New MSNBC theory: Most of the people at Beck’s rally were probably just normal flowthrough traffic on the Mall
posted at 4:37 pm on September 1, 2010 by Allahpundit
Via the Right Scoop, some deep thinkin’ from new primetime star Lawrence O’Donnell provides five minutes of comic riffery for Beck and crew. I’m not sure how to square this with what Ed Schultz said yesterday, actually. Big Ed’s point was that yeah, of course Beck attracted a huge crowd; who wouldn’t when you’ve got six months and a network megaphone to promote the event? (You’ll find Beck’s response to him here.) O’D, meanwhile, apparently thinks there … wasn’t any crowd there at all, just people strolling through on their way to the Air and Space Museum, I guess. The common meme-thread: It’s super duper easy to create turnout like that, to the point where merely showing up and yelling at bypassers is enough to generate media perceptions of a huge rally. What I honestly don’t get is why they’re this insecure about Beck’s ability to draw an audience. He’s been drawing huge audiences since joining Fox; until now, the normal lefty response has been to shrug and say, “There are a lot of wingnut idiots out there.” Why the frantic spin now, boys?
Oh, by the way? Edstock is happening — sort of. Exit quotation: “We are fueled by hope and not hate.”
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Comment pages: 1 2 Next »
Good grief.
The Ugly American on September 1, 2010 at 4:40 PM
Edstock….heh…what could go wrong?
this ought to be good.
ted c on September 1, 2010 at 4:40 PM
That is a hell of a School Shopping sale at the Mall!
upinak on September 1, 2010 at 4:40 PM
Just like all those people at Farrakhan’s Million man march were just on their way to lunch.
Just like all those people at the Martin Luther King speech were on their way to lunch.
portlandon on September 1, 2010 at 4:41 PM
BTW. my buddy that Metros into DC every day from Franconia Blue stop says thats the most people he’s ever seen at that station. I’ve been at the mall 2-3 times in the last month, that warn’t no passersbyers , Larry OD…not at all buddy.
ted c on September 1, 2010 at 4:42 PM
That’s sorta like what I’ve always said about the I Hava Dream speech. All those people were on their way to a Senators game, and someone just switched a few street signs.
Akzed on September 1, 2010 at 4:42 PM
I can’t wait to watch MSNBC – on election night.
NoDonkey on September 1, 2010 at 4:42 PM
Too bad Sharpton didn’t know that.
James OK on September 1, 2010 at 4:43 PM
Thank goodness for Beck there happened to be about 400,000 people walking around at the time who had nothing better to do. Otherwise it could have been embarassing for him.
DrAllecon on September 1, 2010 at 4:43 PM
To MSNBC,
You are full of bullshit. Why can’t you ever find the truth?
From a keen observer and participant.
P.S. All your editors that allowed this should FOAD.
NaCly dog on September 1, 2010 at 4:43 PM
I knew the libs would go ballistic over the Beck thing. I’m sure when the 1000 bussed in paid “ralliers” show up on Oct 2 the media will say there were millions.
sandee on September 1, 2010 at 4:43 PM
…yeah, we were just walking by and we said, cool! Jumbotrons and speakers! must be something’s up? let’s check it out. Just so happens we had lunch and a blanket all packed too, just happened to arrive on time, and just happened to have 3 hrs worth of water on hand….huh, funny that! kinda like, rally evolution or something.
ted c on September 1, 2010 at 4:44 PM
Oh, I see.
They were just those ‘smelly tourists’ that Harry Reid whined about. Yeah, that’s it. They just happened to be in DC when Beck threw a rally.
Cody1991 on September 1, 2010 at 4:44 PM
“Creepy liar!!”
carbon_footprint on September 1, 2010 at 4:45 PM
So, most of the people who watch MSNBC have broken cable boxes and can’t turn the channel.
NoDonkey on September 1, 2010 at 4:46 PM
Maddow/Chrissy/Olberdouche/EdSchulz-plosion.
portlandon on September 1, 2010 at 4:46 PM
MSNBC is full of children.
LASue on September 1, 2010 at 4:46 PM
Lawrence O’Donnell obviously wants to burnish his credibility with the public.
The Mythbusters did an episode on how to polish s..t.
GarandFan on September 1, 2010 at 4:47 PM
Nowhere on that link did I see any mention of charity donations. I did see this, however:
I imagine “expect” is used here in the “obligated” vs. “anticipated” way.
rogerb on September 1, 2010 at 4:47 PM
Wow. That’s a whole lot of crazy.
