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Americast

Did Kamala Harris pull off the biggest speech of her life?

Americast

BBC

News, Government, Politics

4.33.1K Ratings

🗓️ 23 August 2024

⏱️ 27 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Kamala Harris closed the DNC with a speech that she hopes will sway voters to the Democrats.

The day began with speculation over whether she might be joined on stage by Taylor Swift or Beyoncé.

In the end, Harris took to the stage alone and focused on her upbringing and a pitch to America’s middle class.

The team assemble on the final night of the convention to analyse whether she did enough to win over the undecided.

HOSTS: • Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter • Sarah Smith, North America editor • Anthony Zurcher, North America correspondent

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This episode was made by George Dabby and Claire Betzer in Chicago, with Hatty Nash in London. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

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Americast is part of the BBC News Podcasts family of podcasts. The team that makes Americast also makes lots of other podcasts, including The Global Story, The Today Podcast, and of course Newscast and Ukrainecast. If you enjoy Americast (and if you're reading this then you hopefully do), then we think that you will enjoy some of our other pods too. See links below.

The Global Story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvsd The Today Podcast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0gg4k6r Newscast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p05299nl Ukrainecast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0bqztzm

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

BBC Sounds, music radio podcasts.

0:04.7

On behalf of everyone whose story could only be written

0:11.2

in the greatest nation on earth. I accept your nomination to be President of the United

0:20.6

States of America.

0:24.0

Those bangs and pops you can hear that's not a back-firing car and don't worry we're not being shot at.

0:29.0

Those are balloons being popped because we are in the main arena the Democratic National

0:34.4

Convention. Kamala Harris has finished her speech. Thousands of balloons fell

0:38.8

from the ceiling and now that the delegates have gone the balloons are going bang. Yeah the balloons are going bang that the delegates have gone, the balloons are going bang.

0:43.1

Yeah, the balloons are going bang and the delegates are absolutely delighted and they're all

0:46.6

rushing away with their posters that they were holding up during the speech.

0:51.0

No question about its success here, the way it fell here in the

0:54.8

hall but of course it wasn't just aimed here at the hall it was aimed at the whole

0:57.8

nation at introducing Kamala Harris to America in a way that persuades the American people that they should vote for

1:05.4

her in November. That's the question. Did she manage that feat of communication?

1:10.2

Welcome to America castCast. AmeriCast from BBC News.

1:17.0

There was blood pouring everywhere and yet I had God on my side.

1:22.0

Nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy. So I've decided

1:25.8

the best way forward is to pass the torch for a new generation.

1:29.0

You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?

1:31.6

We're effectively run in this country by a bunch of childless

1:34.5

cat ladies. These guys are creepy and yes just weird as hell that's what you see.

1:38.6

Joe you did such a great job you answered every question.

...

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