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The Democrats are back…will it last?
For the first time since the presidential election there is renewed optimism among Democrats after a big election night on Tuesday. Alongside Zohran Mamdani’s win in New York and the governor races in New Jersey and West Virginia, the party also won important - albeit less glamorous - races in Pennsylvania and Georgia.In this episode, Justin, Anthony and Sarah unpack how and where the Democrats won, and what it means for the party and next year’s midterm elections.For Republicans, the inquest has already begun into a bruising night for the party that has raised fears ahead of the 2026 midterms and the party’s congressional majority. Donald Trump is blaming poor results on the ongoing government shutdown and his name not being on the ballot.And we’re joined by Jim Messina, a Democrat strategist and former deputy chief of staff to Barack Obama. He gives his take on what he thinks lies behind Tuesday’s wins, what he thinks the party has learned since 2024 and whether he agrees with Prop 50 - the redistricting measures passed in California to redraw the state’s political lines to favour Democrats.HOSTS: * Sarah Smith, North America editor * Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter * Anthony Zurcher, North America correspondentGUEST:* Jim Messina, Former deputy chief of staff to Barack ObamaGET 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 [email protected] * Or use #AmericastThis episode was made by George Dabby with Alix Pickles and Grace Reeve. 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-68093155Americast is part of the BBC News Podcasts family of podcasts. The team that makes Americast also makes lots of other podcasts, including 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.Newscast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p05299nl Ukrainecast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0bqztzm Radical: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0gg4k6r The Global Story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvsd
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Zohran Mamdani wins New York mayoral race
Election night is back in the US and this time around there’s a lot more for the Democrats to cheer about after the party’s rising star, Zohran Mamdani, won the New York City mayoral election and will become the first Muslim mayor of the biggest city in America.The 34-year-old led his party to victory on the back of pledges to tax millionaires to pay for expanded social programmes and said that New York could be the “light” in a moment of “political darkness”. President Donald Trump has responded to Mamdani’s victory by writing on social media that the government shutdown and his name not being on the ballot were the reasons why the Democrats won.But with Democrats Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill also winning their governors races in Virginia and New Jersey, there is a renewed sense of hope within the party that this could mark a turning point after the 2024 presidential election.Justin, Sarah and Marianna assess whether the Democrats will be able to capitalise on their success, and how the Republican Party might respond.HOSTS: * Sarah Smith, North America Editor * 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 [email protected] * Or use #AmericastThis episode was made by Purvee Pattni and Alix Pickles. 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.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-68093155Americast is part of the BBC News Podcasts family of podcasts. The team that makes Americast also makes lots of other podcasts, including 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.Newscast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p05299nl Ukrainecast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0bqztzm Radical: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0gg4k6r The Global Story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvsd
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Americanswers…on 5 Live! Could Andrew answer Epstein questions before Congress?
Sarah, Anthony and Marianna join Matt Chorley on 5 Live to answer your questions. The team look at a week of elections in New York, Virginia and New Jersey, how recent developments with the royal family could impact the release of the Epstein files in the US, and whether the president is serious about testing nuclear weapons for the first time since the 90s. Plus, Democrat frontrunner Zohran Mamdani appears to be the favourite for this week’s NYC mayoral elections. But just how radical are Mamdani’s politics - and would he be received differently in the political scene in the UK?And we look at new polling on Trump’s popularity with voters which has fallen in many areas. HOSTS: * Sarah Smith, North America Editor * Anthony Zurcher, North America correspondent * 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 [email protected] * Or use #AmericastThis episode was made by Rufus Gray with Grace Reeve. The technical producer was Stephen Bailey. 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-68093155Americast is part of the BBC News Podcasts family of podcasts. The team that makes Americast also makes lots of other podcasts, including 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.Newscast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p05299nl Ukrainecast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0bqztzm Radical: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0gg4k6r The Global Story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvsd
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Is Donald Trump building a ballroom or a bunker at the White House?
Donald Trump’s decision to demolish the East Wing of the White House in favour of a new and much larger ballroom has sparked controversy - and conspiracy theories - across the U.S. The president has wanted to build the ballroom since his first term in office, but he told reporters over the summer that the plans would not "interfere” with any other parts of the White House. The president says the project will be funded by private donations, backed by some of America’s largest tech companies, sparking questions over what they may want in return. It’s also triggered a number of conspiracy theories online about the presidential bunker that sits underneath the East Wing of the White House.And, Sarah and Marianna speak to White House historian and First Lady specialist Katherine Sibley about the historic significance of the East Wing, what’s being lost in its demolishment, and what Melania Trump might think about losing her office in the complex.HOSTS: • Sarah Smith, North America Editor • Marianna Spring, Social Media Investigations CorrespondentGUEST • Katherine Sibley, White House historianGET 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 [email protected] • Or use #AmericastThis episode was made by George Dabby with Grace Reeve, Alix Pickles, Kris Jalowiecki and Rufus Gray. The technical producer was Michael Regaard. The series producer is George Dabby. 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-68093155Americast is part of the BBC News Podcasts family of podcasts. The team that makes Americast also makes lots of other podcasts, including 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.Newscast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p05299nl Ukrainecast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0bqztzm Radical: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0gg4k6r The Global Story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvsd
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Are the US and China about to end their trade war?
President Donald Trump is topping off his whirlwind trip around Asia with a long-anticipated meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday. After months of an escalating trade war, Trump says a “good deal” is close to being agreed. It also includes negotiations on TikTok's US operations. Anthony joins Sarah and Justin from South Korea, where he’s been hot on the president’s heels throughout his trip, to discuss how the meeting is expected to go and how much difference it could make to everyday Americans. And Justin speaks to former White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre about her belief that the Democratic Party unfairly pushed Joe Biden out of the 2024 race, and why she thinks they are abandoning LGBTQ issues. HOSTS: • Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter • Sarah Smith, North America EditorGET 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 [email protected] • Or use #Americast This episode was made by Rufus Gray and Alix Pickles. The technical producer was Michael Regaard. The series producer is George Dabby. 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 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.Newscast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p05299nl Ukrainecast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0bqztzm Radical: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0gg4k6r The Global Story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvsd
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About 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 on the World Service. Oh, and 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. 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 [email protected] or WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.

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