Weight of Glory on September 1, 2010 at 4:47 PM
DOWNTOWN and terrie will be by momentarily to explain how Beck’s rally was really a mishmosh of self promotion and snake oil selling, the purpose of which was to infect honest God fearing Christians with evil Mormon cooties, since that half million people obviously cannot determine for themselves whether or not Beck is on the level.
Kataklysmic on September 1, 2010 at 4:48 PM
Beck’s comeback to Ed is priceless.
Engrpat on September 1, 2010 at 4:48 PM
The funniest thing about this whole conversation on Beck’s show was how they responded to Ed’s assertion that he could do the same thing.
The response was that he can’t even get that many to watch his TV show.
catmman on September 1, 2010 at 4:49 PM
portlandon on September 1, 2010 at 4:46
Yeah, it’s going to be great.
All of their beloved Democrat heroes losing their seats.
Maybe they’ll have Peter Jennings on as a guest so he can scold us.
NoDonkey on September 1, 2010 at 4:49 PM
Fear. The rally’s success took their fear level up a notch or two.
Beck may have replaced Rush as their Enemy Numero Uno.
petefrt on September 1, 2010 at 4:49 PM
You’ve got to be kidding me. Half a million people don’t just stand there in the late August heat for 4 hours(or longer in the case of some) out of mere curiosity.
Doughboy on September 1, 2010 at 4:49 PM
Their facade is coming apart before their very eyes.
Vashta.Nerada on September 1, 2010 at 4:51 PM
Remember Rush and Dans Bake Sale, yeah just flow through traffic.
fourdeucer on September 1, 2010 at 4:51 PM
This is so wonderful!
It’s a textbook case of willful self-delusion! Any deviation from the carefully created and well defended constructs spells breakdown, depression and psychosis.
I work in the counseling field, so got me job security for the next 2 years, minimum!
Hot Damn!
Bruno Strozek on September 1, 2010 at 4:52 PM
This is a great idea but I think it will be more fun to switch back and forth between MSNBC and CNN for maximum viewing pleasure.
jix on September 1, 2010 at 4:52 PM
MSNBC couldn’t find the truth with a map, a Tom Tom, and a Sherpa guide…
Battlecruiser-operational on September 1, 2010 at 4:52 PM
I can’t wait for one of the investigative journalists at the Daily Caller, Big Government, NRO, The Blaze, etc. to discover the amount of involvement the administration will have in organizing this “rally”. I give it at least 50/50 chance that stimulus money will be used in partially funding the event.
Weight of Glory on September 1, 2010 at 4:52 PM
Perhaps it’s because Beck was able to get almost as many people to travel to D.C. as MSNBC gets to sit on the couch and watch that bilge. That’s a pretty striking visual of your own failures.
RadClown on September 1, 2010 at 4:52 PM
Doughboy on September 1, 2010 at 4:49 PM
Well, there’s ample parking down there.
As long as you park in Anacostia and walk 40 blocks, anyway.
But the good news is you don’t have to walk back, because your car will be long gone anyway.
Welcome to the District of Crazy!
NoDonkey on September 1, 2010 at 4:53 PM
Bad idea jeans, man. I get that they wanna fire up their base a month before the midterms. But getting those characters together in one setting with cameras everywhere to capture their hate and vitriol could backfire bigtime.
I mean do we even have to guess at what the mood will be like at this gathering and what kind of offensive signs and comments will be caught on tape?
Doughboy on September 1, 2010 at 4:53 PM
Maddow
Schulz
Nonsense
Bathtub boy
Chrissy
carbon_footprint on September 1, 2010 at 4:53 PM
Yeah, right. The metro stations were mobbed beyond capacity all day on Saturday by people who, on a whim, just decided to take a trip to the mall in DC.
UltimateBob on September 1, 2010 at 4:54 PM
Remember when MSNBC banned this douchebag? Now they reward him with his own show. Everyone must be nuts over there, top to bottom, execs to splooge cleaners.
fogw on September 1, 2010 at 4:54 PM
I guess all these hundred of thousands of people were there in the faint chance this bho would show his face? What a bovine gob of you know what! Gotta do better msnbc, you and your numbers suck per Drudge weekly ratings.
L
letget on September 1, 2010 at 4:54 PM
Because Jim Morrison and a naked Indian came to him in a dream and told him it was his destiny …..
