Conservative sniping in Del. race

The conservative movement is being split wide open by Christine O'Donnell's candidacy.

The tea party favorite, in case you're not familiar, is battling veteran Delaware politician Mike Castle today for the GOP Senate nomination.

She is also backed by Sarah Palin. But some Republicans just don't think O'Donnell is qualified, and that her nomination could cede the old Joe Biden seat to the Democrats.

One glimpse of the civil war came in this piece by John McCormack:

"Court documents obtained Saturday by THE WEEKLY STANDARD reveal surprising new details about the gender discrimination and wrongful termination lawsuit filed by Christine O'Donnell in 2005 against her former employer, the Intercollegiate Studies Institute, a conservative non-profit based in Delaware.



"O'Donnell...sought $6.95 million in damages. In a court complaint, she extensively detailed the "mental anguish" she suffered after allegedly being demoted and fired because of her gender. And, although she didn't have a bachelor's degree until this year, O'Donnell implied she was taking master's degree classes at Princeton University in 2003.

"O'Donnell alleged in a July 1, 2005 complaint filed in district court that she had been demoted because ISI's conservative philosophy dictated that women must be subordinate to men."

To some conservatives, this was playing the gender card, an accusation often hurled at liberals. And O'Donnell acknoweldges to CNN that she never took a single graduate course at Princeton.

Now CNN reports that the O'Donnell camp is trashing Standard editors Bill Kristol and Fred Barnes.

"The charge: both men, editors of the conservative magazine the Weekly Standard, are trying to undermine Delaware Republican Senate candidate and tea party darling Christine O'Donnell, or so her campaign manager says.

"'Call Bill Kristol and ask him why he's crossing swords with Governor Palin's endorsement. And Google Fred Barnes and see about him taking money from Republican leadership,' a frustrated O'Donnell campaign manager Matt Moran told CNN...

"In a reply to an e-mail from CNN, Bill Kristol offers this: 'I know Sarah Palin. I respect Sarah Palin. And with all due respect- Christine O'Donnell is no Sarah Palin.'"

If O'Donnell wins today, she may become the new Sharron Angle--at odds with the press, and especially the conservative press.