Let's look at the timeline, from both palin and the republican's perspective.
PALIN:
During the day sat, she records FOX interview where she says she might run in 2012.
On sat night, she proclaims herself the leader of the tea party movement at their convention.
REPUBLICANS:
They liked the tea party when its only role was to attack Obama. Now that you have Tp candidates running against established republicans and GOP stalwarts, it's a big problem. GOP can't control Palin, they can't control the racists, the guns being carried, and the other obnoxious stuff the Tp does. They are well aware that any 2012 tea party candidate will almost guarantee an Obama win. The party was useful, but now they're attacking repubs - and that's a problem. Repubs barely have 50% of population now - you cut that in half and there's trouble.
MEDIA
Oreilly, Colbert, Hume and others on the right attacking tea party nonstop... after they showed plenty of love for them before. Taking orders from the GOP?