Occupation defined

Every now and again cable news becomes relevant. It never seems to be about the news it reports, but rather the news it makes. CNBC’s Rick Santanelli’s “rant heard around the world” was credited in helping to galvanize the Tea Party.

And now a segment from CNN’s Erin Burnett mocking the Occupy Wall Street protests is helping to build sympathy for the protesters. She’s called “vapid” within the pages of Forbes.

Her mocking search for what the protest is about seems to have helped the group frame Occupy Wall Street in a broader light.

The message of #OWS is not “Here’s is our 9-point plan.” The message of #OWS is “This is not a livable compromise.”Fri Oct 07 13:28:57 via web

Burnett’s rude treatment of an unemployed software engineer provides a stark contrast to the popular Tumblr blog We are the 99% that features a sea of photos like this one from a diverse set of Americans in rough economic circumstances.

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National Review‘s Josh Barrow quibbles with the groups math and seeks to reclaim that turf for conservatives.

As of this morning, Minneapolis has its very own Occupation. The movement has spread to many cities in the U.S. OccupyMN is expected to last over the weekend. The group gained additional mainstream credibility when Mayor RT Rybak added a sympathetic post to his blog.

Even this guy couldn’t resist taking it to the streets.

Gov. Jesse Ventura out to show support for #occupyMN @OccupyMN #ows http://t.co/evooZAaZFri Oct 07 13:51:30 via Seesmic

While the higher-profile support drew in more visibility, it is concerning for some who want the protest to be decentralized.

#OccupyMN don’t let the “BOD” and figure heads ruin this, this is about getting back to “For the people, by the people” #foundingfathersFri Oct 07 14:21:34 via Twitter for iPhone

Do you think the Occupy Wall Street protests will grow into a political force akin to the Tea Party?