Over the summer, Judy Woodruff listened in as Iowa Republicans discussed their support for former President Trump following his indictments, the state of the country and what can be done to move forward. For a different perspective, Judy heard from Democrats in Pennsylvania on these topics and more. It’s part of her series, America at a Crossroads, and was produced with help from PBS39 WLVT.
discussed their support for former# President Trump following his indictments,## the state of the country and its divisions,# and what can be done to move forward.
For a different perspective, Judy recently# visited Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to hear from## Democrats on those topics and more.
It's part# of her ongoing series America at a Crossroads.
And this story was produced with help# from our friends at PBS39 WLVT-TV.
ELENA, Pennsylvania Voter: Now, it's just# like you just have to choose a side and you## automatically have to hate the other side, when# it shouldn't be that way.
And JU DY WOODRUFF: Strong feelings from these 15# Democrats living in and around the former steel## town of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, about the growing# sense of division they see in the country today.
MAN: I'm waiting for## someone in Congress to throw a chair at# some DEBORAH, Pennsylvania Voter: I didn't grow up like# that.
Either you're a Republican o and everyone got along.
It wasn't such a# bitter, I mean, bickering between each name-calling.
All that hate has just divided it.
SARAH LONGWELL, Longwell Partners: Who do you## guys blame f AMANDA, Pennsylvania Voter: I# think it's heavily influenced by## evangelicalism or some kind of religious push## and billionaires, or, like, the capitalism# and inequality kind of occurring together.
ELENA: I agree with that on one level.
But I also think like Donald# Trump himself ma our president makes fun of disabled people.# It's OK to do that.
Our president make disparaging comments to people.# came out of the woodworks with that.
I mean, I think a lot of people were surprised# by, like, the rampan surface and people were out and about and proud# about it, that we thought we're progressing## in this manner in this country.
But were we?# Or were people are just more quiet about it?
DAYTON, Pennsylvania Voter: Yes,# like I feel like it's from the top## down, you know, like basically,# like, if the l world is out there acting a certain# way, then it just emboldens people SARAH LONGWELL: Whether it's Republicans, swing# voters, Democrats, everybody believes we ar very divided, and everybody laments# the fact that we are very divided.
JUDY WOODRUFF: Sarah Longwell, host of "The# Focus Group" podcast, was once again our gu SARAH LONGWELL: When we talked to Republicans# before, they were very clear about who they## blame for the divisions, right?
So they# believe that the media was responsible## for the divisions in the country, whereas# the Democrats today, they blamed Trump.
That was sort of the only thing that# -- the thread they could find that## was sort of common.
They felt like# he created a permission structure## for other people to behave uncivilly,# to say sort of racist, sexist things.
ELENA: Right around the time Trump got# elected, I found out my father is now a## Republican and a Trump supporter.
And just# the things that he says are ridiculous.
And when he says the reasons why he supports him,## like, we're Hispanic.
And, like, he done# so many things against -- plenty -- there's Latinos that support# him as well, which I still don't get.
But it's just like, as a Christian man,# who that's part of your whole identi and you have this person who's a crook# and a cheater and just a degenerate,## and this is who you like?
That, to me,# doesn't match with Republican values## in general, but him as a person.# And it's just very weird to me.
ANTHONY, Pennsylvania Voter: The relative that# I have an issue with who I think is Republican# is my son.
And the only thing that I can say# or say to him is, how did you get that way?
Because, as a single father, he grew up with me,# and he saw how I voted and what our values were.
SARAH LONGWELL: The political parties that# used to be about difference in policies,## I think Trump changed the conversation# to about being a difference in values.
And so it's harder for people to understand how# somebody can support somebody like Donald Trump,## not because he advocates for# low taxes, but because he## says terrible things about people of different# races, or makes fun of a disabled reporter,## or says things about women,# who is under many indictments.
They can understand why somebody might support# somebody of a different political persua has different opinions.
They don't understand# how somebody they love, who they believe has## good values, can support this person that# they think so obviously has bad values.
We were in Iowa six, seven weeks ago.
We# were talking to Republicans.
And we asked## them whether a Democrat can truly be a# person of faith if they support issues## like transgender rights and abortion.
And they# didn't think so.
Many of them didn't think so.
What do you think about that?
MAN: The pope said i AMANDA: Yes.
MAN: You know, I think if yo AMANDA: And Jesus was an activist# who was the -- who -- you know,## it's spelled out in the Bible.
Like, I was raised# Catholic too.
I know.
I know he was inclusive of everybody.
The message# is love your neighbor as you love yourself.
I don't see how helping trans# people could be anti-religious.
