Episodes
The Trump team has distanced itself from Hinchcliffe’s remarks which he made at the Madison Square Garden rally on Sunday. That hasn’t stopped one of the world’s top Latin celebrities, Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny, from endorsing Kamala Harris as president. Is this an opportunity for Kamala Harris to gain momentum with the 36 million Hispanic voters eligible to vote this year?We hear from a caller who wants to know why there’s been less discussion lately of Donald Trump’s various criminal cases……and after Beyoncé turned up at a Kamala Harris rally over the weekend, Matt wants to know the b...
With just over a week to go until election day, Donald Trump has done a three hour sit down interview with America’s biggest podcast host, Joe Rogan. It’s a direct appeal to men, particularly young, undecided male voters, and those who aren’t interested in traditional politics. Justin and Sarah discuss how significant this might be for Trump, and also, whether Kamala Harris is losing some momentum.
We also hear from traditional Democrat voters Zoe and Herbert in Atlanta - the owners of a hair salon and barbershop - on what they really think about Kamala Harris. HOSTS:
• Justin Webb, Ra...
In a phone call following the 2020 election, Donald Trump pressured Georgia’s Secretary of State to "find 11,780 votes" – a move which along with other alleged efforts to overturn the result led to criminal charges against Trump and some of his allies.
Sarah’s there, and she’s been hearing about legal cases over who can and can’t vote, as well as from Trump supporters who already have doubts about the reliability of the result.
She, Anthony, and Marianna discuss whether we could see similar events to those that led to the Jan 6 riots.
Plus, what are social media companies doi...
Our pop-up podcast studio is on the move! Sarah has gone to Georgia, and the weather isn’t the only thing that’s heating up. Kamala Harris has openly described Donald Trump as a “fascist” at a town hall, and Sarah is outside one of his rallies to find out why his supporters are sticking by him.She’s joined by Anthony to talk about what life is like for a BBC correspondent reporting from political rallies when tensions are this high.And we return to our own 'Electoral College', in which Anthony explains the importance of town hall events to presidential elections.HOSTS:
* Sarah Smith, North...
Anthony joins fresh off a trip with Kamala Harris, spending time on Air Force Two with Kamala Harris and other journalists as two tours three states. Sarah, Justin and Anthony reminisce on times spent with other nominees.Sarah’s been speaking to voters in Dearborn, Michigan, where the largest population of Arab and Muslim Americans in the US live. Could it be a deciding factor in the state? And why are some Democratic organisers now backing Trump? ...
With election day just two weeks away, Americast looks at the different campaign approaches being taken by both candidates. What are Donald Trump’s and Kamala Harris’s different strategies, and whose is the most effective? As Harris campaigns with Republican Liz Cheney across three swing states, we also hear from Anthony Zurcher who spent the day travelling with the vice president on Air Force Two.We also get Justin and Sarah’s take on how much you can trust the polls, and ask the big question: who’s going to win? HOSTS:- Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter
- Sarah Smith, North America EditorGET...
Americanswers is back on 5 Live to answer your questions as America is just over two weeks away from electing its next president.With so much attention being paid to swing states and how they might vote this year, are we ignoring other states which could be up for grabs? The team discuss which other states could offer up a surprise for either Kamala Harris or Donald Trump.One of the swing states in focus is Pennsylvania, where Donald Trump offered up fries to customers in a McDonald's branch over the weekend. Kamala Harris says she worked at the fast-food chain in the summer of 1983, but Tr...
The Global News Podcast, Global Story and Americast join forces to answer your questions about the US presidential election. We look at what the result could mean for the Middle East, Ukraine and climate change.HOSTS:* Sumi Somaskanda, BBC Chief Presenter
* Anthony Zurcher, North America Correspondent
* Oliver Conway, Presenter of the Global News Podcast and The NewsroomGET 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 #AmericastIf you want to be notified every time ...
Many voters will be picking the candidate that aligns with their views on abortion access this year, and in some states, the issue is literally on the ballot.One of them is Arizona, where people are voting on the law around access, and Sarah's been speaking to voters about the debate.We discuss why it’s the debate that Democrats hope this election comes down to, and what Trump's changing view on it is.CHOSTS:* Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter
* Sarah Smith, North America Editor
* Marianna Spring, Disinformation and Social Media Correspondent
* Anthony Zurcher, North America CorrespondentGET I...
Barack Obama is back on the campaign trail for Democrats, and over the weekend criticised some voters for finding "excuses" to not vote a woman for president. The former president has taken some flak for his remarks, but polling indicates there is a widening gap between how men and women intend to vote in this election.Sarah, Justin and Marianna unpack the reasons for this shift and why Donald Trump has been appearing on a large number of alternative media outlets aimed at young men. With rumours circling that Kamala Harris is considering an appearance on Joe Rogan's podcast, what are the r...
