likeable way. >> best case of making the major parties blink, like it or hate it, the rise of the tea party. >> i still don't understand where they came from. is it really the republican party in disguise? and they've just been so successful. >> i think that means we're winning. >> it's shocking to me. >> reporter: they did not grab as many congressional seats as they would have liked, but they did grab the washington establishment by the collar. >> the tea party exists because of partisan politics. >> reporter: and the tea party gave the partisans a hard shake. best pounding of the pundits. sarah palin. >> borderline lunatic. >> love her or hate her, she's definitely entertaining. >> reporter: the hockey mom gone rogue proved all the predictions of her political demise dead