There is a huge CBS/NYT poll and article (Poll Finds Tea Party Backers Wealthier and More Educated ^[1]) about the tea party members.

I was not surprised to read they skew older, white, Republican, better educated and higher income than the average American. I was surprised to read they favor Social Security and Medicare.

Towards the end of the article, I read a shocking data point. In the orgy of coverage of this poll and article generated, no one seemed to mention this:

The percentage holding a favorable opinion of former President George W. Bush = 57%

A substantial majority of Tea Party members hold a favorable opinion of the man that history will very likely deem the worst president in American History (Presidential Historians disagree as to whether he is in the bottom 3 or 5 as of today).

Its all you need to know about the Tea Party.