JORDAN, Pennsylvania Voter: Like,# what is the point of that statement?## So is it that the Democrats -- Democrats# can't have faith if they believe in trans## people?
Can you just repeat it?
Because# it just seems like such a -- like,## am I the only one that thinks that's# like just a wild thing to say?
Like, what does that mean?
LEWIS, Pennsylvani (CROSSTALK) JUDY WOODRUFF: Unsurprisingly, the panel# had strong views on the indictments Trump## is now facing, but also didn't# expect his supporters to waver.
LEWIS: If you broke a law, you need# to answer for what you have done.## So, whether you're an# ex-president, a current president,## whoever you are, you need to answer# for what you did, the wrongdoing.
JORDAN: I mean, I think, if people do the# wrong thing, they should go to jail.
But## if he were to go to jail himself, then# the people that support him would just## blame everybody else, even though# everything -- like, everybody who## has taken the steps into this indictment# have mostly been people appointed by him.
It's always like the Democrats or everybody# else's fault or they're doing this wrong.
SARAH LONGWELL: Are you surprised that Republicans## continued to support him# after all the indictments?
LISA, Pennsylvania Voter: No, I'm not surprised.
SARAH LONGWELL: Tell m And when I was in my 20s, I would never have# an opinion like that, ever.
Now I'm in my 50s,## I'm like, this is bullcrap, that we, as a# people, Republican and some Democrats -- and## I have to say, even as a woman, we would# see banners up that said, "Vote for Trump."
What is wrong with you?
Do you know what that man# stands for, who he is and what he what he says?
INGRID, Pennsylvania Voter: In a way, I# am surprised, because I would think that,## when the cards are on the table and you see# the facts, and you you would come to realize, oh,# gee, I guess I had the wrong idea.
So that part of me kind of boggles the mind.# But on the other hand, I think a lot of the are -- it's almost like a cult, where he's# Jim Jones and they're drinking the Kool-Aid,## you know?
And you -- nothing you can say or# do will turn them around, so, you know... MICHAEL, Pennsylvania Voter: There was# hope when Liz Cheney decided to stand up## and speak out against her own party.
I thought# about maybe there's a little glimmer of hope,## if people actually start to rally# around her and -- but they didn't.
JUDY WOODRUFF: While feelings against Trump# were fierce, feelings for President Biden,## whom they all voted for, were more ambivalent.
MAN: If all these sideshows wasn't going on, I# would th Biden's putting a lot of new plans into effect,# and he's trying to help out the middle class,## working class.
And if the Republicans didn't veto# them all the time, we'd be doing a lot better.
DEBORAH: I think things are going pretty well.
People in my life have jobs.
Things are g and guns.
That's what -- it has to stop.
I mean,## it's the leading cause of death in children# in the United States.
And that's horrible.
LEWIS: Yes, he's the# president, and the shooting... WOMAN: It's a hard struggle, I know.
he has so many -- he can only# do so much as a president.
MICHAEL: The George Floyd bill, that# still hasn't passed.
That needs to happen.
SARAH LONGWELL: What about abortion?
Is that# a strong motivating issue for all of you?
MAN: Yes.
WOMAN: It sure is.
WOMAN: MAN: WOMAN: Yes.
(CROSSTALK) MICHAEL: That just, like, blows my mind.
(CROSSTALK) LISA: I can't -- I just can't stomac WOMAN: I'm actually worried of things like inflation and rising# rent prices and things like that.
And, yes, it does seem like we're# going backwards a little bit, so... EBONY, Pennsylvania Voter: Cost# of living is higher, but, like,## our paychecks or anything or not being able# to pay our city like Philadelphia.
My rent is constantly# going up.
And I'm not making more money.
So## it's just harder to survive.
Even going grocery# shopping, everything is just way more expensive.
SARAH LONGWELL: These groups of Democrats from# Pennsylvania sound so much the Democrats we## talk to across the country.
They are kind of# middling on Joe Biden.
They tend to not have## a great sense of what he's done or a very# positive sense of things that he's passed.
And then there's still a lot of economic# anxiety from these folks.
Despite the fact## that the macroeconomic picture has been# brightening and the Biden administration## has been out there trying to tell a positive# story about the economy, these voters in their## daily lives still feel high gas prices, high# rents.
They're still feeling the inflation.
And that's what they tend to talk about.
INGRID: I think, right now,# better than we were tw four years ago, but I think there's a ways to go.
JUDY WOODRUFF: So, a mixed picture from this group# of Democratic vo Biden administration, who see Trump as continuing# to divide the country, while also dominating its## attention, and who have few answers for# how to move beyond him and his support.
For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Judy# Woodruff in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.