One Nation rally tomorrow-175,000 union members to show, for starters...

[babylonsister]

This could be 'HUGH', and I've read m$nbc will be covering 3 hours of it. :bounce:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/10/will_tomorrows_one_nation_rall.html


Will tomorrow's One Nation rally show enthusiasm gap closing? Will media care?
Greg Sargent


So how many people will turn out at tomorrow's big lefty rally on the national Mall? It's an important question, because the rally is turning into a key test of whether Dems can close the much-ballyhooed enthusiasm gap.

The Service Employees International Union is expecting some 75,000 of its members to turn out tomorrow, SEIU spokesman Teddy Davis tells me, an estimate based on the number of pledges to attend and the number of buses they've chartered. Members are coming from 22 different states.

Meanwile, AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka is vowing that labor will turn out a total of at least 100,000 at the rally, which is being dubbed "One Nation Working Together." There are multiple other groups involved in the rally, and they could add tens of thousands more people, though organizers expect labor unions to be the main turnout engine tomorrow.

It's unclear whether these numbers will prove accurate. But if turnout is healthy, it's going to be very interesting to watch how this rally is received. The dominant narrative about this fall's elections, of course, is that Dems are in for a shellacking because they are not going to be able to recapture the enthusiasm and turnout of 2008 and because the left has failed to match the oppositional energy of the Tea Party.

A successful turnout tomorrow -- if it happens -- could go some way towards reversing that narrative. It'll also be interesting to see whether a decent sized liberal rally can garner anywhere near the national media coverage that's routinely lavished on Tea Partyers. Granted, it's hard to compete as spectacle with those lurid signs and outsized three-corner hats, but given how ubiquitous and heavily promoted the "enthusiasm gap" narrative has been, you'd think a healthy turnout tomorrow would be considered somewhat newsworthy.

UPDATE, 1:20 p.m.: To clarify, the AFL-CIO's 100,000 estimate refers to their federation and doesn't include the SEIU's promised 75,000 member turnout. So that puts the estimated turnout of union members at 175,000 or more.

[librechik]

1. thanks for the explanation at the end about the numbers

wish I had known that a few minutes ago when I pitched the story to management. Maybe they'll do it.

[whathehell]

2. Fabulous...

I can't go, but I did donate for one bus trip...SO glad to hear it's not going to be "ignored" by at least one big cable channel.

Does anyone know if C-span will carry it?

[ejpoeta]

3. it's interesting because i haven't heard a thing on the cable shows

when beck's bs was all over.

[metapunditedgy]

5. Haven't even heard much on the internet lately... the buzz just sorta died. n/t

[gratuitous]

4. Let's see, the Media Equivalence Scale says . . .

175,000 union member is equal to five Tea Baggers. And even the librul media won't cover an event with only five Tea Baggers. Unless the Tea Baggers do something really noteworthy like wear costumes or carry signs.

So, don't expect too much coverage of this so-called One Nation "rally." Just not newsworthy. Sorry. Besides, it's the weekend. Naturally, if it was a weekday, they'd say that it was a bunch of disgruntled people who don't have real jobs. That is, if they noticed at all.

Enough about that. Didja see what happened on Australia's Next Top Model? Now there's some motherfuckin' news for ya!

[Oceansaway]

6. wooooohoooooo !!...nt

[hlthe2b]

7. If I were anwhere near DC, I'd be there...

or had the ability to come. I'm there in spirit and wish for a tremendous response.

[left is right]

8. I just hope that the crowds are comparable to that Beck farce last month

[1776Forever]

9. Great news! The folloing post says MSNBC is going to cover from 12 to 3 pm tomorrow!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9236844

[trumad]

10. Remember--Becks rally only had about 90,000

[jtrockville]

11. DC's subway (aka "metro") will open an hour early.

Lots of road closings too.

[glinda]

12. I hope a ton of people show up. It is really important.

[rocktivity]

13. Thankfully, Hurricane Nicole has stopped pissing on the Northeastern seaboard

after two straight days: 70-degree sunny weather is predicted for tomorrow. I'll be watching on Freespech TV.org will be live-streaming 11AM-6PM.

:patriot:
rocktivity

[old mark]

15. It will be sunny, but only in the 60's - take a jacket- and breezey, a beautiful day.

Have a great time, everyone - see ya on the TV!
:hi:

mark

[lamp_shade]

14. Cspan1 and MSNBC will both be carrying it.

[proud2BlibKansan]

16. Well I'm already here and that's all that matters. To hell with the numbers.

:)

[Hannah Bell]

19. please blog the action for us!

[proud2BlibKansan]

20. You know I will.

Just posted in the Ed forum.

[bluestateguy]

17. Beck had 100,000

And I'm not willing to up that very generous estimate

[w8liftinglady]

18. I heard lots of union members calling Ed Schultz...A LOT

many of whom are unemployed and just want to get back to work...on the infrastructure.I hope they figuratively Kick Ass tomorrow.I am SO jealous I won't be there.If they ever have something in the South,I'm there.Good luck,all!Solidarity!