the images of the violent mob. reggie: described as one of the worst attacks on american democracy since the civil war. the u.s. government saying its investigation is far from over. we are standing by for special coverage. >> and a lien live look from inside the u.s. capitol. president biden is set to deliver remarks at any moment and he's expected to lay out america's critical road ahead. reggie: good morning >> good morning. let's zoom into the problem spots. about a half mile visibility in concord. this fog will linger for the next several hours. your day shapes up like this. areas of dense fog this morning. it's another mostly cloudy day out there. temperatures in the upper 50's, low 60's. it's dry today.

rain returns tomorrow. we'll look at this in a few minutes. reggie: thank you. we're standing by for -- standing by for a special report marking one year since the deadly attack on the capitol. president biden set to address the nation from the very site of the virginia techs. so we'll take you -- insurrection. we'll take you live now to the u.s. capitol this morning. one year ago today rioters forced their way into the capitol in an effort to keep congress from confirming president biden's election victory. we've learned this morning that the threat to congress isn't over. reporter: right. so we are waiting on that special report but in the meantime i want to let you know that a senior law enforcement official tells abc news that in the 48 hours leading up to today, intelligence analysts have seen a concerning increase in online chatter urging people to attack members of congress and other government officials. there's no specific threat but police agencies are planning for attacks. democratic lawmakers are hosting several events to mark the anniversary, including a speech by house speaker nancy pelosi at 9:00 a.m. most republicans are expected to

be absent. punishment for the insurrection continues. according to george washington university, 705 cases have been filed against people involved. and a rare speech, attorney general marric garland said the justice department will continue to prosecute any and all cases related to the attack. >> whether they were present that day or were otherwise criminally responsible for the assault on our democracy, we will follow the facts wherever they lead. jobina: a new abc news poll says 72% of americans believe those involved in the capitol attack were threatening democracy. former president trump planned to hold a news conference today but it was abruptly canceled after allies warned it would cause unnecessary problems for republicans. reggie: thank you. so here's another live look inside the capitol this morning. we are standing by for a special coverage from abc news as we are

getting ready for president biden to speak to the nation any time. of course we'll be stepping aside to bring that to you live when it happens. you can watch it right here on abc 7 or wherever you stream us. coming up later on abc 7 mornings, our live interview with peninsula congresswoman speier who was in the capitol building when the insurrection happened. she'll reflect on last year and where we are now as a country. that's coming up here at 6:45 this morning. kumasi: new details. we now know the identity of the alameda county sheriff's recruit killed in a shooting in oakland. his name is david nguyen. he was supposed to graduate from the sheriff's office academy next month. authorities say he was driving home on interstate 5850 toward the bay bridge when someone shot into his toyota prius. he was taken to the hospital where he died. the bay area law enforcement community in a state of shock. >> business was definitely not as usual for the 172nd academy.

to come to work when their fellow academy mate is no longer here. kumasi: highway patrol is investigating what led to the shooting but so far no arrests have been made. now this is the fourth deadly shooting on a highway in oakland since may and all of those are not solved. they ar remain unsolved. people are urged to come forward with any of these shootings. you can call the c. h.p. tip line at 707-917-4491 reggie: as young as 12 now eligible for a covid booster shot after the c.d.c. gave the final go-ahead last night. this comes just as a surge of infections disrupts schools nationwide. chicago might be the worst case. scoolings have -- schools have canceled classes again today after the teacher's union refused to return to the classroom. now we take you to washington, d.c., as the president gets ready. >> coming on the air this morning because we're about to hear from the president as this nation marks a painful day in

its history. january 6, it was one year ago today this country, the world, witnessed american democracy tested in ways we have not seen in our lifetime. in just a few moments here, president biden and vice president harris will speak at the u.s. capitol where president biden will say former president trump is singularly responsible for the insurrection. he is going to say the president caused the chaos and carnage of that day by trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election. the pictures there, the u.s. capitol, of course, attacked by thousands of president trump's supporters. many of whom had listened to the former president that morning, encouraging thome head for the capitol. saying he would be there with them. we know he was later watching in the white house as it all unfolded. the images of that day are unforgettable, burned into the collective consciousness of millions of americans and people all around the world. the president that morning telling supporters to fight telling supporters to fireffight like hell. what unfolded was something

