By Lindsay Beyerstein, Media Consortium Blogger

In this interview, Stan explains that while the event was billed as a grassroots convergence, it was in fact orchestrated by Dick Armey's FreedomWorks and the right wing Americans for Prosperity. The rally also received massive amounts of free publicity from Fox News host Glenn Beck, coordinator of the 9-12 project. Stan describes how all the abortion-, immigration- and death panel-talk binds social conservatives, nativists, and big business interests into a cohesive rightwing coalition.

Stan says that ,while the tea baggers have cropped up recently, the leaders of the movement have been at this game since LBJ trounced Barry Goldwater in 1964.

To learn more, check out Addie's recent writing on the Tea Parties at AlterNet. The Wing Nut Code explains the significance of those creepy yellow snake flags and other right wing symbology; and The Same Old Faces explains how old guard Goldwater partisans are still pulling the strings for the right wing.

If the embedded audio player is not working for you, please listen to the interview here.

This post features links to the best independent, progressive reporting about health care and is free to reprint. Visit  Healthcare.newsladder.net for a complete list of articles on health care affordability, health care laws, and health care controversy. For the best progressive reporting on the Economy, and Immigration, check out Economy.Newsladder.net and Immigration.Newsladder.net. This is a project of The Media Consortium, a network of 50 leading independent media outlets, and created by NewsLadder.

There's more...

By Lindsay Beyerstein, Media Consortium Blogger

There's more...

When okamichan13 posted the first multimedia recap for me less than two weeks ago (a diary I wrote, but wanted help cross-posting), I thought I would post another one in a month or two.  It turns out I can't wait that long.  Good news about John Edwards is coming so fast and furious that if I wait even another two weeks, this post will be way too long to wade through.  All over the country, people are discovering the Edwards message and getting on board with his campaign.

There's more...

Yesterday I spent part of the morning talking to Paul Hackett in his Ford Truck outside of Hackett for Senate HQ. Here's the conversation:

hackett-the-day-after-FULL.mp3

Renee in Ohio has started a transcript: Part 1 | Part 2

This has been a real tough one for me. I've been convering Paul online longer than anyone. It was obvious the first moment I heard him that he was something different. A spark that could lead to real  change in Ohio. It's hard to watch someone that I admire so much taking such a beating from his own team. It amazes me that as angry as he was at his Party, he still holds true to his faith in the process and the values that his Party stands for.

Down, but not out.

There's more...