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Shuster: "Freedomworks says their dc demonstration attracted 30,000 people. Park police official says that is being 'generous.' "

September 12, 2009 5:56 pm ET by Media Matters staff

From David Shuster's Twitter account:

shuster

Previously:

Weird, Michelle Malkin forgot to include a link for her claim there are 2 million protesters in Washington, D.C today

Michelle Malkin's claim of 2 million protesters today "is a total myth"

Tags: David Shuster

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    • Author by JasonP (September 12, 2009 6:18 pm ET)
         
      Well, David Shuster forgot to include a link with his Freedomworks estimate. Of course, that's the same number that Freedomworks said had registered for it beforehand. However, where is their estimate for after the march?
      Report Abuse
    • Author by dmhack (September 12, 2009 6:22 pm ET)
      2  
      Boy, that was quite the slip by FreedomWorks---they must have got chills coming so close to the truth.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by carlileb5935 (September 13, 2009 12:19 am ET)
        2  
        BTW, how long ago did Shuster have that Twitter pic taken? I mean, come on....
        Report Abuse
        • Author by lookoutoftheyard2251 (September 13, 2009 1:12 pm ET)
          1  
          It's his official MSNBC pic, so... probably back when he started working at MSNBC in 2002. It's also been Photoshopped to high heaven, which doesn't help things at all. It's not a very good picture--in fact, it's rather awful.
          Report Abuse
    • Author by epkklk851 (September 12, 2009 7:24 pm ET)
      2  
      I was there, there were lots of older people, mostly white, many were Southern and many were smokers. Most of the crowd was packed in near the speakers platform. The crowd thinned out after the National Botanical Conservatory and completely dissipated after Fourth Ave. People were pretty well behaved, but they weren't organized and there was no consistent message. I am not sure if 30,000 is too low, but under the best circumstances, 100,000 is tops. Here is a link to some of my photos.

      http://cid-8fa5718388d6cbd2.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/9%2012%20March%20on%20DC?permissionsChanged=1
      Report Abuse
    • Author by worrierking (September 12, 2009 7:35 pm ET)
      1  
      In the long run, it really doesn't matter. The crowds are miniscule compared to those who came out to demonstrate against the war.

      And the only focus this demonstration today had was an opposition to the president for any number of reasons, and the reason for some, was obvious.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by magnolialover (September 12, 2009 7:39 pm ET)
        1  
        Yes, true enough.

        And compared to Inauguration, their turnout was super low.
        Report Abuse
        • Author by NiceguyEddie (September 12, 2009 7:57 pm ET)
          1  
          The numbers are irrelevant. All that matters is the MESSAGE that the MEDIA will keep repeating; hammering into peoples' consiousness If they keep saying, "Thousands showed up to protest" over and over and over, those who don't know (or care) will come to believe almost ANY estiamte AND that the number is actually large or significant. (When, in fact, a couple thousand people protesting in D.C. is pretty much nothing. That only means tht it was probably not raining.)

          But when MORE came out against the war, did you hear about it? Did the meadia spend every waking moment telling you that BUSH'S popularity was slipping? The HE was out of touch with the mainstream voter? NO. So, while it's sad to say, REALITY doesn't matter. It's all how the media presents it. And the MEDIA depends on ADVIRTISING dollars from (among others) INSURANCE COMPANIES. So Conservatively biased or not (and they are, but even if you don't buy that...) they ARE corporately biased (if that's a word!) And they aren't going to risk those advirtising dollars. (Fox can apparently afford it (with Beck) for awhile yet. We'll see how long it lasts.)

          I wish the President a lot of luck. He's gonna need it!

          --------------------------------------------------------------------
          Come over to my blog to debate Health Care!
          http://eddiecabot.blogspot.com/
          Report Abuse
      • Author by fawltylogic (September 13, 2009 1:08 am ET)
        1  
        It's funny how the anti-war protests received virtually no media coverage (and certainly not months of hype and advertising from a 24/7 news channel), but this pathetic display of sore losers makes the "news".

        That darn liberal media at work again, I guess!
        Report Abuse
    • Author by magnolialover (September 12, 2009 7:38 pm ET)
      2  
      I have already heard the "spin" on the low numbers, so by Monday, this should be all over the place. The spin is:

      The congressional Democrats put out a memo that said that the protest could be up to 2 million people, and to prepare for the onslaught of folks, but the democrats are responsible for inflating the numbers, so that when the turnout is lower, the democrats can say, see we told you this wasn't going to be a thing.

