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Still, the establishment of a PAC would seem to put the Tea Party, or at least some of its organizers, deeper into an established political system that many grass-roots activists want to keep at a distance. A few say they would prefer a third party, though so far this independence from the major political parties is more in words than actions. At Tea Party gatherings, Republicans predominate and Democrats, for the most part, are demonized. The anti-incumbent cry of "throw them all out" takes on particular passion and vehemence when directed at Democrats in general and "Obama-Reid-Pelosi" in particular.

At the Charlotte protest, volunteer Lynn Stewart stood behind the Mecklenburg County GOP table, handing out literature. Is the Republican Party connected to the Tea Party? I asked. "We thought it would be a good place to be," she said. Stewart and her family moved here in August from San Francisco. "We lived in a very liberal part of San Francisco," she said. "For a Republican, it's a little bit easier getting on here." She would like, of course, to see Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi -- in Fox News host Bill O'Reilly's words the embodiment of "San Francisco values," whatever they are -- voted out.

Corey Thompson, a candidate running for an at-large seat on the Mecklenburg County Commission, was just one of several Republicans at the Charlotte rally talking with potential, like-minded voters. Thompson is involved with CAUTION (Common Americans United To Inspire Our Nation), which describes itself as "a Conservative action group formed as a response to Glenn Beck's 912 project." Both he and his wife are teachers in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, with Thompson teaching history and journalism at West Mecklenburg.

"I've been with them from Day 1," Thompson said of the Tea Party movement. It's "rejuvenated American patriotism and love of country." His primary issue in running, he said, is "out-of-control spending."

Neil Braithwaite, a Charlotte-area realtor and conservative blogger, shared the same message, reaching from Mecklenburg County to Washington when he spoke with the crowd: "Congress has turned into one big crack house" that assembles "to get more of their drug of choice, which is your hard-earned money." Braithwaite, 53, said, "Washington needs an intervention."

But like many people I spoke with, Braithwaite isn't sure of who would be a good alternative in the top executive office, though he liked Mitt Romney's business experience. Palin? "She's a leader, more of a cheerleader."

Just as in Nashville, those meeting in Charlotte expressed anger at government in general, they said, for years before President Obama took office. But their heart didn't seem to be in their criticism of George W. Bush, despite trillion-dollar deficits. Warrantless wiretapping didn't send them into frenzy over the intrusion of federal powers. In fact, one Charlotte sign read: "George W, Of Course We Miss You! And Laura, Too."

President Obama, however, was a prime target, with many at the rally anxious to overturn the results of the 2008 election. Signs were plentiful and colorful; bumper-stickers on sale (free if you promised to use them) read: "Overthrow Obamacare, Impeach Obama," "Master of Deception in a Universe of Lies," "Stop Obama Socialism." You could take your pick: the president of the United States as the Joker in whiteface or Pinocchio, elongated wooden nose and all.

The program's emcee, business owner Heather Merrill, traveled from Raleigh because she's upset with health care reform. Andriana Howard was just mad in general. The 54-year-old, registered Independent from Mount Holly came to America from Greece 33 years ago. "Democrats, Republicans, it's the same poo-poo," she said. Howard listens to Rush Limbaugh and O'Reilly. "Glenn Beck sold me on TV," she told me. "I don't want Communism. Obama and his clique, they are Marxist."

"I'm going to boycott the Charlotte newspaper," she said, speaking about the Observer. "They are liberal."

A free press may be the cornerstone of a democracy, but not when it paints the Tea Party movement in ways members consider unfair or inaccurate. East Charlotte activist and former candidate for city council Chris Bakis held a sign with a message to the press to "Stop Duke Lacrosseing" the Tea Party (referencing initial coverage of eventually disproven rape accusations against the university's team members).

Bakis took up the latest charge, that Washington Tea Party activists yelled racist slurs at black congressmen on the weekend of the health care vote, and spit at one. "It did not happen," said Bakis. Though it seems it might be simpler to just condemn that kind of behavior, and say it has no place at Tea Party rallies no matter who it comes from, the line has been drawn in the sand. Movement supporters blame the "lame-stream media" or infiltrators and have accused Democrats such as civil rights icon John Lewis of lying. "They [the press] make anything look as bad as possible," Bakis said.