Is the Tea Party breaking up?
What a feud between rival leaders means for the grassroots movement's future
A widely publicized spat between two Tea Party groups has fueled talk of a serious rift within the protest movement. Many politicial analysts say the National Tea Party Federation's expulsion of California radio host and Tea Party Express leader Mark Williams for a racially tinged attack on the NAACP could disrupt Tea Partiers and make them less of a force in November's midterm elections. But Tea Party Federation spokesman David Webb says there's "not a split" — Webb was just "an embarrassment" who didn't represent the movement properly. Is the Tea Party breaking up? (Watch Mark Williams defend the Tea Party)
This "flap" has ignited an internal Tea Party revolt: This controversy, touched off by NAACP complaints of racism within the Tea Party, is now "about far more than just race," says Zachary Roth in The Daily Beast. It's about who is going to control the Tea Party, and by setting itself up as the movement's "race cop" the federation has stirred up a "revolt" among some grassroots groups. So much for turning the Tea Party into a "disciplined" and "united" movement.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Talk of a rift is a liberal distraction: The mainstream media's obsession with alleged racism and infighting in the Tea Party is just a meaningless distraction, says the Heritage Foundation's Rory Cooper at Politico. Some questions that voters should really be thinking about this fall, for example, are whether President Obama is doing a good job of handling the BP oil spill — "No" — and whether he is killing the Gulf economy with his "court-defying" drilling moratorium — "Yes."
"Will tea party infighting hurt the movement?"
This "food fight" isn't what divided the Tea Party: Liberals "have done their self-interested best to hype the racial element of this grassroots food fight," says Dan Gerstein in Forbes. But the divide between the majority of Tea Partiers and their "bigoted fringe" is "the least of their problems." The real issue is that, 18 months into its existence, the Tea Party still "literally has no center" or leadership or rules — "let alone a well-defined agenda."
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The drive behind Germany's pro-Israel political consensus
Under the Radar Belief that Israel's security is a 'raison d'etre for the German republic' is under growing pressure
By The Week UK Published
-
'The House under GOP rule has become a hostile workplace'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
The Shohei Ohtani gambling scandal is about more than bad bets
In The Spotlight The firestorm surrounding one of baseball's biggest stars threatens to upend a generational legacy and professional sports at large
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
The debate about Biden's age and mental fitness
In Depth Some critics argue Biden is too old to run again. Does the argument have merit?
By Grayson Quay Published
-
How would a second Trump presidency affect Britain?
Today's Big Question Re-election of Republican frontrunner could threaten UK security, warns former head of secret service
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Rwanda plan is less a deterrent and more a bluff'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week UK Published
-
Henry Kissinger dies aged 100: a complicated legacy?
Talking Point Top US diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize winner remembered as both foreign policy genius and war criminal
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Last updated
-
Trump’s rhetoric: a shift to 'straight-up Nazi talk'
Why everyone's talking about Would-be president's sinister language is backed by an incendiary policy agenda, say commentators
By The Week UK Published
-
More covfefe: is the world ready for a second Donald Trump presidency?
Today's Big Question Republican's re-election would be a 'nightmare' scenario for Europe, Ukraine and the West
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Xi-Biden meeting: what's in it for both leaders?
Today's Big Question Two superpowers seek to stabilise relations amid global turmoil but core issues of security, trade and Taiwan remain
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Will North Korea take advantage of Israel-Hamas conflict?
Today's Big Question Pyongyang's ties with Russia are 'growing and dangerous' amid reports it sent weapons to Gaza
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published