As far as I can tell the Capitol newspaper "The Hill" broke the news of the Lewis incident just after four o'clock whereupon it went viral in the Left leaning bloggesphere as TPM, Think Progress, and then the HuffPost featured the story.
Only a small piece of the right wing media machine reported on the story and then only well after eight o'clock...
Details for nite owls after the fold...
At this point the story of racist and homophobic language at the Tea Party protest at the Capitol today shows a stark contrast in polarized internet reporting. There is no doubt in my mind that by just about seven last evening that the entire left leaning blog reader had his worst fears about the Tea Party movement confirmed by a slew of stories ranging from Representatives being spit on, called the N-word, and a common homophobic slur. Details of these incidents can be found with a simple google-and that is my point upon doing so at just after midnight it became apparent that many of the last headlines on many of the republican conservative blogs were still touting a democratic health care defeat in the morning.
Below is a survey of the Right wing media machine...
The Drudge Report: Nothing. What's funny about Drudge is that there isn't even a mention of the Tea Party AT ALL. LIKE IT NEVER HAPPENED, RIGHT? NO NEED TO COMMENT ON SOMETHING THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN RIGHT????? And the most popular article on their archive list is "impeaching Obama" of course.
Foxnews.com: Posted an article just after six saying that the dems are CLAIMING these things are happening but we have no proof because all the people we sent down to watch the protest are now drinking highballs and eating lobsters in Neil Cavuto's party sweet at the Marriot courtyard. And something about healthcare rapture or something scary and biblical.
Hot Air: their headline-Protesters Shout Racial, Gay Slurs at Democrats? as if they're not sure what happened. Two hundred or so comments follow that range from imply the old dem operative, to demanding audio, to saying black people ARE RACISTS and Barney Frank is gay so what's the problem political correctness is killing their "Freedom" to be racist homophobes!!!!
Townhall: The most recent blog discusses the old talking point that Obama is the most abortion lovin potus "ever" and that THOSE SNEAKY DEMS DON'T HAVE THE VOTES!!!!!!! actually they added a version of "Rowdy protesters make trouble" not "racists embarass themselves."
Michelle Malkin.com: not a peep out of her since two thirty in the afternoon when she was claiming tea party pressure forced the Dems to drop the slaughter movement. she says and I quote-"keep up the nomentum." cute eh? As one of the far right shills who often the first to cry reverse reverse double secret counter racism it curious that she has kept her big yap shut for as long as its been today and HEY I SPOKE TOO SOON-SHE JUST UDATED HER BLOG TO SAY THEY'LL BE BACK ON THE HILL ON THE MORROW FOR A PRAY IN!!!!!
Newsmax: Just before ten Newsmax published a fairly comprehensive article in a marquee spot. Sure the door was left open to the "Democrat Plant" theory but at this point any degree of actual acknowledgement of racism in right wing world deserves at the very least a pat on the head for trying.
The Weekly Standard blog: Some hack writing stupid sports analogies conflating politics and March Madness brackets much the same way they argued for invading Iraq to look for WMD. Bill Kristol and all his ilk should be federally restricted from writing any more insane punditry before they really harm themselves.
The Daily Caller: Nothing save a butt kissing tribute to John Voight and how he drove the crowd crazy-I got news for them-that crowd was crazy long before Voight showed up. I had such high hopes for Tucker Carlson and his blog. Its now official in my mind: He sucks BIG TIME.
Redstate: Nothing except some old union bashing talking points.
Breitbart Big Government: Nothing save a hilarious article discussing a hill interview with John Boehner about his plans when he inevitably becomes speaker-so they can be excused because they are clearly in the middle of coke-ether binge or something.
Newsbusters: Around nine or so the people living on the Bizzaro world of Brent L Bozell and his Media Research Council were taking offense at ABC for smearing both the Tea Partiers and the Anti-War protesters with the implication that they were all racist because of the actions of a few possible DNC agents provocateurs. Seriously. I have news for them: ABC wasn't trying to tie the racist/homophobic rhetoric to the antiwar protesters who strangely enough stayed clear of unhinged tea baggers.
A wise and prudent move. Ask John Lewis or Barney Frank.
The Politico: Broke the story about the Barney Frank Incident but made no mention of the Lewis incident-that was quickly changed-within fifteen minutes of theorignal post adding the Lewis incident to the reporting. As of this writing they have second article up called "Raucous Tea Partiers Protest Bill." "Racist Tea Partiers Protest Bill" seems a bit more appropo but that's just me. Tucked away in this affront to journalism and good taste is this little gem...
The Democrats' health care plan wasn't the only thing the Tea Partiers found time to protest. They also booed Europe and a list of Latin American leaders. One protestor shouted an anti-gay slur at Rep Barney Frank (D-Mass.), and House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn said that he heard from Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) that another protester called him the N-word. A spokesman for Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) issued a statement Saturday night saying Cleaver had been spat upon.
How stupid do they think we are? They're setting up cover for these cretins with his word against ours construction while trying to say that it came from a small fringe THAT DOESN'T REPRESENT A SMALL FRINGE.
But really the moral of tonight story is now if you didn't know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the GOP and their media shills are nothing more than cowards who are still afraid to have an honest discussion about race. But as we know The GOP has never policed its own brass because deep down they know they need the vote of every racist they can get their hands on.
I can only hope that tomorrow our leaders don't let them get away with silence.
That would be an ever worse crime.
UPDATE: I could not help but notice that some readers are amazed, nay, shocked that I dipped my big toe in the cesspool that is the far right perpetual outrage machine and all I can say is: ITS A DIRTY JOB, BUT SOMEBODY'S GOT TO DO IT!!!!
But in all seriousness: I am so looking forward to see how this story is dealt with by the rest of the media-verse. Special thanks to h/t to the posters who linked the Rep. Ryan-D Ohio speaking truth to power about the teabagger's lack of civility.
WE NEED MORE OF THAT FROM THE PEOPLE WHO CLAIM TO REPRESENT US; STAND UP AND SAY THAT RACISTS ARE NOT NEED NO LONGER APPLY TO THE GREAT AMERICAN DREAM-THEIR DAY IS OVER.
AMEN AND GOODNIGHT.