Margaret Carlson: Only ‘Completely Masochistic’ Voters Would Elect ‘Almost Wacky’ Republican Sharron Angle

June 12th, 2010 2:36 PM

During the "Last Word" segment on Bloomberg Television’s Political Capital on Friday, Bloomberg News columnist Margaret Carlson – formerly of CNN and Time magazine – tore into Nevada Republican Senate nominee Sharron Angle – who will be taking on Harry Reid in November – as Carlson charged that Angle is "on the fringe, almost wacky," and asserted that Nevada voters would have to be "completely masochistic" to vote for her. Carlson:

You can’t beat somebody with somebody who’s as on the fringe, almost wacky, as Sharron Angle, unless the voters turn completely masochistic. She’s not just against (MEANT TO SAY "in favor of") abolishing EPA, Energy, Education, phasing out Social Security, and getting rid of the income tax, she wants our nuclear waste to go to Nevada.

Fellow panel member Kate O’Beirne of the National Review responded: "I’d hoped over the years I had built up Margaret’s tolerance for conservative women, but, sadly, that’s apparently not the case."

Below is a transcript of the relevant portion of the Friday, June 11, Political Capital on Bloomberg Television:

MARGARET CARLSON: Harry Reid went to bed as happy as a man can be who’s in the crosshairs of the Republican party on Tuesday night because the least electable candidate won that race, Sharron Angle. You know, the old saying, "You can’t beat somebody with nobody," you can’t be somebody with somebody who’s as on the fringe, almost wacky, as Sharron Angle, unless the voters turn completely masochistic. She’s not just against abolishing EPA, Energy, Education, phasing out Social Security, and getting rid of the income tax, she wants our nuclear waste to go to Nevada. You know, I’m happy to send it there, as most people who aren’t in Nevada are.

AL HUNT: That’s very generous of you, Margaret. Let me ask Kate, do you agree Harry Reid now is looking a lot better?

KATE O’BEIRNE: Al, I’d hoped over the years I had built up Margaret’s tolerance for conservative women, but, sadly, that’s apparently not the case.