[justlurking]

somebody screwed up bigtime. no permit for the whole Mall? two permits on the same day? with the Black Family Reunion taking up much of the space on the Mall with their tents?

The Black Family Reunion was apparently scheduled before the 9/12 Tea Party, so they already had the permit for the Mall.

In all fairness, on one expected so many people to show up. I think I read that the Tea Party organizers expected a maximum of 20,000.

[Jeff Head]

As it was...the numbers were there and spread out around the other event. The picture looking from the large intersection all the way to the Capitol (over a mile distant) with the intersection and the 8 lane road leading to the capitol absolutel full of people (and it remained full of people moving towards the Capitol for almost 3 hours!) tells the tale.