timing

One difference, I think, between an plainly organized movement (Obama for President, 2008) and a less entirely organized phenomenon (tea parties, 2010), will be borne out in the midterms. In both instances, there was or is the problem of Peaking Too Soon. I predict the monolithic organization will prove to have been better able to deal with this.

Obliquely related: I can't think of tea parties without thinking of the Cluetrain Manifesto, one of those 'the net makes all things new' absurdities of a decade ago.