846: This is the Cake We Baked

2024/11/10

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 provide for themselves, and felt people missed that aspect of his presidency.

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

He was feeling a mix of disappointment and confusion, struggling to understand how so many people could vote for Trump after everything that happened, including the Capitol attack.

What did Trump claim he would do regarding deportations?

Trump claimed he would be able to deport between 15 and 20 million people, with his team suggesting they could do one million people per year.

How did Trump win record numbers of Latino voters?

Trump's campaign worked to bring Latino voters to him for years, focusing on issues like the economy and criticizing Democrats for perceived failures in supporting the Latino community.

What are the post-election plans of Trump's 'political enemies'?

They are watching for signs of retaliation and preparing for potential consequences, such as losing retirement benefits or facing legal action, while remaining optimistic about the future.

Why did some women agree to share their abortion stories in political ads?

They felt compelled to share their stories to highlight the impact of abortion bans and to advocate for change, despite the emotional toll it takes to relive their traumatic experiences.

Chapters

Zoe Chace recounts her experience at the Republican Victory party in Michigan, where she observed an unexpected atmosphere of jubilation and confidence 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 Eric Castle and Amber Harris were key in mobilizing Latino voters for Trump.

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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