How big was the crowd in D.C. today?
posted at 8:31 pm on September 12, 2009 by Allahpundit
Anyone have any official/nonpartisan estimates? I’ve seen numbers ranging from 50,000 on the low end (from David Shuster, natch) up to “a healthy six figures” from Reason’s Matt Welch on up to the two million figure cited by the boss earlier this morning, which ABC insists it never reported. As of a few hours ago, D.C. police were refusing to make any estimates but ABC got some unspecified city officials on the record claiming there 60,000 to 75,000 people there. Any other numbers floating around? E-mail me if so. I think using protest size as a gauge of popular sentiment is stupid — witness the huge turnouts against the war in early 2003 when public support was in the neighborhood of 65 percent — but it’s a fun talking point, so let’s have fun.
Two videos of the crowd for you to peruse. One is a time-lapse from a traffic cam of people gathering this morning, the other is of MSNBC anchor Alex Witt marveling at the scale of the rally. Believe it or not, there were lefties speculating on Twitter today that the photo Michelle posted this morning was bogus because the flag in the foreground appears to be at half-mast; it must have been a photo of a lefty protest from years ago, the theory went, for surely the right couldn’t muster a throng of that size. Compare it to the videos, though, and you’ll see that the shot’s obviously from today. Alas, 9/12 Truth, we hardly knew ye!
Update: However big it was, it was bigger than expected. From the NYT: “Many came on their own and were not part of an organization or group. But the magnitude of the rally took the authorities by surprise, with throngs of people streaming from the White House to Capitol Hill for more than three hours.”
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Thats awesome. Funny that our resident troll seems to think the trains were practically empty. hahaha He’s in denial.
becki51758 on September 13, 2009 at 9:10 AM
One of the best chants of the day: You Lie!
Another: Can you hear us now?
Another: Freedom. Now!
Christian Conservative on September 13, 2009 at 9:17 AM
I appreciate Bleeds Blue’s info since he is a local. However, I think the demographics were significantly different from liberal marches. First, DC is a liberal town, so people going to a conservative (broadly speaking) march are much more likely to be from out of town, driving in and not taking the trains. If they are taking the Metro it’s going to be different lines and stops than if, say, an enormous chunk of the DC and metro area population is taking the train to the Obama inaugural. So some Metro lines might be packed solid (as has been reported) and others not.
And of course, people who drive in are also driving home and probably not plunking down cash for a hotel. So of course they’re not going to go trolling the neighborhood bars after the march – they’re going to find their way to their car and start driving. And they’re not as likely to know people in Adams-Morgan on whose floors they can crash if they’re coming from more conservative parts of the country. Heck, I know don’t know anyone in DC well enough to crash on their floor and 99% of my friends are liberal/left. Not to mention I’m too old to crash on floors (though not to old to go to bars).
Lastly, it sounds like Bleeds Blue went to the parade for a little bit. The parade was hours before the rally and though there were lots of people (from the traffic cam views) I’m sure it was nothing compared to the Mall.
But anyway, this is all anecdotal. The aerial views show that there is no way that crowd is anything like 100K or below.
Missy on September 13, 2009 at 9:21 AM
World expert at counting crowds on video. He talks about Million Man March and Obama’s inaugaration estimates. How many people can fit into the Washington mall?
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=109628
“In 1995 Magaly Koch, a Cambridge resident and member of Cambridge Community Television, was one the scientists who participated in a project by Boston University’s Center for Remote Sensing that involved estimating the crowd size of the Million Man March in Washington, D.C.
At the time, there was a huge controversy surrounding the actual number of people who had attended the event organized by the Nation of Islam. The National Park Service claimed the number to be well below one million whereas the organizers estimated a figure above one million people. Dr. Farouk El-Baz, who is the director of the Center for Remote Sensing, was approached back then to provide a scientifically more accurate number that would help settle the dispute. Ever since, he has become the nation’s leading expert in counting crowds.
