Transcript:
The Inside Story: USA Votes 2024: Foreign Policy
Episode 159 – August 29, 2024
Show Open:
This week on The Inside Story…
With both parties’ nominees firmly in place, the focus now shifts to the nuts and bolts of policy.
Immigration reform and America’s southern border with Mexico.
A rising China and the tit-for-tat tornado of tariffs.
Support for allies like Israel and Ukraine.
And… tens of millions of Americans reached voting age since the last election… we’ll see how that may play out in November.
Now on The Inside Story: USA Votes 2024: Foreign policy.
The Inside Story:
ELIZABETH LEE, VOA Correspondent:
Hello and welcome to “The Inside Story.” I’m Elizabeth Lee. This week, we focus on the destabilizing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine… regions sure to be affected by the differing foreign policies of the candidates for the US presidency in November.
Israel on Tuesday, announced that it had rescued one of the hostages taken on October 7, though over 100 remain unaccounted for. And Israeli forces continue to attack suspected Hamas sites in Gaza…
Meanwhile, the war continues to expand into Lebanon. On Sunday, Israeli troops and Hezbollah exchanged cross-border fire, marking the heaviest exchanges in months. All this as ceasefire talks continue in Egypt. VOA’s Patsy Widakuswara begins our coverage.
((PLAYBOOK SLUG: US HARRIS BIDEN MIDEAST
HEADLINE: How would a potential Harris administration handle Mideast tensions?
TEASER: One more Israeli hostage has been rescued, but Gaza cease-fire remains elusive
PUBLISHED: 08/27/2024 at 6:23p
BYLINE: Patsy Widakuswara
ASSIGNING EDITOR:
DATELINE: Washington
CONTRIBUTORS:
VIDEOGRAPHER:
PRODUCER:
SCRIPT EDITORS: Baragona, Aru Pande, DJ (ok)
VIDEO SOURCE (S): AP, AFP, Reuters, Skype, Zoom
PLATFORMS: WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO _X_
TRT: 3:12
VID APPROVED BY: Reifenrath
TYPE: TV
EDITOR NOTES:))
((INTRO: ))
[[ White House officials welcomed the rescue of an Israeli hostage held by Hamas Tuesday and said they are finalizing a Gaza cease-fire deal. But even if an agreement is reached, a future U.S. administration will still inherit the problem of managing tensions in the Middle East. White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara looks at potential U.S. policy under Vice President Kamala Harris should she win the November presidential election.]]
((NARRATOR))
Another deadly Israeli strike on another refugee camp in Gaza, as negotiators strive to reach a cease-fire deal in return for the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
((NARRATOR)) ((Mandatory CG: Israel Defense Forces))
One of them was rescued on Tuesday.
[[Patsy is subbing out the old radio line with this)) ((Radio: Israeli Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.))
((Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister)) ((Need English VO)) ((Mandatory CG: Government Press Office))
“Welcome home, Farhan Alkadi. I congratulate the Israeli army and Shin Bet on another successful rescue operation. We are working tirelessly to bring all our hostages back.”
((NARRATOR))
That’s a message Vice President Kamala Harris also underscored as she accepted her nomination as the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee last week.
((Kamala Harris, Democratic Presidential Nominee))
“President Biden and I are working to end this war such that Israel is secure, the hostages are released, the suffering in Gaza ends and the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity, security, freedom and self-determination.”
((NARRATOR))
Outside of her term as vice president, Harris has no foreign policy background.
((Chyron: 06.30.2010))
((NARRATOR))
Her national security adviser is Phillip Gordon,
((NARRATOR))
who served under Democratic presidents including Bill Clinton,
((NARRATOR))
((NARRATOR))
Barack Obama, as well as Joe Biden.
((upsound: End this war! (TC 0:16))
This signals a continuity with past Democratic administrations
((NARRATOR))
((NARRATOR))
((Mandatory CG: Israel Defense Forces) including on military support for Israel, something her former national security adviser reaffirms. ((end courtesy))
((Radio: Halie Soifer is now president of the Jewish Democratic Council of America.))
((Halie Soifer, Jewish Democratic Council of America))
“The vice president and the president have supported U.S. military assistance to Israel, not just per the existing agreement that we have with Israel, but also an increase this year because of their security needs.”
