Tea Party Rally Draws Huge Crowd

NBC ^ | Sep 7, 2009 | BJ LUTZ

[mdittmar]

Conservative movement traveling toward Washington, D.C.

Conservative roadshow The Tea Party Express rolled into suburban New Lenox this Labor Day, drawing an expectation-breaking crowd of thousands who decried President Barack Obama, his health care initiative and stimulus spending.

Organizers said they expected 200-400 people to attend the rally, but were blown away when a crowd -- which some claimed was north of 10,000 -- gathered with American flags and signs denouncing big government.

New Lenox's Chief of Police, Bob Sterba, guessed the crowd was likely around 8,000 strong. A precise count was not available.

Sterba said that one event organizer even apologized to him for the massive crowd.

"It's been very organized, this event, and the crowd itself has been just fine," said Sterba, adding that there were no policing problems other than issues with traffic.

Monday's stop was the only Chicago-area stop, and the 20th for the Tea Party Express, a national tour of rallies across the nation. The effort began in California and is traveling east.

"We're taking all the passion and all the emotion of the tea parties earlier this year, and we're channeling them into constructive action on our way to Washington, D.C. for the Taxpayer March on D.C. on the 12th," said Mark Williams,the co-Vice Chair of the Tea Party Express and a conservative talk show host based in California.

"We want to support our government, but we want to support the right things in government. We want less intrusive government, and more freedom," said Eddie Deal, who attended the rally with his wife Carolyn and their two small children, Luke and Joshua.

http://teapartyexpress.org/

[nesnah]

ROCK and ROLL, Babee!

[nascarnation]

just like some in Arkansas were not Clintonians,

some Illini are not Baraqqis

good work folks!

[RummyChick]

kick ‘em out...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2_WpekV-tE

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

Wow - NBC reports this? Woohoo! 10,000 show up when only several hundred were expected? Double woohoo!!! Way to go!

[RummyChick]

more photos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OtqdSOKaEg

[pennboricua]

They finally have no choice but to cover the event, State Run Media can no longer attempt to stifle the news, too many alternate sources.

[Joann37]

I’m more shocked that NBC actually reported this, than the fact that 10,000 people showed up!

[Wonderama Mama]

God Bless America! and thanks to NBC for FINALLY doing the right thing.

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

Me too! This has to be a first - let’s hope the first of many such reports!

[RowdyFFC]

Rollin! Rollin! Rollin! Freedom is ON THE MARCH!

[Bushbacker1]

I was just in that park in June. Very large venue. Great to see it packed. Roll, patriots, roll!

[Man50D]

Organizers said they expected 200-400 people to attend the rally, but were blown away when a crowd -- which some claimed was north of 10,000 -- gathered with American flags and signs denouncing big government.

That's great news! Excellent job people! I'm glad the organizers are not meteorologists.

[Liberty Valance]

[Marmolade]

It was a great day and a great crowd. Not sure who they belong to, but some choppers showed up near the end. It was still a good crowd, but if they would have come earlier, they would have caught the crowd at its peak.

They told us two of the roads (interstate 80 and route 30) were both backed up for a mile in all directions before the start. They had to send for a police escort to get the Tea Party Express buses off the highway and to the event.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Thank you, Ron Paul.

[eyedigress]

Thanks for that post. It’s been 35 years since I’ve sung that wonderful song.

[mdittmar]

Will only get bigger the closer to D.C.,5 days to go.

[ichabod1]

I wouldn’t thank NBC. I don’t know what their agenda is on reporting this, but it can’t be good. You have to understand that NBC is owned by GE and GE is owned by the Obama administration, which means NBC, MSNBC, and CNBC are all wholly owned subsidiaries of the Obama machine. If they reported it, it’s because the Obama people wanted it reported and that actually kind of gives me chills.

[Marie Antoinette]

Cool, I went to school in New Lenox. Will County was a fairly conservative area when I lived there (although I haven’t lived there in nearly 20 years now).

[DoughtyOne]

N - I - C - E

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

This is a local affiliate of NBC, and most local affiliates are pretty independent.

[cripplecreek]

They’ll be in Jackson Mi tommorow and 10,000 would be a third of the population. I’ll be happy with a thousand tomorrow.

[NoObamaFightForConservatives]

Awesome tour!

http://teapartyexpress.org/tour/index.html

[kcvl]

I love the sign that says: “I had rather be a conservative nutjob than a liberal with no nuts and no job” or something to that effect! roflol!

[traderrob6]

Anyone heard how the SB/Mish crowd turned out?

[SuperLuminal]

Outstanding!

[pollywog]

WOoo HOOOoooooooooooooooooooooooo Go Tea Party!!!!!!!!!

[RonDog]

From www.dailyrecord.com:

[KansasGirl]

WOW! Awesome!

[SuperLuminal]

Fantastic pictures!

[lionheart 247365]

For the first time in my adult life I’m proud to be a homegrown terrorist .

[glock rocks]

YES!

[Windflier]

The incredible turn-out at these pit stops along the route of the Tea Party Express bode well for the turn-out in DC on 9/12.

If they’re any indicator, DC is going to be overwhelmed with flag waving patriots opposing big government and Obama’s radical agenda.

Outstanding!

[EGPWS]

Petula Clark put it to music appropriately...

Sign of the Times.

[EGPWS]

Petula Clark put it to music appropriately...

"Sign of the Times".

[Earthdweller]

Yes!!

[Proud2BeRight]

We participated and were so impressed with the event.

[GloriaJane]

Awesome!

[theymakemesick]

Great post bookmark. Thanks LV.

[editor-surveyor]

"I’m more shocked that NBC actually reported this, than the fact that 10,000 people showed up!"

Its 'evidence' of the danger that the kook-rightwing-loonatics pose to The One!

[BAW]

Scary Mob! Thanks, Illinois!

[Windflier]

I think this is the sign you're talking about.

[TheHound]

So I want to ask you a question, I am white, back in the late sixties when I lined up on one side of the street, with the Blacks ( back then they were just negro friends of mine) and the white bigots where on the other side of the street and the cops were in the middle, when the two sides clashed and I went home bloodied, when they subsequently beat up my good friend “Boo”(a Black), when I took my revenge on the bastards and was arrested and put in jail, do you think that I reacted in a manner of race?

[Eric Blair 2084]

This could be hugh and series.

Last time something like this happened was in 1775.

[BunnySlippers]

The local NBC affiliate, not the national NBC.

[Windflier]

...do you think that I reacted in a manner of race?

Brother, I wasn't there, so I don't know what the two sides were clashing about. I can't know why you reacted the way you did, or why your opponents reacted the way they did.

You were there. You witnessed everything. Only you can know what happened, and why. Search your heart and know.

[Gorzaloon]

You have to understand that NBC is owned by GE and GE is owned by the Obama administration,

I wondered what the Cash For Clunker Refrigerators was about.

[The Duke]

Ancient history PING.

[TheHound]

You did not answer my question. Oh, I know why I was there, and it is the same reason I am here now - FREEDOM - Individual freedom.