John: Now for our weekend
briefing.
Our congressional correspondent
Lisa Desjardins is back along
with special correspondent Jeff
Greenfield, who is also a
columnist for politico magazine.
Jeff, I want to start with you.
We heard Lisa give us the
details of this bipartisan gun
deal in the senate.
It's an election year.
Could this have any impact on
the midterms?
Jeff: It's interesting.
As many have already pointed
out, none of the general public
are up for a --
the one Republican up for
reelection from a competitive
state, as opposed to a deep red
state, is Ron Johnson in
Wisconsin.
It will be interesting to see
whether there are cross
pressures on him.
I think the idea that any of the
Republicans up for reelection
from states where gun rights are
a passionate issue are going to
sign onto this would be
problematic.
John: As Lisa pointed out, they
don't need Johnson's vote.
They have enough votes already.
Lisa, I want to talk about
what's coming up this week with
the January 6 hearings.
We've got a hearing tomorrow and
then more throughout the week.
What should we be looking for as
the week goes on?
Lisa: There are some big
headliners.
We now know two of the witness
names that have been making
headlines.
Democrats and community members
-- committee members hope.
Notably, former allies of
president trump, bill Stepien, a
former campaign manager in 2020
for president Donald Trump, and
Chris tire while, a former
political editor for Fox News.
It's not a surprise.
He is eager to raise the
testimony -- the committee is
eager to raise the testimony of
conservatives.
Let's --
the theme is about president
trump and his awareness that he
lost, but yet the fact that he
spread what we called sometimes
the big lie, the idea that the
election was stolen.
On Wednesday the focus will be
president trump's pressure on
the department of justice,
especially what the committee
charges are his efforts to
remove the attorney general and
put in an attorney general who
would exact his agenda.
Thursday, the former president's
pressure on his vice president,
with the committee saying the
purpose of overturning the
election.
John: Is it possible to tell
from these what's coming up the
strategy that the committee has
in laying out the story, laying
out their case?
Lisa: I think so.
We can see a lot here.
This case is all about former
president trump.
This is committee that has
members who were part of
different impeachment trials.
They are saying, don't take our
word for it, we know you believe
that we have political agendas
here.
Instead believe the word of
those who were around president
trump.
They are going to make the
argument this is not
circumstantial, but their case
is based on direct evidence.
People who were with the former
president in the days leading up
to January 6 and all throughout
the election.
John: Jeff, you've written you
don't think these hearings have
the same impact as the watergate
hearings, all those many years
ago.
Was that -- why is that?
Jeff: There are two reasons.
One is that the watergate
hearings slowly dealt out in a
very stately pace information
that no one knew.
In this case, even though we are
getting compelling, dramatic
evidence, the fundamental fact
of this case, at least I think
for most people, has been known
for a long time, not trump tried
to overturn the election.
But the other reason is the
nature of the Republican party.
Back then Republicans came to
watergate skeptical about the
claims.
When Howard baker famously said,
what did the president know,
when did he know it, that was a
sign to exculpate the president.
When they learned that it was in
fact the president, mines were
changed.
This Republican party, with an
exception like Liz Cheney, are
so locked in to an often
contradictory belief, but
ultimately the same thing -- it
was a peaceful protest, false
flag, anti-fa.
It was all a political stunt.
The idea that any evidence being
presented that would change the
critical mass of Republicans --
it would be much more difficult
to see happening now than 50
years ago.
John: What would the committee
Democrats say to that, that this
is something everyone already
knows, and the Republicans --
the current Republican just
doesn't want to hear?
Lisa: I would think all the
members of the committee would
say this will affect underlying
and important dynamics in
politics and culture in this
country, even if it doesn't
change polling numbers for the
former president.
Think think this could have an
impact -- they think this could
have an impact on history.
They believe that this is
important in terms of dangers
they see right now to democracy.
John: And they are going to send
referrals to the justice
department from some of this
evidence?
Lisa: That's a good point.
This is another audience for
these hearings, the justice
department itself.
They are building a case that
isn't just rhetorical.
They are laying out evidence for
the justice department.
There are committee members and
Democrats also in the house who
say there are criminal charges
they think should be put forth
by the justice department after
this.
It's their decision, but it's
clear they are trying to build a
case and hand that off to the
justice department.
John: Jeff, Lisa, thank you very
much.
Lisa will be back at her post on
capitol hill tomorrow starting
at 10:00 eastern time for live
coverage of the second day of
the January 6th hearings.
Judy woodruff will be leading
the "Newshour" team on your pbs