PHOENIX – First impressions from the Tea Party Patriots Policy Summit are that the 2,000-plus attendees are older than CPAC-goers, and much more focused on policy than personalities. I don’t think the Donald would rock the house here. Too many TPPers know the Aaron Burr story far too well. Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty was very wise to agree to keynote the gathering, and future meetings of TPP — the most vibrant, transparent and authentic branch of the broader movement — should be “must makes” for GOP House leaders even though they know that the movement believes their first pass at serious budget-cutting is viewed as a half-swing and a miss.

As Jenny Beth Martin and Mark Meckler, two co-founders of the group, told me on air Friday, they are disappointed but resolute. The self-organizing and selfless activists from around the country did not march across 2009 and 2010 to victory on Nov. 2 for the purpose of abandoning their agenda to long-serving appropriators of either party.