In A Divided America, Can The January 6 Hearing Change Hearts And Minds?

The televised probe into the mob attack on the Capitol has dropped plenty of bombshells as insider testimonies pull back the curtain on the efforts of former President Donald Trump and his allies to hold onto power after he lost his reelection bid. But at Tuesday's hearing, one of the most compelling witnesses was not a former staffer or official but Stephen Ayers. A staunch believer in Trump, Ayers came to D.C. on Trump's command and stormed the Capitol. After his arrest, he looked at the facts about the 2020 election and realized he was fed and had believed a lie. Polls, studies and surveys warn that Americans are deeply and bitterly divided by politics. Can the January 6 hearing help close that partisan gap? We speak with Didi Kuo, Associate Director for Research at Stanford University's Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community. Email us at considerthis@npr.org . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy