March for Life Coverage (Exclusive Live Coverage)

American Papist ^ | January 22, 2008 | Thomas Peters

[NYer]

Welcome to any new visitors. I'm a Catholic young adult, studying and working in Washington DC, who is providing exclusive on-the-ground coverage of the 35th Annual March for Life. Here's what I offer:

• All March-for-Life related posts are collected here (includes event schedules & info)
• My photographs will be uploaded to this Flickr page, starting Monday evening
• My videos will be uploaded to this YouTube page, again starting Monday evening

Collections of my other news stories are available on this page. Humorous "PPOTD's" are here.

To contact me with with tips, information or media requests: "thomas [at] americanpapist [dot] com"

Notification: My Itinerary for the March for Life

First report: Cardinal O'Connor Conference (pics & video)

Second report: Vigil for Life Mass Pre-Gathering (pics & video)

Related links: Cardinal O'Connor Conference & Rock for Life Training & Activism Weekend.

An abbreviated report this time, due to technical issues (now resolved) that precluded coverage of the Rock For Life event.

I do however have a few pictures from the Vigil Mass pre-gathering uploaded to the AmP Flickr page.

There are also two new (HD-quality!) YouTube videos which capture how full-past-capacity the Basilica becomes for this Liturgy (scroll down to see them embedded in this post).

The originals are available on the AmP YouTube channel.

Related headlines:

CWNews: Pro-lifers converge on DC for Roe anniversary

LifeNews: West Coast Walk for Life Sees Record 25,000 Pro-Life People Participate

Zenit: Pro-Lifers March on West Coast

WTOP News: Annual 'March' Will Close City Streets

LifeNews: Pro-Life Advocates: Roe v. Wade Support Weak as Abortion Case Reaches 35

Here is the first high-definition short video of the interior of the Basilica from this evening:

A second video, taken from the front of the Basilica, is available on the AmP YouTube channel.

Meanwhile, seminarians were keeping a close watch on the sanctuary while preparing for the liturgy:

To switch gears quickly and end with an observation, the metro has been mobbed all day by March for Life walkers. I went on several trips as I criss-crossed the district assembling my coverage, and each time I was able to strike up a conversation with someone sitting near me by saying "So, are you here for the March?" "Yes!"

It would be almost impossible for the average DC metro dweller to not notice the throngs of young kids and chaperones on every car and at every station. They are very orderly groups(ticket mishaps aside) and far more outgoing than the daily commuters you normally encounter. A very fine witness, right there.

And remember, this is all pre-coverage to the March itself tomorrow! Stay tuned....

Related: All AmP postings on the 2008 March for Life.

Labels: 2008 march for life, american papist exclusive, pro-life

[NYer]

Thousands of anti-abortion advocates march in downtown Little Rock, Ark., Sunday, Jan. 20, 2008, in the 30th Annual March for Life, to protest the legalization of abortion. Tuesday will mark the 35th anniversary of the Jan. 22, 1973, U.S. Supreme Court decision, Roe v. Wade. (AP Photo/Mike Wintroath)

Not much coverage so far in the MSM. Thanks to Thomas Peters, those who are interested, cann follow along at his links.

[sandyeggo]

Bookmarking. Godspeed, marchers!

Someday, I want to be in the D.C. March for Life.

[Hoodlum91]

I’ll be heading down to the Mall in a few minutes. Always go down at my lunch break on March for Life day.

It’s a great experience and such a contrast to the other marches and protests we see in DC.

[Hoodlum91]

It’s a fun experience. Cold as heck, but a great time!

[sandyeggo]

Watching live streaming now at EWTN:

http://www.ewtn.com/audiovideo/index.asp

[sandyeggo]

One of those times I wish I didn’t live on the left coast...err...I mean West Coast....

[joebuck]

If six members of the NOW give a press conference a full contingent of the MSM will be there and will give it front page coverage. If 200,000 people march for life nobody who wasn’t there will ever know it happened. Zero press coverage.

[khnyny]

That’s right. It’s a huge event and the press coverage is minimal.

Now if Britney, Lindsey Lohan or Paris Hilton showed up, it would be a different story./s

[sandyeggo]

Playing now a video message from President Bush.

