The DC Tea-Party

Matt Welch reports his impressions.

And The NY Times practices some crowd control with these dueling headlines:

1 - Thousands Rally in Minnesota Behind Obama’s Call for Health Care Overhaul

and

2 - Thousands Rally in Capital to Protest Big Government

Obama performed in a basketball arena, the Target Center, which seats around 20,000; the crowd was estimated at 15,000.  In a moment of candor the Times even gives away their mission:

On a day when demonstrators crammed onto the west lawn of the Capitol to protest what they regard as Mr. Obama’s brand of big government, including his health plan, the images of screaming, cheering Obama supporters here provided a welcome visual counterpoint for the White House.

Crowd estimates at the Washington DC event were more dramatic.  The Times leads with "a sea of protestors" but later settles for "tens of thousands", probably because "oodles and boodles" didn't meet their editorial standards.

Comments

[clarice]

P.S. The switchboard at the hotel was hinkey--I tried to use the system they had to make that a credit card call but that option did not work. When trying to call in to her room from outside I had to go thru the operator because direct calls weren't possible.

Go figure/

[clarice]

PPS.I may have tried to call you and Caro from her room before I got Jean (I don't recall) but I did not get thru to either of you so it's impossible to understand why anyone would have been charged for those calls.

[Jane]

Don't sweat it Clarice. They didn't make her pay and we got to compare notes. I assured her you weren't in her room and even if you were you could only have made it better!

[clarice]

Someone on another site pointed me to Darrell Issa's House Committee on Oversight Report released July 23 of this year--
which concludes:
"American nonprofits generate $1.3 trillion in revenues, have assets over $2 trillion, and employ 15 million people.408 Nonprofits represent a substantial portion of the activities directed toward public service, a mission obstructed by the fraud of groups like ACORN.

On the basis of this Report, the legal protections distinguishing ACORN and its affiliates must be ignored because the ability to ascertain whether federal moneys are being walled off from ACORN’s political activities is impracticable. As a result, ACORN and its Council of affiliates represent a politically partisan lobbying organization. ACORN and its affiliates’ nonprofit exemptions and receipt of federal grants must therefore bear greater scrutiny."

http://www.scribd.com/doc/19707933/7-23-09-Ogr-Acorn-Report

[Jack is Back!]

Looking at the photos in Stealth Fusion link and applying the little knowledge you get in taking a mandatory Photo-Interp class during my Air Intel days after flying I am going on a limb and say 1.3 million. If someone can find a flat horizontal overhead satellite or DC or Park police comprehensive I can do a grid analysis but then that is what the DC and Park police do regularly. How come there is not an analysis that has been done and released?

[clarice]

Some years ago some lefty group sued the Park Service re its estimate--stupid of course, but they did. If I recall correctly from that time on they ceased providing official estimates/

[hit and run]

BobS:
LUN of a Tea Party in my home ton of Fort Walton Beach, Florida.

Good to see you, Bob!

We were looking for your reaction to Obama's speech to school kids the other day...

[Old Lurker]

JiB, IIRC they stopped releasing that data a couple of years ago when lib crowds did not match expectations and everyone thought Bush was behind the cooking of the numbers. So the Park guys and the DC Cops said they were going to stay out of political hissy fits in the future, telling the nets to do their own head counts.

[Old Lurker]

Clarice beat me to it again...

[Neo]

... we know the drill that defines his leadership, for better and worse. When trouble lurks, No Drama Obama stays calm as everyone around him goes ballistic. Then he waits — and waits ...

This is Presidential leadership ? We might as well have Chance Gardner as President.

[hit and run]

BobS:
I've been wondering when the argument gets to his subversive foreign policy. His Honduran actions are mind boggeling.

Exactly.

Oh, and thanks Jay Nordlinger for the link in http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=ZjQwZWQxNTllNDYxYWMyZDE0NjNjZTFhNjIxMzU2OGQ=>The Corner on a Honduras post I put up this morning.

[Ignatz]

--If someone can find a flat horizontal overhead satellite--

I don't think there are any satellite shots as it was cloudy.

[clarice]

Super duper, hit--

[They lie.]

I think the crowd estimates by the DC authorities were specifically defunded, the better to manipulate the figures for political purposes.
==================================

[Jane]

Can someone tell me how to post a pix? It's a jpeg.

