WEBVTT 00:02.433 --> 00:04.666 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% GEOFF BENNETT: Throughout this year, Judy Woodruff has been examining divisions across the country. 00:04.666 --> 00:09.666 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% For her latest story, she listened in on focus groups in Iowa with two-time Trump 00:11.633 --> 00:13.366 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% voters as they talked about how they feel about the state of the nation, 00:13.366 --> 00:17.633 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% the divisiveness they see, and who they feel is responsible for it. 00:17.633 --> 00:20.866 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% A note, we have chosen not to include the participants' full 00:20.866 --> 00:25.200 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% names after some received harassing calls following an earlier story. 00:25.200 --> 00:29.266 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% This story was produced with our friends at Iowa PBS and is part 00:29.266 --> 00:32.433 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% of Judy's ongoing series America at a Crossroads. 00:32.433 --> 00:37.166 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% ALLAN, Republican Voter: I definitely think the country's headed in the wrong direction, 00:37.166 --> 00:42.133 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% and, unfortunately, I think we're on that downhill slide, that I'm not sure it can be turned around. 00:43.866 --> 00:47.966 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% JUDY WOODRUFF: That was a common feeling among the 16 two-time 00:47.966 --> 00:52.933 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Trump voters. We gathered recently studio of Iowa PBS in Johnston for 00:54.933 --> 00:59.633 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% a pair of focus groups led by Republican strategist and pollster Sarah Longwell. 01:01.133 --> 01:03.233 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% BRENT, Trump Voter: In Iowa, we have a great governor, 01:03.233 --> 01:06.466 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% we have great leadership. However, when you look at the country as a whole, 01:06.466 --> 01:11.000 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% it just seems like everybody has said. The country's just going down the tubes. 01:11.000 --> 01:13.366 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% RON, Republican Voter: I agree with all the different 01:15.433 --> 01:19.400 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% economics and all that, but we are so polarized that we can't come to common ground. 01:22.133 --> 01:24.500 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% MATT, Republican Voter: It almost feels a little bit like a civil war. 01:24.500 --> 01:27.533 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% JUDY WOODRUFF: Following the panels, I sat down with Longwell, 01:27.533 --> 01:32.533 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% who conducts focus groups with both Republicans and Democrats, to talk through what we heard. 01:34.533 --> 01:37.166 align:left position:20% line:71% size:70% SARAH LONGWELL, Longwell Partners: Mainly, the things that you hear -- and I hear this all 01:37.166 --> 01:40.533 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% the time from Republicans -- is they really feel like the country is going in the wrong direction. 01:40.533 --> 01:45.000 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% They want a Republican back in power very badly. 01:45.000 --> 01:49.566 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% JUDY WOODRUFF: In terms of these Republican voters and their view 01:49.566 --> 01:54.066 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% of how divided the country is, what came across to you the most about that? 01:54.066 --> 01:57.800 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% SARAH LONGWELL: Well, everybody does think we're divided. That is clear 01:57.800 --> 02:01.000 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% in the focus groups we did tonight and in the focus groups I do all the time. 02:01.000 --> 02:03.900 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% People are -- they talk about things like a national divorce 02:03.900 --> 02:06.633 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% or a civil war. They feel like we're at each other's throats. 02:06.633 --> 02:10.366 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% How many of you think we're very divided? Raise your hands if you think we're an 02:10.366 --> 02:14.966 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% extremely divided country. Whose fault do you think it is that we're so divided? 02:14.966 --> 02:16.400 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70% WOMAN: The media. 02:16.400 --> 02:17.400 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% SOPHIA, Republican Voter: The media, for sure. 02:17.400 --> 02:18.866 align:left position:30% line:83% size:60% WOMAN: Yes. (CROSSTALK) 02:18.866 --> 02:20.900 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% WOMAN: And the politicians. WOMAN: The politicians. 02:20.900 --> 02:21.733 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% SOPHIA: And they perpetuate the hate. I mean, they do it on purpose. They have an agenda, 02:23.766 --> 02:27.233 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% and it is to divide. And that's what they seek and that's what they're doing. 02:27.233 --> 02:29.333 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% WOMAN: That's how they get ratings. That's how they get money. 