Quotes of the day
posted at 10:35 pm on January 12, 2010 by Allahpundit
“Word from Nashville on Monday was that the First National Tea Party Convention next month will be closed to the press, other than for a limited number of ‘selected’ journalists. No word on who or how many.
“This from the people who brought us last summer’s media-saturated Town Hall meetings…
“If the secrecy sounds a little, well, un-American, Phillips has this explanation: It’s not a political convention, but a ‘working convention.’”
***
“This really is unusual. As a journalist, I’ve been allowed into sessions, dinners, everything at conferences hosted by the Eagle Forum and by Focus on the Family. Extra credit to Eagle Forum here — when I was covering the How to Take Back America Conference in St. Louis, Phyllis Schlafly’s son Andy, an organizer, invited me away from my media seat and into a seat at his dinner table to chat with more activists. And some of the most controversial speakers at the National Tea Party Convention, like Rick Scarborough, happily chatted with me inside and outside of their sessions at previous events.
“One major implication of this, of course, is that for the third time since the presidential election — the first at a speech in China, the second at a speech for a pro-life group in Indiana — Sarah Palin will give a political speech that members of the media are not allowed to attend.”
***
“Let me be blunt: charging people $500.00 plus the costs of travel and lodging to go to a ‘National Tea Party Convention’ run by a for profit group no one has ever heard of sounds as credible as an email from Nigeria promising me a million bucks if I fork over my bank account number…
“The tea party ‘leaders’, if there are any, are actively at work in their home towns changing things one letter to the editor, one contribution to a candidate, and one protest at a time. They are not on bus tours profiting off the hard work and sometimes the names of others (some also on the bus with no pay) headed to Nashville licking their lips at the $500.00 per person payments coming in to their for profit company.
“Sarah Palin is certainly giving the National Tea Party Convention legitimacy. But at what cost? I am fearful this thing will blow up and harm her. I am more fearful that a bunch of well meaning people from across the nation are going to show up, expect more, and then grow disaffected or burn out when the deliverables they expect do not come in.”
***
“‘I’m hearing through sources Sarah Palin is getting $75k to speak at this Tea Party convention,’ blogger Dan Riehl, an admirer of Palin and of the tea partyers, wrote recently after learning that she was charging a substantial fee. ‘That’s a lot of damned tea.’…
“‘She thinks she’s coming to endorse the tea party movement, but most tea party people won’t be there because they can’t afford it,’ said Anthony Shreeve, an East Tennessee tea party organizer who quit the convention’s steering committee. ‘The tea party movement is a grass-roots movement; it’s not a business,’ he said.”
***
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Are the lefties from Hot Air at it again with Sarah Palin? Good grief, don’t you guys have something better to do? What no porn on your monitors and the whiskey bottle is dry? I paid my dime and I’m going to see Sarah in Tenn. And I don’t care if she got $500,000 or not – what do you fools at Hot Air use to pay your rent in your Homeless Shelter Flop House over by the tracks? M&Ms or cash? And who cares whether the so-called “Media” is allowed in. Good riddance – what in the world has the “media” done for Sarah Palin? For America? For my children? Rob us blind and kiss light skinned butts…………so to Hot Air and their incessant rants again Sarah Palin……….drop dead. I used to hit this site daily – now that they have turned Lefties …………I hit it once a week if that.
Cinday Blackburn on January 13, 2010 at 7:24 AM
Let them think that. Let them dismiss the Tea Party People as irrelevant once NASCAR and the next hunting season kicks in. It will spell their doom.
Personally, I think the Tea Party is a sign of a bigger movement. Ordinary people are frustrated with their government and the Tea Party is just one outlet where that frustration is being vented. There were plenty of non-tea party members in those town halls screaming at the politicians too.
In short, I think the upcoming political revolution is far bigger than the tea party despite the fact that many in that organization talk and act as if they are the driving force behind it. The reality is the tea party is as effective at driving the conservative agenda as my dog is in turning back the ocean with her barks. The tea party may be a visible outlet for the populist uprising but the real work is going to manifest itself outside of conventions, committees, and sloganeering.
highhopes on January 13, 2010 at 7:29 AM
I did a little more research on it, I retract my statement. I, for one, very much like Sarah Palin and my comment was not directed at her in any way. Sarah Palin is the only leader that can save the GOP if it is to remain viable, the Tea Pary movement is the only group that can save the GOP. If it takes a 3rd party threat for the GOP to right it’s course, the so be it.
True_King on January 13, 2010 at 7:40 AM
Before my head gets chopped off by a HotAir member, this was my post at HillBuzz:
Whoever has questions about this, please try and get a hold of me.
