No Kings Protest: A Comparison to the Tea Party Movement
The No Kings protest emerged across the nation in June and has drawn parallels to the Tea Party protests that began in 2009, especially around tax time. However, the way mainstream media covered the events back then seems quite different from the more favorable portrayal of today’s No Kings demonstrations.
Back in 2009, various news networks accused Fox News of biased reporting regarding the Tea Party Movement. Critics, like ThinkProgress, suggested that Fox was “actively promoting protests.” Politico even stated that the network “blurs the line between journalism and advocacy” and referred to its coverage as “pseudo-journalism.”
“The issue is that you can’t manufacture grassroots enthusiasm like in 2009, especially when hidden interests are funding these movements,” was a sentiment echoed by many.
According to reports, Fox News provided detailed information about attending and organizing protests, including dates and locations. This was in stark contrast to networks like CBS News, which seemed to downplay the grassroots nature of such movements in subsequent coverage.
Double Standards in Coverage
Media organizations have conducted analyses, like an extensive report from Media Matters for America, pointing out the disparity in how Fox News promoted Tea Party protests compared to other outlets. Many asserted that Tea Party organizers labeled their activities as nonpartisan, particularly critiquing Obama’s fiscal policies.
The left-leaning media tended to diminish the grassroots character of protests; a recent article from CBS News revised its headline from a vague mention to a more explicit acknowledgment of the event’s significance the next day.
Grassroots or Astroturf?
In Richmond, Virginia, reports indicated that “over 5,000 people braved the cold to attend,” a stark contrast to the estimates of other gatherings. Organizations like FreedomWorks and the Americans for Prosperity foundation were identified as major players behind these protests.
Fast forward to the No Kings protests—data from DataPublican indicates over 140 organizations potentially involved in funding these events. Some observers have pointed out the pronounced differences in how grassroots efforts are characterized across the political spectrum.
“Ah, the irony. Back when I helped organize a large taxpayer march in 2009, some outlets accused us of Astroturfing,” noted one organizer from the 2009 Tea Party. “Now, it seems they can’t replicate that spontaneous grassroots energy, especially not when interests are bankrolling these movements.”
Reflection on Partisan Coverage
In retrospect, 2009 saw a lot of partisan reporting regarding the Tea Party. Left-leaning outlets often dismissed it as a grassroots effort, while right-leaning ones highlighted its influence. Interestingly, some of these left-leaning outlets have begun to reassess the Tea Party’s impact, suggesting that it restructured the Republican Party’s trajectory.
What’s more intriguing is the assertion that the Tea Party could be viewed as the first true grassroots movement in recent history. There certainly are notable contrasts between the No Kings protests of today and the Tea Party demonstrations from 2009, particularly in terms of media treatment and organizational support.