02:29.333 --> 02:31.633 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% SOPHIA: Exactly, because that's where the money is. 02:31.633 --> 02:35.566 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% SARAH LONGWELL: And I'm curious, where are you getting your information? Like, 02:35.566 --> 02:38.233 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% where are you -- what are you watching? What are you reading? What are you listening to? 02:38.233 --> 02:42.633 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% SONYA, Republican Voter: I watch BlazeTV and FOX News, and I have 02:44.566 --> 02:48.733 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% TRUTH Social. And I'm all over Twitter. And I watch Channel 13, NBC, all the time. 02:51.766 --> 02:52.966 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80% SARAH LONGWELL: News junkie. 02:52.966 --> 02:55.033 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% SONYA: I like to know what's going on. 02:55.033 --> 02:58.766 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% PETER, Republican Voter: Clay Travis and Buck Sexton took over Rush Limbaugh's 02:58.766 --> 03:03.466 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% show. They are good. I mean, these guys, they look into things, they know things. 03:03.466 --> 03:05.466 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% Sean Hannity is really good also. 03:05.466 --> 03:09.166 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% RON: I think I'm smart enough to understand when I'm being manipulated, 03:09.166 --> 03:13.366 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% all right? So, all I have to say is, I read everything. I listen to everything, 03:13.366 --> 03:18.366 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% and then, what goes in, what goes out, and then I just make up my own decision. 03:19.866 --> 03:23.400 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% KEVEN, Republican Voter: I'm going to blame the media and also 03:23.400 --> 03:28.400 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% social media. I think back like 10 years ago, 15 years ago, we didn't -- it didn't 03:30.366 --> 03:34.200 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% seem so divided. And it's driven me to seek out different news sources now to get my news, 03:35.666 --> 03:39.000 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% so I can compare, like Real America's Voice and Newsmax. 03:39.000 --> 03:41.033 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% (CROSSTALK) SARAH LONGWELL: What about you, Mary? 03:41.033 --> 03:43.033 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% MARY, Republican Voter: So, I was -- I agree with what you were saying. 03:43.033 --> 03:46.800 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% So social media is a huge thing, in my opinion, because you don't have a personal 03:46.800 --> 03:51.800 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% relationship with the people mostly online. Or like what I would say to you right now 03:53.700 --> 03:55.833 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% in person would be completely different than what I might way on social media. 03:55.833 --> 04:00.433 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% SARAH LONGWELL: So it sounds like you guys blame the media, social media for the division. 04:00.433 --> 04:02.633 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% How do you feel about Democrats in general? 04:02.633 --> 04:07.500 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% MARY: Generally, any time that there's a fight between two people, there's never 04:07.500 --> 04:11.033 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% usually one side that's like 100 percent right. It's always somewhere in the middle. 04:11.033 --> 04:15.700 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% And so I'm not ever going to say like, this side's completely right and this side's completely wrong. 04:15.700 --> 04:17.900 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% SARAH LONGWELL: Do you guys have friends and family who are Democrats? 04:17.900 --> 04:18.866 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% MAN: Oh, yes. 04:18.866 --> 04:19.833 align:left position:30% line:83% size:60% WOMAN: Yes. MAN: Yes. 04:19.833 --> 04:21.333 align:left position:30% line:83% size:60% (CROSSTALK) MAN: Yes. 04:21.333 --> 04:23.333 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% SARAH LONGWELL: And how does that -- how do you do 04:23.333 --> 04:26.500 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% with that? Is it tense? Can you talk to each other? Is it -- how is it? 04:26.500 --> 04:31.500 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% KEVEN: Recently spent some time with some relatives that are Democrat, and you really can't 04:33.533 --> 04:37.100 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% talk about Trump or Republicans in that house. I mean, it's just you know tread lightly there. 04:40.033 --> 04:43.833 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% DANIELLE, Republican Voter: My closest inner circle is mostly like-minded. 04:43.833 --> 04:46.666 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% They vote Republican or pretty conservative. 04:46.666 --> 04:50.866 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% But, outside of that, I try to avoid conversations, 04:50.866 --> 04:54.100 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% because they're just never productive. No one's changing anyone's mind. 04:54.100 --> 04:57.600 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% JUDY WOODRUFF: I did hear them say that they blame the media. 