Jerome Horwitz on September 1, 2010 at 4:54 PM
jix on September 1, 2010 at 4:52 PM
I still remember James Carville putting a trash can over his head back in 2004.
This time I want to see him puke into it.
NoDonkey on September 1, 2010 at 4:54 PM
What we are seeing is the horrible revelation to the elitists that there really are two Americas and one of them is grabbing the megaphone after being silent for too long.
carbon_footprint on September 1, 2010 at 4:56 PM
Definitely. Beck gets out there and never stops pushing their buttons. I wasn’t a Beck fan before, but he has brought his interest in history to the front and inspired people to learn. He’s talking about things I wished others with a voice would articulate. He challenges relentlessly and exposes people as no one else does.
More than Rush, Beck must live in BO’s head like a migraine. Day in and day out. And there’s nothing BO can do to shut him up. The more Beck talks the less ability anyone has to make him stop.
Cody1991 on September 1, 2010 at 4:57 PM
Ha! I was in D.C. on a Saturday in May or June and went down to see the White House, Lincoln Memorial, etc, etc. There were a ton of people down there for some kind of marathon or something, but 400,000 people? Not even close.
mjk on September 1, 2010 at 4:57 PM
Reminds me of the old SNL skit with Jon Lovitz “the Liar”. ..And you see..thats was flow through traffic…yeaa… thats what it was, flow through traffic”
WisRich on September 1, 2010 at 4:58 PM
Can’t wait to see all the busses of paid performers for EdStock.
RedNewEnglander on September 1, 2010 at 4:58 PM
Edstock is getting union bosses to register busses for SEIU employees in 5..4..3…
BKennedy on September 1, 2010 at 4:59 PM
How do you hide a crowd of 300,000 people?
“It wasn’t a large turnout…mostly passersby who stopped to see what was going on. In other news, we have always been at war with Eastasia.”
Pardon me, Ed. Have you seen my droids?
BobMbx on September 1, 2010 at 5:00 PM
I am so jaded that I doubt that even MSNBC came up with this theory on their own: stinks of Rahm and Axelrod.
tru2tx on September 1, 2010 at 5:00 PM
These people are indeed, stupid.
Another backfire.
Wait until we have the images, not only of the smaller crowd, but all the partisan, hateful signs, the angry crowd – separated into it’s requisite ‘victim’ groups, wait until we see the video of the foaming mouths and the screeching from the speakers, etc.
Please, please…let it happen…
catmman on September 1, 2010 at 5:00 PM
“I thought, Hey, you know what me and my family haven’t done lately? Gone down to the Capitol to see if we can get mugged or shot. So we went. And gosh, darnit, so did a few hundred thousand other people. Then this pretty lady and this doughy dude started speaking and we thought, you know what would be fun for a hot gross day in D.C.? Sitting around for hours and listening to someone that we aren’t sure who they are speak. And even though we totally didn’t agree with him/her, we decided to stick around until the bitter end and clean up after ourselves.”
mjk on September 1, 2010 at 5:01 PM
I was at the rally that morning, and the Air and Space Museum that evening. I saw some of the same people (recognized their shirts) but it was not the same crowd.
Fail.
ladyingray on September 1, 2010 at 5:02 PM
Flow through traffic,and inexplicably white!!(sarc)
canopfor on September 1, 2010 at 5:03 PM
beck had more people show up sat then view their own shows on a nightly basis
cmsinaz on September 1, 2010 at 5:07 PM
Spinning……Spinning….twirling…rotating…
and trying to spin a Lefty Narration Revisionist
Maximus OverDrive Perception/Deception Operation!
canopfor on September 1, 2010 at 5:08 PM
he’ll fit it nicely with the nutjob evening lineup…
cmsinaz on September 1, 2010 at 5:10 PM
can’t wait to see the aerial shot of that rally….should be hilarious…
cmsinaz on September 1, 2010 at 5:12 PM
Unexpectedly unbelievable.
I live in DC and I assure you this crowd did not just happen to show up.
Geez!
Dhuka on September 1, 2010 at 5:12 PM
There is nothing more fun than watching a liberals head explode, since they can do it over and over again.
faraway on September 1, 2010 at 5:12 PM
Yeah right, all 800,000+ thousand of them. Just walking by and decided to attend the rally. Of course many of them were from all over the country just to go mall shopping in D.C.
rjoco1 on September 1, 2010 at 5:16 PM
..and the two-hour queues for the rapid transit to *get to the mall* was — what? — flow-through traffic? The three-four hour traffic out of DC after the event was over was?