So with the historic event of President Barack Obama’s inauguration approaching, Dr. El-Baz has been bombarded with telephone calls from the news media. Everybody wants to know how many people can fill the Washington Mall. Check out this conversation between Farouk and Magaly reminiscing about the Million Man March crowd counting project and discussing the number of people who can be expected to fill the National Mall in Washington, D.C. on January 20th, 2009.”
Potter on September 13, 2009 at 9:34 AM
Anyone hear of any arrests? It looked to be quite peaceful from what I saw on C-Span.
I’d be interested in comparing the after pics of the mall from this event to the post-inaugural pics in terms of trash left behind. Remember the Hurricane Latrina pic?
Monica on September 13, 2009 at 9:38 AM
That pic is bad. Yikes@! How funny too that the WH said they werent aware of the march. They seem to know all about Fox news reporting these “lies and misinformation”, but nothing about the march. So still they lie.
becki51758 on September 13, 2009 at 9:44 AM
There was virtually nothing on the ground when the event ended. Garbage cans were filled up and I watched people pickup around themselves as they prepared to leave the rally. Fox News had a reporter standing on the lawn at 5pm, an hour after the event ended, and all you could see was acres and acres of clean grass.
David in ATL on September 13, 2009 at 9:55 AM
I’m basing this from the park service map, previously posted:
http://cspan.org/Watch/Media/2009/09/12/HP/A/23055/FreedomWorks+Rally+in+DC.aspx
From the C-Span coverage, it would appear that the ticketed area is full (240,000) and after that it looks like people were limited to the walkpath areas on either side and stretch back possibly as far back as the Washington monument–at least, that’s what it looked like by the end of the event, though I don’t know if people had started clearing out by then. I can’t find a higher-res video to look at the beginning.
Even if people weren’t on the grassy areas to start with, if you squeeze all those people into the next area instead of only walkpaths and I think you have an easy 400,000 — if not a cool half-mill.
I wish my wife and I had gone. :(
eforhan on September 13, 2009 at 10:02 AM
I am anxiously awaiting the WH response to the march. If the President didn’t notice one million people outside his front door, I think we can officially remove the word “intelligent” from any further description of his brain. If he chooses to ignore yesterday’s events, not only will he be politically stupid, he will look like a fool.
sherry on September 13, 2009 at 10:03 AM
Absolutely right. We picked up around us as we left. We also thanked the Capitol Police everytime we encountered one. We were angry at what is going on in our govt., but very polite and respectful of the grounds and the public servants who were ACTUALLY SERVING THE PUBLIC!
Christian Conservative on September 13, 2009 at 10:04 AM
LMFAO…. you rode the train long after most of the people were already marching down the street or were already at the Capital….making your experience pathetically irrelevant. Thanks for confirming the obvious……BO supporters are pathologically blind, at best, or intentionally stupid.
David in ATL on September 13, 2009 at 10:04 AM
I removed intelligent as an adjective to describe him years ago. ;) Stupid..fool…that describes him perfectly!
becki51758 on September 13, 2009 at 10:06 AM
Um, I think the Democrats for the record are against those two men being married as well.
As for the deficits, the Democrats used them as a club against both Reagan and Bush. They became cool though once Teh One and Nancy and Harry and Barney controlled the purse strings. I mean, those “progressives” are the last people to complain about inconsistency. They barely even coherent.
ddrintn on September 13, 2009 at 10:06 AM
The real story here is that the past tense media are refusing to report the actual number of people present, but more important than that, probably because they are scared witless, is the “ice berg factor” as some previous posters have mentioned.
If one conservatively estimates that ten or more people wanted to attend for every person who actually showed up. More than two million may have been there yesterday, but again, even if we consider conservatively 1.2 million,(I’m sure it will actually be higher)the next rally may draw 12 million.
