“„A relaxed group of about 80 oil-and-gas proponents responded to the American Petroleum Institute’s appeal to rally in Corpus Christi against extending the deepwater drilling moratorium and additional federal regulations on the sector.
“„Organizers of the simultaneous rallies in Corpus Christi, Houston and Port Arthur had predicted that several thousand people would participate in the events, the first three of seven rallies planed in five states through Sept. 10. A live video feed of the Houston event–the largest of the Texas rallies–showed what appeared to be hundreds of people in attendance.
“„The Houston Chronicle reported that organizers expected 5,000 people to show up for the Houston rally.