Academic

JAMES TARANTO ON ANTI-TEA PARTY NARRATIVES: It?s a bit odd for the GOP establishment to be blamin?

By Glenn Reynolds

JAMES TARANTO ON ANTI-TEA PARTY NARRATIVES:

It’s a bit odd for the GOP establishment to be blaming the Tea Party for the outcome of this year’s Senate elections. The party did gain six seats, its biggest pickup since 1994. By contrast, the Republicans lost six seats in 2006 and eight in 2008, when the Tea Party didn’t yet exist. True, they picked up four in 2004, but this year they held those and every other seat they carried back then.

It’s not like the GOP establishment has covered itself with glory. That’s especially true when you note that it’s the entitled narcissists favored by the party — like Lisa Murkowski and Charlie Crist and Mike Castle — who’ve played spoiler when they lost fair and square.

UPDATE: Reader Rich Bloom emails: “GOP says the Tea Party caused them to lose the Senate majority? These are the people who nominated John McCain in 2008?”

ANOTHER UPDATE: Reader Carl Schroeder writes: “This is precisely why the independents’ ranks are growing. I left the GOP when they ran Dole, and McCain’s run reconfirmed my decision. My Democrat friends are going independent as well. I like that the tea parties are not nationally organized. I send money to candidates, not to parties.”

Full post as published by Instapundit.com on November 05, 2010 (boomark / email).