Tea Party, Religious Right: New Bedfellows?

06 October 2010 |permalink | email article

A new poll suggests that half of those who consider themselves part of the tea party movement also identify as part of the religious right. As published by the Washington Post it reflects a complex – and sometimes contradictory – blend of bedfellows in the American conservative movement.

The poll, released Tuesday by the nonprofit Public Religion Institute, and funded by the Ford Foundation, aimed at clarifying the relationship between the two groups. “The way the data looks, if this was a marriage of convenience, it’s one that would be against the law. The relatives are too close,” said Institute chief executive Robert Jones, a self-described progressive.

Among findings: Eleven percent of Americans say they’re part of the tea party movement – about half the size who say they are part of the religious right or conservative movement; Among Christian conservatives 39 percent say Fox News is the “most trusted source” for accurate information about politics, while 57 percent of tea partiers say that; A Washington Post poll published Tuesday found more than half of all white evangelicals “support or lean toward supporting the tea party.” What happens to this complex coalition if Republicans take control of Congress? 

Meg’s New Cop Buddies

The Bay Citizen reported that last week’s independent expenditure of $450,000 by a political action committee on behalf of the Republican gubernatorial candidate was especially striking. The California Law and Order Independent Expenditure Committee was formed early this year when the Los Angeles Police Protective League and the Association of Los Angeles County Deputy Sheriffs joined forces. The money came after Whitman carved out an exemption for public safety workers in her plan to reform pensions. UC Berkeley political science professor Bruce Cain said “the exemption looks suspiciously like a quid pro quo.” And it does.

Media Note

CNN’s Parker Spitzer kicked off last night with a dual-anchor format featuring conservative pundit Kathleen Parker and former New York Governor. The New York Post called it a tepid debut. But I found it alive, funny and even informative, with guests like Oliver Stone, Doris Kearns Goodwin and Dick Armey. It’s got a long way to go to catch The O’Reilly Factor and Countdown with Keith Olbermann. But it’s a step in reviving fallen CNN.

Quotable

“Gutierrez, si, Rahm, no!” – Obama’s former chief of staff got a sometimes rude reception as he kicked off his campaign for Chicago mayor. On the near West Side in a Mexican-American neighborhood one group held signs for U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez who may run.

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