March for Life Attendance Could Top Obama Inaugural Event

National   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Jan 10, 2013   |   4:53PM   |   Washington, DC

With the Roe v. Wade decision marking the 40th anniversary of legalized abortion throughout pregnancy for any reason, pro-life advocates are expected to turn out in force for the annual March for Life on January 25.

Organizers say they are expecting a record turnout for the pro-life march to the Supreme Court, one that could eclipse the 400,000 that turned up for the March for Life two years ago.

Also, upset that pro-abortion President Barack Obama was elected to another four-year term to advance his abortion agenda, pro-life advocates are excited to stand up against the Obama administration shortly after he takes the Oath of Office the second time around. Combined with a lower-than-expected crowd for the Obama inauguration compared with the 2008 affair, the March for Life could outpace Obama.

March for Life sponsors talked with the Washington Examiner newspaper.

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.

Jeanne Monahan, president of the March organizer, the March for Life Education and Defense Fund, told Secrets, “We’re going to have record breaking crowds.”

Monahan said that the focus will be on young supporters. “The spirit will be much more youth focused,” she said. About 85 percent of marchers in the past have been students. Monahan added that the number of political speakers is being scaled back, though House Speaker John Boehner is expected to make a video address and the leaders of the congressional pro-life caucus will also speak.

Monahan previously talked about goals for expanding the March for Life, shortly after she took over for Nellie Gray, who passed away last August.

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Monahan said in a Nov. 20 interview with CNA that her “immediate goal is to do the best job possible to commemorate this somber 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, which is rapidly hitting us here in January; to do what we can to make the rally very youth accessible and interesting and to make the March as fruitful as possible.”

Monahan, who was unanimously approved by the fund’s board on Nov. 16, said her ultimate goal is to work herself “out of a job.”

She sees her position as more than just running “the largest pro-life event in the world, but to be making a difference in terms of impacting a culture of life every single day, not only around the anniversary of Roe.”