Tea Party ‘Is Dead’: How the Movement Fizzled in 2012’s GOP Primaries (Barf!)

The Daily Beast ^ | February 6, 2012 | Patricia Murphy

[rightwingintelligentsia]

It was the great wildcard going into the 2012 election cycle. Republican Party insiders openly worried the Tea Party might knock off the establishment presidential candidate, just as it knocked out establishment picks in the chaotic 2010 congressional races. Party heavyweights wondered whom the upstart movement would get behind and whether Mitt Romney could even get through the early states, given the once-raging Tea Party elements in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina.

But after months of wondering how the Tea Party would change the primary game, leaders inside the movement admit they never came in off the sidelines. For the Tea Party movement, the 2012 presidential primaries have been a bust.

“The Tea Party movement is dead. It’s gone,” says Chris Littleton, the cofounder of the Ohio Liberty Council, a statewide coalition of Tea Party groups in Ohio. “I think largely the Tea Party is irrelevant in the primaries. They aren’t passionate about any of the candidates, and if they are passionate, they’re for Ron Paul.”

[rightwingintelligentsia]

Maybe more wishful thinking on the part of the libs.

[lonevoice]

Maybe more wishful thinking on the part of the libs.

And the Paultards.

[Joe the Pimpernel]

We all have jobs, unlike the OWS goons.

[Sybeck1]

The establishment guy is winning and he has the rouge libertarian in his back pocket. Sounds about right. The tea party died without a whimper.

[Longbow1969]

Hate to say it, but with Romney the chameleon seemingly well on his way to being the GOP nominee, it really doesn’t appear the Tea Party was able to effect the primary process very much at all (yet, anyway).

It seems the Tea Party is very good at being against things like Obamacare, etc, but not yet very strong at energizing its supporters for specific agenda items/candidates. I guess it is just one of the drawbacks of a leaderless movement. The real problem might just be that while Newt and Santorum are better than Mitt, neither are all that truly exciting and inspiring in the mold of a Reagan.

[Ingtar]

Does half right count? Many are not passionate about the candidates. However, that same “many” are not passionate about Ron Paul and his kook wagon either.

[KarlInOhio]

Too many decent candidates among whom the vote was split but none to gather them all together until it was too late. I had thought Cain would be the one, but apparently the Mitt-stream Media thought so too so they destroyed him.

[RIghtwardHo]

And the GOP Elites.

[Mr. K]

WHO’S UP FOR A TEA PARTY MARCH ON GOP HEADQUARTERS?

[qwerty1234]

Its a pretty accurate summary imo, unfortunately. Look at the two leading (R) candidates, neither one could be called a real conservative with a straight-face (while Newt likes to occasionally gives speeches like a conservatives, he has not walked the walk). If the TP had enough supporters, there would be a credible TP candidate, or at least someone with bona fide conservative credentials. Right now everyone needs to hold their nose to vote.

[G Larry]

This would be a good time for “We the Tea Party” to stand up and kick the libs in the teeth!

Let’s put up the most conservative, ARTICULATE candidates possible for House & Senate seats and kick their butts!

(Note: with libs it is quite possible to kick them in the teeth and butt in one move.....)

[RC2]

The Tea Party is still alive and working. I believe it is waiting to see who is going to take on Obama. At that point it will resurface in full force as it did in the past.

[bimboeruption]

Littleton and Meckler are shills for the GOP who are only interested in self-promotion.

Read about Meckler here: http://motherjones.com/politics/2010/10/tea-party-mark-meckler-herbalife

In 2010, Littleton pushed RINO Rob Portman over another candidate who was a self-made millionaire and a true Conservative. Now he’s a Paulbot and attempted to make it appear that the Ohio Liberty Council was supporting Paul. Most of the member groups let him know they were not supporting Paul and that they were very unhappy with him, so Littleton resigned.

The Ohio Liberty Council is in shambles because of him and the self-promoter who replaced him, but the rest of the Ohio Tea Party groups I’m in contact with are doing very well, thank you.

[SMARTY]

Whistling past the graveyard

[Sybeck1]

Is the Tea Party won’t take out the “grandfather” of Obamacare, what will they do?

[Sam Gamgee]

There are all without inspiration, and that is why Obama will win. With Mitt as the candidate it will be the same as with McCain. Even a right of center of running mate won't do it for voters. If voters can't wake up excited to vote, you just can't win the election.

[Let_It_Be_So]

I like to compare the political strength between the OWS crowd (and their supporters) and the Tea Party crowd (and their supporters).

The former will likely vote for Obama or against Romney/Gingrich (and a small percentage will go for the fringe Green Party or some such candidacy) or stay home.

The latter will likely vote for Romney/Gingrich or against Obama (and a small-?-percentage will go for the fringe Constitution Party or some such candidacy) or stay home.

At the moment, I believe the latter group will have more votes than the former. We’ll see in November.

[bramps]

All ye of little faith. I don't know what you folks are referring to but it looks to me that the Tea Party is alive and very well. As Newt says, if you add the candidates support other than Romney you will see it's more than 50%. The fly in the ointment is the way Romney is depicting himself while the Tea Party members are believing what he says and vote for him. I've lived under his Gubernatorial reign and watched him run against Kennedy and Kerry. It's scary that he is in the lead presently. While he talks a good game, his actions will be nothing short of a subdued Obama. No one is paying attention to his prior stands on Obamacare, right to life, gay marriage etc. I personally don't think he will win in the long run. I'm hoping the country is getting a good look at his real actionable feelings and which way he will govern if elected President.
He has recently stated that he would repeal Obamacare, however, in the past he said he will give the states that opportunity if they want to. You can bet he will not get entangled in any controversial subject where he has to fight vigorously to get legislation passed. It's not going to happen. My only consoling factor to myself is that anyone short of Castro would be better than the current occupant of the White House.

[Longbow1969]

I had thought Cain would be the one, but apparently the Mitt-stream Media thought so too so they destroyed him.

Cain was on a glorified book tour. He was never going to be a serious candidate for any length of time - the moment he got any real scrutiny he wilted. Herman had a bimbo eruption he could not and did not want to defend. Had he been the nominee we'd have lost by 25 points.

[RygelXVI]

The real problem might just be that while Newt and Santorum are better than Mitt, neither are all that truly exciting and inspiring in the mold of a Reagan.

QFT