National Review: Help Joe Miller; UPDATED: Video of Joe Miller on Cavuto Added

An excellent editorial this evening from the editors of the National Review. In their piece, they take establishment Republicans to task for their incomprehensible refusal to strip Lisa Murkowski of her seniority, despite the fact that she is using that seniority as a rationale to run against the duly elected Republican candidate, Joe Miller:What does it take to earn the opprobrium of the Senate Republican caucus? Would running a write-in campaign against a Republican Senate candidate who won a fairly contested primary be enough to do it? If the offender is Alaska senator Lisa Murkowski, apparently not.As we all know, Murkowski lost to Joe Miller a few weeks ago in the Alaska primary, proceeded to pout for a while, then announced a write-in bid for the Senate, which we had urged her in the strongest terms to forgo. It?s a desperation move, but with nearly $2 million to spend in the sparsely populated state she has the potential to cause some mayhem and complicate Miller?s path to victory.Given this, it would make sense to strip Murkowski of her status as the ranking member of the Energy Committee because 1) she deserves it; and 2) her appeal is primarily based on her pork-barreling prowess as an inside-D.C. player. Earlier in the week, it seemed Senate Republicans would do just that. At a meeting Tuesday, Republicans decided to boot Murkowski, and several news outlets reported as much. Minority leader Mitch McConnell was quoted saying there?s ?an issue as to whether or not it?s appropriate for her, under the circumstances, to continue as ranking member on the Energy Committee? ? Senate-ese for, ?She?s gone.?Then, the Republicans held a conference meeting where the worst chummy instincts of the Club took hold. Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina says he was the only one to speak out in favor of stripping Murkowski. We are told that Murkowski?s friends spoke in her favor, and a secret vote was held ? and, amazingly enough, the Alaskan won.[...]Unless Republicans crack down on this behavior in the toughest manner possible, what incentive do tea-partiers have to play nice when a primary outcome goes against them? Why would they feel loyalty to a Republican party that doesn?t take its own rules seriously? Jim DeMint is urging people to donate to Joe Miller to boost him against Murkowski, and we urge our readers to contribute to that effort. Not only is Miller a better conservative, his race is an important test for tea partiers around the country. It?s too bad more Senate Republicans don?t realize that some things are more important than their colleague Lisa Murkowski?s feelings.Read the rest here. Support Joe Miller here.(h/t JRigsby)Update: Senate Republicans should follow the lead of their former caucus leader, Bob Dole. The moderate former Senate Majority Leader has formally endorsed Christine O'Donnell and sent her the maximum campaign donation allowable. Current Senate Republicans should follow Dole's example and demonstrate to skeptical conservatives that they are truly behind Joe Miller by stripping Lisa Murkowski of her seniority, as they should have done already.Update II: (h/t JRigsby) Joe Miller was interviewed on Fox News by Neil Cavuto. The GOP's refusal to relieve Murkowski of her seniority came up. At the 7:30 mark, Governor Palin's name came up. Miller had this to say:"I absolutely think that Governor Palin is a phenomenal asset to this country. She?s done extraordinary things for this country ? she?s doing extraordinary things right now. She is raising the level of dialogue, so that this nation addresses the problems that are happening at the central level."

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