The Stacks, Ep. 408: “Storming the Capitol” with Mary Clare Jalonick

Host: Traci Thomas
Guest: Mary Clare Jalonick, Associated Press reporter
Date: January 21, 2026
Book Discussed: Storm at the Capitol: An Oral History of January 6th

Episode Overview

This episode of The Stacks features a deeply engaging conversation between host Traci Thomas and AP reporter Mary Clare Jalonick. They explore Jalonick’s new book, Storm at the Capitol, which recounts the January 6, 2021, attack through an oral history format. Drawing from over 150 firsthand interviews—rioters, police, lawmakers, and staff—the book seeks to offer an unvarnished, multifaceted account of the day, cutting through subsequent narratives and controversy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Why an Oral History?

• Purpose & Rationale:
  • Jalonick highlights the shifting narratives around January 6th and emphasizes that oral history allows people who were present to speak for themselves, free from outside narration or political slant.
  • "It’s kind of almost like a bit of a foolproof way to get that history out there... It’s not my narrative, it’s not somebody else’s. It’s not partisan. It’s really just like the words of the... more than 150 people who were there." — Mary Clare Jalonick [00:13, 04:41]
• Research Process:
  • Combines her own reporting with court transcripts, congressional testimony, FBI interviews, and more.
  • “A lot of little stories and anecdotes... Things to shed light on what happened.” [04:41]
• On Crafting the Book:
  • Jalonick enjoyed piecing together the narrative, noting the editing and organizational challenge of weaving hundreds of voices into a coherent timeline.
  • “It’s a different writing process... The way the book came together was not at all like chronological... I could have added to it forever.” [06:12]

The Forgotten Violence & Memory of January 6th

• Gaps in Public Understanding:
  • Traci and Mary Clare discuss how media coverage left many with a diluted sense of the day’s violence.
  • “If you’d asked me... how violent on a scale of 1 to 10 that day was, I probably would have said... maybe a 4 or 5.” — Traci Thomas [13:20]
• Hidden Stories:
  • Many stories, especially those about hand-to-hand combat and outside violence, have been underreported or buried in court records.
  • "A lot of people... have no idea how violent it was." — Mary Clare Jalonick [14:13]
  • Emotional and physical aftermath for police—many reluctant to share due to backlash or professional risk.

Chaos, Security Failures, and Entitlement

• Timeline & Response Issues:
  • Both puzzled over why Congress remained in session so long as events unraveled and how unprepared authorities were.
  • “There were a lot of security failures that day, obviously... It’s so wild that they were still in session when the rioters had already gotten in.” — Mary Clare Jalonick [17:37]
  • Communication breakdowns meant officers just responded where needed, often without centralized direction.
• Police Perspective:
  • Officers described chaos over radios, lack of equipment, and delayed reinforcements.
  • “People... went where they thought people needed help. It was all sort of up to each individual officer.” [19:53]
• Rioters’ Attitudes:
  • Entitlement was a major thread from the rioters—believing they had the right to be in the building and being shocked at police resistance.
  • “There’s this real sense people really, really believed the election had been stolen... that they had every right... to overturn this result.” [32:26]

Motivation and Contradictions Among Rioters

• Diversity of Motivation:
  • Some came as part of coordinated groups, others swept up in the atmosphere.
  • Stories shared of individuals whose attitude changed during/after events (e.g., Jason Riddle who initially thought “it was a party” but later regretted his actions) [25:30].
• Law and Order Irony:
  • Discussed the contradiction of self-proclaimed "pro-police" groups attacking law enforcement.
  • “It’s such an amazing contradiction... The right-wing protesters will get in your face and really aren’t scared.... They’re really, really nice to police until police get in the way of something that they want to do and then it kind of goes out the window.” [28:17]

Shifting Public Perception and Continuing Spin

• Evolving Narratives:
  • As time passes, political and cultural narratives around January 6th have continued to shift, with efforts to downplay or deny violence.
  • Jalonick’s aim is to create a factual account that can reach skeptics and be trusted by both sides.
  • “I really would like... people I know who don’t believe that it was violent... to read the book... and find it to be straightforward.” [55:09]
• Media and Political Spin:
  • The “tourists” narrative, reflexive blame-shifting, and Secondhand facts all have shaped the public memory—or erasure—of key details of the day [39:45].

