discussed their support for former# President Trump following his indictments,## the state of the country and its divisions,# and what can be done to move forward.

For a different perspective, Judy recently# visited Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to hear from## Democrats on those topics and more.

It's part# of her ongoing series America at a Crossroads.

And this story was produced with help# from our friends at PBS39 WLVT-TV.

ELENA, Pennsylvania Voter: Now, it's just# like you just have to choose a side and you## automatically have to hate the other side, when# it shouldn't be that way.

And JU DY WOODRUFF: Strong feelings from these 15# Democrats living in and around the former steel## town of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, about the growing# sense of division they see in the country today.

MAN: I'm waiting for## someone in Congress to throw a chair at# some DEBORAH, Pennsylvania Voter: I didn't grow up like# that.

Either you're a Republican o and everyone got along.

It wasn't such a# bitter, I mean, bickering between each name-calling.

All that hate has just divided it.

SARAH LONGWELL, Longwell Partners: Who do you## guys blame f AMANDA, Pennsylvania Voter: I# think it's heavily influenced by## evangelicalism or some kind of religious push## and billionaires, or, like, the capitalism# and inequality kind of occurring together.

ELENA: I agree with that on one level.

But I also think like Donald# Trump himself ma our president makes fun of disabled people.# It's OK to do that.

Our president make disparaging comments to people.# came out of the woodworks with that.

I mean, I think a lot of people were surprised# by, like, the rampan surface and people were out and about and proud# about it, that we thought we're progressing## in this manner in this country.

But were we?# Or were people are just more quiet about it?

DAYTON, Pennsylvania Voter: Yes,# like I feel like it's from the top## down, you know, like basically,# like, if the l world is out there acting a certain# way, then it just emboldens people SARAH LONGWELL: Whether it's Republicans, swing# voters, Democrats, everybody believes we ar very divided, and everybody laments# the fact that we are very divided.

JUDY WOODRUFF: Sarah Longwell, host of "The# Focus Group" podcast, was once again our gu SARAH LONGWELL: When we talked to Republicans# before, they were very clear about who they## blame for the divisions, right?

So they# believe that the media was responsible## for the divisions in the country, whereas# the Democrats today, they blamed Trump.

That was sort of the only thing that# -- the thread they could find that## was sort of common.

They felt like# he created a permission structure## for other people to behave uncivilly,# to say sort of racist, sexist things.

ELENA: Right around the time Trump got# elected, I found out my father is now a## Republican and a Trump supporter.

And just# the things that he says are ridiculous.

And when he says the reasons why he supports him,## like, we're Hispanic.

And, like, he done# so many things against -- plenty -- there's Latinos that support# him as well, which I still don't get.

But it's just like, as a Christian man,# who that's part of your whole identi and you have this person who's a crook# and a cheater and just a degenerate,## and this is who you like?

That, to me,# doesn't match with Republican values## in general, but him as a person.# And it's just very weird to me.

ANTHONY, Pennsylvania Voter: The relative that# I have an issue with who I think is Republican# is my son.

And the only thing that I can say# or say to him is, how did you get that way?

Because, as a single father, he grew up with me,# and he saw how I voted and what our values were.

SARAH LONGWELL: The political parties that# used to be about difference in policies,## I think Trump changed the conversation# to about being a difference in values.

And so it's harder for people to understand how# somebody can support somebody like Donald Trump,## not because he advocates for# low taxes, but because he## says terrible things about people of different# races, or makes fun of a disabled reporter,## or says things about women,# who is under many indictments.

They can understand why somebody might support# somebody of a different political persua has different opinions.

They don't understand# how somebody they love, who they believe has## good values, can support this person that# they think so obviously has bad values.

We were in Iowa six, seven weeks ago.

We# were talking to Republicans.

And we asked## them whether a Democrat can truly be a# person of faith if they support issues## like transgender rights and abortion.

And they# didn't think so.

Many of them didn't think so.

What do you think about that?

MAN: The pope said i AMANDA: Yes.

MAN: You know, I think if yo AMANDA: And Jesus was an activist# who was the -- who -- you know,## it's spelled out in the Bible.

Like, I was raised# Catholic too.

I know.

I know he was inclusive of everybody.

The message# is love your neighbor as you love yourself.

I don't see how helping trans# people could be anti-religious.

JORDAN, Pennsylvania Voter: Like,# what is the point of that statement?## So is it that the Democrats -- Democrats# can't have faith if they believe in trans## people?

Can you just repeat it?

