Podcast Summary: "Remembering January 6th, Five Years Later"

Podcast: All Of It
Host: Alison Stewart (WNYC)
Guest: Mary Clare Jalonick (Associated Press reporter, author of Storm at the: An Oral History of January 6th)
Date: January 6, 2026
Main Theme:
The episode explores the fifth anniversary of the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, its continued significance, the first-hand experiences of those present, and the importance of collective memory. The discussion centers around Mary Clare Jalonick’s new oral history book, public reactions, and the ongoing complexities in remembering or misremembering that historic day.

Episode Overview

Host Alison Stewart is joined by AP reporter Mary Clare Jalonick to reflect on the Capitol insurrection of January 6th, 2021. Drawing from Jalonick’s new book—an oral history sourced from rioters, police officers, lawmakers, and eyewitnesses—the conversation probes the diversity of motivations, enduring trauma, the failure of security, and how the event is perceived five years later. Listener calls and texts add personal perspective and probing questions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Unfolding Violence & Its Underestimated Brutality

• Jalonick’s Firsthand Experience

  • The violence outside was especially severe. Jalonick recounts police being overwhelmed by “homemade weapons, flag poles, Tasers” ([03:42-04:58]).
  • Quote:

    "A lot of people don't understand just how bad it got for a lot of these officers outside... It was very, very violent."
    —Mary Clare Jalonick [03:42]

• Police Traumas

  • Over 140 officers were injured. Many suffered physically and psychologically, with some unable to return to work ([03:42-04:58]).
  • Some injuries and traumas went unreported and unaddressed.

2. Why an Oral History?

• Motivation for the Format
  • Jalonick wanted facts to come “from the actual people who were there…[so] it's not anybody's narrative. It's not a partisan narrative” ([05:03-05:56]).
  • The format allows for an encompassing, multi-sided portrayal, aiming to “lay out the facts of what happened that day.”

3. Categories & Motivations of Rioters

• Spectrum of Participants

  • Diverse motivations surfaced:
    • Some came “set on violence,” prepared with weapons, intending to stop certification.
    • Others were “just sort of along for the ride,” swept up in the moment.
    • Some, like Jason Riddle, initially felt euphoria, but later realized the gravity ([07:03-08:50]).
  • Quote:

    "Some people just got caught up in the moment…One rioter I talked to said he saw it as a party."
    —Mary Clare Jalonick [07:03]

• Organized Militia Groups

  • The Oath Keepers and Proud Boys, unlike many others, “had a definite plan” and appeared to coordinate actions to breach the building ([08:50-09:51]).

4. Law Enforcement: Preparation, Failures, and Response

• Failure of Planning

  • Both Capitol and Metropolitan Police had scant instructions: “There was not an order. There was not a plan” ([18:43-20:20]).
  • Officers were left to improvise amidst “total chaos on the radio,” hearing colleagues under attack, and with faulty equipment.

• On Being Overwhelmed

  • The police didn't “fall away” by choice; they were “so outnumbered, and it was like a surprise attack almost” ([16:32-18:27]).
  • A critical, heroic defense took place in the West Front tunnel, where police “received some of the worst of the injuries…they actually held the line” ([16:32-18:27]).

• Subsequent Reforms

  • Since then, the Capitol Police have intensified training, improved equipment, and beefed up security ([18:43-20:20]).
  • Quote:

    "If they tried this again, they would not get into the building."
    —Mary Clare Jalonick (relaying former police chief) [18:43-20:20]

5. The Atmosphere & Anticipation Before the Attack

• Washington, D.C. on January 6th

  • There “was a sense of anticipation, but...very few people...thought that it would be that violent.” ([13:07-15:14])
  • The crowd size was unexpected, especially during COVID, “a lot of people on the streets...it was sort of eerie.”

• Lawmakers’ Lack of Foresight

  • Speaker Nancy Pelosi:

    “We expected mischief in terms of process. We never expected violence.”
    —Nancy Pelosi (quoted) [13:07-15:14]

6. Inside the Capitol: Chaos and Miscommunication

• Cell Phone Blackouts & Uncertainty

  • Lawmakers, due to a “no cell phone” rule, were initially unaware of the riot’s escalation.
  • The House chamber continued debate even as chaos erupted ([21:41-23:56]).
  • Evacuation only happened when rioters reached and broke the doors; some members and reporters were left in the gallery longer due to confusion.

