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Sean Hannity Asks Christine O’Donnell About Gawker’s ‘One-Night Stand’ Story

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Credit where credit is due. Last night Sean Hannity had on as his guest GOP Senate candidate Christine O’Donnell, and very delicately broached the subject of yesterday’s controversial and anonymously-penned story that appeared in Gawker that outlined a “one night stand” with the candidate. Hannity brought it up in the safe and predictable context of “liberal media” attacks on GOP women candidates.

How did O’Donnell reply? Alas, she did not take the bait, claiming that she had such a busy day that she did not know what specific attack on her that Hannity was referencing, which, given the breakneck pace of late October campaigning, is a completely credible explanation. Another explanation is that O’Donnell simply didn’t want to address the story, which given some of the sordid details, is also completely understandable.

O’Donnell’s campaign did issue an official statement via the candidate’s Facebook page:

Wilmington, DE – Communications Director Doug Sachtleben stated in response to the universal condoning of the Gawker story:

This story is just another example of the sexism and slander that female candidates are forced to deal with. From Secretary Clinton, to Governor Palin, to soon-to-be Governor Haley, Christine’s political opponents have been willing to engage in appalling and baseless attacks — all with the aim of distracting the press from covering the real issues in this race. Even the National Organization for Women gets it, but Christine’s opponent disturbingly does not. As Chris Coons said on September 16th he would not condone personal attacks against Christine. Classless Coons goons have proven yet again to have no sense of common decency or common sense with their desperate attacks to get another rubber stamp for the Obama-Pelosi-Reid agenda. Such attacks are truly shameful, but they will not distract us from making our case to Delaware voters — and keeping the focus on Chris Coons’ record of higher taxes, increased spending, and as he has done again here, breaking his promises to the voters.”

The National Organization for Women (NOW) on Thursday condemned the tabloid website Gawker for publishing an anonymous account: NOW issued a statement late Thursday stating that “sexist, misogynist attacks against women have no place in the electoral process, regardless of a particular candidate’s political ideology.”

“NOW repudiates Gawker’s decision to run this piece. It operates as public sexual harassment. And like all sexual harassment, it targets not only O’Donnell, but all women contemplating stepping into the public sphere,” said NOW president Terry O’Neill.

In first reporting on the sordid “one-night stand” story, Mediaite’s Jon Bershad asked if Gawker went too far?

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  • Big Eddie

    To release such a story , the ” classless Coons’ goons ” are not unlike the Obama / Soros goons Media Matters , who attempted to destroy a black man , Juan Williams , because he worked at Fox . Kendrick Meek was also in Obama/Soros’ evil plans when they tried to force him out of the Florida Senate race , in favor of a Caucasian Republican , the sluglike Crist ! Shocking !

  • possibly

    Interpretation: It’s true.

  • TfT

    I’m glad that NOW finally spoke up. The lengths to which these liberal loons will go knows no bounds. The leftwing media has worked overtime to protect Chris Coons while trashing/slandering Christine. It is what conservative women have to deal with. I’m glad that Christine is strong enough to stand up to the relentless attacks against her; she like Palin isn’t going to climb into a bathtub like some liberals we know when confronted with stuff they don’t like.

  • possibly

    The pictures tell the story.

    She’s guilty as charged.

  • sarainitaly

    Good on NOW for finally stepping up. Who cares if it’s true – it makes the guy look far worse than Christine – a woman drank on Halloween, and kissed someone? oooh what a *scandal*! What a scuz bucket this guy is for even repeating the story, especially anonymously! Good on Dave Weigel, too.

    It’s not much of a one night stand, either, considering they didn’t have sex.

    Gawd, it is disgusting the lengths people will go to. Oh well, this story will probably only help her.

  • Fox News: We gladly gin up anger and fear for ratings.

    Gawker is a gossip site, so who cares; it won’t matter squat in the election. This Bible thumper is going down in spite of her attempts to get GOD ALMIGHTY to intercede on her behalf. But if she loses it will be God’s will that she work for Fox News and weigh in on matters of national importance.

    P.S.
    Sarah, isn’t time for you to integrate into Italian society? You expect that from Mexicans that move to the United States don’t you.

