The thugs and media are on the same side. The Tea Party is not and should not wish to be on the same side as the media. The media are just an extension of the Democrat Party.
I had occasion to keep tabs on some of the anti draft anti vietnam war demostrations during the 60’s. Frequently there was advanced notice on all the airways of an upcoming event and just to add some kindling to the fire, the TV news crews would show up 6 hours ahead of time to set up their cameras. The idea was to get as many people looking for their 15 minutes of fame as they could. It was beyond disgusting as in effect these clowns were creating their own story lines.
Crowd psychology is something far different then behavior by individuals. Individuals who were normally non aggressive, when surrounded in a pack generally followed a few professional aggitators into behaviors they never would do on their own. This was always bourne out at the police station when mommy and daddy came to get their little psuedo commies out of jail. First comment always was my little johnny would never do anything like that. Sometimes the police would show them pictures or even film of little johnny in action and the parents were mortified. Too bad none of them did not leave little johnny in his cell for a few weeks till his case came up or just cut him loose for good from all aid in the future to send a message the courts were not equipped to cope with given the numbers involved.