Tea Party founder Eric Odom a "confused Libertarian-Republican"

by Eric Dondero

How nice that the student newspaper of one of the most liberal college campuses in America, is now out to protect the integrity of the Republican Party from the "evil" Tea Partiers.

Excerpt from Nafees A. Syed, Harvard Crimson, "Runaway Party
Tea Parties pose a revolutionary danger to the GOP":

most of the “Tea Party patriots” are staunch Republicans. However, the Republican Party would do well to steer clear of this extreme, disordered group.

What is sometimes called the “Taxed Enough Already” Party poses the danger of offering a slightly more libertarian alternative to the Republican Party. The Tea Partiers delve into strange territory with their discussions on the constitutionality of government, among other things. Their oft-regarded founder, Eric Odom, is a confused Libertarian-Republican, and his party followers seem to be the same. He has re-joined the Republican Party, it seems, only because it is currently the best avenue for the Tea Party’s cause; the Tea Parties are hardly a loyal branch or even ally for the Republicans.

Odom (photo at a recent Tea Party rally) is a former member of the Libertarian Party of Illinois. He has also been active with the Sam Adams Alliance and Americans for Limited Government.

Challenge good moderate Republicans in GOP primaries? How dare they!

Syed goes on to express shock! that Odom would dare challenge entrenched Republicans in party primaries.

In fact, Odom’s party is willing to contest the seats of current Republicans, including, it seems, Senator John S. McCain (R-Ariz.), the 2008 Republican presidential candidate and one of the most prominent and respected members of the Grand Old Party.

And she goes on to chide RNC Chairman Michael Steele for lending support to the Tea Party.

Because of the party’s hostility toward mainstream Republicans, it comes as a surprise to me that Republican Party Chairman Michael S. Steele has called himself a member along with prominent Republicans like Republican House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) and former Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives Newt L. Gingrich. Perhaps this is because the party is, at least, united with the Republican Party in their criticism of Congressional Democrats, big spending, and most importantly, President Obama.

Tea Party supporters actually call Barack Hussein Obama a "Socialist!"

Finally, Syed questions why anyone would consider Obama a "Socialist"?

Calling the president of the United States a socialist is the type of extreme language the Republican Party needs to disassociate itself from, and using similarly harsh language toward Republicans in office or the idea of government altogether is certainly not conducive to a GOP electoral victory this fall.

A skeptic might conclude that the ultra-liberal college media might have an ulterior motive; like, pushing the GOP to the squishy middle, so as to help the Party lose votes in November? Beware of liberals expressing concern for the GOP, and a longing for the days of a "responsible Republican Party."

Notably, Nafees A. Syed, is a junior at Harvard University majoring in government. She is an editorial editor at The Harvard Crimson as well as a senior editor and columnist for the Harvard-MIT journal on Islam and society, Ascent. She writes for the radical Muslim publication MuslimMatters.org. She is also an occasional contributor to liberal news network CNN.com. On Feb. 3, 2010, she wrote a column on CNN "Flying while Muslim," advocating that Muslim women should not have to remove their hijabs to comply with airport security measures. Syed is a hijab wearer. She is chairwoman of the pro-affirmative action quotas Harvard Institute of Politics Policy Group on Racial Profiling.