never seen before in u.s. history. many rioters scaling the walls. inside chanting hang mike pence. the horrifying screams of daniel hodges, capitol police officer. he said there must be accountability. we cannot forget the heroics of eugene goodman. there are so many officers whose names we don't know. many hours later congress did go back certifying the election for president biden in the early hours of that morning. capitol police estimate more than 10,000 rioters were on the capitol grounds.

more than 700 have been arrested in the days, weeks and months that followed. the fbi looking for 350 more suspects who participated. four protesters died that way. officer brian sicknick died a day later. 140 police officers were injured. at least 172 rioters have pleaded guilty to charges including assaulting police. at least 75 rioters have been sentenced. 35 receiving prison time. the longest sentence five years. the vice president right there, she'll speak first before we hear from president biden on this january 6th. let's listen to vice president kamala harris. >> fellow americans, good morning. certain dates echo throughout history, including dates that instantly remind all who have lived through them where they

were and what they were doing when our democracy came under assault. dates that occupy, not only a place on our calendars, but a place in our collective memory. december 7, 1941, september 11, 2001 and january 6, 2021. on that day i was not only vice president elect, i was also a united states senator. i was here at the capitol that morning at a classified hearing with fellow members of the senate intelligence committee. hours later the gates of the capitol were breached. i had left, but my thoughts immediately turned not only to my colleagues, but to my staff who had been forced to seek refuge in our office converting

filing cabinets into barricades. what the extremists who roamed these halls targeted was not only the lives of elected leaders, what they sought to degrade and destroy was not only a building hallowed as it is. what they were assaulting were the institutions, the values, the ideals that generations of americans have marched, picketed and shed blood to establish and defend. on january 6th we all saw what our nation would look like if the forces who seek to dismantle

our democracy are successful. the lawlessness, the violence, the chaos. what was at stake then, and now, is the right to have our future decided the way the constitution prescribes it, by we the people. all the people. we cannot let our future be decided by those bent on silencing our voices, overturning our votes and pedaling lies and misinformation by some radical faction that may be newly resurgent, but whose

roots lie old and deep. when i meet with young people, they often ask about the state of our democracy, about january 6th. reflects the dual nature of 6th- democracy, its fragility and its strength. you see the strength of democracy is the rule of law. the strength of democracy is the principle that everyone should be treated equally, that elections should be free and fair, that corruption should be given no kwquarter. the strength of democracy is that it empowers the people, and the fragility of democracy is this -- if we are not vigilant, if we do not defend it,

democracy simply will not stand. it will falter and fail. the violent assault that took place here, the very fact of how close we came to an election overturned, that reflects the fragility of democracy. yet, the resolve i saw in our elected leaders when i returned to the senate chamber that night, their resolve not to yield, but to certify the election, their loyalty, not to party or person, but to the constitution of the united states, that reflects its strength. and so, of course, does the heroism of the capitol police, the d.c. metropolitan police department, the national guard

and other law enforcement officers who answered the call that day. including those who later succumbed to wounds, both visible and invisible. our thoughts are with all the families who lost a loved one. you know, i wonder how will january 6th come to be remembered in the years ahead? will it be remembered as a moment that accelerated the unraveling of the oldest, greatest democracy in the world? or, a moment when we decided to secure and strengthen our democracy for generations to come? the american spirit is being tested. the answer to whether we will

meet that test resides where it always has resided in our country, with you, the people. the work ahead will not be easy. here in this very building a decision will be made about whether we uphold the right to vote and ensure free and fair elections. let's be clear. we must pass voting rights bills now before the senate, and the american people must also do something more. we cannot sit on the sidelines. we must unite in defense of our democracy in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic

tranquillity, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare and secure blessings of liberty to ourselves and to our prosperity and posterity. that is the preamble to the constitution that president biden and i swore an oath to uphold and defend. that's the enduring promise of the united states of america. my fellow americans, it is my honor to introduce a public servant with the character and fortitude to meet this moment, a leader whose life's work has been moving our nation toward that more perfect union, president joe biden. >> vice president kamala harris speaking of the stakes, saying americans can't sit on the sidelines, that we must unite.

