At almost the same exact time as BP Chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg’s “small people” remark, an eerily similar gaffe was taking place just across town. Former Senator and Deficit Commission Co-Chair Alan Simpson got into an impromptu, on-camera debate over social security, and repeatedly referred to its recipients as “lesser people.” Now, some are calling for Simpson’s removal from the commission. I asked Robert Gibbs about it at yesterday’s White House briefing.

While covering last week’s (overwhelmingly peaceful) Tax Day Tea Party, I came across a few Tea Partiers jawing with counter-protesters led by Alex Lawson, whom I had encountered exactly a year earlier at the first TDTP. What I didn’t realize was that the man who was arguing with him, “Patriot Mark” Hoffman, was the same man I had videotaped issuing a veiled threat to Alex at last year’s event.

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While a steady stream of global warming denying, socialism-invoking, Barack Hussein Obama-referencing speakers and country singers graced the stage at Freedomworks’ Tea Party event, the real drama was at the perimeter of the event. A relatively small contingent of about 30 counter-protesters showed up to demand gratitude for their tax cuts on behalf of Barack Obama.

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Activist Alex Lawson, who was at today’s 9/12 rally in DC, captured some shocking images: Pre-printed posters passed out to protesters which read “BURY OBAMACARE WITH KENNEDY.”

But who was behind them?