If these clowns are in this much denial over a simple religious gathering WHERE NO POLITICS WERE PRACTICED AND OBAMA WAS NOT MENTIONED then they are in for some serious therapy after 2 November.
The War Planner on September 1, 2010 at 5:17 PM
They were lined up looking for free housing
faraway on September 1, 2010 at 5:18 PM
Labor and liberal groups to hold Oct. 2 rally on Mall to counter Beck, Tea Party
—————————
Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2010/09/01/labor-and-liberal-groups-to-hold-oct-2-rally-on-mall-to-counter-beck-tea-party/#ixzz0yJYkPlHD
=============================
So,there going to round up Union Goons in T-Shirts..Blouses,
Halter-Tops,Illegals…FemeNazies,Anti-War MoonBats,Environ
metal Wackos..and every other KOOL_AID induced Lefty Social
Justice Extremist………………..
for what purpose,besides gaming in OneUpManShip,Get’nEven
IsmWithIsm*!!!!! *(Rush phrase)
canopfor on September 1, 2010 at 5:18 PM
They were lined up looking for free housing
faraway on September 1, 2010 at 5:18 PM
faaway: And HealthCare!:)
canopfor on September 1, 2010 at 5:19 PM
In matching t-shirts?
Cindy Munford on September 1, 2010 at 5:20 PM
Ed’s gonna be at the mall? I wonder if he’s gonna be a radical, and spritz people with his new scent. Eau de liberal sewage?
capejasmine on September 1, 2010 at 5:20 PM
Will the Unions provide transportation to Edstock..?
d1carter on September 1, 2010 at 5:21 PM
You could say that most viewers of PMS-NBC are just the usual viewers who fell asleep with their TVs on.
tarpon on September 1, 2010 at 5:21 PM
can’t wait to see the aerial shot of that rally….should be hilarious…
cmsinaz on September 1, 2010 at 5:12 PM
cmsinaz: Heres the idiot impeach Bush on the Beach Event!:)
==========================================================
http://www.basetree.com/photos/beach-impeach.html
canopfor on September 1, 2010 at 5:24 PM
Next they will say that the only reason people showed up was because Glenn was giving awat 42 inch plasma tv’s and $25 gift card for Applebee’s.
milwife88 on September 1, 2010 at 5:25 PM
I was at both the 9/12 and Beck rally. I live in Solomons MD. Its hard to tell if there were more/less at Beck’s rally or 9/12. At the 9/12 tea party I climbed up on the US Grant statue in front of the Capitol. People were on both sides of the reflecting pond all the way to the Washington Monument. At the Beck rally, I couldn’t get a “birds eye view.” There were lots more trees on the Beck rally side of the Washington Monument. But my humble estimate is 5 to 600,000 at the tea party and 3 to 400,000 at Beck’s rally.
Bevan on September 1, 2010 at 5:25 PM
“We will
expectpay tens of thousands of union families to come.”Rod on September 1, 2010 at 5:26 PM
Only the Left could describe that rally on Saturday as divisive and hateful.
Cindy Munford on September 1, 2010 at 5:26 PM
In matching t-shirts?
Cindy Munford on September 1, 2010 at 5:20 PM
Cindy Munford: A sea of,I mean,a sewage of Purple!!:)
canopfor on September 1, 2010 at 5:26 PM
heh…
cmsinaz on September 1, 2010 at 5:27 PM
time and a half?
cmsinaz on September 1, 2010 at 5:28 PM
From Drudge:
On the plus side for PMSNBC, thank goodness for CNN, other wise they might look kinda bad.
iurockhead on September 1, 2010 at 5:34 PM
Oct. 2nd is a Saturday, so yes – time and a half. You don’t think a union member would actualy show up for anything less do you?
Of course, the union leaders could “require” them to attend.
Rod on September 1, 2010 at 5:38 PM
Mr. O’D has od’ed on some funky kool-aid. Maybe the geniuses should consult a map of the National Mall before they spout their lame brain ideas. The Air & Space Museum is on the other side of the Mall, closer to the Metro stops. I know, I know–who wants to take the short route when you can walk through half a million people to get there?
conservative pilgrim on September 1, 2010 at 5:38 PM
heh…persuade them with double time?
cmsinaz on September 1, 2010 at 5:43 PM
That will be Oct. 2, I was talking about last Saturday. I guess they were groups that came on buses together but there were a lot of matching t-shirts in the crowd. Like “Restoring Honor, Raleigh, N.C.” and so on. I guess it was to help the groups stay together. Different colors of course.