we will now hear from president biden on this anniversary. >> madam vice president, my fellow americans, to state the obvious, one year ago today in this sacred place democracy was attacked, simply attacked. the will of the people was under assault. the constitution, our constitution, faced the gravest of threats. out numbered in the face of a brutal attack, the capitol police, the d.c. metropolitan police department, the national guard and other brave law enforcement officials saved the rule of law. our democracy held. we, the people, endured. we, the people, prevailed. for the first time in our

history, a president had not just lost an election, he tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of power as a violent mob breached the capitol, but they failed. they failed. on this day of remembrance we must make sure such an attack never, never happens again. i'm speaking to you today from s statchuary hall. on this floor is where a young congressman from illinois, abraham lincoln sat at desk 191. above him, above us, over that door leading into the rotunda is a sculpture, depicting cleo, the muse of history. in her hands an open book which

she records events taking place in this chamber below. cleo stood watch over this hall one year ago today as she has for more than 200 years. she recorded what took place, the real history, the real facts, the real truth. the facts and the truth that vice president harris just shared and that you and i and the whole world saw with our own eyes. the bible tells us that we shall know the truth and the truth shall make us free. we shall know the truth. here is the god's truth about january 6, 2021. close your eyes. go back to that day. what do you see? rioters rampagig.

waving for the first time inside this capitol confederate flag that symbolized the cause to destroy america, to rip us apart. endur even during the civil war that never happened, but it happened here in 2021. what else do you see? a mob breaking windows, kicking ind in doors, breaching doors, american flags being used as spears. a crowd that professes their love for law enforcement assaulted police officers, dragged them, sprayed them, stomped on them. over 140 police officers were injured. we all heard the police officers there that day testify to what happened. one officer called it, quote, a

medieval battle and that he was more afraid that day than he was fighting the war in iraq. they repeatedly asked since that day how dare anyone, anyone, diminish, belittle or deny the hell they were put through. we saw it with our own eyes. rioters menaced these halls. threatened the life of the speaker of the house. literally erecting gallows to hang the vice president of the united states of america. what did we not see? we didn't see a former president who had just rallied the mob to attack sitting in the private dining room off the oval office in the white house watching it all on television and doing nothing for hours as police were

assaulted, lives at risk. the nation's capitol was under siege. this wasn't a group of tourists. this was an armed insurrection. they weren't looking to uphold the will of the people. they were looking to deny the will of the people. they were not looking to uphold a free and fair election. they were looking to overturn one. they weren't looking to save the cause of america. they were looking to subvert the constitution. this isn't about being bogged down in the past. this is about making sure the past isn't buried. that's the only way forward. that's what great nations do. they don't bury the truth. they face up to it. sounds like hyperbole, but it's the truth. they face up to it. we are a great nation.

my fellow americans, in life there's truth and tragically there are lies. lies conceived and spread for profit and power. we must be absolutely clear about what is true and what is a lie. here's the truth. the former president of the united states of america has created and spread a web of lies about the 2020 election. he's done so because he values power over principle, because he sees his own interests as more important than his country's interests, than america's interests and because his bruised ego matters more to him than our democracy or our kons tue constitution. he can't accept he lost even

though that's what 93 senators, his own attorney general, judges and governors have all said. he lost. that's what 81 million of you did as you voted for a new way forward. he's done what no president in american history has ever, ever done. he refused to accept the results of an election and the will of the american people. well some courageous men and women in the republican party are standing against it, trying to uphold the principle of that party. too many others seem to no longer want to be the party of lincoln, eisenhower, reagan, the bushes. whatever my other disagreements are with respects who support the rule of law and not the rule