• Speaker Pelosi’s Reluctant Evacuation

  • Pelosi resisted her security detail at first, not realizing the severity.

    “No, I can handle this”—but her security told her, “no, you're going” ([24:12-25:01]).

7. Mike Pence: Decisions Under Pressure

• Refusal to Flee
  • Pence was ushered towards evacuation but refused to enter the car, fearing the optics and implications if seen “fleeing the Capitol” ([26:02-27:44]).
  • He stayed in the Capitol complex, directing emergency response and not “abandoning” the process.
  • Quote:

    “I am not getting in that car. We cannot see the world, cannot see the vice president fleeing the Capitol in a car.”
    —Mike Pence (paraphrased by Jalonick) [26:02-27:44]

8. Public Perception, Memory, and Division

• Endorsements and Divided Opinions

  • Listener asks why Fraternal Order of Police supported Trump in 2024 despite officer injuries. Jalonick notes complex, sometimes contradictory loyalties among officers ([10:12-11:21]).

• Conspiracy Theories & Media Divides

  • Many still cling to conspiracy theories. Jalonick’s goal: ensure a factual record by featuring testimonies from across the spectrum ([11:21-12:45]).

• The Danger of Forgetting

  • Callers emphasize the need for active remembrance. One caller articulates new, primal fear and the duty of “individual citizens” to defend democracy ([27:50-29:40]).
  • Quote:

    “We have to make sure that we individually do everything we can because our rights, our votes were violated that day.”
    —Lorraine, listener [27:50-29:40]

• Attempts to Downplay

  • Jalonick observes efforts to “downplay the violence and to...really not talk about it at all,” but she is encouraged that many (from both parties) did agree to recount their experiences ([30:00-30:47]).
  • Quote:

    “It is definitely, you know, it, there's a lot of different ways that people are sort of seeing the significance of it. But I think that, you know, people are still remembering it and I don't think it's going to go away anytime soon.”
    —Mary Clare Jalonick [30:00]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• "A lot of people don't understand just how bad it got for a lot of these officers outside... It was very, very violent."
  [Mary Clare Jalonick, 03:42]

• "Some people just got caught up in the moment…One rioter I talked to said he saw it as a party."
  [Mary Clare Jalonick, 07:03]

• "If they tried this again, they would not get into the building."
  [Mary Clare Jalonick (relaying former police chief), 18:43]

• "We expected mischief in terms of process. We never expected violence."
  [Nancy Pelosi, quoted by Jalonick, 13:07]

• "I am not getting in that car. We cannot see the world, cannot see the vice president fleeing the Capitol in a car."
  [Mike Pence, paraphrased, 26:02]

• "We have to make sure that we individually do everything we can because our rights, our votes were violated that day."
  [Listener Lorraine, 27:50]

• "It is definitely, you know, it, there's a lot of different ways that people are sort of seeing the significance of it. But I think that, you know, people are still remembering it and I don't think it's going to go away anytime soon."
  [Mary Clare Jalonick, 30:00]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Reflections on the attack, guest intro — [00:28-03:06]
• Violence outside the Capitol, the experience of officers — [03:42-04:58]
• Why an oral history? — [05:03-05:56]
• Types and motivations of rioters — [07:03-08:50]
• Oath Keepers, Proud Boys, organized elements — [08:50-09:51]
• Law enforcement failures, lack of preparation — [16:32-20:20]
• Atmosphere in D.C. that morning — [13:07-15:14]
• Confusion inside the Capitol — [21:41-23:56]
• Speaker Pelosi’s evacuation — [24:12-25:01]
• Mike Pence’s actions and motivations — [25:08-27:44]
• Callers reflect on personal impacts and the necessity of remembrance — [27:50-29:40]
• Is January 6th being forgotten or misremembered? — [30:00-30:47]

Conclusion

The episode provides a sobering, multifaceted reflection on January 6th, both as a day of unprecedented violence and as an ongoing struggle over national memory. Through the lens of oral history—real voices, unvarnished experiences—Mary Clare Jalonick and Alison Stewart highlight the importance of documenting and remembering democracy’s darkest days, and the imperative for ordinary citizens to stay vigilant.