A Final Dispatch From America’s Bellwether

The Run-Up

The New York Times

News Commentary, Politics, News

4.4 • 2K Ratings

🗓️ 5 November 2024

⏱️ 49 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

For months now, “The Run-Up” has been traveling around the country talking with people, trying to ensure that when today came, whatever happened wouldn’t feel like a surprise. So as people go to the polls to cast their vote for Kamala Harris, Donald Trump or someone else, we wanted to return to the place where we started almost exactly a year ago. Clallam County, in the northwest corner of Washington State. It’s the last true bellwether county in America. Voters there have correctly picked the president every year since 1980. Last year, what we found in Clallam really did match the mood of the country. Democrats were worried about Joe Biden’s age. Some Republicans were hoping they might have an option other than Donald Trump. And overall, people expressed frustration with their options and both political parties. On Election Day, we return to Clallam to hear what’s on the minds of these voters — people whose feelings and decisions could reflect how the country votes.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi, my name is Fed. This is Caitlin. We're from The New York Times.
0:06.0	Hi there.
0:07.0	We're in Calam County because of the very random fact that it's the only Bellwether County in America.
0:12.0	Yes, you all know about this. Awesome.
0:14.0	I do. I know I'm very familiar with the Bellwetherhead.
0:17.0	For months now, we've been traveling around the country,
0:24.3	talking to people trying to be sure that when today came,
0:27.2	whatever happened wouldn't feel like a surprise.
0:32.9	And today, as people go to the polls to cast a vote for Kamala Harris,
0:35.2	Donald Trump, or someone else,
0:37.9	we wanted to go back to the place where we started.
0:41.1	When we kicked off our coverage of the presidential election,
0:43.1	almost exactly a year ago. The only Bellwether County in America that corresponds to how people vote.
0:46.6	I know.
0:47.2	Y'allam County, in the northwest corner of Washington State.
0:53.1	Thank you.
0:53.7	The only Bellwether County left in America.
0:56.0	Yes!
0:57.0	Yeah, you all heard of it.
0:58.0	I like what people to take pride in it.
1:00.0	We were here last year, actually.
1:01.0	As the people of Kallam are proud to tell you,
	...

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