Writing Process and Challenges

• Personal & Professional Balance:
  • Jalonick wrote at night, juggling a demanding job and family.
  • “How little sleep can I get and survive? And that’s what I’m going to do.” [43:42]
• Compiling Voices:
  • She was deliberate about not including her personal experience except as a brief epilogue, preferring to highlight participants’ voices.
  • “I wanted to focus more on like, the police officers and, you know, lawmakers and people who were not me.” [41:35]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It’s not my narrative. It’s not somebody else’s narrative. It’s not partisan. It’s really just like the words of... more than 150 people who were there.”
  — Mary Clare Jalonick [04:41]

• “If you’d asked me... how violent on a scale of 1 to 10 that day was, I probably would have said... maybe a 4 or 5.”
  — Traci Thomas [13:20]

• “There were a lot of security failures that day, obviously... It’s so wild that they were still in session when the rioters had already gotten in.”
  — Mary Clare Jalonick [17:37]

• “There’s this real sense people really, really believed the election had been stolen... that they had every right... to overturn this result.”
  — Mary Clare Jalonick [32:26]

• “The right-wing protesters will get in your face and really aren’t scared.... They’re really, really nice to police until police get in the way of something that they want to do and then it kind of goes out the window.”
  — Mary Clare Jalonick [28:17]

• “I really would like... people I know who don’t believe that it was violent... to read the book... and find it to be straightforward.”
  — Mary Clare Jalonick [55:09]

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|---------| | 00:00–04:41 | Introduction; Why oral history format, methodology | | 07:25–10:10 | Shaping the narrative, what Jalonick wanted readers to understand | | 10:10–14:13 | Coverage of January 6: recollections, gaps, and misconceptions | | 16:36–19:14 | Congressional response and security failures | | 19:14–21:55 | Police perspective: call for reinforcements, chaos on the ground | | 24:39–28:17 | Riot dynamics: coordination, spontaneity, individual accounts | | 28:17–32:26 | Pro-police rhetoric vs. actual violence toward police | | 32:56–35:06 | Change in rioter perspectives over time | | 36:20–36:56 | Discussion of “revenge” and cultural trends | | 38:11–41:22 | Spin, rhetoric, and partisan narratives afterwards | | 41:22–43:28 | Jalonick’s writing choices, not focusing on her own experience | | 43:28–47:48 | Writing habits, rituals, and what was left out of the book | | 49:30–51:17 | Journalism: background, off-the-record, and standards | | 52:08–54:59 | Book recommendations related to January 6 and oral history |

Book Recommendations

• Garrett Graff, The Only Plane in the Sky (oral history of 9/11)
  • “Such a powerful book... There’s so much I didn’t remember or didn’t know and just like, getting all those voices... It’s so bleak.” — Mary Clare Jalonick [52:15]
• Jamie Raskin, Unthinkable
  • Offers personal and political reflection on January 6 as well as his own family tragedy.

Episode Tone

The conversation is informed, thoughtful, and candid. Traci Thomas and Mary Clare Jalonick share personal anecdotes, parental exhaustion, and a mutual sense of urgency to set the record straight about a day whose meaning is still being debated and understood.

Conclusion

This episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking a nuanced, clear-eyed perspective on January 6th. Jalonick’s Storm at the Capitol serves not just as historical documentation but as a reminder of the fragility of memory and the importance of bearing witness through many voices. Whether you’re a news junkie, a history buff, or simply curious about how history gets reported, this episode provides essential context and heartfelt reflection.

For more information, visit: thestackspodcast.com