And that next rally needs to happen soon.
dogsoldier on September 13, 2009 at 10:07 AM
*They’re (in one of my many moments of typing incoherence)
ddrintn on September 13, 2009 at 10:08 AM
Guys and gals, and that includes our resident liberal trolls……
Take heart! It is very, very, clear that we DO NOT NEED the MSM any longer! Fox, Glen, Rush, Laura, Ann, et al are reaching enough people to get hundreds of thousands of American patriots to finally speak up and say to the socialists….ENOUGH!!!
We are fighting the good fight and we will never stop again. It was our complacency that allowed the socialists to take charge of our schools and the media. I feel we have learned our lesson and will relegate the despicable traitors of this country to the sewers they crawled out of.
GOD BLESS AMERICA!
csdeven on September 13, 2009 at 10:10 AM
Anyone having trouble with the white screen of death, just log out and log back in. It’s an obvious programming foul up.
csdeven on September 13, 2009 at 10:11 AM
I love the sign with san fran nan’s nose a mile long. Hilarious!
becki51758 on September 13, 2009 at 10:12 AM
Based on that photo, if 1.8 is ‘the’ number: I note the crowd is grouped into uneven ‘clumps’ along the Mall [the rectangular portion of the Mall being divided into 8 sections], only 3 of the 8 sections look full, 1 section [3rd from the right, Capitol side] is more empty than not.
The major difference: the organized seating next to the Capitol Building for the Inag vs the 9-12 event. Otherwise, the 8 sections of the Mall is ‘solidly’ packed and the ‘overflow’ clumped around Washington Monument being ‘more or less’ equal. My ‘guesstimate’: nearly 2 million, given that the 1.8 number is the ‘truth’.
Will we know the real ‘official’ number? Nope. IMO, we already ‘know’. The SCM and the gibbering trolls tell me: ‘too many showed up.’
BTW–one other factor: the various other 9-12 events elsewhere in the country. Not all us had the time or ‘jack’ to get to DC.
Adding ALL those groups together makes it even more interesting.
CPT. Charles on September 13, 2009 at 10:14 AM
For months I’ve been calling him despicable. To pretend you didn’t see that many people outside your front door, and expect that Americans will fall for it, is not just foolish. It is traitorous and elitist too.
The man is despicable. He is the worst president ever.
csdeven on September 13, 2009 at 10:16 AM
he is. I always thought Nixon was bad, and Carter….but he has them beat.
becki51758 on September 13, 2009 at 10:19 AM
Here’s what’s making me nuts this morning:
Obama has no desire or intention to be everyone’s president-he’s happy to belittle anyone who doesn’t share his views. I read that he “wasn’t aware of the march on D.C.” yesterday. What are we doing with this kind of arrogance in the White House??
anniekc on September 13, 2009 at 10:26 AM
Suuuuuure he wasn’t aware of it. Just like he never ever thinks about that former mayor of “Wasilly”.
ddrintn on September 13, 2009 at 10:34 AM
Here’s another pretty compelling ‘panorama shot’ from our local pals at http://www.lonestartimes
THIS AINT ASTROTURF
Katfish on September 13, 2009 at 10:35 AM
Everybody knows some body else to tell 1=10 10=100
“ice berg factor”
But lost in the count is how many in the other cities who also showed up on a Saturday.
If Americas number one ,greatest leader evah can only pull 15000 shills in frankenland and nobody can pull 10000 in Peoria(The NYT had to look at a map to find Peoria) what does that tell you???
The real story here is that the past tense media are refusing to report the actual number of people present, but more important than that, probably because they are scared witless, is the “ice berg factor” as some previous posters have mentioned.
If one conservatively estimates that ten or more people wanted to attend for every person who actually showed up. More than two million may have been there yesterday, but again, even if we consider conservatively 1.2 million,(I’m sure it will actually be higher)the next rally may draw 12 million.
And that next rally needs to happen soon.
