Bobo Brooks on Tea Parties: "No movement like that lasts"

"Your reflexive response to Scott Brown's not joining Sarah for the Boston Tea Party is like flocking behavior," we twittered a couple of folks out there who have their panties in a twist about our junior senator's plans (see below for more), comparing their response to the way flocks of birds "wheel and swoop in unison," in self-protective response to perceived environmental clues.

"No movement like that lasts," snickered Paradisical Bobo David Brooks in response to host David Gregory's question about whither the Tea Party on Sunday's "Meet the Press." The unwatchable showcase for preening Northeast-Corridor fuddy duddies caught us off guard in the wakeful weakened wee hours when our self-preserving urge to surf away was momentarily overcome by the highway-accident-can't-not-look response.

Meanwhile within the Tea Party tribe itself the flock is in a frenzy, flitting this way and that at the slightest perceived threat in the political surrounds, like this latest horror headlined grimly by our own beloved Boston Herald:

Scott Brown snubs Sarah Palin, bags Tea Party rally.

One of the out-of-state, too-clever-by-half wee-hour twitterers had it all figured out:

In 2012, he'll start begging and kissing ass. He's already learning from his mentor McLame.

Even the totally awesome Boston radio talkster Michael Graham was a bit snippy:

Gee thanks, Scott. Sen. Brown caves to political pressure, won't appear at Boston Tea Party with Sarah & me.

We say, lighten up. Scott Brown IS a politician, after all, and a smart one chooses his battles. Hey, Jules Crittenden, what's the story? More shock, shlock from the Herald:

U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, whose stunning victory in January was fueled in part by Tea Party anger, has snubbed the fiery grassroots group and declined its invitation to join Sarah Palin Wednesday at a massive rally on Boston Common, the Herald has learned.

Brown’s decision to skip the first big rally in Boston by the group whose members are credited with helping him win election has some experts saying he’s tossed the Tea Party overboard, as he prepares for re-election in 2012 …

Barbara Klain, head of the Greater Lowell Tea Party, said Brown also turned down an invite to speak at their April 15 rally in downtown Lowell. “He said he was going to be in Washington,” Klain said. “He needs to be doing his job.” It’s a view Sabato suggested was willfully naive.

Fiery and naive. That's us, "that one-woman electoral army" who has no intention of trying to micro-manage the man we helped propel to the people's seat.

Update: "I understand quite completely. I wouldn't want to share a podium with Sarah Palin for any number of reasons," writes blog buddy Barry Campbell in the comments, in a masterpiece of ambiguity made for reading into.

Update II: Jules answers the call: "Brown goes mavericky":

All of which, the immediate concerns of national partisan politics aside, makes Brown a fascinating political story, given his explosive arrival on the scene as a truck-driving everyman at the head of a rebellion. Getting re-elected, actually being effective and remaining relevant were always going to be issues, and could prove to be a complicated dance. Now we get to watch how he plans to do it.

Update III: Jules links and points us to his "pal, local talk jock and Palin podium-sharer" Michael Graham's rousing "Scott Brown, Profile In Courage?":

But the main reason Sen. Brown should be there is to remind everyone of the character of his supporters. These Democrats and independents didn’t vote for him out of hate, or concerns about Obama’s birth records.  I’d love to see Scott use this megaphone to announce our shared positive values, and maybe even call out a kook or two in the crowd and tell them they’ve come to the wrong place.

Update IV: Dan Riehl links with a fire-breathing rant:

Is Brown better than Kennedy? Yes. But if his post-election tendency to immediately go Hollywood, opting for matinee idol status over substantive individual who wanted the job so he could go to work wasn't enough, his slight of the very people who helped him win suggests he's the type of self-serving jerk we need fewer of in Washington and not some Mr. Smith.

Crossposted at Liberty Pundits.

Comments

[Barry Campbell]

I understand quite completely. I wouldn't want to share a podium with Sarah Palin for any number of reasons.

[goomp]

Integrity is mighty hard to find in a politician.

