Republican Christine O'Donnell, the Tea Party-backed Senate candidate from Delaware, declared on Fox News this week that she would not be giving doing any more national TV interviews. "Delaware is my focus," O'Donnell told Fox host Sean Hannity. The much mocked O'Donnell, who began her career as a conservative Christian advocate and anti-pornography activist, said the national media is trying to "paint me as extremist" by replaying controversial video clips from her past, including one in which she told comedian Bill Maher that she had "dabbled" in witchcraft in her youth. Will shunning the national media help O'Donnell communicate her message to voters?
O'Donnell can't hide her "nutty" past: "Swearing off the media now" won't "erase the 'nutty' things" O'Donnell has been saying for years, says Alex Seitz-Wald at Think Progress. But this move is hardly surprising — Sarah Palin told O'Donnell that journalists were seeking her "destruction," and urged her to "speak through Fox News." It looks like O'Donnell's taking Palin's advice, and, like Rand Paul, Sharron Angle, and other Tea Party favorites, screaming "media bias" every time someone asks a "non-softball question."
"Following Palin's playbook, O'Donnell vows 'I'm not going to do any more national media'"
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Shunning the national media is wise: O'Donnell is making a "good decision," says Rob Port at Say Anything Blog. She "has a race to win in Delaware," and it's just plain smart to focus "on communicating with Delaware voters." The national media is determined to characterize her as a "buffoon," so this blackout can only help her campaign.
"Christine O'Donnell: I'm not doing any more national media interviews"
O'Donnell won't be able to resist the spotlight: Saying no to TV may make sense, politically, says Suzi Parker at Politics Daily. But O'Donnell has been addicted to the celebrity TV afforded her since the 1990s, when she discussed creationism in schools on CNN and the sins of masturbation on an MTV sex special. It's "doubtful" that a "media junkie" like O'Donnell will really be able to "ignore phone calls from big-time talk show producers."
"Christine O'Donnell's younger years: Forget witchcraft, think media goddess"