In the grand tradition of Politico, famous for oversimplifying damn near everything, Obama wins the day because Beck’s 8/12 project was a bust. Despite early, frantic, utterly unrealistic estimates of 2 million protesters (thanks for your professionalism, Michelle Malkin), Beck himself put the numbers at 40,000, and networks adjusted that up to about 60,000.
That’s 3.33% of the crowd Obama drew, on a bitterly cold day in January, for his inauguration. There were single lines onto the National Mall that had more people than Beck’s protest, despite below-freezing temperatures.
And Obama ran commercials during Beck’s show. Vae victis.
I don’t think you can really compare the two though. One has to do with a president being inaugurated, the first Black president, on top of that.
The other, I had never heard of. Certainly, the publicity and marketing for the historical event that was happening on President Obama’s inauguration was a lot bigger.
Posted by portorikan | September 12, 2009, 4:22 pmYeah, here in Virginia, the DMS signs over the interstate were saying weeks in advance, “Jan. 20 Inauguration Day, Expect Delay.” And I’m a good 4 hours from DC!
Posted by Steve | September 12, 2009, 5:45 pm