TEA PARTY EXPRESS IV--"HARRY PELOSI" EDITION--Updated... 100 motorcycle escort!

Ely, Nevada rally: POLATIK (standing, center left) stacking hands with some of our younger generation. Great photo! Pic sent by TPX embed, Andrea Shea King.

Day one of the TPX IV tour was a huge success with rallies in Reno and Elko, Nevada. Palin's message to the attendees in Reno was clearly heard in Las Vegas--see the Las Vegas Sun's morning headline below. A major hit piece on Angle.

Here's what the Sun has to say about Palin and the TPX, and the Las Vegas Review-Journal is carrying this story as well. "HARRY PELOSI"--thank you Andrew Breitbart--can smell the diesel fumes of the TPX IV's caravan of buses headed their way today. Fear is in the air and they're pulling out all the stops.

TPX IV embed, Andrea Shea King, will be filing reports with me as the day's events unfold. I will be updating here on this post, so check back throughout the day. King has put together a great slide show from yesterday's rally in Reno, and as I reported yesterday, she was able to get a pic with Palin. Check it out at The Radio Patriot.

Today's TPX IV events begin with a Rally in Ely, NV at Noon, and then on to Las Vegas at 6 PM. For future TPX rallies, check the entire tour schedule here. Tell your friends and family, attend if you can. If you can't attend a rally in your town, you can watch it live via Liberty.com's site. I used Liberty's site yesterday to watch the Reno rally and it worked perfectly. No sign up, just click the link.

Greatly assisting in the effort to spread the word is Terresa Monroe-Hamilton at NoisyRoom--lots of posts; Melanie Morgan, and John Ruberry out of Chicago at Marathon Pundit. The crew at TPX can't thank these patriots enough for their time and effort. Old guard media dislike their efforts; we love 'em for it, and with their continued efforts we'll bring this progressive era to a grinding halt--we're all part of the history that's being written today. Know this to be true. And also know that they're running scared, not knowing what to make of you poor, misguided American patriots, bent on taking back America.

The ANDREA SHEA KING SHOW will be broadcasting live each night at 9 PM ET from the TPX IV. Don't miss it!

UPDATES TO FOLLOW BELOW:

*UPDATE I--12:15 PM out of Nevada via Andrea Shea King from the Red Bus: TPX IV will be late arriving for the rally in Ely because of road construction. Not to worry, though, they will be there! The arrival for the Las Vegas rally later this evening will be on time--6:00 PM. TPX IV officials have secured a 100 MOTORCYCLE ESCORT into Las Vegas, so traffic will not be a problem. More to come...

**UPDATE II: 1:45 PM from Andrea Shea King. The rally in Ely, NV went off very well, despite arriving a little late. The crowd was great and many youngsters were seen in attendance with their parents. Pics of that event will be coming later. In the meantime, below you'll see Andrea pointing to Ely, NV on the side of a TPX bus. And below that, on the road to Ely with Sal Russo. I don't know the names of the other two fellows. (Sal is standing.)

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LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE: REID VS ANGLE DEBATE

With polling data showing Harry Reid tied or slightly trailing Sharron Angle, one thing is clear: Reid is on the ropes. Tonight, to be broadcast live from the PBS studios in Las Vegas, the two will face-off in their only scheduled debate. Advantage--Angle.

News coverage from the Review-Journal and The Sun.

In other debate news, Jim Hoft posts results from McClung-Grijalva and O'Donnell-Coons. In the Delaware debate, O'Donnell spilled Marxist blood on the floor.

HARRY REID'S LAKE TAHOE--"THE PLAN" TO SAVE IT FROM ECONOMIC DESTRUCTION

Whenever I get the chance to point out that Nevada's economy is going down the progressive drain, I relish the opportunity.

Lake Tahoe, like Las Vegas and Reno, is suffering through our ongoing economic freefall. But, according to some, there's good news on the horizon, because a study suggests that Tahoe needs to shift away from gambling--the economic engine of Tahoe--to a more eco-friendly economy.

These folks refer to this as "eco or geotourism." In other words, a lot of yoga festivals with music. This is the plan to save the Lake Tahoe region. Can't you just hear the cash registers ringing?

"If the Tahoe Basin economy must shift – as a recently unveiled study suggests – from relying on gamblers to appealing to environmentally conscious tourists, events such as the Wanderlust Yoga & Music Festival are its future." --continue reading.

Here's my plan: On November 2nd, go to your polling station and vote for Sharron Angle. Then, go down ticket and vote out every last one of these progressive democrats and weak, rino republicans, and then, and only then, will Nevada have a fighting chance at survival.

