Tea Party Activists Make their Concerns Known...Mainstream Media Swarms, Gateway Pundit Whines

Here is an excerpt I read over at Gateway Pundit.

Massive Protest Breaks Out at National Tea Party Convention – Media Swarms Saturday, February 6, 2010, 3:05 PM Jim Hoft

It was a state-run media’s dream come true. Four Tea Party counter-protesters showed up this afternoon at the National Tea Party Convention in Nashville. The mainstream media, of course, swarmed them.

The protesters belonged to the Tennessee Tea Party Coalition. They told the media they represent 35 of 44 tea party groups in Tennessee and they were upset with the event this weekend. It wasn’t much of a counter protest. It will be interesting to read how the leftwing media spins this. The Politico is already calling this a showdown. Please.

Don't get me wrong here. I love Gateway Pundit. In my opinion, the work they (well Jim Hoft really) do is second to none. But, as I've been reading coverage of this "tea party convention" taking place in Nashville, I have come to the conclusion that it is nothing but a low level politician and conservative blogger media opportunity. Designed to do nothing but allow a small number of politicians and bloggers the opportunity to co-op the tea party movement. Or to otherwise assume leadership of the movement. 

There is something that is quite wrong with the goings on there. Maybe it's nothing more than the high cost of ADMISSION to the convention. Well wait. ADMISSION? CONVENTION? I suppose that's the problem right there.

Scrap that poorly thought out event and return the movement to the people. Or at a minimum, make it accessible to the people. Or at least, affordable to the people. There is NO legitimate excuse for the limited access. 

That whole convention is nothing other than pajama-wearing bloggers and second tier politicians sitting around glad-handing one another.  If there is something productive coming from this convention, please let me know.  Because to date, I've missed the message.