Even before it became the most contentious election in living memory the 2000 Presidential race was a hot one.

Thousands of protesters gathered outside the Democratic National Convention that year. Some protesting Al Gore’s stock holdings in Occidental Petroleum, others calling for a new trial for former Black Panther activist Mumia Abu-Jamal and over 8,000, for a free concert with Rage Against The Machine…

Even as President Clinton delivered his Monday night speech to the convention, Rage Against The Machine frontman Zack de la Rocha was screaming “Our democracy has been hijacked!” to rabid fans not more than 100 meters away.