Americast
Americast is the authoritative US news and politics podcast from the BBC. Each week we provide audiences with the best analysis from across the BBC, with on-the-ground observations and big picture insights about the stories which are defining America right now. The podcast is hosted by trusted BBC journalists including the BBC’s North America editor, Sarah Smith, BBC Radio 4 presenter, Justin Webb, the BBC’s disinformation and social media correspondent, Marianna Spring, and BBC North America correspondent, Anthony Zurcher. As well as political analysis, we also specialise in social media. Each week Marianna Spring brings listeners the latest updates from the BBC’s Undercover Voters, our award-winning investigation into the content that is recommended to US voters on social media. The team is also joined by special guests each week, like CNN anchor, Christiane Amanpour, Emmy Award-winning TV host, Rachel Maddow, and Succession actress, J Smith-Cameron. Podcasts are published every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. As well as being a podcast, we are also available every Friday night on BBC Radio 4 and every weekend on the BBC News Channel. Every Monday we answer your questions on Americanswers, with some help from special guests, including Miles Taylor, who was chief of staff at the Department for Homeland Security during the Trump presidency before becoming a whistleblower. Got a question or a comment? Get in touch with us on email at Americast@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480. By the way, you can now listen to Americast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say ‘”Ask BBC Sounds to play Americast”. It works on most smart speakers. See ya’ll later...
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Episodes
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Why Trump won (and why Harris lost)
Friday, 8 November 2024
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 • Anth...
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Americanswers... on 5 Live! Will the US ever elect a female president?
Thursday, 7 November 2024
Joe Biden has promised a peaceful transition of power after Donald Trump defeated Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. He's also called on Americans to "turn down the temperature" after a fractious campaign that has divided voters. Will public figures who have been openly critical of Donald Trump feel safe when he takes office again?And, a listener challenges whether Americast and other parts of the media really foresaw Donald Trump's return to the White House as a genuine possibility. Marianna explains his appeal to the "manosphere" which exists outside of traditional media.HOS...
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Election Results (Part 3): What Will Trump (And Harris) Do Now?
Thursday, 7 November 2024
Donald Trump has become the 47th, as well as the 45th President. But the question is this: what will actually change when his new term begins? The team assemble to separate the fact from fiction - will he really declassify the JFK files and end the war in Ukraine on his first day in office?And Kamala Harris has conceded the election. Justin was on the ground and reports back on what the mood was like in the losing camp. HOSTS: * Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter * Sarah Smith, North America Editor * Anthony Zurcher, North America Correspondent * Marianna Spring, Social Media Investigations Co...
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Election Results (Part 2): Donald Trump Elected President
Wednesday, 6 November 2024
Donald Trump has been declared the winner of the 2024 presidential election.He's already delivered a victory speech in Florida in front of his supporters where he hailed a "magnificent victory" as leaders from around the globe have begun sending their congratulations to Trump.On a stunning night for the Republican Party, they also took back control of the Senate and are leading in the House of Representatives, although several races are still undecided.How did Trump achieve such a huge victory, and where does this leave the Democratic Party?HOSTS: • Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter • Sarah Sm...
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Election Results (Part 1): A Trump Win?
Wednesday, 6 November 2024
The US presidential election is not yet decided but the race is tilting towards Donald Trump. North Carolina and Georgia were two states that the Democrats were eyeing up in their bid to make Kamala Harris the first female president in US history.But with those states now out of play, the Harris campaign is pinning its hopes on winning the "blue wall" states and the crucial state of Pennsylvania, which Fox News has already declared for the former president.HOSTS: • Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter • Sarah Smith, North America Editor • Anthony Zurcher, North America Correspondent • Marianna S...
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Trump VS Harris… The Americast guide to election night!
Tuesday, 5 November 2024
What is the current state of the race as voters in the United States go into election day? When can we expect a result? Which swing states will declare first, and what should we be reading into early results? Justin, Marianna, Sarah and Anthony are all in the U.S. with their insight and analysis, plus what they’ll each be looking out for on election night itself. Plus, election night snacks - what is Sarah scared to try? HOSTS: • Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter • Sarah Smith, North America Editor • Anthony Zurcher, North America Correspondent • Marianna Spring, Social Media Investigations...
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Americanswers... on 5 Live! Why do TV networks call a winner in the US?
Monday, 4 November 2024
The 2024 presidential election is nearly here and as America gets ready to head to voting booths up and down the country, the team offer their advice on timings, key states to watch out for, and when you can head to bed.And Justin, Marianna and Sarah submit their choices for Americast's election day bingo card...This episode has been updated since it was originally uploaded.HOSTS:* Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter * Sarah Smith, North America Editor * Marianna Spring, Social Media Investigations CorrespondentGET IN TOUCH:* Join our online community: https://discord.gg/qSrxqNcmRB * Send us a m...
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Surprise polling! Is Harris pulling ahead?
