Running Mate is a US election podcast – just for Brits.
We wanted to produce something that made sense of the November vote for people in the UK asking: “What on earth is going on over there?”
HuffPost UK has enlisted the help of journalist colleagues in the States to explain what is likely to be the country’s most important presidential election in decades – and almost certainly one of its most shambolic.
We will speak to commentators, campaigners and experts to assess Donald Trump’s chances in the face of a pandemic ravaging the country, mass unemployment, and a reckoning with racism.
On a more basic level, we’ll explain uniquely American concepts including how the electoral college system works and what an “October surprise” is.
Listen to a trailer for the series below
The podcast will tell you about Joe Biden, explore how social justice is shaping the campaign, and find out whether the TV debates matter. We’ll also essay the more bizarre aspects of American politics in 2020, such as why Trump doesn’t trust his dismal polling but loves the “beautiful boaters”, and whether Biden can go a week without putting his foot in his mouth or challenging someone to a push-up contest.
I’ll be hosting the conversation. I’m a HuffPost UK news editor, but I’m also a Brit who has spent the last four years in the US witnessing the chaos of Trump’s first term unfold. We’ll be tapping into the knowledge of HuffPost’s US political team, which is tracking the candidates’ every move and has a wealth of insights to offer UK listeners during this bizarre, historic and socially-distanced campaign.
Our very first episode launches on August 24, and focuses on the big question everyone in the UK is asking: can Trump win? We’ll have insights from SV Date, HuffPost’s senior White House correspondent who covers the Republicans and the Trump campaign, and Arial Edwards-Levy, a HuffPost senior reporter and polling editor. We also speak to Republican strategist David Kohchal, a Trump “agnostic” who still thinks a second term is possible.
There’ll be a new episode to download every Monday. Listen by searching for Running Mate on any good podcast platform and get involved in the conversation on social media by using our hashtag #HPRunningMate.