Organizers have reportedly decided that next month's Tea Party convention in Nashville will be closed to the press, except for a few "selected" journalists. The blackout applies to the much-anticipated speeches of Sarah Palin and Rep. Michele Bachmann. Critics questioned the need for secrecy, but organizers said they just want to hold a "working convention" to transform loosely linked protesters into a national movement. "I don't want the sessions disrupted and overrun with the media," said convention spokesman Judson Phillips. Is holding a party convention behind closed doors un-American, or is keeping the media at bay the best way to get work done?
The Tea Party's insistence on secrecy is scary: "There is something deeply creepy about this," says Andrew Sullivan in The Atlantic. The far right wants to cut off the world and marinate in its own juices. But Sarah Palin proved in her campaign that she was one of those populists who "want to speak only to the inner circle," so this is no surprise.
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
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.