This afternoon I swung by the “New Way Forward” rally in front of the White House – it was billed essentially as a left-leaning Tea-Party-style anti-bank protest that’s being held in dozens of cities around the country.
The group’s website claimed that 438 people planned to attend. But only about a dozen lonely souls showed.
Turnout was so bad that one of the organizers tried to claim that DC rallies “always set the record for low turnout.” Guess that guy’s never heard of the March on Washington. Or the Million Man March. Or this week’s Taxpayer Tea Party on April 15.
Also of note was a claim by liberal blogger Jane Hamsher that the real Tea Parties are “financed by Fox News” and that the movement is “just a bunch of people on the conservative end who are pissed off that they’re not the ones stealing right now.” Whatever that means. Of course, when I asked her about her comments afterward, she refused to answer and walked away.
UPDATE 10:40pm: Jane at firedoglake seems to equate Fox News’ promotion of their upcoming coverage of Wednesday’s Tea Parties with “financing” the events. Of course, by that definition, every other media outlet in the nation would have been “financing” President Obama’s Inauguration when they heavily promoted their coverage of the event a few months ago.
Both cases are essentially just attempts to make money by piggybacking on events that are already wildly popular with large audiences. That’s called savvy marketing – not “financing” the event.
And, of course, Jane could have made that point on camera when she had the chance instead of dodging my interview.
Check out video from the scene below:
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[...] Here’s a report from the ANWF rally in Washington, DC. “The group’s website claimed that 438 people planned to attend. But only about a dozen [...]
Pingback by Instapundit » Blog Archive » A TEA PARTY PROTEST IN PITTSBURGH: Reader Richard Ames sends this photo, and writes: “The crowd wa… April 11, 2009 @ 4:11 pm[...] being said, this report of the Washington DC NWF is worth special consideration (and not to mention, [...]
Pingback by Moe Lane » So, how did the Left’s New Way Forward protests go? April 11, 2009 @ 4:39 pmThanks for this link. The video is a hoot! And, oh so sad. Boo friggin hoo.
Comment by sybilll April 11, 2009 @ 5:44 pm[...] Frank Strategies has a blog entry up about the D.C. lefty tea party and it’s failure. This afternoon I swung by the “New Way Forward” rally in front of the White House – it was billed essentially as a left-leaning Tea-Party-style anti-bank protest that’s being held in dozens of cities around the country. [...]
Pingback by Holy Hell Leftist Tea Party April 11, 2009 @ 6:14 pmThe liberals never back up anything, they just run when they are confronted, love the video..lol
Comment by Madamebutterfly April 11, 2009 @ 6:18 pmDear Wingnut,
http://static1.firedoglake.com/1/files//2009/04/cavuto-20090409-beck.jpg
You can start fucking off now…
Comment by dave™© April 11, 2009 @ 6:44 pm[...] pathos from Frank Strategies, on the scene in D.C. to watch people-powered politics lay low the plutocrats. I’m honestly [...]
Pingback by Hot Air » Blog Archive » Video: Lefty tea party doesn’t quite rock Wall Street to its core April 11, 2009 @ 7:07 pmHey morans, go over to Jane’s latest post where she has the evidence you didn’t wait around to get from her about how Faux News is indeed pimping for you lousy teabaggers.
Comment by Jim White April 11, 2009 @ 7:08 pmhttp://firedoglake.com/2009/04/11/what-part-of-fnc-tax-day-tea-parties-dont-you-understand/#comments
“financed by Fox News”
Comment by newtonusr April 11, 2009 @ 7:29 pmum, yep
http://firedoglake.com/2009/04/11/what-part-of-fnc-tax-day-tea-parties-dont-you-understand/
Proof enough that Fox supported this thing?
http://static1.firedoglake.com/1/files//2009/04/cavuto-20090409-beck.jpg
Comment by Shoto April 11, 2009 @ 7:29 pmNice video. The Hamshers of the Left sometimes just can’t tell what’s up or down.
Comment by Richard April 11, 2009 @ 7:41 pmTo my certain knowledge, there are at least three comments (including my own) which are not posted on this thread. Does this mean that you’re actively ignoring those remarks, (which would, in turn, indicate that you’re not being “fair and balanced”)? The screen shot being linked would seem to suggest that Fox is actively supporting the teabag protests. Any comment on that?
Comment by Shoto April 11, 2009 @ 7:48 pmIt’s hard to get a lot of people to a protest when you side is winning by such a wide margin. We have better things to do, like use Bush’s terror laws to identify potentially dangerous right-wingers, take their guns, and put them in FEMA camps. God’s work. Keep on teabaggin’
Comment by Jason April 11, 2009 @ 8:01 pmRight on! Or what about the Millions for Marriage event upcoming!
Comment by Styve April 11, 2009 @ 8:06 pmWhere are all the commenters?
Comment by Styve April 11, 2009 @ 8:13 pmLove the video.
