August 28, 2010 6:32 PM

Glenn Beck Rally Attracts Estimated 87,000

By
Alex Sundby
Topics
Tea Party

The area around the Lincoln Memorial in Washington during a rally organized by conservative commentator Glenn Beck is seen in this aerial picture taken Aug. 28, 2010.

(Credit: AirPhotosLIVE.com)

An estimated 87,000 people attended a rally organized by talk-radio host and Fox News commentator Glenn Beck Saturday in Washington, according to a crowd estimate commissioned by CBS News.

The company AirPhotosLive.com based the attendance on aerial pictures it took over the rally, which stretched from in front of the Lincoln Memorial along the Reflecting Pool to the Washington Monument. Beck and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin spoke at the rally.

Beck, who predicted that at least 100,000 people would show up, opened his comments with a joke: "I have just gotten word from the media that there is over 1,000 people here today."

The area around the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington during a rally organized by conservative commentator Glenn Beck is seen in this aerial picture taken Aug. 28, 2010.

(Credit: AirPhotosLIVE.com)

AirPhotosLive.com gave its estimate a margin of error of 9,000, meaning between 78,000 and 96,000 people attended the rally. The photos used to make the estimate were taken at noon Saturday, which is when the company estimated was the rally's high point.

Rally organizers had a permit for crowd of 300,000. Crowd estimates used to be provided by the National Park Service, but the agency stopped counting crowds in 1997 after being accused of underestimating the size of the Million Man March in 1995.

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  • Alex Sundby

    Alex Sundby is an associate news editor for CBSNews.com

Add a Comment See all 664 Comments
by mchoward21 November 2, 2010 8:14 AM EDT
I LOVE that people criticize Jon Stewart and Colbert for being push overs that ask soft ball questions to guests and politicians on there show and how they say that there wasnt a single politician there...Guys i have news for you...THEY HOST COMEDY SHOWS ON COMEDY CENTRAL...they dont have shows on CNN or FoxNews and if they did then ok your points would be valid..but its a damn comedy show, why are they obligated to ask tougher questions than other news organizations.

Also there were no politicians at the rally because in the words of colbert and stewart themselves this wasnt a political rally.
Reply to this comment
by ddal10 November 2, 2010 1:12 AM EDT
The Evangelicals in the Republican Party will not tolerate Glen Becks perceived advancement of Mormon Theology.
Reply to this comment
by clearvoice November 1, 2010 10:16 PM EDT
WOW so CBS who just lied about the GOP story that said they wanted to stop Palin now has egg its face as the GOP said it came from one republican who is running for president and we are to belive that Becks crowd was only 87,000 from CBS.
The NBC independent agency who estimate Obama's crowd, said Beck's crowd was between 300,000 & 350,000.
Reply to this comment
by jcm52a November 2, 2010 1:16 PM EDT
Look at the photos of the two rallies. Go on, do it. The Beck rally covered less space, was less densely packed, and had a massive reflecting pool in the middle of it. So you might be able to quibble over exactly how big each one was, but you cannot argue over which rally was bigger.

And if you want to quibble over how CBS made its estimate... The independent agency that estimated Obama's crowd was the same agency that CBS used. NBC did not attempt to make an estimate. Check facts...
by kevjustice November 1, 2010 2:31 PM EDT
ha ha ha ha!!! jon stewart got more than twice as many people to attend his rally!!!!
Reply to this comment
by noloyalisti November 1, 2010 1:00 PM EDT
Beck is a ridiculous waste of good air. He is a dangerous individual fomenting hate and destruction of America. He is the ultimate divider who cares about one thing: money.

We need to have people like Stewart to unite people against the evil of Republicorp. Go vote tomorrow and reject everything intolerant and right wing.
Reply to this comment
by okieintx November 1, 2010 1:46 PM EDT
Have you ever watched Glenn Beck or just listened to the liberal media bash him? I have NEVER heard a hateful or racist word come from his mouth. MLK's daughter said the same thing and is a supporter of Becks and was impressed with how he was trying to unite the country. She wasn't across town at the devisive rally of Sharpton's. Quite the opposite. Beck's shows feature historians and educators who know what the principles and history this country was actually founded upon and audiences with real opinions on both sides of the aisle. Stewart makes fun of people and uses sarcasm to further a liberal agenda.
by bigeye9 November 1, 2010 1:50 PM EDT
Don't you work, all you ever do is blog...you need a life. I'm being totally serious.
by carolo43 November 1, 2010 4:53 AM EDT
Jon Stewarts rally was an event to try to bring people together. Beck's rally was to separate them. Big difference and more of a difference than the sheer numbers in attendence. Stewarts rally made a person feel glad they were an American. Beck's rally was depressing to see so much hatred.
Reply to this comment
by chevyhotrod November 1, 2010 10:20 AM EDT
How was your trip down the rabbit hole and your Alice and Wonderland visit? The exact opposite is true of what you posted. Jon Stewart is just a jester for the kings court. The joke is on you.
by nuttyworld November 1, 2010 1:36 AM EDT
More like 400,000+, but whoever did the counting must have to remove their shoes to count above the number 10.
Reply to this comment
by ddal10 October 31, 2010 7:21 PM EDT
Glen Beck, Sarah Palin and "The Merchants of Fear" Brought to you by the Koch Brothers and "The Fox that cried WOLF over and over and over and over again"!
Reply to this comment
by ddal10 November 1, 2010 1:06 AM EDT
Go easy on the Coffee indiewad.
by olegunny October 31, 2010 12:12 PM EDT
The National Park Service estimate was 300,000 plus. The photos of the Sanity Rally were not all taken at the rally. There are structures missing. I am reminded of Dan Ratherless....
Reply to this comment
by hcvisigoth October 31, 2010 7:00 PM EDT
Reading is FUNdamental! "Crowd estimates used to be provided by the National Park Service, but the agency stopped counting crowds in 1997 after being accused of underestimating the size of the Million Man March in 1995."
by friendly222 October 31, 2010 9:11 AM EDT
Libs obviously lied by claiming that they drew more people to the One Nation rally (http://ironicsurrealism.blogivists.com/2010/10/02/aerial-photos-glenn-becks-restoring-honor-rally-vs-one-nation-rally/) then they again obviously lied by claiming that they drew more people to the Restore Sanity rally (http://www.papamiket.com/?p=32598). Unfortunately for them they will have to admit that they drew MUCH LESS people to the ballot boxes next tuesday. Maybe because there won't be Sheryl Crow, Yusuf Islam and the Mythbusters at the polls...
Reply to this comment
by golden_rule October 31, 2010 10:27 AM EDT
Republicans obviously lied about the size of the Tea Party rally on the Mall.

Supporters said as many as 2 million attended; local authorities estimated closer to 70,000. In order to support their claim, Tea Party bloggers posted an aerial photo of the National Mall taken, they said, during the rally. The problem? The picture had obviously been taken years earlier as the National Museum of the American Indian is missing from the photo (it wasn't built until 2004).

Moving forward, please try to visit a news or independent site not operated by a Tea Party blogger with an obvious stake in the results when gathering your evidentiary support.
by friendly222 October 31, 2010 10:45 AM EDT
"The picture had obviously been taken years earlier as the National Museum of the American Indian is missing from the photo (it wasn't built until 2004)"

HAHAHA, that's all you have left poor dummy ? LIES, LIES AND LIES !
You will cry next tuesday !!!
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