ProudPalinFan on January 13, 2010 at 7:41 AM
This is kind of dumb. By definition, even if the convention were free, most tea party people wouldn’t be there because there would be no room for them all. Are all Republicans at the RNC? Are all Democrats at the DNC? Are all lefty nutjobs at Netroots Nation? By definition a convention is going to host a fraction of any given group, so “most _____ people won’t be there” is the norm.
Missy on January 13, 2010 at 7:51 AM
The Tea Party people won’t be at CPAC, either. Another tempest in a tea pot, just to amuse the talking heads.
littleguy on January 13, 2010 at 8:22 AM
Three reasons I won’t attend:
1. $500
2. Don’t know whether organizers are legit or just trying to make a bucket of money
But mostly:
3. Don’t want to legitimize anonymous organizer — who could in fact be George Soros for all I know — with money or attendance.
The Tea Party is a movement. It needs a leader, but the WRONG leader could kill it. When a viable and legitimately pro-liberty, anti-tax leader steps up and organizes such an event himself (or herself), I’d probably pay the $500.
RegularJoe on January 13, 2010 at 8:29 AM
Deanna on January 13, 2010 at 8:36 AM
Did they provide free transportation, travel and hotel accommodations for the 9/12 event? I seem to remember a number of posters here complaining about how expensive it was to go to Washington.
On another note, has anyone attended a DNC or RNC convention?
singer on January 13, 2010 at 8:43 AM
Before anyone asks, yes, that was supposed to be snarky.
singer on January 13, 2010 at 8:44 AM
Excellent post! I agree.
Dire Straits on January 13, 2010 at 8:47 AM
Hmmm. allahpundit posts 4 Palin stories in one day, including a QOTD with 4 negative stories and one vid by Palin (has he ever stacked that many negative hits in one QOTD before? I usually see 1-3 articles linked). And, after all that effort, not one of those posts exceeds 500 comments so far.
Exit question- has allahpundit beaten his comment-generating hobbyhorse to death?
cs89 on January 13, 2010 at 8:58 AM
I thought it was smart to point out she’ll be donating the speaking fee.
AnninCA on January 13, 2010 at 8:59 AM
These people just look foolish when they try to nit pick Sarah in an attempt to smear her.
Ooooh, she’s receiving money to speak and it’s $500 a ticket. She’s such an elitist!
I really don’t feel sorry for media types not getting let in for free. You want to see what she has to say buy a ticket like the rest of us.
Liberal media is nothing more than propaganda – so why invite enemy propagandists into your camp? Liberals have started us down this slippery slope by encouraging and allowing a boycott of FOX News by many in the Dem party. Conservatives need to counter those tactics.
Mr Purple on January 13, 2010 at 9:02 AM
Allahpundit is part of my new weight loss regimen. I read his posts and vomit.
Haunches on January 13, 2010 at 9:05 AM
Don’t worry, we will get another anti-religion/gay marriage post soon.
mwdiver on January 13, 2010 at 9:07 AM
Palin, Beck, and Jesus–he’s a 3 trick pony–BORING.
Haunches on January 13, 2010 at 9:09 AM
If reporters are being allowed in, then it isn’t closed to the media. Lack of unlimited access is not the logical equivalent to closed.
Even some so called conservatives seem to have problems with basic logic.
MarkTheGreat on January 13, 2010 at 9:14 AM
I think the Tea Party convention is taking its cue from the Democrats and Obama and their negotiations, etc. on health care. If it’s good enough for our elected officials trying to take over 1/6 of the american economy, it’s good enough for a private organization. If the press showed 1/2 as much outrage over that, maybe I would care about this.
Monkeytoe on January 13, 2010 at 9:24 AM
The Boss is gonna borrow Ed’s Flip video cam and get it straight from the messenger; I still believe we will get the goods from C-SPAN, and now that she’s on FOX we may get an exclusive there.
ProudPalinFan on January 13, 2010 at 9:29 AM
Some people seem to feel that the best way to support their candidate, is to tear down all the other candidates.
MarkTheGreat on January 13, 2010 at 9:40 AM
Some of the folks on here need there snark served with a side of 2X4 ;-)
btw: Just because it was snark doesn’t mean it wasn’t the truth.
Blacksmith8 on January 13, 2010 at 9:43 AM
Have you considered a career in stand up comedy. My desk has a new dent. No thank you.
Blacksmith8 on January 13, 2010 at 9:46 AM
Why does the media suddenly care? They wouldn’t report on the Tea Party gatherings or the 912 march but now they got their tit caught in the wringer?