      So I've already heard a few of my conservative friends blame the democrats for pumping out the expected turnout, and now they're going to blame the dems for raising expectations. I'm sure we'll be hearing this for weeks.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by pklute63 (September 12, 2009 7:51 pm ET)
        1  
        Of course...with the neo-cons its always someone elses fault...9/11 was Clinton's fault, the economic collapse was the democrats and Obama's fault....I'm sure if they could they would blame the democrats for Watergate cause they forgot to lock the door.
        Report Abuse
        • Author by magnolialover (September 12, 2009 7:55 pm ET)
          1  
          True enough.

          During the run up to this event though, I heard many local outlets around here, with folks from the organizing group saying they expected at least a million people, probably more.
          Report Abuse
        • Author by wzwriter (September 13, 2009 9:23 am ET)
          1  
          Of course...with the neo-cons its always someone elses fault...9/11 was Clinton's fault, the economic collapse was the democrats and Obama's fault....I'm sure if they could they would blame the democrats for Watergate cause they forgot to lock the door.

          Yet another example of right-wing hypocrisy. They're always talking about "personal responsibility", yet when they screw up, they blame the actions of others.
          Report Abuse
    • Author by oscar the grouch (September 12, 2009 8:14 pm ET)
      1  
      Could get an idea of the crowd size by how much garbage was left, how much property damage was done, etc.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by proudconservative (September 12, 2009 9:51 pm ET)
        4

      This has got to be killin' the lefties at media matters (for very little) and their minions...


      [http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/9991/67156678.png]


      From the right-winged NY Times:

      The demonstrators numbered well into the tens of thousands, though the police declined to estimate the size of the crowd. Many came on their own and were not part of an organization or group. But the magnitude of the rally took the authorities by surprise, with throngs of people streaming from the White House to Capitol Hill for more than three hours.




      I'd say at least a few dozen showed up!
      Report Abuse
      • Author by ReasonAndResolve (September 12, 2009 10:08 pm ET)
        2  
        Did you happen to notice that someone said that for every person there, 20 people wanted to be there. So, let's just be REALLY generous and say that a million people were there. So, that means 21 million wanted to be there.

        Now then, there are 169 million registered voters in America. that means that only 13 percent of Americans (genrously calculated) support the movement.

        I am unimpressed.
        Report Abuse
        • Author by proudconservative (September 12, 2009 10:16 pm ET)
            4
          Gooooooood reasoning!!!!!

          A nice try but we're unimpressed too! :>
          Report Abuse
          • Author by ReasonAndResolve (September 12, 2009 10:45 pm ET)
            4  
            You should be unimpressed. A bunch of toothless people showed up for no discernable reason to yell and whine.

            Not a very good face that they put on American conservativism. If I were you, I would be embarrassed.
            Report Abuse
            • Author by proudconservative (September 12, 2009 11:11 pm ET)
                6
              Wow, what keen insight. Your reasoning powers and resolve are truly underwhelming. ;(
              Report Abuse
              • Author by ReasonAndResolve (September 12, 2009 11:19 pm ET)
                2  
                Well, explain to me what it is you are impressed by. Is there any way that you can use math to prove thatthis "movement is anything more than a bunch of disgruntled white folks who are mostly on Medicare and mostly not paying any taxes, anyway?

                Is there any way you can figure to imagie that they are more than 13% of the voters in this country? Is there a way you can explain where all these people were when President Bush was doubling the national debt, destroying our economy, lying about weapons of mass destruction and illegally tapping the phoens of American citizens?

                If you weren't ticked off at President Bush, then you are a conservative in name only.
                Report Abuse
                • Author by proudconservative (September 12, 2009 11:27 pm ET)
                    5
                  If you ever noted my postings over the years you would know that I was very disappointed in the spending orchestrated in the congress and encouraged by President Bush during his terms.