[caro]

Jane, I can't believe you are home already. Oh, wait, yes I can. Folks, I followed Jane on I-84 in Connecticut once and arrived at our destination a basket case. Anyway, so glad you are safe.

I'm in a great fish/raw bar called Captain Groovy's near Little Creek and my boat is in a marina nearby. Jane dropped me off at Union Station in DC this morning at 7am for my Amtrak train and bus to Norfolk.

The 9•12 tea party was a great experience and I want you all to know how often we talked about JOM and the wonderful group here. We really wanted to share it with all of you. So many of my friends are so far left that the time spent in DC was very liberating. We could talk freely and it was such fun. I am sad that I have to say that about my own friends.

I think those of us attending may have had the hardest time figuring out the size of the crowd. We were in a sea of people as far as the eye could see all of the time. The overhead shots are misleading. We were under trees near the capitol that totally obscured thousands of people. I am guessing we were in the 20-30% range leaving Freedom Plaza. The crowds settled on the grass near the Capitol were already huge and my guess is each of 100 portapotties had a line 20 deep when we passed.

Manual Transmission's wife, Sherry is lovely and held her creative and often photographed sign, Czars Czuk, high aloft for the whole time. (Please comment, S.!)

I wish I had photographed the scene as we left. There was not one speck of litter.

I was so disappointed and angry at our treatment in the offices of my senators, Hatch and Bennett and am wondering how I should register my complaints. I can't write a letter blasting treatment by the office staffs because they are the ones who open the mail. Any ideas?

Photos to follow.

[caro]

Compare!

[Barbara]

Original Mike S - at 11:45

The most astounding thing was what the President said in Minnesota as protesters massed in Washington DC. He said, "They can't stop us!"

That troubles me, too. He has never used this kind of rhetoric against al Queda or Iran. We are his enemy. Obama is at war with Americans.

[boris]

He said, "They can't stop us!"

Yes we can!

[matt]

what is amazing is that the MSM is just shunning coverage and any semblance of an estimate, saying "thousands". This is not a dereliction of duty but rather a declaration of war, I believe.

[Jane]

Caro,

I'm trying to post my all time favorite pix: #161 if your numbers are the same as mine.

FTR I made it home in 6 hours with 2 stops - and nearly wet my pants both times. The hardest part was getting out of DC. It was only a few minutes after you reached your destination. I am so tired I can't unpack. So I'm here instead.

[caro]

Yesterday after the march we had drinks and appetizers with a former congressman's wife, friend of ManTran and MrsTran. She said that congress ignores the size of the crowd at their peril.

[Jack is Back!]

Clarice,

Kickoff in 5 minutes.

Hail to the Redskins.
Hail Victory!
Braves on the Warpath.
Fight for Old DC.

God, I miss Jack Kent Cooke, Joe Gibbs, Charlie Cassel, The Hogs, Gary Clark and even The Over-The-Hill Gang.

How about them Redskins!

[caro]

Jane, I will find 161 when I get back to the boat and post for you.

[clarice]

Jack, It's nice to kknow the Skins still have a fan. The tickets to the new stadium are so expensive and the team so bad, no one even goes any more.

[Jane]

BTW i did get stopped for speeding on my way home:

"Hi officer, how are you"

"License and registration"

"Do you know why I stopped you?"

"I was going too fast?"

"How fast do you think you were going?"

"75?"

"You were going 82"

"groan."

"Where are you coming from?"

"DC"

"Where are you going?"

"MA"

"You better slow down because some officers will give you a ticket!"

"Thanks officer."

I think it is my lucky day.

[hit and run]

I think "161" should enter the JOM lexicon. I have no idea what the picture is, so who knows how it will be used or what it can describe -- but I imagine some day we will all intermittently say, "Hah, what a 161!" or something, forcing new posters and lurkers to ask "what's 161?" like they do LUN today.

Otherwise, I'm just biding my time waiting to see the pics!!!

Shouldn't JMH be waking up about now? Where are her pics?

[Semanticleo]

How about them Redskins!

Big Skins fan here, JiB, from my youth! Hopefully the Zornado will have a great season.

[clarice]

Civil Rights Commission turns up the heat on Holder: Great article by Jennifer Rubin:

http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/obama-administration-stonewalls-u-s-civil-rights-commission-on-black-panther-case/>Hot seat

[caro]

Meanwhile, one of my favorites.

[DrJ]

It sure sounds like it was a wonderful gathering in DC, and it is a shame I was not able to make it.

