Keep in mind when discussing the rally with teabaggers or other Republicans - Jon estimated 150K.

[HopeHoops]

I watched it live. He said the estimate was 150K people. I bet even he was shocked when the 215K estimate came in. I'm not sure how the 250K number is being justified, but the point is that Jon used a lower number from the stage and hasn't made a big deal about the scientifically calculated estimate. Beck was claiming half a million for a few weeks BEFORE his hate fest. The pictures are pretty clear. I've been to The Mall many times - including the 20th Anniversary MLK JR March where I walked 10 miles from College Park to the rally (and then back - the "then back" part made me regret walking). I'm pretty sure they had more extras around the Reflecting Pool in the scene from "Forest Gump" than BecKKK pulled in.

[obxhead]

1. I've been to more than a few rallies in DC and this is the first time

I saw Metro not handle the load. As I was trying to exit the L'Enfant Plaza station with 1000's of other people the Metro police actually told us to forget our tickets and just get out of the station. So the ride in to the rally became free for 1000's. Trains from all 4 lines stuffed beyond capacity were dumping into that station every few minutes.

It was a huge crowd.

[HipChick]

6. Neither the Metro or Cell providers were able to handle the load

[HopeHoops]

10. I'm more concerned that the seemingly small number of port-a-potties couldn't handle the load.

:hurts:

[CTyankee]

2. We should give up on the "numbers game" IMHO. Why even play it?

We got what we got and it is what it is. We are not robotic morons that get schlepped around by astroturf groups backed by rich, evil men. We are free Americans, perhaps the last of our breed (for a while). Let's do what we can and forget worrying over the numbers.

It was a great rally and NO ONE can say it was "bossed" by any group. THAT is the beauty of this rally!!

[Angry Dragon]

3. But ann coulter said the unions were busing people in

at gunpoint ..........
or maybe she was talking about her lover beck

[Catshrink]

4. I thought that was Monica Crowley

they're easily confused being totally nutty.

http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/201010270014

[Angry Dragon]

5. You are probably right

I have trouble keeping them all straight

[Catshrink]

7. The noise all sounds the same.

[CTyankee]

8. So to get back to my point: then why even play that game?

This stuff is a diversion. Eyes on the prize, guys (hey, I rhymed!).

[HopeHoops]

9. Perhaps I didn't make the point clear. They UNDER-estimated by about what BecKKK actually got.

The BecKKK hate fest people started over-estimating before it happened and it only got more ridiculous with time. You know the teabagger meme is going to be that Stewart/Colbert were a failure because they only got a handful of people. Hell, they even made a joke of that AT the rally when they had two guys in the crowd interviewing "Kevin" and the one guy said it was a "pretty sparse crowd". The "groundswell" thing they did near the beginning (with Mythbusters) when they had everyone jump at once was clearly more than a seismic wave test.

It isn't about the "numbers game", but about the power behind the event. If you haven't watched it, do so. It was a profoundly diverse crowd and they were all pushing positive energy. That beats the hell out of the scattered group of nearly all white (disclosure: I'm white) fascists and simpletons BecKKK attracted. I only believe the 87,000 number because the estimate came from the same source that did the scientifically based estimate of this crowd using helium balloon-mounted cameras and computer analysis of the images. The BecKKK hate fest certainly looked a lot smaller than that.

Your reply is exactly on target - "We are not robotic morons that get schlepped around by astroturf groups backed by rich, evil men." If nothing else, that's what this rally proved - well, and that Stewart and Colbert can get some KICK-ASS musical performers.

But I will argue with one point you made: we are not the last of our breed, not now and not "for a while". I've got three daughters (15, 17, and 19) that are part of the next wave of Americans who will fight for what the country is really founded upon, and they are not at all alone in their peer groups. We live in a fairly red part of PA (not heavily, but fairly) and their generation is pretty well equipped to take over from us.

[CTyankee]

11. Thank you for your reasoned response and I agree with much of what you say.

My point is I refuse to get all worked up on the numbers. We have more important work to do. We have to figure out how we are going to WIN going forward (if we indeed LOSE in this midterm election). Let's spend our time thinking about that and going out and doing it. Counting people is fine in the short run but in the long run it doesn't do us much good. Let's get thinking and get going.

And yes, I have pre-groomed the next generation of liberals in my own family. They are waiting in the wings to go on stage. And they'll be strong and they'll be educated.

But we have to do more. I'm talking about conserving our energy for the big stuff, not the small stuff of saying "we got more than you did, neener, neener!"

We only have so much energy, talent, time and money. Let's make the most of all of them!