Tonight, “Divided States of America” Begins

Share:

(Photo: Andrew Geraci / District 7 Media)

January 17, 2017

“Donald Trump is the representation of the anti-Obama. To embrace Donald Trump is a direct repudiation of the universe that Barack Obama set in order.”
– Michael Eric Dyson

“If you wanted the exact opposite of Barack Obama, it’s Donald Trump.”
– Frank Luntz

The words of Michael Eric Dyson, the writer and academic, and Frank Luntz, the Republican pollster, speak volumes about the political chasm between our outgoing president and the man who assumes the presidency later this week.

Tonight, we present a revealing exploration of that chasm, examining the Obama years and the rise of Donald Trump in our special, two-part series, Divided States of America.

Dyson and Luntz are just two of the dozens of key participants and observers of the last eight years that our award-winning political team, led by filmmaker Michael Kirk, have brought together to tell the story of the country’s widening divisions over politics, race, economics, and much more.

Drawing on recent interviews with a wide array of insightful and diverse sources, including political leaders of both parties, as well as the team’s wealth of reporting over the past decade, Divided States gets inside the major turning points of the Obama presidency, the conflict within the Republican party and the rise of anti-establishment forces in American politics.

From Sarah Palin’s anti-elite message, to the bailout of Wall Street banks, to the battle over the Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”), to the killings of Trayvon Martin and worshippers in a Charleston church, the series finds an epic narrative that begins even as Barack Obama was promising hope and change, and leads right up to the election of Donald Trump.

That story continues, and we will keep taking the time to report on it, to investigate the important issues and people shaping our country.

Divided States
 has already gotten early praise from reviewers, who’ve called it “bracingly alive” and “deep and daring.” We hope you can carve out time to watch it.

It all unfolds starting tonight at a special time (9 p.m. EST/8 p.m. CST). Check your local PBS station listings, or watch online – and join us tomorrow night for Divided States’ gripping conclusion.

— Raney Aronson-Rath
Executive Producer, FRONTLINE


Raney Aronson-Rath, Editor-in-Chief and Executive Producer, FRONTLINE

Twitter:

@raneyaronson

More Stories

9/11, More Than 20 Years Later: 20 Essential Documentaries to Watch
These films, selected from more than two decades of extensive FRONTLINE reporting, probe that fateful day and its lasting impacts on America and the world.
September 5, 2025
Watch FRONTLINE’s 5 Most-Streamed Documentaries of 2025 (So Far)
Looking for some documentaries to watch as summer continues? We’ve got you covered.
August 6, 2025
Tonight's New Documentary, This Month, and the Future
A note from FRONTLINE Editor-in-Chief and Executive Producer Raney Aronson-Rath.
July 29, 2025
The Iran-Israel Conflict and the U.S. Role: 11 Documentaries to Watch
Decades of tensions between Israel and Iran erupted into war in June. These FRONTLINE films offer context and background on the conflict, both countries’ leaders and ambitions, the role of the U.S., and the ongoing impact across the Middle East.
July 29, 2025