Uploaded March 2010 | Updated September 2026, 16 hours ago
U.S. Capitol, Washington, DC (March 21, 2010) - Do it for Teddy / We Miss You vs. Listen to Me - Tens of thousands rallied on the National Mall to support immigration reform then thousands later marched to the U.S. Capitol to support immigration reform and health care on the historic day when health care legislation passed in the House of Representatives. A mix of Tea Party protestors and health care reform supporters met below the south Capitol balcony to protest nearby Congressional activities.
This video captures the larger crowd of supporters with sentiments for Teddy Kennedy and life-sustaining health care versus the smaller crowd of obstructionists who cried out to be heard. Based on media reports at the time, the smaller crowd of antagonists won the media war of the day even before much of their disruptive, demeaning, racist acts were widely known.
Guess which side cried that their voice was not being heard (Listen to Me)? Proving their right-leaning bias with a dose of irony, American media universally showcased the much smaller crowd of anti-health care protesters.
Historic Health Care Turning Point at the Capitol and a special message for a friend
Capitol Hill, Washington 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.
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.
A larger Tea Party crowd was present on Saturday (around 2 thousand), and 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.
U.S. Capitol, Washington, DC (March 21, 2010) - Do it for Teddy / We Miss You vs. Listen to Me - Tens of thousands rallied on the National Mall to support immigration reform then thousands later marched to the U.S. Capitol to support immigration reform and health care on the historic day when health care legislation passed in the House of Representatives. A mix of Tea Party protestors and health care reform supporters met below the south Capitol balcony to protest nearby Congressional activities.
This video captures the larger crowd of supporters with sentiments for Teddy Kennedy and life-sustaining health care versus the smaller crowd of obstructionists who cried out to be heard. Based on media reports at the time, the smaller crowd of antagonists won the media war of the day even before much of their disruptive, demeaning, racist acts were widely known.
Guess which side cried that their voice was not being heard (Listen to Me)? Proving their right-leaning bias with a dose of irony, American media universally showcased the much smaller crowd of anti-health care protesters.
Historic Health Care Turning Point at the Capitol and a special message for a friend
Capitol Hill, Washington 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.
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.
A larger Tea Party crowd was present on Saturday (around 2 thousand), and 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.