    P.P.S
    “In the experiences of a year of the Presidency, there has come to me no other such unwelcome impression as the manifest religious intolerance which exists among many of our citizens. I hold it to be a menace to the very liberties we boast and cherish.”
    –WARREN G. HARDING (1865-1923), 29th president

  • Pablo

    possibly said:
    The pictures tell the story.

    She’s guilty as charged.

    Of a non-sexual one night stand?

  • sarainitaly

    Fox News: We gladly gin up anger and fear for ratings. said:
    P.S.
    Sarah, isn’t time for you to integrate into Italian society? You expect that from Mexicans that move to the United States don’t you.

    Isn’t it time for you to integrate into the human society?

  • Fox News: We gladly gin up anger and fear for ratings.

    sarainitaly said:
    Isn’t it time for you to integrate into the human society?

    I will take that as a “No” and your acknowledgment that you have a double standard in these matters; one for Mexicans and another for you.

  • sarainitaly

    Fox News: We gladly gin up anger and fear for ratings. said:
    I will take that as a “No” and your acknowledgment that you have a double standard in these matters; one for Mexicans and another for you.

    You know nothing about me, and you don’t know whether I am integrated into Italian culture or not. Because I like to comment on this blog? I like American politics. It is none of your fricking business what I do or do not do.

    What do you know about my standards for Mexicans?
    I believe they should learn english. I speak italian.
    I think they should immigrate legally. I am legal.

    Pray tell, what is my double standard? Otherwise, shut the hell up about my personal life.

  • Hugo Daun

    Hannity…a tool of the “liberal media”?

    Who knew?

  • Seeing November From My Window

    Sara says:

    Good on NOW for finally stepping up

    Sorry Sara, I’m disagreeing with you here. At first, when asked for a comment, they said they would pass, TWICE. Then, once they figured out how stupid that was, they changed their tune. They get NO credit from me for that.

    Oh btw, if you want info on the scumbag gawker PAID for the story, here you go:

    Liberal Blog Gawker Runs Vile Sex Smear Against Christine O’Donnell, NOW Refuses to Condemn Them..Update: Identity of Gawker Source Revealed, NOW Relents…

    http://weaselzippers.us/2010/10/28/liberal-blog-gawker-runs-vile-sex-smear-against-christine-odonnell-now-refuses-to-condemn-them/

  • The Real Royal King

    I have to say Michelle-in-Utah, you are such a bottom feeder. Anytime a thoroughly discredited and disreputable site emerges, there you are citing it as if it were the Gospel to a devout, non-heretical Christian or the Quran to an observant Muslim. Gawker is crap, but Weaselzippers. Geez! Can’t you ever come up with a reputable source?

  • sarainitaly

    Seeing November From My Window said:
    Sorry Sara, I’m disagreeing with you here. At first, when asked for a comment, they said they would pass, TWICE. Then, once they figured out how stupid that was, they changed their tune. They get NO credit from me for that.

    figures! i guess it was too good to be true.

  • Seeing November From My Window

    Keith, your obsession with this MIchelle girl is bordering on the creepy.

    ps, Precious Perfect and FDR are ready for their breakfast, so get on it!

  • The Real Royal King

    sarainitaly said:
    Thumb up 2 Thumb down 2

    Fox News: We gladly gin up anger and fear for ratings. said:
    I will take that as a “No” and your acknowledgment that you have a double standard in these matters; one for Mexicans and another for you.

    You know nothing about me, and you don’t know whether I am integrated into Italian culture or not. Because I like to comment on this blog? I like American politics. It is none of your fricking business what I do or do not do.

    What do you know about my standards for Mexicans?
    I believe they should learn english. I speak italian.
    I think they should immigrate legally. I am legal.

    Pray tell, what is my double standard? Otherwise, shut the hell up about my personal life.

    FN: You owe Sarah M. Italy an apology for making her resort to foul and filthy language.

    I suspect she must be terribly lonely with too much time on her hands to live in Italy and spend so much of her time insinuating herself into American politics. I don’t think Gertrude Stein spent all of her time in Paris writing letters to Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover telling them how to run things 3,700 miles away.

  • The Real Royal King

    Seeing November From My Window said:
    Keith, your obsession with this MIchelle girl is bordering on the creepy.

    ps, Precious Perfect and FDR are ready for their breakfast, so get on it!

