Inside the Polarization | Divided States of America Part 1 (full documentary) | FRONTLINE (PBS)

The first episode of a two-part 2017 docuseries on the partisanship that gridlocked Washington during Barack Obama’s presidency, and the polarized America that Donald Trump stood to inherit. (Aired 2017) This journalism is made possible by viewers like you. Donate to FRONTLINE now: https://bit.ly/47DFzCb And support your local PBS station here: https://www.pbs.org/donate Days before Donald Trump’s inauguration in January 2017, FRONTLINE premiered “Divided States of America,” a four-hour, two-night documentary miniseries examining events during the Obama presidency that revealed deep divisions in the U.S. and helped pave the way for Trump’s ascent. With conflict and discord continuing to define the American political reality to this day, episode one of “Divided States of America” is now available to watch on YouTube for the first time. Its release is part of an effort to make FRONTLINE’s documentary archive widely available for streaming, with episode two following June 9, 2026. “Divided States of America” was directed by Michael Kirk. It was written by Michael Kirk and Mike Wiser. It was produced by Michael Kirk, Mike Wiser and Philip Bennett. It was produced and reported by Jim Gilmore and Gabrielle Schonder. The executive producer at large of FRONTLINE was David Fanning. Explore additional reporting on “Divided States of America” on our website: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/do... #Documentary #BarackObama #DonaldTrump #Politics Subscribe on YouTube:    / pbsfrontline   Sign up for our newsletter: https://frontline.org/newsletter Instagram:   / frontlinepbs   Facebook:   / frontline   Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/frontlinepbs... FRONTLINE is produced at GBH in Boston and airs nationwide on PBS. The editor-in-chief and executive producer of FRONTLINE is Raney Aronson-Rath. Funding for FRONTLINE is provided through the support of PBS viewers and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, with major support from Ford Foundation, and The Fialkow Family Foundation. Additional support for FRONTLINE is provided by the Abrams Foundation, Park Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Heising-Simons Foundation, and the FRONTLINE Trust, with major support from Jon and Jo Ann Hagler on behalf of the Jon L. Hagler Foundation, and Corey David Sauer, and additional support from Koo and Patricia Yuen. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Prologue 02:06 - Barack Obama & John McCain’s 2008 Presidential Campaigns 23:22 - The 2008 Financial Crisis in the U.S. 43:08 - Backlash to the Wall Street Bailouts 01:01:36 - Obama’s Healthcare Reform Fight 01:10:07 - How Obama Handled Issues of Race & Racism 01:40:47 - What Republicans’ 2010 Midterm Election Rout Signified 01:54:24 - Credits