Col.John Wm. Reed on September 13, 2009 at 10:36 AM
Lefties get people to their rallies by handing out free pot and cigarettes. Its no wonder they get big numbers.
Speedwagon82 on September 13, 2009 at 10:37 AM
we are driving back to Florida now – have made it to SC and tons of Florida tags everywhere on the interstate. This rally, this protest, was historical – it was just the beginning, too. We gotta keep it going – b/c just like the chanting, WE DO OWN THAT DOME – not obama, not congress. I won’t quit until conservatives hold a majority of seats – I could care less about R or D behind their names.
Ris4victory on September 13, 2009 at 10:44 AM
Test.
Anna on September 13, 2009 at 10:44 AM
I also am “local” – born, bred and raised here (God save me…).
This “Bleeds Blue” is a typical TROLL and nothing more.
The Mall – from the Capitol to the Washington Monument alone – is 1-and-1/4 miles, and it holds about 1 million protesters (or July 4 fireworks watchers…). (3/4 of a mile more from there to the Lincoln Memorial).
Add to that those on Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to Freedom Plaza – another 1-and-1/2 miles – and on the Capitol grounds and you’ve got well over 2 million.
Your troll probably waited at The Brickskeller or maybe one of the “gray zone” bars around 11th-14th St. or North of U St. (areas where no human – black or white – should live after dark).
Lockstein13 on September 13, 2009 at 10:47 AM
LOL. Thanks for going to the protest and adding to the total estimate.
Dusty on September 13, 2009 at 10:50 AM
Oh, how very frustrating. It looks like there were many times “tens of thousands” people on the Mall.
I was at the El Paso rally with several hundred people and it wasn’t even mentioned in today’s paper.
Our newspaper has a small story on the Washington Mall- that mentions the anti-Obama signs and then goes on to talk more about Obama’s speech yesterday. Letters to the editor talk about how wonderful Reyes is and if you objected to Obama’s speech to school kids on Tuesday, then you are just evil (the woman says she listened to FDR’s radio addresses to school kids at school so I’ll need to see if that really did happen). Then an editorial about how this guy is glad that our congressman is “fighting” back. Fighting back by ridiculing and demeaning people against all the increased spending and the ramming of bills through that no one has read.
I know in my heart that yesterday made a difference. I know that we have a lot of politicians scared and that is why they are out there calling us names and laughing at us. But right now it hurts.
I am looking forward to the day when politicians will HAVE to take notice of what is going on and little snide comments are not going to work.
This week, I am going to mail all the people that “represent” me in Washington pink slips since they no longer are working for me.
I ask that others do the same- send them pink slips. Tell them that they are fired because they are not doing their jobs according to the Constitution!
God Bless America!
cibolo on September 13, 2009 at 10:51 AM
LOL, I had some hole wheat toast for breakfast.
Del Dolemonte on September 13, 2009 at 10:52 AM
Did you watch the event in Minneapolis?
Have you ever read the speeches at Nuremberg?
Didn’t think so.
Saltysam on September 13, 2009 at 10:53 AM
Was Maobama lying when he said he was unaware of the 912 group and march?
I’m dumbfounded by the lack of coverage. Even Fox is reporting “thousands”..not even “tens of thousands”..WTF??? They are covering it almost in passing, as filler. Their morning show spent a couple of minutes on a really fat chick. WTF????
Itchee Dryback on September 13, 2009 at 10:56 AM
I have to say that I was VERY disappointed in FOX’s and Glenn Beck’s coverage yesterday. They really downplayed it and Glenn Beck was actually boring.
anniekc on September 13, 2009 at 10:59 AM
Question is how many American does the crowd represent? If two million were in DC, how many were rooting for them at home? 50 million? 200 million? Over half the nation?
Watch for the MSM talking heads on today’s shows try to downplay the event – i.e.: “Well, there were “only” 2 million there and that’s less that one percent of the population. Meaningless numbers.” Gibbs will do the same Monday when asked about the event.