04:57.600 --> 05:02.600 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% I also heard them say that they were reluctant to bring up their views with people who disagree with 05:04.900 --> 05:09.900 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% them politically, for fear that they would be criticized, they would be called out. 05:11.333 --> 05:13.233 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% SARAH LONGWELL: Yes, I do hear this all the time, 05:13.233 --> 05:17.833 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% people feeling like they can't talk about their support for President Trump or 05:19.466 --> 05:22.366 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% can't say that they're a Republican without fear of being shouted down. 05:22.366 --> 05:27.366 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% I think that both parties, members of both parties, sort of feel like it's 05:29.400 --> 05:33.033 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% really hot out there, and when you sort of wear your politics on your sleeve, 05:33.033 --> 05:37.833 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% that it's inviting a kind of combative experience. And I think they feel like a 05:37.833 --> 05:42.833 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% real difference from how people used to be able to sort of agree to disagree maybe 10 15 years ago. 05:43.633 --> 05:45.600 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70% JUDY WOODRUFF: Yes. 05:45.600 --> 05:47.100 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% SARAH LONGWELL: And now they feel like it gets really personal really fast. 05:47.100 --> 05:49.000 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% JUDY WOODRUFF: Another key division was over questions 05:49.000 --> 05:52.600 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% of faith and what it means for people's politics. 05:52.600 --> 05:55.900 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% SARAH LONGWELL: Do you believe that it's possible to be very liberal, 05:55.900 --> 05:58.966 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% very progressive, but also be of deep Christian faith? 05:59.800 --> 06:01.966 align:left position:40% line:89% size:50% MAN: No. 06:01.966 --> 06:03.566 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% SOPHIA: No. No. 06:03.566 --> 06:05.866 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% SARAH LONGWELL: Tell me more. Go ahead. 06:05.866 --> 06:10.866 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% SOPHIA: You can't. Life is, well, very important. And if you're a liberal, 06:12.866 --> 06:16.366 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% then you are pro-choice, and then you believe that it's OK to kill a baby. 06:16.366 --> 06:21.366 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% And I don't believe that you can believe that and be a real Christian. 06:22.533 --> 06:23.700 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% SARAH LONGWELL: What do you think? 06:26.133 --> 06:28.800 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% AMANDA, Republican Voter: Technically, I guess you could be, but that would mean you're not, 06:30.433 --> 06:34.466 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% I don't know, allowing God's love to be in you as much and stuff. 06:34.466 --> 06:35.100 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80% RAMONA, Republican Voter: So, 06:37.633 --> 06:41.333 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% I don't think that the Democrats -- and I hate to say it like that. I hate to segregate the party. 06:45.766 --> 06:50.766 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% They have too many, yes, but what if? Yes, but what if I don't feel like a girl? 06:53.933 --> 06:58.933 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% So, whatever, God -- so, God made me a boy, but I don't feel like a boy, and so 07:01.033 --> 07:04.033 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% I'm going to change that. It's just messing with creation. It's just messing with the absolute. 07:08.566 --> 07:13.566 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% So, when Joe Biden -- I know he's a Catholic. Do you think that he's not Catholic? 07:15.600 --> 07:19.633 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% PETER: I mean, you just -- in your original question, God is more of a God of just love. 07:21.633 --> 07:25.700 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% He's a God of right and wrong. He's a God of truth. He's a God of righteousness. 07:27.766 --> 07:32.000 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% I mean, you can't be liberal and be far left on beliefs and then say, oh, I'm a Christian. Well, 07:36.466 --> 07:39.833 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% you can say it. That's the -- that's the worst thing. People do say it. 07:39.833 --> 07:44.833 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% JUDY WOODRUFF: There were strong views expressed about whether it's possible to be a Democrat, 07:47.033 --> 07:51.166 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% to be liberal, and have a strong Christian faith. It's almost a barrier. 07:51.166 --> 07:54.333 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% SARAH LONGWELL: Yes, people can be really paradoxical. They can sort of 07:54.333 --> 07:59.266 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% express one thing in thinking about it one way and then express sort of 07:59.266 --> 08:02.633 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% the complete opposite if they're thinking about something else in a different frame. 08:02.633 --> 08:07.133 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% You could hear on one hand people saying, well, I'd really like us to get along more, and 08:08.766 --> 08:11.333 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% I want us to have shared values and have these good conversations. And 08:11.333 --> 08:15.400 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% then you would also hear them say, but I don't think that you can be a 08:15.400 --> 08:19.533 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% real Christian and be a progressive. They didn't think those things were compatible. 