With Matt Chorley in the US this week, the Americast team joined presenter Leila Nathoo for another round of Americanswers on 5 Live.With less than 25 days until the election and tensions escalating in the Middle East and elsewhere around the world, how much does foreign policy resonate with undecided voters?With the events of January 6 2021 still fresh in voters' minds, how likely is the prospect of violence this time around in the aftermath of the presidential election?And, the team offer their thoughts on the ultimate political film...HOSTS:• Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter
• Sarah Smith,...
James Carville, the influential Democrat strategist, and man behind Bill Clinton’s successful ’92 presidential campaign, is on Americast.His message, ‘It’s the economy, stupid!’ is credited with some of that success. He tells Justin what he thinks Kamala Harris’s message should be in 2024, and why he thinks her party’s campaign needs to be more aggressive.And he talks about being the subject of a new documentary, Carville: Winning Is Everything, Stupid.HOST
* Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenterGET IN TOUCH:
* Join our online community: https://discord.gg/qSrxqNcmRB
* Send us a message or voice n...
More than 3 million homes and businesses in Florida have been left without power after Hurricane Milton tore through the center of the state. The Americast team have partnered with Newscast to bring you a special episode on the storm that arrived less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene devastated the Gulf Coast.Sarah is in Miami to survey the scale of the damage, and Justin, Marianna and Adam are in the studio to discuss Hurricane Milton’s potential impact on the upcoming election and the disinformation swirling online.HOSTS:
* Sarah Smith, North America editor
* Justin Webb, Radio 4 pre...
Americast is back on BBC Radio 5 Live! The whole team assembled to join Matt Chorley to answer your questions live on air. With almost four weeks until the election, Melania Trump has entered the campaign with the release of snippets from her upcoming memoir in which she forcefully defends abortion rights. Does this present a problem for her husband, as he tries to win over voters who are pro-choice? We unpack how Kamala Harris has changed the Democrat's social media strategy and how different it is covering an election in the US compared to the UK.And, a caller offers Justin a thoughtful g...
How important is the United States when it comes to resolving conflict in the Middle East, and how much power does the U.S. president really have in the region? With the election just weeks away, Justin and Sarah look at how the conflict might affect voters, and what it means for both Donald Trump’s and Kamala Harris’s presidential campaigns. CNN’s Chief International Anchor, Christiane Amanpour joins Justin and Sarah, sharing her insights and contacts from the region.HOSTS:
• Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter
• Sarah Smith, North America EditorGUEST:
• Christiane Amanpour, CNN Chief Interna...
Vice presidential candidates JD Vance and Tim Walz have taken part in their first, and likely only, debate of the 2024 US election. There were heated moments discussing January 6th, one muted microphone, and lots of policy ground covered: foreign policy, immigration and abortion rights. Will Vance and Walz’s performances help or hurt Donald Trump or Kamala Harris? Sumi joins Marianna and Anthony who analyse who said what, and how much it matters to the presidential race.HOSTS:
• Anthony Zurcher, North America Correspondent
• Marianna Spring, Disinformation and Social Media Correspondent
•...
As expectation builds that an Israeli ground offensive in Lebanon is imminent, we answer your questions on how the escalating conflict in the Middle East is likely to impact the upcoming US election. JD Vance says he has “learnt his lesson” when it comes to speaking on behalf of Donald Trump. Is he likely to play it safe in tomorrow’s debate with Tim Walz?And, the last presidential election had a turnout of 66.8%. What are Democrats and Republicans doing to win over the millions not taking part in US elections?HOSTS:
* Anthony Zurcher, BBC North America Correspondent
* Sumi Somaskanda, BBC...
Meet Camille and ‘Wild Mother’. Both women love nature, animals, and the outdoors. Both women also believe the assassination attempts on Donald Trump were staged – but have very different political views. Why do people believe the things they do? And what role do social media sites – and their algorithms – play?In this series, BBC disinformation and social media correspondent Marianna Spring travels to the United States to investigate the social media backdrop to the 2024 presidential election and explore the different ways in which what is happening online is influencing the campaign offli...
Latinos are the second-largest group of eligible voters in the US, making their influence in the presidential election potentially pivotal. Sarah is investigating their sway in Arizona - a state that could help decide the outcome of the race. Which party benefits the most from winning The Grand Canyon State? And is Donald Trump or Kamala Harris making more in-roads with Latino voters? Americast brings in Mike Madrid, a veteran Latino pollster and strategist. What are demographic trends telling us about how Latinos will vote, and do Democrats need to shift their messaging to connect with thi...
Republican Mark Robinson’s campaign for governor in North Carolina has been put in doubt after CNN published a report claiming he posted racist and explicit messages on a pornography website’s message board more than a decade ago.Does the scandal present a risk to Donald Trump of losing the crucial state in November?Plus, we answer your questions on the electoral college voting system.And, with October just around the corner, Anthony and Miles speculate on what could emerge as this election’s ‘October Surprise’…HOSTS:* Anthony Zurcher, North America correspondent
* Miles Taylor, former chie...
