A crowd of several hundred people came to Beaufort's waterfront Tuesday bearing signs, stickers and flags showing their displeasure with the U.S. government during a stop of the Tea Party Express, a 19-day, cross-country bus tour.

The boisterous crowd spilled from beneath the awnings of Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park to see and hear organizers of the tour, who describe themselves as members of an "anti-tax, conservative, tea party movement."

Before the event, vendors hawked T-shirts with slogans such as "I'll keep my money, guns and freedom. You keep the change."

Attendees' signs bore messages such as "downsize D.C." and "Rush and Glenn for president" -- an apparent allusion to political talk show hosts Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck.

Chants of "U.S.A!" broke out between spontaneous renditions of "God Bless America."

The event itself consisted of songs, speeches and tributes mixing patriotism and politics.

The event was billed as nonpartisan, although speakers celebrated this week's Republican victories in gubernatorial elections in New Jersey and Virginia and decried the Democratically controlled House passage of a health care bill.

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