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.
Too bad all outlets aren’t more “fair and balanced”
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-april-8-2010/the-big-bang-treaty
Posts like this kill me. CNN reports the news and you sneer at them even as you embrace the report. Apparently news is only fair and balanced in your opinion when you like what is being said.
Actually that is not the part that kills me. Its your comments following the AIM report. Oh I just have to digress here a moment. So AIM, which is accuracy in media, has established itself as a watchdog of the media to reveal liberal bias. It appears they are saying the Post report was inaccurate because they failed to mention Obama was the target of the protesters. Yeah if you watch the video its pretty obvious that Bush Cheney (they’re still at large!) Obama, etc – i.e. anyone who doesn’t agree with the particular view of those individuals -are all targets. That doesn’t make the Post report liberal or biased. Meanwhile on the AIM website they write about journalist,
“They admit they’re anti-business, pro-big government, anti-family and anti-religion.” Excuse me? Newspapers, radio and TV stations are big business. Who is this “they”?
Okay back to what kills me–the ranting commentary at the end of your post. You are sad that there are so many who hate, fear and loathe their fellow Americans. I am not aware that there are “so many.” I am sure there are some, for instances that California kid who ran off to join the Taliban. You couldn’t mean the group of protestors in the video. They weren’t expressing hate or fear or loathing of their fellow Americans. Sort of the opposite in fact. They were saying stop killing Americans (via war and actions that they consider to lead to war such as supporting Israel). Oh yes the 9/11 conspiracy nuts, I suspect you might be right that they hate the government and under the notion that the government is America I have to concede that they hate America. Still you are talking about hate of an abstract not people, not fellow Americans.
But the piece de resistance is your proclamation that Americans are (apparently seeing the light and finally) in a growing majority rejecting leftist dogma and embracing the freedoms upon which this country was founded! Are you perchance referring to the kid burning the flag in the video? That is certainly an example of one exercising and embracing a freedom upon which our country was founded but personally I think he’s just a kid with an over inflated sense of self worth taking advantage of the freedom offered by this country to air his opinion. There are lots of people in America like that and not all of them are kids afraid of dying.
Fortuneate, actually you make some pretty good arguments here. Except they totally miss the point of what I was saying. That makes it easier I suppose.
Anyway, to briefly respond and reiterate. My post was talking about the attempts by the left to marginalize the Tea Pary folks by portraying them as racist hate mongers. Disgree with their politics if you want, but folks who sincerely believe that big government is not the answer have as much right to express their opinion as the leftie protesters you defend do.
My point was that the angry leftists do not suffer the disparagment in the media that the Tea Party folks do.
And yes, I will rag on CNN because the one positive report notwithstanding, they have been at the forefront of the Tea Party demonization effort, including calling them the sexually derogative “teabaggers”. Anderson Cooper, a real life teabagger, should know better.
So, I am sick and tired of people who don’t want to argue about political viewpoints but instead engage in the politics of personal destruction. It appears that folks must really fear the message of the Tea Party. Otherwise, why the effort at destruction?
Let the marketplace of ideas provide some choices for Americans. Last I looked, the majority was too thrilled with the Obama plans for a nanny state…
How would you feel if I charcterized “progressives” as cunts? I mean, can’t you see that teabagger is intended to be just as offensive?
You know that collection of various fringe groups (anti-war, 9/11 conspiracy, green party etc) protesting in front of the White House and out in California a couple of weeks ago do not receive the media attention given to the Tea Party but not for the reasons you think. The Tea Party is considered a serious movement so it is getting lots of media attention and yes some of it has focused on instances where certain members comprising their fringe element has misbehaved. Note that they have a fringe element-their own fringe element. That collection of fringe groups (anti-war, 9/11 etc.) are not considered a serious movement. They are not even a coalition except to the extent that they like to protest. Certainly not a movement and certainly not serious. they don’t get the media attention John because they are not taken as seriously and not that many people find their antics newsworthy.
I thought this was an interesting read. It is from CNN but…
http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/04/13/avlon.radical.presidents/index.html?hpt=C2
I had no idea “teabagging” was a term for a sex act. I bet most teabaggers didn’t either which would account for why they had no problems being called teabaggers until it was pointed out.
Um, it was pointed out from day one and I’ve not seen anyone who didn’t take it as the slur it was intended to be…
On further consideration, I stand corrected. I’m not going to give the small minded haters the power to offend me. Instead I will embrace the term and wear it proudly.
I am Teabagger hear me ROAR!