Can you try to use "-zapwallettxes" to remove those unconfirmed transactions or to clear up your core wallet.
The zapwallettxes option has been removed from the latest version of bitcoin core. (Click
here to see the reference.)
To radbulldog
It's possible that the address(es) you are trying to send bitcoin from has no balance at all. Maybe the outputs have been spent in another transaction and that's why your transaction wasn't broadcast even by your own node.
Is there any reason you are running a full node?
If you only want to make a transaction and you have valid unspent outputs in your wallet, you should be able to export your private keys from bitcoin core and import it into other wallets like electrum.
Note that if you use electrum, there's no need to download the blockchain.
For exporting your private keys from bitcoin core, you can use the following command.
dumpwallet <your wallet name>
You can also use the following command to export private key of a specific address.
dumpprivkey <Your bitcoin address>
For importing your private key(s) into electrum, select "Import bitcoin addresses or private keys" when creating the wallet and enter your private keys.
Warning:
Download electrum only from
its official website and do not forget to
verify your download.