So the tax day tea parties are over. Some thoughts about all that.
I just tweeted this a few minutes ago, but as I watched these gatherings, they didn't seem like protests. They seemed like outdoor shows. Bring a misspelled sign -- get a free show on the lawn. From what I could tell, there wasn't any marching involved, no delivering of any petitions, etc. Just a show. A series of really crappy, middle-aged, right-wing Coachellas.
Also, recent polling more or less proves one of my broader points about the impact of the tea party. I've always believed that they're louder than they are large, and both Republicans and the corporate media are mistaking loudness for size. It turns out only 18 percent of Americans identify with the tea party movement, and more than anything else, they love Glenn Beck. In other words, a year ago, it was all about "I am John Galt." This year, it's evolved into, "I am Victoria Jackson."
Yeah, the old-timey McCarthy/Commie direction can't be helping. Building a bridge to 1954. Smart.
Meanwhile, it appears as though Fox News Channel is backing away from the tea party. Sean Hannity was supposed to speak at a lawn show in Cincinnati yesterday and was ordered to return to NYC. Too bad. There were dozens of people in lawn chairs waiting around to watch something happen on the stage. You know, the protest.