Rep. Mike Castle: The 'Lies' Of Hannity And Limbaugh Were 'Significant' Reasons I Lost To Christine O'Donnell (VIDEO)

In an interview with Fox News Wednesday, Rep. Mike Castle (R-Del.) said that a "significant" reason for his Senate primary loss to Christine O'Donnell was because of "misrepresentations" about his record by conservative radio personalities like Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh. Hannity highlighted the comments on his show Wednesday night:

CASTLE: I think the misrepresentations and the lies of Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh on the air were another very significant part of all of this. I think some of the misrepresentations in my opponent's race were a part of it as well. How they ever came up with the theory that I voted to impeach George Bush, I'll never know. That was the news for a couple days right around the election time -- by, I think, Mr. Limbaugh. But those are the kinds of things that make politics very difficult.

"He sounds like a liberal, blaming other people!" Hannity responded. His guest for the segment was O'Donnell, who praised the Fox News host for all the work he did in the race:

O'DONNELL: You guys brought his voting record to the public, so I thank you! I kind of agree with him. I wouldn't call it blame, I would call it credit. You were the leader of the band in saying, "We have got to stand on our principles. We cannot sell out anymore. Selling out on our principles is what has brought us to the brink of bankruptcy." ... I do thank you for that.

WATCH:

Castle was an early target of Tea Party activists. At a town hall meeting on June 30, 2009, Castle was one of the first lawmakers to experience the rage that came to characterize that summer. Attendees challenged him on the global warming "hoax," "socialized medicine" and the "cap and trade tax thing."

Limbaugh, in fact, touted this town hall on his show, saying, "There's all kinds of stuff bubbling up out there." In the days leading up to Tuesday's election, Limbaugh repeatedly discussed Castle on his show.

Hannity and other conservative media outlets went after Castle's support for cap and trade legislation, with some branding him a "traitor."

Even Jim Geraghty of the conservative National Review wrote that many of the claims floating around about Castle were simply not true. "Look, guys, Castle's a really liberal Republican. He supports cap-and-trade. You would think his 52 career ACU rating ought to be enough to dissuade folks," Geraghty said. "But since this campaign, we've seen O'Donnell backers say Castle voted for Obamacare (he didn't) the stimulus (he didn't) and now, the impeachment of Bush (he didn't)."

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Comments

[ProudMilVet]

11:14 PM on 09/18/2010

Limbaugh needs to be brought down.

[Droid X]

10:05 PM on 09/18/2010

Mike Castle is wrong again. It wasn't Hannity or Limbaugh that lost the race. Mike Castle lost the race. He lost the race the minute Sarah Palin endorsed Christine O'Donnell.

Same situation in Alaska - she endorsed Jim Miller.

Run Forest Run - take a chocolate from the box!

[Frank Jenkins]

06:50 PM on 09/18/2010

Should have called them out sooner as opposed to later. Then he would have to do a Rove roll-over

[gransview]

06:30 PM on 09/18/2010

Time for the democrats to sponsor a 24/7 infomercial just like the GOP has with Fox news. Maybe Soros would like a new hobby.

[TedEjr]

06:34 PM on 09/18/2010

About a year ago, maybe less, Al Gore was looking into starting a broadcast channel. I wonder what happened to it?

[LynnW49]

09:48 PM on 09/18/2010

He did it. It's an Internet channel:
Current TV
http://current.com/

[Rooster Coburn]

03:32 PM on 09/18/2010

Castle was weak on the Second Amendment. Time for him and his kind to go and make room for real Americans and real Republicans who support all of our original Constitutional rights.

[gransview]

06:12 PM on 09/18/2010

In what way was he weak on the second amendment?

[Rooster Coburn]

11:10 PM on 09/18/2010

I'm in Florida and do not keep close watch on Delaware politics and was not even aware of Congressman Castle until very recently, but I read somewhere that he had voted in favor of more gun control. If he can match Sen. Jim DeMint's record in support of the Second Amendment then I owe him an apology, if he can't then I don't.

[Frank Jenkins]

06:49 PM on 09/18/2010

Original? How many would that be?

[Rooster Coburn]

11:06 PM on 09/18/2010

Well, the Constitution and B.O.R. (Bill of Rights), the first ten amendments to our Constitution, are considered to define our prime rights as seen by the Founders.

[Patriot86]

01:31 PM on 09/18/2010

He might have won...Miss Christine won't win...she better get a hobby.

[Venus Louviere]

12:37 PM on 09/18/2010

Hello Bryan Boru, IT was the rethugs that taught me this. Your right about Byrd. But you missed the point of what I was saying while you were trying to educate me. Threy got you snowed and not the other was around. Can't we take the good from both parties. A higher Education.

[vincentmartin226]

12:02 PM on 09/18/2010

I see all the do do heads on here ..let me move on before I list every Lie by their Hero draftdodger,drugaddict,facist ...see I am begining don't make me because I will become a bulldozer with all the lies that Limbaugh has ever said and it would take a million pages

[big mack1]

01:40 AM on 09/18/2010

Castle has the typical "Have to blame somebody" mentality. He was hallucinating because Rush never actually said that Castle voted to impeach Bush. Get your facts straight, Mr. Castle, before you go blaming somebody for your loss. Be a man. Concede the loss like every other decent politician does after a loss. You lied in March when you said, "I will support the winner, whoever it is."

Rush actually said:
"Yeah, except the problem is I never said it. You know what happened? During that period of time on the program I was discussing this, I got an e-mail from a very prominent Republican saying, "Look, I don't know what you're saying, but Bush 43's office phones are ringing off the hook saying that Castle voted to impeach him, and Bush doesn't like it."

