Jim Geraghty has been researching only the mainstream media reports of tea party protests to get an idea of the minimum number of attendees. He took the rather cynical stance of assuming only 200 when an article said “hundreds” or 2,000 when it simply said “thousands” to describe the protesters. Based on his research, at least 341,472 Americans took time out of a busy work day to protest irresponsible spending.
The Pajamas Media crew took estimates from both journalists and organizers. Their tally so far is 515,919. Congress better listen up. These events were locally organized and from all accounts in the blogosphere, the attendees were fired up for action. We already know from the Louisiana House and Georgia Senate races held after election day that Obama’s coattails don’t extend very far when he’s not on the ticket – which he won’t be in 2010. It could be possible to pick off Congressional Democrats in more than a handful of districts.
There are two more events tomorrow in my area. There’s another rally on Indepedence Mall, and I would like to feature some coverage of it. However, Bitter wants to go to the more local Washington Crossing protest. If there are any readers or bloggers in the area who plan to attend the Philadelphia Tea Party on Saturday, email me. I will feature your pictures and commentary on the event.
I’m planning to attend the Philly rally and cover it on my blog.
We went to the one in San Antonio and I have to say that it was awe inspiring.
Well, now that everyone’s fired up, how about launching a recall or two? A threat to their incumbency will get the congresscritter’s attention.
Congress better listen up? Because of 300-500,000 protesters nationwide?
In 2003, 10 million people protested to stop the Iraq War, and we were called a “vocal minority” by war supporters, a “focus group” by Bush, and we invaded Iraq anyway.
Unfortunately, our government does not really care all that much about protests.
Guav,
I think those who dismissed the anti-war movement have largely paid the price for that. I think the war, and the mismanagement of it, cost the Republicans their majority in Congress. Though, I don’t really think the anti-war movement would have amounted to a hill of beans with better management of the war on the part of the Administration.
Of course, the tea party movement could amount to nothing too, if the economy recovers enough. But what if Obama mismanages the economy as bad as Bush mismanaged the war?
But the anti-war movement DIDN’T amount to a hill of beans, in my opinion. The purpose of the movement was not to be on the record as opposing it so that we could rub war-supporter’s faces in it turned out they were wrong and we were right—the purpose of the movement was to actually prevent the invasion. And in that, we totally and completely failed, obviously.
And it’s nice to be right, but ultimately I don’t really care—that wasn’t the point, you know?