Comparing and debating inauguration crowd size, TV audience

How big was the crowd at Friday's inauguration of Donald Trump as president? Sunday morning, a top Trump aide is saying crowd size doesn't matter.

Kellyanne Conway told NBC's "Meet the Press" it was unfair for the media to report Trump's inauguration was smaller than President Barack Obama's inauguration in 2009. Prior to his inauguration, Trump predicted his inauguration would have "an unbelievable, perhaps record-setting turnout."

Conway said she believes the threat of rain might have deterred supporters and said, "I don't think ultimately presidents are judged by crowd sizes at their inauguration. I think they are judged by their accomplishments."

When asked why Trump press secretary Sean Spicer mischaracterized the inauguration as the "largest audience to ever witness an inauguration - period - both in person and around the globe," Conway said he was merely offering "alternative facts."

White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus defended Trump's anger at the media for correctly reporting his inauguration drew a smaller crowd than his predecessor.

Priebus told "Fox News Sunday" Trump and Spicer were trying to keep the media "honest" when they levied charges of false reporting the day before.

Priebus claimed there "is an obsession by the media to delegitimize this president and we are not going to sit around and let it happen."

Trump turned a visit to the CIA into an occasion to bash the media.

Photos the National Mall clearly show that President Barack Obama drew a much larger crowd to his inauguration in 2009. Official crowd counts were not released.

Sunday morning, Trump tweeted about the television audience.