Comment by American Daughter April 11, 2009 @ 8:16 pmVisit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Comment by Styve April 11, 2009 @ 8:17 pmLove how liberals just say whatever they want. Then run or shout you down when you confront them on their lies. Bravo.
Comment by bobbydank April 11, 2009 @ 8:22 pmWhat a joke these people are! You would think if they were so tough they’d be all over this site defending their Borg Queen with so evidence. Cowards! Nice job Frank! Just because FOX is giving free advertizing and coverage doesn’t mean they’re funding anything…that’s like saying people who buy commercials during a show are funding the programming…losers…
Comment by Aqualad April 11, 2009 @ 8:33 pmThe video is hysterical. Hamsher is making fun of you over on her site, claiming that she didn’t duck you, although I don’t think the evidence would point any other way – in the time it took her to duck you, she could have just answered your question.
Besides, her comment about conservatives is basically an admission that the liberals are stealing from us.
Comment by Selkirk April 11, 2009 @ 8:37 pmYou know, it would be easier to believe that Fox News has nothing to do with putting together these “spontaneous”, “grassroots” Tea Parties if they weren’t sending Fox News hosts out to the four points of the compass to live broadcast from them.
Comment by David Ferguson April 11, 2009 @ 8:38 pmhttp://tinyurl.com/d7cj7b
Comment by Bobsyeruncle April 11, 2009 @ 8:41 pmI bet you’d have a lot more comments than 3, if you’d approve the ones that show what a liar you are, with your misrepresentations.
Such cowards the right wing is, hiding behind your shiny uniforms and gruff manner.
Comment by Brion Emde April 11, 2009 @ 8:44 pmThe guy who said that DC always gets low turnouts looked like David Swanson.
Comment by Becky D April 11, 2009 @ 8:46 pmhttp://www.davidswanson.org/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiMlI6yDI70
Too funny.
[...] Ed Frank went to the New Way Forward rally that Jane Hamsher helped promote and has this to report about the left’s answer to conservatives’ “tea parties” that have turned out tens of thousands of people to protest against Barack Obama’s massive deficit spending plan. [...]
Pingback by Black Shards, In Your Eyes, Blinding » Liberal Tea Party Protest Fails to Boil April 11, 2009 @ 9:17 pmhttp://mediamatters.org/items/200904090038?f=h_top
Comment by Richard April 11, 2009 @ 9:45 pmDave and other moonbats,
FNC has some hosts going to some Tea Parties. FNC has not organized these events.
I have assisted in organizing the last and the upcoming Tea Party in my area and I assure you FNC had nothing to do with it.
I have been in contact with literally 100’s of organizers from around the nation, FNC has nothing to do with their events either.
Comment by Keith April 11, 2009 @ 11:21 pmYeah Fox News is helping with the funding alright. They are helping to push the cost of the Atlanta event by $25,000. Money that is having to be raised locally since there is no money coming from either Sean Hannity or Fox
Comment by Just A Grunt April 11, 2009 @ 11:47 pmUPDATE 10:40pm: Jane at firedoglake seems to equate Fox News’ promotion of their upcoming coverage of Wednesday’s Tea Parties with “financing” the events. Of course, by that definition, every other media outlet in the nation would have been “financing” President Obama’s Inauguration when they heavily promoted their coverage of the event a few months ago.
Isn’t “A new way forward” a bought and sold group financed by the union – SEIU – which is financed by the taxpayers???
Doesn’t this person have more to answer for?
Who pays you, whore Hamsher?
She’s already admitted she’s paid to praise and speak, she probably pulled down a couple grand just to show up to that FAUX protest today.
Is I were her readers I would be wondering and very insulted, because it’s apparent all Hamsher is trying to do is to get their money.
Comment by Peach April 12, 2009 @ 2:19 amI’m guessing this why Ned Lamont was elected Senator of Connecticut.
Comment by French April 12, 2009 @ 2:21 amOh no, tell me she did not bring the KISS FLOAT!!!!
Comment by WOLCOTT April 12, 2009 @ 2:24 amAnyone interested in the facts would understand that Fox became involved after the tax revolt parties (lets be honest, thats why they are about) started. There have been a lot of them before the April 15th ones. Fox isnt “sponsoring or financing” them, they are fundraising for them because their viewers believe in them and a very large segment of their viewership is interested in them. Covering them makes financial sense! Now does anyone really want to say that Beck, Hannity, and Cavuto wouldnt be at these on their own given the chance? I bet they would. So on down the road, when you hear a leftist group say something I spose if this is their standard we get to say they are sponsored and financed by George Soros if we can prove they got one dollar from him eh? What a crock
Comment by Chris D April 12, 2009 @ 11:32 amwow, that video was embarrassing… Liberals get on my nerves about as much as ultra conservatives do. There has to be some common ground. Nothing is as far to the left and/or right as it seems.
Nice blog by the way….
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Comment by jamessye April 12, 2009 @ 11:35 am[...] Apparently left-wingers are trying to have their own Tea Party in response to the conservative protests. If you would like to see something truly pathetic, watch the video. Among the genius things being [...]
