Memo to MSNBC: numerous Republican leaders speaking at "FNC Tax Day Tea Parties"
SUMMARY: MSNBC's Contessa Brewer falsely suggested tea party organizers are excluding Republican elected officials or party leaders from speaking at the events. In fact, at least 15 elected GOP officials will reportedly speak, or have already spoken, at the protests, while another 33 will reportedly participate in the events.
During the April 15 edition of MSNBC Live, host Contessa Brewer stated that she had "just read[] in The Wall Street Journal" that Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele "had asked to speak at the tea party in Chicago today, and they told him, 'Nope. It's not for you; it's not for any leaders. It's for the Americans to stand up, and for the elected officials to listen to the American people.' " In fact, contrary to Brewer's suggestion that tea party organizers have taken the position that the events are not for people "to listen" to elected officials and are "not for any leaders," at least 15 current members of Congress or state governors will reportedly speak, or have already spoken, at the events. Another 33 Republican members of Congress will also reportedly participate in the tea parties.
In addition to former elected officials like former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA), who is scheduled to speak at a New York City tea party protest, at least 15 current GOP federal or statewide elected officials are reportedly scheduled to speak at tea party protests over the next several days, some of whom have been noted by Think Progress:
- Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ)
- Rep. Ander Crenshaw (R-FL)
- Rep. Bill Posey (R-FL)
- Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-KS)
- Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS)
- Rep. John Fleming (R-LA)
- Rep. Sue Myrick (R-NC)
- Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH)
- Rep. Mary Fallin (R-OK)
- Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC)
- Gov. Mark Sanford (R-SC)
- Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX)
- Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX)
- Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT)
- Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT)
At least 33 other Republican lawmakers will reportedly participate in the tea parties. In addition to House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH), Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Rep. Tom Price (R-GA), Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA), and Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX), FoxNews.com reported in an April 8 article that 28 other Republican House members not included in the previous list are "expected to participate in at least one anti-tax tea party, according to the Republican Study Committee." Participants include:
- Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL)
- Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA)
- Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO)
- Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL)
- Rep. Tom Rooney (R-FL)
- Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA)
- Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA)
- Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN)
- Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA)
- Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)
- Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO)
- Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC)
- Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ)
- Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-OH)
- Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH)
- Rep. John Sullivan (R-OK)
- Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA)
- Rep. J. Gresham Barrett (R-SC)
- Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)
- Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX)
- Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX)
- Rep. John Culberson (R-TX)
- Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX)
- Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX)
- Rep. Pete Olson (R-TX)
- Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX)
- Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA)
- Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI)
Former House Majority Leader and FreedomWorks chairman Dick Armey -- the group that "launch[ed]" the "nationwide 'tea party' tour" -- reportedly is attending a protest in Atlanta as well.
In addition, Brewer, unlike her MSNBC colleagues, did not mention that Fox News has been aggressively promoting the April 15 tea party protests. As Media Matters for America has documented, Fox News has repeatedly declared ownership over the events, labeling them "FNC Tax Day Tea Parties."
From the 9 a.m. ET hour of the April 15 edition of MSNBC Live:
BREWER: Thousands of people will hold so-called tea parties around the country. Check out a map that we have from FreedomWorks.org. Hundreds of tea parties planned in every single state. The idea is to protest high taxes and overspending by the U.S. government.
Chuck Todd is a chief White House correspondent, political director for NBC News. I know that a lot of people who are just hearing about these tea parties may think it's all right-wingers, but, you know, I know some people who are very middle-of-the-road, common-sense folks who think it sounds like a good idea. They don't want the government out blowing billions of dollars.
TODD: Well, there is sort of a couple of things, and that's what makes this, I think, protest very difficult, because on one hand the Republican Party is trying to use it as an organizing tool, is testing out some messages. But you're right, there are different messages that are appealing to different people, and this -- there is a bailout fatigue out there among a lot of Americans, both on the left and the right, who are upset about how the government is dealing with Wall Street.
And so, there is sort of that anger which is captured in part. But some of these tea parties are also trying to protest the Obama administration and are being organized by many arms of the conservative movement. And it'll be interesting to watch to see, can they see the gains and success in a social-networking, grassroots way that we saw with Barack Obama and his campaign team a couple years ago.
BREWER: Yeah, I was just reading in The Wall Street Journal that Michael Steele, the head of the RNC, wanted -- had asked to speak at the tea party in Chicago today, and they told him, "Nope. It's not for you; it's not for any leaders. It's for the Americans to stand up, and for the elected officials to listen to the American people." Any reaction here from the White House?
TODD: You know, they've been pretty muted about it. They, you know -- we'll see what they think of -- over here at Lafayette Park, right across the -- right across the way. There is a planned tea party or tea bag protest of sorts that's going to happen, but they've been pretty muted about it. I don't think they feel like it's caught the populist wildfire that I think the original organizers have, but we'll see.
BREWER: Yeah.
TODD: I think turnout at these things will tell us whether, you know, it is -- will be a way of measuring, you know, what is the anger out there? What is the level -- what is the decibel level? And it's something to watch for all day.
Great job, Media Matters. The falsehoods are really flying today.
DON'T WORRY KEITH WILL TELL THE REAL STORY OF THE TEA PARTY TONIGHT ON HIS SHOW. AND I LOVED HOW TODD ASK THOSE SOFT QUESTION TO THE PERSON WHO PUT THIS SO CALLED TEA PARTY TOGETHER BUT HE CAN ASK STUPID QUESTION AT THE WHITE HOUSE.
Can you type without yelling?
Except that taxes aren't higher for most people.
As that pinko rag Forbes Magazine pointed out this week, total tax burden for Americans (15.1% of GDP) is the lowest it has been since 1950.
That's even less than what health care costs as share of GDP (15.3%).
