From liberal enclaves to Republican strongholds, 'No Kings Day' protests were a mix of comedy, exuberance, resistance, and hope -- crossing ideological boundaries

Top signs from "No Kings Day" (Meidas Touch Network -- See more below.)

Attendance estimates from  Saturday's "No Kings Day" protests from around the country paint a hopeful sign for Democrats. But perhaps the most hopeful signs came from evidence that sizable numbers of Republicans joined liberals to voice their displeasure with the policies and incompetence of the Donald Trump administration. This is from a "No Kings" summary at The Other 98%, a progressive Facebook page:

The third No Kings protest just happened. It was the most massive one yet. By far. More than 3,300 events in all 50 states. From New York City, with its 8.5 million residents, to Driggs, Idaho, a town of fewer than 2,000 people in a state Trump won with 66% of the vote.

Almost half the protests took place in Republican strongholds. Texas, Florida, and Ohio each had more than 100 events. Idaho, Wyoming, and Utah were in the double digits. People showed up in places where showing up takes guts.

We will take a closer look at signs the left and right joined hands for this event. But The Other 98% does an  excellent job of describing the exuberance and ideological breadth that has come to define a movement of those willing to fight back against the excesses of the Trump White House and the cowardice of the Republican Party, especially in Congress:

Bruce Springsteen played the flagship rally at the Minnesota State Capitol, the state where ICE agents killed two American citizens and sparked the entire movement. He performed his new single about those killings and told the crowd: "Your strength and your commitment told us that this was still America. And this reactionary nightmare, and these invasions of American cities, will not stand."

"It's time to say no to kings. It's time to say no to Donald Trump," Robert De Niro told the crowd in New York.

In Washington, hundreds marched past the Lincoln Memorial carrying signs reading "Put down the crown, clown" and "Regime change begins at home." Providence, R.I., alone drew an estimated 20,000. Massachusetts had more than 160 events. Philadelphia shut down roadways. Chicago packed Grant Park.

And it went global. Thousands marched in Rome. Paris had its own rally. Protests popped up across more than a dozen countries.

Estimated attendance for "No Kings Day" events in the United States was 8 to 9 million. Why did people show up in such numbers? That question was posed to a number of individuals at sites around the country:

One protester in Minneapolis kept it simple when asked why he came out: "Democracy is under threat." Another held a sign that said "So bad, even introverts are here."

The White House dismissed it all as the product of "leftist funding networks" with little real public support. Millions of people in the streets across all 50 states and a dozen countries. Little real public support.

They're scared. They should be. This movement started last summer. It grew in the fall. And yesterday it got bigger than anyone predicted. That's not fizzling. That's building.

Red towns showed up. Blue cities showed up. Small towns in Alaska showed up. Rural Montana showed up. This isn't a coastal elite thing anymore. This is everywhere. This is everyone.

What about the bipartisan nature of Saturday's protests? On the surface, it appears to be bad news for Republicans. Nina Giraldo, of CNN, takes a closer look at the issue:

“No Kings” protesters marched through suburbs, major cities and small towns across the US, carrying signs and showing off inflatable costumes. Almost half of protests took place in GOP strongholds, according to event organizers.

Texas, Florida and, Ohio each had more than 100 events scheduled, and states like Idaho, Wyoming, and Utah had events in the double digits, organizers said. One of the most far-flung demonstrations took place in the Alaskan community of Kotzebue.

A litany of rural, red-leaning communities participated in the “No Kings” movement for the first time -- from Seward, Alaska, to East Glacier Park, Montana.

Here were some other red states that saw protests today:

• Texas: Protesters marched in Dallas, Arlington, and Fort Worth, many listening to music, chanting and holding signs over their heads. CNN saw thousands gather near Dallas City Hall, where speakers denounced Trump administration policies from a stage. Officers detained one person in Dallas, according to the city’s police, although it is unclear why -- or whether they were a counter-protester.
• Georgia: Protesters lined the road leading into Jekyll Island on the state’s coast, waving American flags and carrying signs. The protest received mostly positive feedback.
• Florida: The crowd of “No Kings” protesters in Boynton Beach, Florida, was “very enthusiastic” and “for the most part pretty peaceful,” said the city’s vice mayor, Thomas Turkin. In neighboring city West Palm Beach, about 50 supporters of President Donald Trump engaged in verbal altercations with protesters, some flashing “Proud Boys” caps, T-shirts and flags.