Instead, I joined in another time-honored American tradition: the county fair. Complete with a demolition derby. Entrants included a car painted pink and outfitted like a taco deliver vehicle (taco sign on roof!) and a car with the number "38DD." High brow it was not, but the six of us had a great time. Copious amounts of beer helped -- Sierra Nevada on tap; what's not to like?

[hit and run]

The only good thing that I can possibly find to say nice about the Redskins is that their name is offensive to PC shmucks everywhere.

Otherwise...

[Jack is Back!]

Hit,

I just looked at the site meter and didn't find anyone from Dallas so what is your problem with the Skins?

[caro]

Hey, Hit. We missed you sooooooo much, but I had a Sierra Nevada yesterday, too, so we were in sync.

[Jane]

Hey Hit - I coined LUN - perhaps my greatest achievement evah!

[glenda]

Glad you're home safe, Caro and Jane! I love the pics so far, anticipating more!

I just got home from the dedication of the new school named after my grandfather who was superintendent of schools here for 32 years. They (administration, faculty, city leaders) honored him greatly and the current superintendent made a little joke about "O" and his speech to students! Then I cried when my grandson held the blue ribbon they cut to officially open the new school. Levi Fry Intermediate School, Texas City, Texas-1st school built in 1954, new one 2009 with all the bells and whistles, even humility. Staying home this trip was worth it, but hope to make the next!
The MSM is full of hypocritical clusters of malleable misery and should never be read, watched or listened to. We can, and do, get information correctly through this medium and talking with each other directly. It's time to send a "death panel" over to the old grey lady to talk about their end of life choices!!

[caro]

Glenda, we missed you, too.

And my guess is that there will be another such gathering in 2010 and it will be the biggest event in history. I might just start looking for cheap flights and lodging now!

[clarice]

congratulations on the honor to your family, glenda.

[Gmax]

Hey I am from Dallas, and he was just channeling me! Leave Hit alone. If I could figure out a way for both the Giants and Skins could lose, I would root for that!

Cowboys win on the road. Bring it.

[hit and run]

JiB:
I just looked at the site meter and didn't find anyone from Dallas so what is your problem with the Skins?

Heh, I was born and raised there.

[Jane]

Congrats Glenda! It's been a red banner weekend all over.

And I do mean RED!

[hit and run]

Jane:
Hey Hit - I coined LUN - perhaps my greatest achievement evah!

Yes!

But remember, I invented the use of it.

But without the name, it meant nothing.

Oh, and look, GMax! The man who inspired the invention of LUN...for JMax!!! (how's she doing these days?)

[hit and run]

That is really awesome, Glenda.

[glenda]

Thank you, friends. It really is a red letter day when I wear a bra and pantyhose for 6 hours straight (church thru dedication) ;)

[hit and run]

Andrew Breitbart on facebook:

Andrew Breitbart Landing in an unnamed city and staying at an unnamed hotel. Let's talk later. www.biggovernment.com
8 minutes ago · Comment · Like

Hmmm.....

[Neo]

Newspaper of record? The Times isn’t so much a newspaper as a clique of high school girls sending IMs to like-minded friends about their feuds and faves and raves and rants. OMFG you guys! It’s no more objective than Beck is.

[Old Lurker]

Folks, I'm still checking off names.

Where is Bad?

Where is Rich?

Where is DoT?

PS to Jane...took me 9.5 hours from Hyannis to DC...you made it back in 6+??? Clearly you did not have Mrs. Lurker and the dog in the car with you. You are my hero.

[Pofarmer]

It would take a schwerpunkt to set off a crisis, but I think many more Americans will be waking up to the fraud our leadership has become, perhaps enough to help get us back on the right track.

So what will it take? How many bills will they pass over the will of the American people before this gets stopped.

As one of my favorite signs said: Don't make me come back here".

If there's another one, my wife and I will try to attend.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Some years ago some lefty group sued the Park Service re its estimate--stupid of course, but they did. If I recall correctly from that time on they ceased providing official estimates/

It was the Million Man March, and the Park Service not only stopped providing estimates, they were forbidden by Congress from providing estimates, until the Obama Inauguration. When they were still strictly forbidden, but did it anyone and no one in Congress complained.