08:19.533 --> 08:21.900 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% JUDY WOODRUFF: When it came to the idea of 08:21.900 --> 08:26.666 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% their children marrying someone of the opposite party, feelings were mixed. 08:26.666 --> 08:31.600 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% SARAH LONGWELL: Would any of you or all of you be OK if your child married a Democrat? 08:33.066 --> 08:37.900 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% RAMONA: My child did marry a Democrat, a Democrat lawyer. 08:39.100 --> 08:40.833 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% (LAUGHTER) RAMONA: It didn't go well. 08:40.833 --> 08:44.133 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% SARAH LONGWELL: Is it still not going well? 08:44.133 --> 08:46.000 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80% RAMONA: No. We are estranged. 08:46.000 --> 08:47.466 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% SARAH LONGWELL: Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. 08:47.466 --> 08:47.966 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70% RAMONA: Yes. Yes. 08:49.966 --> 08:54.500 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% BRENT: My daughters are both very liberal, which pains me, but I support them and their 08:56.633 --> 09:00.400 align:left position:20% line:71% size:70% beliefs and try to have conversations with them about what I believe and why I believe that way. 09:02.466 --> 09:06.800 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% And so -- but I don't try to change them. I just let them know how I believe and why I 09:08.866 --> 09:11.766 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% believe that way. But if they choose to marry a Democrat, I will support them 100 percent. 09:11.766 --> 09:14.500 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% BRIAN, Republican Voter: And that, in itself, is the root issue. 09:14.500 --> 09:16.900 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% JUDY WOODRUFF: And there was even some pushback 09:16.900 --> 09:20.933 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% to our framing of some of these questions along partisan lines. 09:20.933 --> 09:23.866 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% BRIAN: We're all made in the image of God. We're all valued 09:26.366 --> 09:29.700 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% by the creator. Why are we dividing Democrat and Republican? Like, my mom's a liberal Democrat. 09:31.666 --> 09:35.833 align:left position:20% line:71% size:70% And I work in something completely different, and we have the most loving relationship. 09:38.266 --> 09:42.533 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% It's because I don't identify by our relationship based on Democrat, Republican. 09:42.533 --> 09:44.033 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70% SARAH LONGWELL: Yes. 09:44.033 --> 09:46.100 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% BRIAN: And I think that's the problem in the country. 09:46.100 --> 09:48.533 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70% SARAH LONGWELL: Yes. 09:48.533 --> 09:51.800 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% One of the things about doing the focus groups across the political spectrum every week now for 09:53.866 --> 09:56.900 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% years is, oftentimes, Americans are closer on a number of things than you might think, and people 09:58.933 --> 10:02.400 align:left position:20% line:71% size:70% tend to overestimate how different the other side is from them or at how mad they would be. 10:04.366 --> 10:09.300 align:left position:20% line:71% size:70% And some of this comes down to the fact that we are now geographically very segregated as 10:11.266 --> 10:14.633 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% a country. We are -- tend to have bluer cities and redder sort of rural areas. 10:15.600 --> 10:17.700 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70% JUDY WOODRUFF: Yes. 10:17.700 --> 10:19.700 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% SARAH LONGWELL: And so the less people talk to each other, the less they have 10:19.700 --> 10:21.933 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% a really good frame of reference for how somebody might actually think. 10:21.933 --> 10:26.933 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Oftentimes, people are a little more tolerant, and they want us to get along. Like, they express 10:29.566 --> 10:34.566 align:left position:20% line:71% size:70% the fact that they would -- they sort of lament being this divided, and they talk in terms of 10:36.266 --> 10:39.433 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% wanting America to be a place where you can talk about your disagreements 10:39.433 --> 10:42.266 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% and not feel like it's going to be so fraught. 10:42.266 --> 10:47.000 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% JUDY WOODRUFF: And so a mixed picture from these Trump voters in Iowa. 10:47.000 --> 10:51.966 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Some wish for less division and blame the news media, especially social media. And 10:54.033 --> 10:58.200 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% yet they have strong views about Democrats, are divided on having one in the family, 11:00.166 --> 11:03.800 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% and question if progressive politics and Christianity can coexist. 11:05.200 --> 11:08.500 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Judy Woodruff in Johnston, Iowa.