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August 26, 2010 in Nation/World
Beck rally raises questions of logistics, tea party strength
WASHINGTON – When Fox News and talk radio host Glenn Beck comes to Washington this weekend to headline a rally intended to “restore honor” to America, he will test the strength – and potentially expose the weaknesses – of a conservative grass-roots movement that remains an unpredictable force in the country’s politics.
Beck, who is both admired and assailed for his faith-based patriotism and his brash criticism of President Barack Obama, plans in part to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. as an American hero. He will speak on the anniversary of the “I Have a Dream” speech, from the spot where King delivered it.
Some tea party activists say the event, at which former Alaska governor Sarah Palin is also scheduled to speak, will have a greater impact than last September’s “9/12” march along Pennsylvania Avenue. Though the attendance figures for that anti-tax rally are disputed, it was the first national gathering to demonstrate the size and influence of the tea party movement.
But with just a few days before the Beck rally, basic questions linger, including how big it will be and whether the event, which Beck says is nonpolitical, will help or hurt Republicans in November. Also unanswered is whether Beck can pull off the connection to King without creating offense – or confrontation with another event the same day led by the Rev. Al Sharpton.
Beck said in a recent broadcast that he did not intentionally choose the “I Have a Dream” anniversary for his rally – but that he believes the coincidence is “divine providence.”
“Whites don’t own Abraham Lincoln,” he said. “Blacks don’t own Martin Luther King. Those are American icons, American ideas, and we should just talk about character, and that’s really what this event is about. It’s about honoring character.”
The rally, which is also being billed as a tribute to U.S. troops, will be held on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
It will be a weekend of political activity, with tea party organizer FreedomWorks hosting a convention in Washington on Friday, Beck’s and Sharpton’s events Saturday, and a major effort by Democrats to knock on 200,000 doors nationwide Saturday and Sunday.
Beck is expecting as many as 100,000 people and is heavily promoting his event on his TV and radio shows. Sharpton expects a smaller number for an annual commemoration of the “Dream” speech. That event, which focuses on education, includes a march to the site of the planned King memorial, at the same end of the Mall as the Lincoln Memorial, placing participants of both events in close proximity.
Beck says his event, “Restoring Honor,” is not intended to rally voters to the polls in November’s midterm elections. No signs are allowed, and not one elected official currently in office will be part of the program. Operatives at virtually every Republican committee in Washington claimed little or no knowledge of the event.
They may well have cause to be squeamish: Beck has accused Obama of reverse racism and of having “a deep-seated hatred of white people,” and his plan to celebrate the lessons of the civil rights era creates the possibility of confrontations. It could also result in damaging imagery, similar to the photos that emerged from some early tea party gatherings, which Democrats could use to paint Republicans as extreme. That may explain why the event is being met with near-total silence by Republicans.
“In general, people coming to Washington, being organized and active is a good thing,” said Doug Heye, a spokesman for Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele. “But I gotta be honest with you – I don’t know about any Glenn Beck event.”
Democrats aren’t passing up the chance to tie the GOP to the rally. “Republicans for well over the past year have firmly embraced the tea party and some of these right-wing fringe groups that Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin have rallied around, and these are becoming serious campaign liabilities in the general election,” said Ryan Rudominer, spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “The fact that they’re trying to plead ignorance is just completely absurd.”
Conservative activists, meanwhile, promise that the rally will show their unity and voice, as last year’s 9/12 event did. Jamie Radtke, founder of the Federation of Virginia Tea Party Patriots, predicted an event as much as twice as large as last year’s, based on the number of buses that local tea party organizers have chartered. The Richmond Tea Party alone is sending 15 buses – up from seven last year, she said.
Marcus Kindley, an organizer for Americans for Prosperity in Greensboro, N.C., predicted a similar showing from his region. “There’s a buildup of energy out here of people frustrated because they don’t think Washington’s listening,” Kindley said. “At 9/12, it was a wonderful coming together of people who felt like their voices weren’t being heard. And I think the reason so many more are coming this year is because our voices still aren’t being heard.”
It’s not clear what the political effect of the rally will be. Despite the potential for conflict and bad press, it could energize a segment of conservative voters.
The disconnect between tea party groups and GOP electoral efforts has been viewed as evidence that the movement would struggle to translate its power into political results. Yet that disconnect could help draw activists Saturday who are unhappy with both major parties and would be reluctant to participate in a GOP event. Though they profess distaste for Washington, their energy would help Republicans if they turn out in November.
