Posted on 08/28/2012 5:23:35 PM PDT by upchuck
Is the tea party changing the Republican Party from the inside -- or selling out to the GOP?
As Republicans prepare to officially roll out Mitt Romney as their party's presidential nominee at the Republican National Convention this week, major tea party groups and figures have descended on Tampa, Florida, to schmooze with party bigwigs and rally for Romney.
But Romney's conservative credentials have long been viewed with suspicion by the movement. So it came as a surprise when, before at least one event, tea party organizers committed what some activists would consider heresy: seeking approval from establishment Republicans to rally.
All of it has opened up a once unthinkable charge: the movement that's rabble-roused and rocked the GOP establishment since 2009 is now too cozy with it.
"The top national groups have already sold out," said Judd Saul, a prominent Iowa activist associated with the Cedar Valley Tea Party. "They don't truly represent the grassroots."
"Even before the caucuses, these guys were all pushing for Romney even when the primaries were going on," Saul added.
"It's a pretty widespread (sentiment). A lot of activists have noticed that."
But presidential historian Douglas Brinkley doesn't see this phenomenon as anything new.
"I think it happens all the time in politics," said Brinkley, a political analyst and professor at Rice University. "The grassroots people are the people who are hypermotivated. They are people willing to go to rallies and hold bake sales and ... and they're always later kind of seen as auxiliary players once it gets to the main game when the elections come in the fall."
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Are you people really this stupid? Have you not paid attention to a any thing O has done the last 3.5 years?
I think you mean spawn not child.
The Tea Party fizzled!! Anyone who could watch the 3rd Reich try to crush grass roots support today at the rnc and sit on their hands is worthless and a coward. Romney is now going to lose. He failed to accommodate 12% of his party and they now hate his socialist guts. It is over, Intrade had him losing huge!! I think the “grass roots” will sprout very soon. Dole, Bush ,McAmnesty. Will they ever learn. ?? Did you know that romney wants war in the Middle East? You go. Send your money. I’m out.
Johnny has traded brains for fear. The easily herded win us NOTHING. Ever.
All the spittle-drooling religious fanatics want their personal congregational babbling to become the supreme law of the land.
Thousands of former infantry corporals fancy themselves as Generals in some post-apocalypse rag-tag army.
All the Ron Paul freaks think they will prosper in some nationwide sort of Galt's Gulch (in spite of their drugged stupor).
And most of the above fantasize about shooting everyone who comes up the road, like that will convince everyone to unify around their envisioned utopia.
So you really are going to let a Obama supporting “political reporter” like Shannon Travis at CNN tell you what to think?
You people are the useful idiots of the Democrat Propaganda machine.
They say squeal and you people start squealing. And then you wonder why your agenda never gains 1 inch of ground. Pretty tough to win wars when 1/3 of your squad spends all their time shooting their own in the back.
How about ONE time you try fighting the REAL enemies of the Republic?
... and I'm so very certain you have a strong opinion on Todd Akin. So, spit it out.
I am sick of the war calls myself by the usual Republican testosterone crowd.
Yup. Romney was dropped on our shoulders like a pile of crap. Romney ran smear campaign ads similar to Axelrod's, and he spent millions flooding the airways.
That the ticket keep squealing just like your political masters at CNN want you too little piggies.
I don’t like Romney at all but I’m smart enough to know that if I don’t vote for Romney, I’m voting for Obama and that ain’t never gonna happen!!!
That the ticket keep squealing just like your political masters at CNN want you too.
You people are the useful idiots of the Democrat party propaganda machine.
Johnboy, the conclusion was reached well before CNN picked it up off the ground, where we were all struck down today. You’re just late. You are hearing about from CNN.
Get it?
The only one squealing is you Johnnie.
The GOP can KMA.
“Please keep telling yourself that, general Washington. I’m sure you will be right there on the front line ready to die, right?”
I just spent 21 years of my life there. How about you?
“Has the tea party ‘sold out’ to the mainstream GOP?”
No, we got bludgeoned by the mainstream GOP-e.
Well, we are fighting you honey, the liberal GOPe crowd, that's a start.
Might want to take a closer look at the Huckabeeite Judd Saul who is the sole source for this “Story”.
Funny that a guy who gave $5000 to Huckabee’s super PAC is whining about “Selling out to the establishment”
Look like Huckabee is pulling a McCain. Trying to sabotage the GOP this year so he can run in 2016.
Squeal little piggy, just like your masters want you too.
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