Hey!..I know…why not harp about the secrecy of the whole health care proceedings?…WAIT!…I got it!..how about some coverage about Climategate?..no secrecy there anymore, matter of fact, people are trying to get it noticed?..or how about the lobbying going on in the White House?..or how about some questions about all the spending that this administration is doing and where the money is actually going?..might be a story there.
Itchee Dryback on January 13, 2010 at 9:47 AM
Blacksmith8 on January 13, 2010 at 9:43 AM
Reminds me of an old joke.
A greenhorn was asking the old mule trainer how to train a mule. The old man replied, “First thing you need is a 2X4.” The young man responds incredulously. “You use a 2X4 to train a mule?” The old man replies. “Of course not, you use the 2X4 to get it’s attention. Then you train it.”
MarkTheGreat on January 13, 2010 at 9:50 AM
I think folks are getting confused with the Tea Party movement and a currently non-existent Tea Party “party.” It’s a grass-roots effort. I can imagine folks getting their heads together to learn best practices and bouncing ideas off one another, but ultimately it’s grassroots with a common theme of less government, lower taxes, more freedom. It’s not like the media is being denied a seat at the GOP national convention for God’s sake!
Frankly, I’m sick of hearing people whine about the $500 because they personally can’t afford it or because they think others can’t afford it. Of all the people in the world, I would have certainly thought that HA readers and tea party followers would appreciate free-markets. If you can’t afford the $500, don’t go. If you can and you want to go, then go. I would like to buy a new vehicle and boy don’t I wish they were giving them away, but they’re not. I don’t begrudge those people who buy the vehicles nor do I begrudge the people selling them.
I’m not going for a variety of reasons, but I sure hope someone from my area IS going and will start a local group.
Good grief folks……
Oink on January 13, 2010 at 9:57 AM
If you find it boring, why not add some brilliant or thought provoking comments?
Describing something as boring is usually in context to passive entertainment or methods of study..or watching a movie or television show.
A blog such as this is interesting because of all the input by the variety of world views or issue oriented perspectives.
Try adding something interesting and see what happens.
Itchee Dryback on January 13, 2010 at 10:12 AM
I’ll pass. Looks like I’d be standing in the unemployment line next to you.
mwdiver on January 13, 2010 at 10:31 AM
Obama is establishing a national council of Governors (nice innocuous name right?). The purpose of this body is to coordinate the use of the military AND the National Guard after being federalized to use in the event of some calamity (invasion is already covered so not needed for that).
Included in the calamity is “civil unrest”. Use of federal troops, including federalized NG in a police power role is a clear violation of law (Posse Comitatus). Of course since Obama and the commiecrats have thumbed their nose at the Constitution with impunity what’s a little violation of a law passed in 1878?
Interesting enough for you? That’s what Allah should be doing instead of endlessly attacking Palin, Beck, and Jesus. That’s what MSNBC is for. I also reserve the right to make one sentence comments to the post. I usually avoid attacking other posters because I’m not that petty.
Haunches on January 13, 2010 at 10:58 AM
I think people just need to ignore the GOP efforts to consume teapartiers.
Just keep paying attention to issues.
We’ll meet to speak out about those issues.
AnninCA on January 13, 2010 at 11:55 AM
Oh, it was. It’s a well-known PR move and she is hardly in need of the money. Win-win.
Dark-Star on January 13, 2010 at 12:21 PM
Don’t get too excited….
The GOP establishment (Bush family dream) could be:
ROMNEY / RUBIO
It’s Mitts’ turn, he’ll keep the status quo and grow the Federal Government’s power and influence. He’ll keep the GOP “as is” and won’t rock the boat with any corruption charges. And if he picks Rubio (the New Senator from Florida) he’ll cover the all important Hispanic demographic.
And even if Mittens looses in 2012 it puts the Bush family favorite Rubio as “NEXT IN LINE”.
Access and power…….both parties……it’s the game!!!
Palin and the Tea Party people are just tools to be used by the Cocktail Republicans in D.C. and the RINO establishment at the RNC.
PappyD61 on January 13, 2010 at 1:21 PM
Ouch! That hurts, but then you are probably right.
mwdiver on January 13, 2010 at 1:48 PM
based on what? a low 40′s approval after one year, even though he’s got a fawning media who covers for him and carries his water?
i have no doubt pantywaste is out in ’12
at this point the gop could trot out a blow up doll and beat this jackass
sidewinder22 on January 13, 2010 at 3:44 PM
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