Why Do You Hate Me? USA x The Coming Storm x Americast. A special episode on how social media, and conspiracy theories, are directly impacting the U.S. election in a new way. Who are the Americans sharing their theories online, and what is the real world impact on the election and those people affected by it? Marianna shares insights with Justin from her reporting in the United States for her new BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds podcast Why Do You Hate Me USA, where she hears the views of two women from different backgrounds who believe Trump’s assassination was staged. She also investigates th...
America through the looking glass - enter a world where nothing is as it seems.As America heads into a presidential election, Gabriel Gatehouse dives back into the labyrinthine rabbit warren of American conspiracy culture.Whilst liberals across the world worry about a possible return of Donald Trump, millions of Americans are convinced that their democracy has already been highjacked - by a sinister Deep State cabal. How did this happen? And who is behind it?Gabriel meets a January 6 rioter running for office who sees his detention as political imprisonment and goes on the trail of a Califo...
After a second assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump, Americast hears from a former Secret Service agent on what goes into protecting a secret service agent, particularly on a golf course.
Sarah, Justin and Marianna are joined by Bill Gage, who helped protect President George W. Bush and President Obama. They discuss what went wrong, what secret service agents hide in their golf bags, and he also picks out out some of his most memorable experiences on the job. HOSTS:
• Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter
• Sarah Smith, North America Editor
• Marianna Spring, Disinformation &...
The FBI has confirmed it is treating the incident involving a would-be attacker on Sunday as "an attempted assassination" against Donald Trump. We answer your questions on the fallout from another dramatic event in the campaign. Is political violence becoming normalised in the US?And, a controversial right-wing conspiracy theorist was spotted on board Trump's plane for the presidential debate in Philadelphia before joining him at an event the following day. Who is Laura Loomer, and why are some Republicans concerned she could cost Trump the election?HOSTS: * Marianna Spring, Disinformation ...
Former President Donald Trump was rushed to safety on Sunday after what the FBI called an apparent assassination attempt at Trump's golf course in West Palm Beach. The incident comes almost exactly two months after a shooting at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, which left Trump wounded. Anthony and Sarah - reporting from Florida - answer key questions around what we know so far, who the suspected gunman is, and how it might impact the election. HOSTS:
• Sarah Smith, North America Editor
• Anthony Zurcher, North America Correspondent GET IN TOUCH:
• Join our online community: ht...
The self-proclaimed ‘Childless Cat Lady’ Taylor Swift has endorsed Kamala Harris… but what difference is it likely to make, in terms of persuading the undecideds, and getting new voters registered? We also look back at the history behind celebrity endorsements from Frank Sinatra’s backing of JFK to Bruce Springsteen and Ronald Reagan, what motivates a star to back a politician? When does an endorsement backfire? Justin, Sarah and Marianna speak to Tyler Foggatt, a senior editor at The New Yorker magazine. HOSTS:
• Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter
• Sarah Smith, North America Editor
• Maria...
And why is "THEY'RE THE EATING DOGS" trending on X?Kamala Harris and Donald Trump meet for the first time on a debate stage in Philadelphia, sparring over key issues and exchanging deep personal attacks. The momentous meeting was marked by question dodging, finger pointing… and pet-eating!The Americast Team analyses the night from the heart of the action. Who will go viral after tonight? Did Trump stick to his messaging? And how big a deal is Taylor Swift's support?HOSTS:
* Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter
* Sarah Smith, North America editor
* Marianna Spring, Disinformation & social medi...
We answer your questions about the upcoming presidential debate.Including:- Their strategies
- How they're preparing (and who's role playing Donald Trump for during Democrat rehearsals)
- What the rules areHOSTS:* Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter
* Sumi Somaskanda, BBC Chief PresenterGET 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 #AmericastUS Election Unspun: Sign up for Anthony’s new BBC newsletter: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68093155This episode w...
Americast is profiling the four candidates in the race to become the next President and Vice President of the United States. How did JD Vance, whose memoir “Hillbilly Elegy” about growing up in Ohio amidst alcoholism and drug addiction, become Trump’s VP pick for the White House? Once a fierce critic of Trump, publicly declaring himself a “never Trumper”, Anthony looks into what JD Vance stands for, and why he changed his mind about the former President. We also find out which song makes him cry, and how Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings influenced his career.HOST:
• Anthony Zurcher, North Am...
This week is all about predictions, polling and risk taking - what do current polls tell us about who might win the 2024 presidential race? We get a behind the scenes look at how statisticians make their predictions, and how accurate they are. Our guest Nate Silver developed a forecasting system which correctly predicted the outcome of the presidential election in 49 out of 50 states in 2008, and all 50 states in 2012. He also talks to Marianna and Sarah about his new book on risk - On the Edge - and his journey from professional poker playing to politics.HOSTS:
Sarah Smith, BBC North Ameri...