When I told someone recently that when I covered the annual March for Life it would be for the 25^th time, she asked me (in much more discrete terms) if this hadn’t gotten a bit old. I can honestly say that while the thought had not crossed my mind, her question did have the effect of helping me observe yesterday’s rally more keenly.

Unquestionably, the single most impressive fact is the size of the commemoration. Official tallies are no longer taken, so by necessity estimates are subjective. But in a word, in spite of very inclement weather on the East Coast, the assembly yesterday was gigantic.

I’ve begun to learn not to overreact to minor annoyances; something good may well come out of them. So when my camera jammed a half hour into the speeches, in lieu of rage, I calmly began to walk back to the office to pick up a replacement.

As I walked down Seventh Street, I witnessed what amounted to a kind of preliminary march to the one that would begin once all the speakers have inspired the attendees. There were thousands and thousands of people who had assembled a block over, parallel to the street from where the official march to the Supreme Court would commence.

As I continued my walk back to the office, I saw bus after bus unloading still more people. Everywhere I looked I saw additional pro-lifers, signs in hand. Part of this continuing rush was no doubt the result of weather-induced delays in arrivals. But the greater share was just that there were massive numbers of pro-lifers who were still pouring into Washington, D.C.

I have had the pleasure of hearing each of President Bush’s remarks broadcast to the March for Life. I particularly enjoyed yesterday’s talk, which blended substance with that I’m-glad-to-share-this-experience-with-you way the President has that is so endearing to those who’ve met him. He is one of us in an unmistakable way.

And then there were the kids! The yearly appearance of colossal numbers of young people is by now such an undeniable reality that even the mainstream media is focusing its coverage on the high school and college students who’ve come to the nation’s capital on January 22. It was a particular delight because the focus of this year’s National Right to Life News Commemorative Edition was, ”The Roe Generation: How Young People Are Changing America's View of Abortion.” [If you have not ordered extra copies, please call us at 202-626-8828.]

There are three other parts to Tuesday’s edition of TN&V: the President’s remarks, Congressman Chris Smith’s speech, and the wonderful opening statement at yesterday’s press conference delivered by NRLC President Dr. Wanda Franz. So let me quickly conclude with this.

Nobody likes losing. The Movement did not do well last November, not because of the abortion issue (which, as always, cut to the advantage of pro-life candidates), but because of all the other factors you don’t need me to rehash.

But pro-lifers are unmovable, unshakeable, and utterly committed to the long haul, however long that haul may be. NRLC President Dr. Wanda Franz put it beautiful in her opening paragraph yesterday: “We may have set-backs and bumps in the road, but we will never stray from the road we are on until the right to life of all Americans is, once again, secure.”

On Monday, that fidelity brought to Washington one of the two largest crowds I can remember seeing at the March for Life. My hat is off to them, and to the tens of thousands of pro-lifers who commemorated Roe in their local communities.

And it is that same commitment which explains why even though (as Rep. Smith put it) “There is no welcome mat for unborn children anywhere to be found in the new congressional leadership,” there are millions of pro-lifers around America whose hearts will always be open to the Littlest Americans.

If you have comments or questions to any of TN&V for today, please write Dave Andrusko at daveandrusko@hotmail.com.

Part Two
Part Three
Part Four