On her Wednesday radio show, conservative talker Laura Ingraham laid down the gauntlet after Tuesday string of electoral losses by Tea Party candidates in North Carolina.
Ingraham that suggested that perhaps the association with the Tea Party has cost conservatives running against the so-called Republican establishment, partially because of all of the groups representing the Tea Party and also because of how the brand has been sullied and perhaps the movement is in need of a rebranding.
Partial transcript as follow:
“Do you believe that the Tea Party moniker and the quote, ‘idea,’ of the Tea Party brand has kind of run its course because – not because initially it wasn’t a good idea but because there are so many different groups that have different names that I think it ultimately becomes meaningless.”
“A lot of people sending money to groups that have the ‘Tea Party’ name in them, but I think you have to do due diligence on how you’re giving money to these organizations. Do your own due diligence. If they’re representing your interests in races you think are important, then great – give them money. Make sure the money is being spent wisely. Make sure it is not being spent on their own operation and you remember that charity navigator site where you can see how much a charity spends on giving the money to a worthy cause and how much money they’ve spend on administrative expenses? That’s actually important in the Tea Party, right? Because you want to know that most of the money you give them is actually going to worthy causes.”
“I mean, they have to pay for their operations,” she added. “I get all of that. People have to get salaries and I’m not saying people shouldn’t get decent salaries. That’s fine. But you have got to get involved in these races or these people are just going to say, ‘I’m just going to throw in the towel,’ or ‘I might as well support some of these Democrats because I’ll get a piece of the pie that way. Otherwise I’m just going to keep sending money to Tea Party groups that really don’t help us all that much.”
She also reacted to a caller in her mid-20s and addressed concerns about the Tea Party label when it comes to winning over a young audience.
“Sometimes your calling card shuts down the conversation, right?” Ingraham said. “If you show up with the calling card – I’m hear and I’m with the Tea Party and I’m here to talk to you – I mean, sometimes you won’t spur a conversation. In other words, Melanie, some of your friends might instantly shut their ears. But instead, if you went up to one of your pals 24, 25, 26-years old and said, ‘You know something, I’m part of a new movement that is focusing on America first – America’s people, their workers, her legal immigrants, her prosperity and her future and I want to talk to you about it.’ Don’t you think people would listen to that?”
“I think the Tea Party brand – again, I’m not saying it pejoratively – that’s one 24-year old’s opinion and you need a lot more Melanie’s out there, I can tell you that,” she continued.
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