of a single man i'll always seek to work together with them. to find shared solutions where possible. we have a shared belief in democracy. anything is possible, anything. so at this moment we must decide what kind of nation are we going to be. are we going to be a nation that accepts political violence as a norm? are we going to be a nation where we allow partisan election officials to overturn the legally expressed will of the people? are we going to be a nation that lives not by the light of the truth, but in the shadow of lies? we cannot allow ourselves to be that kind of nation. the way forward is to recognize the truth and to live by it. the big lie being told by the former president and many

republicans who fear his wrath is that the insurrection in this country actually took place on election day, november 3, 2020. think about that. is that what you thought? is that what you thought when you voted that day? taking part in an insurrection, is that what you thought you were doing? did you think you were carrying out your highest duty as a citizen and voting? former president supporters are trying to rewrite history. they want you to see election day as the day of insurrection and the riot that took place here on january 6th as a true expression of the will of the people. can you think of a more twisted way to look at this country, to look at america? i cannot. here's the truth. the election of 2020 was the

greatest demonstration of democracy in the history of this country. more of you voted in that election than ever voted in all of american history. over 150 million americans went to the polls and voted that day, in a pandemic. some at great risk to their lives. they should be applauded, not attacked. right now in state after state new laws are being written, not to protect the vote, but to deny it. not only to suppress the vote, but to subvert it. not to strengthen and protect our democracy, but because the former president lost instead of looking at the election results of 2020 and saying they need new ideas or better ideas to win more votes. the former president and his supporters have decided the only way for them to win is to

suppress your vote and subvert our elections. it's wrong. it's un-democratic and frankly it's unamerican. second big lie being told by the former president and his supporters is that the results of the election of 2020 can't be trusted. the truth is that no election, no election in american history has been more closely scrutinized or more carefully counted. every legal challenge questioning the results in every court in this country that could have been made was made and was rejected. a often rejected by republican appointed judges, including judges appointed by the former president himself. recounts were undertaken in

state after state. georgia, georgia, counted its results three times with one recount by hand. phoney partisan audits were undertaken long after the election in several states. none changed the results. in some of the m the irony was the count grew slightly. even before the first ballot was cast the former president was preemptively sewing doubt about the election results. it wasn't based in facts. he was looking for an excuse, a pretext to cover for the truth. he's not just the former president. he's a defeated former president. defeated by a margin of over 7

million of your votes and a full and free and fair election. there is simply zero proof the election results were inaccurate. in fact, in every venue where evidence had to be produced an oath to tell the truth had to be taken, the former president failed to make his case. just think about this. the former president and his supporters have never been able to explain how they accept as accurate the other election results that took place on november 3rd. the elections for governor, united states senate, house of representatives, aelections whih they closed the gap in the house. they challenged none of that. the president's name was first and then we went down the line governors, senators, house of representatives.

somehow those results were accurate on the same ballot. but the presidential race was flawed? on the same ballot, the same day cast by the same voters. the only difference the former president didn't lose those races. he just lost the one that was his own. final the third big lie being told by the former president that the mob who wanted to impose their law through violence were true patriots. is that what you thought when you looked at the mob destroying property, literally defecating in the hallways, rifling through the desks of senators and representatives, hunting down members of congress? patriots? not in my view.

