Did MoveOn Crash the Tea Party?

Yesterday’s Tea Party at the Washington Monument attracted a counter-protest of Obama supporters. While these protesters denied any official backing, some comments by members suggested there were MoveOn.org members in the mix.

Yesterday’s Tea Party at the Washington Monument attracted a counter-protest of Obama supporters. While they claimed to just be “individual citizens” some comments by members suggested there were also MoveOn.org members in the mix.

FrumForum had heard rumors earlier in the day that MoveOn was organizing a counter-protest to the Tea Party, and asked the volunteers if they were part of the MoveOn group. Some of the counter-protestors said they were just individuals who were not associated with any group. In an interview with TPM, one of the organizers said they were “not sponsored by anyone” and denied any White House or labor union backing. When FrumForum pressed the question to one of the organizers, they were told that several individuals put the counter-protest together, but that “some of them were from MoveOn.”

Their message was a mix of gratitude to Obama for lowering taxes “for the other 95% of the country”, criticism that corporate taxes were too low, and even pro-tax advocacy, with one sign calling taxpayers “patriotic” and another simply stating that “Taxes are good.”

When the group entered the grounds of the monument, Tea Partiers quickly surrounded them. Some wanted to debate the new group with shouting matches, but most seemed to just be interested in the spectacle. Someone with a megaphone began chanting “USA! USA! USA!” which helped to nudge the counter-protest to begin moving. It eventually settled on the side of the road, its numbers dwindling, and its volunteers trying to convince passing cars to honk their horns in support of Obama.

Some members were eager to help the Tea Partiers “discover” the tax cuts that they didn’t know they received. “You’ve all been brainwashed! Obama lies to you!” was the response of one Tea Partier. The individual holding the “Taxes are Good” sign seemed unfazed, “Let’s take a look at this 1040 and let me show you where your tax cut is.” By the time he pulled it out of his pocket, the Tea Partier left, disgusted.

While it remained unclear who had organized “The Other 95%”, there was one counter-protester who seemed genuinely unorganized. A young man was stationed at the gate to the park with a hand drawn sign that said “Obama is not a Socialist. I am a Socialist” and was busy arguing with anyone who to wanted to disagree with him that the Tea Party was racist. “Republicans freed the slaves” was one response he received.