Uploaded March 2010 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago
Capitol Hill, Washington -- Historic Health Care Vote Turning Point at the Capitol / Special Message for a Friend -- Democratic lawmakers achieved a historic legislative victory in Washington on Sunday, March 21, 2010 when they narrowly voted for sweeping health care reform. During the week waves of protesters gathered outside the Capitol in support and opposition (reference companion redarrowguy videos).
Two to three thousand Tea Party protesters gathered on the west lawn on Saturday. Some made their way inside to disrupt the proceedings. Outside the Capitol Tea Party protestors taunted and jeered Democratic lawmakers and staffers but welcomed many Republicans that cheerfully approached the crowd. Many stopped and had conversations with the Tea Party protestors even though they would later deny kinship after ugly racial incidents were reported. Fox News promoted the Tea Party protest and encouraged participation with long-distance shots of the gathering crowd on the west lawn seemingly because of disappointing attendance went to narrow-angle close-ups after the protest started.
An ambulance entered the protected Capitol corridor and a man asked how many liberals would fit in one ambulance. Civil Rights icon John Lewis was jeered. One nearby, mostly private conversation included multiple uses of the N word. Barney Frank was a favorite target of homophobic comments. Speaker Nancy Pelosi was depicted graphically as toxic poison, and President Obama was associated with Nazis, Communists and Socialists.
The scene was different on Sunday but conservative protesters were still mean and intolerant; for them, meanism ruled the day. However, the biggest Washington protest was nearby on the National Mall where tens of thousands gathered to call for immigration reform. On Saturday nearly every voice, chant and sign favored Tea Party positions. On Sunday the attendance was smaller and more equally divided. The number and percentage of proponents grew throughout the day.
Despite smaller numbers, the Tea Party protesters were boisterous and many of their taunts targeted liberals, progressives, women, blacks and gays. Congressmen and staffers peered over the balcony to view the crowd, some holding signs of encouragement.
The mood changed outside the Capitol over the course of the day as news from inside seemed to favor the Democratic position. Noisy chants from conservatives subsided to favor a more vocal mix. Late in the afternoon, the crowd was possibly split down the middle.
Quieter surroundings made it easier for me to call a friend in Houston. Caught up on the event, he asked if my video was recording as we spoke. My response was to turn on the camera as we continued to talk (see video). Sadly, he disclosed the recent loss of a close friend and I lost track of what was happening in the background at the main protest area until a later review of video footage revealed a more soothing protest. The sounds of sweet victory swept across the south Capitol lawn via the voices of supporters singing the goodbye song: Na-na-na-na, nnnn, hey, hey, hey, goodbye
My friend and I did not hear or discuss the signing at the time, but it means even more now. This was the tipping point in the crowd, inside the Capitol and elsewhere. Given what my friend disclosed, I feel the song and this moment had multiple meanings: one for the life-saving passage of the most significant legislation in 45 years and another more private message for my Houston friend, maybe a special message from Bonnie.
Capitol Hill, Washington -- Historic Health Care Vote Turning Point at the Capitol / Special Message for a Friend -- Democratic lawmakers achieved a historic legislative victory in Washington on Sunday, March 21, 2010 when they narrowly voted for sweeping health care reform. During the week waves of protesters gathered outside the Capitol in support and opposition (reference companion redarrowguy videos).
Two to three thousand Tea Party protesters gathered on the west lawn on Saturday. Some made their way inside to disrupt the proceedings. Outside the Capitol Tea Party protestors taunted and jeered Democratic lawmakers and staffers but welcomed many Republicans that cheerfully approached the crowd. Many stopped and had conversations with the Tea Party protestors even though they would later deny kinship after ugly racial incidents were reported. Fox News promoted the Tea Party protest and encouraged participation with long-distance shots of the gathering crowd on the west lawn seemingly because of disappointing attendance went to narrow-angle close-ups after the protest started.
An ambulance entered the protected Capitol corridor and a man asked how many liberals would fit in one ambulance. Civil Rights icon John Lewis was jeered. One nearby, mostly private conversation included multiple uses of the N word. Barney Frank was a favorite target of homophobic comments. Speaker Nancy Pelosi was depicted graphically as toxic poison, and President Obama was associated with Nazis, Communists and Socialists.
The scene was different on Sunday but conservative protesters were still mean and intolerant; for them, meanism ruled the day. However, the biggest Washington protest was nearby on the National Mall where tens of thousands gathered to call for immigration reform. On Saturday nearly every voice, chant and sign favored Tea Party positions. On Sunday the attendance was smaller and more equally divided. The number and percentage of proponents grew throughout the day.
Despite smaller numbers, the Tea Party protesters were boisterous and many of their taunts targeted liberals, progressives, women, blacks and gays. Congressmen and staffers peered over the balcony to view the crowd, some holding signs of encouragement.
The mood changed outside the Capitol over the course of the day as news from inside seemed to favor the Democratic position. Noisy chants from conservatives subsided to favor a more vocal mix. Late in the afternoon, the crowd was possibly split down the middle.
Quieter surroundings made it easier for me to call a friend in Houston. Caught up on the event, he asked if my video was recording as we spoke. My response was to turn on the camera as we continued to talk (see video). Sadly, he disclosed the recent loss of a close friend and I lost track of what was happening in the background at the main protest area until a later review of video footage revealed a more soothing protest. The sounds of sweet victory swept across the south Capitol lawn via the voices of supporters singing the goodbye song: Na-na-na-na, nnnn, hey, hey, hey, goodbye
My friend and I did not hear or discuss the signing at the time, but it means even more now. This was the tipping point in the crowd, inside the Capitol and elsewhere. Given what my friend disclosed, I feel the song and this moment had multiple meanings: one for the life-saving passage of the most significant legislation in 45 years and another more private message for my Houston friend, maybe a special message from Bonnie.