to me the true patriots were the more than 150 americans who peacefully expressed their vote at the ballot boxes, the election workers who protected the integrity of the vote, and the heros who defended this capitol. you can't love your country only when you win. you can't obey the law only when it's convenient. you can't be patriotic when you embrace and enable lies. those who stormed this capitol and those who instigated and incited and those who called on them to do so held a dagger at the throat of america and american democracy. they didn't come here out of patriotism or principle. they came here enraged, not in service of america, but rather in service of one man. those who incited the mob, the

real plotters who were desperate to deny the certification of this election, defile the will of the voters, but their plot was foiled. congressmen, democrats and republicans, stayed. senators, representatives, staff they finished their work the constitution demanded. they honored their oath to defend the constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic. look, folks, now it's up to all of us, to we the people, to stand for the rule of law, to preserve the flame of democracy, to keep the promise of america alive, the promises at risk, targeted by the forces that value brute strength over the

sanctity of democracy. fear over hope. personal gain over public good. make no mistake about it, we're living at an inflection point in history, both at home and abroad. we're engaged in a struggle between democracy and auto kra si, between aspirations of the many and the greed of the few. between the people's right of self-determination and self-seeking autocrats. from china to russia they're betting that democracy's days are numbered. they actually told me dlsemocra is too slow, too bogged down to succeed in today's world. they're betting america will become more like them and less like us. they're betting america is a

place for the autocrat, the dictator. i don't believe that. that is not who we are. that is not who we have ever been. that is not who we shoulder, ever be. our founding fathers, as imperfect as they were, set in motion an experiment that changed the world. literally changed the world. here in america the people would rule. power would be transferred peacefully, never at the tip of a spear or barrel of a gun. they committed to paper an idea that they couldn't live up to, but an idea that couldn't be constrained. yes, in america all people are created equal. we reject the view that, if you

succeed, i fail. if you get ahead, i fall behind. if i hold you down, i somehow lift myself up. the former president who lies about this election and the mob that attacked this capitol could not be further away from the core american values. they wanted to rule or they will ruin. ruin what our country fought for at lexington and concord at gettysburg and omaha beach, selma, alabama. what were we fighting for? the right to vote. the right to govern ourselves. the right to determine our own destiny. with rights come responsibilities, responsibilities to see each

other as neighbors. maybe we disagree with that neighbor, but they're not an adversary. responsibility to accept defeat, then get back in the arena and try again the next time to make your case. responsibility to see that america is an idea, an idea requires vigilant stewardship. as we stand here today, one year since january 6, 2021, the lies that drove the anger and madness we saw in this place, they have not abated. we have to be firm, resolute and unyielding in our defense of the right to vote and to have that vote counted. some have already made the ultimate sacrifice in this sacred effort. jill and i have mourned police officers in this rotunda, not

once, but twice in the wake of january 6th. once to honor officer brian sicknick who lost his life the day after the attack. the second time to honor officer billy evans who lost his life. think about the others who lost their lives and injured and everyone living with the trauma of that day from those defending this capitol, to members of congress of both parties and their staffs, to reporters, cafeteria workers, custodial workers and their families. don't kid yourself, the pain and scars from that day run deep. i said it many times and it's no more true or real when we think about the events of january 6th. we are in a battle for the soul

of america, a battle that by the grace of god and the goodness and greatness of this nation we will win. believe me i know how difficult democracy is. i'm crystal clear about the threats america faces. i also know that our darkest days can lead to light and hope from the death and destruction as the vice president referenced at pearl harbor, from the brutality of bloody sunday on the edmund pettus bridge. now let's step up and right the next chapter in american history. where january 6th marks not the end of democracy, but the beginning of a renaissance of liberty and fair play.

i did not seek this fight brought to this capitol one year ago today, but i will not shrink from it either. i will stand in this breach. i will defend this nation. i will allow no one to place a dagger at the throat of democracy. we will make sure the will of the people is heard, that the battle prevails, not violence, that authority in this nation will always be peacefully transferred. i believe the power of the presidency and the purpose is to unite this nation, not divide it. to lift us up, not tear us apart. it's about us, not about me. deep in the heart of america burns the flame almost 250 years ago of liberty, freedom and equality. this is not a land of kings or

dictators. we're a nation of laws, order, not chaos, peace, not violence. here in america the people rule through the ballot and their will prevails. let us remember together we're one nation under god, indivisible. today, tomorrow and forever at our best we are the united states of america. god bless you all. may god protect our troops. may god bless those who stand watch over our democracy. >> president biden at the u.s. capitol this morning. you could clearly hear the passion in his voice as he told the american people what's at stake as we mark this one year since january 6th. articulating the case that this democracy is fragile and must be

