Moments before a tea party rally that is loaded with right wing heroes like Glenn Beck, Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, and Michele Bachmann was about to begin the crowd was estimated at just 5,000-10,000.
At the height of his fame, Glenn Beck drew 87,000 to DC for his Rally to Restore Honor in April 2010. The Tea Party Patriots promised that this would be the biggest tea party rally since 2009-2010, “At noon tomorrow, we are going to tell the world about how the IRS tried to crush the Tea Party movement,” organizers with the Tea Party Patriots organization said in an email to supporters, “…Thousands of volunteers will rally in the largest demonstration of Tea Party support since 2010.”
They aren’t going to even get close to Glenn Beck’s biggest crowd. The livestream host for the rally, The Gateway Pundit’s Jim Hoft, estimated the crowd to be at 5,000-10,000. I would say that may be on the high end of things, but it could be a potentially realistic estimate for the overall crowd by the time it is all said and done.
Here are some photos from moments before the rally began:
Look at all the green grass over Jim Hoft’s shoulder:
A crowd shot shows the sparse scene:
It is a major failure for a rally that has been hyped so hard across conservative media to draw such a small crowd. For the sake of comparison, Jon Stewart’s Rally to Restore Sanity in 2010 drew 250,000 to DC.
Unless there are about 90,000 people stuck in traffic, it looks like this rally won’t be the biggest tea party event since 2010.
It is rather pathetic that an event featuring Glenn Beck, Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, and Michele Bachmann can’t draw a bigger conservative crowd. Once again, the power of the tea party has been greatly exaggerated. The rally only runs from 12-2 PM, so it is not looking good for a huge turnout. The people speaking at and attending this rally won’t believe it, but the IRS scandal has already been debunked.
If this rally was supposed to be a sign of tea party strength for 2014, the Republican Party may be in a lot of trouble. The Tea Party is still dead, and not even the bogus IRS scandal can bring it back.
PoliticusUSA
G+
Facebook
Churchlady320
Jun. 19th, 2013 at 12:27 pm
Rep. Elijah Cummings’ release of the transcripts of IRS testimony – discussed here yesterday – proves not just the absence of politically motivated actions but the due care taken by the IRS to make sure the laws – yes, the LAW – was being observed.
The “godaintitawful’ Baggers who are suing the IRS must be made to declare whether or not they got their exemption – and then what they did with it.
loading...
Dirt poor
Jun. 19th, 2013 at 3:37 pm
Would it really matter to you if a republican or democrat targeted you ? I think not, The targeting and discrimination that WAS done is an undisputable fact backed up by the IRS apologizing for the targeting the IG and the US President himself concurring that it was wrong. If it was you I don’t think you would languish on who discriminated against you. Neither would I Its wrong no mater who is behind it. At some point you have to recognize the seriousness of any one being targeted and this should transcend party lines.
loading...
Shiva
Jun. 19th, 2013 at 3:56 pm
some of the questions that were asked were wrong. But they were targeted for the right reason. Can you imagine a tea party outfit as a social welfare organization?
neither could they. And the IRS should be fired for allowing them to have the 501(c)(3) and 4 designations
loading...
Mike Pendleton
Jun. 19th, 2013 at 5:37 pm
The IRS was only doing their jobs. Why they felt the need to apologize is beyond me. Any political group that tries for tax exempt status should be targeted. The fact is the conservative ones out number the progressive ones 34:1. I have yet to hear any groups that were actually denied: they all should have been in my opinion.
loading...
Dirt poor
Jun. 19th, 2013 at 3:47 pm
You forget that It not a question of if they targeted. The IRS has apologized and fired people,The IG report and the president of the united states has said He was appalled. I think if you were targeted I don’t think you would care if it was a republican or democrat. This transcends party lines as it should.
loading...
Jason Easley
Jun. 19th, 2013 at 12:29 pm
You are exactly right, Churchlady. I expect their lawsuits to be thrown out of court in short order.
loading...
Elizabeth Caron
Jun. 19th, 2013 at 12:34 pm
Looks like an all white crowd to me too.
loading...
Patricia Houghtalen
Jun. 19th, 2013 at 2:25 pm
Mainly the white uninformed or paranoid white voters. Many are the old time bigots and racist and have not been able to accept the changes in society. I am white and 72 and I know that many, many of the individuals in my age category will speak one thing with their mouth but have never changed their mind or heart on their idea of white Christian dominance. Seniors who have always been supporters of the Liberal Democrats will remain so but the older white Conservative Republicans who fear the advance of the minorities to becoming the majority feel threaten and will join any group that they feel agrees with their old time negative ideas.
loading...
thirsty
Jun. 19th, 2013 at 5:26 pm
I noticed the same thing, the crowd was not only greatly underestimated by the organizing organization, Tea Party Patriots, but all white. The courting of K Carl Smith was also underestimated by the same organization
loading...
Ali
Jun. 19th, 2013 at 12:47 pm
That’s pretty much a given for a Tea Party Rally, Elizabeth.
loading...
Sugapea
Jun. 19th, 2013 at 1:04 pm
Isn’t it a sad commentary that so many of our fellow American’s have been bamboozled by this T-Party Leadership…absolutely against their own and America’s best interest!
Like this photo from a local Tea Party before the last election:
http://lh6.ggpht.com/-kFRd_WlRDIk/T4szAQN9ldI/AAAAAAAADiY/OsoWcAPEqhg/s1600/L1004839_1600-1475.jpg
SPREAD THE POVERTY?
