"Did the tea party people refer to themselves as racists?"
Actually, one of their top founders held up a sign that pretty much affirned some racist, the use of the N-word (although misspelled)
http://washingtonindependent.com/73036/n-word-sign-dogs-would-be-tea-party-leader
So what? Atleast he has the stones to say what he thinks. I think your perception is all fucked up, whats worse, a guy that you know what he thinks ( being a racist or whatever). Or some jerkoff thats a closet pedophile trying to screw congresional pages?