Christine O’Donnell Refuses To Debate Without Questions In Advance [Updated]

The first candidates forum in the Delaware races is at the Siegel Jewish Community Center Thursday night, but the one candidate who refuses to appear is Christine O’Donnell.

…Christine O’Donnell’s spokesman Evan Quietsch went on the Rick Jensen Show yesterday afternoon on WDEL, and said that O’Donnell will not show up unless she was provided all the questions to be asked of the candidates before hand. Jensen, a right wing conservative radio host, was absolutely shocked and said that has never been done before at any debate that he attended or moderated.

A local Democrat adds:

But, if I remember …

On Thursday’s Radio Show…

• Could the Tea Party movement end up benefiting Democrats on Election Day? Alan discusses the issue with pollster Scott Rasmussen and political strategist Doug Schoen, authors of Mad As Hell: How the Tea Party Movement Is Fundamentally Remaking Our Two-Party System.

• Like her or not, Republicans are falling in line behind Christine O’Donnell. Alan wonders why.

• Think you can survive the cut? It’s Sudden Death Radio!…

Karl Rove Endorses O’Donnell After Calling Her A Liar

By Yashwanth Manjunath

It seems like it was only yesterday (maybe because it was…) that when asked about Christine O’Donnell, Karl Rove was telling people how:

“It does conservatives little good to support candidates who at the end of the day — while they may be conservative in their public statements — do not evince the characteristics of rectitude, truthfulness and sincerity of character that the voters are looking for.”

Rove was undoubtedly referring to O’Donnell’s difficulties paying her college loans and her use of campaign funds to pay for her rent, behaviors that certainly do not qualify as “truthful.” …

Kansas Thinks It Needs Its Own Second Amendment

Never mind that the Supreme Court has ruled that the Second Amendment (and the entire Bill of Rights, for that matter) applies to the states. State Senators Mike Petersen and Tim Huelskamp don’t think that’s enough. They are sponsoring “The Kansas Right to Bear Arms Question,” aka “Constitutional Amendment 1,” whichwill appear on the ballot November 2. This measure would give residents of the state “the right to bear arms.”  Last time I checked, that right already exists, but that apparently is not enough for gun nuts.

For example, Patricia Stoneking who runs the Kansas State Rifle Association …

The Conservative Drumbeat To Renounce “Social Justice”

Perhaps it’s because Glenn Beck believes “social justice” is a code for “Communism” and “Nazism.” Now retiring New Hampshire Senator Judd Gregg is speaking out against “social justice” (via Steve Benen).

A top Republican on financial issues said Thursday he was concerned that Elizabeth Warren would use a position in a new consumer protection agency to promote “social justice.”

Gregg, the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee and a senior member of the Banking Committee, expressed dismay at President Obama’s decision to tap Warren as a key “adviser” to help set up the new Consumer Financial Protection Agency …

Raising The Stakes

by Stuart Shapiro

Many of us on the left are rejoicing over Christine O’Donnell’s victory in Tuesday’s Republican Senate primary in Delaware.  This sentiment is largely based on the fact that her win almost certainly decreases the probability of the Republicans taking over the Senate in November.

However, the O’Donnell upset also does something else to the race in November.  It raises the stakes.  While O’Donnell’s win decreases the probability of a Republican takeover, it does not reduce it to zero.  There is some chance (probably somewhere around ten percent) that the Republicans win both houses of Congress.  And now …

Christine O’Donnell’s Lust For Victory Pays Off!

by Thomas Wellborn

A celebratory Christine O’Donnell stroked her supporters with praise on the night of her climactic win in Delaware’s Republican Senate primary, satisfying her lust for victory.  This leaves no doubt that she has her finger pressed firmly on the pulse of her many supporters’ desires.

At the same time, Republican Party leaders were visibly shaking their heads as tight control of the Senate was slipping out of their once firm grasp – Therein lay the rub, so it seems.

Speaking on Fox News on Tuesday night, Karl Rove said the political newcomer doesn’t “evince the characteristics of …

Rasmussen: Delaware Senate Race Moves From “Leans Democrat” To “Solid Democrat”

Pollster Scott Rasmussen reports that with the nomination of Christine O’Donnell as the GOP candidate in the Delaware U.S. Senate race, the contest has gone from “leans Democrat” to “solid Democrat.”

Current projections suggest that the Democrats would hold 48 seats after Election Day while the Republicans would hold 45. Seven states are in the Toss-Up category (California, Colorado, Illinois, Nevada, Wisconsin, Washington and West Virginia. All seven Toss-Ups are seats currently held by Democrats

Republicans have the edge in four Democratic-held Senate seats–Arkansas, Indiana, North Dakota, and Pennsylvania.

The press has had a field day with O’Donnell, but it …

1 in 7 Americans Live In Poverty

The number of people of working living in poverty in America is the highest it’s been since 1965.  The percentage of Americans in poverty is 14.3%.

The Census Bureau says that about 43.6 million people, or 1 in 7, were in poverty last year. That’s up from 39.8 million, or 13.2 percent, in 2008.

The number of people lacking health insurance rose from 46.3 million to 50.7 million, due mostly to the loss of employer-provided health insurance during the recession. Congress passed a health overhaul earlier this year to extend coverage to more people.…

Public Doesn’t Like Incumbents, But Likes GOP Less

Greg Sargent has the New York Times poll that shows that in spite of the “throw the bums” out mentality, the public likes Republicans even less.

The new New York Times poll highlights the Dem conundrum: There’s widespread disapproval of Obama’s performance on the economy (51 percent) and a widespread desire to “throw the bums out,” which is to say, replace their member of Congress (55 percent).

But the internals show the public disapproves of the GOP even more (68 percent), overwhelmingly thinks the GOP lacks a clear plan to solve our problems (72 percent), and opposes GOP policies like …

Senate Republican Civil War

South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint accidentally walked into the wrong room and declared to a gaggle of lobbyists that “Republicans are not prepared to take over the Senate.”

Senate Republicans are now even more embroiled in an intraparty civil war in which DeMint has been the lead rebel, and the victory by conservative Christine O’Donnell over establishment favorite Rep. Mike Castle in Delaware only deepened GOP divisions that could haunt Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell well into next year.

Several senators…including Scott Brown of Massachusetts, [have] concerns that the party has sent a message that it had no …