Oh, and Jack, there don't appear to be any good overhead photos available, I've been searching for them. The one that got passed around looks to have been misattributed. But working it from the number of people crossing Penns Ave, it look like 850K is a plausible estimate with very high confidence. 1.3 millions would have really filled things up and apparently they couldn't use all the Mall.

[Old Lurker]

"...It really is a red letter day when I wear a bra and pantyhose for 6 hours straight..."

Glenda, oh never mind it's just too easy to hit that one out of the park...but I'm trying to behave.

[clarice]

Neo--I loved that entire NY Post article. It is a classic.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

It really is a red letter day when I wear a bra and pantyhose for 6 hours straight

Me too.

[boris]

Gosh I can't remember the last time ...

[Porchlight]

Glad to see all the JOM tea party contingent back and posting. I feel so much less cynical about Washington now, knowing what a fabulous time you all had, and seeing yesterday what determined, patriotic people can do.

I wonder if we'll ever see a good aerial photo from yesterday. But it did occur to me that *someone* must have taken photos of the crowd from the top of Washington Monument, unless it was closed for some reason.

[hit and run]

Waiting for your piece at PJM, Charlie...

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Gosh I can't remember the last time ...

Oh, Boris, how could you forget? Snif.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Waiting for your piece at PJM, Charlie...

Me too.

[Pofarmer]

He said, "They can't stop us!"

Yes we can!

Unfortunately, it needs to happen before they pass this carp.

[Porchlight]

Congratulations, Glenda! What a wonderful day for your family.

[Jane]

Po, we will arrange another one just so you and Mrs. Po will join us. We were definitely short on men altho Man tran and son graciously took up the slack.

OL - it was slightly less than 6 hours including the two bathroom breaks and of course the speeding stop. I just don't mess around.

[Pofarmer]

I wonder if we'll ever see a good aerial photo from yesterday.

My bet is no, under orders.

[Jane]

Well we were also in a no fly zone from what I understand - not that that is an excuse.

[clarice]

Jane, This is your lucky day, girl!
I got in a big shipoment of depends for the Congressional commissary and I'll send over a gift box for you to keep in your car for those long drives.

[clarice]

Now the moron has started a trade war with China..Jusr what we needed and tomorrow he's going to announce a new, giant regulatory scheme for banks.

[caro]

Number One-sixty-one!

[Charlie (Colorado)]

You know, I didn't vote for him, but I was actually sort of bitterly pleased that we had finally elected a black guy.

Now I've begun to wonder if, by having elected possibly the least competent president ever, even counting Andrew Johnson and Martin Van Buren, Obama hasn't actually done more harm to the position of blacks in the US than he could have done good.

[MayBee]

Someone mentioned that yesterday. I'm certain of it.

LOVE IT!!!!!!!!

[Buford Gooch]

I came late to this party, because I had to work today, but I just want to say, it was a "S0fa King" crowd. It was Sofa King big you couldn't count them. (Ya kinda hafta say it out loud.)

[caro]

Gee, Clarice, which czar is doing that?

[caro]

Glenda, cool that you will have a school named after your grandfather. Congrats. But the bra and pantyhose part czuks.

[hit and run]

161 rocks!

[PeterUK]

Clarice,
Trade war. Obama pay off to another union?

[Dkjl]

2 million? Maybe we shall spare 2 million Americans from our miraculous(Obama)wrath upon the idiots.

[clarice]

Neat,Caro.Man Tran said you guys were under that banner but I couldn't see it in that sea of demonstrators and posters. It is the very best one!

[centralcal]

I don't know where Dan Riehl got it, but he has an aerial photo of the crowds in a time lapse sort of photo overlaying the USA Today crowd metric chart. Very impressive.
The DC Tea Party. . .

Scroll to the bottom!

[caro]

Chaco, what you say is true and sad, I think. Just contemplate how great it would be to have a conservative black president who wanted more than anything to inspire great things for all through self reliance and hard work. Our economy would be unstoppable.

[Jane]

Chaco,

I feel the same way. I think this president has done more to harm blacks than anyone could possibly imagine.

[Jane]

I do love 161!

[hit and run]

centralcal -- that's not a photo of 9/12. It's an old Promise Keepers photo that was discussed on the Saturday Open Thread thread.

Charlie is in the comments at Dan's raising the question.

[centralcal]

Chaco - I cannot tell you how often I have wondered the same thing. I have been afraid to express my concerns because I wasn't sure I could frame it correctly and not be called "racist."

