Self-described "libertarian" Penn Jillette defended the movement founded by the Libertarian Party, on CNN's Larry King Live.
King asked Jillette if he considered himself to be a Tea Partier:
I, there's a lot I disagree with them on, and I'm not really part of it, but I always think that a distrust of the government is the healthiest thing Americans can have. I think that the country was built, the most American thing you can have is a distrust of leaders. Don't follow leaders, watch your parking meters.
Then another guest on the show comedienne Rachell Harris, accused the Tea Party of being "more about racism."
Jillette responded:
Well, that's the magic word. Once you say "racism," the other side loses automatically. And I don't think we have very much evidence that that's what it is. Don't they have to be doing racist things besides you just saying that they're racist?
Continuing:
HARRIS: No, but they're looking at the number of people that are in, like, the majority of the people that are in the Tea Party-
JILLETTE: So the race that they are makes them racist by definition?
Read the full transcript at Newsbusters):
