Iowa tea party group cancels O'Donnell speaking appearance
Washington (CNN) – Organizers for Saturday's tea party rally in Iowa Tuesday blamed an internal miscommunication over the event's schedule for rescinding a speaking slot Tuesday for former Republican Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell.
The group had confirmed Monday that O'Donnell would speak. She would have been prior to the keynote from Sarah Palin which had raised the specter of the two on the same stage.
Ken Crow, founder of the Tea Party of America, said initially he was "under the assumption we had an open slot" after her supporters had inquired Monday about whether she could speak.
O'Donnell is on a national speaking tour for her book, "Troublemaker."
After the request for her to appear at the event was made to a fellow organizer, Crow looked at the speaking agenda and thought there was space for her. She was informed Monday she could speak, event co-organizer Charlie Gruschow told CNN Monday night.
Tuesday morning it was determined there was not enough time for her, Crow said.
"It was a schedule screw-up on my part," an apologetic Crow told CNN. "It is my fault."
Crow insisted the decision did not have anything to do with O'Donnell and controversies around her.
In a series of tweets Tuesday afternoon O’Donnell reacted. “I was honored to be asked to speak at the Iowa rally this weekend and accepted. Changed my flight to make it work.” In a subsequent tweet she added: “I am told things changed on their end & I will not be speaking. I truly wish them the best with this…important event.”
Palin's address is drawing interest from around the nation, according to Gruschow, who said he has not been given any additional information on what the former Alaska governor may discuss at the event.
"She will make a major statement at the event," Gruschow told CNN last week. "Whether it be an announcement to run, not to run, or lay a marker in the sand for other candidates."
The rally is meant to help promote the tea party values of limited government, the importance of the Constitution and fiscal responsibility, event organizers have said.
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Nothing but spin by the event organizers. A pattern of untruthfulness abounds.
Wow that was quick. Christine should have known sister Sarah would not share the spotlight. It's all about her, now that the tea party is embracing the minimum wage job crating darling Rick Perry.
Sorry. Should have been "will run, not run, or lay a marker in the sand ..."
Who will be the opening act ?
So in other words, Palin threatened to cancel unless she had the spotlight to herself.
Good. Now they should move on to cancel themselves.
Well folks, THIS IS THE TEANUT PARTY'S WITCHING HOUR – CHRISTINE JUST DOESN'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO FLY!
..
Maybe they can invite Miss I QUIT BUT I'M NOT A QUITTER Sarah darlin'.
Or maybe they can extend a request to Miss GOD SENT ME HERE TO BE PRESIDENT Michelle Backhand!
Or maybe, just maybe, they can get Mr. Perry to salute the confederate flag!
WOW!!!! All they needed was to get the goofy Bachman woman with these two nut cases and we could have had the 'Witches of Eas(Tea)wick. Then we could have sent Jack Nicholson to really 'screw' things up!!
McMahon and Tate is looking for a secretary, I mean executive assistant. So there is one job she may be qualified.
Christine, look at your watch. Your 15 minutes were up a long time ago.
This is funny... looks like her free publicity tour is crumbling.. I dont think that book is heading to the best seller list...
Careful, she can easily drop a house on the entire engagement!
I guess another witch need not apply - one speaking is enough. By the way, what's the difference between a loud-mouthed "hockey mom" and a barking pit bull? When the pit bull is shown it's wrong, it sits down and shuts up! Sarah, dear, are you listening?
Beauty-queen battle aborted? I guess the witch doesn't like playing openers to the quitter.
Rosie O'Donnell has become the Rodney Dangerfield of the Political Jetsom. She just doesn't get any respect, no respect at all.
During the Q & A sesssion (no media allowed), she would have walked out as she did when interviewed by CNN's Piers Morgan a few weeks ago.
Here they go again!
The RACIST TEA PARTY is solidifying their 15 minutes fame, with the idiotic Sarah Palin 'scheduled to speak' as the 'Keynote Speaker'? Maybe it would be a better idea if they organize a Speaker Training Class for her at a High School in Alaska where Barbara Bush remarked she should be seeking fame.
Or maybe she should be trained on how to remain in a democratically elected post even when there's some 'extra heat in the kitchen'
The tea party is no party whatsoever, but just a group of nerds getting together to attract media attention and create some distraction from from the issues of the day.
The Republican Party is simply being screwed by the hurry-come-up tea party.....How Sad!
Oh oh she's gonna put a spell on the tea party, so does that mean Palin will headline in the big top circus tent.
Can't have the Palin endorsed loser on the same stage with the original loser. Heads would truly explode.
Maybe palin is planning on announcing that she will run for president (LOL!) and she wants to make sure every eye and thought is on her.
Good thing – this self-described "witch" would probably walk off the stage and throw a tantrum if someone had the audactity to ask her a question. It is just a gathering of idiots anyway – what's one less?
What... Not a big enough cauldron? Or couldn't they get Michele to complete the coven...? Maybe her broom couldn't get flight clearance...
O'Donnell is just to centrist for the tea baggers. They need need a speaker who is off the charts from reality. Thus Palin.
Apparently, the Tea Party does have a DEW line for crazy – even they can admit that is toooo much crazy on the stage at the same time.
I'm disappointed! America needed a lecture on masturbation and praying-away homosexuality. Are we finally reaching a point where the Tea Party/American Taliban see they've even become too crazy for their group of ultra right-wing radicals? The President will be facing a political battle against a group of clowns. They might be able to lure Rick Perry to the podium with another plate of corn dogs.
Well.. What did you expect?!?! Only one queen bee per hive is allowed... And sow grizzlies are not really that social...