Rep. Black ‘Arm-In-Arm’ With Tea Party, Despite Protest

Tennessee Congressman Diane Black is defending her Tea Party credentials, one day after about fifty members of the movement protested outside her Murfreesboro office. The group said they’re frustrated with Black for voting to raise the debt ceiling.

Today Black told a Chamber of Commerce luncheon in Lebanon that she was “Tea Party before Tea Party was ever in vogue.”

REPORTER: “Yesterday there were Tea Partiers outside your Murfreesboro office chanting ‘Bye Bye Black.’ What do you say to that?”
BLACK: “I say that I’m walking arm-in-arm with the Tea Party. I agree, we need to be angry; we need to make sure that we turn this country back around. It’s going in the wrong direction. And we’ll work together to make that happen.”

In her remarks Black also touched on the importance of keeping constituents involved and in touch with their representatives in Washington. But officials asked that her remarks to the chamber group not be recorded.

WEB EXTRA – RAW AUDIO:

Rep. Black did take a few questions afterward; unedited audio follows.

Yesterday:
Tea Party Faithful Picket Congressman Diane Black’s Office

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