Joe Miller Noncommittal On Leader McConnell, Questions GOP 'Courage,' 'Leadership' (VIDEO)

On the heels of defeating incumbent Sen. Lisa Murkowski in Alaska's GOP Senate primary, Joe Miller declined to say whether he would support Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell keeping his leadership role if elected.

When Miller was asked about the matter during an appearance on CNN's "John King USA" on Wednesday, the Tea Party-backed hopeful was noncommittal in his response.

"Anybody that embraces this message can move it forward so that's going to be up to the Republican party. It's going to be up to the people of this great nation," explained the newly-minted GOP nominee. "I believe that the party should embrace that message. I think it is the future of this nation. I think it will lead us out of this mess. But let's just wait and see what happens."

As for the Republican party as a whole, Miller only tepidly expressed confidence that the GOP has the resources to get the nation and its economy back on the right track.

"There is an opportunity to lead this country out of the crisis its in and I believe the Republican Party is well suited to take up that mantle," said the conservative contender. "The question is whether or not there's the courage and leadership in that party to seize the moment and to recognize that the only way out of this is to get out of the age of the entitlement state to return power back to the states and recognize that central government is broken and see what we can do about fixing things and getting the government focused on those areas the enumerated powers that it should be doing. And the Republican Party can do it but it does require courage."

WATCH::

Comments

[rgilley]

09:22 AM on 09/03/2010

The "courage " he speaks of is taking soc sec and medicare away from retirees. And then giving a trillion dollar tax break to the richest 2%. It's the Republican way right?
Who would vote to put the same party back in power that got us into two wars and destroyed the economy? Of course they will say as always "the Dems did it", But the fact is republicans were in charge of both houses and the presidency for 6 of 8 years. Now of course they refrain from that responsibility. Taking responsibilty for one's own commitments is not big in the GOP....look at Palin!

[6bd]

03:00 AM on 09/03/2010

From Scott McAdams....Miller's opponent,,,"You know, so many folks in this country have been off-shored, outsourced, free-traded and deregulated to death. And as Alaska's next United States senator, I will go fight for working people". http://www.scottmcadams.org/ http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/24825

[eddw88]

01:10 AM on 09/03/2010

"There is an opportunity to lead this nation now that the crisis has ended."

So, this clown admits that the Democrats pulled the USA out of its economic crisis. But, they are not good enough to complete the job.

"Anybody who did not support the surge should not get kuddos."
Totally missed the fact that we should have NEVER been there in the first place.

"Government bailouts to failing industries."
Completely missed the fact that Bush started these actions.

Where was this liar when the republicans were globalizing the mess out of our economy and out-sourcing our jobs?

This guy is a palin clone. Except that he knows how to speak.

[wesleypresley]

11:57 PM on 09/02/2010

Joe Miller proves Americans are not an enlightened people.

[TFeral]

11:00 PM on 09/02/2010

Strange and interesting how a polarizing extremist thinks...

[henrypapillon]

09:47 PM on 09/02/2010

That's it bro. Take them head on. I'm rooting for you. I'm behind you all the way. Way behind you. You just keep going. I'll catch up later.

[cordyc]

12:45 AM on 09/03/2010

Stay way behind. This guy is going off the cliff.

[Hwrd Sprague]

09:16 PM on 09/02/2010

You know if some people had been more forthright w/ Obama and challenged his courage and leadership that maybe the Democrats wouldn't find themselves in the pickle they find themselves in come November 2

[krummlaw]

08:02 PM on 09/02/2010

In the dark of night, the Creature was given life.

Its brain from an ancestral "Know Nothing" rescued from its jar of formaldehyde.

Its body energized by Fox.

No need for a heart.

What shall we name it? T Rex? Nope, already taken.

T Party. Great idea. Clever, too.

Wait! What's it doing? No, no, no! Don't turn on us.

We're your master!

Oh, my God. What have we created?

[cordyc]

12:46 AM on 09/03/2010

Tea/Carpet bagger. A new creature has been spawned out of Lake Lucille

[prodemlib1]

07:57 PM on 09/02/2010

The TEAPOTS are the radical right wing of the GOP.......now that Frankenstein is devouring it's master!

[budshi]

07:11 PM on 09/02/2010

There is one of two ways to fix Social Security. Kill all the people receiving Social Security or you could do the RIGHT THING BY CLOSING ALL THE LOOPHOLES MOST BUSINESS USE TO GET OUT OF PAYING INTO THE SYSTEM. THEY HAVE BEEN DOING IT FOR 60 YEARS AND NOBODY HAS NOTICED. Few people are aware of this. We should fix the following loopholes: Independent contractors like Joe the plumber,(not paid hourly) outsoaring to benefit from piece work so as to (eliminate the hourly system), sending work overseas for service and production to (avoid paying hourly rates} which is the only requirement for paying into Social Security. Have you got the message yet? THE HOURLY RATE HAS BEEN THE KEY FOR PAYING INTO THE SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM. Let us forget the hourly rate system and change to a better system that brings back the freeloading employers that have been looking for and finding loopholes, so as to free themselves from paying into the system for the past 60 year.
This would help the employers that have been paying into the system by stopping their competitors that have been able to avoid paying into the system.

[cordyc]

12:48 AM on 09/03/2010

But piece workers like Joe get a 1099 and have to pay with their Income Taxes

[Fattonecat]

06:25 PM on 09/02/2010

And the rest of us question YOUR sanity Joe.

[BiFocalPoint]

05:52 PM on 09/02/2010

Joe Miller is so Conservative...How Conservative is he? To find out or to post your own answer, go to http://bifocalpoint.blogspot.com/2010/09/alaskas-joe-miller-is-so-conservative.html

[Hardyman1966]

05:19 PM on 09/02/2010

Has anyone noticed that people who flaunt the word "entitlement" and generally people who never need to worry about silly things like retirement income?

[R U Sirius]

05:45 PM on 09/02/2010

Exactamente.

[jobrien1950]

04:36 PM on 09/02/2010

He's bucking for Mitch's job and he's not even elected yet. Sounds pretty sure of himself.

[Hardyman1966]

05:20 PM on 09/02/2010

He drinks from the same water that Sarah does.

[Socrmom]

04:15 PM on 09/02/2010

This guy has a creepy beard. Does he think he's in Miami Vice?