Analysis: Can Democracy Survive Insurrection?
Supporters of President Donald Trump rally at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. ( (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
On January 6, 2021, a mob of pro-Trump extremists rampaged through the U.S. Capitol. They were armed, according to the Capitol Police, with metal pipes, chemical irritants and other weapons. It came as the Congress was set to do what’s typically a perfunctory act of counting votes from the Electoral College, and certifying the winner of the presidential election. Instead, lawmakers were rushed to secure locations. On the House floor, overwhelmed security officers barricaded the door and aimed pistols at holes in the glass panels.
The 21st was joined by Jonathan Alter about any historical equivalents to what happened, the next two weeks until President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated and what happens next. Alter is an Illinois native, MSNBC analyst, Daily Beast columnist, co-host of Sirius XM's Alter Family Politics. His books include His Very Best: Jimmy Carter, a Life.
Guests:
Jonathan Alter, analyst and journalist
Prepared for web by Zainab Qureshi
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