Reporter’s dream of a split in Colorado tea party movement is way over blown

Stephanie Simon is reporting that Colorado's tea party and related groups are "splintering", which is absurd. First, most tea partiers and Republicans are united behind Tom Tancredo for governor and Ken Buck for U.S. senator. And most are backing John Suthers for attorney general and Ryan Frazier, Scott Tipton, Cory Gardner and Mike Fallon for Congress.

Second, tea party folks are as split as Republicans and Democrats. There always are some Republicans and Democrats who back the other party's candidates. Been there. Done that.

But the real silliness in the story is to pretend that there is, ever was or ever will be a consensus among tea party sympathizers. It just has never happened. Never will.

So Simon talked to a few Maes backers who are unhappy because only 5% of Coloradans say they will vote for him. Tancredo's supporters and Buck's supporters aren't identified as such even though they're quoted in the story.

Well, you can only do so much in a 10- or 15-inch story. But it's not hard to write a misleading and sensational 25-word lede and use poll numbers that make your point while ignoring those that show you're off base.

The story get's an "F".

LINK: State tea-party groups splinter as vote nears, by Stephanie Simon.

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