People cheered as the Tea Party march was billed by one of the speakers as “the largest gathering of American conservatives.” Although the crowd insisted 1.5-2 million people attended, the numbers were nowhere near that high. Compared to the inauguration that hosted more than a million people, it was a small gathering. I would say estimates quoting 50,000 people would be accurate. Still, these “Patriots” had an air of excitement.
But underneath the excitement was a strong element of anger and fear. People expressed fear about loosing their rights, such as the Second Amendment. Some expressed fear about health care, and losing their life to “death panels.” People expressed anger about taxes, the bank bail outs and abortion. They equated all this to Hitler’s Nazi Germany and Stalin’s totalitarian Russia. Much of it was depicted on poster-board signs and in the voices of some as they talked about President Obama’s and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s “communist” agenda.
As a journalist, I was a target of their anger.
There was a cult-like following of Rupert Murdoch’s Fox News. Signs decried the rest of the media and crowds of cheering supporters surrounded the Fox News truck and swarms of people begged for one Fox reporter’s autograph. Crowds surrounded the CNN bus, too, but they heckled and harassed the CNN crew, making it difficult for them to do their job.
As my videographer and I walked through the crowd to interview people, most passers-by wanted to know which outlet we worked for. Being an independent journalist that day attempting to freelance our work was an advantage. Some seemed reassured we weren’t working for “state-run” media. This came on the heels of a Fox News report that independent journalists uncovered a scandal about the low-income advocacy group, ACORN, which is an organization subject to conservative scorn and disdain.
Some, though, were skeptical about the term “independent” journalist. I was called “liberal trash.” My videographer was called a Nazi and a fascist.
The skepticism erupted into something more just after my last interview of the day. We met a group of nearly a dozen “912ers.” They adorned t-shirts with the fractured Revolutionary War snake, the symbol of their group created by Glenn Beck. At the end of the 10-minute interview, they demanded my contact information and a picture so they could “find” me if they didn’t like our work. I took that as a threat, declined to give them my contact information and walked away. They followed and continued with their demands. I continued to decline.
One of the woman then yelled into her megaphone that “the woman in the black shirt works for ACORN.” She commanded the crowd to take my picture. They found out my last name from a previous interviewee, so she then yelled my full name into the megaphone and nearly 50 people surrounded and swarmed me, putting cameras in my face as they heckled and laughed. The crowd then followed me down Pennsylvania Avenue for the next ten minutes.
Here is some footage Robin Bell, my videographer, shot just after the initial confrontation.
I have covered dozens of protests in Washington, DC and have never experienced such an air of fear of diversity and thought. Many were militant in their beliefs.
A kind older man from Virginia, a participant in the days events, saw the altercation and came to my defense. As we parted he pleaded that I don’t let that incident change my perception of the entire day.
After a day filled with interviewing people who want to “waterboard Nancy Pelosi,” and who said that Barack Obama is “too black to be President” and that an armed “revolution” might be necessary, the threat and intimidation I experienced was just icing on the cake.
Leigh Ann Caldwell is a DC-based journalist for Free Speech Radio News. You can listen to the FSRN broadcasts, by clicking here.
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The sound of that attack almost sounds like (and I say this to cast a mirror onto the protesters) a Naziesque brown shirt tactic.
Leigh Ann, be honest. The crowd had it right. “Independent” you are not. My 11 year old could write a less-biased account. (He can also spell ‘losing’ correctly.)
Um the inauguration had 1.2M people and the park service charts clearly prove that there were at least that many there on Saturday.
Just the area in front of the Capitol alone holds 250,000 people and the filling of PA Ave meant about 1M more.
You can’t do math or are blind or both. And you are delusional and in denial.
Now you know what it’s like for us to go to a lefty rally — they use the same ‘surrounding’ tactics on us all the time.
So please just stop whining OK??
You got what you deserved for even going there.
leigh ann, they probbbaly wouldnt be so pissed at you if you didnt lie about them so much. kinda quid pro quo. remember now…….war is peace…and freedom is slavery. you’re good at the rest of it….its your harma at stake here, dear. not theirs. you have the choice to be better person. try ok? peace out.
um… Even if she did lie about them, as a group, the way they react to it, is to reaffirm what was said about them?
Thats like someone whos accused of murder going out and killing someone because the media already accused him of doing the deed.
Its actually quite funny how one-track these protesters are. Remember when people protested stuff that actually mattered? Like wars? Oh wait, i guess those were liberals. Liberals protest about money being wasted on ruining and killing people. Conservatives protest when money *might* be used inefficiently to treat sick people. It really has gotten to the point where you can bluntly say ‘conservatives are bad people’. Why dont you guys protest some same sex marriages too? Oh wait, you guys have been doing that for the past 8 years.
Pathetic, disgusting people…
Is there some reason why you won’t post the links to the Bush hatred?
I am not surprised.
“Bush is a war mongering fool who stole the election!!”
-The ’00 election was incredibly flawed and had there been a proper vote, gore would have EASILY won florida(and had the recount finished, he might have still won even with all the old people accidentally voting for Buchanan)
-The man started 2 wars in the first 3 years of his first term.
“Obama is a socialist who isnt a real american!”
-Bernie sanders, the only socialist in the senate, has openly said obama is no where near socialist.
-Obama has proven atleast a dozen times he is an american.
The fact that you compare the 2 proves just how bif a fool you and your ilk are.
oooooh – scary stuff – that woman – how threatening – and my GOD – she is asking you to tell the truth and play what she really said….(why didn’t you)? But you POOR THING – you must have just been SHAKING with fear – what a violent crowd. Armed with a cameraman, and this is the best video? When will you post the photos of the racist signs? I suppose it will take some time for you to get the photoshop updates published?
I saw plenty of racist and nut job signs. I have never seen people who are so scared. It’s sad really, their being so afraid of a black president.
Thank you for covering (and uncovering!) the rally, Leigh Ann. The state of public discourse in this country (as evidenced by comments here) is in a sad state of disarray. I hope we as a nation can come to some sort of peaceful resolution of our differences, but I worry that the threat of violence will overcome civil solutions. Please keep up the good work — the nation needs to stay informed if we’re ever going to get out of this mess.
Now a few of them are posting in here…they really should have disabled comments. You have my sympathy, Leigh…nobody deserves the treatment you got and still receive. Keep up the good work, you have my support.
Good job Leigh Ann. Thanks for bringing us factual news. This Tea Party movement is frightening, mainly because it is so small (currently) yet has received so much national attention. Keep up the good work.
Now I see why it’s called NewsJUNKie. If that video is representative of what happened, then I would question you and the cameraman’s motives instead of the woman.
“2 million Americans…”
followed by:
“Welcome to facts.”
Hahahaha…
Ha!
It’s hard to estimate crowd size with so many walker-wielding Medicare recipients protesting single-payer healthcare.
See:
http://notionscapital.wordpress.com/2009/09/17/march-of-the-disgruntled-in-dc/
Now I have a mission , and that mission is to expose this liar drivel . The fact you have to down right lie to make yourself important in your mind . The truth wouldn’t have served your purpose would it . As for numbers there are pictures and video everywhere that easily prove you are a liar. You Dems are no different than the Republicans , liars all of you. Does it give you a sense of power to mislead people. I am going to reach out and find pics and video hopefully of you , chatting with people all smiles. I bet your parents are proud of your integrity , or lack of.