"Mr. Trump has characterized the Jan. 6 attack as a simple protest and claimed the actual “insurrection took place on Nov. 3,” referring to Election Day. Several GOP senators declined to say what they thought of those remarks when asked in recent weeks."

Let's examine that: Trump termed the actual election an insurrection because he lost it. The Donald has often denounced the American system of elections as 'rigged' because the possibility exists that he will lose an actual election in which Americans express a political opinion.

His problem is that he can't write this off in his taxes as he did other failures, those that he claimed 'made him smart'. That's it- so far. Were he as politically intelligent as he is in real estate, he'd understand that his base is still there and a majority of the other American voters share some if not most of their dissatisfaction with political process in this country. He could still sell his outside the box politics, but instead he's being a two year old tantruming up and screaming 'No! No! No! No!'. Negatives have a very, very brief shelf life as his presidency shows. But, and I repeat this because I think it's the basis of his 2016 election- Americans are interested in fixing the system. Trump hasn't critiqued his failure, identified and learned from his errors. He can't be wrong! He must be the smartest guy in the room, smarter than everybody else! Megalomaniac archetype.

That's why he sealed all his academic records. He isn't the very stable genius he wants to present. He is, in a way, an idiot savant who used that to great success at one point, but is losing now because the world keeps changing on him. That's why he promotes the 50s America MAGA. That world doesn't exist. 

Interviews with voters across the U.S. reveal disparate views of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

PHOTO: ALEX EDELMAN/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE/GETTY IMAGES

By Alex Leary, Lindsay Wise and Eliza Collins

 

Dec. 30, 2021 5:30 am ET

 

WASHINGTON—Nearly a year after the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters, Americans are divided over how serious it was, who is to blame and the punishments that have been imposed, underscoring the broader polarization facing the country and fanning concerns about the state of the democracy.

A recent Quinnipiac poll found that 93% of Democrats and 56% of independents considered it an attack on the government, while only 29% of Republicans said the same. A Pew Research Center poll showed a declining share of Republicans who believe it is important that rioters be prosecuted, with 57% expressing support in September, down from 79% in March—while Democrats were steady at 95%.

A YEAR LATER

• To Prosecute Jan. 6 Capitol Rioters, Government Tests Novel Legal Strategy (Dec. 29)
• How the Capitol Riot Turned a Partisan Congress ‘Toxic’ (Dec. 27)

The events of Jan. 6 are now the focus of congressional and criminal investigations. While Democrats plan a Capitol vigil to mark the anniversary, former President Donald Trump has promised a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate to revisit his false claims of a rigged election, allegations that helped drive the Jan. 6 riot.

Interviews with voters across the U.S. reveal disparate impressions of the day, with some describing it as a dangerous attack on democracy, others viewing it as a protest that got out of hand and still others saying Democrats and the news media have overblown the severity of the attack.

 

“It’s just ugly, an ugly time,” said Judy Bouffleur, 80 years old, of La Crosse, Wis. “It’s OK to protest something that you disagree with but this was just—I was just horrified. To me Jan. 6 is a culmination of our lack of respect for each other. It’s been leading up to that for years.”

‘To me Jan. 6 is a culmination of our lack of respect for each other. It’s been leading up to that for years.’

— Judy Bouffleur of La Crosse, Wis.

Roy Barlow, of Dartmouth, Mass., said the protesters “looked like they were on a guided tour.” Mr. Barlow, who gave his age as over 50, said that “outside some initial violence getting over some barricades to get inside, they just walked around the Capitol.”

The attack took place the day Congress was meeting to certify the Electoral College results and President Biden’s victory. The day of the riot, Mr. Trump addressed a noontime crowd at a “Stop the Steal” rally at the Ellipse and encouraged supporters to march to the Capitol. Hundreds then clashed with police, scaling walls and smashing windows. One intruder, Ashli Babbitt, was shot dead by a Capitol police officer, who was later cleared of wrongdoing. Several police officers were severely injured.