Pingback by Tea Party Time! « dumblikeus.wordpress.com April 12, 2009 @ 11:47 amlol I’m a liberal, but that was pretty bad/funny all the same.
I do think however that Fox News is going way overboard with the coverage of these April 15 protests, but since their audience is largely conservative it’s understandable.
We’ll see how good the turnout is though, I’ve got no problem with you guys exercising your rights and protesting.
Comment by Matt Dernoga April 12, 2009 @ 3:47 pmI just did a little number crunching (a very little) based on my 2009 Federal income tax worksheets. On a combined total income of approximately $67,600, my total Federal income
tax comes out to about $5,600. For what it’s worth, I’m paying my own mortgage, and I voted for Obama.
That said, it seems painfully obvious to me that this whole ‘Teabagging’ shtik is pure Astroturf, start to finish, and rather shabby Astroturf at that.
Comment by Robert April 12, 2009 @ 5:31 pm[...] Video: Liberal “Tea Party” in DC is Epic Fail; Blogger Claims Real Tea Parties “F… This afternoon I swung by the “New Way Forward” rally in front of the White House – it was billed [...] [...]
Pingback by Top Posts « WordPress.com April 12, 2009 @ 7:35 pm[...] at the Tea Bag movement just hit a brick wall! The anti-tea party people held a protest … but only 12 people showed up. I say it’s a strange case, because I don’t even think these people know why they’re against [...]
Pingback by Blogging Politics 4 | The Classic Liberal Blog April 13, 2009 @ 12:25 amThe big time protests aginst the WTO a few years ago in SEATTLE was financed by many wealthy groups and persons especialy liberal ones so BLOW IT OUT YOUR EARS NEW WAY FOWARD
Comment by Flu-Bird April 13, 2009 @ 9:16 am[...] Hamsher, epically failed, with a mere 12 people showing up. Watch her scuttle away when asked by Ed Frank of Frank Strategies to back up her crackpot bull horn [...]
Pingback by The Confused Critics Of The Tax Day Tea Parties « Nice Deb April 13, 2009 @ 11:56 am[...] No, we shall not. The only demographic breakdown we shall mention is the one showing that the Left’s protests this year have drawn far more journalists and photographers than actual protesters. [...]
Pingback by Michelle Malkin » Tea Party Smear Watch: The Race Card April 13, 2009 @ 12:24 pmI love how liberals always are quick to blame Fox News for anything that is in opposition to what they believe to be their “holy” cause! It is just such a shock to them that ONE media outlet isn’t wholly in their pockets (and kowtowing to their spurious wonderfulness)! Liberals = LOSERS!
Comment by Gayle Miller April 13, 2009 @ 2:11 pmLiberals. synonyms: anti-Americans, douche bags, losers
Comment by patrioticamerican April 13, 2009 @ 6:28 pmI’m not sure what the point is of saying Fox is financing the innumerable tea parties.
Even if it were true, which like all liberal memes it isn’t, the hundreds of thousands of true Americans that will be demonstrating will put the efforts of the liberals to shame.
Really. How about commenting AFTER the events are over before pronouncing them failures. You’ll be commenting based on facts, not your dementia.
Comment by patrioticamerican April 13, 2009 @ 6:32 pm[...] [...]
Pingback by National Tea Party April 15th! - Page 12 - Political Forum April 14, 2009 @ 10:26 amThat’s pretty much a standard theme in The Cult of the State, probably going back to Marx. Pro-freedom people are never pro-freedom just out of principle: they’re always hirelings, “running dogs,” lackeys, paid-off stooges, etc., of someone else. If people are pro-freedom without getting some kind of financial renumeration for it, then they’re dopes and dupes, suffering from “false consciousness.” Of course, “liberals’ and other State-shtuppers are idealistic and never act out of self-interest.
Comment by Bilwick1 April 14, 2009 @ 12:10 pm[...] out there about the Tax Day Tea Party protests that are going on all over the country. The left is blasting the Tea Party demonstrations as being funded by deep pocket Republicans and as being anything but [...]
Pingback by Tax Day Tea Party: Tea Party Locations » Blue Star Chronicles April 14, 2009 @ 7:19 pm[...] of the participants before crying “astroturf,” then claiming the events were “financed by Fox News” or (fill-in-the-blank) conservative conspiracy, then smearing the protesters as crazed gun nuts [...]
Pingback by Michelle Malkin » A Tax Day Tea Party cheat sheet: How it all started April 15, 2009 @ 7:25 am[...] of the participants before crying “astroturf,” then claiming the events were “financed by Fox News” or (fill-in-the-blank) conservative conspiracy, then smearing the protesters as crazed gun nuts [...]
Pingback by The Right Side of Life » April 15, 2009: Tea Party Day April 15, 2009 @ 9:35 amExcellent site, keep up the good work
Comment by Bill Bartmann September 3, 2009 @ 1:25 pm