"Hundreds of thousands of Americans protested yesterday against big government, massive spending, and what they believe is irresponsible behavior by the feds. These protests were newsworthy, but they deeply offended the committed left-wing press. Predictably, the uber-liberal New York Times buried the 'tea party' story and grossly underestimated the crowds involved. Network news reporters called the protests 'anti-Obama' and blamed Fox News. There is no question that Fox News recognized the tea parties as a major story and promoted our coverage of the protests. Also, Fox News analysts were at some of the events. That strategy was very smart because millions of Americans feel they have no voice in the left-wing media, which is why Fox News destroys MSNBC and CNN every night. We cover the news, we don't ignore it or denigrate it. Many in the media are not interested in reporting the news; their mission is to promote left-wing ideology. This network has been accused of the opposite, but our coverage of the tea parties was vastly superior. So you make the call, and to help you make the call: Last night The Factor beat CNN, MSNBC, Headline News, and CNBC combined at 8PM."

The Factor was joined by former Speaker Newt Gingrich, who critiqued the scant coverage of Wednesday's tea parties. "The elite media is stunningly left wing," Gingrich said. "They hated the tea parties because they are on the side of big taxes and big government. It's just very hard for New York Times types to believe that ordinary, hard-working Americans actually don't like having big government and big bureaucracies and having their children put in debt. These are people who recognize that their children and grandchildren are going to have an enormous debt dumped on them by irresponsible politicians." The Factor portrayed the mainstream media as woefully out of touch. "The establishment media believe the tea parties were organized by right-wing kooks and were an anti-Obama play."

Homeland Security issued a controversial memo singling out right-wing activists and former military personnel as prospective terrorists. Fox News analyst Col. Ralph Peters was especially offended by the slur against veterans. "I think this report is a snake that slipped out of the cage," Peters said. "I believe there are people in the Obama administration on that bizarre Harvard-Hollywood axis who have a disdainful view of our troops. They don't know any of our troops, so they see them as drunken and violent and waiting to explode. I don't think they thought this was going to make a big ruckus because it wasn't supposed to get out." The Factor questioned the report's logic and necessity. "This is nonsense, and this is what our tax money is being spent on? There are bad guys out there, you don't need to make them up."

Featured Book: Looking for Trouble: Adventures in a Broken World by Ralph Peters

The Factor welcomed FNC host Glenn Beck, who hosted his Wednesday program from the tea party at the Alamo in San Antonio. Beck responded to those who have criticized his coverage of the Obama administration's big spending. "Our job is to talk about the way we see the country and the world," Beck pronounced. "We are on the Titanic and if we happen to see ice, shouldn't we call and say 'ice ahead?' I see ice! I saw it with the economic crisis and I'm seeing it now with discontent. We love our country but we are starting to have a sea change into a progressive world." The Factor described FNC's media enemies as terrified and troubled. "The left-wing media attacks you and Sean Hannity and Fox News. They're frightened!"

An organization called Families USA, which lobbies for health care reform, has received extremely favorable coverage in the mainstream media. The Factor asked the group's executive director Ron Pollack what Families USA actually wants. "We're not looking for government funded health care," Pollack maintained. "But we do want to see the fast-growing cost of health care moderated so businesses and families can afford coverage, and we do want to make sure that everyone has access to high-quality and affordable health care. We can do things like promoting more preventive care and primary care." The Factor questioned whether Pollack's goals are realistic. "All of that is good, but there will always be people who don't or won't buy their own health insurance. This is a complicated issue and we will revisit it."

FNC anchor and legal ace Megyn Kelly began with Spain's announcement that it will not indict members of the Bush administration for alleged war crimes. "I think they looked at this," Kelly theorized, "and said this is a ridiculous case. And someone looked at it politically and said why on Earth would we alienate the Obama administration and the United States?" Kelly also scrutinized United Airlines' move to charge extremely obese people for two seats. "Basically you have to be able to put down the arm rest and stay on your side without encroaching on the other person's seat. You have to feel for overweight people who go through life with such cruelty against them, but as a legal matter you can understand the airline's position. They have other passengers who also paid a fare and want to have an entire seat, not half of it." The Factor pondered whether people who pay for two seats get two packets of pretzels.

Burger King has decided to pull a commercial spot for it's "Texican Whopper" featuring an American cowboy and a much smaller man in Mexico's colors. The Factor served up this Reality Check: "Burger King says the commercial was designed to promote the flavors of Mexico and the USA, not to offend anyone. But adios to that spot." Meanwhile, the New York Times featured Factor producers Jesse Watters and Dan Bank in a story about "ambush" interviews. The Factor's Check: "The Times did its usual number - we are bad, right-wing people at The Factor who persecute good, left-wing people. The guy who wrote the Times article did not do his research, and therein lies the state of American journalism today." In another journalism story, the troubled Atlanta-Journalism Constitution is apparently changing direction. The Factor's Check: "The paper has removed radical editorial director Cynthia Tucker. We have nothing against Ms. Tucker personally, but her viewpoints certainly do not reflect the prevailing wisdom in Georgia or anywhere else on this planet."

Thursday's Patriot: Mayor Henry Garrett of Corpus Christi, Texas, who awarded The Factor a certificate to honor our support for the Wounded Warrior project. And the Pinhead: Rapper Snoop Dogg, who proudly smokes weed on his latest Internet video, and also applauds President Obama for trying marijuana.

Dale Oudkirk, Denham Springs, LA: "My daughter flipped around to see how NBC News and others were covering the tea parties. In all my fifty years, I have never heard so much hatred."

Jeremy Barnes, Roswell, NM: "I want to CNN.com and nothing about the tea parties was even mentioned."

Lynn Makinen, Shelby Township, MI: "As we suspected, the local Detroit TV stations totally minimized the tea party coverage."

Sharin Bowers, Pacific Palisades, CA: "You know what upset the liberal media? There were plenty of Democrats at those protests."