However, everyone who is not an Obama fan is being called racist anyway. I wonder . . . when the next "man of color" runs for President, will the questions, the scrutiny be even harder? What a damned shame!

[MayBee]

Glenda- yay!Or maybe I should say, cool school.

[PD]

each of 100 portapotties had a line 20 deep when we passed.

But Caro, you were merely an eyewitness. We have the real truth that there were no lines, and we know this to be fact because Cleo said so.

[centralcal]

Oh, rats! Thanks Hit for correcting things . . . I thought Dan really had something! Bummer!

[Gmax]

Hit

Just for you a JMax update. She has passed her one year anniversary at Deloitte, getting the highest evaluation possible for the first year ( in case anyone ever wonders about the benefits of intercollegiate athletics send them to me ) and has moved to a very chic uptown apartment near downtown Big D. She cruises around in a midnight blue Z4 ( the benefits of working for a national CPA firm ) and has passed one of the parts of the CPA exam so far.

And her former teammates are on a tear this year, Number one in all polls and ripped number 2 UCLA 5 -0 last week.

Life is good if you are young, single, well educated, employed and in America, without a doubt.

[PD]

Now the moron has started a trade war with China

I was puzzled about that one. If we are depending on China to buy large hunks of our debt, aren't there some serious repercussions to be expected by raising tariffs on Chinese steel pipe?

[hit and run]

That's great to hear, Gmax

[Mike Myers]

Thousands Rally in Minnesota
Thousands Rally in D.C.

That's the New York Times version of "fair and balanced".

[jean]

I just sent my Congressmans office flowers for being so nice to us.It great having a women Congressman you like.Then you can send flowers.Had a grand time in DC.Hope it does some good

[MayBee]

I'd vote for JMax again today, if I could.

[centralcal]

Cool, Gmax. Gosh I remember the days when we were voting for her 24/7!

CPA, huh? Good choice! Lord knows, with our government, she should never be outta work!!!

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

LARRY GELBART has died….

Best known for MASH and Tootsie.

[rse]

Chaco -

Thanks so much. I worry especially for the young people who believed and ultimately understand that the MSM took advantage of their good will.

I also worry for the young people who understood the essence of what BO wanted to do and had to watch their teachers, friends, bosses, and profs tell them this was how we could move beyond race.

This administration will be a "what the h*?" moment for many.

[Jane]

Good job Jean, she was our one bright light in the Capital.

And even better for JMAX - who we actually talked about this weekend.

[Janet]

The Dan Riehl posting can't be right. Most of the 9-12 people were sqished up near the Cap. - to the North and West. It was solid people back to the Nat'l gallery of art (east wing).

It might be hard to compare the inauguration and the 9-12 gathering because they weren't "funneled in" the same way.

The inauguration had seating near the West side of the Cap., and then the crowds were let in all down the mall .

The 9-12 gathering had everyone coming up Penn. Ave. to the west side of the Cap. until it backed up from over crowding.
More like a big fat oval hugging the west side of the Cap. as opposed to a more linear crowd down the mall.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Janet et al, I'm almost positive that's the PK photo that was being passed off as one from 9/12.

Next year we'll know to buy a picture from geoEye; they don't take them unless someone asks.

[matt]

you know that the National Park Service has an estimate and that those on the inside can probably access it. No way some of the Congressmen and women are going to ignore this.

How many districts are in play? 60-80? Enough to make a heck of an impact.

[Ignatz]

You'd think the MSM and lefties would learn how to play the game or read some Sun Tzu or something.
All ignoring or lying about this does is inflame and motivate their opponents to double the size next year and make sure they have aerial pics and more accurate metering.
A verfied two million, next September, two months before the election will pucker their collective (or collectivist?) rears in no uncertain terms.

[Jane]

I hope you guys notice the "JOM" on the bottom right of 161. That was for you!

[Gmax]

Matt

Honestly, I think there might be more than 80 Congress seats in play. People are just so fed up, even about 1/3 of Democrats have just had it. That means, in a wave the size of a tsunami, chairs on the beach that were safely back from high tide, get carried out to sea in the Tsunami as it rushes back out.

[hit and run]

http://www.stealthfusion.com/forum/fusion-research/4910-amazing-photos-9-12-march-washington-vs-usa-today-national-mall-schematic.html>Great 9/12 photos

Bunches...I particularly like the ones from steps of Capitol give a good look out over the crowd down to Washington Monument.