(Updated 4:40 p.m. ET with O'Donnell campaign response)
(CNN) – Meghan McCain is known for speaking her mind, and her views on Delaware Republican Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell proved no exception Sunday.
"I just know, in my group of friends, it turns people off because she's seen as a nut job," McCain said on ABC's "This Week" program. "It scares me for a lot of reasons."
The daughter of Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain said O'Donnell's candidacy sends a message to the younger generation that you can just "wake up and run for Senate," regardless of past experience.
O'Donnell, an unsuccessful Senate candidate in 2006 and 2008, has received national attention this time for her Tea Party backed victory in the Republican primary over nine-time U.S. Rep. Mike Castle, a former governor.
In recent weeks, decade-old video footage surfaced showing O'Donnell challenging the theory of evolution and talking about having "dabbled in witchcraft."
"Christine O'Donnell is making a mockery of running for public office," McCain said. "She has no real history, no real success in any kind of business."
The program included some comments from O'Donnell from an interview broadcast last week, prior to McCain's criticism Sunday.
O'Donnell's campaign later responded to McCain.
"Christine overwhelmingly won her primary battle against the establishment candidate, so Ms. McCain's vast experience in politics and running for office probably won't influence many Delawareans of any age to listen to her latest rant," Matt Moran, O'Donnell's campaign manager said in a statement.
O'Donnell has depicted her candidacy as an effort to give ordinary Americans upset with the direction of the country a voice in Washington.
From CNN Politics
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We know she feels the same way about Palin as she does O'Donnell, just like the rest of the country. I'm glad Meghan atleast was honest about the latter.
Why is this news? I think Megan McCain and O'Donnell are nut jobs. What Megan McCain says isn't news. Come on!
Breaking news: Meghan McCain seen stealing the neighbors newspaper in 1998: Will justice never prevail?
it was her idiot dad who started this whole thing when he brought in palin.
I am beginning to like you, Meghan.
While I always appreciate a Republican publicly decrying Sarah Palin, Meghan McCain isn't all that much better.
Its like a blind paraplegic picking on a down-syndromed infant.
The first time I've agreed with Ms. McCain. O'Donnell is without a doubt a nut-job. No experience, no background in business or any profession and just received her BS degree in Aug. 2010. She said she was paying it off; you get your degree and pay off the loan to a lending institution, the college doesn't hold the degree hostage. If anyone wastes their precious vote on her, they deserve to get what they get, a clone of Palin.
110% agree with Meghan Mc Cain
example recent comment by Christine O'Donnell about Sean Hannity
It’s now clear FOX News is peace maker between mama grizzly republicans and Karl Rove republicans Fox want to save their 2 million investments. How long it will go, one day it will blow
Democrats get real don’t panic
Meghan is no dummy. She saw the idiocy of the Palin selection, and she's pretty insightful regarding this new "nut job," as she calls her.
Palin, Odonnell: It's attack of the relatively comely and opinionated brown haired white ladies. Nothing wrong with that as long as they are smart. Are they? I have no idea.
I watched her on The Week this morning. While I do not support her dad, John McCain here in Arizona, I do think that Megan is a breath of fresh air. I think she may become a real political force in the future.
sure you can't just wake up and run for senate.. I am not a backer of either mcCain minor or o'Donnell but where is she coming from.. you have to be a senators daughter to qualify to run..
why is her words even worth anything... what experience does she have (mcCain).
it is silly that elitists like to promote their friends and others from their circles.
I am a pretty open minded liberal and I think if anyone has a chance of uniting the Republicans and bringing them into the modern world, it is Meghan McCain. She is smart, speaks her mind, and makes sense for the most part. I will be watching her career closely.
So take back control of your party from the freaking nutjobs that are taking it over.
Palin/O'Donnell 2012 (would not be suprised if this was their ticket)
II agree with Meghan on this one. From what I can see also, Christine has no experience, in witchcraft maybe but thats it.
Unfortunately, most Republican and Tea Party Candidates do just wake up and decide to run for office without any knowledge of anything. Tea Party leader Sarah Palin couldn't name a single newspaper she read or a Supreme Court case she disagreed with. You know what the new GOP and Tea Party looks like? A bunch of popular high school students trying to skirt by an irksome test so they can continue being flippant party-goers. The real problem will come when you have a guy like Putin or Ahmadinejad decides to almost start a nuke war with America and the last thing I want to hear is some crap about Momma Grizzlies and Tea Bags ready to go to war.
Who cares what Meghan the ignorant twit has to say about anything? Riding on her father's name is about all she has going for her. Other than same IQ as Paris Hilton!
I'm not a fan of M. McCain and she has no qualifications other than her father's name, but she is right about O'Donnell.
What has Meghan McCain done?
I do not know as why this cutie pie is coming lately....We know that Christine Odonnoll is a crazy just like sarah palin....folks, do not go to churches nor give a dime to these GOP thugs....o.k....we need all the contributions to the parties disclosed, and earmarks illegal, derivatives illegal....o.k....just vote directly Democratic Ticket....Mitch McConnoll, John Boehnoer, Rush limbu, Karl Rowe the biggest thug, Eric Cantor do not have any brain......we need to give incentive tocorporate taxes...so that they can come back to USA!!!!Reagan's Trickle down Economy, Bush Iraq war messed this nation like a crazy dog....Obama, I vote for you...so the people of my nation...God bless, the USA!!!!
Thank you Ms. McCain. I did not vote for your father, but I would vote for any Republican who wants to move this country forward, and not "take our country back"wards.
O`Donnell, November the Senate, 2012 the White House. America needs people like you to bring back to America the respect it deserves. You go, Girl. Delaware must really be proud.
It times of precieved economic distress people always turn to fanatic nutjobs who shout the loudest.
This is what gave rise to national socialism in Germany and communism in Russia, plus countless dictators.
Its not the medias fault, but our country needs journalists to stand up and be our forward guardians, doing research and calling attention to those who have dangerous or misleading histories.
We can afford to have a few nuts like odonnel now and then, but it's radicals like Rubio and Scott in Florida who should make us take pause on what kind of leaders we really want. I'm not saying republican or democrat, but rather honest or immoral.
ther r so many talented folks out ther and she is the best the gop could do giv me a break
i am becoming a huge fan of meghan's outspoken nature. goest to show, not all republicans are stepford a$$wipes.