I wish I could have been there. I was thinking of this and watched some coverage after my beloved Iowa Hawkeyes trounced Iowa State 35-3, but I wasn’t able to go.
The Daily Mail Reports: (has been changed – see below)
Up to two million people marched to the U.S. Capitol today, carrying signs with slogans such as "Obamacare makes me sick" as they protested the president’s health care plan and what they say is out-of-control spending.
The line of protesters spread across Pennsylvania Avenue for blocks, all the way to the capitol, according to the Washington Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency.
People were chanting "enough, enough" and "We the People." Others yelled "You lie, you lie!" and "Pelosi has to go," referring to California congresswoman Nancy Pelosi.
Brett Rogers has some pictures up here. Bob McCarty has some pictures up here and here. Darren Labrum tweeted a photo that I retweeted.
Breitbart.tv had a video of a CNN reporter discussing Congressman Joe Wilson’s actions during President Obama’s speech. The crowd had a definite opinion of the congressman.
HT: Steve
Wonder if anybody in Congress beside those who already support the movement are listening? I surely hope so.
Update: Glenn Beck has some sweet pictures up on his website. Politifact is debunking a photo that they say has been posted widely on conservative blogs. To me it looks like the Stand in the Gap that Promise Keepers hosted back in 1998, I’ve seen the aerial photo of that, and it looks very similar. They list two blogs (Powerline and Say Anything which are popular, but not as well read as many other blogs) which I wouldn’t consider "being posted widely.” Until I read their article I haven’t even seen this picture posted. Michelle Malkin defends another picture the left is trying to claim is fake.
2nd Update: Daily Mail quoted above backed away and edited the original article I linked to. It now reads:
As many as one million people flooded into Washington for a massive rally organised by conservatives claiming that President Obama is driving America towards socialism.
The size of the crowd – by far the biggest protest since the president took office in January – shocked the White House.
Demonstrators massed outside Capitol Hill after marching down Pennsylvania Avenue waving placards and chanting ‘Enough, enough’.
Now I don’t even buy this article. On what basis are they saying it “shocked the White House”? Obama dismissed those who attended. I’m sorry I linked to it, and put it the title. I certainly don’t want to mislead or embellish the truth.
R.S. McCain had a good post on the subject, as does Dan Riehl here and here. Honestly at this point I don’t really care. Fine, not two million, but 100K is a ridiculously low number considering photographic (that is undisputed) and eyewitness accounts.
3rd Update: Hawkeye Review posted that a spokesperson for the National Park Service said this was the largest gathering in DC history. I don’t know about that, and I wished he linked to his source. Regarding D.C. Insider tidbits:
I have two "insider reports" to share with you after talking with my DC friends and sources today.
1) All talk is in whispers, but let there be no doubt…Democrats are fully aware of the magnitude of Saturday’s rally and the implications this places on legislation and next year’s elections.
2) City officials, police and national park service workers are AMAZED at the orderliness of the crowd, the patience and good will demonstrated to each other and above all, there was a minimum of cleanup required after the event had concluded. CONTRAST THIS to the massive cleanup effort after last January’s inaugural event where the largely Democrat crowd left tons of garbage in and around the mall area.
Click through the link to see a pictorial contrast.
Also a number that D.C. Police was willing to officially give to Fox News’ Griff Jenkins tonight – 0, no arrests made on Saturday. Not too bad for an angry mob.