protected. the president looking back at what happened one year ago spelled it out saying for the first time in our history a president had not just lost an election, but he tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of power with that violent mob. he also talked about the horrific images seen by the country a year ago and by the world, but he also said what did we not see. we did not see a former president sitting in a room off the oval office doing nothing, watching as it was all unfolding while lives were risk. saying the former president's bruised ego mattered more than democracy and our constitution. i want to bring in cecilia vega. cecelia, what we witnessed a year ago we had not seen in our lifetime. what we witnessed today from the president we also have not seen in the first year of his presidency. he's been very careful not to reference the former president. to stay away from that to stick

to the issues at hand. today clearly made the decision he needed to lay out the case of what happened a year ago. >> reporter: these were his strongest words yet on former president trump since he has taken office on what happened on january 6th. these attacks were personl and they were one after the next basically from the moment this president started to speak and make his case. i want to go through a handful. you mentioned some. former president trump is not just a former president, he called him a defeated former president. he said he created and spread a web of lies. he is someone who values power over principle. he has a bruised ego. he said he can't accept the fact he lost to this day and cares more about his own personal interests than the country's interests. he said it's a former president who tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of power, something we've never before seen and he personally rallied

the mobs of people just outside this building, head towards the capitol and the former president came back into his personal dining room, watched it all unfold on tv and did nothing for hours as it was taking place. i've not heard this president speak about this former president using his words. he's been called on by members of his party to be stronger and more forceful on this topic. he was certainly speaking to them from that podium. >> as you reported overnight the president heavily involved in this speech. i want to bring in jonathan karl who has been reporting on the january 6th attack for the last year for his book and for us here at abc news. jon, you heard the president there talk about the facts if this, that the governors, the attorney general, the then attorney general william barr

said there was no evidence of fraud. the judges across the country said no fraud. 81 million voters voted for president biden. that the former president was defeated by 7 million votes. one of the things that you have reported is not only the horror of january 6th, what we witnessed unfold, but how close we came to something even worse. >> reporter: i think the critical thing in what joe biden did there in that speech was to put this in the larger context, david. this was not simply a day about an insurrection, about a riot, about an attack on the capitol building. it was about more than the violence we all saw. as horrific as it was, the significant thing that happened and why this was different than riots we've seen elsewhere or unrest we've seen elsewhere, this was an effort to overturn a presidential election, to

overthrow a duly elected president. what joe biden did in that speech was to go over point by point the underlying lies that fueled the attack on the capitol building. looking at another very important point he made there were elections up and down the ballot. 2020 was a very good election for republicans except for donald trump. they picked up seats in the house. they picked up governorships. biden mentions this, goes into it. donald trump was defeated and he was somebody who could not stand up to the fact he was defeated and was willing in biden's view to put american democracy in jeopardy, to tell the world that did lose and and and and and he- ways. >> going down the rest of the ballot and the republican victories on that day, he questioned why many of the former president's supporters

haven't argued the results of those races, but simply the race at the top. one more quick question before i move on is this notion that there was extraordinary pressure on the former vice president mike pence, you have reported on this, and members of congress not to move forward. the bigger picture of that day is they returned to the capitol to certify the election. >> reporter: it's a tremendous point of optimism in all of the dreadful memories that we have from that day. after the riot, david, after this building was attacked and after this building was stormed, hundreds of people roaming the halls carrying with them -- obviously there was concern there could have been bombs left in the building. there could have been other things that were dangerous. there was a fear about coming back. congress came back.

