Congress

On March 16, 2010, Tea Partiers from around the country gathered (in disappointing numbers) in front of the Capitol building for their final protest against health care reform. Also in town, appropriately, was Barnum & Bailey's actual circus.

In February 2010, the group Tea Party Nation organized the first Tea Party Convention in Nashville, TN, a for-profit event. Some 600 people paid $550 to attend, and Sarah Palin was reportedly paid $115,000 to the be the keynote speaker. After criticism of the convention's cost, for-profit status, and payment to Palin, multiple national Tea Party organizations withdrew their participation.

On October 1, 2009, House Minority Leader John Boehner said in a press availability, "I'm still trying to find the first American to talk to who's in favor of the public option, other than a member of Congress or the administration...

Some interview footage that didn't make it in our original September 2009 DC Teabagger Party film, linked here: Produced and edited by Chase Whiteside (interviews) and Erick Stoll (camera). DONATE: Our films are free to watch, but costly to produce. Every contribution helps to keep us online. http://newleftmedia.com/supportnlm

On 9.12.2009, we went to Washington DC to document the Tea Party protests against, well, a lot of things, including health insurance reform, the IRS, abortion, global warming, and our "socialist/communist/fascist/Nazi/Muslim" president, Barack Obama.

Among the group of Republicans tripping over themselves for the chance to run against Nick Lampson, my favorite is notoriously grouchy State Representative Robert Talton. And from what I can tell, Mr. Talton and his political consultants are fans of mine as well.

 

And before you ask, yes, he really brought cookies.