So how many people really attended the 9/12 Tea Party in Washington, D.C.? While it was occurring, Glenn Beck reported that around 65,000 people were there (although he said it with an "I don't believe it, and neither should you," look on his face.
Britain's "
Daily Mail" reported up to a million protesters.
Yesterday Bill O'Reilly offhandedly commented that 75,000 people gathered. The LSM (Lame Stream Media) generally reported (when they reported at all), a few thousand, to "tens of thousands." Other sources have reported up to
2 million protesters gathered.
Some conservative blogs have referenced Dan Bana, a NPS (National Park Service) spokesman, who is quoted as saying, "It's a record. We believe it is the largest event held in Washington D.C., ever." Left-wing bloggers say that Dan Bana is fictitious, and the quote was made by NPS spokesperson David Barna, in reference to the Obama Inauguration back in January.
The NPR (National Public Radio) says that the conservative website
Wizbang is "known for its solid work" and is quoting attendance figures that are "on the higher side." Michael Laprarie of Wizbang writes, "We may never know a precise number, but reasonable estimates seem to put the 9/12 crowd at between 500,000 and one million."
Personally, I'm "guesstimating" that at least a hundred thousand protesters attended the Tea Party in Washington, D.C. But I wouldn't be shocked at a 500,000 figure. I'm being conservative here.
The point is, that many, many people from across the country, got off their butts and marched -- people who until a few months ago, never dreamed of marching in protest of anything.
A sleeping giant is indeed awakening. The town hall meetings were its first grumbling's, and 9/12 was an awakening "stretch."
I salute everyone who took part -- both in D.C., and the other Tea Party protests that were held across America.
Regarding Rep. Joe Wilson's "You lie!" outburst: I was talking with my mom yesterday, and she said "You know, that Pete Wilson fellow should use the "Excited Utterance" defense." I replied "You bet," and hurried home to look up what she was talking about.
It turns out that she was referring to a legal defense stratagem, that is used to defend someone accused of making a defamatory remark. An "Excited Utterance" is excused because the remark was a knee-jerk reaction to "a startling statement, event, or condition."
According to Wikipedia, "The statement must be spontaneously made by the person (the declarant) while still under the stress of excitement from the event or condition. The subject matter and content of the statement must 'relate to' event or condition."
Personally, since the Soros/Obama regime came to power last winter, I have burst out with many excited utterances. Surely Rep. Wilson can be excused for one. At any rate, "Excited Utterance" is Wilson's legal defense should he need it.
Jim ONeill——
Bio and Archives
Born June 4, 1951 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Served in the U.S. Navy from 1970-1974 in both UDT-21 (Underwater Demolition Team) and SEAL Team Two. Worked as a commercial diver in the waters off of Scotland, India, and the United States. Worked overseas in the Merchant Marines. While attending the University of South Florida as a journalism student in 1998 was presented with the “Carol Burnett/University of Hawaii AEJMC Research in Journalism Ethics Award,” 1st place undergraduate division. (The annual contest was set up by Carol Burnett with money she won from successfully suing a national newspaper for libel). Awarded US Army, US Navy, South African, and Russian jump wings. Graduate of NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School, 1970). Member of Mensa, China Post #1, and lifetime member of the NRA and UDT/SEAL Association.