                  As a conservative, I was and am ticked by overspending politicians and attempts to destroy the foundations this country has prospered with over 200 years. I am ticked that this administration has strongly leftist ideologues in leadership positions and that Obama has shown the same in his desire to fundamentally change this country.
                  Report Abuse
                  • Author by ReasonAndResolve (September 12, 2009 11:34 pm ET)
                    6  
                    But you weren't ticked that President Bush lied to us? You weren't ticked that he doubled the national debt? You weren't ticked that he used the Patriot Act to place illegal wiretaps on American citizens? Were you upset that he was told a full month before 9/11 that there was some sort of imminent threat to America and he did nothing?

                    You aren't a conservative at all if you were only upset about what the Republican Congress did - Bush never vetoed a single bill until the Democrats took over in 2006.

                    If you are a conservative, the entire conservative movement is in serious trouble and is seriously corrupted.

                    And these changes President Obama is making? Should we roll back all the socialism in our system. Eliminate Social Security? Medicare? Public Education?

                    If conservative is the new word for "idiot", then I see where you are coming from.
                    Report Abuse
                    • Author by proudconservative (September 12, 2009 11:42 pm ET)
                        5
                      randr,

                      Best sign of the day.....

                      Obama lied, Granny died!

                      Now, just sit back, have a cup of coco and don't have a stroke. please!

                      Yes, yes the conservative movement is in trouble, I know. Because of me and that tiny little collection of people today and the small passionless responses to legislator visits back home over the past few months. Yes, we're in trouble....

                      Now, just take a sip for proudconservative, just a sippy. It'll make you feel all warm again. :>
                      Report Abuse
                      • Author by funnymanpants (September 12, 2009 11:47 pm ET)
                        4  
                        >>>Obama lied, Granny died!

                        What a bunch of losers at the protest! Obama lied and grandma died because of it? Really? And you wonder why these losers aren't being taken seriously. (Hint: the death panels were ruled a "pants on fire" lie by polifact.)
                        Report Abuse
                      • Author by ReasonAndResolve (September 12, 2009 11:49 pm ET)
                        6  
                        Only problem is that Obama did not lie, and Granny didn't (and won't) die.

                        And these photos will be seen by intelligent people all over the country, further marginalizing your silly little movement.

                        You see, most of us understand the US Constitution. Most of us actually know US history. Most of us know that Czarist Russia was overthrown by the Bolshevik Revolution in 1919 - and that the USSR has never had any czars at all. And, finally most Americans want a public option.

                        I don't want a sip of whatever it is you've been drinking. It has made you incoherent and irrational.
                        Report Abuse
                        • Author by oscar the grouch (September 14, 2009 12:25 am ET)
                             
                          Halelujah, we pass health care reform and eternal life on earth is ours!!!!!
                          Report Abuse
                      • Author by ReasonAndResolve (September 12, 2009 11:55 pm ET)
                        4  
                        And, I notice you didn't answer a single question that I asked. You loved President Bush and he was neither a conservative, nor was he an adherent of our constitution.

                        The photo that you posted above is most definitely the largest flock of sheep I have ever seen. Here is what most of America saw today:

                        [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/SchafherdeInKoeln.jpg]
                        Report Abuse
      • Author by princeofwheels (September 12, 2009 10:46 pm ET)
        1  
        Proud, I would like to know why this picture from the NYTimes has a flag at half mast but after going to the NYTIMES website concerning this article..the flags on the other building in the slide show are at full mast...what gives, where did you find this picture.
        You do know we are talking about the TeaParty ala 9/12 not a war protest from a few years ago.
        Oh, I believe you but you need to deliver the goods. Those flags just have me confused. Link please. I would hate to see other posters attack you for trying to out-FOX them.
        But you are still loved.
        Report Abuse
        • Author by princeofwheels (September 12, 2009 11:00 pm ET)
          3  
          Also, just got back from America's Independent Party National Committee website and I found the picture there...along with a number of very crisp, clear, colorful photos by Eternal Vigilance. Strangely enough, the photos were all time stamped etc..but this one wasn't.
          Where did it come from....They wouldn't be foxing you Proud would they?
          I will await your candid explanation.
          Because this is the biggest crowd to hit the streets in Washington D.C. Obama only had about 1.8 million at the inaguaration and we all know how crowded that was...
          Report Abuse
        • Author by proudconservative (September 12, 2009 11:02 pm ET)
            3
          And prince, I feel the love too!

          Here's the link. It is from a time lapse. Could the half mast be for nine-11?

