Media Tea Party Brew

April 16, 2009

U.S. media networks are reviewing national coverage of the tax day tea party protests, with some claiming media coverage has been unfair.

Sources:CBS FOX News MSNBC CNN ABC News

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22 COMMENTS | POST A COMMENT

Avery Fox
April 28, 2009
03:32 PM

Galen - you sound the most sensible here. I agree with the original poster - we should have heard more from the people who attended these events than from the people who were covering them. Whatever this movement started out as, it became completely usurped by the MSM (both sides).

And I'm disappointed by the previous poster who lumped Newsy in with the rest of the MSM -- I think the reason we're all here is because we're TRYING to cut through the clutter (hence the "multiple perspectives" thing). Each person on Newsy is to be commended for trying to find their own way through the media-mash that we're presented with each day!

(now if you'll excuse me, I have to try to get the whole teabagging thing out of my mind... ;)

Galen Richards
April 28, 2009
10:10 AM

I was a person that was at the Tea Party in Dallas, Tx. I am in no way a neo conservative like the idiots on Fox or Bush.I am a Ron Paul Reupublican/Libertarin and we are the ones that started the tea parties. The neo conservatives are just trying to jump on the bandwagon of something that worked for Ron Paul and many of the people at the tea parties were Ron Paul Republicans and Libertarians. The media completely manipulated and lied to the public about this movement. Most people at the tea parties did not agree with Bush who started the bailouts. This was not a partisan issue. Fox news and Neo Con hijackers distorted the whole thing to try and steal our effectiveness.

ColoradoMadMax
April 20, 2009
12:19 PM

Ah, tea bagging, wonderful. I think the daily show had it right when they covered the whole situation. Take a look at how John Oliver did this ridiculous story justice, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9CWgMv7pm8

Taxation without representation my butt, those are our public officials making those decisions.

mtcorner
April 20, 2009
10:51 AM

one more thing weres all the black african americans in this protest maybe its as simple as discriminating against a black president.yhats pretty sad considering im a white american.

mtcorner
April 20, 2009
10:42 AM

i havnt seen many poor people of america in this tea party that you call your selves.im wondreing is it only the individuals who make $250,000 or more doing the complaning because you dont want to give up some of your cash to help poor americans or worse your entire country, when it was and still is only and mostly the poverty level people of this country being treated with less respect becuase they dont make 250,000 or more a year you dont see them in the streets crying about it. and this goes to HANNAH MARTINEZ who the hell are you to say why should you pay for the fruits and labors of another that attitude is no different than the fat cat politicians who sit on a huge amount money that helps neither the people or this country. all i see in this tea party propaganda is rich people complaining that they might end up not so rich anymore,i myself am disabled and am considered poor i worked 16 years of my life before i became disabled and i have a family. this tea party created by what i consider wealthy members is just another thorn in americas buttocks.you should be ashamed.

BMeler
April 19, 2009
04:13 PM

I was there - in Houston Texas - we have 8250 actually register with about 3000 more that weren't allowed into the venue. This is not about Democrat or Republican or black or white or liberal or conservative. It is about both the Bush Administration and about the Obama Administration overspending and mortgaging the future of our children. It is about how the devil we are going to pay for this gross overspending - taxes, people, that the only way to pay it off. And if you think that means only those over $250,000 will pay for it, you are delusional. So all the news media, Fox, CNN, MSNBC and Newsy should cut the crap and REPORT THE NEWS - all of you simply spout your opinion.

Are some of the people Republican and conservative and hate Obama? Sure, just like some are Democrats and liberal and voted for Obama. But none of us are getting what we feel this country needs and we aren't going to sit on our duff any more and take it.

Throw them all out - politicians are only interested in furthering their own interests - they are not interested in furthering mine.

The movement is going to grow and I hope you join in. But please, quit trying to claim this is not grassroots, because it absolutely is!!!!!!!!!

xavierkress
April 17, 2009
01:55 PM

I was not there, but I was helping promote this event. From what I know and see there was AFA (American Family Association), and www.restoretherepublic.com which are not party affiliated to my knowledge. We all just love this country and what it stood for, before Pork-barrel spending, our horrible foreign policies under Republicans and Democrats.

We're tired of Taxation without Representation. We say, "No!" and they the Politicians/Congress/President say "Yes!".

And I will not call Obama our President. He is a usurper. He has not proven legally that he can hold the office of President. There are 14 legal action lawsuits that Obama must face and answer to, until I will call him President. He is current a usurper, and has claimed the office via coup de'tat. And no other way can it be stated. He has not proved his Constitutional legality that he can say he is "natural born" as per the Constitution. And his mother at the time of birth was too young to confer her American citizenship to him if he was born in Kenya.

This is what we protest. The Constitution to be upheld, protected and defended as Congress and Obama have sworn an oath to.