    Have you already chosen your next name, Michelle-in-Utah?

  • Seeing November From My Window

    Hey Keith, I had an idea on who should be the worst person in the world today:

    MoveOn ‘Republicorp’ Activist Chokes Conservative Protester at Arizona Rally

    http://www.theblaze.com/stories/moveon-republicorp-activist-chokes-conservative-protester-at-arizona-rally/

  • The Real Royal King

    Hugo Daun said:
    Hannity…a tool of the “liberal media”?

    Who knew?

    Well, that’s the conclusion of a Tea Partier. Anyone who doesn’t want to grab an adolescent male off the street, rip out his heart and transplant it in Big Dick Cheney is considered liberal to them.

  • lane

    First, A “sexless” One Night Stand, is NOT a One-Night Stand. Ridiculous.

    Brad Kurisko is apparently the anonymous loser or the friend of the anonymous loser. SE Cupp mentioned the naming of him on RedEye. He’s being harrassed, so the moral is, nothing’s anonymous nowadays….

  • The Real Royal King

    Seeing November From My Window said:
    Hey Keith, I had an idea on who should be the worst person in the world today:

    MoveOn ‘Republicorp’ Activist Chokes Conservative Protester at Arizona Rally

    http://www.theblaze.com/stories/moveon-republicorp-activist-chokes-conservative-protester-at-arizona-rally/

    I have to tell you, Michelle-in-Utah, I thought about Arizona. As you may know, when it came out that the entire Arizona “Papieren, Bitte” law come about as the result of private prison owners seeking to make fortunes off of detainees awaiting deportation hearings, Governor Jan “My Father Died Fighting Nazis in Nevada in 1956″ Brewer decided to go to San Francisco to listen to arguments on the appeal of the injunction and to avoid taking press questions about the scandal and the slush money paid to the Republican supporters of the bill. Well, we know she wouldn’t understand a word in the arguments, don’t we? I thought she might be the WPITW.

  • Hugo Daun

    So let’s see:

    It’s horrible that an online gossip rag printed a story about O’Donnell’s scraggly, unkempt muff…

    …BUT…

    It’s OK if Hannity questions her about her scraggly, unkempt muff.

  • writer

    King, since your idea of debate is to hurl a few insults, then come up with an excuse why you have to leave the site, you’re not one to be talking about anyone referencing a source. At least others attempt to find sources.

  • Harry Flashman

    possibility said:

    “The pictures tell the story.

    She’s guilty as charged.”

    Guilty? Guilty of what, exactly? I hate this way of thinking.

  • The Real Royal King

    writer said:
    King, since your idea of debate is to hurl a few insults, then come up with an excuse why you have to leave the site, you’re not one to be talking about anyone referencing a source. At least others attempt to find sources.

    Your source, please, Kumquat?

  • Pablo

    lane said:
    First, A “sexless” One Night Stand, is NOT a One-Night Stand. Ridiculous.

    Brad Kurisko is apparently the anonymous loser or the friend of the anonymous loser. SE Cupp mentioned the naming of him on RedEye. He’s being harrassed, so the moral is, nothing’s anonymous nowadays….

    He’s a now former friend of the now non-anonymous loser, Dustin Dominiak. Enjoy your 15 minutes of fame and your lifetime of not getting laid, Dustin.

  • writer

    Any post you make, King. For example, you’re outraged over racism. So I quote Rev. Wright or Farrakhan and ask for your comments. What do I get? You won’t comment on Farrakhan because he isn’t ‘present’. But I’ve noticed you commenting on racism coming from whites, and the person doesn’t have to be present. Or when you tout your church attendance, and I ask you about your mocking derision of people who live in trailers, you dismiss your bigotry with more insults. That’s what I’m talking about, King.

  • The Real Royal King

    writer said:
    Any post you make, King. For example, you’re outraged over racism. So I quote Rev. Wright or Farrakhan and ask for your comments. What do I get? You won’t comment on Farrakhan because he isn’t ‘present’. But I’ve noticed you commenting on racism coming from whites, and the person doesn’t have to be present. Or when you tout your church attendance, and I ask you about your mocking derision of people who live in trailers, you dismiss your bigotry with more insults. That’s what I’m talking about, King.

