Lou Dobbs addresses largest ever Tea Party Convention in Richmond

The 2010 Virginia Tea Party Patriots Convention had a successful start Friday with nearly three thousand Tea Party members and supporters flocking to the Greater Richmond Convention Center for the largest Tea Party convention in the nation.

The convention’s theme “The Constitution Still Matters” reflects the massive grassroots movement's particular attention to the Constitution’s constraints on federal power.

The gathering continued Saturday with keynote speaker Lou Dobbs, touted by organizers as an “independent voice for constitutional adherence, limited government and fiscal restraint for decades.”

Dobbs was greeted by the standing crowd with chants of “Lou, Lou” as the media sensation strode to the podium.

“I love you Lou,” roared a female fan.

“I love you back,” grinned Dobbs as one cried “We all love you” and yet another screamed “Lou Dobbs for President!”  The former CNN host had yet to begin his address. Dobbs was invited to address the convention by Virginia Tea Party Patriots  head and Richmond Tea Party president, Jamie Radtke, when the event was still only a concept.

“I am always proud to stand with those who stand for America," he said.

“I love the energy, the energy in this room, the hundreds, the thousands of people who have come for one reason. It’s a sad reason in one way…to say ‘The Constitution Still Matters’ to say to those who purportedly represent us in Washington D.C. That is sad, and oh so necessary,” Dobbs lamented as he looked behind him at the massive banner proclaiming the event’s theme.

Dobbs, who anchors three nationally syndicated radio shows, apologized for his throaty voice explaining he had been talking quite a lot lately following a front page ‘expose’ in the far-Left magazine “The Nation” issued Thursday.

In what is now widely seen as a ‘hit piece’ that has backfired on the journalist involved and the publication itself, Dobbs was accused of relying for years on undocumented labor for the upkeep of his homes in New Jersey and Florida. Dobbs who is known for his hard line approach to illegal immigration, has vehemently denied that he or his company, The Dobbs Group, has ever hired illegal immigrants.

Addressing the convention, Dobbs told the audience that upon repeated questioning the reporter Isabel Macdonald, on his radio show that she finally admitted that he never did hire illegal immigrants or that the companies he owns did.

“The reason for this attack which I just learned here from conservative filmmaker Stephen Bannon (who gave the introduction) as have you, I think what we have here is an example of an inciting moment…and that inciting moment was when I was privileged to accept your invitation to be the keynote speaker of this great Tea Party convention."

Dobbs went on to discuss the magazine’s predisposition along with the rest of the mainstream media to make a conscious and obvious decision to support Barack Obama for the presidency of the United States, while ignoring the rising grassroots movement that is the Tea Party.

“It was just a year ago that Nancy Pelosi said the Tea Parties were ‘astroturf.”

“Kiss my Astroturf,” yelled a woman to loud laughter with Dobbs replying:”See? Patriots do shoot back!”

Dobbs went on to discuss Friday’s employment rate, stagnant at 9.6%, saying that job creation seems to be an “afterthought” for the Obama administration. He said that it was clearly not an afterthought for the 35 million or so Americans who were unemployed, had given up looking for a job, or those in part-time work keenly seeking full-time employment; the underemployed.

“I will never in my life forget Arlen Specter at a town hall looking at a woman as if she were something he wanted to scrape off the bottom of his shoe, then later watch him having to beg for his job. Our souls are better for the result,” he said to laughter.

Dobbs said he was equally as critical of former president George W. Bush as he is of Barack H. Obama, which went down well with largely conservative crowd who are just as angry with the former administration’s spending, TARP and the bailouts as they are with Obama and Congress.

Dobbs, a former CNN anchor, told the convention they were teaching CNN a lesson that comes in the form of overnight ratings. CNN’s ratings have plummeted to an all time low while the more conservative Fox New Channel’s number continue to soar ahead of the midterm elections. The audience, admitted FNC viewers, cheered him on.

“Our leaders, particularly our political leaders, seem a little pinched, negative and sour. Let’s make them feel that way on November the 3rd,” Dobbs said followed by yet another standing ovation.

Dobbs said America needed to get back to the ‘Can Do’ attitude of America: “And that’s ‘Can Do’ in English, not Spanish!”

“We need to focus on what’s best in this country and best for this country,” Dobbs implored as an audience member yelled: “Born free and taxed to death!”

“Yes Ma’am,” said Dobbs adding that his wife told him to say that.

Dobbs then looked to the future telling the Virginia Tea Party Patriots Convention attendees that it was now the time for them; the Tea Party, to be heard in the nation’s capital.

“What an honor to be with you…God Bless each and every one of you,” finished Dobbs as the crowd spoke positively of Dobbs possibly running for elected office.