12:49 p.m. Updates from TBD's Amanda Hess about wheelchairs, portable toilets

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A sweaty Amanda Hess reports that elderly women in wheelchairs were unable to part the crowd to get to the Porta Potty, and that many people sitting on folding chairs couldn't even see Sarah Palin on the Jumbotron. "Several people are splayed on the ground napping in the little space they can find," she writes, adding that nobody has signs "except for the guy who wants to remind everyone that mom was a communist. Estimated number of tea partiers present: a zillion. And they love it!"

12:42 p.m. Beck supporters coming by the boatload — literally

Glenn Beck fan Jeff Deem has been ferrying like-minded folks to the rally in his small motorboat, tweets @smencimer. See a pic here.

12:34 p.m. A "near clash" at Beck rally over counter-protesters' banner.

"We just witnessed a near clash of Glenn Beck supporters with a small handful of protesters," writes TBD's Mike Conneen from the scene. "The protesters were carrying a giant banner (about 10' by 5') that showed pictures of MLK Jr. and Glenn Beck." The word "dream" pointed at MLK Jr.'s image, while the word "nightmare" pointed at Beck's. "One man in particular was upset by the protesters' banner and (during a shouting match) he swatted a camera/cell phone out of one man's hand. Other rally attendees came to intervene. After a couple minutes, the man walked away and the Park Police told the protesters they needed to leave the area. As they walked away, several rally attendees exchanged words with them. One woman shouted, 'Do you even know what Martin Luther King stood for?' A few spectators (not rally attendees) cheered on the protesters for their banner. Nearly everyone involved was holding a camera or a cell phone camera, documenting everyone else's every move (including us)."

12:28 p.m. Twitter updates from Sharpton rally

Although @SamValley quips, "Crowd size at the Glenn Beck Restoring Honor rally in DC has been estimated to be the size of Keith Olbermann's ego," @monaeltahawy tweets, "Field and stands of Dunbar High School full full! Wonderful!" Apparently, some people there really want congressional representation.

12:18 p.m. Updates from TBD's Mike Conneen at the Beck rally

-Total crowd estimates can't be known because the U.S. Park Police don't issue estimates. (The permit called for 300,000.)

-TV shots show thousands of people hiding in the shade to avoid the heat.

12:14 p.m. Sharpton supporters infiltrate Beck rally

Tweets @TN_SmartGirl, "Handful of Sharpton protestors just passed through the middle of rally heading toward stage. Ugly sign gets no reaction from crowd." She did not immediately respond to a Twitter reply, but we're waiting with baited breath to learn what that "ugly sign" said.

12:05 p.m. Security tight at the Sharpton rally?

According to @ebonyjet, there are "[m]ore people outside than inside because of tough security at door." Now that people know it's an exclusive event, the attendance is sure to skyrocket. Just add a red velvet rope and it'll be THE place to see and be seen!

11:58 a.m. Mass Casualty Task Force (not so abnormal) called to Mall

DC Fire and EMS report that they have been busy all morning with various illnesses and injuries from the rally, ABC 7's Jamie Scott reports.

From the scanner, there's reports of someone who was injured after being stepped on my a Park Police horse. Other complaints include overheating, sprained ankles and bee stings.

EMS people have generally seen an uptick in patient volume and have requested additional resources to the scene including a "Mass Casualty Task Force."

Spokesman Pete Piringer reports they have "evaluated dozens of people and transported several so far."

First aid tents were set up in advance of the rally in anticipation of the illnesses and injuries.

11:44 a.m. Morehouse College president zings Beck rally

Dr. Robert Franklin, president of Atlanta's historically black Morehouse College, at Al Sharpton's competing,"Reclaim the Dream" rally being held at Dunbar High School, took a  shot at the "Restoring Honor" rally by saying he was "happy that Glenn Beck and his friends finally discovered the 'I Have a Dream' speech."