((NARRATOR))
This despite demands from Arab and Muslim Americans as well as progressive and young Democrats for an embargo on arms sales to Israel.
((NARRATOR))
At the same time, Harris has expressed more sympathy toward Palestinian suffering than Biden has.
((Radio: Political analyst from Bar-Ilan University, Jonathan Rynhold, via Zoom))
((Jonathan Rynhold, Bar-Ilan University)) ((Zoom))
“We can’t learn a lot from what she says because what she says now is directed to winning an election and keeping the Democratic Party together. And since the Democratic Party is divided between those who are more sympathetic to Israel and those who are more sympathetic to the Palestinians about evenly, she has to say basically, platitudes, and that’s what she’s done.”
((NARRATOR))
Compared to Biden, who often underscores he is a Zionist,
((Courtesy: Kamala Harris))
((NARRATOR)) ((Mandatory CG: Kamala Harris))
Harris, the daughter of immigrants from Jamaica and India, may be more cognizant of views from the Global South. ((end courtesy))
((Radio: Middle East expert Natasha Hall at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, via Skype))
((Natasha Hall, Center for Strategic and International Studies)) ((Skype))
“She is aware of how the rest of the world may feel about the Middle East, about neo-colonialism, neo-imperialism, and I really hope that she has the opportunity to bring those experiences to bear if she becomes the president. Because that is the reality of what U.S. foreign policy needs to confront the challenges ahead, which are very different from the challenges of the past three decades.”
((NARRATOR))
Should she win in November, Harris will inherit the challenges of her predecessors,
((NARRATOR))
including a protracted conflict in the Middle East. She will need to formulate her own foreign policy –
((UPSOUND: Free, free, free Palestine ((TC 0:44))
((NARRATOR))
a high-stakes, complex affair that juggles multiple interests.
Patsy Widakuswara, VOA News, Washington.
((PLAYBOOK SLUG: E24 0809 TRUMP GOP FOREIGN POLICY
HEADLINE: Foreign policy differences with fellow Republicans could complicate second Trump presidency
TEASER: TikTok and tariffs could be areas for disagreement in a second Trump term
PUBLISHED AT: 08/08/2024 2:20PM
BYLINE: Katherine Gypson
PRODUCERS: Katherine Gypson
DATE: 8/08/2024
DATELINE: Washington, DC
VIDEOGRAPHER: Saqib Ui Islam
SCRIPT EDITORS: Baragona sv
VIDEO SOURCE (S): Reuters, AP, VOA
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO X
TRT: 2:51
VID APPROVED BY: MAS
TYPE: TVPKG
UPDATE:
[[INTRO: Congressional Republicans closely align with presidential nominee Donald Trump on a number of key foreign policy issues including U.S. support for Israel. But as VOA’s Congressional Correspondent Katherine Gypson reports, lawmakers still have significant differences on China, tariff policy and aid to Ukraine that could complicate a second Trump term.]]
((Narrator))
Former President Donald Trump meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month…
((Donald Trump, Republican Presidential Nominee))
“No president has done what I’ve done for Israel and we’ve always had a very good relationship.”
((Narrator))
Trump has previously criticized Netanyahu for security failures he claims enabled the October 7th Hamas attack. Unpredictability was a hallmark of Trump’s foreign policy while in office. One analyst told VOA, the Republican Party’s 2024 foreign policy platform reflects that.
((Radio version: Chris Tuttle is a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.))
((Chris Tuttle, Council on Foreign Relations))
((MANDATORY COURTESY: ZOOM))
“There are not a ton of specifics – that gives him the advantage of being able to shape a policy in a way that he sees fit in the moment, rather than getting locked into policies at the outset of a term.”
((Narrator))
Trump’s fellow Republicans claim the social media app TikTok is controlled by the Chinese government and can be used to access user information and influence political beliefs.
((Radio version: Republican Senator Mitt Romney.))
((Sen. Mitt Romney, Republican))
“I do not want the Chinese Communist Party getting personal data about our citizens, nor being able to have algorithms that would propagandize the American public.”