Because# it just seems like such a -- like,## am I the only one that thinks that's# like just a wild thing to say?

Like, what does that mean?

LEWIS, Pennsylvani (CROSSTALK) JUDY WOODRUFF: Unsurprisingly, the panel# had strong views on the indictments Trump## is now facing, but also didn't# expect his supporters to waver.

LEWIS: If you broke a law, you need# to answer for what you have done.## So, whether you're an# ex-president, a current president,## whoever you are, you need to answer# for what you did, the wrongdoing.

JORDAN: I mean, I think, if people do the# wrong thing, they should go to jail.

But## if he were to go to jail himself, then# the people that support him would just## blame everybody else, even though# everything -- like, everybody who## has taken the steps into this indictment# have mostly been people appointed by him.

It's always like the Democrats or everybody# else's fault or they're doing this wrong.

SARAH LONGWELL: Are you surprised that Republicans## continued to support him# after all the indictments?

LISA, Pennsylvania Voter: No, I'm not surprised.

SARAH LONGWELL: Tell m And when I was in my 20s, I would never have# an opinion like that, ever.

Now I'm in my 50s,## I'm like, this is bullcrap, that we, as a# people, Republican and some Democrats -- and## I have to say, even as a woman, we would# see banners up that said, "Vote for Trump."

What is wrong with you?

Do you know what that man# stands for, who he is and what he what he says?

INGRID, Pennsylvania Voter: In a way, I# am surprised, because I would think that,## when the cards are on the table and you see# the facts, and you you would come to realize, oh,# gee, I guess I had the wrong idea.

So that part of me kind of boggles the mind.# But on the other hand, I think a lot of the are -- it's almost like a cult, where he's# Jim Jones and they're drinking the Kool-Aid,## you know?

And you -- nothing you can say or# do will turn them around, so, you know... MICHAEL, Pennsylvania Voter: There was# hope when Liz Cheney decided to stand up## and speak out against her own party.

I thought# about maybe there's a little glimmer of hope,## if people actually start to rally# around her and -- but they didn't.

JUDY WOODRUFF: While feelings against Trump# were fierce, feelings for President Biden,## whom they all voted for, were more ambivalent.

MAN: If all these sideshows wasn't going on, I# would th Biden's putting a lot of new plans into effect,# and he's trying to help out the middle class,## working class.

And if the Republicans didn't veto# them all the time, we'd be doing a lot better.

DEBORAH: I think things are going pretty well.

People in my life have jobs.

Things are g and guns.

That's what -- it has to stop.

I mean,## it's the leading cause of death in children# in the United States.

And that's horrible.

LEWIS: Yes, he's the# president, and the shooting... WOMAN: It's a hard struggle, I know.

he has so many -- he can only# do so much as a president.

MICHAEL: The George Floyd bill, that# still hasn't passed.

That needs to happen.

SARAH LONGWELL: What about abortion?

Is that# a strong motivating issue for all of you?

MAN: Yes.

WOMAN: It sure is.

WOMAN: MAN: WOMAN: Yes.

(CROSSTALK) MICHAEL: That just, like, blows my mind.

(CROSSTALK) LISA: I can't -- I just can't stomac WOMAN: I'm actually worried of things like inflation and rising# rent prices and things like that.

And, yes, it does seem like we're# going backwards a little bit, so... EBONY, Pennsylvania Voter: Cost# of living is higher, but, like,## our paychecks or anything or not being able# to pay our city like Philadelphia.

My rent is constantly# going up.

And I'm not making more money.

So## it's just harder to survive.

Even going grocery# shopping, everything is just way more expensive.

SARAH LONGWELL: These groups of Democrats from# Pennsylvania sound so much the Democrats we## talk to across the country.

They are kind of# middling on Joe Biden.

They tend to not have## a great sense of what he's done or a very# positive sense of things that he's passed.

And then there's still a lot of economic# anxiety from these folks.

Despite the fact## that the macroeconomic picture has been# brightening and the Biden administration## has been out there trying to tell a positive# story about the economy, these voters in their## daily lives still feel high gas prices, high# rents.

They're still feeling the inflation.

And that's what they tend to talk about.

INGRID: I think, right now,# better than we were tw four years ago, but I think there's a ways to go.

JUDY WOODRUFF: So, a mixed picture from this group# of Democratic vo Biden administration, who see Trump as continuing# to divide the country, while also dominating its## attention, and who have few answers for# how to move beyond him and his support.

For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Judy# Woodruff in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.