(Thumbnail image: The Washington Post)

This weekend, the Tea Party movement held their first convention, leaving some wondering whether or not this party has staying power.

We’re looking at perspectives from CNN, MSNBC, Politico.com, The Examiner.com and The City Paper.

An analyst on CNN says that for its small size, the Tea Party Movement is having a big impact.

“I think obviously it’s a very motivated group of voters. I don’t, in terms of actually speaking to the American elector; I don’t think they actually speak for the majority of Americans. I think most Americans are pretty moderate. They’re very motivated. They’re getting out the vote and they’re pushing people rightwards. When they are pushing the whole political landscape towards the right, they’re forcing republicans to become more conservative. They have also forced democrats to reevaluate some of their spending priorities.”

A writer for Politico.com notes that the way this weekends convention was held goes against the party’s principles.  

“The convention’s steep ticket price, combined with its top-down organizational structure and the $100,000 speaking fee its organizers paid keynote speaker Sarah Palin all fly in the face of the grassroots tea party movement…”

But now the Nashville’s City Paper reports that the sophisticated convention was a hit.

“Tea partiers opened eyes by helping Republicans win elections in Virginia, New Jersey and Massachusetts, and proof of their new political status appeared in Nashville over the weekend...[they] counted the three-day convention as a great success.”

A self-proclaimed “true tea partier” for the examiner.com believes that the convention didn’t do enough to connect to its members.

“Most of us True TEA Partyers ignored this TEA Party Nation Convention. The TEA Party Nation Convention is a bunch of well-heeled politicians and power brokers pretending to be grassroots folks.”

With the movement’s popularity on the rise, a contributor for MSNBC says that its lack of leadership is a noticeable flaw.

“But regarding the leader aspect of this, Sarah Palin says the movement does not need a leader. I mean is that good strategy? How effective can any movement become without someone at its focal point?”

“Until they merge, until either the tea party finds a leader or the Republican Party and the tea party merge, I don't know that the movement is going to be as powerful as it would hope in the political landscape.”

So, what do you think about the Tea Party Movement? Is it merely a Republican Party trick, or is it a force to be reckoned with?

Writer: Amanda Heisey & Marlena Kopacz

Producer: Nathan Giannini