Notes From the Tea Party “Convention”
I think by now most of you have become relatively familiar with my position on the Tea Party “convention.” I thought it ill-fated from day one because of the message it sends and the damage I believe it is doing and will do to the Tea Party movement in the long run. That being said, I have also told you repeatedly that I would keep an open mind about it until I saw how the event shaped up and played out. The weeks leading up to this momentous conservative event have not been kind to the event’s organizers or even its participants. I share – at least in part – a piece of the blame for this criticism because skeptical conservatives like myself and much of the Left have been waiting to declare this event a failure from day one. I can admit that, but I should also add in the interest of brutal honesty, that I have been hoping that I was way off base on this one and secretly want it to be a smashing success.
My reasons for being skeptical are actually rather simplistic and admittedly a little stubborn I know. I believe the idea of “nationalizing” this movement through the vehicle of a “convention” was a foolish endeavor from the word go. I think it bastardizes in every way imaginable all the good that came from and will come from the Tea Party movement and inevitably distracts from its core message / image – as American citizens gathering in protest and opposition to an overreaching government hellbent on fundamentally changing this great nation and jeopardizing the freedom and security of future generations. The movement is about average Americans making a statement to their elected officials that business as usual will not be tolerated and about Right-Wingers and free-thinkers sending a message that “organized” political dissent is no longer independently owned and operated by the ideological Left.
With my opposition dully noted, I set out to see for myself what this convention was all about rather than waiting for news reports to leak from Nashville contaminated by the slant of either side of the ideological debate.
For those of you who have never been to Nashville, you should definitely add it to your bucket list, to-do list, or whatever list keeps you moving forward because it is a delightful city and the crown jewel of the South.
The location of the convention – Opryland Hotel and Convention Center – is equally impressive and should definitely find a place amongst your stops when you make it to the Music City. The place is massive and unlike anything you will find outside the Vegas strip. I should point out for all those who may head this way in search of a good time, there is no gambling here; but that makes this place all the more amazing in that it can support itself on country music and conventions alone. I’m telling you. This place is a sight to see.
All Nashville praising aside, I arrived at the convention center/ hotel / indoor city and my initial reservations about the choice of location were absolutely and immediately affirmed. The place was just so wrong for this event – if this event was even meant to happen in the first place. As I strolled through the three conservatories looking for the Tea Partiers, I expected at any moment to hear the roar of disgruntled patriots begging to be forcefully removed from this fine establishment. Hearing no such commotion, I continued on until I came across a group of young ladies wearing name name tag adorned lanyards around their necks. They looked like convention-goers and I thought they might be Tea Partiers, so I stopped them and asked them what brought them to Music City. After a five minute conversation that resulted only in an invitation for drinks later tonight, I learned nothing more than that three of them were “very single,” and that the group was in Nashville for a bachelorette party – not a conservative convention; so I moved on to find some passionate Right-Wingers.
Just moments later, I came to an area where I had seen Fox’s Carl Cameron reporting from yesterday, so I knew I was at least close to the right place. Somewhat puzzled by the deafening silence and the relatively empty yet massive room, I realized that I had found my destination when I saw a sign with directions to a “Tea Party breakout session.” At the far corner of the room was a roped off area “guarded” by two individuals checking credentials. When I say “guarded” I mean that in the most careless way imaginable as the “guards” were … well let’s just call them old and less than menacing, but in their defense… they were keeping people out. A little disappointed and still questioning if I was really in the right place, I began asking the other folks gathered around if this was the site of the Tea Party Convention, and they all assured me that it was.
I then realized it was truly a blind leading the blind scenario around here when I noticed that I was surrounded by journalists and photographers doing the same thing I was – trying to figure out where the hell everyone was. As you can see from the pictures I posted below, we were all just snapping photos of random people and booths that were set up to sell everything from political books to gubernatorial candidates. There really wasn’t much to see.
For the first time I actually felt sorry for Sarah Palin and shared what she must undoubtedly be feeling this week – an unbelievable desire to lambaste Marsha Blackburn and Michele Bachmann for backing out of this thing leaving it to be the baron and miserable display of conservatism that stood before me. As I scrambled around trying to find something / anything even remotely entertaining or informative I stumbled upon an old college friend from Kentucky. She’s a reporter for a Nashville network affiliate which I won’t name here. She asked me if I wanted to go on camera for an interview – which I declined. Having nothing positive to say about the event thus far I didn’t want to spread vile waste about the Convention or the movement before I took in an accurate representation of it. See… I can be open minded.