          Kisses and hugs back at ya! :>

          Keep it up Stillers!
          Report Abuse
      • Author by funnymanpants (September 12, 2009 11:22 pm ET)
        1  
        >>The demonstrators numbered well into the tens of thousands

        That's tiny! I'm really laughing at the turnout. There were supposed to be hundreds of thousands, if not millions. Tens of thousands for a national protest? That's a yawner!
        Report Abuse
        • Author by ReasonAndResolve (September 12, 2009 11:26 pm ET)
          2  
          Doesn't sound like much of a "movement" does it? Call it a million and it is still less than 1% of the total voters in the last election.
          Report Abuse
        • Author by proudconservative (September 12, 2009 11:32 pm ET)
            2
          somethingfunnyinyourpants,

          Remember how you have been comforted yourself. By hearing something like this in intimate times, "It's not the size of the protest but the motion of it's notion that counts!"

          This does have schwing.
          Report Abuse
          • Author by ReasonAndResolve (September 12, 2009 11:36 pm ET)
            3  
            It is a mere ripple. More people turned up to protest the Iraq war in 2003 - and that wasn't planned for months.

            I wouldn't get a stiffy over this, if I were you.
            Report Abuse
          • Author by funnymanpants (September 12, 2009 11:41 pm ET)
            2  
            >>Remember how you have been comforted yourself. By hearing something like this in intimate times, "It's not the size of the protest but the motion of it's notion that counts!"

            You must be delusional, because I never said it, and it sounds like the saying of a loser, like when someone loses a ball game and says it was the effort that mattered.

            I looked at the video already. The reporter notes that "tens of thousands" of protesters showed up. Wow! Tens of thousands! What a pathetic turnout. What's more, the signs being held up are incoherent. ("Don't tread on me," and "It's about the constitution, stupid.") Let's just call the rally the "Hate Obama without a message rally."
            Report Abuse
            • Author by proudconservative (September 12, 2009 11:51 pm ET)
                3
              Ok, it was just a hate obama rally, that's good enough for me.

              And if I were you, I'd revisit the wording of the metaphor I used to describe the effect of a protest and/or ...... Will somebody explain it to him?!
              Report Abuse
              • Author by vhw28672478 (September 12, 2009 11:54 pm ET)
                2  
                You are a major joke you got nothing
                Report Abuse
              • Author by funnymanpants (September 12, 2009 11:56 pm ET)
                2  
                >>Ok, it was just a hate obama rally, that's good enough for me.

                Which is why no one will take it seriously. Just hating someone isn't a political message except for those who are stupid.

                >>Ok, it was just a hate obama rally, that's good enough for me.

                You are as incoherent as the people holding up the signs.
                Report Abuse
              • Author by funnymanpants (September 13, 2009 12:02 am ET)
                2  
                >>And if I were you, I'd revisit the wording of the metaphor I used to describe the effect of a protest and/or ...... Will somebody explain it to him?!

                More incoherence. Do you even know what a metaphor is?
                Report Abuse
          • Author by ReasonAndResolve (September 12, 2009 11:43 pm ET)
            2  
            [http://www.southbaymobilization.org/calendar/images/2006/06.0501.LAImmigrantProtestOnMarch25_500x332.jpg]

            Here is what a million people looks like. Y'all aren't even a spit in the ocean.
            Report Abuse
            • Author by proudconservative (September 12, 2009 11:53 pm ET)
                3
              According to twitterer davie, that's just 30,000+!
              Report Abuse
              • Author by proudconservative (September 12, 2009 11:54 pm ET)
                  4
                Now, now randr, you can't compare apples to oranges or legals to illegals.......
                Report Abuse
                • Author by vhw28672478 (September 12, 2009 11:55 pm ET)
                  2  
                  you got nothing
                  Report Abuse
                • Author by funnymanpants (September 13, 2009 12:00 am ET)
                  2  
                  >>Now, now randr, you can't compare apples to oranges or legals to illegals.......

                  Another incoherent post. Again, PC: tens of thousands of protesters--that's it. That's really laughable for a national protest planned for weeks.
                  Report Abuse
              • Author by funnymanpants (September 12, 2009 11:57 pm ET)
                2  
                >>According to twitterer davie, that's just 30,000+!