((Narrator))
((MANDATORY COURTESY: YouTube/Adin Ross]]
But Trump reversed his position on banning TikTok this year.
((Donald Trump, Republican Presidential Nominee))
((MANDATORY COURTESY: YouTube/Adin Ross]]
“We’re going to save TikTok. They want to destroy TikTok. So, all the people on TikTok, vote for Trump.”
((Narrator))
Trump has also criticized NATO, claiming member countries do not pay their fair share for the common defense. His running mate, Vice Presidential nominee JD Vance, has been even more critical of the United States sending aid money to Ukraine.
((JD Vance, Republican Vice Presidential Nominee))
((MANDATORY COURTESY: Heritage Foundation))
“Let’s not mistake the courage of Ukrainian troops on the ground with the fact that they have the most corrupt leadership and government in Europe and maybe the most corrupt leadership anywhere in the world.”
((Narrator))
That is in direct opposition to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has argued aid to Ukraine is essential to defending democracy in Europe.
((Sen. Mitch McConnell, Senate Majority Leader))
“It’s no longer a settled question that America will meet aggression with overwhelming force or even if it will back our allies 100%.”
((Narrator))
Analysts say Trump’s calls to raise tariffs if he is elected to a second term could cause the most conflict with Republican lawmakers.
((Radio version: Gordon Gray is a former US ambassador and now a professor at The George Washington University.))
((Gordon Gray, The George Washington University))
“It shows the transformation of the Republican Party since 2016 because the Republicans historically have been free traders.”
((Narrator))
Trump has pledged to introduce at least 60% tariffs on China and 10% tariffs on imports from other countries if he is re-elected.
((Katherine Gypson, VOA News))
ELIZABETH LEE:
In Ukraine, Russia launched a barrage of missile attacks and drones inside Ukraine
targeting the country’s energy infrastructure…
The attacks damaged parts of the country’s electricity and water supply infrastructure but also killed at least 6 people.
At the same time, Ukrainian forces continue their advance into Russian territory near the Western city of Kursk. They have reportedly captured hundreds of Russian prisoners – and Kyiv hopes those new prisoners can be swapped for Ukrainian POW’s, some of whom came home this weekend. Anna Chernikova reports.
((PLAYBOOK SLUG: UKRAINE POWS EXCHANGE
HEADLINE: Ukraine and Russian exchange POWs as Kyiv marks Independence Day
TEASER: The exchange happened amid an ongoing Ukrainian operation in the Kursk region where Ukrainian forces reportedly captured thousands of Russian servicemen
PUBLISHED: 08/24/2024 at
BYLINE: Anna Chernikova
CONTRIBUTOR: Stanislav Storozhenko
DATELINE: Kyiv
VIDEOGRAPHER: Vladyslav Smilianets, Agency
PRODUCER:
SCRIPT EDITORS: Page, Tom Turco
VIDEO SOURCES: VOA ORIGINAL, REUTERS
PLATFORMS: WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO _X_
TRT:
VID APPROVED BY:
TYPE: TVR
NOTES: FOR PRODUCTION WEDNESDAY; Email questions and edited script to achernikova@associates.voanews.com))
((INTRO)) [[ Ukraine and Russia conducted the first POW exchange since the beginning of the Ukrainian operation in the Kursk region. The exchange happened symbolically as Ukraine marks its 33rd Independence Day. Anna Chernikova reports from Kyiv. ]]
((VIDEO: FOOTAGE FROM THE POWS EXCHANGE; REUTERS FOOTAGE OF THE UKRAINIAN OFFICIALS ON THE INDEPENDENCE DAY))
((NARRATOR))
Voice of America attended the 55th exchange of the prisoners of war between Ukraine and Russia, which happened symbolically as Ukraine celebrates its 33rd Independence Day.
((VIDEO: FOOTAGE FROM THE POWS EXCHANGE))
((NARRATOR))
This is the first prisoner exchange between the two countries since Ukraine began its operation in the Kursk region.
((VIDEO: FOOTAGE FROM THE POWS EXCHANGE; REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UKRAINIAN COORDINATION HEADQUARTERS FOR THE TREATMENT OF POWS TALKING))
((NARRATOR))
One hundred and fifteen Ukrainian POWs returned home.
