rssTennessee Tea Party Leaders Attack the Convention, Sort Of
Saturday, February 06, 2010 at 3:04 pm
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NASHVILLE — At 1 p.m., four representatives of Tennessee Tea Party groups gathered in a ballroom adjacent to the National Tea Party Convention with about 50 reporters and unleashed the criticisms that had dogged the event in the weeks leading up to it. They couldn’t afford tickets on their own. They had tried, and failed, to get Judson Phillips to set up a cheaper and larger convention.
“We were told they wanted to keep the convention elite,” said Anthony Shreeve, who’d alerted reporters to the press conference, saying that the word came directly from Judson Phillips.
But persistent questioning from reporters found the organizers hesitant to “bash” the convention or keynote speaker Sarah Palin. “We’re happy about the success of this convention,” said Jim Tomasik, a Tea Party activist from Cordoba, Tenn. “We’re impressed that they could get Sarah Palin.”
The activists attempted to promote the state-wide Tennessee Tea Party Coalition, which they set up in late January, passing out the one-page constitution they’d written and informing the press that the National Tea Party Convention didn’t represent any of their members. But the rest of the criticism was unclear, and they backed off whenever they realized they’d sounded harsh.
“So what’s your message?” asked Carl Cameron of Fox News. “Is it one of us and them?”
“Were you not here listening?” asked Tomasik.
“I was,” said Cameron.
At one point, the activists brushed off questions about Sarah Palin’s speaking fee. “We are capitalists,” said Antonio Hinton. “We don’t begrudge anyone for making money.”
But at another point, activist Mark Herr attacked Phillips for charging so much money for the convention to pay for Palin. “Government of the money, by the money, and for the money is unacceptable,” said Herr. The model for the Tea Party movement, he said, was more like the Tennessee Tea Party Coalition.
After the press conference, the activists backed off even further on Palin, rejecting the idea that negative press about the convention’s cost — buzz that included this press conference — should reflect badly on her.
“I want her to run for president next time,” said Tomasik. “I’m proud of her! She’s making some money. She’s not hurting herself at all.”
Some National Tea Party Convention activists who wandered by the scrum were annoyed at the Tennessee Tea Party Coalition’s antics.
“They’re trying to cause infighting between the tea parties,” said Vern Shockwell, a retiree from Nashville. “Theirs is a socialist goal, equality for everyone.”
“I go to a lot of trade shows,” said Lee Penner, a medical supplies salesman from Nebraska. “They’re expensive. How are you supposed to put on a convention and feed everyone and not charge for it?”
The activists hung around after the event to take more of that kind of criticism — some of it coming in a combative interview with Pajamas TV, which is livestreaming the event.
“It was a very tasteful press conference,” said Reese. “There’s a lot of controversy over it, so I wasn’t surprised that they wanted to ask questions about conflict. But what we weren’t here for that.”
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[...] a whole column by Randy Krehbiel to one lone Oklahoma woman who is attending the oft-criticized Tea Party Convention in Nashville with a [...]
Comment posted February 6, 2010 @ 3:43 pm
I just want the people of our country to get rid of all the people in Washington who do nothing in Washington but block progress for the good of our country. Those who only support the lobbists who fill their pockets and assist them to be re-elected. They do little more then argue with one another in an effort to keep their job and “their job” has little to do with our wellfare. Let us elect those who have some ability to think and accomplish progress instead of re-electing those who seem most popular with other polititions. For example, aren't we all fed up with all the CEO's charging hugh amounts for services and products and buying the polititions to support their cause. We all are aware that health care for all of us begins with stopping the health care facilities and insurance companies from ripping us off and not trying to figure how the country can afford their charges for all. Every business could find intelligent leaders who don't charge millions and billions to run a business/any business. No CEO is worth a paycheck larger then our president.
Pingback posted February 6, 2010 @ 4:09 pm
[...] wasn’t much of a counter protest. It will be interesting to read how the leftwing media spins this. Comments [...]
Comment posted February 6, 2010 @ 4:45 pm
L. Palmer said “No CEO is worth a paycheck larger then our president.” Where is this stated as law or even moral conscience. The president is a public servant to his people, whereas CEOs are not. This makes low paycheck for the president not only acceptable, but expected.
Pingback posted February 6, 2010 @ 5:30 pm
[...] Tennessee Tea Party Leaders Attack the Convention, Sort Of - The Washington Independent See all 122 blogs. February 6th, 2010 | Category: Uncategorized [...]
Comment posted February 6, 2010 @ 5:50 pm
Palmer's lack of spelling or grammar sufficiency proves that the Tea Party movement draws on ignorance, and nothing more. Also, the game.
Comment posted February 6, 2010 @ 8:43 pm
I just want the people of our country to get rid of all the people in Washington who do nothing in Washington but block progress for the good of our country. Those who only support the lobbists who fill their pockets and assist them to be re-elected. They do little more then argue with one another in an effort to keep their job and “their job” has little to do with our wellfare. Let us elect those who have some ability to think and accomplish progress instead of re-electing those who seem most popular with other polititions. For example, aren't we all fed up with all the CEO's charging hugh amounts for services and products and buying the polititions to support their cause. We all are aware that health care for all of us begins with stopping the health care facilities and insurance companies from ripping us off and not trying to figure how the country can afford their charges for all. Every business could find intelligent leaders who don't charge millions and billions to run a business/any business. No CEO is worth a paycheck larger then our president.
Comment posted February 6, 2010 @ 9:45 pm
L. Palmer said “No CEO is worth a paycheck larger then our president.” Where is this stated as law or even moral conscience. The president is a public servant to his people, whereas CEOs are not. This makes low paycheck for the president not only acceptable, but expected.
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[...] Tennessee Tea Party Leaders Attack the Convention, Sort Of « The … [...]
Comment posted February 6, 2010 @ 10:50 pm
Palmer's lack of spelling or grammar sufficiency proves that the Tea Party movement draws on ignorance, and nothing more. Also, the game.
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