CNBC’s Rick Santelli appeared on Squawk Box this morning, and co-anchor Joe Kernen asked him about today’s tea parties.

“I’m pretty proud of this…good, bad or indifferent: that’s a great thing,” he said. “There’s not a lot of countries that afford their people that type of right. It’s a great thing”

As for whether he’ll be attending any protests: “I haven’t organized. I have to work to pay my taxes so I’m not going to be able to get away today.”

And we’re monitoring how the networks are covering the tea parties today (via TV Eyes). As of 1:30pmET:

— 48 mentions on FBN
— 34 on FNC
— 24 on CNN (14 during American Morning)
— 12 on HLN
— 12 on MSNBC
— 11 on CNBC

Click continued to see Santelli’s comment…