FOX News personality Glenn Beck is hosting his “Restoring Honor” rally today at the Lincoln Memorial.
With crowd numbers expected to be more than 100,000, Beck, former Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin and civil rights leader Dr. Alveda King will speak to the crowd. Beck also plans to give out Purple Heart-like medals for Faith, Hope and Charity to three different people at the event.
The Daily Caller’s Matthew Boyle is on scene covering the event live.
1:18 Jo Dee Messina takes stage singing ‘God Bless America’ for farewell song.
1:18 Dan Roever gives closing prayer. The rally is now over.
1:08 Beck calls for people who were blind to see what the Lord put in front of them- bagpipes are playing “Amazing Grace.” The crowd is now singing along.
1:05 ‘I have been looking for the next George Washington. I know he is in this crowd. One day, he’ll step up and speak on these stairs.’
1:03 Beck thanks the clergy in the crowd. ‘God is the answer, we can disagree on everything else,’ he says.
1:00 As plane flies over rally site, Beck says ‘it must be a good crowd, because they violated the airspace to get a shot of the crowd.’
12:59 Beck calls for our churches, synagogues, and mosques to stand up and take action.
12:56 ‘The truth will set you free, it will make you miserable first, but it will set you free.’
12:54 ‘We must take on nation’s challenges so our children can have a chance.’
12:51 The FOX News personality asks for firm reliance on divine providence.
12:48 ‘If you find out who God really is, it will be a blessing and a curse- because you will have to do what is right,’ Beck says.
12:44 Beck challenges audience to make a choice: does America go forward or does it not?
12:43 ‘Tell the truth! American is crying out for the truth!’
12:41 Beck: ‘9/11 woke us up. For a short time after, politics didn’t matter, race didn’t matter, religion didn’t matter. Waking people up with fear will only wake them up for a very short period of time.’
12:38 Two people were walking by with a sign that says if people treated Bush like teabaggers treat Obama, FOX would call it treason.
12:37 ‘We must look to God and we must look to love for answers, proclaims Beck.
12:34 Beck: ‘I testify to you, here and now, that one man and one woman can change the world! And that man or woman is you!’
12:32 Beck calls on audience to engage, to take actions- like previous generations that were fed up with the nation
12:30 People are getting sent off in ambulances due to heat exhaustion.
12:29 Beck says the Almighty is necessary for change, looks to men to find the Almighty’s guidance to lead.
12:27 ‘America is at a crossroads. We must decide if we will do something or perish,’ says Beck.
12:26 Beck: ‘A government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from this Earth.’
12:24 Heat exhaustion causes at least one woman to collapse.
12:21 On stage, Beck says: ‘It shall not end here. It shall not end in my generation. It’s up to us!’
12:16 A man just walked by with a sign that said Glenn Beck makes money off of lying to you. People were civil and did not cause any problems.
12:10 p.m. Alveda King spoke about keeping true to her uncle, Martin Luther King Jr.’s message: It doesn’t matter what color a person’s skin is, they should be judged by content of character.
11:05 Faith Badge of Merit is up first.
11:00 Beck discusses his medals, based on President George Washington’s Badges of Merit, announced the new Badges of Merit: Faith, Hope and Charity. Plans to award them to civilians. Based on Purple Hearts, but only military are eligible for those.
10:56 Beck takes stage again. Talks about how today’s event isn’t political. Says the Lord told him “You have all the pieces. Just put them together.”
10:53 “May this day be the change point,” Palin said. “Look around you. You’re not alone. You’re Americans!”
10:53 Crowd is cheering with Palin as she welcomes military heroes. Crowd’s chanting USA! USA! USA!
10:49 Palin tells stories of various of other military heroes. Palin mentions John McCain as one of America’s prisoners of war.
10:45 Palin recounts Luttrell’s trials and tribulations in Afghanistan as a U.S. Navy Seal.
“This American love and justice is proof of honor in this world,” Palin said. “Marcus is a testament to that.”
10:42 Palin honors fallen military, saying, “We honor those who served something greater than themselves. For these men and women, it’s not just about spreading honor. For them, honor is never lost.”
Palin introduces Marcus Luttrell.
10:41 “We must not fundamentally change America, as some would want,” Palin said. “We must restore America.”
10:40 Palin thanks President Abraham Lincoln for being the “great emancipator” and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for giving America a dream.
“We must not forget the ordinary men and women, I’m speaking of course of America’s finest, America’s men and women in uniform!”
10:37 Beck’s talking about not just honoring military. “I want to honor dads, and moms,” Beck said. “So I picked up the phone and called a Mom.”
Sarah Palin takes the stage.
10:31 SOWF speakers are on stage right now. Crowds are huge. Beck asks crowd to text SOWF to 85944 to donate $10. Expects largest single donation ever.
9:37 a.m. There’s got to be more than a 100,000 people here from all over the country. One anti-Glenn Beck protester was already removed.