Rod on September 13, 2009 at 11:01 AM
Liberals only see what they want to see. Liberals only hear what they want to hear. They prove it day, after day, after day. The MSM is the perfect example of this defect.
Fact is, they are concerned. If they were a bit more honest with themselves they would be scared.
The thing to do now is to take it to them. Directly. Honestly. Overwhelmingly.
Yoop on September 13, 2009 at 11:03 AM
Why not tell Julian Kulski to chill out.
Go ahead, I gave you the link to his online journal/book.
Do tell…Why do you think he felt it important to speak at the 912 march and make sure present day Americans connect the dots?
Saltysam on September 13, 2009 at 11:04 AM
1.5 miles long and about 400 feet wide is over 3.2 million square feet. Assuming that each person occupied an average of 6 square feet, that’s over a half million folks. Someone with a good aerial photo could get an accurate area the people occupied and come up with a good estimate. Ane I bet that half million is close.
iurockhead on September 13, 2009 at 11:10 AM
The MSM is not going to make any of this look positive. They won’t even say these people are anything but “right wing Republicans”. The comment that these people are prejudiced and don’t want to see a black president.
I’d hate top tell them but; it doesn’t make any difference what color your skin is if your incompetent and your ideas are just wrong. There was a crowd in D.C. who thought that and they represent more people than Obama does.
bflat879 on September 13, 2009 at 11:12 AM
Let’s clear up something right now. BHO is not stupid. He is at least as intelligent as Torrio, Capone, Accardo, Gincana, Humphreys, Guzik, and other Chicago Outfit members. BHO comes from the same machine that created Michael “Hinky Dink” Kenna, “Bathhouse” John Coughlin, and mayor William Thompson.
Pelayo on September 13, 2009 at 11:13 AM
Obama has the intelligence of a grifter. That is all. I am done overthinking the brains behind his agenda.
sherry on September 13, 2009 at 11:20 AM
Thank you to all who went and stood up for us!
publiuspen on September 13, 2009 at 11:30 AM
see here, Clearly the crowd is at least as large as the USA Today schematic for 1 mill at the inauguration based on THEIR math…
ginaswo on September 13, 2009 at 11:31 AM
I think it was stupid for anyone to estimate 2 million. But the yahoos saying it was under 50k are morons.
Speedwagon82 on September 13, 2009 at 11:32 AM
the crowds seemed pretty huge from the pics I saw… and that was only one of many, many protests
painfulTruthDisciple on September 13, 2009 at 11:34 AM
O/T [maybe]
Over the past month [or so] I’ve gotten the ‘you are not permitted to comment’ prompt. The solution I’ve worked out: ‘log out’, the log back in again.
The culprit? Dunno. My guess: I’ve got some fairly aggressive ‘cleaning’ software on my computer, I might be zapping a ‘cookie’, but I’m not sure that’s the problem. I’ve been commenting here for awhile [but I'm not an 'old timer' ;) ], and this ‘bug’ is a recent development.
CPT. Charles on September 13, 2009 at 11:35 AM
Why didn’t somebody have the foresight to hire an aerial photo firm to estimate the crowd?
scullymj on September 13, 2009 at 11:36 AM
He’s a Man Of The People.
But only if you’re the right kind of People.
Socratease on September 13, 2009 at 11:40 AM
OK OK, I guess there are flight restrictions in that area but surely a waiver was available. There’s a waiver for everything.
