Christine O Donnell

Republican senatorial candidate Christine O’Donnell, a "tea party" movement favorite who has become a political pincushion for Democrats, found herself precariously perched on a new limb Tuesday when  she seemed unsure whether the Constitution guaranteed that church and state be kept separate. O’Donnell, who wrested the GOP nomination from Delaware’s Republican establishment, met her Democratic opponent Chris Coons in their third debate for the Senate seat once held by Vice President Joe Biden.

There's consternation in Palin Nation. The former Alaska governor surprised many supporters this week when she endorsed Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, a political fixture who would seem to represent everything that Palinistas loathe, which can be conveyed in a simple phrase: “the entrenched Washington elite.” Though she has taken herself out of contention for office, Palin continues to keep herself in the political game as a kind of would-be kingmaker,...

Christine O'Donnell was threatening to make trouble for Sarah Palin's speech this weekend to a tea-party group in Iowa, but it looks like O'Donnell won't be showing up after all. After it was widely reported that the former Delaware senatorial candidate, author, and TV interview flight risk would speak before Palin at the Indianola, Ia. event Saturday, the organizers of the "Restoring America" rally have apparently changed their minds. One of the rally's organizers, Charlie Gruschow, said, that “there were issues with the schedule of the event,” adding that the group, Tea Party of America received “some comments from people planning on attending the event questioning” the decision to add O'Donnell to the agenda.

WASHINGTON -- As longtime Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar fights for his political life, he is warning Hoosiers that if his "tea party"-backed opponent wins this week's primary, it would hand the longtime Republican-held seat to Democrats this fall -- and dampen GOP chances to gain majority control of the Senate. In an email push, "Forewarn Family & Friends," before Tuesday's election, the Lugar camp told supporters -- without naming his opponent, Richard Mourdock -- that a loss would sacrifice the seat.

She's not a witch. But she has the power to make Democrats jump for joy over her endorsement of Mitt Romney. She is, of course, Christine O'Donnell, the former Senate candidate from Delaware who failed to be elected last year in a season in which Republicans won just about every race from dogcatcher on up. O'Donnell, you might remember, cut an infamous campaign ad in which she jokingly denied dabbling in the occult. Delaware voters were not amused and sent Chris Coons to the Senate.

I t's true that Christine O'Donnell, Delaware's surprise senatorial candidate, bears some resemblance to Sarah Palin. Both are attractive brunettes who've staked their political careers on extreme social conservatism. Both emerged on the national stage seemingly out of nowhere and proceeded to make liberals and even a lot of Republicans slap their collective foreheads in disbelief. Perhaps most important, both are catnip for a media that loves to search for skeletons in closets that also happen to contain several pairs of designer pumps.

Christine O'Donnell is promoting her new book, "Troublemaker," whose title is from a Time magazine reference to the former Delaware Senate candidate and "tea party" favorite. In the book, and in recent interviews, O'Donnell has made no secret of one of her big regrets — and her feeling of betrayal at the hands of Bill Maher, a man she had considered a friend. On "Real Time With Bill Maher," the HBO host featured a bit of 1999 video from "Politically Correct" with O'Donnell. In her new book, she says the clip showed a "nothing comment" about a boy she'd known in high school who dabbled in the occult and it started a "modern-day witch hunt – with me cast as … well, as the witch.

A roundup of entertainment headlines for Thursday. Former Delaware Senate candidate and current not-witch Christine O'Donnell walked off Piers Morgan's CNN show over gay marriage questions. ( Los Angeles Times ) "The Lone Ranger" may still go before the cameras. ( Los Angeles Times ) An autopsy confirms that "Real Housewives' " Russell Armstrong did indeed commit suicide. ( Los Angeles Times ) A "Man of Steel" casting call has revealed the first hints of the top secret film's plot.

Chris Coons opening statement Wolf Blitzer of CNN and co-moderator Nancy Karibjanian, anchor of WHYY-TV's nightly news and information program, welcome the candidates to the University of Delaware. The first hour will be a Q & A. The second part will involve questions from students. Blitzer asks for no applause during the debate. A coin toss determined the order of evening. Two-minute opening statements will be made in the much-anticipated first and only debate to fill Vice President Joe Biden's longtime Senate seat.

Christine O'Donnell, who famously denied that she was a witch, said on Thursday that she was innocent of any financial irregularities connected to her failed campaign for the U.S. Senate. Speaking on morning talk shows, O'Donnell, who rode a wave a "tea party" movement unhappiness to wrest the Senate nomination from the candidate favored by Delaware's GOP, rejected accusations that campaign funds were misused. She also blamed liberal political enemies for persecuting her. "There's been no impermissible use of campaign funds whatsoever," O'Donnell insisted on ABC. "You have to look at this whole thug-politic tactic for what it is," she said.

