First, I absolutely agree with KG and Scales (and damn near every other regular contributor to this site) that Mr. Hoekstra has a considerable amount of explaining to do.  However, my question is, are we willing to listen to the answers he might offer?  The take I'm getting from most of the tea party movement in Michigan is . . . maybe.  And that's not that the ones I've spoken with may or may not listen, rather it's that some have already made up their minds that they don't want to listen (and others will gladly give him a fair hearing, as long as he's willing to come clean on whatever the issue is in question).  And the mixed message seems to be part of the problem.

I'm pretty sure that no reasonable person would fault Pete for being unwilling to walk into the rhetorical equivalent of an ambush, especially since some leaders within the Michigan Tea Party Patriot Network have openly threatened to "pour gasoline" on his campaign and then light the match.  Character assassination in absentia isn't exactly helpful either.  It's fair to point out questionable elements of someone's public record, but only if you provide an honest opportunity for defense.  Likewise, it's fair to point out where you differ from your opponents, but insistence on using those differences as a hammer is ultimately counterproductive.

I did get a few minutes earlier today to talk with Pete's campaign manager, and he provided me with a copy of the tea party events that Pete has attended since September, and has already booked through the filing deadline (May 15th, 2012):

September to present (as of 19 December)

• 9/2 - Hillsdale Tea Party Express Rally
  
• 9/3 - Milford Tea Party Express Rally
  
• 9/29 - Senate Forum in DeWitt
  
• 10/10 - Tea Party Town Hall in Kalamazoo
  
• 10/10 - Tea Party Town Hall in Lansing
  
• 10/10 - Tea Party Town Hall in Farmington
  
• 10/26 - Meeting with Willow Run Tea Party Leaders
  
• 11/4 - Tea Party Meeting with Willow Run Tea Party
  
• 11/28 - Mid Michigan Tea Party Patriots Meeting
  
• 12/4 - I-Caucus Interview
  
• 12/6 - Cass County Tea Party Town Hall
  
• 12/9 - Lenawee 9/12 Forum
  
• 12/11 - Alpena Tea Party Town Hall

• 1/7 - Plainwell Patriots Meeting
  
• 2/20 - Western Washtenaw Tea Party Meeting
  
• 5/8 - Independent Tea Party Patriots Forum

It's no surprise that in a state with an active tea party presence, there are a great number of requests for Pete to attend this or that event.  I think we'd all agree that there must be some balance between meeting with tea party groups, meeting with local republican groups, raising money, and going on the news and talk radio.  However, Pete is doing and has done a pretty thorough job of crisscrossing the entire state since he decided to run.  And, according to his campaign manager, the only day that Pete is off during any given week is Sunday.

One other point.  All of this fuss and fluff about which candidate the tea party network (or any of us, for that matter) ought to support isn't going to matter much if that candidate can't make the primary ballot.  Ballot access for a Michigan U. S. Senate candidate must be accomplished through a nominating petition (signature-gathering campaign); there is no "filing fee" alternative.  If you happen to think a particular candidate ought to be on the primary ballot, then feel free to get off your duff and circulate some petition pages on that candidate's behalf.  In my experience, door-to-door advocacy can be something of an eye-opener.