A note to everyone who is trying to prevent Donald Trump from being inaugurated this coming Friday – your last chance to prevent that from happening was on Tuesday, November 8, 2016. Despite the wishful (or crazed) thinking by some, this inauguration is happening.

Even with Rep. John Lewis casting aspersions, Obama Chief of Staff Denis McDonough stated the administration’s position on the election yet again – Donald Trump was “freely elected.”

McDonough twice referenced President Barack Obama’s comments, including during his farewell speech in Chicago last week, that described Trump as being “freely elected.”

“The President has made very clear that he believes that (Trump) is the freely elected president,” McDonough told CNN’s Jake Tapper on Sunday’s “State of the Union.” “He will be inaugurated on Friday and he will come into office, hopefully, strengthened by the kind of transition that we’ve tried to run in this White House.”

The problem, of course, is that a name like John Lewis’s lends credence to this “not legitimate” argument. (Of course, he used that exact same argument on President George W. Bush as well, so this seems to be a favorite fallback position for the representative from Georgia.) I think Senator Tim Scott said it best:

.@SenatorTimScott Reacts to @repjohnlewis–@realDonaldTrump Feud https://t.co/R2VgZ7dBZh pic.twitter.com/rDr8UojBKK

— Fox News (@FoxNews) January 15, 2017

Even with the comments from McDonough and Scott, the protesters have begun to gather.

First inauguration week protest I've seen in DC, down in Chinatown. About only 30 to 50 folks pic.twitter.com/UBna06kvOl

— Katrina Trinko (@KatrinaTrinko) January 16, 2017

Here's their flyer pic.twitter.com/RcSsIdMJG7

— Katrina Trinko (@KatrinaTrinko) January 16, 2017

Godwin’s Law broken in 3, 2, 1…

"Donald trump is the American Hitler," says the woman on the megaphone

— Katrina Trinko (@KatrinaTrinko) January 16, 2017

Not even this reminder from Hillary Clinton is likely to persuade these people.

Donald Trump refused to say that he’d respect the results of this election. By doing that, he’s threatening our democracy.

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 21, 2016

“We know the difference between leadership and dictatorship, and the peaceful transition of power is one of the things that sets us apart.”

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 21, 2016

What say you, protestors?

How we gonna STOP them from taking power. Calling on everyone w a conscience…into the streets! Tmrw & every day 4pm McPherson Sq. pic.twitter.com/JUuDOEpnt0

— #NoFascistUSA (@RefuseFascism) January 16, 2017

I guess not.

Buckle up, everyone. It’s going to be an interesting week.