11:37 a.m. Victoria Jackson, former SNL cast member spotted

We just spotted Victoria Jackson, a former SNL castmember and outspoken conservative, standing in the back of the media area. When asked why she wasn't seated in the VIP section, she said she wasn't invited. She's been taken pictures and greeting fans in the mosh pit of media at the edge of the reflecting pool. — Mike Conneen

11:36 a.m. Others confused by Pujols' "Hope Award"; George Clooney also receiving a Hope Award this weekend

Apparently, we weren't the only ones confused by this "Hope Award" awarded to Albert Pujols, who's in town to play the Nats. @DanRyckert tweets, "What the hell? Glenn Beck is giving Albert Pujols a medal at this thing now. I have NO IDEA what's happening." Ditto @misterlacy and @BrianPShea. Word is, the award is to honor Pujols' for his Family Foundation. But he doesn't have a monopoly on hope! George Clooney, a great American if there ever was one, is also getting a Hope Award, of sorts, this weekend.

11:33 a.m. Updates from Politico’s James Hohmann

Showing support for Palin and looking toward the midterm elections, hundreds at the rally sported “I can see November from my House too!” stickers. A few people wore “Take Back The Hill” shirts. And many had on tea party shirts advertising where in the country they came from. When asked, most said they’ve been involved in tea part activities and regularly watch Beck’s programs.

Beck, who has described President Barack Obama as a racist, drew the most criticism for scheduling his rally at the Lincoln Memorial on such a sacred day in the civil rights movement’s history. He maintains that the timing was unintentional, but he embraced the iconography as fitting even when African-American critics blasted him. He frustrated these critics further when he told viewers that they “will reclaim the civil rights movement.”

King’s niece, anti-abortion activist Alveda King, has a speaking spot on the program.

Many of those interviewed bent over backwards to insist that they are not racists and to note that the crowd was courteous, despite heat and density.

“Everyone has a right to their own opinion,” said Kim Roper, a 55-year-old conservative activist from Trevor, Wis. “We are a big family.”

Not everyone on the Mall Saturday came for the rallies. Strolling near the White House, Peter Larkin, 58, of the Hartford, Conn.-area, was dropping off his daughter, a sophomore at George Washington University. He didn't even know Beck was holding a rally until a friend text-messaged him.

"It's interesting this knucklehead says the timing is irrelevant. Of course it's relevant," Larkin said, citing the King controversy. "It offends me when someone says it's a coincidence, that it's serendipity."

Full story on Politico.com

11:21 a.m. Tony La Russa introduces Albert Pujols

St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa is introducing slugger Albert Pujols, winner of the Hope Award. About the rally, La Russa said the other day, "I made it clear when we were approached: I said, 'If it's political, I wouldn't even approach Albert with it.' I don't want to be there if it's political.'" For the record, the rally is political.

11:10 a.m. People also love MLK Jr., Mike Conneen says

It seems any reference (verbal, or visual on the monitors) to MLK Jr. gets applause and or cheering. "I Have a Dream" has been referenced several times by many speakers.

10:58 a.m. Another update from Mike Conneen, this time on Palin love

The crowd loves Sarah Palin. Along the pathways around the Mall have all but come to a stop as they try to peek through the trees to see her.

10:57 a.m. A few hundred gathered at Dunbar for "Reclaim the Dream" rally

The Post is reporting that a few hundred people are ready at Dunbar High School to begin a march led by Al Sharpton that is supposed to eventually collide with the Beck rally.

But, this guy on Twitter begs to disagree with the Post's estimate of both rallies. He thinks there's 500,000 on the Mall and 5,000 coming from Sharpton's rally.

10:45 a.m. The Facts Machine is busy live fact-checking.

Glenn Beck's first fact gets an Honest Abe.

10:33 a.m. Sarah Palin has taken the stage

Palin cross references Martin Luther King Jr. and Abraham Lincoln, at one point stating that though the rally is titled "Restoring Honor" the honor has not been lost.

10:30 a.m. Update from Mike Conneen

Security is very tight. There are metal barricades all over the place and the Park Police are very visible.

