News broke Monday that former DE Senate candidate Christine O’Donnell would speak before Sarah Palin at this weekend’s major Tea Party event in Iowa:
Tea party-backed activist Christine O’Donnell will take the stage at Saturday’s tea party rally in Indianola shortly before Sarah Palin, an organizer told The Des Moines Register today.
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Other speakers will include Sioux City radio host Sam Clovis of KSCJ, Iowa tea party chairman Ryan Rhodes, Tony Katz of PJ Media and Los Angeles-based comedian Eric Golub,said organizer Charlie Gruschow, an Iowa tea party activist.
Last to take the microphone will be Palin, a former governor of Alaska and 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate. There was speculation that Palin would use the event to reveal whether she plans to run for president in 2012 – speculation that Palin’s inner circle quickly shot down.
That caused quite a stir, and even speculation that Palin would pull out of the event. And today, it has caused a change of plans.
Former U.S. Senate candidate Christine O’Donnell will not speak at a tea party event featuring former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin in Indianola, Iowa, this weekend, an organizer told Washington Wire.
“I made a mistake,” said Ken Crow, president of Tea Party of America. “I assumed there was an open slot and there wasn’t.”
Monday night, Mr. Crow told Washington Wire that Ms. O’Donnell would appear.
Tea Party of America’s cofounder, Charlie Gruschow, said the group withdrew Ms. O’Donnell’s after receiving numerous “emails from a lot of tea party folks that were very disappointed that she would be speaking.”
“We decided not to have her speak,” Mr. Gruschow said. “We felt it was in the best interest of the movement.”
In my opinion, O’Donnell’s bizarre walk-out on Piers Morgan ended any pretense to credibility she once had. Her presence on stage with Palin would have only served as a distraction and diminish Palin’s plans for the event.
Whatever happens in Iowa this weekend, PJM/PJTV and the Tatler will be there in the person of Tony Katz. Tony, as noted above, is one of the featured speakers and is covering the event as well. So keep tabs on the Tatler this weekend.






i like christine o donnell
she needs some seasoning but she has the lightening rod factor
internally understanding “conservative/’tea party’ principles” and articulating them in a public setting are two different things; exposure/experience and a thick skin is well worth the immediate invest even with the short-term setbacks
it is definitely ‘sink or swim’ for christine o’donnell and maybe she’ll end up swimming
Go Katz!
I love O’Donnell! She was mercilessly attacked last election. I’d send her money again. Would love to see her run for a smaller office and work her way up.
it’s hilarious how you media types keep trying to put christine down and how we in the tea party will just keep on supporting her in every way possible. she did us the best possible service by taking out the insipid rino castle in one of the bluest of blue states while essentially destroying the bushies and rove in one fell swoop.
go christine. keep on rocking the establishment. we’ll keep on backing you to the hilt.
I sit here bashing the MSM day after day but criticize C O’D and suddenly I’m “you media types.” Heh.
ok bryan. give you credit for taking on the MSM.
but maybe you don’t yet understand that taking out the castles, the boehners and all their cronies *is* the first milestone our “game.” that’s how we get to the big fish like obama. first take out their rino escorts. then we can get to the socialist sharks.
all of you “gamesters” are variants of the problem. you glibly use words like “professionalism.” sorry, we’re just not playing your political games anymore. when we get the playing field back in order, we’ll have time to play your games.
sorry but one christine o’donnell who has *proven* that she can slay the beast is priceless to me.
I agree that Odonnel is polarizing and hasn’t held up to the relentless media attack as well as Palin and thus would potentially detract from Pailin and or the events main goal. However, I think you should go back and watch the whole Peirs Morgan clip, definitely makes the walk off she did much less bizzare:
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/new-video-shows-morgans-borderline-creepy-questions-before-odonnells-cnn-walk-off/
I watched it again as I was writing this post. Morgan is enormously arrogant, but it’s on O’Donnell to go into interviews knowing what’s likely to happen. She showed a very low level of professionalism in that walkoff.
Didn’t pay much attention to O’Donnell when she was running but watching this clip makes me wonder why anyone took her seriously. Giggling isn’t a good way to get my support.
O’Donnell had her chance and she lost.
We need winners, not losers.
“In my opinion, O’Donnell’s bizarre walk-out on Piers Morgan ended any pretense to credibility she once had.”
What took you so long?
Why would Tea Party people be sending emails expressing disappointment in O’Donnell’s appearance. I’m thinking they probably got just one email from the Palin camp.