Lesson from Christine O'Donnell defeat: where tea party overreached
| Washington
Christine O鈥橠onnell lost on Tuesday. Does the defeat of a Delaware Republican Senate candidate 鈥� albeit one whose past actions and present positions earned her a lot of media attention 鈥� say anything about the state of US politics?
Well, one thing it says is to not bet against the political forecasting skills of Karl Rove. After Ms. O鈥橠onnell beat establishment candidate Rep. Mike Castle (R) in the primary, Mr. Rove openly insisted that she was unelectable. Some Republicans complained that President Bush鈥檚 former political guru was breaking an unwritten rule 鈥� never (publicly) say anything bad about another Republican.
But Rove was right.
鈥淚t gave me no pleasure to say that she was unlikely to win,鈥� said Rove following her loss to Democrat Chris Coons. 鈥淏ut this again provides a lesson. This is a candidate who was right on the issues but who had mishandled a series of questions brought up by the press.鈥�
Another thing that O鈥橠onnell鈥檚 experience might reveal is that it鈥檚 indeed important to vet a candidate鈥檚 press history. And by history, we mean a long way back.
O鈥橠onnell was dogged to the end of the campaign by old video of her appearances on Bill Maher鈥檚 鈥�Politically Incorrect鈥� and other talk shows. All we have to say here is one word: 鈥�witchcraft.鈥�
She was quickly defined by her past comments to Mr. Maher about her experimentation with witchcraft as a youth. If Delaware GOP primary voters had known about these words before they made their choice, perhaps they鈥檇 have opted for Mr. Castle after all.
And her loss may show the limits of the tea party movement's reach. Delaware is a very blue state. While its GOP voters may have been energized by the tea party message of smaller government and less taxation, Democrats won with sheer numbers. Something similar happened in neighboring Maryland, where an incumbent Democratic governor, Martin O鈥橫alley, cruised to an easy victory on a cushion of votes from traditional Democratic constituencies such as unions and minorities.
O鈥橠onnell herself said that despite her loss at the polls, her Senate race was a victory because the Delaware political system and the Republican Party as a whole will never be the same.
鈥淥ur voices were heard and we鈥檙e not going to be quiet now,鈥� said O鈥橠onnell in her concession speech. 鈥淭his is just the beginning. We鈥檝e got a lot of work to do.鈥�
Indeed, the telegenic O鈥橠onnell may have an easy time finding work as a commentator on cable news shows, following in the footsteps of another tea party favorite, ex-Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.