Someone forgot to smile
She also shared with me what I thought to be an interesting and troubling piece of information regarding the media coverage for the event. She told me that of the nine local media outlets that requested press credentials, all were denied. Pretty odd for a grassroots movement to be so exclusive….. So she too was left behind the ropes with the rest of us, but the lack of access didn’t prove to be completely prohibitive for long as the event’s organizer, Judson Phillips, emerged from a side room at one point and made his way over to the ropes to address the “local” media.
He gave a brief spiel about the convention and surprisingly told a reporter “I have no idea how the convention is being received ‘outside the convention’ because we have been too busy to try to find out.” I coughed ”bullshit” under my breath and undoubtedly lost the respect of those hanging on his every word, but what do I care? I’m not a journalist and I was there as a skeptic – not a fan. That guy really was / is some piece of work though. I listened in on two one-on-one interviews and then the big group Q&A with the local media who’d been barred from access beyond the ropes, and I have to tell you that my impression – for whatever it is worth – is that he is just about as slimy, sleazy, and shady as many have suspected. My feelings on who was/is to blame for this boondoggle are certainly changing by the minute. When asked why local media was denied access he said it was merely a matter of “logistics and a lack of space.” Again, I laughed out loud, as there was enough “space” in this place to land a 747. If anything “space” was his biggest problem in that he had too much of it and not enough people to fill it.
(September 22, 2008 - Photo by None/Getty Images North America)
In asking around, I was told by a member of Opryland’s staff that there were roughly 600 people in attendance at the convention. She told me that they expected approximately 1000 Saturday night for the banquet with Sarah Palin. In fairness, I also heard at least three other people affiliated with the convention calculate that number to be closer to 3000 and one bitter little Lefty monkey who said there were only 100 people here now. I guess we will see tomorrow night. $349 to break bread with Former Gov Palin seems a bit steep – especially considering the brilliant event planner barred the local media preventing anyone in Nashville from knowing anymore about the event than the rest of the country watching on Fox News.
In sum, here’s my take in regards to first impressions… The event is much as I anticipated – completely out of its element in this venue, lacking in the passion that was the staple of the Tea Party movement, and way way way too regimented and political party-esque for my tastes. It really was a convention – scripted and clinical and very much a convention. In fact, I think it may have been the only event more boring to watch than the last Republican National Convention. I guess in fairness I really shouldn’t say that just yet as I have only been here a few hours and much of that time convention participants have spent in breakout sessions. So in fairness, I will reserve judgment on the level of boredom and lack of enthusiasm around here for now, but man do I hope it picks up in the evening hours or I might be joining the bachelorette party rather than the Tea Party for the rest of the night.
A PICTURE IS WORTH A 1000 WORDS EVEN WHEN TAKEN BY A TERRIBLE PHOTOGRAPHER….COMPARE AND CONTRAST
Corner of 14th St. NW and Pennsylvania Ave. NW. approx. 10 a.m. 9/12/09
Via Pajamas Media and The Other McCain
Via Left Coast Rebel via Track-A-Cat
That’s all I’ve got for now. Will report back later once this thing picks up a bit… if this thing picks up a bit – at all.
A BIG THANKS TO THESE GUYS FOR THEIR HUGE SHOUT OUT TONIGHT
Another Black Conservative -Tea Time in Nashville: The Tea Party Convention
That’s Right – Early Tea Party Convention Review: It Sucks
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It’s disappointing, but not surprising. You’re right – trying to “organize” this on a national scale goes against the ideas that started and propelled this movement. And with Sarah Palin declaring (on Greta) that it should merge with the Republican party…? Give it a year, it’ll be as disconnected and corrupt as the parties we already have, and the people will be trying to figure out how they lost it and whether they cn take it back.
Scratcher. I hope we’re both terribly wrong. I’d hate to see the Tea Party movement in the rear view, bu this weekend has not been encouraging. Actually, I shouldn’t even say that because I think most of the true believers saw this for what it was weeks ago and stayed away. I will reverse my previous statement and say that I am encouraged that nobody’s here. This movement is smart enough to know to stay away. Someone please share this optimism with Fox so they stop inflating their crowd predictions in the mean time.