He just referred to an ultrasound showing what can be seen of the baby’s form, but said what could not be shown was the baby’s soul.

[Biggirl]

The greatness of all of this is that now young people are showing up in droves. There has been a surge of young people doing this march. Watched for about 30 minutes the March For Life presentation. :)

[BufordP]

First possible live thread ping!

[NYer]

He just referred to an ultrasound showing what can be seen of the baby’s form, but said what could not be shown was the baby’s soul.

Bless him! The gov of NYS has just issued a press release in total support of protecting a woman's right to choose. Here is one of his statements:

Many Americans believe that as long as the Roe v. Wade decision is not overruled, then a woman’s right to privacy and the ability to make personal healthcare choices will be protected. Unfortunately, that is not the case. The politicization of women’s reproductive health has resulted in a crusade to undermine not only the constitutional protections Roe v. Wade recognizes, but some have even sought to interfere with the ability of women to obtain birth control, including emergency contraception.

/sigh/

[sandyeggo]

The belief in "a woman’s right to privacy and the ability to make personal healthcare choices" has resulted in the death of 48 million babies in the last 35 years.

[Antoninus]

The politicization of women’s reproductive health has resulted in a crusade to undermine not only the constitutional protections Roe v. Wade recognizes, but some have even sought to interfere with the ability of women to obtain birth control, including emergency contraception.

Unlike this individual, I believe in the fundamental right of all women, both inside the womb and on the outside.

[murphE]

BTTT

[Hoodlum91]

Just returned from my lunchtime visit to the March.

Tons of young people. It’s so nice to see. Saw a group of 15-16 year olds praying the rosary together. Everyone having a good time despite the cold. Some were creating cheers (some of the cheers were pretty good). Was glad to see a lot of support for Project Rachel. Sometimes we forget the other victim.

Two huge Ron Paul banners and some Ran Paul for President signs. Wouldn’t the leftists cheering him be surprised?

Couldn’t stay too long. Wish I could but they pay me to be in this office instead.

[sandyeggo]

Just heard a rabbi (orthodox, I believe) call for Pope Benedict, when he is in New York, to call together evangelical and Jewish leaders in these extraordinary times to publicly instruct their flocks against voting for pro-abortion, pro-deviant candidates. And then another man blew a shofar (?) Sorry for my lack of certainty on the details.

[sandyeggo]

Glad you could be there, even for a little while.

I’m watching the coverage at EWTN, and yes, there are tons of young people there! I heard one of the commentators say that this was the biggest crowd in his memory. God bless them all.

[ardara]

Being at an event like the March is a great educational experience for the young people who attended.They get to see how the MSM lies about an event they were at.It shows one of the major ways the MSM lies.They do this by leaving stories they disagree with out of the media.

[NYer]

It is now 6:30pm on the east coast. Throughout the day, I kept checking the news releases to see how the msm was covering this event. There was NOTHING! Total silence! The only stories were from local newspapers naming local groups that would be marching today. This is beyond shocking!

[Huber]

Lots of young people there. Surprisingly, while Catholic groups were highly visible, evangelicals were less visible. Rough estimate of attendance was about 75,000. Only saw about 10 pro abortion types, all of whom were ill prepared to engage the undersigned in reasoned debate.

[markomalley]

Some shots from the event

and last, but not least:

(please note the captions)

And now for some MSM coverage (in pics)

Wash Post article

local NBC coverage along with good slideshow (they're Getty images, so I can't link to them)

AFP Article

Enjoy!!

[sandyeggo]

It is now 6:30pm on the east coast. Throughout the day, I kept checking the news releases to see how the msm was covering this event. There was NOTHING! Total silence! The only stories were from local newspapers naming local groups that would be marching today. This is beyond shocking!

I monitored (along with some help from my sons) the 12:00 PST hour of news with Shepard Smith, and the 4:00 PST hour of news with Shepard Smith, and there was not a single mention. We saw an SUV which hit a schoolbus, resulting in minor injuries, and in the second broadcast, copious updating of the sad death of Heath Ledger, but NOTHING about the March for Life. I'm emailing FOX news at the moment, for what little it's worth.

[sandyeggo]

Being at an event like the March is a great educational experience for the young people who attended.They get to see how the MSM lies about an event they were at.It shows one of the major ways the MSM lies.They do this by leaving stories they disagree with out of the media.