scullymj on September 13, 2009 at 11:41 AM
I was there yesterday and I talked to the Capital Police. They told me what happened when they said there was less than 1 million at Farrakhan’s Million Man March and the Farrakhan people caused a whole stink over it. The nice Capital Policemen told us that judging by the crowd on BOTH sides of the Capital, and the fact that the crowd spilled back from the street behind the Capital, more than 3/4ths of the way to the Monument, they estimated 1.5-2 million. Out of that, despite the arrogantly ignorant way CNN & the AP reported it, there was one BHO poster with uh, a certain German Dictator moustache poster and it was sure enough a LaRouchie as I saw it. I have never felt more energy, patriotism and just goodness in my life as I have never seen or been in a crowd that size before. It was amazing. The worst thing (but I think it was great) that could be said as what was chanted was “You Lie” and the crowd went crazy every time someone mentioned Joe Wilson. There were people walking around with Beck 4 Prez signs and large pictures of Sarah Palin (sorry Allah-please don’t ban me but I am not a drive-by media member with any agenda, so I, like you and the HA community, can only say the truth that I saw and heard myself-I personally LOVE Sarah & Beck), which both caused the loudest roars of support from the crowd.
My friend was 10 behind me in the March and he texted me that he could not get on the grounds around the Capital & the Pool where we were sitting, and he had to sit on the grounds behind the Capital in front of the Monument as they were not allowing anymore people into where we were seated.
margategop517 on September 13, 2009 at 11:49 AM
Maobama flew over on his way to the “I’M AWESOME” pep rally. Do you think no one on board took a pic?
Itchee Dryback on September 13, 2009 at 11:50 AM
The ‘high’ estimate is based off the 1.8 number for Teh One’s coronation.
Of course, if that number was a lie…
I think you get my drift.
CPT. Charles on September 13, 2009 at 11:51 AM
I thank all who gave up their time to march…and those who support them! If/when there is another one..I’ll be there!
becki51758 on September 13, 2009 at 11:53 AM
My husband & I were in NJ for personal business and drove down to the rally with 2 friends. My husband took hundreds of photos; the crowd was bigger than anything I’ve ever seen in my entire life. He took 100′s of photos. We’re flying back to WA state this afternoon and I’ll post a link when I get some of the pics up on my blogsite. It was an honour to be there with so many patriots.
linlithgow on September 13, 2009 at 11:53 AM
Yeah, I figured it out – but not before some serious cursing.
There were scads of people there yesterday. We left a little early, because I could not handle the crowd (too many people, and I’ll have a panic attack).
Anna on September 13, 2009 at 11:55 AM
The nutroots is claiming a Freedomworks guy said that he expected two million protestors. If so, he should be fired for jackassery.
Speedwagon82 on September 13, 2009 at 12:09 PM
We really need to plan for a massive march on DC next 4th of July.
mmcnamer1 on September 13, 2009 at 12:10 PM
You are probably correct as the gay bars don’t get much action from conservatives.
Wade on September 13, 2009 at 12:11 PM
I did some checking and found some crowd shots of Obama’s inauguration (not from the same angles, unfortunately). That crowd looked much bigger… although part of that might be from the fact that there was a large section of chairs in rows (for dignitaries). The posts I found reported that crowd at 1.8 million (does anyone know if that’s correct?).
My guess is that yesterday’s crowd was 200,000 to 500,000. It may be larger if the report I read on a blog about a hard meter count of 450,000 at Penn Ave is accurate. But looking at the crowd shots, I don’t think it was 1,000,000.
Not that any of that matters… the point is that lots of ordinary folks organized themselves to travel to D.C. on a cloudy day but as far as our elected officials are concerned they are either paid shills or delusional morons.
Y-not on September 13, 2009 at 12:12 PM
Someone(producer or upper management) had a chokehold on Beck yesterday. It was so obvious.
libertas on September 13, 2009 at 12:18 PM
Question is – why are they doing this?
Alana on September 13, 2009 at 12:20 PM
Yeah, sorry dude. Nazi comparisons are just stupid.
