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Americast
BBC Radio
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…
Categories: News & Politics
Listen to the last episode:
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 America Editor Marianna Spring, BBC Disinformation & Social Media Correspondent
GUEST: Nate Silver, U.S. election forecaster and stastician. Founder of FiveThirtyEight and the Silver bulletin, and author of On The Edge.
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 Keiligh Baker with Purvee Pattni, Catherine Fusillo and Claire Betzer . The technical producer was Mike Regaard. 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.
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.
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
Previous episodes
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280 - Can you predict an election? With Nate Silver… Thu, 05 Sep 2024
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279 - Americanswers! Do Harris/Trump actually need ANY policies? Tue, 03 Sep 2024
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278 - Profile: Who is Donald Trump? (Part 2… The Politician) Sun, 01 Sep 2024
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277 - Profile: Who is Donald Trump? (Part 1… The Brand) Sun, 01 Sep 2024
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276 - How Pennsylvania Could Decide The Election Fri, 30 Aug 2024
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275 - Americanswers! More legal trouble for Trump... And why did RFK Jr drop out? Wed, 28 Aug 2024
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274 - Did Kamala Harris pull off the biggest speech of her life? Fri, 23 Aug 2024
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273 - Trump Indicted Thu, 30 Mar 2023
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272 - Profile: Who is Tim Walz? Sun, 25 Aug 2024
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270 - Hollywood stars join the Democrats… Thu, 22 Aug 2024
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269 - The Obamas Take On Trump Wed, 21 Aug 2024
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268 - Biden’s emotional goodbye Tue, 20 Aug 2024
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267 - Americanswers! What's the vibe at the Democratic Convention this week? Mon, 19 Aug 2024
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266 - Profile: Who is Kamala Harris? (Part 1… Early years) Sun, 18 Aug 2024
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265 - Profile: Who is Kamala Harris? (Part 2… VEEP!) Sun, 18 Aug 2024
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264 - Can Kamala Harris win on "vibes" alone? Fri, 16 Aug 2024
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263 - Musk and Trump! Best of frenemies? Wed, 14 Aug 2024
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262 - Americanswers! How powerful is Nancy Pelosi? Mon, 12 Aug 2024
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261 - Life in the Trump Family Fri, 09 Aug 2024
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260 - Kamala Harris announces Tim Walz as her VP pick Tue, 06 Aug 2024
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259 - Americanswers! Could Obama serve as VP to Kamala Harris? Mon, 05 Aug 2024
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258 - Has there ever been an election campaign like THIS before? Fri, 02 Aug 2024
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257 - Battle of the campaigns… Harris v Trump! Wed, 31 Jul 2024
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256 - Americanswers! Could this be the last US election? Mon, 29 Jul 2024
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255 - Can You Buy The White Hou$e? Fri, 26 Jul 2024
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254 - Biden Says WHY He’s Out Of The Race! Thu, 25 Jul 2024
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253 - Americanswers! Why have the Democrats backed Kamala Harris? Wed, 24 Jul 2024
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252 - Welcome to the Kamala Harris presidential campaign Mon, 22 Jul 2024
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251 - Biden Withdraws from the Presidential Race! Sun, 21 Jul 2024
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250 - Newscast x Americast Q&A Sat, 20 Jul 2024
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249 - Donald Trump's convention speech: ‘I had God on my side’ Fri, 19 Jul 2024
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248 - JD Vance makes his VP pitch to America Thu, 18 Jul 2024
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247 - Are the Republican Rivals Reunited? Wed, 17 Jul 2024
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246 - Trump's Vice President is... JD Vance! Tue, 16 Jul 2024
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245 - How the U.S. Secret Service failed Donald Trump Mon, 15 Jul 2024
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244 - Attempted Assassination on Donald Trump Sun, 14 Jul 2024
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243 - Is it the beginning of the end for Biden? Fri, 12 Jul 2024
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242 - Americanswers! Is it time for Kamala? Mon, 08 Jul 2024
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241 - I’m still standing: Biden strikes back Sat, 06 Jul 2024
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240 - Is the U.S. president now above the law? Wed, 03 Jul 2024
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239 - Americanswers! Will Democrats force Joe Biden out? Who could take his place? Tue, 02 Jul 2024
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238 - The Biden vs Trump Presidential Debate! Fri, 28 Jun 2024
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237 - Americanswers! What are bump stocks? And would Biden step aside? Mon, 24 Jun 2024
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236 - Up for debate? Trump and Biden prepare to spar again Thu, 20 Jun 2024
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235 - Americanswers! The ‘special relationship’ and running for a third term? Mon, 17 Jun 2024
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234 - Hunter Biden Trial…Guilty! Wed, 12 Jun 2024
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233 - Americanswers! Project 2025 and Biden’s mental capacity Mon, 10 Jun 2024
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232 - Trump Trial… An interview with team Donald Trump Sat, 08 Jun 2024
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231 - Is Biden losing the black vote? (ft. Charlamagne Tha God) Fri, 07 Jun 2024
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230 - Americanswers! After Trump’s conviction, what’s next? Mon, 03 Jun 2024