Mitt Romney scored the endorsement of South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley Friday as he tries to improve his standing in that state in advance of next month's primary. Haley is the tea-party affiliated, Indian American governor swept into office last year as part of the GOP electoral tide and is considered a rising star in the party. Should Romney capture the nomination, it's likely that Haley's name will be part of the vice presidential conversation. Haley made the announcement on Fox News Channel on Friday.

She's not a witch. But she has the power to make Democrats jump for joy over her endorsement of Mitt Romney. She is, of course, Christine O'Donnell, the former Senate candidate from Delaware who failed to be elected last year in a season in which Republicans won just about every race from dogcatcher on up. O'Donnell, you might remember, cut an infamous campaign ad in which she jokingly denied dabbling in the occult. Delaware voters were not amused and sent Chris Coons to the Senate.

Occupy Wall Street is not likely to have the kind of effect on Democratic politics that the "tea party" movement has had in the GOP, a leading Democratic strategist said Thursday.   Still, you can expect to hear Democrats focusing on some of the issues that have driven the nationwide gatherings, at least in Senate races in 2012. "Part of the reason I think the Occupy Wall Street movement is popular is because there is a general frustration with the growing income disparity in this country," Guy Cecil, the executive director of the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee, told reporters at a breakfast gathering hosted by the centrist think tank Third Way.  "This frustration exists far beyond just the folks that come out ... for Occupy Wall Street.

The group that powered Joe Miller, Sharron Angle and Christine O'Donnell to Republican primary victories is back in action. Tea Party Express, the California-based political action committee, has endorsed Indiana Treasurer Richard Mourdock in his bid to unseat six-term Republican Sen. Richard G. Lugar. In a statement Thursday, Tea Party Express chair Amy Kremer said Mourdock was a “true conservative.” “He understands the importance of putting an end to Washington's wild spending and skyrocketing debt,” Kremer said.

The "will she or won't she" game with Sarah Palin is no longer just about the larger question of whether she'll be a candidate for president in 2012. Now, even nailing down whether she'll follow through on a commitment to headline a major "tea party" rally in Iowa is proving a difficult task. Conflicting reports Wednesday indicate that Palin has either canceled, or is at least reconsidering plans to speak Saturday at the Tea Party of America's "Restoring America" rally in Indianola.

Christine O'Donnell was threatening to make trouble for Sarah Palin's speech this weekend to a tea-party group in Iowa, but it looks like O'Donnell won't be showing up after all. After it was widely reported that the former Delaware senatorial candidate, author, and TV interview flight risk would speak before Palin at the Indianola, Ia. event Saturday, the organizers of the "Restoring America" rally have apparently changed their minds. One of the rally's organizers, Charlie Gruschow, said, that “there were issues with the schedule of the event,” adding that the group, Tea Party of America received “some comments from people planning on attending the event questioning” the decision to add O'Donnell to the agenda.

Delaware Rep. Michael N. Castle announced late Wednesday that he would not seek to revive his candidacy for U.S. Senate as a write-in candidate. The Republican had been considering the option after his stunning loss to "tea party"-backed candidate Christine O'Donnell in the state's Sept. 14 primary. In a statement, Castle said he was "humbled by the strong encouragement" of many who hoped he would run, but that he did not "believe that seeking office in this manner is in the best interest of all Delawareans.

Vice President Joe Biden said Friday that the Republican candidate running for his old Senate seat in Delaware would take Congress back to an era of GOP control "on steroids," telling Democratic volunteers that the race is not a slam dunk for their candidate and to campaign "as serious as you possibly can. " Without naming upstart "tea party" candidate Christine O'Donnell directly, Biden told volunteers in his home state to expect a rough-and-tumble final...

A roundup of entertainment headlines for Thursday. Former Delaware Senate candidate and current not-witch Christine O'Donnell walked off Piers Morgan's CNN show over gay marriage questions. ( Los Angeles Times ) "The Lone Ranger" may still go before the cameras. ( Los Angeles Times ) An autopsy confirms that "Real Housewives' " Russell Armstrong did indeed commit suicide. ( Los Angeles Times ) A "Man of Steel" casting call has revealed the first hints of the top secret film's plot.

Christine O'Donnell is promoting her new book, "Troublemaker," whose title is from a Time magazine reference to the former Delaware Senate candidate and "tea party" favorite. In the book, and in recent interviews, O'Donnell has made no secret of one of her big regrets — and her feeling of betrayal at the hands of Bill Maher, a man she had considered a friend. On "Real Time With Bill Maher," the HBO host featured a bit of 1999 video from "Politically Correct" with O'Donnell. In her new book, she says the clip showed a "nothing comment" about a boy she'd known in high school who dabbled in the occult and it started a "modern-day witch hunt – with me cast as … well, as the witch.