YYZ on September 13, 2009 at 12:20 PM
I wonder if its because acorn plans to sure Fox news?
becki51758 on September 13, 2009 at 12:26 PM
ugh sure=sue
I took the garbage out a bit ago and got beaned in the head by a falling acorn….must have affected my typing.
becki51758 on September 13, 2009 at 12:27 PM
lol
Alana on September 13, 2009 at 12:33 PM
Whats scary is..its true! lol
becki51758 on September 13, 2009 at 12:36 PM
Congratulations to all my fellow patriots. Regardless of how the press tries to marginalize this tea party (any you knew they would), we stuck it to the politicians yesterday. We stood not just against Obamacare, and Cap & Tax and bailouts and Card Check, we stood for freedom and the Constitution! They may all have turned their back or run out of town, but trust me they heard our roar. And “We have not yet begun to fight!”
Christian Conservative on September 13, 2009 at 12:41 PM
+100
becki51758 on September 13, 2009 at 12:42 PM
using this model clearly over a million were in attendance.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-01-19-crowd_N.htm
pjf626 on September 13, 2009 at 12:44 PM
I was there.
It said to let you know by email of any other reports on size but I don’t know your email address so posting.
At 11:30am, D.C. police reported the number to our people on stage that there were 1.2 million. It was announced. About 1 hour later, it was announced the D.C. revised it up to 1.6 million.
We were also told by our bus driver who got a radio call that the D.C. police were turning buses away as early as 7:30 am there just wasn’t any room for the people. Those buses unloaded blocks away. Our tea party buses were incluced in those that had to drop us off blocks away.
It was an awesome scene saying people coming from every which way to converge to Pennsylvania Avenue.
I was very surprised there was not one sight of any one from the opposition. We were expecting some especially since there was an African American Music festival at a good size park, going on as well. That festival was at 12th & Madison.
Our part of the NC tea party group was to be back on the bus at 3:00 so we started wading back at 1:45. There were still 1,000s arriving. We heard later they were still coming after it ended.
Also, since the picture was taken at 14th street, that in itself should help tell us the size as it is many blocks from the U.S. capital.
My favorite sign was:
Elephants and Asses
Screwing the masses.
TriciaNC on September 13, 2009 at 12:47 PM
ha ha ha waste time and energy talking about how many people were there instead of what was said by whoever was there
Dave Rywall on September 13, 2009 at 12:52 PM
The demonstration was enormous. Whatever the numbers settle out to be, the fact remains that it was the largest demonstration by the American People to petition their Government for a redress of grievances.
The pictures will remain in our collective history, as will the childish response by the President. No one will remember that it was Gibbs who said he ‘couldn’t see them’, it will attributed to Obama. And everyone will remember that at a moment as huge as this, when our President could’ve acted Presidential he chose instead to be small, petty and mean. And those are the characteristics that will define his Presidency.
Spend your days arguing about the numbers if you wish, that banter turns into an inaudible hum once you anyone sees the collection of photos, and it is a massive collection. It is a sea of humanity before the capitol. The visceral reaction to the photos is “oh my G-D, look at all those people, where is the President? (to address them)” -He says he can’t see them.
batterup on September 13, 2009 at 12:57 PM
Wrong. Voters matter.
ElectricPhase on September 13, 2009 at 12:58 PM
Of course, that picture was one of three shown in the Philadelphia Inquirer today, with the LaRouche label conveniently cropped out.
:rolleyes
rockmom on September 13, 2009 at 12:59 PM
Except that photo you’re using is not from the 9/12 rally but is from the 1997 Promise Keeper’s event. And FWIW that event had 700k or so.
There aren’t any aerial photos from yesterday since it’s restricted airspace and there was cloud cover (no satellites).
jonknee on September 13, 2009 at 1:24 PM
Bogus Picture Alert – the “Sunny Day” picture of the Mall being sent around the internet since yesterday was from the 1997 Promise Keepers gathering, NOT yesterday’s. It’s easy to tell, for one thing, because the picture was taken on a sunny day.
As discussed yesterday on this thread, the picture is being spread by leftist mobys and ill-wishers in an attempt to discredit sites like HotAir after the fact.
Wake up, and use your God-given judgment, please! Be suspicious of *any* picture taken on a sunny day that purports to be from yesterday.