There are also hundreds of volunteers wearing yellow "Marshall" T-shirts, guiding the crowd and blocking access to restricted areas.

Unfortunately, organizers have run out of media passes. Also, the yellow shirt volunteers have no walkie talkies or phones. So anytime we need to move from one area to another, we have to beg for access from these volunteers.

10:13ish a.m. The opening prayer has begun.

10:13 a.m. TBD photog Jay Westcott confirms cell service is "spotty at best."

10 a.m. Things they're running out of

D.C. EMS on scanner traffic and ABC 7 News to us is reporting that they're running out of these things:

1. Water

2. Press credentials

3. Cell phone service

9:53 a.m. Time for crowd estimates!

The Washington Post is leading with estimates of "tens of thousands of activists."

According to Politico, Beck tweeted last week that more than 1,000 buses were filled, with more chartered, and Beck supporters expect more than 100,000 to come.

And Beck's own network, Fox News, is reporting that "thousands of like-minded activists, were gathering on the Mall.

9:46 a.m. Metro mess at RFK stop

See this tweet from @smencimer: 

Beck bus for disabled/elderly picks up at RFK stadium metro, where escalators are all broken, no elevator http://twitpic.com/2iz95k

 

9:27 a.m. Update from TBD reporter Mike Conneen

We've made it to our live truck, located at 23rd Street SW just off Independence Avenue. On the sidewalk next to us, hundreds upon hundreds of Tea Party activists and Glenn Beck fans are filing into the National Mall for the "Restoring Honor" rally. It's scheduled to get underway in about 30 minutes.

Many in the crowd are wearing red, white and blue shirts/hats or they are carrying American flags in all shapes and sizes. At this point, we have not seen any political signs or banners. We have seen a few "Don't Tread on Me" flags. Some people in the crowd are wearing shirts that show the founding fathers and/or Glenn Beck. Some shirts are branded with the "Don't Tread on Me" slogan.

The crowd is mostly middle aged (people in their 40s, 50s and upward), but there is also a good number of children and teenagers who have joined their parents. It is also an overwhelmingly white crowd, but it is not exclusively white by any means. Occasionally, we see minorities in the crowd.

We have interacted with Americans from all across the country attending today's rally ... California, Texas, New York, Utah. We have also seen a good number of locals.

Parking and road access is very limited around the Mall, so most of the crowd has taken mass transit or taxi cabs. When we left Rosslyn, we saw a family of four walking along Route 110 (presumably they were planning to trek across the Memorial Bridge).

9:28 p.m. Metro update

First of all, avoid Foggy Bottom.

A Metro spokesperson tells ABC 7 fare card lines at Franconia-Springfield (where the fare card line is outside the station), Shady Grove, Greenbelt and Stadium-Armory have very long lines. The spokesperson, Lisa Farbstein, reiterated Metro's longstanding advice to have enough on your fare card for a return trip.

SInce the long lines are mostly at the end-of-line stations, riders should go to the next in-bound station to purchase fare cards

Besides that, trains are running "rather smoothly," she said.

9:16 a.m. Weather looking good

The Storm Watch 7 team says folks at the rally should expect a "sunny, delightful" day; it should be comfortable down on the Mall, if a little hot. Live 7 Doppler shows a clear day ahead.

9:10 a.m. Delays on Metro, at Metro

Metro is reporting delays on almost every line, and long lines at stations, especially at the end of lines, due to fare card issues. According to Metro, usually tour groups buy fare cards in advance; that doesn't seem to be the case today. Many of the customers are standing in long lines and are not familiar with the fare card machines.

8:42 a.m. Crowds begin to gather

Large crowds have started to gather on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, at the site of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream Speech, for Glenn Beck's "Restoring Honor" rally. A competing event, "Celebrate the Dream," one of several counter rallies this morning unveiled a 37-foot sculptural mural near the Washington Monument as a tribute to King.

A first look at road closures shows most of Independence Avenue closed, as well as the stretch of 17th Street NW between Constitution and Independence. Will update with more closures and delays as we get them.