A few days ago, CNN producer Shannon Travis wrote an article titled “Disgruntled Democrats join the Tea Party” -- an odd premise for an article, given the vanishingly small number of Tea Partiers who are Democrats.

Today, Travis chimes in again with a warm-and-fuzzy portrait of friendly, diverse Tea Party crowds:

[H]ere's what you don't often see in the coverage of Tea Party rallies: Patriotic signs professing a love for country; mothers and fathers with their children; African-Americans proudly participating; and senior citizens bopping to a hip-hop rapper.

Last week, I saw all of this during a five-city Western swing as the Tea Party Express national tour made its way across the country.

...

Together, we beamed out images of the anger and the optimism, profiled African-Americans who are proud to be in the Tea Party's minority and showed activists stirred by “God Bless America” or amused by a young rapper who strung together rhymes against the president and Democrats.

...

It is important to show the colorful anger Americans might have against elected leaders and Washington. But people should also see the orange-vested Tea Party hospitality handlers who welcome you with colorful smiles.

Well. Isn't that sweet?

Interestingly, Travis didn't get around to mentioning that the Tea Party Express is run by a GOP PAC and appears to be something of a cash cow for its creator, Republican strategist Sal Russo. Didn't mention it in either article, in fact.

(More after the jump)

Instead, Travis was busy praising the Tea Partiers for accomplishing the rather modest task of keeping the overt racism to a minimum:

There were a few signs that could be seen as offensive to African-Americans. But by and large, no one I spoke with or I heard from on stage said anything that was approaching racist.

Almost everyone I met was welcoming to this African-American television news producer.

Only “a few” offensive signs? “By and large” people didn't make racist comments? “Almost everyone” was welcoming to an African-American producer? Impressive!

Then again, maybe it's understandable that Travis is writing such favorable pieces about the Tea Partiers -- just a few months after CNN correspondent Susan Roesgen got on their bad side last year, CNN didn't renew her contract.