I’m here in the bowels of the Omni Shoreham hotel in DC, where CPAC — the venerable convention of conservative activists — is in full swing. The “loyal opposition effect” has kicked in. I’m told there’s about 8,500 attendees, or about double what came last year.

Unfortunately, high CPAC attendance didn’t translate to as much success some had hoped for at the Rick Santelli inspired “Tea Party” fiscal conservative activists planned in front of the White House earlier today. Prior to making it to CPAC, I stopped in and checked in on the tea party event and found over 300 hearty souls demonstrating. With CPAC attendance so high, Tea Party organizers had hope this would spill over into their event as it is short metro ride from CPAC to the White House. However, the tea party event was scheduled opposite Newt Gingrich’s speech at CPAC so that may have kept some attendees from making it to the White House.

Not that it would be fair to call the Tea Party event a failure. To say the crowd was energized would be an understatement and a half, and there was an astonishing array of creative signs. (Whoever had the huge sign with a photoshopped Chuck Schumer as Marie Antoinette that read “Let Them Eat Pork” — I salute you.) Sometimes intensity can be as important as numbers, and the tea party crowd had that in spades. I suspect those who gathered in front of the White House today are going to come home and begin recruiting.