Frank Rich’s Column Via Memorandum:

Unlike Scott Brown, whose Tea Party cred consisted mainly of opposition to the health care bill and a pickup truck, Paul is one of the movement’s card-carrying founding fathers. From the start, he openly defined himself as a Tea Party tribune, and its followers embraced him (and contributed to him) as their uncompromising avatar. Now, after months of debate about what this movement is and isn’t, Paul’s victory provides clear-cut answers.

The Tea Party is not merely an inchoate expression of a political mood, or an amorphous ragtag band of diverse elements, or a bipartisan cry of dissatisfaction with the supposed “government takeover” of health care. The Tea Party is a right-wing populist movement with a specific ideology. It resides in the aging white base of the Republican Party and wants to purge that party of leaders who veer from its dogma. But divisive as the Tea Party may be within the G.O.P., it’s hardly good news for President Obama and the Democrats either. (emphasis added)

Aside from Frank Rich’s disdain for the common man and his concerns dripping from every word,  it is his cluelessness about what is going on around him that is on full display.

As much as Frank wishes only old white guys make up the Tea Party, he couldn’t be more wrong.  Hard working and concerned Americans from all walks of life and races are watching what is transpiring in front of their own eyes and are unhappy. They are unhappy with the uncontrolled spending by our government. They are unhappy with the flippant and condescending attitude of our elected officials who don’t bother reading bills they are voting on. And the American people are unhappy with our government strangling our economy with crazy legislation such as cap and trade and ‘financial reform.’

I’m sorry Frank, these are not “old white guy’ issues. These are issues that effect every American directly and the American people are responding accordingly.

163 Days until November 2nd, 2010