# I kinda hope the Tea Party gets a viable candidate. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 4, 2010, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-kinda-hope-the-tea-party-gets-a-viable-candidate/538301 "2010-05-04T17:20:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2010, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-kinda-hope-the-tea-party-gets-a-viable-candidate/538301/1 "2010-05-04T17:20:27Z")
This’ll end up in the pit anyway, so… I hope to God that the Tea Party starts putting forth its own candidates. They will be the Ralph Naders of the Republican Party, turning the GOP’s internal conflict into an all-out civil war. What better could happen for the Democrats? Flame on… ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2010, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-kinda-hope-the-tea-party-gets-a-viable-candidate/538301/2 "2010-05-04T17:23:23Z")
Will they be able to agree enough to get behind one candidate? Are they following leaders? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2010, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-kinda-hope-the-tea-party-gets-a-viable-candidate/538301/3 "2010-05-04T17:28:22Z")
Maybe [this guy?](http://www.tennessean.com/article/20100430/NEWS02/100430039/TN-Congressional-candidates-Gays-were-taken-care-of-when-they-were-in-military) ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2010, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-kinda-hope-the-tea-party-gets-a-viable-candidate/538301/4 "2010-05-04T17:28:23Z")
Well, the Tea Party is more of a movement than an organized party. Though I think that if a charismatic enough candidate surfaces, he will turn them into its own voting bloc. ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2010, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-kinda-hope-the-tea-party-gets-a-viable-candidate/538301/5 "2010-05-04T17:30:00Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Maybe [this guy?](http://www.tennessean.com/article/20100430/NEWS02/100430039/TN-Congressional-candidates-Gays-were-taken-care-of-when-they-were-in-military) A good start. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2010, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-kinda-hope-the-tea-party-gets-a-viable-candidate/538301/6 "2010-05-04T17:30:24Z")
Problem being, they’re a “movement” only in the sense of being \*against \*things. What can anyone offer them that they’d vote _for_? Just personality? ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2010, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-kinda-hope-the-tea-party-gets-a-viable-candidate/538301/7 "2010-05-04T17:36:57Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Problem being, they’re a “movement” only in the sense of being \*against \*things. What can anyone offer them that they’d vote _for_? Just personality? That strategy seems to be working for the GOP right now. Have they had a single idea of their own since the Dems took over? ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2010, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-kinda-hope-the-tea-party-gets-a-viable-candidate/538301/8 "2010-05-04T17:55:53Z")
I though the tea party thing was basically just the Sarah Palin fan club. Wouldn’t that be the obvious choice? ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2010, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-kinda-hope-the-tea-party-gets-a-viable-candidate/538301/9 "2010-05-04T17:58:57Z")
> [@Renee](#): > > I though the tea party thing was basically just the Sarah Palin fan club. Wouldn’t that be the obvious choice? I don’t think it will be Sarah Palin. She’s essentially the laughingstock of American politics. If the Tea Partiers were serious, they’d get someone with more gravitas… like Rush Limbaugh. Okay, I just threw up in my mouth a little, but I’m serious. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2010, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-kinda-hope-the-tea-party-gets-a-viable-candidate/538301/10 "2010-05-04T18:00:49Z")
> [@Agent\_Foxtrot](#): > > They will be the Ralph Naders of the Republican Party… Kind of like how Nader was the Ross Perot of the Democratic Party? ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2010, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-kinda-hope-the-tea-party-gets-a-viable-candidate/538301/11 "2010-05-04T18:04:05Z")
> [@Lord\_Ashtar](#): > > Kind of like how Nader was the Ross Perot of the Democratic Party? Yeah, exactly like that. I’d like nothing better than a viable third party in American politics. If they can swing that, more power to 'em, and I hope that the Republican party, cleansed of the Tea Partiers, can become an actual fiscal responsibility party that I can vote for without lynching gays or locking people up without access to lawyers or hope of trial. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2010, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-kinda-hope-the-tea-party-gets-a-viable-candidate/538301/12 "2010-05-04T18:07:18Z")