    Yes, I was sure you had nothing, Kumquat. As usual.

  • writer

    So once again, you absolutely refuse to address anything I said. Okay, here’s another one. You’ve said that the Japanese internment was a terrible, racist act. Yet you named your cat after FDR, the man responsible for the internment. Any comments, or just more refusal to talk about anything?

  • paulmdoro

    Is there any evidence that Coons had anything to do with this? If there is that would be about the dumbest move he could have made this late in the game. It will only generate sympathy for her, and it should. It’s completely inexcusable no matter how you feel about her. It’s a total invasion of privacy, excessively cruel, and totally lacking in basic human decency. It should be deplored by all.

    However, the right has engaged in character assassination as well (Max Cleland is a good example), and I wish they would express similar outrage when someone on the left is a victim of it. All political persuasions are capable of and victims of character assassination like this, and it should always be condemned no matter who is doing it or who the victim is.

  • The Real Royal King

    paulmdoro said:
    Is there any evidence that Coons had anything to do with this? If there is that would be about the dumbest move he could have made this late in the game. It will only generate sympathy for her, and it should. It’s completely inexcusable no matter how you feel about her. It’s a total invasion of privacy, excessively cruel, and totally lacking in basic human decency. It should be deplored by all.

    However, the right has engaged in character assassination as well (Max Cleland is a good example), and I wish they would express similar outrage when someone on the left is a victim of it. All political persuasions are capable of and victims of character assassination like this, and it should always be condemned no matter who is doing it or who the victim is.

    It was certainly gratuitous and, perhaps, a bit cruel. I haven’t heard anyone make a tie to Coons, however, and I do think that O’Donnell has insinuated herself into popular culture in a way that seems to bring these types of stories on. Not unlike Palin. More’s the pity for the “victims” and our culture.

  • paulmdoro

    I would like to see broader condemnation of these types of attacks. It seems that many people only become upset when someone on “their side” is attacked. Lots of selective outrage. I don’t like O’Donnell at all but that’s for political and not personal reasons. She may be a very nice person, and no one deserves to have a story like this published about them. This guy is a grade A asshole at best.

  • Seeing November From My Window

    and I do think that O’Donnell has insinuated herself into popular culture in a way that seems to bring these types of stories on

    In other words, she got what she deserved, eh Keith?

  • writer

    The King has great sympathy for all victims of attacks, depending on their race and political persuasion.

  • The Real Royal King

    Seeing November From My Window said:
    and I do think that O’Donnell has insinuated herself into popular culture in a way that seems to bring these types of stories on

    In other words, she got what she deserved, eh Keith?

    No, and you have crossed over into lying territory, Michelle-in-Utah. Again. What I was saying is that the negativity is now borne more of cultural matters than political matters. And, in your constant search to assign blame to everything that happens, the blame here needs to go to cultural matters. Sort of like the Drop Out Governor being on “Entertainment Tonight”. Cultural, not political. Now, if you want to share a rare moment of candor with us, and you were to say our culture has become coarse and tacky, I would agree with you. But, please stop your lying.

  • writer

    In other words, when in doubt, blame Palin. But far be it for the King to ever play the blame game.

  • The Real Royal King

    writer said:
    In other words, when in doubt, blame Palin. But far be it for the King to ever play the blame game.

    You’re lying again, Kumquat. The trajectories are parallel, and that is all that was said. In a healthy culture, no one would take either woman seriously, but we have a number of pathologies these days.

  • writer

    we have a number of pathologies these days.

    And you exhibit them with every post, King.

  • paulmdoro

    On the contrary, I would say that in a healthy culture all sides and positions are heard and debated and considered. The Gawker story represents what is unhealthy about our culture.

  • DonnaK

    As we have all seen, not much embarrasses O’Donnell, so it would not surprise me that she released the story and pictures. She loves publicity and she really doesn’t have anything to lose, so why not go for just the publicity angle, for let’s say– a reality show after the election. Then of course, she can say it was from the Coons, this ad smacks of desperation, and why would he be desperate?

  • paulmdoro

    DonnaK said:
    As we have all seen, not much embarrasses O’Donnell, so it would not surprise me that she released the story and pictures. She loves publicity and she really doesn’t have anything to lose, so why not go for just the publicity angle, for let’s say– a reality show after the election. Then of course, she can say it was from the Coons, this ad smacks of desperation, and why would he be desperate?