Welcome to HotAir, Rightyismighty. Glad to have you as a member. But next time, check your sources better before posting, please!
Welcome to HotAir too, Scott P. Glad to have you as a member too. But next time use a little judgment before chiming in in agreement, okay? Thank you.
RD on September 13, 2009 at 1:28 PM
I am so annoyed. I went to Google and typed in 9/12 so I could find an article on how big the crowd was and EVERY article listed was a hit on conservatives and the march. I think it is time to start a google boycott. I think Microsoft is coming up with a new search engine. Time to switch.
Ricki on September 13, 2009 at 1:29 PM
Why aren’t there any real numbers? Seriously, I’ve seen the pictures comparing it to the past crowds and yesterday’s crowd was at least as big as any of the biggest. Yet, we are still getting the tens of thousands number as though it is the real number!
The lefties really do know how to take the wind out of our sails.
What is the number???
And apparently no matter how many there were Obama is still deaf. So next time we need 50 million. Maybe his hear aid will work then.
petunia on September 13, 2009 at 1:30 PM
and I must add that Google failed to make any mention on their home search page of 9/11.w They have done a sputnik themed one and some UFO one and some gay spanish artist, anything multicultural….ergh
Ricki on September 13, 2009 at 1:31 PM
I switched to Bing on 9/11 after Google ignored the day and Bing had a tribute image up.
Y-not on September 13, 2009 at 1:31 PM
Obama fled DC this weekend. He was out in Minnesota, way across the other side of the country making a speech the last words of which went something like “they can’t stop us [let's do it].” So, he’ll say he didn’t hear. The media didn’t report, so Obama has plausible deniability. Put another way: there was no march on 9/12. There was nobody in Washington, D. C. The town was dead.
SilentWatcher on September 13, 2009 at 1:32 PM
Everyone who followed the thread already knows this; only Mobys and Johnny-come-latelies are confused about it.
You’re a day late and a dollar short in bringing forth this ‘revelation’, Mr. Knee. But how convenient of you. We’ll keep you in mind in the future I’m sure.
RD on September 13, 2009 at 1:32 PM
RD on September 13, 2009 at 1:28 PM
You seem to think that is the only picture available. You are wrong. One bad picture does not over ride all the amazing private pictures taken by real people and not planted by the left.
Face it there are more of us than there are of you. Obama is the worst President in history.
No leadership in the Republican party has allowed each American to speak with their own voice and we say stop the criminals who are running this government into the ground! Stop them now!
petunia on September 13, 2009 at 1:33 PM
Keep spinning, Drywall. 2010 is going to kick you right in the a**.
Missy on September 13, 2009 at 1:35 PM
Here you go, Ricki.
http://www.bing.com
Rod on September 13, 2009 at 1:39 PM
Considering it keeps getting reposted it’s obvious that not everyone knows it’s fake.
jonknee on September 13, 2009 at 1:40 PM
Over at my website I provided a quick analysis:
Route as shown in the timelapse – 1.1 miles
Width of Pennsylvania Avenue – 90 feet (8 lanes wide)
Accepted density of people in such a crowd – 4 for every 10 square feet
Time to traverse the route – 22 minutes (at a stroll)
Number of people it takes to FILL the entire route – ~150,000 to 210,000 (depending on density)
Number of times that many people traverse it in the Traffic Cam – 4 or 5 times, minimum.
The estimates of 1.2 million for the ENTIRE day seem pretty accurate. That’s why the D.C. police is using that.
Justrand on September 13, 2009 at 1:42 PM
Do you know how Google works? They don’t sit there and decide what comes up for each search. If you’re frustrated with what’s available that’s just a symptom of a lot of content you disagree with being linked on the internet. But I searched for 9/12 and the first hit is Glenn Beck and the second hit is Michelle Malkin. Sounds about right to me.
jonknee on September 13, 2009 at 1:43 PM
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