[UPDATE]:
For further perspective, note that in another part of the sprawling Opryland complex this weekend a group of 500 women bloggers, many of them "mommy bloggers," gathered for their sold-out convention. To my knowledge no national news media covered the event. 500 women bloggers vs 600 right wing nutjobs in white wigs and tri-corner hats. Which one gets the national news media's attention?
The New York Times did an awesome job of buying the spin that this is just a mainstream group of folks. Clearly they did not listen to any of the keynote speeches, in which we heard homophobic rants about morality, anti-immigrant bigotry from Tom Tancredo, and birther conspiracy theories.
So thanks, New York Times. Way to mainstream the Obama hate.
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So everyone says around 600 people showed up for Nasvhille’s Tea Party Convention, right?
For some perspective, the first Netroots Nation drew over twice that amount:
But even after acknowledging this relevant context, what we're left with is an event with 600 participants and a grand total of zero current House members, senators, or governors. There were, by some estimates, 200 journalists on hand to cover this convention, creating a bizarre dynamic -- one reporter for every three participants.
It's all terribly odd. The first Netroots Nation gathering (the conference formally known as Yearly Kos) had 1,400 attendees. The Tea Party convention had less than half this total.
The media attention seems a little disproportionate to what, by all appearances, was an underwhelming get-together.
Indeed it does. But this is just another case where the “liberal media” lie is shown in all of its glory.
And let's remember the national media’s coverage of the left’s anti-war protests was tepid, at best. It seems if a bunch of liberals get together, it’s not news. But some wacko anti-gay, anti-immigrant right wing nutballs gather for three days of hating on the President and 200 media representatives descend on the convention hall.
Weird.
Atrios is right, the right wing rules their world.