According to the Ukrainian Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, all servicemen are conscripts, including those who were captured in the first months of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February of 2022.
((VIDEO: BOHDAN OKHRIMENKO TALKING))
((Bohdan Okhrimenko, Coordination Headquarters for Treatment of POWs) (MALE IN UKRAINIAN)) FULL VIDEO: 15ʼ18ʼʼ-15ʼ35ʼʼ
“Today we managed to return 115 of our heroes home. And the total number of our freed citizens to date is not 3,405, but 3,520 heroes and heroines.”
((VIDEO: FOOTAGE FROM THE POWS EXCHANGE; UKRAINIAN EXCHANGED SOLDOERS))
((NARRATOR))
Ukrainian soldiers look exhausted but happy to be home. Many of them, like Yevhen, who did not want to give his full name for security reasons, spent two and a half years in Russian captivity.
((VIDEO: YEVHEN, EXCHANGED POW TALKING))
((Yevhen, Exchanged POW) (MALE IN UKRAINIAN/RUSSIAN)) 08ʼ14ʼʼ-08ʼ25ʼʼ
“Two and a half years. It is, of course, very difficult. But it’s OK. We endured. Our boys are still there. Waiting to return home.”
((VIDEO: YEVHEN, EXCHANGED POW TALKING))
((Yevhen, Exchanged POW) (MALE IN UKRAINIAN/RUSSIAN)) 08ʼ45ʼʼ-09ʼ03ʼʼ
“We spent so much time in captivity, I think not for nothing. Most of the boys who were exchanged will continue their service. We will continue to defend our Motherland. The main thing is to hold on, not to give in. They will soon break their teeth on us.”
((VIDEO: ARTEM, EXCHANGED POW TALKING))
((Artem, Exchanged POW) (MALE IN UKRAINIAN)) 11ʼ02ʼʼ-11ʼ10ʼʼ
“It’s very difficult. It is very difficult to be in captivity, there, thousands of kilometers from home. Very hard.”
((VIDEO: PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY TALKING))
((NARRATOR))
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that one of the main goals of the Ukrainian operation in the Kursk region is to increase the “exchange fund” and return Ukrainian prisoners.
((VIDEO: VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY TALKING))
((Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian President (MALE IN UKRAINIAN))
“In general, this operation became our largest investment in the process of freeing Ukrainian men and women from Russian captivity. We have already captured the largest number of Russian prisoners in one operation. And this is a significant result, it is one of our goals.”
((VIDEO: FOOTAGE FROM THE POWS EXCHANGE; REUTERS FOOTAGE OF THE UKRAINIAN TROOPS IN KURSK))
((NARRATOR))
This exchange took place three weeks after Ukraine’s surprise incursion into Russia. According to Ukrainian officials, Ukrainian forces have already captured thousands of Russian servicemen. Many of them are conscripts.
((VIDEO: KREMLIN; REUTERS FOOTAGE OF THE RUSSIAN TROOPS))
((NARRATOR))
The Russian social movement for the search and return of Russian military personnel from captivity reported that 115 Russian conscripts were returned to Moscow as a part of the exchange.
((VIDEO: FOOTAGE FROM THE POWS EXCHANGE))
((NARRATOR))
While there is no official confirmation that these Russian conscripts were captured in the Kursk region — many in Ukraine believe the operation in Kursk will improve the chances of the Ukrainian POWs coming home.
((Anna Chernikova, VOA News, Kyiv.))
ELIZABETH LEE:
The candidates that win November’s presidential election will inherit a world filled with challenging foreign policy issues. America’s Southern Border with Mexico and reforms to immigration. Support for Israel. A rising China, tariffs, and aid to Ukraine.
And both party’s policy platforms could hardly be more different. While both Democrats and Republicans pledge continued backing for Israel, the waters muddy when it comes to Ukraine. Harris, like President Joe Biden, says the U.S. will not waver. But Trump says he’ll slash support, even once having said he’d let Russia do quote “whatever the hell they want.”
There’s a lot to unpack, but we’ve got your covered in our special foreign policy segment.
