Is The Tea Still Warm? Blunt Finally Arrives At The Party

Try not to laugh when reading this story in The Hill about how Roy Blunt is different from the other GOP leaders in Washington:

Rich Chrismer, a spokesman for Blunt’s campaign, said the candidate has tried to distinguish himself from inside-the-Beltway politicians by keeping close tabs on the Tea Party.

"Roy Blunt is doing something they’re not doing in Washington," said Chrismer. "He’s listening to them and paying attention to their concerns. We’re excited that many people who have not been involved in politics before are getting involved in the process."

By "keeping close tabs on the Tea Party," I think Chrismer means:

• Skipping the first tea party rally in Jefferson City, even though he was in in the Capitol that day
• Not being invited to the Springfield Tea Party in April 2009; organizer Vincent David Jericho said "we’re only inviting conservative politicians" 
• Not being allowed to speak to the July 4, 2009 Tea Party in Washington, MO, an even organized with the St. Louis Tea Party folks like Dana Loesch, Bill Hennessy and Jim Hoft
• Being the target of open criticism at almost all of the tea party rallies, and
• Being the epitome what tea partiers say they hate; Dana Loesch has previously described Blunt and his ilk as "the old-school Republican guard, the ones intent on enslaving us in the tunnel of Democrat-lite"

I sorta feel bad for Rich Chrismer: It's his job to filter Blunt's record for the tea party crowd.