 

Jan. 6 Commission, Prosecutions Could Yield Revelations Despite Partisanship 

Jan. 6 Commission, Prosecutions Could Yield Revelations Despite Partisanship

Expectations are low that the Jan. 6 commission will be much more than a setting for a partisan food fight. But as WSJ’s Gerald F. Seib explains, even partisan food fights can bring to the surface important information, as might ongoing court cases. Photo illustration: Todd Johnson

Mr. Trump was impeached in the House over his role, and acquitted in the Senate despite seven GOP senators voting guilty along with all Democrats, with the tally short of the two-thirds needed to convict.

Text messages recently released by the Jan. 6 House committee indicate a number of people close to the president saw the attack as dangerous and wanted him to intervene quickly.

The text messages, sent to then-chief of staff Mark Meadows, “leave no doubt that the White House knew exactly what was happening here at the Capitol,” said the committee’s vice chairwoman, Rep. Liz Cheney (R., Wyo.), one of the few outspoken GOP critics of Mr. Trump. “Our democracy was inches from ruin,” said panel chairman Bennie Thompson (D., Miss.).

Mr. Trump eventually released a video that day telling supporters “we love you” but also “go home in peace.”

Then-President Donald Trump’s role Jan. 6 remains an uncomfortable subject for many Republican lawmakers.

PHOTO: MANDEL NGAN/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE/GETTY IMAGES

A year later, the riot and Mr. Trump’s role remain an uncomfortable subject for many Republican lawmakers. Mr. Trump has characterized the Jan. 6 attack as a simple protest and claimed the actual “insurrection took place on Nov. 3,” referring to Election Day. Several GOP senators declined to say what they thought of those remarks when asked in recent weeks.

“I don’t have anything for you on that,” said Sen. John Kennedy (R., La.). “I’d have to see all that in context,” said Sen. James Lankford (R., Okla.). “I think it’s really time to move on,” said Sen. Roger Marshall (R., Kan.). “We should be talking about inflation,” he added.

The public is also splintered over Mr. Trump’s false assertion the election was rigged. Three out of four Republicans in an NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll conducted in October said Mr. Trump was right to question whether the election was rigged due to “real cases of fraud that changed the results.” There is no evidence of widespread fraud, and audits of millions of ballots in key states affirmed the presidential result.

Some voters question whether the events and investigation of Jan. 6 were intended to keep Mr. Trump out of office, while others reject that view.

“I think it was set up to make Trump look bad. He didn’t say ‘Go riot,’ ” said Christine Perozeni, 72, of Parma, Ohio, who like other Trump supporters questioned whether there were instigators in the crowd. “I’m telling you, there’s an entity out there that will do anything they can to keep Donald Trump from being in office ever again,” said Marcia Focht, 63, of Tiffin, Ohio.

“I hold Trump absolutely responsible,” said James Roush, 73, of Tempe, Ariz. An independent voter who said he has supported candidates from both parties, these days he is unhappy with the GOP’s embrace of Mr. Trump. “The way they’re trying to capture the rhetoric to mold a message around falsehoods just sickens me,” he said.

While Congress was meeting to certify the Electoral College results, hundreds of protesters converged on the Capitol.

PHOTO: ERIC LEE/BLOOMBERG NEWS

There is evidence of only a handful of rioters with left-wing affiliations. More than 700 people have been charged in connection with the attack, and face a variety of charges depending on their alleged involvement in the violence.

“I wouldn’t call it an insurrection; I would call it a gathering of rather stupid people,” said Greg Tate, 70, also of Tempe. He believes the former president could have done more to stop the riot. Mr. Tate also said he believes some prosecutions have been too aggressive. “I don’t mind the statement of ‘Hey you can’t attack our country,’ but I think that people have rights too,” he said.

Others expressed concern about broader disillusionment with the government.

“Listen, I do think people are actively considering giving up on democracy in this country. And that does explain part of the reason why people marched on us, why people tried to overthrow the government,” said Sen. Chris Murphy (D., Conn). “We’ve got to show people that government can deliver for them,” he said, arguing for passage of Mr. Biden’s stalled economic agenda.

Jeremey Stewart, 45, a Trump voter from Pueblo, Colo., rejected labeling Jan. 6 an insurrection. But, he said, “I believe there may be one coming. There are enough Americans that are getting fed up with this game that’s being played, this political game.”

