[Georgia/Newt] Tea party support fractured among candidates [Rasmussen: Tea Party = noobies]

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | February 12, 2012 | Daniel Malloy

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Long before the tea party movement became an American political phenomenon, Newt Gingrich chucked empty produce crates into the Chattahoochee River in Roswell as part of a tax day re-enactment of the Boston Tea Party.

The year was 1994, and the Georgia congressman was months away from reaching the apex of his political career as U.S. House speaker. As he now seeks the presidency, Gingrich casts himself as an intellectual forefather of the grass-roots movement that has redefined Republican politics, and as the man best suited to harness its energy against the “establishment” choice, Mitt Romney.

So far, tea party support remains fractured among the four remaining candidates in the GOP race, as each has aspects that turn off segments of the movement.

“They’re looking for someone with a spark that I think they’re not finding right now,” said Katie Egan, the Ohio state director of Americans for Prosperity, a tea party-driven organization based in Washington that promotes conservative causes.

Gingrich is attempting to capture that spark with rhetoric against “radical” President Barack Obama and “liberal” Romney, as well as stressing his early associations with tea parties.

“It’s fair to say I’ve had a long tradition of being interested in the tea party movement,” Gingrich told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, citing the 1994 protest and his speech at a tax day 2009 protest in New York.

Early supporter

Sharon Cooper’s tea party grew out of the early days of the last Democratic president: Bill Clinton. The east Cobb County nurse visited her congressman, Gingrich, on a whim one day in 1993. She was upset with Clinton administration policies — particularly its efforts to overhaul health care — and she wanted to join the fight against the White House. She volunteered for Gingrich, and one day she suggested....

[Cincinatus' Wife]

TAX DAY 1994 - Politicians play with ire - Gingrich , others stage stunts touting frugality

The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta Constitution - Saturday, April 16, 1994

Author: ALEXANDER, KATHEY, Kathey Alexander STAFF WRITER: STAFF

As procrastinators put the finishing touches on their tax returns Friday, politicians across the nation carried out carefully crafted stunts aimed at landing the votes of irate taxpayers.

In Roswell, U.S. House Minority Whip Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) touted fiscal conservatism by staging a mock tea party on the banks of the Chattahoochee River . Conservative Republicans tossed empty produce crates into the river in symbolic re-enactment of the incident in Boston 221 years ago when colonists dressed as Indians dumped tea into the harbor in rebellion against the government.

More than 200 similar rallies occurred throughout the country, including Boston, San Francisco and Detroit , as candidates used the tax filing deadline as a forum for one-upsmanship on frugality.

“Americans literally work every day for months just to pay for a government that wastes their money,” said Gingrich , who is seeking re-election from the 6th district. “On the day taxes are due, we should remind you that you have every right as a citizen to protect yourself, your family and your wallet with your vote.”......

Source

[SatinDoll]

Very interesting article. I’m shocked that there are Romney supporters among TEA Party people, as WR is such a socialist. Interesting that in Georgia the TEA Party isn’t enthusiastic about either Santorum or Paul.

[David Isaac]

Are you from Georgia? I am from Michigan but my son was married on the banks of the Chattahoochie. I also get e-mails from a tea-party in Georgia and they are having trouble getting people to become involved, thinking about folding up the tent.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I’ve lived in AZ and TX most of my life (moved west as fast as I could after college)....Though I did go to college in GA and have family that moved there.

Your comment about the GA Tea Party folding has some bearing on this recent Bill Kristol blog at Weekly Standard, where he talks about the birth control mandate just imposed on American business and its implications for a renewed Tea Party uprising.

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/could-new-obamacare-mandate-reinvigorate-tea-party-could-new-obamacare-mandate-reinvigorate-tea-party_626699.html

[StonyBurk]

I don’t know about other places—and never was a wiz kid at company organization.But it seems to me the TEA Party was established an issues oriented affair. And any attempt to politicize that would be a long hard slugfest. I can get excited about and rally in favor for an issue. But prefer to let the mere politicians do the same. They seem to anyhow.
When they pay attention to the issues that have rallied the Tea Party then we can pallaver.Otherwise I have a policy of benevolent notice and inherent mistrust.Politicians are the baby rattler in the bedroll.They generally aint interested in harming others but they will never be your friend.

[eak3]

What irritates me the most about these politicians is that they only pay lip service to each other. They are supposedly opposites on issues but are routinely yucking it up and out to dinner with each other after business hours. Palin was the only person I felt that didn’t have this attitude and I think that’s why Tea Party people can’t coalesce around a single candidate. We’re losing our freedom and we need someone who is going to act like this is a war. I want to see Obama treated like he’s enemy number one not all smiles and handshakes whenever these people get together.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Palin has a rare gift but could that translate into governing? There is an art to it (and I know there are many downsides). The hole has been dug so deep, it is going to take someone who can build the right”ladders” to help us climb out of it.

[nikos1121]

I would argue that Romney and Santorum are the most intimidated by Obama, Newt the least. Newt’s rhetoric has been straight and hard and targeting Obama. The others hit at Newt.

Santorum is a house of cards. Every dog has his day. This guy is good and decent, but the junk yard dog we need.

Newt is the only visionary and with the credentials to know how things get done.

Come on, Sarah. Campaign for the man.

[ctdonath2]

That’s the problem. There’s several viable/desirable conservative candidates, but just one center/left candidate. As such, the right side gets fragmented and out-voted by the unified left.
And thus the GOP picks a lite version of the Democrat candidate, who wins because enough people decide they’d rather have the real thing.

[steve8714]

Todd supports Gingrich.
Sarah supports keeping the process open. She is not officially a Newt backer, she just doesn’t want the presumptive to presume.

[steve8714]

Todd supports Gingrich.
Sarah supports keeping the process open. She is not officially a Newt backer, she just doesn’t want the presumptive to presume.

[steve8714]

Todd supports Gingrich.
Sarah supports keeping the process open. She is not officially a Newt backer, she just doesn’t want the presumptive to presume.