"Grassroots" vs. "Astroturf"

April 15th, 2009: During an interview on KTUV news in San Francisco, Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) who is the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives declared "This [tea party] initiative is funded by the high end — we call call it astroturf, it’s not really a grassroots movement. It’s astroturf by some of the wealthiest people in America to keep the focus on tax cuts for the rich instead of for the great middle class."

Again on August 6th, 2009 she restated to a reported who asked if the angry town hall meetings were "Astroturf" she responded by saying that she thought they were, "You be the judge."

Today (August 25th, 2009), the Politico.com reports that Democratic National Committee through it's organizing arm "Organizing for America" are going to push through 500+ "events" between Wednesday and September 8th when Congress returns from the Break. “In these last few weeks of recess we want to demonstrate the energy, passion and commitment that the American people have to health care reform so that when members return after Labor Day they know that they can turn their attention to getting this done because they have the backing of the American people,” said DNC spokesman Brad Woodhouse.

Is this "astroturf", Mrs. Speaker?