‘I wouldn’t call it an insurrection; I would call it a gathering of rather stupid people.’

— Greg Tate of Tempe, Ariz.

For Anthony Pardal, 36, of Reston, Va., the attack felt personal. He once worked in the Capitol for a Democratic senator and met his future wife there. The memory of what happened shouldn’t fade or be sanitized, he said.

“What’s it going to be like next time if we continue to go down this route where we kind of split off into our tribes and there’s no accountability? I know people kind of roll their eyes but our democracy really is fragile,” Mr. Pardal said.

Write to Alex Leary at alex.leary@wsj.com, Lindsay Wise at lindsay.wise@wsj.com and Eliza Collins at eliza.collins+1@wsj.com.

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The division between the left and right and this protest shows just how much.  The goverment can stand NO longer with this much corruption, from the left.  The people eveyday recognize just how incompetent and crooked the left is.  Why do you think there is a mass exodus of people fleeing lefties states.  The top 5 states seeing a mass exodus according to US Census are California, New York, New Jersey, Michigan and Illinois.

Marjorie Greene was right, this should be a wake-up call, because it could lead to a national divorce.  Normal Americans are just getting sick and tied of the shit from the left.  Yes! It started with a fraudulent election And everyday more shit shows up.

just This week, from the left;

Parents can give NO input to the schools for their children learning.

Drive-by-shootings should get less punishment 

Biden claimed states should now takeover Covid management

Racial Segregation in colleges a good thing

Black teachers should only be mentored by black treachers

AND THERE IS MUCH MORE, JUST THIS WEEK!

People are getting tired of it!

I don't give a fu@k what any Conspiracy Freak conservative wants. I'm tired of you people, don't just assume everyone's in your boat...  

Dear Jetsheep

it's people like you who made that assumption.

A vast majority voted for trump

The backlash is coming, and you Libz know it!

Youre usual nonsense falls on deaf ears

You are soon to become a political orphan

you are already my favorite poster-boy of a 

Useful idiot! 

I don't give a shit about a backlash, I think it will be amusing...

Want to know how TrumoeRINO frog boys think, operate? Look at The Donald. 

Claim the election was rigged. No evidence whatsoever, but continue the claim, aggressively. You're thowing sand in your opponents eyes because you can't win otherwise.

Then you organize some of your base to create national chaos, start with the election certification- January 6. Then is the chaos and violence your base is creating, you call a national emergency and continue/assume as presidency. The Reichstag Fire, and you, as acting executive in the continuing emergency, you gradually make your presidency permanent.

Your base, a motivated minority, maybe 25% of the population (as you see posting here) can create considerable chaos, sow doubt. Pretty soon opposition to your autocracy wanes, you seem to be suppressing the violence... which your troops created. Like Pooty said, the activists die quickly after the coup is successful. Breaks the Donald's heart, all these 'Americans' dying patriotically.

That's the backlash.

Actual, loyal conservative Reopublicans will be orphaned, politically. Even if Trump creates his own party and divides the conservative base, he's in power and Republicans are even more powerless than Democrats.

How's that for a conspiracy? Some of that is Trump directly, some is conjecture and some is pure crystal ball, but it's all the way the January 6 'Stop the Steal' mob was directed.

First January 6 was a peaceful rally, Trump had nothing to do with it. Then the riot was invited into the capitol. Then it was a false flag. They'll keep throwin shyte until the plan progresss sneough to make tha unnecessary.

Y'all hop when you feel froggy. Some, maybe most in your cells are plants. You ain't under anybody's radar.  Frog legs taste even better than chicken. The Second Civil War is going to be quicker than the first, and reconstruction is a bitch.

Hop, hop, hop. Pop, pop, pop. 

I'll tell you what I call them. Anti-American groups that should be in prison for causing billions of dollars in property damage along with countless deaths.

The take-over of towns and cities burning down businesses, government buildings along with the uncontrolled violence.

Just like old guy said earlier. People are tired of it.

Jan 6th was a joke compared to the damage you liberal tools have caused. Jan 6th didn't cost taxpayer money and certainly did not put a dent in our democracy.

But everything the democrats have supported and encouraged has done just that.

How does allowing ILLEGALS to vote help our democracy.

