Protesters back GOP outside Capitol

While they lack numbers on the House floor, Republicans clearly held the advantage among the crowd of protesters that flooded the Capitol grounds Sunday.

A large group of activists who showed up to protest the historic health care vote in the House clearly backed the GOP in the fight, chanting "liberty," "liars" and drawn-out choruses of "Nancy" — a reference to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)

Republican lawmakers returned the goodwill. Several House Republicans took to the balcony just outside of the House chamber to rile up the crowd and egg them.

At one point, House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence (Ind.) and Reps. Todd Akin (R-Mo.) and Steve King (R-Iowa) waved their arms at the protesters that had gathered on the Capitol grounds. House Minority Leader John Boehner (Ohio) also emerged briefly to give the crowd a thumbs-up.

Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) was seen picking protesters out of the crowd and bringing them into the Capitol for personal tours.

"I'm just going to bring in as many as I can bring in so they can see what's going on," she said.

-- Jackie Kucinich, Congress.org

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