RENO'S HOT AIR BALLOON RACES LOSING SPONSERS; NEVADA'S ECONOMIC SITUATION CONTINUES DOWNWARD SLIDE

The largest free hot air balloon festival in the United States is held in Reno, Nevada each year. This year, however, the festival has more balloon pilots than sponsors, sending the city scrambling to find more sponsors in order to keep the event airborne.

The economic downturn in Nevada is taking its toll on the balloon festival, just as it's taken its toll on Reno's largest annual community event, Hot August Nights. From the Reno Gazette:

"With the loss of about $35,000 in major sponsorship money, the Great Reno Balloon Race is pushing for more, but less expensive, corporate sponsorships.

"The popular September event lost the $35,000 with the defection of three major sponsors. The commitment of each exceeded $10,000, event organizers said."

Apparently, people are still taking Obama's admonishment seriously and staying away from cities like Las Vegas and Reno. Although Obama didn't mention Reno by name, it goes without saying that a corporation isn't going to cancel its convention in Vegas, move it to Reno and not expect blow back from the White House. And to make matters worse, Harry Reid stood by without muttering a word in defense of his state.

In November, Nevada voters will be looking closely at their ballots, especially the U.S. Senate race between Harry Reid and Sharron Angle. My money's on Angle, and I'll be taking full odds.

A MESSAGE FROM LLOYD MARCUS OF THE TEA PARTY EXPRESS

If you've been watching the news media lately, you've no doubt seen the press stories where the NAACP has been attacking the tea party movement as racists. They've even tried to turn conservatives and tea party activists against each other.

It's something I saw coming from a mile away. When I wrote the "American Tea Party Anthem" I included the following line in the song:

"So when they call you a racist, because you disagree, it's just another of their dirty tricks, to silence you and me."

And guess what: it's not going to work, and we are NOT going to be silenced.

The fight for our country's future is so important, and there is so much work that needs to be done by each of us.

I got involved in this tea party movement as a proud American (not a hyphenated-American, just a regular American like you and every other proud patriot) because I love this nation and what it was founded on. There is no other country in the world that celebrates and empowers the freedom of the individual as the United States does.

Our Founding Fathers left us a legacy of freedom that each generation must work to protect and uphold.

Sadly, corrupt politicians have sold us out and taken away some of those freedoms in recent years. They've grown the size and intrusiveness of the federal government. They've strapped us with massive amounts of debt. Our children and grandchildren will be dealing with these problems if we don't take action now.

Now here's the good news: Despite the media and the Left's attempts to derail this tea party movement over the past two weeks, the tea party movement has grown stronger, not weaker. We here at the Tea Party Express have had some of our strongest fundraising pushes for two of the U.S. Senate candidates we have made a priority: Sharron Angle in Nevada and Joe Miller in Alaska. During this time we've raised more than $200,000 to support their campaigns, and I want to thank you for that great support.

So how do we best push back against the attacks from the media and the Left? We work even harder. We fight with even great zeal and determination. And we realize that the ONLY reason we've come under so much fire from our opponents is because of how successful we've been thus far.

So, again, let's keep it up. We raised $200,000 the past two weeks helping conservative Sharron Angle defeat Harry Reid and conservative Joe Miller defeat RINO (Liberal Republican) Lisa Murkowski. I challenge you all to help us do even better for these next two weeks!

So please, help support our campaign for Sharron Angle in Nevada by making a contribution - HERE.

And support our campaign for conservative Joe Miller in Alaska by making a contribution - HERE.

You can contribute as little as $5 all the way up to the maximum allowed $5,000.

If you prefer you can mail in a contribution payable to "Tea Party Express" to our headquarters:

Tea Party Express
770 L Street #1020
Sacramento, CA 95814

Fellow patriots: I thank you for your past efforts, and now I ask you to join me as we put our chin out there, take the hits from the Left and the media, and prevail at the ballot box in the upcoming November elections.

It's simply the only way we can take our country back! If you'd please, forward this email and share it with your friends!

-Lloyd Marcus, Tea Party Express

WHAT WOULD WM. F. BUCKLEY SAY TO HARRY REID?

More good news for Harry Reid and his constituents: Nevada now leads the nation in unemployment, pushing Michigan out of the way and into the #2 slot. But it's not that big of a deal because Harry has a solution:

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said the news highlights the need for Nevada to move away from its reliance on consumer spending and construction.

“This increase in our unemployment rate only emphasizes the need to diversify our state’s economy and create jobs,” Reid said in a statement. “Not every solution can come out of Washington but I am working every day to attract new businesses and industries to our state, including those that will put people to work by making Nevada the leader in developing clean energy.”

Move away from consumer spending, develop clean energy? You're kidding, right? The way I see it, Harry, Nevada has three things: Las Vegas, Reno, and tumbleweeds. Gambling, and everything that goes with it, is Nevada's economic engine. Without it, Nevada fails. You fail. Nevada is the Mecca of consumer spending, of vacations, having fun, getting away from it all--it's the big show.

