logo
episode-header-image
May 2024
28m 20s

Why is Biden falling behind Trump in the...

BBC News
About this episode

With both candidates gearing up for the first presidential debate and national party conventions, the Americast team takes a step back to look at where the race stands now.

Justin Webb and Sarah Smith give their analysis on recent polling and ask whether the Biden camp should be worried, and how polls could influence the next six months.

Also, the Trump campaign reposted a video this week which referenced a “unified reich.” Marianna Spring looks into where this video came from and why it matters that staffers are posting videos that they did not make themselves.

HOSTS: * Sarah Smith, North America Editor * Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter * Marianna Spring, Disinformation & Social Media 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

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

This episode was made by Purvee Pattni with Rufus Gray, Catherine Fusillo, and Claire Betzer. The technical producer was Gareth Jones. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

Up next
Yesterday
Can Trump turn a Gaza ceasefire into a lasting peace deal?
There was an extraordinary moment at the White House on Wednesday when, in front of reporters, secretary of state Marco Rubio handed Donald Trump a note that read the words “very close”, followed by a whisper where he told the president that Israel and Hamas were on the brink of ... Show More
20 m
Oct 8
Americanswers… on 5 Live! Is Chicago really a ‘war zone’?
Donald Trump’s mission to target Democrat-led cities has expanded to Illinois after the Texan National Guard arrived on Tuesday at an army base near Chicago. Troops were sent with the blessing of Texas Governor Greg Abbott, prompting a furious response from Illinois Governor JB P ... Show More
28m 30s
Oct 6
Why is Trump blowing up Venezuelan "drug boats"?
In today’s episode, we look at some of the stories “under the radar”, away from the main news headlines in the United States. Why is the Trump administration blowing up boats which it says are carrying drugs from Venezuela to the United States? Donald Trump has described the late ... Show More
32m 22s
Recommended Episodes
May 2023
Is an 80-year-old Biden still the best bet against Trump?
With President Biden finally declaring last week that he's running for re-election, and Donald Trump still the leader of the Republican Party, America is finding itself in a state of déjà vu.... It's the rematch contest that nobody seems to want. So why is it happening? And could ... Show More
28m 8s
Nov 2022
Americast: Trump v DeSantis
As the midterm results continue to come in, the Americast team are taking over the Newscast feed for one day only! The team are in Washington DC, taking a closer look at the rivalry between Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former President Donald Trump.Americast is presented by ... Show More
42m 9s
Nov 2022
Piers Morgan on Ronaldo and the return of Trump
Donald Trump is running for president again... to the surprise of no one. Not even the legion advisors telling him now was a really really bad time to announce it. He's on a bit of a low - the midterm results were a stinging rejection of the candidates he backed - and the electio ... Show More
39m 46s
May 2023
Local elections: How bad was it for the Conservatives?
For Prime Minister Rishi Sunak the results were ‘disappointing’, Labour’s Sir Keir Starmer claimed his party was heading for power and Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey wore a ‘Cheshire cat’ grin. What do this week’s local elections in England show about the likely direction of the nex ... Show More
24m 6s
May 2023
Voters Question Biden's Mental Fitness For Second Term
The latest NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist National Poll shows more than six in 10 Americans are concerned about President Biden's mental fitness, but his approval rating has increased four points from last month's survey. The poll also explored attitudes toward the debt ceiling, and to ... Show More
14m 38s
Nov 2022
US midterms: Republicans on the rise
Joe Biden’s Democrats look set to lose control of Congress in this month's elections. But many of the Republicans poised to take office support Donald Trump's claim that the last presidential election was stolen. Gideon discusses his prospects for a return to the White House with ... Show More
26m 24s
Aug 2023
Could a reshuffle revitalise Sunak’s government?
It’s almost time to wave goodbye to the summer, but is Rishi Sunak also poised to bid farewell to some of his ministers? The FT’s Whitehall editor Lucy Fisher is joined by columnist Stephen Bush and political editor George Parker to discuss a cabinet shake up. Plus, the FT’s US p ... Show More
35m 52s
Jan 2023
America’s hard right
A small group of Republican party zealots, backed by former president Donald Trump, have forced their way into a position of power in the US Congress. Gideon talks to Jacob Heilbrunn, editor of the National Interest magazine in Washington and senior fellow at the Atlantic Council ... Show More
23m 22s
Aug 2020
Mike and Kamala: Scoping the veep
The US is nearing the finish line of a much anticipated election campaign, and the conventions made headlines this week. It's Trump v Biden for the soul of America, but what about their running mates? We put Mike Pence and Kamala Harris under the spotlight. What do we really know ... Show More
29m 14s