-ness. But, my prediction is that he'll pretend Rove simply wasn't there.

Mark Levin? True straight-shooting from him is what I'd guess. No one asked, of course.

44 posted on 09/15/2010 7:43:25 AM PDT by Brandybux (Oportet ministros manus lavare antequam latrinam relinquent.)
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To: Savage Beast
"NEVER trash your own parties canadate BEFORE an election. It gives the opposition all the talking points they need."

Yep. The left wing blogs are already using the REPUBLICAN anti-republican O'Donnell talking points. The elitist RINOs are making absolutely sure she loses because We the People disobeyed them. They'll try to make sure the disobedient TEA party get's taught a lesson.

45 posted on 09/15/2010 7:47:38 AM PDT by concerned about politics ("Get thee behind me, Liberal")
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To: Presbyterian Reporter
"Christine believes deeply in balanced budgets, constitutional limits, and individual liberty."

The magic words!

Look on the bright side: The one thing that professional politicians revere over all else is their own self-interest. Maybe the powerful message of last night's voters will convince them that it's in their own self-interest to pay attention to the voters.

Unfortunately, they now believe that it's in their own self-interest to play ball with the Washington political establishment and its supporters--and the American people be damned. We the People need to convince them otherwise--and to do this it must in fact be otherwise.

46 posted on 09/15/2010 7:49:41 AM PDT by Savage Beast ("True evil has a face you know and a voice you trust." Greg Iles. "True Evil")
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To: Republic Rocker

Christine’s money bomb is on fire! She already up’d the original amount ($50K) to $200K - and she’s at 74% of that. Take that, Karl Rove.


47 posted on 09/15/2010 7:52:00 AM PDT by Jane Long (America, while you were sleeping the Socialists took over.)
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To: Georgia Girl 2
"Now he just looks like another party hack. My respect for Rove took a nose dive last night. All of the RHINO’s have got to go."

RHINO--Republican (hack) in name only

48 posted on 09/15/2010 7:52:03 AM PDT by Savage Beast ("True evil has a face you know and a voice you trust." Greg Iles. "True Evil")
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To: MNJohnnie

Right you are, John -
I’ve been a Pubbie since the Nixon days - was a Nixonette!- and this has done it for me. The pub elitest have led us down the garden path one too many times; have had to compromise my principals one too many times - especially with McCain.
NEVER AGAIN!!!!


49 posted on 09/15/2010 7:53:45 AM PDT by matginzac
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To: La Lydia

Below is the verbatim text of a email I received from Karl Rove after I unloaded on him last night in an email subsequent to his Hannity appearance. I included my professional contact information just to assure him that my message was not from a lunatic. The key point is that while Christine is flawed, the tipping point is close. Karl has said his piece...but this revolution won’t necessarily be won exclusively and entirely by folks meeting his government standards of purity. Obama’s thuggery would roll over a Castle. What will you do, brother Karl, if Christine wins? Huh? Anyway, the email:

QUOTE:
“If we attack President Obama for putting people who can’t pay their taxes into his Administration, how can we defend a Republican candidate who doesn’t pay her taxes, her college bills, or her mortgage; has had no visible means of support; and sued a reputable conservative organization claiming she was the victim of sex discrimination? She didn’t win the lawsuit: her employer said she was fired for trying to run her own pr consulting firm out of their offices while on their clock. We conservatives want conservative candidates, but we do our cause little good by nominating people with serious questions about their fitness and character.

As to your offer of a lecture from you about mistakes you think I made during my White House years, I’m busy raising $50 million to elect Republicans like Rubio, Toomey, Portman, Blunt, Buck and Angle, so you’ll excuse me if take a pass on dialing you up. I’ve got a few more productive calls I’d like to make.”
END

MY EMAIL:

Karl,

You are wrong. Fundamentally.