Discretionary dollars, yen and euros, come to Nevada from all points on the globe just to be deposited in the vaults of casinos throughout your state. But not anymore. You, my Marxist friend, have screwed the pooch on that account, and the people of Nevada know it.

And what would William F. Buckley's reply to Harry Reid be? Simple:

"I won't insult your intelligence by suggesting that you really believe what you just said."

Support Sharron Angle for U.S. Senate.

AS LAS VEGAS GOES, SO GOES HARRY REID

Harry Reid will be doing battle this November with Sharron Angle for Nevada's senate seat. Las Vegas will be the battleground. To look at Las Vegas today, you'd think a war has already been fought there. The city is an economic disaster, getting worse by the day and no end in sight. At this point, I'd say Reid's chances are comparable to that snowball in hell. Even so, Support Sharron Angle right up to election day!

Via Noisyroom: THE DEATH OF LAS VEGAS

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CALIFORNIA-NEVADA PRIMARIES

What's left of our democratic process will be exercised today in California. The big ticket races are the U.S. Senate and Governor.

The winners of these two races, on the republican side, will be the wrong people. Money wins here, not conservative principles. But we vote, anyway.

The real excitement will take place over the California state line in Nevada. At the close of business today, we will know who Harry Reid will be running against in November. And if the polls hold true, Sharron Angle will win this race.

An Angle win will force the RNC to come face-to-face with its worst nightmare: the Tea Party Movement, specifically the Tea Party Express. What will the establishment republicans do? Your guess is as good as mine.

Now, go vote.

TAHOE RESORT GOING OFF CLIFF; REID NOT FAR BEHIND--updated

When the president of the United States advises big business to stay clear of resort areas such as Las Vegas for their conventions, big business takes that to mean places like Reno and Lake Tahoe as well. The result? Big business in these convention towns begin to fail, and fail big. With the overall national economy in peril, tourism is down across-the-board. And convention business, long being the life blood of these areas, becomes even more vital to the survival to these resort areas. Today another resort's future just got a little more bleak, as did the future of many working Nevadans.

The latest collapse comes to the north shore of Lake Tahoe: The Ritz-Carlton's Highlands resort, a premier resort and major employer in the north shore area, has filed default papers with the Bank of America in Placer county, which means foreclosure is close at hand. This news places further economic burdens on an already beleaguered resort area. From the Sacramento Bee:

"The new Ritz-Carlton luxury hotel at Lake Tahoe has gone into default, the latest sign of trouble for the lake economy and one of its top developers.

The default notice is the first step toward possible foreclosure. It was filed against the Northstar-area hotel March 31, about a month after its developer, East West Resort Development of Avon, Colo., put nearly $1 billion worth of Northstar real estate development into bankruptcy reorganization."

Alongside Obama is Nevada senator Harry Reid--a potty trained lap-dog for Obama's economic policies--who has done little to nothing to bolster his state's economic future. As a result, Reid will continue skiing uphill into the senatorial elections, but probably not at the Highland's Resort in Tahoe.

Tourism and convention business is a big slice of the revenue Nevada takes in to keep the state afloat. But with Reid's lack of leadership in promoting his own state and policies favorable to it, Nevada is experiencing the brutal facts of economic reality. And soon the people of Nevada will be inviting Reid to gorge himself at an all-you-can-eat buffet, featuring a heapin' helpin' of political reality.

Note to Searchlight, Nevada-- your home town socialist is headed your way for an extended stay. Please welcome him home with open arms. It's time for a change, and the people of Nevada know it. Harry Reid knows it too. Since Harry Reid won't fight for you, consider putting Sharron Angle in the ring.



NOISYROOM for more financial news.

UPDATE: Since I've visited the north and south shores of Lake Tahoe and Reno many times, I always think of the area as Nevada. The state line runs right thru the center of the lake. The Ritz resort is on the California side of the lake, however, policies from Nevada affect the entire Tahoe resort region. As Reno goes, so goes Lake Tahoe, so to speak. And many of the workers in these resorts commute from Nevada because of prohibitive living costs associated with the Tahoe area.

I contacted the Ritz this morning and discussed the situation. A spokesperson said the financial problems with the property owner will not affect the operation of the hotel resort. The owner is now in negotiations with the bank to secure funding to bring it in line with current obligations.

When I asked if the resort would continue to operate in the event the owner in fact goes into foreclosure, the reply was that someone else would step in, buy the resort and it would continue to operate as usual. Rather optimistic, I'd say. But, the property is located in one of the most breath-taking areas on the planet. If you've never had the pleasure of visiting the Tahoe area, put it on your list of things to do before you die.

Here's a few pics I took from on top of the mountain at Tahoe.

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