I think that's an important point. The "Progressives" have an advantage over us because they control so much of the media, and people that are not really informed tend to think that is how most people think - so they go along with the "group-think" to be part of the in-crowd.
To take a view that runs against the popular culture as seen in the media requires a bit of courage, and seeing that many people go to the effort of paying for & traveling to these kinds of events REALLY is a big reinforcement. It must have been very exciting to be there in person!
My husband & I marched in the BIG 9/12 Tea Party March in Washington DC a few years ago (the one that some claimed a million people marched in) and it was so exciting to be part of a unified group of patriots like that - the only way I can describe it is a feeling of 'electricity'.
I know what you are describing, although this was the first time I really experienced it in person. It was “electric”. Five minutes before it was to start, the noise level started to crank up and a human wave started circling the stadium. There were at least two times Beck had to stop his speech because the cheering was overwhelming. I can’t imagine what Washington must have been like.