Sunday, 3 November 2024
The gang talk through two surprises in 24 hours in the election race. New polling suggests that Kamala Harris will win in Iowa - a state Trump won by nearly 10 points in the last two elections.But polling is only an indication… they discuss what we can conclude from the result.Plus, Harris appeared on popular late night comedy show Saturday Night Live. Could it help her in the battle for the undecided voter? Talking of undecideds.. Marianna has been investigating how they’re being targeted by social media platforms. HOSTS: • Sarah Smith, North America Editor • Justin Webb, Radio 4 presen...
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Americanswers in Philadelphia!
Saturday, 2 November 2024
Marianna and Justin are street side in the Pop-Up Podcast Studio answering your questions. HOSTS: * Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter * Marianna Spring, Social Media Investigations CorrespondentGET 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 #AmericastThis episode was made by Purvee Pattni in Pennsylvania. 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 ...
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Trick or treating with Philadelphia's Republicans
Friday, 1 November 2024
Welcome to another day on the road with the Americast pop-up studio!Justin and Marianna are trick-or-treating in Philadelphia, a crucial area in the key state of Pennsylvania. They're speaking to voters on their doorsteps about how they’re feeling ahead of 5 November, which is now just five days away…They discuss whether people are concerned about the fallout after election day, their trust in the election process, and why some voters are pinning their hopes on a second Trump term. HOSTS: * Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter * Marianna Spring, Social Media Investigations CorrespondentGET IN TOU...
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The Garbage Election
Thursday, 31 October 2024
The row over who said who is garbage refuses to go away, and it's starting to stink. It started as a controversial joke at a Trump rally, but the word has now become a problem for the Democrats too.Sarah and Anthony go through the story from the start and discuss whether it’s another ‘basket of deplorables’ moment.HOSTS:- Sarah Smith, North America Editor - Anthony Zurcher, North America CorrespondentGET 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 #AmericastThis ep...
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At home with first-time Democrat voters in Philadelphia
Thursday, 31 October 2024
The 2024 presidential election could hinge on the state of Pennsylvania, with polls currently indicating that the crucial swing state is locked in a dead heat. On the next stage of our pop-up podcast studio, Justin and Marianna travel to Philadelphia to speak to three first-time Democratic voters who are planning to vote for Kamala Harris.Sitting down in a family home, we chat to them about their reaction to Joe Biden’s intervention in the campaign, whether they’d consider voting for a third-party in the campaign and what they believe Harris needs to do between now and November 5th.HOSTS: •...
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BIG speeches and another BIG garbage row
Wednesday, 30 October 2024
Kamala Harris attracted a huge crowd in DC for one of her final speeches of campaign.But the event’s been overshadowed - at least in part - by a gaffe from Joe Biden that’s caused another row about garbage.Sarah’s there for the speech.And, Marianna’s been speaking to users on X who share content that includes election misinformation, AI-generated images and unfounded conspiracy theories, who say they are being paid "thousands of dollars" by the social media site.HOSTS: • Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter • Marianna Spring, Social Media Investigations Correspondent • Sarah Smith, North America...
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7 days until the election... Who's winning?
Tuesday, 29 October 2024
With just one week to go until the U.S. presidential election, Americast roleplays as campaign managers for the Trump and Harris teams. Justin, Sarah and Marianna look at how they should be handling the last days of their campaigns, who should they be targeting, where should they go, and what their key messages should be in the last stretch before polling day.HOSTS: • Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter • Marianna Spring, Social Media Investigations Correspondent • Sarah Smith, North America EditorGET IN TOUCH: • Join our online community: https://discord.gg/qSrxqNcmRB • Send us a message or ...
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Americanswers... on 5 Live! Could a joke about Puerto Rico give Kamala Harris the Latino vote?
Monday, 28 October 2024
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...
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Will Joe Rogan help win the election for Trump?
Sunday, 27 October 2024
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...
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Will Trump supporters accept the election result?
Friday, 25 October 2024
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...
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Inside Georgia's Trump rally
Thursday, 24 October 2024
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...
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When Anthony Met Kamala
Wednesday, 23 October 2024
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? ...
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14 days until the election... Who's winning?
Tuesday, 22 October 2024
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...
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Americanswers... on 5 Live! Donald Trump has a small fries issue with Kamala Harris
Monday, 21 October 2024
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...
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Global News Podcast x Global Story x Americast
Saturday, 19 October 2024
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 ...
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Will abortion decide the election? It might in Arizona...
Friday, 18 October 2024
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...
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Does Kamala Harris have a male voter problem?
Wednesday, 16 October 2024
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...
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Americanswers... on 5 Live! How likely is a repeat of the January 6 attacks?
Monday, 14 October 2024
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,...
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It’s James Carville, Stupid!
Friday, 11 October 2024
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...
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Hurricane Milton and a storm of misinformation
Thursday, 10 October 2024
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...
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Americanswers… on 5 Live! Why has Melania Trump entered the abortion debate?
Monday, 7 October 2024
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...
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Will conflict in the Middle East impact the US election?
Friday, 4 October 2024
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...
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The JD Vance VS Tim Walz Vice Presidential Debate!
Wednesday, 2 October 2024
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 •...
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Why Trump won (and why Harris lost)