Christine in DE is a flawed candidate. True. But she is so far ahead of Castle in terms of adherence to conservative principles, that the choice was no contest. Lower the probability statistic assigned to victory, but multiply the importance of victory by several orders of magnitude.

I am dismayed by your regurgitation of inside-the-beltway talking points.

Just so you know: I am a not the usual rabble rouser. Well-trained, multilingual, globally experienced.

Obama is a menace to America’s survival. RINO’s won’t cut it. Get on board or get out.

I would be happy to speak with you about the mistakes you made advising Bush relative to immigration and other more currently pressing issues. A course correction on your part could help our republic.

My contact information follows.

END


50 posted on 09/15/2010 7:55:21 AM PDT by esopman (Blessings on Freepers Everywhere (and Their Most Intelligent Designer))
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To: Savage Beast; Presbyterian Reporter
"Christine believes deeply in balanced budgets, constitutional limits, and individual liberty."

Perfect campaign slogan for the general election.

51 posted on 09/15/2010 7:55:33 AM PDT by Jane Long (America, while you were sleeping the Socialists took over.)
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To: Right Cal Gal

Yep - and they are MORE THAN HAPPY to support the NoEastern RINOs with our money...


52 posted on 09/15/2010 7:55:55 AM PDT by matginzac
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To: JACKRUSSELL
I understand the GOP establishment is trying to backtrack this morning. They have made a huge mistake.

They sure have. Our party's defeat is on their hands if they don't correct this error. They'd BETTER make damn sure she wins now, because if she doesn't, it's their own arrogant attitudes that did it. And they WILL be held accountable.

53 posted on 09/15/2010 7:56:12 AM PDT by concerned about politics ("Get thee behind me, Liberal")
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To: La Lydia
One need only consult the morning newspapers to figure out which one of us got it right - and is, perhaps, the one the American people are increasingly reading and listening to for the narrative most in line with their own goals and beliefs."

I only hope that the Republican cowards who run from the Democrat "mainstream" newrooms like scared bunny rabbits get this message loud and clear.

54 posted on 09/15/2010 7:56:57 AM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: Presbyterian Reporter
The more I learn about Jim Demint, the better I am liking him.
55 posted on 09/15/2010 8:01:16 AM PDT by MNJohnnie (The problem with Socialism is sooner or later you run out of other people's money. Lady Thatcher)
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To: Right Cal Gal
And these clowns wonder why we’re fed up with them and sending our money directly to the candidates. Rush and Levin must be popping some serious champagne corks today!

That's what I'm doing, sending my hard earned money to the candidates of MY choice. I can't hardly wait for RUSH today. He was wiping the floor yesterday with Castle.

56 posted on 09/15/2010 8:02:20 AM PDT by shiva
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To: arthurus
At this point, opposition by the establishment Republicans may be the boost that O’Donnell needs.

That is a very good point.

57 posted on 09/15/2010 8:02:20 AM PDT by MNJohnnie (The problem with Socialism is sooner or later you run out of other people's money. Lady Thatcher)
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To: Jane Long
"Christine believes deeply in balanced budgets, constitutional limits, and individual liberty." Perfect campaign slogan for the general election.

It is good. The "personal liberty" part can't be argued with. These are winning words. They'll strike the heart of every ani-Obomacare voter out there (and they're numerous.)

58 posted on 09/15/2010 8:02:32 AM PDT by concerned about politics ("Get thee behind me, Liberal")
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To: counterpunch

Exactly and this is a race the Conservative movement needs to get behind with it time and it’s money. Delaware is a small state. Money will make a huge difference in this race.


59 posted on 09/15/2010 8:04:34 AM PDT by MNJohnnie (The problem with Socialism is sooner or later you run out of other people's money. Lady Thatcher)
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To: esopman

I guess Old Karl won’t be guest hosting for Rush anymore!


60 posted on 09/15/2010 8:08:21 AM PDT by Empireoftheatom48 (Zero will never be my President, never!!!!!)
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