So how surprised do you think the crowd was that this was a sermon?

[nolabear]

I mean, it was a SERMON. It had everything but a laying on of hands and a few miracle cures, though he did claim one there near the end.

Really, thoug, do you all believe that those who went there were surprised that there was NO substance and no PLAN and really nothing but what I used to hear every Sunday when I had Southern Baptist parents?

[golddigger]

1. One of the best pranks evah...lol

[thewiseguy]

2. I do not think they were surprised

It was a non political event and advertised as one.

I was surprised initially because I did not anything about it.

[Andy823]

3. Well...

I think some of them loved it just because it was Beck, you know the really crazy bunch that don't have a clue about what is going on and get all their info from Beck's show! I think a lot of those who go bussed in were surprised that it wasn't the same old crazy Beck with is chalkboard trashing the president, and spewing his daily "hate". Many came for the "miracle" that Beck kept promoting on his show. He said that he only had a few bullet points, the rest would come from God. What I saw was a man with a prepared speech who read from that speech for over an hour, and for the life of me I never saw God speaking through him! It was a joke if you ask me, a way to boost his ego and make money, nothing more!

[redirish28]

4. Actually it scares me. You basically had a Sermon (which one finds at Church)

in a Political place. (Think about it D.C.) I fear this blur the lines even more of seperation of church and state for these people who believe the seperation of church and state is a "liberal illusion" or "Liberal re writing history".

[SnakeEyes]

6. I disagree

The National Mall is not a political place though it has been used for political purposes/events. It is a public space that is a tribute to our founders and should be a place of free speech. I'm not sure how separation of church and state applies here. The government wasn't involved here.

[Imajika]

5. They weren't surprised, you were...

...and that was the intention.

The people who showed up there were told not to bring signs and that it was not going to be heavy on politics.

[kevinbgoode]

7. so how much money did he raise for the troops?

This is where their inflations of numbers will get sticky. . .if the charitable donations are too small, then the teabaggers look like cheap-ass hypocrites.

[wellstone dem]

8. I found myself wondering how surprised people were, and

how many of these people go to church on Sunday. I mean really go to church, not just say they do to friends, relatives, and pollsters.