I’m so torn on this I literally can’t even gather a coherent enough thought to write about it. Having been there on 9/12 and 12/15, I can totally understand where T’s coming from…sort of.
I’ve only attended one convention-esque type political “party” in my life in my aware years (I was 3 years old at Reagan’s first acceptance in Detroit), and it sucked, for lack of a better phrase.
On the other hand, I think some organization can be a plus, but I use “some” as a very small “some”. From the pictures and your description, this seems like a very large “Some”, which I think has the potential to backfire in a massive way.
I’ll stay glued here T. Bring us the news…good, bad or ugly.
Great work making it to Nashville. Try to get to Memphis and get us a shot of Sun Studios while you’re down there.
Some good drunk blogging/Bluegrass comin’ for you later tonight too,
Give ‘em hell.
Early Tea Party Convention Review: It Sucks…
Ok, that’s not entirely fair, but the phrases “boredom and lack of enthusiasm” and “scripted and clinical an ……
[...] Notes From the Tea Party “Convention” I believe the idea of “nationalizing” this movement through the vehicle of a “convention” was a foolish endeavor from the word go. I think it bastardizes in every way imaginable all the good that came from and will come from the Tea Party movement and inevitably distracts from its core message / image – as American citizens gathering in protest and opposition to an overreaching government hellbent on fundamentally changing this great nation and jeopardizing the freedom and security of future generations. The movement is about average Americans making a statement to their elected officials that business as usual will not be tolerated and about Right-Wingers and free-thinkers sending a message that “organized” political dissent is no longer independently owned and operated by the ideological Left. [...]
I’m a little bummed to here that the energy and passion is not there. And you know our lefty friends will try to blow this out of proportion…
Have fun anyway.
Steve, no disrespect, but I believe you meant to say “hear”.
Dude, before you say it, I have no life other than spelling.
That said, don’t ever give me an “anyway”. Who are you? Summer Patriot?
That’s wrong too. I’m sorry. Yes I know the MSM will do that. But keep your head up brother. We are, the Last, Best, Hope for humanity.
Fight.
Good for the soul.
We are having a blast regardless and screw the Left and their versions of what’s going on down here. I’d love to keep Fox in check at the same time, but either way, its a positive experience for all however unorganized and dysfunctional it may be….
I have the feeling that the Tea Party is just another political movement the the Republican Party is trying to take over. As for Sara Palin, she’s just another politician. She will be coming to Or. if she has not come already. I don’t know if she has because the public is not going to be able to meet her or be in on the meeting with the RNC of OR. Wait I take that back, If you helped out with the phones for the voting on the bills 66 & 67, Then your name was entered in a drawing to win a ticket. Since when do you have to win a ticket to speck to one of our public officials? They have seem to forgotten(and that includes Sara Palin) they work for us!
“…Tea Party is just another political movement the the Republican Party is trying to take over. As for Sara Palin, she’s just another politician.”
I’m afraid this is exactly right.
But Sarah Palin and the Republican Party didn’t start the Tea Party… People did. They may have forgotten that, but the people won’t.
I do have mixed feelings on this event, but at the same time I wish that I could have attended the National Tea Party Convention. I do like the fact that the other news agencies (besides Fox) are paying attention to the Tea Party movement. I do think this convention will help to coalesce the movement even moreso. I had heard that it was against congressional rules for Blackburn and Bachman to attend, but don’t know whether that’s true or not. Actually, Carl Cameron reported that too. I know Bachmann definitely supports the movement so there must have been a legitimate reason she couldn’t attend the Tea Party Convention. I hope you have a great time!!
“I do think this convention will help to coalesce the movement even moreso.”
I hope so… Around their core principles. The ideas behind the Tea Party are the right ideas, but the Republican Party wants to absorb it.
Bin mother fucking Go.
Don’t hope, know.
And don’t know, make.
Im’a say it again: The fuck you think we’re doing here out in middle of the desert?
I, and we, are not going away.
Theresa,
Love where your heads at. What “rules” do you speak of? Tell us.
What did Carl say?
