Some people only hear what they want to hear!
A new Reuters/Ipsos poll finds that despite all the indictments of Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, and other assorted right-wingers, about half of all Republicans blame Antifa for trying to make Trump look bad, or believe the siege was a non-violent protest.
The March 30-31 poll showed that more than half of Republicans believe the Trump's claim the election was stolen from him due to significant voter fraud, and six out of 10 Republicans think he should run again in 2024.
Of course, it doesn't hurt that so many of these people dwell exclusively in the Fox News media universe, whose talking heads have been working hard to keep reality from intruding on the Trump narrative.
The Reuters/Ipsos poll shows a large number of rank-and-file Republicans have embraced the myth. While 59% of all Americans say Trump bears some responsibility for the attack, only three in 10 Republicans agree. Eight in 10 Democrats and six in 10 independents reject the false claims that the Capitol siege was “mostly peaceful” or it was staged by left-wing protestors.
“Republicans have their own version of reality,” said John Geer, an expert on public opinion at Vanderbilt University. “It is a huge problem. Democracy requires accountability and accountability requires evidence.”
