The requisite report from the Rally for Sanity and/or Fear

Yes, that was the full official title, as you well know if you witnessed the tremendous Three-Way Finale at the last Big Quiz Thing. Now then…

As I'm sure you've heard, a lot of people weren't able to fully experience the rally as they'd hoped. I cruised down stupid early Saturday morning (left Brooklyn at 5:30am), reached the National Mall at noon, just as the event officially began and the Roots took the stage. For the first two hours, my friends and I were jammed in at the very edges and fairly far back, standing shoulder to shoulder (zero exaggeration) with a weak view of one JumboTron and the semicapability to hear what was going on onstage (none of Stewart and Colbert's jokes really connected with me, although I did follow the whole Cat Stevens–Ozzy Osbourne "Peace Train"–"Crazy Train" battle, and even predicted the appearance of the O'Jays to sing "Love Train"). Disappointing, yes, but others had worse (some friends gave up after spending 45 minutes on a Metro platform, unable to cram onto a train), and it was still a pleasant, politically energizing experience. We left after two hours, wandering around the periphery, taking in the crowd.

Typical me, I didn't take a whole lot of photos, but highlights nonetheless…

Clever.

Apparently, there were a lot of "only Hitler is Hitler" signs, but this was the best I saw.

Adults only, please.

Right next to me while I was packed in.

The view from the Capitol.

A handful of guys passed by me in robo-President outfits; the big guns plus, for some reason, Polk, who's a sentimental favorite of mine. "Young Hickory 3000," I called him.