                Are you even trying to make sense? Why not just admit your protest is a bid dud. It really is making me laugh.
                Report Abuse
          • Author by funnymanpants (September 12, 2009 11:45 pm ET)
            2  
            >>This does have schwing.

            I also love the boo hooing of the protesters. Oh, no one is listening to us! Boo, hoo, hoo! No one is listening to you because you losers don't have a message. One teabagger interviewed on MSNBC said he wanted to turn the country back 100 years. Oh yes, 1909 was such a good year! And another one (one of the leaders) didn't think the government should force insurance companies to give insurance to people with pre-existing conditions. Yea, and that's a real seller, isn't it.
            Report Abuse
      • Author by fawltylogic (September 13, 2009 1:10 am ET)
        1  
        Why is the flag at half mast? Did someone die today?
        Report Abuse
        • Author by funnymanpants (September 13, 2009 1:21 am ET)
          1  
          >>Why is the flag at half mast? Did someone die today?

          9/11. The flag was supposed to fly that way until noon today.
          Report Abuse
          • Author by princeofwheels (September 13, 2009 1:47 am ET)
            1  
            But other pictures did not have the flags at half mast? I guess the time stamp on the picture would make a difference. It is on every picture but the one Proudy posted. Unless the crowd appeared before noon....
            Report Abuse
            • Author by magnolialover (September 13, 2009 8:20 am ET)
              1  
              I think that picture was debunked, as in, it was a picture from a different protest years ago.
              Report Abuse
              • Author by fawltylogic (September 13, 2009 12:34 pm ET)
                1  
                I'm pretty sure it was from yesterday. The trees are exactly the same. I was honestly just wondering about the flag. I guess they must have had it down since the day before.
                Report Abuse
      • Author by doctordawg (September 14, 2009 2:32 am ET)
           
        The flag is at half mast. Who died? When was this photo taken?
        Report Abuse
    • Author by congero6189599 (September 13, 2009 3:21 pm ET)
      1  
      I don't know if the photo in question on this site is the one being talked about by Steve Benen @WashintonMonthly but he says there have been some bogus photos going around along with inflated numbers of the size of the gathering:

      "...Making matters slightly more embarrassing, several conservative sites ran with a purported aerial photo of the protest, which seemed to show a full Washington Mall. The picture seemed odd -- the first clue was that the National Museum of the American Indian did not appear in the photo -- and was later exposed as a shot from the Promise Keepers' rally from 1997..."

      Report Abuse
    • Author by Noodleboy (September 13, 2009 8:34 pm ET)
         
      I am from Australia here, currently visiting the US and have family here.

      As someone from the "rest of the world" I feel the need to ask...is there something in the water making about 30% of Americans mentally retarded? Because that's what we're all thinking when we see the "teabaggers" and "birthers" and these crazies ranting on and on about how decent health care will lead to communism.

      I've seen the US system, and it's pathetic. I destroys people's lives and has no social justice. You'd have to be insane to put up with it any longer, yet these people do?

      Seeing the reports and then seeing the inflated numbers of this mob rally, really opens the eyes as to conservative "facts". You just can't trust any of them it seems.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by icanhasbailout (September 13, 2009 11:53 pm ET)
         
      David Shuster - you are either knowingly lying or you have the worst counting ability in the history of mankind.

      Any person can watch these videos and see that your 30,000 figure is utterly laughable. You got that number from the online registration of a single one of dozens - perhaps hundreds - of individual citizen groups that attended the protest.

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTb585rKO4w
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BP_wHelUeBU

      These show at least a half-million people, and they don't even cover the entire rally.

      Do you have the integrity to correct the record? The respect for your own claimed profession to acknowledge that a person who was not present at an event (you) has absolutely no standing to make the claims you have made?

      Report Abuse
    • Author by John Galt (September 15, 2009 3:04 pm ET)
         
      At Freedom Plaza, 0930, DC police told the crowd they have reached "critical mass" and for them to start the parade 2 hours early. Busses by the hundreds were unloading when the passengers saw the parade had already started. By 1030, DC police official count was 1.5 million. That information was announced at the stage. At 1130 people were still coming in the area. The protesters streched from the White House down Pennsylvania Ave, covered the whole Capitol lawn and about 1/3 of the National Mall.
      Report Abuse