Sharpton, meanwhile, is expecting thousands of participants and has been promoting his event on his daily talk radio show, sending word through the grass-roots groups affiliated with his National Action Network and coordinating small rallies around the country. Spokeswoman Rachel Noerdlinger noted that Sharpton decided in April that his group’s annual commemoration of King’s speech would be in Washington this year, including a march and rally around the King memorial site, and she stressed that it is not in response to the Beck event.
But Sharpton argues that Beck’s message is counter to King’s. “Glenn Beck and others are expected to push for the expansion of states’ rights – the exact antithesis of the civil rights movement and Dr. King’s legacy,” Sharpton said in a news release promoting his march. “The Tea Party and allied conservatives are trying to break that national stance on justice and, in turn, break the crux of what the civil rights movement symbolized and what Dr. King fought and literally died for.”
Ancient Roman wrecks found in deep water 
Scoutster on August 26 at 7:08 a.m.
Can a Tea Party theme park, featuring Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin, and Ronald Reagan in Disney style costumes, be far behind?
Thoreau on August 26 at 8:08 a.m.
“Reverse Racism” ? Can a Tea Party member please explain the difference between reverse racism, and racism? These people show their ignorance on a consistent basis.
Vernon on August 26 at 8:08 a.m.
Not that Republicans haven’t long proven they are much different, but as a step toward bringing forth at least an ounce of integrity in any discussion… shouldn’t we henceforth call the Democrats - Marxist and the Republicans the not so far behind - Socialist? (Even an elementary review of each of their Platforms so identifies them.)
Perhaps by so identifying, ‘We the People’ will become better conditioned to more clearly recognize what exactly are the proper parameters and honest, though often hidden, goals any political promotion entails.
Perhaps then, we’ll also begin to consider voting for (probably new) American Statesmen rather than continuing our ‘nose ring - follow the leader voting habits for politicians who so often simply vote along Party lines… even though those things voted upon so often remain at extremes against Historic American values.
SugarShane on August 26 at 9:15 a.m.
Thoreau, Im not in the tea party but I think I can explain Reverse Racism. I think what Beck means is that Racists are white people that hate people of other colors or nationality, while reverse racism is non-whites hating white people. It doesnt make much sense, but these people rarely do. They continually show themselves to be uneducated, listen to Beck or Palin for any number of minutes and lose an equivalent number of IQ points. Stupid is as stupid does.
misjustice on August 26 at 9:21 a.m.
Strange that Beck wants to “restore honor” in ‘Merica…where the heck was he, and the Beckerheads, when Dumbya was trashing the Constitution, leading us into an illegal war, and destroying our nation’s reputation on the world stage?
Thoreau on August 26 at 10:32 a.m.
misjustice~ That is what I’m constantly wondering about the Tea Party. Surely they must see their selective criticism coincidentally timed after W’s 8 year hijacking of our American rights. Then again, I guess they’re satisfied that W was white, and boasted of his Texan roots.
schleufer on August 26 at 5:25 p.m.
read the paragraph at the bottom of glenns web page about this event.
http://www.glennbeck.com/828/
they are going to skim off thier costs first before handing over the balance to this special ops warrior foundation.
what a cheap skate.
schleufer on August 26 at 5:32 p.m.
Beck said in a recent broadcast that he did not intentionally choose the “I Have a Dream” anniversary for his rally – but that he believes the coincidence is “divine providence.”
so is it also a coincidence that dr alveda king {MLKs neice} is going to be there?
Who are the speakers?
The speakers include representatives from SOWF, Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin, Dr. Alveda King and Marcus Luttrell. Jo Dee Messina will be performing as well.
misjustice on August 26 at 5:45 p.m.
Divine providence coincidence? With a large helping of bull!
misjustice on August 26 at 6:08 p.m.
The “rally” of divine providence may not even happen as planned.
“…problems abound. Beck has a demonstration that is trying to call itself anything else and a Charity Benefit that can’t collect funds at the event. He has no permit and it’s unclear that if a permit is approved whether it will be anywhere near the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. He has thousands of fans who have already purchased tickets to travel and made reservations to stay. He has collected a couple of million dollars that may or may not be needed. And all poor SOWF and it’s Republican Board of Directors can do is place a paragraph denying political affiliation and pray the politics doesn’t get worse (who will Beck invite next?). I bet they are wishing they could preview any speeches for the day.”
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/7/19/884335/-SOWF-Feeling-the-Political-HeatBecks-Benefit-Headaches
SOWF is barred, due to it’s tax exempt status, from drawing funds from political events…hmmmm.
Scoutster on August 26 at 9:46 p.m.
Hehehehehehe