It was a learning experience for my sons - they all got to see the MSM in action and they were incredulous at the lack of any mention at all over two full hours of news. Heck, I'm still incredulous - I thought FOX at least would air footage.

[skr]

It’s on C-Span 2 right now. Lots of young people, terrific!

Is Nellie Gray okay after her fall on the podium? I haven’t found anything on the ‘net yet.

Hey, hey, ho, ho, Roe v. Wade as got to go!

[AliVeritas]

It was probably Rabbi Shmuley, but I was way in back of the stage... sounded like him.

Just got back, pics later.

[sandyeggo]

Great - ping me when you post them, please?

[ardara]

I checked the newspaper coverage of the March For Life on the day after the March on the internet.I saw no coverage in the NY Times,NY POST,NY Daily News,NY Sun,Wall Steet Journal and the Washington Post.It was covered in the Washington Times.Our news coverage is getting more like Pravda in the old Soviet Union.

[NYer]

I'm emailing FOX news at the moment, for what little it's worth.

Please let me know what response, if any, you receive.

[fetal heart beats by 21st day]

Have you heard anything about Nellie Gray today?

[fetal heart beats by 21st day]

You really should plan on attending next year. It is really inspiring-especially when you realize that at least half the crowd is under twenty.

[sandyeggo]

I checked the newspaper coverage of the March For Life on the day after the March on the internet.I saw no coverage in the NY Times,NY POST,NY Daily News,NY Sun,Wall Steet Journal and the Washington Post.It was covered in the Washington Times.Our news coverage is getting more like Pravda in the old Soviet Union.

You know what? Laura Ingraham didn't even notice until one of her callers pointed it out this morning. She was going on and on about the media saturation coverage of the death of Heath Ledger, but it took a caller for her to juxtapose that against the non-coverage of the March for Life.

I think it was a concerted plan by the MSM not to cover the march, and I think it's because the MSM doesn't want the country to see all those motivated and energetic young people out there en masse to speak out against abortion, because the contrast to the pro-abort Clinton and Obama would be just too glaring during the primaries, and might cost some people to reconsider their voting issues.

[sandyeggo]

I would love to, and take my kids with. But cost of travel from here to there would be pretty prohibitive.

[sandyeggo]

Please let me know what response, if any, you receive.

Zip, zero, nada.

[ArrogantBustard]

They blow the Shofar every year. You can hear it from several blocks away. Sounds like a foghorn.

[sandyeggo]

I didn’t know that. This is the first time I’ve been able to watch the pre-march rally.

[NYer]

Sounds like a foghorn.

I couldn't resist ;-)

[ArrogantBustard]

I think it was a concerted plan by the MSM not to cover the march,

Same stuff, different year.

We don't exist; just ask the MSM.

I've been down there more than 20 times.

When Calypso Louie got a couple hundred thousand folks to show up for his "million Man March", the local media kissed his as feet for over week before, and several days after.

We generate that kind of crowd every friggin' year.

We aren't news.

MSM are liars, all the time, about everything.

[Pyro7480]

It was on page A-3 of the Washington Post. It was actually a pretty good story.

[ArrogantBustard]

Compare and contrast March for Life coverage on the Washington Post website and the Washington Times website.

I find nothing on myfoxdc.com, wjla.com or wusatv9.com.

To their credit, nbc4.com has a nice photo gallery, video, and short (nearly worthless) article.

[Pyro7480]

I found this on WJLA's website:

http://cfc.wjla.com/videoondemand.cfm?id=7588

[sandyeggo]

I’ve always watched the big march from afar, and I guess this year the non-coverage really bothered me a lot more.

We had our small march here (400 people, roughly)and didn’t garner any coverage in the local rag.

[ArrogantBustard]

That’s amazing ... I suppose they showed that yesterday at 6:00 or 11:00 ... some of the video appeared to have been shot after dark.

[ArrogantBustard]

Oh, yes: It appeared that Ron Paul was actually there ...

[Pyro7480]

Yeah, I saw him speak from the stage. I think he was the only presidential candidate there.

[fetal heart beats by 21st day]

Yes, but Sam Brownback assured us that McCain’s heart was with us!
Ha!