The Tea Party opens a long-planned convention tonight in Daytona Beach, expecting 1,200 delegates, dozens of speakers — but almost no big-name politicians.
None of the leading Republican presidential candidates and only two of the five U.S. Senate candidates agreed to speak at the three-day Florida Tea Party Convention at the Volusia County Ocean Center.
And top Republican officeholders who have previously courted Tea Party support — Gov. Rick Scott, Attorney General Pam Bondi, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and U.S. Rep. Allen West of Plantation — also sent their regrets.
Organizers said they still expect two presidential candidates: U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania. But neither campaign would confirm they're coming, and their campaign schedules don't list the convention.
In fact, all of the politicians who responded to Sentinel inquiries cited scheduling conflicts, though the convention dates were set months ago. And their absence leaves many observers puzzled, considering how popular tea-party events have been among most Republican candidates.
Liberals say the depiction of tea partyers as "extremists" — especially on issues such as immigration — is prompting candidates to keep their distance.
"A lot of politicians are worried about being painted by that association, especially as we get into the real meat of the election cycle," said Mark Ferrulo, executive director of the liberal, Tallahassee-based Progress Florida.
Let's face it the Teabaggers are nucking futs, and any politician who wants to be taken seriously has to make as much space between their campaign, and the lunatics in the tri-corner hats as possible.
Only ex-politicians with no hopes of any future campaigns, like Sarah Palin, can afford to publicly endorse the baggers. Of course Palin is still blowing kisses at them, who else is going to pay to hear her screech about the President if she pisses THEM off?
Personally I think that since the Americans have now seen what jokes the Baggers are as legislators, after a number of them were elected in 2010, they are now simply over them as a movement. I believe that the country is FAR more interested in what kind of change the OWS crowd might usher in, than supporting a movement that has single-handedly caused progress in Washington to grind to a complete halt.