How does allowing thousands of fake ballots help our democracy.

The list is endless

BTW, what was your post about again?????

I'll tell you what I call them. Anti-American groups that should be in prison for causing billions of dollars in property damage along with countless deaths.

The take-over of towns and cities burning down businesses, government buildings along with the uncontrolled violence.

I call them BLM/Antifa riots. The crimes and punishments should be proportionate in each category and class.

The difference is that the "Stop the Steal Rally" and resulting mob were directly attacking the structure of American democracy, the certification of the election that would remove Trump from the Oval Office. That was his stated intent from the beginning.

Overturning the entire American election system is a much more significant act than burning some real estate, driver's license records. Those are (or should be) backed up off-premises. Do you have a backup capital, congress and election system?

Trump did not intend to allow an election defeat. That's why he has for years denounced the American election system. Once he took office, he did not intend to ever leave it. Hence he discussed 'extensions to his first term' and 'negotiating a third term'; both unconstitutional. He doesn't respect rules, traditions, vows, promises, laws or the Constitution. He will take what he can until something stops him. And you like that?

And you wish to enable his takeover of the government. Mature, rational people accept and learn from defeats, losses. I did not vote for Clinton, Obama, but I had faith in America, Americans and our elected representatives to do what's best.

Revealed truth, like that which Trump spouts, leads to extremism, radical violence- like the January 6 attack. America knows who Trump is truly underneath all his rhetoric, suits, red ties and orange die suntan. A thief, a cheat and a liar who will do anything to get what he wants.

You're so effed up it's almost funny in your delusion that your Trumpist crusade is all virtue and the Democrats who are not all liberal in spite of the recent effort to present them so; the Democrats are not the source of all evil. That presentation of yours is the same as what you think you're fighting. 

who do You think is destroying the American Democracy (if that is what you call it), it is not the Trump supporters.  The left had already overturned the election system, the right just made an attempt to correct it.

The Big Lie repeated. You have no significant evidence for your fairy tale, only the self serving words of narcissistic sociopath serial liar.

That's why Trump's many lawsuits never got as far as the Arizona audit. There's no 'there' there.

But there IS significant evidence and more to come of Trummp's intentions with the January 6 'Stop the Steal' rally and resulting mob attack on the election, the capitol.

The left had already overturned the election system, the right just made an attempt to correct it.

The 'right' had to destroy it in order to save it? That was the stated intent, stop the certification of the election, of "Stop the Steal" numbnuts.

Again- NO SIGNIFICANT EVIDENCE OF ELECTION REGULARITY IN 2020 AFFECTING THE OUTCOME. 

Name one Trump election allegation, lawsuit that was found to be credible. Go ahead, I think I've read there fifty something of them. Yoou won't and you can't because you know they were all election rhetoric after his loss. And he's a serial litigator, he sues everybody.

It's just leftist lies and spin.. insurrection my ass..

you fools have relentlessly blamed trump, but you forget

the truth is, an actusl vast majority voted for Trump 

The election was rigged, we know it, and so do you. 

Your silly missives here will never change or spin the facts

and soon youll have no where to hide, politically speaking. 

Keep "pulling Tail of the dragon," Crowbot 

Biden is a corrupt fool.., fact. 

and you are his 

Useful idiot. 

The "Trailer Trash Base" is who you are referring to.

IT'S A CONSPIRACY!!!!!!

Too damn funny...

Dear Jetsheep,

You just can't help yourself, can you? 
You love to put people in "categories" like all Libs do.

Libz themselves are the only real difference in people, 

they come in all stripes and flavors 

but they all have one thing in common:

self-righteous arrogance.

which quickly gives way to hypocrisy 

and because you can't see this in yourself 

you appear narcissitic

and derived from the Greek word "idios"

( from which Freud postulated the term "ID"-- the inner true self) 

we derive the English word "idiot" ( a grossly "self absorbed narcissistic" person) 

and aptly apply it to you mindlessly self absorbed Libz--

the way V.I. Lennin did, people who are blinded by politicians 

who support policies that are self destructive, which serve the ruling manipulators

( The Communist Party-- AKA the Democratic National Congress (DNC) 

You Libz are truely:

"Useful Idiots"