The March on Washington That Never Happened -- as Measured by Attention it Received From Broadcast Networks

The Tea Party Express -- a gathering of activists protesting what they view as out-of-control spending by an expanding federal government -- has arrived in the nation's capital today.

Crowd stretches for blocks. Tens of thousands.

The magnitude of the rally took the authorities by surprise, with throngs of people streaming from the White House to Capitol Hill for more than three hours.


The White House on Friday claimed it was unaware of the planned rally. "I don't know who the group is," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters with a shrug.




“I want Congress to be afraid,” said Keldon Clapp, 45, an unemployed marketing representative who recently moved to Tennessee from Connecticut after losing his job. “Like everyone else here, I want them to know that we’re watching what they’re doing. And they do work for us.”

"Nobody's standing up for us, so we have to stand up for ourselves," said Phil Chancey, 66, who drove to Washington from Clinton, Tenn.