Cindy Munford on September 1, 2010 at 5:45 PM
I’m worried that one of MSNBC’s anchors will pull an R. Budd Dwyer on Election Night.
OhioCoastie on September 1, 2010 at 5:47 PM
canopfor, we missed you during dear leader’s doozy of a speech…
cmsinaz on September 1, 2010 at 5:50 PM
I think the panic is without some similar enthusiasm on the left to point to its all bad news for them. Consider they are in the middle of rallying support for the midterms and there is none. Its like watching someone row past you in a boat race. Huge rallies are THEIR strong suit. Denial aint just a river in Egypt.
Conan on September 1, 2010 at 5:51 PM
Consider this also in urinalysis:
D.C. is a festering, crime-ridden ghetto with a lilly white, all-powerful political center, right? Since virtually none of the 300,000 plus people who came to the Mall on Saturday are from D.C., they all traveled from outside of the immediate area for the event.
Rev. Fat Al Sharkskin drew what? 2,000? 3,000? people from the very core of his audience, all of whom are within a subway ride from home to his Big Protest Against Whitey.
That says it all.
PS O’Donnell is a special kind of liberal nutjob. During the hostage thing I was torn between “is it Cusack?” and “is it Crazy Larry?”
Jaibones on September 1, 2010 at 5:52 PM
canopfor on September 1, 2010 at 5:26 PM
======================================
That will be Oct. 2, I was talking about last Saturday. I guess they were groups that came on buses together but there were a lot of matching t-shirts in the crowd. Like “Restoring Honor, Raleigh, N.C.” and so on. I guess it was to help the groups stay together. Different colors of course.
Cindy Munford on September 1, 2010 at 5:45 PM
Cindy Munford: Oops,sorry,my mistake,I thought you were re
fering to Ed’s Oct 2 Goon Rally!:)
canopfor on September 1, 2010 at 5:56 PM
Don’t need it. Just send a letter to all their
comradesmembers stating that their presence at the rally is strongly encouraged; will send a strong message to theoppressive bourgeoisie pigsconservatives and that their loyalty to thepartyunion will not be forgotten – just as their failure to attend will not be forgotten.Rod on September 1, 2010 at 5:57 PM
MFM is feeling overwhelmingly overwhelmed.
Christien on September 1, 2010 at 5:58 PM
canopfor,
we missed you during dear leader’s doozy of a
speech…
cmsinaz on September 1, 2010 at 5:50 PM
cmsinaz: Thanks,I took a few days of R&R!!:)
canopfor on September 1, 2010 at 5:59 PM
heh :)
cmsinaz on September 1, 2010 at 5:59 PM
November 2, just normal flow-through traffic at the polls.
Christien on September 1, 2010 at 6:00 PM
good for you :)
cmsinaz on September 1, 2010 at 6:01 PM
They’re not trying to convince you, Allah. They’re trying to convince themselves.
calbear on September 1, 2010 at 6:07 PM
I heard Dana talk about this today. These people are having this rally as a direct response to Beck so how can they say it’s fueled by hope and not hate. They hate Beck and feel compelled to rebut him. Jack-asses.
Big John on September 1, 2010 at 6:07 PM
Oh yeah, I drive 11 hours to stroll down the mall every weekend! How lucky was I that Beck happened to be there last weekend!!! Wonder who I might run into on 9/12?
tnarch on September 1, 2010 at 6:09 PM
Maybe there was a free rock concert before the rally, Obama-campaign-style, to attract the folks? Yeah, that’s the ticket.
slickwillie2001 on September 1, 2010 at 6:11 PM
Just when you think it can’t get any nuttier.
Mason on September 1, 2010 at 6:11 PM
Not a problem, I was unclear.
Cindy Munford on September 1, 2010 at 6:18 PM
canopfor on September 1, 2010 at 5:56 PM
=============================
Not a problem, I was unclear.
Cindy Munford on September 1, 2010 at 6:18 PM
Cindy Munford:——————:)
canopfor on September 1, 2010 at 6:21 PM
canopfor on September 1, 2010 at 5:59 PM
============
good for you :)
cmsinaz on September 1, 2010 at 6:01 PM
cmsinaz:——-:)
canopfor on September 1, 2010 at 6:22 PM
Comment pages: 1 2 Next »