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cover of episode 843: A Little Bit of Power

843: A Little Bit of Power

2024/10/13
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This American Life

Chapters

The chapter explores the challenges faced by individuals with limited power, such as media logist John Morales during Hurricane Herold, and how they attempt to make a difference in critical situations.
  • John Morales' emotional reaction during a live TV broadcast about Hurricane Herold.
  • The struggle to communicate the scale and intensity of hurricanes.
  • The concept of using limited power to try and save lives.

Shownotes Transcript

So much of the fight for the presidency is coming down to battles for small slices of voters who can help throw swing states to one candidate or another. Abbas Alawieh, a leader in the Uncommitted movement, grapples with how to get his voters the thing they want.

  • Prologue: When you have some power, but not a lot, how do you wield it when you’re suddenly cast into the spotlight? (4 minutes)
  • Act One: Zoe Chace and Ben Terris follow Abbas Alawieh as he fights to broker a deal at the DNC – a way to potentially satisfy the people who voted “Uncommitted” in the primaries as a protest vote against Biden’s handling of the war in Israel and Gaza. (33 minutes)
  • Act Two: Three weeks after the Democratic National Convention, Abbas speaks at a tense community meeting in Michigan about the Uncommitted organizers’ general election recommendation and hears back from voters on how they feel about the Democratic nominee at this point. (15 minutes)

Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.org)

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