Disclaimer: This article may contain the personal views and opinions of the author.
The Democrats thought that the January 6 committee would garner lots of attention and be earth-shattering. However, that couldn’t be farther from the truth.
Americans are struggling to pay their bills due to inflation, so the witch hunt on January 6 is not at the top of the list for most Americans to pay attention to.
There have been several prime-time proceedings on many networks, but they have failed to change minds and have not received the massive views many thought they would.
CNN reported recently that the hearings have largely been a flop.
“After the eight public hearings held by the House Select Committee investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol, the American public’s views on the state of democracy and the threat posed to it by that event have changed little, according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS,” the outlet reported.
“All told, the poll finds that 69% of Americans consider the January 6 attack to be a crisis or major problem for American democracy. That’s up slightly since earlier this year when 65% said the same. More broadly, 54% say they see American democracy as under attack, about the same as the 52% who felt that way earlier this year,” the report continued.
CNN also added this:
Although there was little movement on each of these questions, partisans appear to be moving in opposite directions. While Democrats are becoming more likely to say democracy is under attack (55% now, up from 46% earlier this year) and that the January 6 attack is a major problem or a crisis (96% now, up from 91%), Republicans are now less likely to feel that way than earlier this year, before the select committee’s hearings. Just 36% of Republicans now say that January 6 was a crisis or major problem, down 7 points since February, and 54% feel American democracy is under attack, down from 66% earlier this year.
“Roughly 4 in 10 overall have been closely following news about the select committee’s hearings (41%), with attention concentrated among Democrats (55% of Democrats are following at least somewhat closely, compared with 40% of independents and 28% of Republicans),” the report continued.
According to Nielsen figures, the hearings have bombed in the ratings for the networks that aired them.
Nielsen reported that the Jan. 6 herrings only estimated about 17.7 million viewers. That is 11% lower than the first primetime hearing televised in June.
Deadline reported:
“The figures from Nielsen are across 10 networks. The committee’s June 9 hearing, kicking off its series, drew about 20 million on 11 networks. Nielsen said that each of the eight hearings averaged 13.1 million, while the two primetime hearings averaged 18.9 million. The daytime hearings averaged 11.2 million.”
“The highest viewed daytime hearing was on June 28, drawing 13.2 million. That was the hearing featuring the testimony of Cassidy Hutchinson, the former aide to the chief of staff Mark Meadows. Thursday’s primetime hearing was treated as a season finale of sorts, as the committee focused on Donald Trump’s inaction as the Capitol was under siege. Sarah Matthews, former deputy press secretary, and Matt Pottinger, former deputy national security adviser, testified.”
Overall, the Jan. 6 committee and hearings seem to have the opposite effect of what Democrats desired.