    So O’Donnell conspired with this guy and Gawker to publish the story in an effort to generate more publicity for herself while also blaming it on Coons? Come on. That’s a bit much, to say the least. I think you’re allowing your personal feelings about O’Donnell to cloud your better judgment.

  • DonnaK

    The way politics have went into the gutter, nothing surprises me anymore, it’s not about personal feelings about candidates on either side. There is just so much money in it anymore, it doesn’t surprise me that any of them would do anything to get in. I use to be a believer in the good in people, not so much these days. I wonder if people will ever believe in their elected offficials again, and that is such a depressing thought.

  • paulmdoro

    DonnaK said:
    The way politics have went into the gutter, nothing surprises me anymore, it’s not about personal feelings about candidates on either side. There is just so much money in it anymore, it doesn’t surprise me that any of them would do anything to get in. I use to be a believer in the good in people, not so much these days. I wonder if people will ever believe in their elected offficials again, and that is such a depressing thought.

    I think most of us are pretty cynical about politics for one reason or another, but that’s a far cry from believing that O’Donnell is behind the Gawker story.

  • felixw

    As usual, you are advised to watch what the Democrats DO and not what they SAY.

    It’s quite revealing that the Left still needs to put so much attention into the Delaware race with just four days left until the election. Obama is even heading to the area tomorrow. And the Gawker smear shows how desperate the Left is to blunt Christine O’Donnell’s appeal at this late stage in the campaign– even if they need to pay money for phony allegations from unnamed sources.

    These moves are far more revealing than any public commentary by Democrat insiders. Clearly the Democrats’ internal polling shows that Delaware is still in play. Note that even the publicly available polls show a tightening in the race, with independents now preferring O’Donnell over Coons.

    And if the Democrats are still worrying about Delaware after two months of non-stop ridicule and character attacks in the national media against a supposedly un-electable candidate in a safe Blue State for Joe Biden’s old Senate seat…..well, what does that tell you about the prospects for Democrats in the rest of the nation?

    Mark my words, the Democrats are sinking faster than the Titanic after it hit the ice. Even they realize it (at least the smart ones who are tracking the data), as shown by their actions and the increasingly shrill, unconvincing tone of their smears. Then again, they reap what they sowed, and after two years of making fun of the voters who were begging for more responsible government, they eminently deserve the whupping coming their way.

  • paulmdoro

    felixw said:

    Mark my words, the Democrats are sinking faster than the Titanic after it hit the ice. Even they realize it (at least the smart ones who are tracking the data), as shown by their actions and the increasingly shrill, unconvincing tone of their smears.

    Obviously you are not a political analyst. Republicans engage in smear tactics just as much as Democrats do, and the party in the White House always loses seats in the Midterm elections. Keep working on those partisan talking points felix.

  • Cecelia

    “Another explanation is that O’Donnell simply didn’t want to address the story, which given some of the sordid details, is also completely understandable. ”

    Another reason is that she doesn’t want to keep the story alive by issuing comments that will generate more coverage.

    Colby, since Mediaite felt it was their “duty” to report on this information, don’t you think you guys should issue an update that Gawker has admitted that it paid for this story?

  • timcajun

    This story must not be true, because Hannity and Fox would never spoon feed a tea bagger questions to make then look better. They are fair and balanced! How could you be so stupid as to not see you are in the safe “spin zone” and don’t take the chance to hit the ball out of the park with no pressure and 100% support! She needs to find this guy bed him again then have some bagger thug stomp him in the head! That will teach these bastards to mess with the tea party!

  • felixw

    paulmdoro said:
    Obviously you are not a political analyst. Republicans engage in smear tactics just as much as Democrats do, and the party in the White House always loses seats in the Midterm elections. Keep working on those partisan talking points felix.

    The Republicans have been running on fiscal responsibility, government accountability, vigilance against terror, less federal intrusion in our lives, a strong border, lower taxes, and job creation. The Democrats are running against witchcraft and Aqua Buddha. Voters can decide which party is addressing the key issues.

    Hint: Aqua Buddha will not save the Democrats in this election.

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