cover of episode 846: This Is the Cake We Baked

846: This Is the Cake We Baked

2024/11/10
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Key Insights

Why did some people in Michigan feel hopeful about Trump's victory?

They believed Trump provided a great way of living, enabling families to thrive economically, and felt that people missed this aspect.

How did the DC police officer feel about the election results?

He was sad, confused, and felt a sense of disbelief that so many people voted for Trump despite his actions and policies.

What did Jason Houser suggest about the logistics of mass deportations under Trump?

Jason Houser outlined a plan involving immediate coordination with law enforcement, agreements with home countries to accept deportees, and potential use of soft-site facilities and large-scale raids to quickly remove up to a million people within 60 days.

Why did Sam, a Latino Trump supporter, start working for Trump's campaign?

Sam was inspired by videos shared by other Latino Trump supporters and felt let down by Democrats, especially after personal tragedies like his son's overdose, which he felt the Democrats did not adequately address.

How did Sam explain the 'island of garbage' comment made by a comedian at a Trump rally?

Sam interpreted the comment as a reference to Puerto Rico's environmental issues, specifically its inability to manage landfill waste, attributing the problem to the Biden administration.

What concerns do Alexander and Rachel Whitman have about potential retribution under a Trump administration?

They are concerned about possible retaliation, including loss of retirement benefits, healthcare, and pension, or even legal action against Alexander for his role in Trump's first impeachment.

How did Deborah, a woman featured in an abortion rights ad, feel about the failure of the abortion rights measure in Florida?

Deborah felt shocked, numb, and burdened by the weight of sharing her traumatic story repeatedly without achieving the desired legislative change.

Chapters

Zoe Chace recounts her experience at the Republican Victory party in Michigan, where she observed an unexpected atmosphere of celebration and optimism among Trump supporters.
  • Trump supporters in Michigan were ecstatic and confident about the election results.
  • The Republican vote in Michigan was unprecedented, with Trump receiving more votes than in the previous election.
  • Activists like Amber Harris and Eric Castle were key in mobilizing Latino voters for Trump.

Shownotes Transcript

With Donald Trump’s victory this week, many people looked at the election results and thought, yeah, this is the country I thought it was. For some people, that was a hopeful thing. For others, kind of the opposite. This week, we talked with people who helped make it happen and some who are looking to what’s next.

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  • Prologue: Ira talks with Zoe Chace about watching Trump’s victory from an ecstatic room in Michigan. Then he checks in with a DC cop who was injured at the Capitol on January 6. (7 minutes)
  • Act One: Trump has claimed that he will be able to deport between 15 and 20 million people. But neither he nor his team have spelled out exactly how they’d do it. Producer Nadia Reiman looked into what mass deportation could actually look like on the ground if and when it comes to pass. (17 minutes)
  • Act Two: Trump won record numbers of Latino voters this year. Ike Sriskandarajah spent the day with a guy in Pennsylvania who's been working to bring Latino voters to Trump for years. (15 minutes)
  • Act Three: Ira talks with two of Trump’s “political enemies” about their post-election plans. (8 minutes)
  • Act Four: Ten different states had abortion rights measures on their ballots this election. Producer Miki Meek got curious about a particular kind of political ad that aired in many of those states and called up a few of the women whose stories were featured in them. (9 minutes)

Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.org)

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