Because remember, when Sarah Palin visited Boston in April for an outdoor rally, she drew just 5,000 people. And for an earlier event this year in Searchlight, NV., which was supposed to be the “conservative Woodstock,” less than 10,000 Tea Partiers bothered to show up.

But this weekend in New Jersey, more than 30,000 residents protested huge budget cuts being proposed by the GOP Gov., Chris Christie:

More than 30,000 angry New Jersey residents marched to the state capitol Saturday, delivering a blistering message to the governor in an effort to protect their turf and their paychecks.

At times resembling both a rock concert and a pep rally, more than 30,000 union employees and community activists gathered for a massive protest at the capitol to blast the governor.

That massive NJ crowd blows away the turnout for virtually every state-run Tea Party rally held over the last year. But don't tell reporters, many of whom seem convinced that the Tea Party movement remains hugely important and growing by the day.