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11:55 PM ET, September 18, 2010

Top Items:

Christine O'Donnell In Oct. 1999: ‘I Dabbled Into Witchcraft’ — Before she stole the hearts of tea party activists, Delaware GOP Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell was best known for her regular and bizarre punditry on 22 different episodes of Politically Incorrect.

John / Power Line:

Christine O'Donnell's Career, RIP — Christine O'Donnell's campaign went off the rails today when Bill Maher announced that he has previously-unseen clips of O'Donnell from the late 1990s when she appeared several times on his show. In one clip, she says that she once “dabbled into witchcraft.”

Discussion: New York Times, Riehl World View, Right Wing News, Political Byline, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and Pajamas Media

Jeff G. / protein wisdom:

Wow. — No, really, wow. — Christine O'Donnell's candidacy is evidently dead because of something she said on “Politically Incorrect” (quick, take note of the show's freakin' name) in the 1990s — but only because Tea Partiers are evidently small-minded religious bigots who will be so OUTRAGED …

Discussion: Bookworm Room, Riehl World View, NewsReal Blog and Doug Ross

Faiz Shakir / Think Progress:

Following Revelation Of ‘Witchcraft’ Comment, O'Donnell Cancels Sunday Show Appearances — As ThinkProgress reported, last night on his HBO show, Bill Maher aired a clip from an Oct. 29, 1999 show of Politically Incorrect, in which Republican senate candidate Christine O'Donnell revealed that she “dabbled into witchcraft.”

Discussion: New York Magazine and Joe. My. God.

Michelle Malkin:

Bill Maher's witch hunt — and the missing context for O'Donnell's remarks — Narcissism. Blackmail. Distortion. All wrapped in his trademark smirk of pallor. Yes, it's tired old liberal “comedian” Bill Maher trying to get Senate GOP primary candidate Christine O'Donnell to come …

Discussion: Ruby Slippers and The Other McCain

Patterico's Pontifications:

Christine O'Donnell in 1999: I Dabbled in Witchcraft — Oh, come on. She was young: — You think any of this might show up in a campaign commercial? … I also like the bit about how she wouldn't lie to the Nazis at the front door to save Anne Frank.

Discussion: Doug Ross and The Reality-Based Community

Nafeesa Syeed / Associated Press:

Senate hopeful O'Donnell cancels national TV spots — WASHINGTON - Tea party favorite Christine O'Donnell, whose Republican primary upset in Delaware's Senate race shocked the GOP, canceled appearances Sunday on two national news shows. — O'Donnell had been set to appear on “Face the Nation” on CBS and “Fox News Sunday.”

Discussion: The Hill, Ballot Box, Washington Monthly and TPMDC

Matt DeLong / Washington Post:

Christine O'Donnell in 1999: ‘I dabbled into witchcraft’ — The story of Christine O'Donnell's past got a little stranger Friday. Bill Maher — on whose former show, “Politically Incorrect,” O'Donnell appeared repeatedly in the late 1990s — showed a previously unaired clip from Oct. 29 …

Discussion: The Impolitic, The Page, TPMDC, CNN and Polifrog Blog

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:

O'Donnell cancels “Face the Nation” appearance — Delaware GOP Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell has backed out of an appearance tomorrow on CBS's “Face the Nation” with no explanation to the network. — “They just emailed us and said she needed to cancel,” said Mary Hager, “Face the Nation's,” senior producer.

Discussion: Mediaite, Crooks and Liars, The Huffington Post, TVNewser, Alan Colmes' Liberaland and Outside the Beltway

Taegan Goddard's Political Wire:
O'Donnell Said She Practiced Witchcraft

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland

Noel Sheppard / NewsBusters.org:
Bill Maher: Obama Would Be A Better President ‘If He Was Fully Black’

Discussion: The Other McCain, Political Byline and Gateway Pundit

Des Moines Register:

Reaction to Sarah Palin speech by Iowa Republican activists — Should former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin decide to make a presidential bid, Iowa Republicans voting in the leadoff caucuses would have the opportunity to give her candidacy a major boost or a setback. Here are reactions from key activists after her speech Friday night.

Michael A. Memoli / Los Angeles Times:

Pence edges out Huckabee, Romney in conservatives' straw poll for president — Indiana Rep. Mike Pence is the top choice in a field of more well-known GOP figures, including Newt Gingrich and Sarah Palin, with 24% of the vote at this weekend's Values Voter Summit.

Discussion: LewRockwell.com Blog and Joe. My. God.

Kasie Hunt / The Politico:
Newt Gingrich: Force Kathleen Sebelius out

Discussion: Firedoglake, TPMDC, Think Progress, Raw Story and Ballot Box

TEApublican / The Iowa Republican: Sarah Palin Shines in Iowa Foreshadowing of 2012 Return

CNN:
Pence wins Values Voter straw poll

Discussion: The Politico and Hot Air

CNN:
Gingrich blasts Democratic establishment at annual summit

Discussion: Politics Daily and Ballot Box

Michael O'Hare / The Reality-Based Community:

The whining of the rich — Through Glenn Reynolds, whither I wandered because of Mark's post about something else entirely, I came upon this truly amazing pasticcio of mendacity, ignorance, and small-minded cupidity. It's worth a close look because the author is a law professor …

Discussion: Economist's View and Hullabaloo

Brad DeLong / Grasping Reality with Both Hands:

In Which Mr. Deling Responds to Someone Who Might Be Professor Todd Henderson — I had published a link and a long excerpt from Michael O'Hare's rant after reading University of Chicago Law Professor Todd Henderson. — And now somebody purporting to be University of Chicago Professor Todd Henderson writes:

Nicholas Riccardi / Los Angeles Times:

Internal memo accuses Sheriff Arpaio's department of wrongdoing — The Arizona lawman's No. 2 man and other top officials are accused of using the anti-corruption unit to conduct politically motivated investigations and to surveil campaign rivals. — Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio received a 63-page memo from a deputy chief.

Discussion: Raw Story, Feathered Bastard, skippy the bush kangaroo and Truthdig

Matt Lewis / Politics Daily:

RedState's Erick Erickson Promises Retribution on Lobbyists Who Back Lisa Murkowski … More than 200 conservative bloggers who convened in Austin, Texas for the second annual ‘Red State Gathering’ on Saturday came close to eavesdropping on a conference with lobbyists that was supposed to be held by Senator Lisa Merkowski (R-AK).

Discussion: TRAIL BLAZERS, Pajamas Media, Liberty Pundits Blog and Hot Air

Pundits Blog:

Blogger face-off: The biggest liabilities for both parties headed toward midterms — The Hill invites two established bloggers from either side of the political spectrum to sound off on a designated topic in original commentary each Saturday. This week, bloggers were asked what the greatest liability …

Discussion: Riehl World View

Tyler Cowen / New York Times:

Can the Fed Offer a Reason to Cheer? — REMEMBER the song “Put On a Happy Face”? Just smile, it says, and you'll “spread sunshine all over the place,” even if you don't start out feeling very happy yourself. — In many ways, this is fine advice. But if you've ever tried to act on it …