I said, "I didn't say that Castle voted to impeach Bush. What I said was that Castle voted to move the Kucinich resolution for impeachment to the Judiciary Committee, which was run by John Conyers, who was calling for Bush's impeachment." I also mentioned that the strategery was to move it to the... Look, the Democrats had to do it because their base was freaking out, and Dennis Kucinich was freakin' out. So they had to entertain Kucinich."

Link to the verbatim transcript from the show:
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_091610/content/01125107.guest.html

[sdmills27]

11:22 AM on 09/18/2010

Mega Dittos! Fanned.

But you can't do that. The people here don't like facts.

[Patriot86]

01:32 PM on 09/18/2010

Facts and Rush...an oxymoron for sure.

[Patriot86]

08:54 AM on 09/19/2010

He implied it...by moving the bill to a committee run by gasp ...Conyers...LImbaugh said Castle helped move the impeachment bill along. The Dems Leaders *who have brains and want to win at the ballot box)did not go along with impeachment and Conyers was forced to hold fake hearing so it was not going anyway ...haha. So Limbaugh got rid of a GOP who might have won in return for what he thought was a true believer who will not win. Personally, I think O'Donnell is a con woman.

[ChicagoBlackRainbowWomen]

12:23 AM on 09/18/2010

Lie down with baggers and wake up with bigots. The devil wants his boon Castle. U agreed to it so stop whining and pay up.

[ruhaba]

07:52 PM on 09/17/2010

My daughter works in the after hours clinic, she said last night a older lady and her husband came to clinic, They had blue cross and also medi care, she told them they can use both insurance for the first time but next time they had to talk to blue cross before they come and get their approval, the lady started saying damn Obama and this Obama care, my daughter was stunt, this had nothing to do with Obama,these are Fox news watchers, it is scary.

[sistahfriend]

10:55 PM on 09/17/2010

Sometimes we have to take moments like this and teach.

[ChicagoBlackRainbowWomen]

12:25 AM on 09/18/2010

Agreed

[pottedferne]

01:31 PM on 09/18/2010

typical gooper logic......blame Obama for hangnails.........

[Peets101]

07:17 PM on 09/17/2010

Lots of comments are minimizing the issue by asking why Castle didn't complain when Fox was attacking Democrats. Certainly a valid question, but we shouldn't let the fact that, this time, Fox took down a Republican keep us from being outraged that Fox can control our elections by lying with impunity.

[sistahfriend]

11:04 PM on 09/17/2010

No one complains until it happens to them. Just think about it. We see injustices everyday and say nothing. Even on our jobs. It's only when it happens to us that we want to say something and want people to support us against the big bad buggyman, when we know he/she exisited all along.

[Peets101]

07:13 PM on 09/17/2010

There is something fundamentally wrong with our so-called democratic system when Fox has the power to change elections by broadcast so many lies over the public communications systems. This is an especially big problem in places where there is no locally-generated news because all the stations are owned by national syndicates. Our "freedom of the press" has become a system for remote-control of our elections.

[sistahfriend]

11:05 PM on 09/17/2010

Isn't there someone we can complain to?

[Peets101]

02:07 AM on 09/18/2010

Good question, Sis. The FCC? I don't think that would go anywhere. If it were up to me, I would deport Murdock - like Mikecoatl suggested.

[Mikecoatl]

01:01 AM on 09/18/2010

This is all the foul, stinking political pestilence brought to our country by Rupert Murdoch. I think we should revoke his citizenship and deport him. And then break diplomatic ties with Australia for allowing him to come here.

[Peets101]

02:04 AM on 09/18/2010

I'm in 100% agreement with you.

[Patriot86]

01:36 PM on 09/18/2010

I like talk radio but am so sick of rightie radio...I would really like to listen to some other point of view but the righties monopolize the airways.

[turkeylurky]

05:41 PM on 09/17/2010

Wow, Hannity & Limbaugh lie?
No one saw that coming....

[big mack1]

01:44 AM on 09/18/2010

Rush didn't lie. Some people just want to hear what they dream he might say:

Rush actually said:
"Yeah, except the problem is I never said it. You know what happened? During that period of time on the program I was discussing this, I got an e-mail from a very prominent Republican saying, "Look, I don't know what you're saying, but Bush 43's office phones are ringing off the hook saying that Castle voted to impeach him, and Bush doesn't like it."

I said, "I didn't say that Castle voted to impeach Bush. What I said was that Castle voted to move the Kucinich resolution for impeachment to the Judiciary Committee, which was run by John Conyers, who was calling for Bush's impeachment." I also mentioned that the strategery was to move it to the... Look, the Democrats had to do it because their base was freaking out, and Dennis Kucinich was freakin' out. So they had to entertain Kucinich."

Link to the verbatim transcript from the show:
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_091610/content/01125107.guest.html

[Patriot86]

01:38 PM on 09/18/2010

He kind of did say it...by saying that Castle voted to move it to the judiciary where gasp Conyers would surely impeach Bush..Rush implied it...Rush just can't be honest about his words or intentions.

[Greg Petty]

12:18 PM on 09/18/2010

this is a shocking revelation, Two upstanding bigots,and racists, demonizing someone they do not like,and want to hurt, Two hucksters for the fleabaggers

[gonetoutah]

05:17 PM on 09/17/2010

Both Limbaugh and Hannity are lying sacks of ....