Yesterday we watched America mourn.  The memorials were beautiful.  The dedications were moving.  The stories were tear jerkers.  The photos were stunning.  The pride of being an American was revived.  It was okay to fly your flag.  It was okay to salute a soldier.  Political correctness was told to stay home.  There was no place for politics – patriotism ruled the day.

The day after 9/11 ten years ago was one of the best days to be an American.  Flags flew on every mailbox post in the neighborhood.  Cars had hand printed signs “We will never forget” with their own car flags blowing in the wind.  Cars honked at each other with thumbs up when they recognized the patriotic symbols.  Americans loved America again and our “Momma bear” attitudes kicked in. 

September 12^th became a symbolic day for Patriots.  It was the day we stood up and said, “We are not going to take this anymore.”

Eight years later, Patriots from all over America marched on DC on 9/12 to send a message to Washington that we were not going to take it anymore.  Our country was under attack from within by members of a political class who were taking our country down financially.  We were stunned to learn that we were bailing out banks; a new healthcare law mandating individuals purchase government health insurance was on the table (eventually passing); junk science legislation such as cap and trade was being considered; and back room deals were the norm in politics. 

The people had enough and with flags flying and home-made signs stating their concerns, a movement not of this world happened.  People paid their own way to DC.  Families drove for days to attend.  Bus companies ran out of rentals in their fleet from the tea party movement demands.  Airplanes were filled up and trains too as people with luggage and their signs headed to DC. 

On 9/12, the people began streaming into Freedom Plaza.  We were fortunate to be atop a home-made “Dartmouth” float built by one of our members as his way of stating “Enough.”  As we moved down Pennsylvania Avenue, more and more people joined our throng from side roads along the way.  People below our float handed off their cameras to us and we became the Photo Op above the crowd.  Camera crews from across the sea found us and asked to get a shot too.  We were happy to oblige.

My cell rang in the middle of the crowd and it was our local radio station back home.  They wanted to know how we felt because they had heard 1.5 million people were there.  Our radio station was reporting the numbers and we were amazed to be a part of something this big.  We screamed out the numbers to the crowd and people immediately began to cry.  They no longer felt alone.  They no longer believed they were the only ones concerned about America.  They once again felt God was alive and He loved America too.

Two years exactly from that day in DC, we are now in Tampa, Florida as one of the hosts of the CNN/Tea Party Express Presidential Debate. 

No one would have imagined on that beautiful day in 2008 we would be on a national network tonight.  We would have laughed had anyone mentioned it.  The media was not our friend on 9/12/08 and it’s been a battle with them since then. 

But we now know if you just keep doing what is right; your message will get heard.  If you stick to your principles; you will be respected.  If you never quit; you will never go away.

Tonight we are proud to be in the debate hall and we encourage all our members to tune into CNN and be there with us.  The debate hall could not hold the original 1.5 million patriots who walked on DC but you will be with us in spirit.  We know the others who have joined this movement since that day will also be holding tissues tonight in awe that our time has finally come.

Tea party members developed the questions and some will personally ask them tonight.  You can also join in with the debate at Twitter:  #CNNTeaParty or on Facebook.com/CNNPolitics. 

Tonight is historical and we thank CNN for stepping up, reaching out and making this happen.  The people at CNN are great American patriots just like you and me.  Sometimes they don’t always get it right – but they are trying.  Just like on September 12, 2001, we see their efforts and we shoot them thumbs up for this experience tonight.

Join us tonight – CNN – 8:00 PM.  All throughout the day CNN will be interviewing various individuals and showing the crowd of Tea Party Members forming.  We heard some hecklers were also going to try to make their way outside the debate hall.  You have to have hecklers to make it a real debate!

God bless you all and God bless America the land that we love!