This is evil!
loading...
djchefron
Jun. 19th, 2013 at 1:18 pm
Most Americans are low information voters and formed opinions based on what they are told.And lets face it we dont have a free press.We have a profit driven press that allows their own bias to cloud stories.
The narrative about the teabaggers was that they were independent voters where the reality of it was republicans who couldn’t accept that the people elected a democratic President.We know that it wasnt because he was black because like they told us they’re not racist and its his policies.Even though he is protecting medicare and their right to hoveraround.Trying to protect workers rights while they are cutting out sick leave etc…
loading...
AFM
Jun. 19th, 2013 at 1:10 pm
Why is it they show crowds of teabaggers yet when the left has protests and have more people they never show the crowds. Please don’t tell us that the MSM is liberal because if it were true we’d be seeing left leaning protester on the streets. Baggers even in a minority get all the attention. Even on the sunday shows. You wouldn’t know that the senate has a majority of dems. They always have the likes of McCain and his sweetie pie Lindsey.
loading...
Elyse Hernandez
Jun. 19th, 2013 at 1:33 pm
Why shouldn’t they get more attention? They are the ones who are spewing all the garbage & demanding radical, insane changes in our government! They are the HATERS & CRAZIES who are making the U.S. look so terrible to the rest of the world! They should stand out so we can all see what people
SHOULD NOT ACT OR THINK LIKE!!
loading...
Paws
Jun. 19th, 2013 at 1:22 pm
Their little “scandal” wasn’t much of a scandal was it? If this group of people actually paid attention and sought comprehensive information about this issue, even they wouldn’t have shown up.
They believe it’s a real scandal because that’s what they were told.
loading...
LAC
Jun. 19th, 2013 at 1:52 pm
God, I hope I do not have to wade through a crowd of sweaty fat white folks on my way home today. Just whine and go, please…
loading...
Charlie F
Jun. 19th, 2013 at 2:13 pm
The public is getting tired of the TP and their obstructionism in Congress and pushing their religious agenda, their war on women and what they are doing in various states where all the branches of government are controlled by the Republicans. Hopefully Americans are finally waking up what the TP really stands for.
loading...
Sharon Potts
Jun. 19th, 2013 at 2:48 pm
But, but, but, according to them, their constituents are all asking for anti abortion legislation. In fact all of America and “especially American women”(according to Boner) wants them to tackle this. Don’t you know this? Americans don’t care about jobs, infrastructure, education, crime, guns, and all that. THEY WANT ROE V. WADE OVERTURNED.
loading...
Sugapea
Jun. 19th, 2013 at 4:50 pm
Sharon, Just like they were all told Mitt was winning the election in a landslide!
The RightWing receives misinformation, lies by omission and twisting of truth to rev them into a frenzy…or an alternate reality. The Republican Party has taken Hitler’s propaganda techniques to new heights!
We’re blessed that they are reading here…where they can read the truth/information.
Because ‘Truth/Information is the coin of the realm’!
loading...
TYBANDIT
Jun. 19th, 2013 at 2:25 pm
Protesting the IRS ? I bet every one of those dumbasses got a tax refund.
loading...
Sharon Potts
Jun. 19th, 2013 at 2:46 pm
IRS blah, blah, blah…… so the transcripts Issa refused to release has a statement from a conservative republican that it was his idea and his alone to investigate tea party applications. Excuse me a second….hahahahahahahahahaha!……haha…
ha………
I guess Beck forgot to send that email out to his rabid throng. Whoopsee!
loading...
Dam Spahn
Jun. 19th, 2013 at 2:47 pm
The estimates are way high. In the photos, the crowd might be around a thousand, if that. Why such a high estimate in the article? Someone can’t count? Were the other 9,000 hiding behind a tree?
loading...
MrsGunka
Jun. 19th, 2013 at 2:49 pm
I counted 7 yellow snake flags and one Old Glory. Kind of puts it into perspective, doesn’t it.
Don’t tread on my liberties or I will shoot you with my guns!
These idiots make me ashamed they are citizens of the same country as me. Traitors! Stupid traitors!
loading...
nabsentia23
Jun. 19th, 2013 at 3:29 pm
To those of you who have seen the National Mall in person, you know this turnout is more embarrassing than the printed or web-published word could ever convey.
This crowd wasn’t even big enough to reach the Reflexing Pond.
loading...
Scarsdale7
Jun. 19th, 2013 at 3:38 pm
Well, where was their pinup gal, Palin? She could draw a crowd, dressed like a floozy, with hooker shoes on. Her speeches may be stale, but her appearance lights these losers up.
loading...
Shiva
Jun. 19th, 2013 at 3:51 pm
we have to remember that these are the same people who Have never had a national convention because they could not get enough people to RSVP. How many times have they canceled and how many times have they had To pay for auditoriums that they didn’t use?
there is lots of people around who will rush to their defense, and they all think that they’re standing up for the Constitution. But I doubt more than three of them understand that they are standing up for what the Koch wants them to stand up for.
the tea parties dead? How about it was never really alive?
I think the 87,000 for the Glenn Beck show was awfully high as well
loading...
AnnieK
Jun. 19th, 2013 at 4:19 pm
Didn’t they hear that the IRS “scandal” just fell apart. Maybe they should read the transcripts that Elijah Cummings released yesterday. Oops.
loading...
Diana Baskin
Jun. 19th, 2013 at 4:25 pm
What? No white hoods. Aren’t they out of uniform?
loading...