TEA PARTY UPDATE: “On his FOX News show tonight Sean Hannity just announced that he will be covering the Atlanta Tea Party live on Tax Day. He will also be checking in on other such parties around the country.” This means major coverage on Fox, which means that other networks will have to offer at least grudging coverage. My prediction: They’ll make a huge deal out of these protests, regardless of size, while downplaying the tea parties.
UPDATE: Reader Wendy Cook writes: “Isn’t CNN in Atlanta? Hannity’s show is not my favorite but it’s kinda funny that he would choose to cover a Tea Party so close to the headquarters of a network that mostly ignores these protests. And I just noticed on Drudge that CNN doesn’t even have any programs in the top 6-rated cable news shows. Hmmm.” Yeah, I think he’s baiting them.
ANOTHER UPDATE: Will Collier writes: “Regarding your reader’s question, not only is CNN’s HQ in Atlanta, it’s about half a mile from the Tea Party site at the state capitol. If they show up at all, I predict it will be to air a fear-mongering piece about these vicious right-wingers who want to take healthy organic juice away from The Children.”
Well, CNN President Jon Klein* is bragging about CNN’s straight-news coverage, so this’ll be a good test of whether they can live up to his claims.
* Coiner of the whole bloggers in pajamas line. I believe, however, that Klein has since changed his position.