Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert co-hosted the rally to Restore Sanity and Keep Fear Alive on October 30, 2010. With free buses sponsored by Arianna Huffington going from New York to Washington D.C., many Columbia students – and people from all over the nation – flocked to the rally.

We asked Arianna Huffington if she could tell us what inspired her to sponsor the free buses to the capital.

"It was a moment of irrational exuberance when I just wanted to make it easier for people to get to Washington and to participate in a rally that's about restoring sanity, whatever your political views – whether you think government should be smaller or bigger – and to be able to debate on these issues without demonizing and scapegoating."

We decided to find out what motivated nearly 10,000 people to wake up at dawn.

Katie Tongalson: "What brought you out here?”

Wesleyan student: "The offer of a free bus."

KT: "Are you a Stewart fan or do you just love free buses?”

WS: “Mostly just the free buses, I've never heard of Jon Stewart.”

KT: “You've never heard of Jon Stewart?”

WS: “No...”

NYU Student: "This is going to be a lot bigger than people think it [will] be, one of those big generational things like, you know, I would say to people years later, ‘I was there.’"

Ghostbuster: "I'm not for fear, and you know who else isn't for fear –? Ghostbusters, because they fight things that scare us."

"I'm pro fear on this one."

Cleopatra McGovern: "Why do you love fear?"

"Because it's an awesome motivator for all things."

CM: "Any political fears?

"That Christine O'Donnell will win."

CM: "Do you think guys like Christine O'Donnell because she's cute?”

"Yes, of course they do...By the way do you know where the pot people are going to be once we get there because this reminds me of being at rallies when we were protesting the Vietnam War and Nixon."

Columbia University Amnesty Group: "We are from Columbia University - the Amnesty Group...Amnesty doesn't take sides, it just supports a dialogue."

At the rally, John Stewart argued that the lack of dialogue in the media is damaging the nation’s political discourse. Still, the event was light-hearted, as concerts and comedians entertained the crowd of over 215,000 people. Though the Huffington Post buses arrived late to the rally, we had a chance to speak with some of the colorful personalities that attended.

CM: “Can you tell me the rationale behind dressing up as vuvuzelas?”

Vuvuzela: "Well, you are what you blow so that's why I went with this. We fear sanity."

CM: “What's your biggest fear? Is it public speaking? That's a little scary.”

Storm Trooper: "Sometimes when I'm late for work, Darth Vader gets pretty upset"

KT: "Do you feel passionately about any of these issues?”

Columbia Alumni: "We feel that things should be done for healthcare."

KT: "Are you going to be the next Jon Stewart?"

Young John Stewart: "Sure why not"

CM: "What do you think that free buses mean for democracy?”

Arianna Huffington: “Well the free buses don't mean anything for democracy. The fact that people were willing to get up early in the morning and stand in the cold and get on the buses, that means a lot for democracy.”