I know nothing. But for what it’s worth, I’m not aware of a single Constitutional provision that prohibits a citizen, elected or not, from speaking their mind at a “convention” or a town hall or a soapbox on a corner.
Did it slip by while I was sleeping?
Teresa. Tell me.
Huh? You said “skeptical conservatives like myself and much of the Left have been waiting to declare this event a failure from day one” then you said “I have been hoping that I was way off base on this one and secretly want it to be a smashing success.
Was that sarcasm or confusion?
The negativity running through your veins impairs your judgement. Lighten up. You should have had drinks with those ladies. Have some fun.
Conservatives work for a living and we are not all rich so it’s hard to make it to Nashville for a convention. Trust me, I wish I was there. You are lucky to be there. The place is beautiful.
Wow. “Conservatives work for a living – we’re not all rich”?? Really? Did you need to go there? I have family here and grew up here. I’m not jetsetting it for the weekend then shuffling off to my house in Malibu. But yes, it is beautiful here and I am very happy to be here. And I did have some drinks with those girls but didn’t loosen up bc I spent the night trying to track down Big Everything for an interview.
As to my confusion/sarcasm… I like to be right so yes I can admit I was hoping it would turn into a pile of hot mess but that doesn’t mean that I can’t secretly hope I was wrong – meaning that this convention would be the greatest conservative gathering in history… I would love to eat one under those circumstances.
Predatory Lending is a major contributor to the economic turmoil we are currently experiencing.
Here is an example of what I am talking about:
Scott Veerkamp / Predatory Lending (Franklin Township School Board Member.)
Please review this information from U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley regarding deceptive lending practices:
“Steering payments were made to brokers who enticed unsuspecting homeowners into deceptive and expensive mortgages. These secret bonus payments, often called Yield Spread Premiums, turned home mortgages into a SCAM.”
The Center for Responsible Lending says YSP “steals equity from struggling families.”
1. Scott collected nearly $10,000 on two separate mortgages using YSP and junk fees. 2. This is an average of $5,000 per loan. 3. The median value of the properties was $135,000. 4. Clearly, this type of lending represents a major ripoff for consumers.
http://merkley.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/?id=A09C6A80-537A-4EB1-83C5-31925F046B6F
“Conservatives work for a living and we are not all rich so it’s hard to make it to Nashville for a convention.”
But you’ve just restated his point.
The Tea Party on a local level is regular people with jobs and no history of protesting coming together and doing it themselves. This seems… contradictory to the original spirit.
Much agreed Scratcher. I was lost for a moment on that comment – probably bc I went on the defense after hearing the presumption that I was rich. But thank you for fleshing that out for me bc that truly is my main gripe with this whole thing in the first place. Something just seems very off-putting about all of this. If this were the beginning of the movement rather than the “transition” as many here are calling it… I would sadly have to report that the movement was heading nowhere.
Well, when you look back at Tea Party events, it’s pretty clear from pictures that if there had been a several hundred dollar cover charge, many of those in attendance might not have been. I don’t mean anything disparaging by that… just that average folks can’t take that out of the budget, especially in Obama’s economy.
I agree with you. If it had started like this, they’d never have come so far. And if they continue like this, they may not get much farther.
[...] February 6, 2010 T. CHRISTOPHERA Couple of Legitimate Tea Partiers February 5, 2010 T. CHRISTOPHERNotes From the Tea Party “Convention” February 5, 2010 T. CHRISTOPHERJustice Thomas Defends Citizens Ruling February 4, 2010 T. [...]
Super-Duper site! I am loving it!! Will come back again – taking you feeds also, Thanks.
I don’t believe Sarah Palin wishes to be the leader of the Tea Party Bunch. I don’t suppose the Tea Party lacks or necessitates a leader. The Tea Party should have no particular party to select from. What I think is that they will pick individuals rather of political party tie. You can take pols from neither side as long as they vote the path their electors desire them to vote.
I completely agree with you that she doesn’t want to be the leader of the Tea Party “bunch.” I don’t see a future in that and I don’t think she does either. I believe she does have ambitions to lead something however and I think she understands the passion and the following of the Tea Party movement and what it can give her moving forward.
Just checking out your page on my brand new iPhone , and I wanted to check if it would let me comment or if it was going to me go to a full pc to do that. Ill check back later to see if it worked.