they came back at 8:00 that night. they reconvened. they went through the counting of the votes and the presidential election was certified. i was up here on capitol hill on september 11, 2001. i was covering those attacks. i remember that evening -- i'm sure you do as well. i was there on the steps of the capitol over here when the members of the house and senate came back to a building that had been evacuated and came and assembled on the steps and sang "god bless america" together. i thought it was a similar moment when those members came back and did their work and did their constitutional duty and despite the attack that happened that day, despite the fact there was still broken glass throughout the building. there was blood on the statues. despite the fact you could get the stench of tear gas and bear

spray in the air. they came back and the certification of the election went forward. >> democracy holding at such an awful day in our modern history. jon karl, thank you. i want to bring in rachel scott. you heard jon talk about lawmakers returning to the capitol to vert fcertify the vo. for so many lawmakers it was their first moment in the capitol themselves. they had just been elected. many were freshmen lawmakers. i don't like to make the news about ourselves, but you had been a produce for abc news, a reporter. this was your first day on the job as our chief congressional correspondent. what an extraordinary thing to witness and for these lawmakers who will forever remember their first hours on the hill. >> reporter: first day covering capitol hill, david. the first 100 hours were completely filled with chaos and confusion.

i was not alone. for freshmen lawmakers it was their first week on capitol hill. many of them running for safety in a building that they hardly knew. there is a weight that you feel now after january 6th, almost every single time you enter the building. windows, entrances, exits, the cafeteria, it all strtriggers s level of trauma for many people. the lawmakers stuck in the gallery they have formed a group, stayed connected that day together by chance. they've gone to therapy together. some diagnosed with ptsd. aides, staff to nancy pelosi who barricaded themselves under a conference room table for hours. they're still dealing with anxiety from that day. so many people that suffered so much pain and trauma now returning back to the capitol and a place where they never

knew whether they would make it out. 147 republicans voted against certifying the election that day. it also changed our politics. there are deep divisions inside the united states capitol between democrats and republicans. those who stood side by side throughout the violence are still divided the. >> divisions on capitol hill perhaps even stronger today. i want to bring in martha raddatz. martha, you were at the capitol a year ago. you witnessed the division among the american people. there were veterans there, supporters of the former president against the officers, many of whom had served their country too overseas. that has never really left you. >> reporter: it really hasn't, david. it was so stunning to me. starting very early that morning i was seeing veterans at the

rally, some of them wearing body armor. you could talk to them about why they had body armor on. they would say, no, there's not going to be any violence. then hours later storming this capitol building. it was shocking to see veterans on one side and the police on the other, also veterans. many of them had been in iraq and afghanistan and they were fighting one another. it was a horrific scene. david, i walked around here this week for the first time since january 6th and if you look out on the mall, that is what those police officers were seeing as they were trying to defend this building, defend democracy. they were looking down at this nation's history, at the washington monument, at the lincoln memorial. this is the seat of democracy and they defended it to the best of their abilities. you have to wonder, david, what effect will president biden's

speech have on them, on those who stormed this building. i have since talked to one of those veterans. he said he still believes to this day that the election was stolen. there's no arguing with him. those are the people that president biden also has to try to reach and it really looks like an almost impossible task. >> martha raddatz back at the capitol. thanks to you. our coverage will continue on abc news live and abcnews.com. i'll be back with a moment of silence later today. our entire team standing by for that. a special edition of "world news tonight." tonight." reggie: welcome back to abc mornings. we were watching special coverage from abc news. the president and the vice president speaking from the capitol this morning, talking about those events one year ago

today that all of us will remember. very few of us know exactly what it was like to be under siege like congresswoman jackie speier knows what it was like. she was in the capitol that day along with her colleagues as the people stormed this hall of american democracy. she's joining us now live to talk about the speech that the president just gave and the vice president also. her thoughts about one year later. representative speier, it's very nice to see you. i want to get your response to the president's speech. these were some of the harshest remarks we've heard from the president regarding his view of president trump's responsibility for the january 6 insurrection. >> i think his remarks were extraordinary. they were powerful. they were insightful. and they were direct. and frankly that's the way we have to talk today about the most pick of toll moment -- pivotal moment in the history of this country in the last centu

