Lede of the Day: “Barney Frank has enemies, even 30,000 feet in the air. Flying back to Boston from LA yesterday, the congressman was assailed by a pair of ophthalmologists upset about the health care reform bill. An argument ensued that prompted some passengers to wonder if the plane might be forced to land.” [Boston.com]

“Since leaving office at the end of July 2009, the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee has brought in at least 100 times her old salary — a haul now estimated at more than $12 million — through television and book deals and a heavy schedule of speaking appearances worth five and six figures.” [ABC]

A new group hopes to do for Tea Parties what Billionaires for Wealthcare did for opposition to healthcare reform — except they’re doing it wrong:

Opponents of the fiscally conservative tea party movement say they plan to infiltrate and dismantle the political group by trying to make its members appear to be racist, homophobic and moronic.

Jason Levin, creator of http://www.crashtheteaparty.org, said Monday the group has 65 leaders in major cities across the country who are trying to recruit members to infiltrate tea party events for April 15—tax filing day, when tea party groups across the country are planning to gather and protest high taxes.

“Every time we have someone on camera saying that Barack Obama isn’t an American citizen, we want someone sitting next to him saying, ‘That’s right, he’s an alien from outer space!'” Levin said.

It all sounds fun and clever — except we found this article on Drudge Junior’s site. Which means that now wingnuts will be able to claim that any idiot photographed or interviewed is really a plant. Thanks, guys. Teabaggers don’t need your help to appear racist, homophobic and moronic.

Foes of tea party movement to infiltrate rallies [AP/Breitbart]

Crash the Tea Party

It’s been almost two years since Secretary of State Swampsow set off our alarm by idly suggesting that, well, you never know what might happen in the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel. And about eighteen months since Half-Governor Talibunny accused a major-party presidential candidate of “palling around with terrorists.” And just a few seasons since it became the fashion to pack heat at political rallies.

We’ve done our fair share of fretting, while we’ve also tried not to get too excited over each and every twist. We’ve lived through two major earthquakes. You don’t jump for the door every time the couch wiggles.

So there’s nothing particularly unique about the latest news, only a gut feeling that a line is being crossed:

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Welcome to Idaho: “The census worker alleges he was trying to deliver [Richard] Powell the population-counting questionnaire on the afternoon of March 3, when Powell told the worker to get off his property… Powell then went into his residence and returned with a shotgun, and fired the gun in the air.” [ThinkProgress]

“Friends of John McCain” release a campaign video that touches on today’s emerging theme of Man-Horse Relations. If you’re going to bury Reagan’s Eleventh Commandment, why not send it off in style?

[via Political Wire]

There’s big news in New York today, as “an online news outlet” dumps a stash of highly improper emails forwarded by Carl Paladino, the teabagger candidate for the GOP gubernatorial nomination.

Problem is, the server’s swamped. We can’t reach them.

So we’ll have to make do with TPM’s summary:

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