The Washington event was called by International A.N.S.W.E.R. (Act Now to Stop the War and End Racism), a coalition of radical, pacifist, and liberal organizations. It was endorsed by several well-known religious and Democratic Party figures and a range of social protest organizations.

Among the most prominent speakers were Democratic politicians Jesse Jackson, Rep. Cynthia McKinney, and Alfred Sharpton. Actress Susan Sarandon and writer Alice Walker were among the other speakers.

Jackson, one of the main speakers, criticized the Bush administration’s policies toward Iraq. He spoke in favor of the U.S. intervention against Iraq under the the auspices of the United Nations. This is "a time for the UN, not unilateralism...a time for allied pressure, not preemptive strikes," he said.

Backing the overthrow of Iraq’s government, he said "Saddam Hussein should be held accountable for his crimes" before the International Criminal Court.

Jackson urged participants to "come alive November five" and vote for Democratic candidates in the elections. This theme was echoed in placards carried by a number of participants, such as "Regime change begins at home" and "Dump Bush, not bombs."

Several speakers attributed Washington’s war drive to President George Bush and said the White House is using the drive toward war on Iraq as a distraction from "American" problems. This theme was prevalent among the forces building the action. "Bush’s drive for war serves as a cover and a distraction for the sinking economy," said Leslie Feinberg in Workers World, newspaper of Workers World Party, one of the initiators of the demonstration. "Stop Bush’s war machine" was a headline of the newspaper of the International Socialist Organization."  
 
Patriotic themes
A number of speakers struck patriotic themes, which were also reflected among many of the demonstrators, some of whom carried American flags and flag symbols.

Demonstrators came from New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, and other East Coast and Midwest cities. Many were attending a protest demonstration for the first time, including contingents of students from many different campuses. Some of the groups were from Palestinian and Muslim student organizations, who condemned the Israeli regime’s war on the Palestinian people.

Some protesters interviewed by the Militant took issue with arguments made by speakers at the rally. Jaime Kruse, who came by bus from New York, said she disagreed with Jackson’s statement that the 1990–91 Gulf War was justified but that this one was not.

Organizers of the protests called on participants to sign forms stating, "I Vote No to War." The forms are to be delivered to Washington in conjunction with another demonstration planned for January 18–19.

Candidates and supporters of the Socialist Workers campaign from Washington, North Carolina, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Georgia set up a number of campaign tables. They distributed campaign literature, sold the Militant and Pathfinder books, and met demonstrators who were interested in a communist perspective.  
 
 
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