CNN: Christine O’Donnell Invites Herself to Speak at Iowa Tea Party Event with Sarah Palin; “Major Statement” Coming from Palin UPDATE: WSJ Says O’Donnell Won’t Speak After All

This Saturday, September 3, both Gov. Sarah Palin and former U.S. Senate candidate Christine O’Donnell will speak to a Tea Party Event in Iowa. CNN is reporting that O’Donnell yesterday essentially invited herself to the event, and Palin is expected to make a “major statement” during her speech, which will close the event:

CNN POLITICAL TICKER: Former Delaware Republican Senate candidate Christine O’Donnell will join Sarah Palin as a speaker at a tea party rally this weekend in Iowa, one of the event’s organizers told CNN. A representative of O’Donnell, who is traveling the country to promote her book “Troublemaker,” approached the rally’s representatives Monday to ask if there was room for her to speak, Charlie Gruschow, national co-chairman of the Iowa-based Tea Party of America, said. And there was.

No other national leaders will address the rally, Gruschow said. Palin, who is considering a presidential run, is slated as the event’s closing speaker on Saturday afternoon.

Palin’s address is drawing interest from around the nation, according to Gruschow, who said he has not been given any additional information on what the former Alaska governor may discuss at the event.

“She will make a major statement at the event,” Gruschow said last week. “Whether it be an announcement to run, not to run, or lay a marker in the sand for other candidates.” . . . . Read More

UPDATE: The Wall Street Journal is reporting that O’Donnell will NOT speak at the event after all. They say Tea Party Organizers withdrew the invitation to O’Donnell “after receiving numerous emails” from Tea Party folks “disappointed” that O’Donnell would be speaking:

WALL STREET JOURNAL: Former U.S. Senate candidate Christine O’Donnell will not speak at a tea party event featuring former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin in Indianola, Iowa, this weekend, an organizer told Washington Wire.

“I made a mistake,” said Ken Crow, president of Tea Party of America. “I assumed there was an open slot and there wasn’t.”

Tea Party of America’s cofounder, Charlie Gruschow, said the group withdrew Ms. O’Donnell’s after receiving numerous “emails from a lot of tea party folks that were very disappointed that she would be speaking.”

“We decided not to have her speak,” Mr. Gruschow said. “We felt it was in the best interest of the movement.” . . . Read More