((PLAYBOOK SLUG: 024 0828 Trump Harris Immigration
HEADLINE: Border motivating issue for Arizona voters
TEASER: Ghost town owner tires of migrants on her land
PUBLISHED AT: 08/27/2024 8:30am
BYLINE: Carolyn Presutti
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Cochise County, Arizona
VIDEOGRAPHER: Adam Greenbaum
VIDEO EDITOR:
SCRIPT EDITORS: Baragona; caw
VIDEO SOURCE (S): Original, AP, Reuters
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO _X_
TRT: 2:09
VID APPROVED BY: MAS
TYPE: TVR
EDITOR NOTES:))
((NARRATOR))
Immigration is one of the top issues for U.S. voters this November as they decide who will occupy the White House. The difference in policy between the two presidential candidates is stark. VOA’s senior Washington correspondent, Carolyn Presutti, begins our story at a dusty desert stop in Arizona.
((NAT of bell ringing))
((Patty Burris sot under video))
“This was a gold mining town, the richest strike in the state of Arizona at the time.”
((NARRATOR))
Now — a ghost town.
((nats, donkey))
((NARRATOR))
Patti Burris lives here with Beano, her 38-year-old donkey.
((nat))
“Hi Beano, there you go.”
((NARRATOR))
Burris says she is tired of undocumented migrants sneaking across her land from the Mexican border. Former President Donald Trump gets her vote.
((Patti Burris, Voting for Trump))
“He’s going to deport them! Yes, I’m all for that. Absolutely, get them out of here and he can do it. He knows how.”
((Carolyn Presutti, VOA News))
“While president, Donald Trump ordered that a 740-kilometer wall be built at the U.S. southwestern border. This is the Arizona part of it. On his first day in office, Joe Biden paused any new construction.”
((nat of Trump))
“We could have had it completed in three weeks.”
((NARRATOR))
Donald Trump returned to an Arizona border wall last Thursday, although The Washington Post reports the section he visited was built before he became president.
((Donald Trump, Republican Presidential Nominee))
“There’s never been a border like this in the whole world that’s leaked like this border. All of those millions and millions of criminals coming through.”
((NAT DNC Chant))
“USA! USA! USA!”
((NARRATOR))
Democratic voters at their convention say their party is more tolerant.
((RADIO TRACK: Sandra Kano moved from Colombia to the U.S. as a teenager.))
((Sandra Kano, Voting for Harris))
“Immigrants, we belong. The neighbors, we take care of each other. That’s really what it’s all about.”
((NARRATOR))
If elected, Vice President Kamala Harris promises a path to citizenship and the return of a bipartisan immigration bill that died in Congress.
((Kamala Harris, Democratic Presidential Nominee))
“The Border Patrol endorsed it. But Donald Trump believes a border deal would hurt his campaign. So, he ordered his allies in Congress to kill the deal.”
((NAT))
((NARRATOR))
Back at the ghost town….
((RADIO TRACK: Again, Patti Burris))
“Don’t believe a word she says. Where’s she been in the last four years?”
((NARRATOR))
Nobody stops by the old deserted town much anymore. Burris says she’d like to go back to the time when she saw more tourists come through than migrants.
(Carolyn Presutti, VOA News, Pearce, Arizona)
((PLAYBOOK SLUG: E24 – 0804 Harris Foreign Policy TV
HEADLINE: Foreign policy under Harris would bring continuity with some distinct emphasis
TEASER: Focus on non-traditional security threats, empathy to Palestinian suffering
PUBLISHED: 8/3/2024 at 9:47 a.m.
BYLINE: Patsy Widakuswara
ASSIGNING EDITOR:
DATELINE: White House
VIDEOGRAPHER:
PRODUCER:
SCRIPT EDITORS: Baragona, DJ (ok), Reifenrath
VIDEO SOURCE (S): AP, AFP, Skype
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _x_ RADIO _x_
TRT: 3:05
VID APPROVED BY: Reifenrath
TYPE: TV
EDITOR NOTES: There is a companion web story.))
((INTRO: ))
[[With Democratic nominee Kamala Harris set to face off with Republican nominee Donald Trump for the U.S. presidency, Harris’ positions on military support to Israel and Ukraine; a rising China; and the migrant crisis at the southern border are under increased scrutiny. As VOA White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara reports, expect a continuation of Biden administration policies with a few shifts in emphasis.]]
