Sharron Angle Campaign Blasts "Idiot" Reporter
Angle appears to be concerned about what might be called a Rand Paul effect - a critical focus on her positions in the wake of a primary victory that thrusts a candidate onto the national stage. She traveled to Washington this week to meet with Republicans but would not answer questions from national reporters, opting instead to do a small number of interviews with conservative media outlets.
Reid's campaign, in an effort to make the campaign a referendum on the challenger, is already working to define Angle as an extremist, running an adspotlighting her desire to phase out or privatize Social Security and Medicare. Angle has also taken heat for pushing for the elimination of the Department of Education and the Environmental Protection Agency and discussing "Second Amendment remedies" if Congress doesn't change course.
When Angle returned from Washington and held an event to greet supporters yesterday in Las Vegas, she was approached by reporter Nathan Baca of CBS affiliate 8 News Now.
When Baca, citing Angle's website, asked why she wants "to eliminate (Social Security) for younger folks, because your plan calls for transitioning out," she accused him of believing "the Harry Reid lie" and said she wants to shift the program to personalized Social Security accounts that the government can't touch.
Then things started to get pretty tense.
Baca said the 2008 stock market crash would have meant millions of seniors having their savings wiped out under Angle's plan; she replied that he is "putting words into my mouth from Harry Reid" and that she is trying to save Social Security.
When he asked why she wants to eliminate the EPA despite the Gulf oil leak, she said, "Where are you getting these questions? The issues are not about the EPA... The issues are homes here in Nevada... He is trying to make this a campaign about me. But, where's Harry? Go ask Harry... Please go ask Harry about the EPA, and why they have failed."
She went on to say the EPA has "failed to do what they needed to do in the Gulf."
Angle then ignored a question about her website once advocating U.S. withdrawal from the United Nations and refused to look at Baca as he asked her repeatedly about her "Second Amendment remedies" comment as she walked in the parking lot after the event. The video is above.
According to Baca, Angle's campaign responded to the exchange by calling him "an idiot" as well as another term that can't be repeated on television.