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Thanks for your input. We busted our butts putting the word out about this rally. We contacted many groups, especially activist groups and our friends in the conservative community.

Thousands of people were informed about this rally in person by us through leafletting. Thousands of e-mails were sent. Everyone who came to FR in the last two weeks could learn about it. Millions heard about it on Hannity's radio show. Others heard about it on about a dozen other radio shows. If folks didn't come out, it's not because of a lack of effort on our part.

What we don't have is full-time paid activists and big money behind us. We don't have free bus rides, a bag lunch and a t-shirt to offer people. We don't have a decades-long history of continuous protesting like the left does. Nor do we get fawning pre-rally publicity in the local media like the left-wing demonstrations that alerts the general populace to their actions.

Also, unlike other markets, radio stations in this area don't want to risk alienating their liberal listeners by getting behind a controversial subject like Iraq in this liberal government town.

Conservatives come to D.C. once-a-year for the March For Life and then stay home the other 364 days. Those of us who stay active in the streets here the other days are few in numbers.

I respect you for the price you've paid, but as far as this rally goes--you're way off in your criticism.

What Kristinn said. Kristinn -- I'd add also that there were LOTS more college republicans this time. It's been slow but we do have that coaltion going. I went *out* of my way to get all of their email addresses too. I gave them mine. They want to invite us to a rally they're doing in the next couple of months, they don't know when yet. I'm all for coalition building with people who, ahem, actually do work and show up.

Not to rain on your parade -- but, the anti-war protests don't give free bus rides, free lunches or free t-shirts. If you want to go on a bus, you have to pay for a ticket. If you want a t-shirt, you have to buy it. I don't know anything about bag lunches. I work downtown LA and the protests go by my office, and I've gone down to look around. They have booths selling t-shirts, buttons, etc., and sign up sheets for buses to the next rally, with a listing of the prices. I'm not sure where the scummy unemployed liberals get the money to buy this stuff, but somehow they manage.