Thanking House Speaker Mike Johnson

I never thought I’d be starting a piece like this, but here I am—thanks to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) for tipping me off about last Saturday’s “No Kings” protests. He referred to it as a “Hate America” rally on Real America’s Voice, predicting it would attract Marxists, Antifa members, remnants of Black Lives Matter, and pro-Hamas Democrats, where they’d all “be screaming and crying.”

Honestly, if it weren’t for that heads-up, I’d probably have stayed in. But, really, who could pass up the opportunity to witness such a gathering of, as he put it, evildoers? So, off I went to the “No Kings” rally on Third Avenue in front of the Pennsylvania State Capitol.

I’m really glad I showed up. If Johnson had attended, I think he would have realized the event was completely different from what he expected. It was less about hating America and more about, well, loving America. Honestly, “love” was the most common word from the speakers on stage. They expressed love for our Constitution, the rule of law, democracy, and, of course, just plain love for America.

The crowd was diverse—people of all ages and backgrounds. I chatted with many attendees. There were young parents with strollers, older boomers, college students, and professionals like lawyers and doctors. Some participants stood out in vibrant animal costumes—everything from chickens to dinosaurs to frogs.

Everyone seemed to be in high spirits. The vibe was festive. Bands played music; people danced and sang the protest songs. American flags fluttered about, some upside down—a traditional symbol of distress. And the signs were creative. A few that caught my attention included: “The only orange monarch we want is a butterfly,” “If Kamala were president, we’d all be having brunch,” and “There are no false royals!”

Many signs simply declared, “I love America.”

Across the nation, there were about 2,500 rallies happening. CNN estimated around 7 million people participated, even more than the 5 million at the first “No Kings” rally back in June. This might just be the biggest single-day protest in U.S. history. Remarkably, there were no reports of violence, just a few arrests.

Of course, Johnson wasn’t swayed by the turnout or the peaceful atmosphere. On ABC’s “This Week,” he dismissed the rally as a mere political “stunt” orchestrated by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and criticized their so-called “hateful message.”

But, I was there, and Johnson wasn’t. So, let me share some of the sentiments from speakers like Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). They reminded us this isn’t the first “No Kings” protest—1776 was the original, when the Founders rejected the King of England and declared they didn’t want a king. They were right then, and many want to maintain that sentiment now.

Additionally, they addressed current issues. We love our country, yet we oppose a president acting like a king—firing thousands of federal employees without justification, imposing tariffs without congressional input, withholding funds Congress authorized, threatening healthcare for millions, misusing the Justice Department against political rivals, and contemplating a third term. We also voice opposition against a Speaker of the House who won’t bring Congress back to address the government shutdown.

What’s so extreme about that? Johnson may disagree, but these views aren’t hateful or Marxist. They are legitimate political discussions. Americans have both the right and duty to hold their government accountable. Protesting embodies what it means to be American.

Ironically, Donald Trump made perhaps the strongest point regarding the protests. In response, the White House even released a meme featuring King Trump with a crown, flying a fighter jet and dumping raw sewage over American cities. In this video, he illustrated the core of the “No King” protests better than any speaker at the rally. Ironically, we have a president who believes he’s a king and acts accordingly.

bill press is the host of bill press pod. He is the author of From left: Life in the Crossfire.