I guess this goes in the category of a broken clock being right twice a day.  CNN offers a first hand account of a reporter embedded with The Tea Party Express.   

When it comes to the Tea Party movement, the stereotypes don’t tell the whole story.

Here’s what you often see in the coverage of Tea Party rallies: offensive posters blasting President Obama and Democratic leaders; racist rhetoric spewed from what seems to be a largely white, male audience; and angry protesters rallying around the Constitution.

But here’s what you don’t often see in the coverage of Tea Party rallies: Patriotic signs professing a love for country; mothers and fathers with their children; African-Americans proudly participating; and senior citizens bopping to a hip-hop rapper.

Last week, I saw all of this during a five-city Western swing as the Tea Party Express national tour made its way across the country. CNN was along for the ride, and I was charged with planning CNN’s coverage for five stops in two states: St. George, Provo and Salt Lake City, Utah; and Grand Junction and Denver, Colorado.

Together, we beamed out images of the anger and the optimism, profiled African-Americans who are proud to be in the Tea Party’s minority and showed activists stirred by “God Bless America” or amused by a young rapper who strung together rhymes against the president and Democrats.

The CNN Express traveled with the Tea Party Express buses for hundreds of miles, from rally to rally to rally.

Being at a Tea Party rally is not quite like seeing it on TV, in newspapers or online. That’s the reason CNN is covering this political movement — and doing so in ways few others can or choose to do.

It is important to show the colorful anger Americans might have against elected leaders and Washington. But people should also see the orange-vested Tea Party hospitality handlers who welcome you with colorful smiles.

There were a few signs that could be seen as offensive to African-Americans. But by and large, no one I spoke with or I heard from on stage said anything that was approaching racist.

Almost everyone I met was welcoming to this African-American television news producer.

And though speakers railed against the “lame-stream media,” activists and their leaders praised CNN, especially for being the only national media outlet riding along for the post-weekend stops. Some of them e-mailed me after my trip, thanking our crew for fairly giving them a voice.

Meanwhile, in another universe:

On March 20, there was an “anti-war” demonstration in Lafayette Square Park, across the street from the White House. AIM went there to see what sort of activity was occurring, and as we show in this video, which was all shot at the scene of the demonstration, it was a mix of 9/11 Truthers, Code Pinkers, socialists, anarchists, and a large contingency of pro-Hamas, anti-Israel zealots.

The Washington Post covered it, but never mentioned the name Obama, though he was clearly a target of the protesters. The group that organized the protest, International ANSWER, claims there were 10,000 people there. Our estimate: 2 – 3 thousand tops, at least prior to the marching part of the demonstration. We didn’t stick around for that part.

One thing for sure, no one burned an American flag at any Tea Party gatherings, but they sure did here. Did you see any reporting about the hate-speech and flag burning? I guess MSNBC was too busy that day.

It makes me sad that so many are filled with a mixture of hate, fear and loathing for their fellow Americans.  But it is encouraging that an ever growing majority of Americans are rejecting the leftist dogma and embracing the freedoms this country was founded upon.

And no, I’m not going to get snarky over the reception Obama got from Nats fans.

Baseball has always been a game of statistics, and this story in Popular Mechanics about some new metrics is quite fascinating.

Play Ball!