Joe Scarborough believes Christine O'Donnell's win has cost Republicans the Delaware Senate seat and their best shot at a Senate majority. And the Morning Joe host made no bones about singling out the person he considers responsible: "I blame Sarah Palin," said Scarborough bluntly on today's show.
Scarborough's comment came not long after Morning Joe aired a clip of Karl Rove's scalding comments about O'Donnell, which I noted here last night, in which among other things the former Bush adviser declared that O'Donnell "doesn't evince the characteristics of rectitude and truthfulness and sincerity and character that voters are looking for."
Said Scarborough: "I agree with Karl Rove."
JOE SCARBOROUGH: I remember learning that Mike Castle was going to run for Senator. I was very excited about it because I understood that if the Republican party were to be a national party, the Republican party would need to win states like Delaware. And Mike Castle would give Republicans the best chance to win that Senate seat in a long, long--in decades. That opportunity's gone now, and I just wonder: does the Republican party have what it takes to be a national party again?
A bit later came the airing of Rove's scalding comments to Sean Hannity last night about O'Donnell, which notably came after the race had been called in her favor.
SCARBOROUGH: I haven't said this in awhile: I agree with Karl Rove. I mean, I agree with him.
And, finally came this from Scarborough, speaking to Pat Buchanan [who by the way mentioned he sat up in bed and let out a whoop last night when he heard O'Donnell won] . . .
SCARBOROUGH: I blame—and I'll just say it: I blame Sarah Palin for last night. I blame Sarah Palin. If Republicans do not win this Senate seat, it's Sarah Palin, it falls on Sarah Palin's shoulders. You were talking about how this helps Sarah Palin and other people do. Guess what? If we're one, if we as a Republican party are one vote short of a majority in 2012, I will come on the next morning—in 2010—I'll come on the next morning and say it's all Sarah Palin's fault. She decided to do the reckless political thing and select somebody she knew couldn't win in Delaware.
