[ClearCase_guy]

Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.

But the Tea Party doesn't have a leader, so you can't really personalize it. And the Tea Party doesn't really have an agenda -- we just think taxes are too high and the government spends too much. That's a general philosophical viewpoint (widely shared in America) and it's not easy to "freeze it".

They've picked a target, they've polarized it, but all they can do now is be divisive. And that doesn't play well.

[randita]

First of all, they need to aptly describe the Tea Party. Is it comprised of "bitter people clinging to Bibles and guns"? Is it astroturf? Is it a bunch of terrorists? Is it greedy, rich white men? Is it totally inconsequential and inneffective? Or is it so dangerous and influential that it needs to be stamped out?

Every week, they describe it a different way to make a point. Van Jones is even in the process of devising a left wing equivalent (which can't be done because it's not a top down movement).

Every time they attack it, the Tea Party becomes stronger in number and more resolute in purpose.

Bottom line. They are scared to death of the Tea Party and don't have a clue how to neutralize it. All they will succeed in doing is balkanizing the nation even more than it is already balkanized.