[Gayle Miller]

Scott Brown shouldn't be beholden to ANYBODY outside of his constituents. But to THEM he owes full faith and allegiance!

Here in Virginia, we have two senators who are duds by any measure. On the other hand, we also have Rob Wittman and Eric Cantor. It doesn't QUITE make up for our two dimbulb senators, but it's a start!

Rusty and Buddy send their love to Tiny!

Does anyone else have a cat who falls over on his side when he's being petted? It's the funniest thing. Rusty does it every time.

[Sissy Willis]

Tiny does that sometimes. She flops down, looks up at you and starts purring really loudly in anticipation. : )

[brooklyn]

HEH !

Gayle Miller rocks...

SAVKOBABE!

so does the mighty SISSY AND SISU.

Mr. Brown's probably been misrepresented a little by the Herald, and we know many can play the game to undermine Republicans - Conservatives - Tea Party Protests, etc.

There are many manipulative forces out there, desperately trying to divide to save the disastrous Democratic Party.

The vivid attempt to run a fake "independent" in NJ, to distract - divide is a primary example.

Conservatives, Republicans, Tea Party Protesters, Americans, etc., need to be a little tougher - less jumping to the very worst emotive conclusions.

[Aine]

Sissy, if I were represented by Senator Brown, I wouldn't worry too much about whether or not he shows up at a local rally, but how he votes in Washington. Being a conservative in New England, I understand the difference between a Wrentham Republican and one from Wasilla.

Don't you wonder what ever happened to plain, old common sense and lucid thought? [g]

Love the photos of Tiny and other cats!

[Stoutcat]

Good grief, does no-one in the MSM understand Mass politics? Clearly not, and I sure wish they'd either take the time to figure out what "conservative" means in Mass politics or at least have the grace to keep their pie-holes shut!

[Nolanimrod]

{sigh} This whole style thing has cost me so many friends. Some actual, most unmet but friends nonetheless.

Kathleen Parker for one. I used to correspond with her. We both like Dr. Walker Percy's novels and philosophical musings. But her Palin rants. Good grief! Though I'd never met K. Parker I felt I liked her and her comments on Palin and, by extension, the untutored idiots who liked her, severed a connection I valued.

The same thing happened with Jane Smiley. I adored her Moo and Horse Heaven and even got through A Thousand Acres but when I read her writings on Slate comparing me to the rawer elements of the Redlegs in Bleeding Kansas because I voted for Bush that finished it. I felt the loss. Moo and Horse Heaven were Saki and Mark Twain, respectively, and to find a sparky talent like that was a real treat. Hooray hooray! Caloo callay!

And then? Nolanimrod: you're a piece of murdering trash!

Well, OK, then, Jane. I won't read your books. Sorry.

If I'm tooting a horn, here, at least it's not my own:

I never understood why conservatives could stick to the merits of a thing/argument/proposal while the whatever-they-are-styling-themselves-at-the-moment are questioning whether or not Sara Palin has a vagina and are calling me a bloodthirsty murderer by proxy. I do now. Jonah Goldberg's Liberal Fascism is a little turgid and graduate-school dissertationish - don't let the smiley face fool you - but it will answer your puzzlement about why people you admired demonize you for simply having an opinion which has nothing to do with them.

However, and I shouldn't put this out, but I shall, I think Brooks is having us all on. Especially his editors who are paying him NYT wages to make fun of them. His piece on The Educated People was the clue for me.

Great blog, S. Not sure how I got here, but Fausta, I think. Ciao.

As I said, a loss.

[CGHill]

I am reasonably certain that were I somehow on a podium with Sarah Palin, no one would notice me in the slightest.

Oh, wait. No one notices me now. Never mind. :)

[Nolanimrod]

Man, this was made for comments:

"I understand quite completely. I wouldn't want to share a podium with Sarah Palin for any number of reasons,"

What is the deal? Why do people, especially woman people, hate Sarah Palin? I wanted her for president. No matter who wins I imagine, after about a year, a number of people will wish she were.

[Nolanimrod]

Here I am. Back again.