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Americast

Why Trump won (and why Harris lost)

Americast

BBC

Politics, Government, News

4.33.1K Ratings

🗓️ 8 November 2024

⏱️ 38 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

As Republicans celebrate Donald Trump’s historic sweep of the US election, Democrats are left reckoning with how Kamala Harris failed to mobilize support.

Americast gets together for an election inquest to examine what went right and wrong. Is Joe Biden to blame for Harris’ loss? Or did something else cause the VP to underperform with the voters she needed to win?

Was Trump’s straight-forward messaging a winning strategy? Or has there been a fundamental shift among American voters that goes beyond politics?

HOSTS: • Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter • Sarah Smith, North America Editor • Anthony Zurcher, North America Correspondent • Marianna Spring, Social Media Investigations Correspondent

GET IN TOUCH: • Join our online community: https://discord.gg/qSrxqNcmRB • Send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp to +44 330 123 9480 • Email Americast@bbc.co.uk • Or use #Americast

This episode was made by Chris Flynn with Claire Betzer in Washington DC, and Alix Pickles in London. The technical producer was Hannah Montgomery. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

If you want to be notified every time we publish a new episode, please subscribe to us on BBC Sounds by hitting the subscribe button on the app.

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US Election Unspun: Sign up for Anthony’s BBC newsletter: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68093155

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.

0:05.0

Hi there, from Southern Florida. I'm still in West Palm Beach because I'm within sight of

0:10.4

Mar-a-Lago, which is now the centre of power in American politics, it feels. Behind closed doors in

0:16.3

there, Donald Trump's sorting out who is and isn't going to be in his administration. He's already made

0:21.7

one of his most important appointments and he's got people coming in and out, lobbying for jobs,

0:27.4

lobbying for their friends. It's very exciting. The Democrats, it's fair to say less excited about

0:32.3

their immediate future, but we'll be excited for them because we are going to examine before the parties come to any conclusions

0:39.1

what our own conclusions are about what went right and what went wrong welcome to americast

0:44.6

americast americast from bbccc news there was blood pouring everywhere and yet I had God on my side.

0:55.1

So I decided the best way forward is the past the torch for a new generation.

0:58.8

You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?

1:01.4

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

1:05.3

You know it, you feel it.

1:06.8

These guys are creepy, and yes, just weird as hell.

1:09.6

Let Trumpomania run wild, brother.

1:13.1

Let us choose joy.

1:26.9

Hi, it's Sarah here, and we've got the pop-up podcast studio here in West Palm Beach, Florida.

1:33.0

It is Mariana, aka Misinformation, in the current temporary worldwide headquarters in D.C.

1:39.6

And it's Justin, also in the worldwide headquarters, temporary in D.C.

1:43.8

And it's Anthony, in the rear with the gear, bring it up the hindquarters of this team.

1:49.9

I like how temporary is doing a lot of...

1:52.2

Yeah, it's doing a lot of lifting.

...

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