Sarah Palin to GOP: "Man Up" and Support Tea Party Candidates

AP

Former Alaska governor and Tea Party favorite Sarah Palin kicked off a Tea Party Express bus tour on Monday with a plea for Republicans to "man up" and support the movement.

"Hey, politicians who are in office today you, some of you, need to man up and spend some political capital to support the Tea Party candidates instead of doing this, waiting to see how everything is going to go," Palin said from Reno, Nevada. "You know that Tea Party candidates are constitutionalists that got the common sense. So, some of these politicians, the big-wigs within the machine, they're driving me crazy because they're too chicken to come and support the Tea Party candidates." (Watch a video of some of Palin's remarks here.)

It's no coincidence the nationwide bus tour, which hits 30 cities in the next 15 days before the midterm elections, started in Reno -- ground zero of this year's midterms. The Tea Party Express, a Sacramento-based group, has spent more than $1 million to defeat Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada's Democratic senator, and elect Republican candidate Sharron Angle.

Angle could not appear at the bus tour kickoff since the Tea Party Express has made independent expenditures on her behalf, and political campaigns are by law prohibited from coordinating with independent groups.

Still, Palin's words echoed Angle's remarks in a debate last week, when she told Reid to "man up."

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Palin went on to say on Monday that common sense is an "endangered species" in Washington, D.C. She also said that Tea Partiers are "turning this country's political landscape upside down," according to the Associated Press. "The left just doesn't know what to do with you," Palin added.

With unemployment over 14 percent in Nevada -- the highest in the nation -- Palin said of Reid, "Why in the world wouldn't you fire him?"

"What do we have to show for the liberal control they've had for the last 21 months?" Palin continued. "The ideas of the Tea Party movement are the American ideas that will put us back to work."

Angle and Reid have been locked in a dead heat for some time, though a couple recent polls show Angle narrowly ahead. The race has been marked by ferocious attacks from both sides, and while Angle last week told Reid to "man up," she earlier in the campaign season accused him of trying to "hit the girl," metaphorically speaking, by attacking her.

Angle made waves over the weekend when she told a group of Hispanic high school students they looked Asian.

Nevada Senate Election: Harry Reid (D) Vs. Sharron Angle (R)
CBSNews.com Special Report: Campaign 2010

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Stephanie Condon is a political reporter for CBSNews.com. You can read more of her posts here. Follow Hotsheet on Facebook and Twitter.

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[IndependentNC]

Just a note ~ these are the same women who would cry to the media that someone was being sexist if they told them to "man-up."
It is the posturing and attitude of these women that drag the American politics into mess that it is in. I would tell these women to stop being such "******"; selling their campaign and their ideals to the highest bidder without regard for their state or the people in it. With every "smear" they make at an opponent, it is just like they are smearing on another layer of make-up to cover up the truth of what they really are about. And this goes for the idealogs on the news as well. The american people expect news that is non-biased and that can aid them in making "well educated" decisions. But all that said, let's keep selling out America to the highest bidder, because lets face it, not all ****** get to choose their pimp.

[NinthSt78]

Sometimes guys get headaches too and just are not in the mood. We might prefer to flop on the sofa and snooze in peace.

[mountainstates1]

What's the matter Sarah? Getting a little worried that you rightwing nut jobs might not be taken seriously come November????

[JV1970]

You're the one who should be worried because we Republicans are coming on strong! I remind you that the Republicans are still projected to take control of the house and they might even take the senate, too! It is known that they'll at least gain enough seats in the senate to get back the right to filibuster!

[stupa5]

"man up" you quitter!

[simpleconservative]

She told Reid to man up, where did the headline come from?

[CNH]

Tough spot for the Republican Party.

Exclude the tea party, and the GOP becomes irrelevant.

Embrace the tea party, and the GOP becomes a farce.

[magnumdr]

And how long will we have to listen to this "man up" crap!

[saturn05]

I just can't think of anything clever to say about this. She thinks she can control the repubs and that they should man up. How about the tea party man down and quit destroying the repub party. By the way I am a DEM.

[darth_dionysus]

Y'know, Sarah Palin is the only person that could get me to vote for Obama again. If she runs, either as presidential or vice-presidential candidate, in 2012, I will gladly vote for whomever is running against her, regardless of identity.

The best thing she can do for the GOP is just shut up and go away.

[flsunjnky]

The Tea Party wants to do away with Social Security. Guess what...we out number you, and we will prevail!

BooHoo! The Tea Party worships the constitution. We embrace it.

The Tea Party fails to realize that the Supreme Court rules. What a bunch of idiots!