century. having been in that gallery, having thought that i was going to lose my life and then to have 147 republicans, after having witnessed all of that, go to the floor later that night and vote to overturn the votes in those states of arizona and pennsylvania, speaks volumes about one thing. themselves. they cared not about this country. they cared about their elections and their re-elections. when you have people like kevin mccarthy stand on the house floor and say that president trump at the time was responsible for what took place and then days later reverse himself, i'm delighted that the president biden spoke so powerfully. he talked about it being a dagger at the throat of

democracy and it is. you know, i've experienced so many things in my professional and political life. i've been to seneca falls, i've been to omaha beach. i have been to selma. i had the opportunity last night to really talk to two heroes and i encourage your viewers to look to my facebook page where i interviewed michael finone and sergeant ganell. two officers who were there who fought for hours trying to hold back that mob. and their words were so profound. and if anyone doubts for a minute that this was an effort -- wasn't an effort to overtake our country, to throw out the election, and to put donald trump in as an autocrat, all they have to do is listen to those two men. kumasi: congresswoman, thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us this morning. we really appreciate

after my car accident, i wondered what my case was worth. so i called the barnes firm. when that car hit my motorcycle, insurance wasn't fair. so i called the barnes firm. it was the best call i could've made. atat t bararnefirmrm, our r inry a attneysys wk hahard i could've made. atat t bararnefirmrm, to get you the best result possible.

call us now and find out what your case could be worth. you u mit bebe sprisised ♪ the barnes firm injury attorneys ♪ ♪ call one eight hundred, eight million ♪ ♪ the barnes firm injury attorneys ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ call one eight hundred, eight million ♪ easy tools on the chase mobile app. simplicity feels good. chase. make more of what's yours.

kumasi: it is 6:57. here are the seven things to know this morning. number one, president biden just wrapped up his address to the nation, marking one year since the capitol insurrection. president biden says our country's democracy remains under attack, saying we must decide what kind of nation we're going to be. coming up at 9:00 a.m., house speaker nancy pelosi will make a statement on the house floor. reggie: the sheriff killed earlier this week while driving on interstate 580 has been identified as 2-year-old -- 28-year-old david i nguyen. no arrests have been made in the case. kumasi: a group of san francisco teachers are planning a sick-out today because they don't feel the district has done enough to protect them from covid-19. this comes after hundreds of teachers and paraeducators called out sick yesterday. reggie: number four, fremont unified is opening more sites for parents to pick up at-home covid test kits after these huge lines yesterday. so they're going to be open from 10:00 this morning until 2:00 p.m. today at american high school, irvington high school and fremont adult and continuing education. drew: we do the dense fogg

advisory in effect for counties. fog sticks around until about 10:00 a.m. the seven-day forecast, mostly cloudy day today. rain tomorrow. looking great for the weekend. jobina: a live picture it from the bay bridge toe lovelace-tolbert plaza -- toll plaza. kumasi: number seven. san francisco tech company bolt is now permanently switching to a four-day workweek. so we spoke with the c.e.o. about the idea. back in october. and he said the company had just started to test the new schedule. within a month there was a surge in productivity. so now this perk is official. reggie: this is my dream. kumasi: a six-hour day? reggie: could you imagine? i have friends that work four-day weeks. drew: are they just thrivinging? reggie: theaives been thriving for years.

they look at least 12 years younger than me. good morning, america, for our viewers in the west. on this anniversary of the assault on our capitol, the investigation charges ahead. america's divisions persist. breaking news, the president addresses the nation this morning, one year after the capitol insurrection. the president calls former president trump singularly responsible for the riot as we learn just how close trump came to overturning the election results. while the investigation ramps up, trumpery former press secretary who resigned that day meets with the house committee and attorney general merrick garland has a new warning for those present and who planned the violence. we're live in our nation's capitol this morning. breaking overnight, the cdc giving the green light to boosters for 12 to 15-year-olds as the fight over school shutdowns grow and the new