Every four years, DC’s annual March for Life follows mere days after a presidential inauguration.
Based on past numbers, we might expect the March to be a mere blip in comparison, and certainly it is in the eyes of the media, which loves to ignore it. In 2009, Obama’s inauguration drew an estimated 1.8 million while the March for Life attracted around 200,000.
Still, with support for the March growing every year and Obama’s popularity waning, could it be that this year’s March for Life on Jan. 25th might actually be larger than Obama’s Jan. 21st inauguration?
The Washington Examiner seems to think it’s a possibility. Paul Bedard writes:
The march, expected to attract tens of thousands more than the record 400,000 two years ago, could rival President Obama’s Inauguration Day crowd, propelled by the growing youth support of efforts to overturn Roe v. Wade, which the president has embraced with open arms. Obama drew 1.8 million in 2009. Just 600,000 are expected January 21st.
One critical sign of how big the march will be: Hotels pre-booked for participants sold out a month ago while many Washington hotels report lukewarm interest for rooms during the Inauguration. In 2009, hotels sold out months in advance as an excited nation readied to welcome the first black president.
Whether or not the March is actually larger, the fact that an annual rally could rival an event like the inauguration is certainly a major feat for pro-life organizers.
The events surrounding the March for Life start Jan. 24th with youth rallies and prayer vigils, and the main rally is on Jan. 25th on the National Mall beginning at 12:00 p.m. Get a full schedule of events here.
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