I hope some on this list got a chance to hear the interview this evening on KQED-FM radio's "Fresh Air" program with Reason Magazine contributing editor David Weigel, speaking about his investigative reporting on the "new right" that has emerged since the election of President Obama. He speaks extensively on the Republican takeover of the formerly Libertarian constitutional freedom movement and specifically about the video removed from YouTube by Fox News.
He attended the rally and said there were probably at most 70,000 people on the mall, far less than Fox's claim of millions. He also confirms that the "Tea Party Express" bus that people rode to the rally was chartered by Fox News, who "embedded" their reporter Griff Jenkins on the bus and at the rally to provide 24-hour coverage of the event, which was largely organized and promoted by the Fox News network.
The interview is available for download as a podcast at http://www.npr.org/templates/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId=13
I too, am saddened by the revelation that our movement has been co-opted by a corporate shill for the Republican Party. I do hope, however, that the Tea Party Activists will soon be awakened by this news that they are being manipulated by the media whose coverage they crave so much.
Terry
Terry,
I didn't hear it, but thanks for the lead -- sounds interesting and I'll try to check it out. It's surprising that Fox would so blatantly try to exaggerate the numbers; seems like something to which other media could fairly easily put the lie. I have to say that the time-lapse video footage on Michelle Malkin's site (http://michellemalkin.com/2009/09/12/yes-the-picture-is-real-nutroots/) looks to me like more than 70,000 people, but I'm no expert at crowd estimates, and the nature of the footage and my unfamiliarity with the area makes it kind of hard to tell. I'm interested to hear how David Weigel derives his crowd estimate.
Love & Liberty,
((( starchild )))
I heard that interview today! But unfortunately I started late and heard only the last half. Weigel was fairer than others in his assessment, and therefore more credible to me. However, I am still mulling over whether manipulation by the conservative media is the problem with the Tea Party activists. The folks on the discussion list I belong to make Fox News and Glenn Beck look like bleeding heart socialists, and I would wager without much prompting! Also, I am still hesitant to say that they co-opted the libertarian liberty movement. To me, it just looks that during the last year or so, the economic situation got bad enough that the time for action arrived, and Republicans acted.
Marcy
That must have been a big bus to hold 70,000 people.
Marge