This is the utmost of illegality. And we are a Constitutional Republic and not a Democracy. Therefore we should uphold the document that has helped hold our government under control for 200 years.

xavierkress
April 17, 2009
01:50 PM

Hannah Martinez
April 17, 2009
12:57 PM

Look at what the Director of Homeland Security said about RETURNING US VETERANS...they are a risk of join RIGHT WINGED EXTREMISTS! HOW CRAZY is that! People of the United States are REALLY SICK AND TIRED OF HIGHER TAXES and LESS Services. I'm TIRED of paying OTHER PEOPLES BAD MORTGAGES and Bills. I have MY OWN to take care of and I DO IT. The Republican PARTY IS NOT BEHIND THIS! The republican party has LOSE ITS BACK BONE years ago. They don't have the SMARTS to pull over Nationwide TEA PARTIES. and Frankly, I as many OTHERS, THE REPUBLICANS AND THE DEMOCRATS for these STUPID BAILOUTS! What ever happened to the Strongest Survives! If a company has poor management and it goes out of BUSINESS its called Bankrupty! Let them go under and other companies will RISE UP to pick up the slack! IF GM AND CHRYSLER GO BUST ! so be it. JUST LOOK AT FORD.. NO BAILOUT MONEY AND DOING WELL. Getting back to CNN's reporter's is a looney tune - its horrible. What EVER HAPPENED TO BEING A REPORTER and Reporting the NEWS? THE US People are FEED UP WITH OBAMA, the Democrats, and the Republicans! I think the TEA PARTY PROTESTS ARE GREAT AND GOOD FOR AMERICA and Obama and the DEMOCRATS BETTER PAY ATTENTION AND START Doing the RIGHT THING FOR AMERICANS and not just for Welfare voters! WHATEVER Happened to HARD WORK and ENJOY the Fruits of your Labor? WHY do I have to pay for someone else's labor and fruits? CNN is a poor example of American Jouralism but a GREAT example of SOCIALISM and its Media Control of the REAL NEWS! The TEA PARTY PROTESTS will continue to happen. I HEARD A BIG ONE IS SCHEDULE FOR July 4th, 2009 in Washington, DC - over 2 million to attend. AMERICA'S INDEPENDENCE DAY. The Tea Party Protests had a collective attendance of over 1.2 MILLION PEOPLE. The main stream Liberal Media REFUSES TO REPORT THE ACCURATE NUMBERS. I was there at the Tea Party in Albany NY and the local media BLEW IT with the exception of WGY radio. The Local Media didn't CARE about the event. BUT IT TOOK THEM BY SURPISE OF THE MASS TURN OUT FOR ALBANY NY. Also, these Tea Parties are not given money by a back like George Soros (Move ON. ORG) but Regular EVERYDAY People who are SICK and TIRED OF BEING TAXED, TAXED, AND MORE TAXED. STOP THE BAILOUTS. STOP THE SOCIALISM. AND BARRY HUESSIN OBAMA IS A ONE TERMED PRESIDENT. THIS GUY IS NOT GETTING ELECTED AGAIN. I DON'T SEE IT. LONG LIVE AMERICA AND LIBERTY!

Hannah Martinez
April 17, 2009
12:56 PM

I live in Upstate NY near Albany NY, and the Tea Party Protests are about the US Constitution and the CRAZY TAX AND SPEND POLICIES OF BARRY HUSSEIN OBAMA! The CNN Reporter and its Upper Management have clearly Crossed the LINE to PROTECT AND PROMOTE the Terrible Obama Policies. America has been SHORT CHANGED with the election of Obama. Speaking out Against Obama is equal to you being called CRAZY

Hannah Martinez
April 17, 2009
12:56 PM

freshprince
April 17, 2009
12:30 PM

Ha! I feel like this is all a big excuse to use the term "tea-bagging". What the heck are "gutter-snipes"? And yeah, Charlotte's question: What were they protesting against? is right on. Is it really the bailout? Then why the "this is a christian nation!" signs? Is this a groundswell that the leadership on the right is trying to organize? Is this really the re-birth the GOP is hoping for?

carlsbadd
April 16, 2009
09:14 PM

I attended a tea party tax protest and it is really about the spending and budget our government is doing.
This is a grassroots effort that FOX news picked up and promoted, some conservative groups also lent a hand and conservative politicians wanted to jump on the bandwagon.
Some protests did not allow any politicians at all and some had political speakers.
These were peacefull mostly middle class Americans who are fed up with gov. waste and spending.
There were some signs about Obama being a socialist and other slightly offensive stuff but that comes with any protest.
Find out more about the movement at
www.taxdayteaparty.com

DaBearsss
April 16, 2009
05:04 PM

in the last 5 years the mainstream media has become more and more partisan, on both sides. It used to be a whisper that Fox was right and MSNBC was left. Now they don't even try. They realize that these opinion journalists are the only ones still bringing eyeballs to the screen and these pundits just keep popping up all over the place. Rachel meadow, Glen Beck, they never used to have time for these people because they were too busy doing actual journalism.

pete
April 16, 2009
05:01 PM

This was the proof I needed against CNN. The reporter at the event was trying to engage in a debate with the protester by asking if he was aware of the Obama tax relief. So she wasn't "reporting" at that point but actually debating and taking a position. Say what you will about Fox, but their ratings are where they are for a reason. I haven't seen MSNBC or CNN report with any level of truth about the possible negatives of the stimulus and tax increases... How can you report a story and not talk about both sides?

DuckTales
April 16, 2009
04:07 PM

I personally don't think they are a big deal, but that may just be my opinion. I think it was just a small thing blown out of proportion by the GOP to slow down all the Obama love.

dancingnancie
April 16, 2009
04:07 PM

I'd have to agree... I'd like to see what the protesters had to say.

Indigo
April 16, 2009
03:59 PM

I would have appreciated some direct input from the protesters themselves in these clips instead of all the interpretation we got from the media. I don't know if that was because the protesters didn't want to talk to the media or what, but it seemed strikingly absent.