Am I the only one who feels that taxes to government usually give me more in return than what the health care costs do?
yeah, protests never did nuthin for no one. Except maybe the civil rights movement, or women's sufferage or the labour movement or anti apartheid movements or the protests fronted by Ghandi...
However, you are right about these particular protests being silly.
Peaceful, persistent protest is at the very heart of any healthy Democracy- the English recognized this when they confirmed the right to petition, and freedom of Assembly is a keystone in the Bill of Rights.
This makes the "tea parties" even more pathetic- it's total manipulation of the gullible. These people have no idea why they are protesting. All they know is that their "heroes" gave them their marching orders, and that was that.
And sometimes, as in the early labour movement, violence begets violence (Haymarket and Pinkertons).
speaking out against higher taxes
For the umpteenth time:
1) 98% of the country will pay LESS in taxes thanks to PRESIDENT OBAMA.
2) The other 2% will pay more next year than they did this year thanks to the law signed by GEORGE W. BUSH!
And yet these are RW protets! They will make no difference, because there is no difference to make. This is nothing more than a collection of misled, misinfomred nimrods who are trying to misinform the rest of the country.
GET A BRAIN, [you tea-bagging] MORANS!
Well said. The people whose taxes will increase are pretty well off already, and, as you pointed out, most people's federal taxes will not go up.
Conclusion? Everybody at these Teabagging events is either a rich whiner or a misinformed douchebag whose taxes won't even be going up.
Actually, these douchebaggers are protesting the wrong government. The average person's state and local taxes are much more likely to go up than their Federal taxes. (Unless they're rich, in which case they shouldn't be whining.)
But, but... FOX has been saying all day this wasn't partisan at all...that it's not about Democrats or Obama...except the guy on CNN with the picture of Obama dressed like Hitler and who called Obama a fascist...and except for Laura Ingram who criticized Democrats, and Republicans who acted like Democrats...and, and...I'm sure this wasn't a Republican rally, at all...regardless how much it looks like one. ;>)
Not to mention Sean Hannity saying "these tea parties are nonpartisan" out of one side of his mouth and "we've received warnings that left wing groups are trying to infiltrate tea parties" out of the other.
Memo from the boardroom: For god sakes don't mention the Republicans in association with this. We sign your paychecks!
I wonder how many democratic leaders participated in these non-partisan events?
Chuck Todd knows that the Republicans and FoxNews is using these poor people attending these 'Tea Parties' by hoping that this gets the Republicans back in the political game. Okay, we may can see this from the Republicans, but FoxNews is a different thing. So, it's okay for FoxNews (a cable tv network) to beg their viewers to "rise-up" against our American Government in protest? I'm thinking - no it's not.
First, Media Matters prints "FNC Tax Day Tea Parties" as though it is a quote from each and every one of the statements they are attacking. It is not. Deception hardly befits those who would pose as exposers of deception.
Second, the gist of this statement is correct. Contessa Brewer was wrong and GOP elected officials, un-elected officials and candidates for elective offices did participate in many of the Tea Parties.
Third, before you smirk at the poor befuddled Right-Wingers that participate in these events you might at least try to find out what their issues really are, not just what the Left would like you to think. I didn't find a single writer in the discussion so far that has such understanding. When you fail to make an effort to understand the positions of your opponents you make your side appear weaker in its ignorance.
Fourth, it's a little early to judge what impact these events will have. Dismiss them if you will. But the wise will pay attention and practice a more flexible response. I participated in the beginnings of the Peace Movement, the Women's and Gay Rights Movements and the Environmental Preservation Movement and witnessed the beginning of the modern Civil Rights Movement. What you saw yesterday was a show of power and you'll be foolish if you don't take it seriously.
Well said...thank you.
A lot of pundits just don't get it. Despite all the "interviews" with various participants and commentary form the media outlets, it seems that most of them are missing the overarching reason for these gatherings. It is to protest out-of-control government, both in taxation and spending. It is not about who is currently occupying the White House or who controls Congress. We just had eight years of huge deficit spending under a Republican administartion that almost tripled the national debt. Then the financial system collapsed under his watch and the bailouts began. If the Republicans think they can latch on to this for 2010 they are dead wrong for they are just as guilty. Does anyone have proof that either Fox News or the GOP funded any of this? If so then speak up.
You would think that the Dems would have gotten the message about deficit spending and rescuing irresponsible corporations at taxpayer expense with money that either has to be borrowed or printed. The recent stimulus bill was just more fuel for the fire. So the current President and Congressional leadership are going to increse spending even more, eclipsing what Bush has done.
This is not a protest against any political party or President - it is against politicians who have lost sight of their responsibilities to the people who elected them. It doesn't matter if there is a (D) or an (R) behind their names. These people rallying across the country may be small in number but the message is simple: onerous taxes and deficit spending has to stop. But as long as a dismissive media and Washington ignore this plea the problem is only going to get worse.
Of course it is totally a coincidence that they didn't care about spending under Bush and the way he destroyed the budget surplus left to him by the Clinton administration. Really! Just a coincidence! It's a bipartisan protest! Really! Dick Armey and Newt just happened to be prime organizers! Really!
"Just a coincidence! It's a bipartisan protest! Dick Armey and Newt just happened to be prime organizers!"
I don't particularly care who got this ball rolling. Would you be complaining if it was Speaker Pelosi's initiative? Of course not. No matter the origins of the rallies, the problem of ever-growing, all-consuming government in the form of taxation and deficit spending still exists. It is wrong regardless of who is in the White House or controls Congress - the American public eventually has to pay this bill. So go ahead and blame the Republicans, Fox News or whomever, but realize that this issue transcends party affiliation. It was wrong under President Bush and it's just as wrong under President Obama. Thank you for the reply!