Just got home from D.C. and noticed this comment on Antiwar blog:
“There are still people making statements to a dwindling, bored looking crowd on the ANSWER stage on C-Span. Is that the way these things always go?”
I was directly in front of the press platform on the ellipse and witnessed the “dispersing” which started with a suggestion coming from someone behind the press area. When a pro-Palestinian speaker was done a man shouted, “Let’s march”, a suggestion that resonated especially with those who by that time had been standing in or very near the ellipse for 7 or 8 hours. But it wasn’t untill this same person made his way closer to the stage in order to interrupt another Palestinian speaker that it had the desired effect. I say desired because this guy was wearing an earpiece and seemed to be taking directions from whomever he was listening to. If I’d had my wits about me I’d have gotten closer and taken his picture. I pick-up a camera every 2 or 3 years as you’ll figure out if you take a look at the photo blog I put up but I regret missing that shot.
Anyway, the speaker organisers could have averted this had they let people know who’d be coming out. A massive number of people were already marching by this time, more than the eye could see, so the temptation to join the parade was great. Had people known Ralph Nader would soon be speaking not a person would have moved. As it happened, most who’d left were still standing near the ellipse when Nader was announced and the stream of them beating feet back to the stage was incredible. Democrats take note.