Feb. 5
Roger Rusnak from Hendersonville, N.C. and a member of the Henderson Tea Party, looks over the convention schedule. Hundreds of independent tea party groups have sprouted up nationwide over the past 12 months.
Melina Mara-The Washington Post
Feb. 5
Judy Hurst from Old Orchard Beach, Maine sifts through the weekend schedule.
Melina Mara-The Washington Post
Feb. 5
A tea party protest on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. Sept. 12, 2009. The movement has developed in part as a response to President Obama's agenda.
Ricky Carioti-The Washington Post
Feb. 5
Protesters march and hold signs during the Tea Party Express rally on Sept. 12. Thousands of protesters gathered to protest high spending, higher taxes and the growth of the federal government.
Brendan Smialowski-Getty Images
Feb. 4
Former congressman Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.) was the opening speaker of the convention. During his speech he offered a fiery defense of Judeo-Christian faith and traditional American values.
Melina Mara-The Washington Post
Feb. 4
Hundreds of attendees at the three day National Tea Party Convention participate in a group prayer lead by Pastor Rick Scarborough. Delegates paid $549 per ticket to attend the event, in addition to hotel and transportation costs.
Melina Mara-The Washington Post
Feb. 5
Beverly Taylor from Hendersonville, Tenn., rallies with others at the Tennessee State Capitol at the Tax Day Tea Party in downtown Nashville, April 15, 2009. The tea party movement advocates for fiscal responsibility, less government intervention, lower taxes, states' rights and strong national security.
Harrison Mcclary-REUTERS
Feb. 5
On April 15, 2009, about 4,000 people gathered on the south steps of the Oklahoma state Capitol in Oklahoma City, as part of a National Tax Day Tea Party. The grass-roots movement that exploded across the nation last year in revolt against President Obama's economic policies and health-care agenda.
Sue Ogrocki-AP
Feb. 5
A man holds up a tea kettle during the Atlanta Tea Party tax protest in Atlanta, Ga. A once-dismissed loose confederation of Tea Party activists opposed to big government bailouts and higher taxes is causing heartburn for establishment candidates across the country.
John Bazemore-AP
Feb. 4
Charles and Nancy Ricca with their friends, Bonnie and John Sachs, listen to the sermon lead by Pastor Rick Scarborough. The first gathering of the sprawling movement has been marred by controversy after some high-profile speakers canceled their appearances in protest of alleged profiteering by the convention organizers.
Melina Mara-The Washington Post
Feb. 4
Conservative activist Eric Odom eats lunch with other activists before the days workshops. Tea Party Nation, a social-networking site, is organizing the convention.
Melina Mara-The Washington Post
Feb. 4
Smart Girl Politics Bridget Blanton speaks to a workshop crowd about conducting voter registration drives. Organizers of the National Tea Party Convention announced Friday; the formation of a political action committee aimed at electing upto 20 candidates this fall.
Melina Mara-The Washington Post
Feb. 4
Tanya Ashe from Orlando, Fla., a member of Team Sarah, brought a giant picture of Sarah Palin with thousands of Tea Partier signatures on the back. Organizers and delegates awaited the key note speech of former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, who is scheduled to appear on Saturday night.
Melina Mara-The Washington Post
Feb. 4
O.P. Ditch, a veteran from Woodbridge, Va., is interviewed by media.
Melina Mara-The Washington Post
Feb. 4
Joan Billman from Greencastle, Ind., signs the back of a giant picture of Sarah Palin. Palin is reported to have been paid $100,000 to speak at the event. Palin wrote, "any compensation for my appearance will go right back to the cause."
Melina Mara-The Washington Post
Feb. 4
A Sarah Palin life-size cutout sits on stage during Ray Stevens and band part of the show. Lisa Mei, a country singer, performed a series of songs she wrote about the tea party movement. One song was exclusively about Palin.
Melina Mara-The Washington Post
Feb. 4
Nancy Ricca with her friend, Bonnie listen to the sermon by Pastor Rick Scarborough. Convention spokesman Mark Skoda, chairman of the Memphis Tea Party, said the convention is designed to show that the effort is "growing up."
Melina Mara-The Washington Post
Feb. 4
The event, taking place at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center, is hosting approximately 600 tea partiers.
Melina Mara-The Washington Post
Attendees gave interviews to national and international media during a cocktail hour. Despite some tension between the tea party movement and the Republican establishment, House Republican Leader John A. Boehner (Ohio) said Thursday that there is "no difference" in the beliefs of Republicans and tea party activists.
Melina Mara-The Washington Post
Feb. 4
Pastor William Temple, from Brunswick, Ga., dressed as Button Gwinett, one of the signers of the Constitution. He spoke to the media about the importance of independent thinking in government and what a Tea Partier is.
Melina Mara-The Washington Post
Feb. 4
Pam Sillman, Tracy Anderson and Doris Gentry, all from Napa, Calif., during a sermon. Outside the convention hall, entrepreneurs sold souvenirs: sterling silver tea bag necklaces ($89.99), bags of "Freedom Coffee" ($9) and T-shirts emblazoned with a bald eagle ($20).
Melina Mara-The Washington Post
Feb. 4
Hundreds of attendees at the three day National Tea Party Convention participate in a group prayer lead by Pastor Rick Scarborough.
Melina Mara-The Washington Post
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