Claire Galofaro, enterprise correspondent, Kentucky; Juliet Linderman, reporter, Washington; and Allen Breed, video journalist, Raleigh, North Carolina, wanted to explore how people on different sides of the political gulf in the U.S. view the election and transfer of power.
They found two Maryland residents who represent polar political opposites: one a Trump Republican who has two TVs tuned to conservative media; the other a staunch Democrat eager for the inauguration of Joe Biden. Both are members of a program designed to bridge the nation’s extraordinary political divide.
The AP team followed as the pair navigated the turbulent transition between administrations, careful to report fairly while not making their divergent positions equivalent — the journalists made it clear that the facts establish Biden’s win and do not support claims of a stolen election.
The all-formats package attracted attention and yes, sparked heated discussion online.
Democrat Jim Carpenter, left, and Republican Natalie Abbas discuss issues in Carpenter’s Frederick, Md., apartment during the inauguration of Joe Biden, Jan. 20, 2021, in an image from video.
AP image from video / Allen G. Breed