Well, if they put forth a “viable” candidate, he or she would, by definition, not be te Ralph Nader of the GOP. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2010, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-kinda-hope-the-tea-party-gets-a-viable-candidate/538301/13 "2010-05-04T18:23:30Z")
> [@Lord\_Ashtar](#): > > Kind of like how Nader was the Ross Perot of the Democratic Party? Good point. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2010, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-kinda-hope-the-tea-party-gets-a-viable-candidate/538301/14 "2010-05-04T18:49:22Z")
> [@Renee](#): > > I though the tea party thing was basically just the Sarah Palin fan club. Wouldn’t that be the obvious choice? Maybe they can get her on the ballot for every open position in 2010 and then she can just pick out the one looks like the least work? Imagine the expense accounts! -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2010, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-kinda-hope-the-tea-party-gets-a-viable-candidate/538301/15 "2010-05-04T18:55:25Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Maybe [this guy?](http://www.tennessean.com/article/20100430/NEWS02/100430039/TN-Congressional-candidates-Gays-were-taken-care-of-when-they-were-in-military) I wonder what he meant by that, and why/if people are jumping to the conclusion that it meant “beat up”. Our gay medic had to shower between certain hours. Anyone that didn’t want to shower with him just avoided the shower at that time. No biggie. So I guess you could say we “took care of it”. Did the congressman ever elaborate on that statement? Serious question. > [@appleciders](#): > > I hope that the Republican party, cleansed of the Tea Partiers, can become an actual fiscal responsibility party that I can vote for without lynching gays or locking people up without access to lawyers or hope of trial. One can only hope. Of course, if that happened, I think the party you describe would be the Tea Partiers, not the GOP. The whole movement started because of outrage over the cost of HCR. If the party split, the TP would be the fiscally responsible one and the GOP would be the religous, racist homophobes. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2010, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-kinda-hope-the-tea-party-gets-a-viable-candidate/538301/16 "2010-05-04T19:04:59Z")
> [@Agent\_Foxtrot](#): > > I don’t think it will be Sarah Palin. She’s essentially the laughingstock of American politics. If the Tea Partiers were serious, they’d get someone with more gravitas… like Rush Limbaugh. > > Okay, I just threw up in my mouth a little, but I’m serious. He would never run, as that would mean giving up his huge salary. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2010, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-kinda-hope-the-tea-party-gets-a-viable-candidate/538301/17 "2010-05-04T19:20:04Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > I wonder what he meant by that, and why/if people are jumping to the conclusion that it meant “beat up”. Our gay medic had to shower between certain hours. Anyone that didn’t want to shower with him just avoided the shower at that time. No biggie. So I guess you could say we “took care of it”. So, people showering at different times than gays means “. . . . they were taken care of **in ways I can’t describe to you**.”? It certainly logical that it means something _closer_ to “beat up” than to “won’t shower with.” > [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > The whole movement started because of outrage over the cost of HCR. Actually, the tea party movement began in early 2009, in response to the stimulus bill. They’ve included HCR since then but HCR is not why the started. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2010, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-kinda-hope-the-tea-party-gets-a-viable-candidate/538301/18 "2010-05-04T20:28:12Z")
They beat the gayness out of 'em? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2010, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-kinda-hope-the-tea-party-gets-a-viable-candidate/538301/19 "2010-05-04T21:24:37Z")
> [@Agent\_Foxtrot](#): > > I kinda hope the Tea Party gets a \*\*viable \*\*candidate. [snip] They will be the \*\*Ralph Naders \*\*of the Republican Party Emphasis added. That word you are using… I do not think it means what you think it means. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2010, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-kinda-hope-the-tea-party-gets-a-viable-candidate/538301/20 "2010-05-04T21:51:09Z")
> [@Agent\_Foxtrot](#): > > If the Tea Partiers were serious, they’d get someone with more gravitas… like Rush Limbaugh. Well, Rush certainly does have a lot of gravitas. Small children are frequently pulled into orbit around him. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-kinda-hope-the-tea-party-gets-a-viable-candidate/538301.md?page=2)