UPDATE: Columbus Dispatch Editor Ben Marrison via email had this to say about its no show. Keep in mind, the Dispatch offices are directly across the street from the Statehouse. He said it was too small. 200 people. Uh huh.
The small protest was not covered by the Dispatch. Given the frequency of small protests, we typically only cover those that are significant in size.
At the Statehouse. Columbus Ohio Tea Party. March 14, 2009.
About 200 people converged at the Statehouse to send their messages to elected officials that they will not stand by and let an out of control Government take over the country. They denounced the stimulus package as pork and condemned Obama and Congress for using the American worker as an ATM. They also spent time encouraging and motivating each other for the fight they see ahead. This was just the beginning and already plans are in the works for an April 15th nationwide Tea Party. Local mainstream media was a no show except for NBC's fifteen second blurb on the six o'clock news with one crummy shot showing the back of the crowd (kind of like a drive by). Couldn't read their signs. They did no interviews. What the local folks have to say must not be important in their opinion. Oh, and in NBC's report, they understated the crowd by half. I emailed ABC to ask about Tea Party coverage since I couldn't find anything on their website, but they haven't responded. They were busy, however, covering a protest against
Petland stores. And did an entire segment on that at 6:00. CBS local sent this email:
we had it on the schedule, but had to divert our crew. you might try the columbus dispatch website. feel free to write anytime.
sincerely,
I did try the Columbus Dispatch website and found nothing as of this writing. Hmmmm. One wonders if this had been a protest against George Bush during the Bush Administration if the coverage would have been...well...coverage. I think we know the answer. Here are some shots of the Tea Party from the not mainstream media.
Notice the NBC studios in the background.