((NARRATOR))
Thousands of Central American migrants cross Mexico every year, heading for the U.S. border. Coordinating with the region to address
((NARRATOR))
the root causes of migration was a task assigned to Vice President Kamala Harris, leaving her open to attacks
((NARRATOR))
from her November rival, former President Donald Trump.
((Donald Trump, Republican Presidential Nominee))
“She was a bum, a failed vice president and a failed administration. With millions of people crossing. And she was the border czar.”
((NARRATOR))
Harris is not the administration’s border czar. But on immigration, she brings a tough message
((NARRATOR))
to the campaign trail, highlighting her experience as California’s attorney general.
((Kamala Harris, Democratic Presidential Nominee))
“I went after transnational gangs, drug cartels and human traffickers that came into our country illegally. I prosecuted them in case after case and I won. Donald Trump, on the other hand, has been talking a big game about securing our border, but he does not walk the walk.”
((NARRATOR))
If elected, Harris said she’ll bring back President Joe Biden’s border bill that was killed by pro-Trump Republicans in Congress.
((NARRATOR))
She’d continue his efforts to help Ukraine while preventing direct war with Russia,
((NARRATOR))
And work to maintain unity among NATO allies.
((NARRATOR))
Also expect continuity in the Indo-Pacific.
((Kamala Harris, Democratic Presidential Nominee))
“The United States stands with the Philippines in the face of intimidation and coercion in the South China Sea.”
((NARRATOR))
And on trade with China.
((Radio: Robert Daly, director of the Wilson Center’s Kissinger Institute on China and the U.S., via Skype.))
((Robert Daly, Wilson Center)) ((Skype))
“She will continue, as she has said, to try to de-risk from China. We know that when she ran for president in 2020, she was fairly tariff averse. Like President Biden, she seems to have changed her mind about that. So, more continuity than otherwise.”
((NARRATOR)) ((Mandatory CG: Israel Defense Forces))
On Gaza, Harris is aligned with Biden, aiming for a cease-fire ((end courtesy))
((NARRATOR))
and preventing a regional war.
((NARRATOR))
However, with a large swath of the Democratic electorate angry at Biden’s staunch support for Israel,
((NARRATOR))
Harris appears to be much more sympathetic to Palestinian casualties.
((Kamala Harris, Democratic Presidential Nominee))
“We cannot allow ourselves to become numb to the suffering, and I will not be silent.”
((NARRATOR))
Harris has embraced the Biden doctrine of leading by relying on allies and partners.
((NARRATOR))
And has focused on non-traditional security threats, chairing the National Space Council and promoting the administration’s policies on artificial intelligence and climate.
((Radio: Linda Robinson, senior fellow for Women and Foreign Policy at the Council on Foreign Relations, via Skype.))
((Linda Robinson, Council on Foreign Relations)) ((Skype))
““So when people say, ‘Oh, she just had the immigration portfolio, and we have a terrible immigration problem,’ they aren’t really encompassing the full role that she’s played in every region of the world.”
((NARRATOR))
Despite her almost four years of traveling the globe, meeting 150 heads of state and government,
((NARRATOR))
Trump says Harris is inexperienced and unaccomplished.
((Donald Trump, Republican Presidential Nominee))
“She is a radical left lunatic who will destroy our country.”
((NARRATOR))
Her response?
((Kamala Harris, Democratic Presidential Nominee))
“If you got something to say, say it to my face.”
Patsy Widakuswara, VOA News, at the White House.
ELIZABETH LEE:
Tens of millions of Americans were too young to vote in the last presidential election. And that has campaign organizers for both tickets scrambling to get these eligible voters to the ballot box. Organizers say they’ve seen a swell in voter enthusiasm and support. But here’s the rub: younger voters have historically low turnout at the polls. VOA’s Tina Trinh explores whether that could change come November.
((PLAYBOOK SLUG: E24 0811 Trump Harris Youth Vote
HEADLINE: Will the youth vote send Harris or Trump to the White House?
TEASER: Young voters have had a historically low turnout at the polls, but engagement has reached new heights this election cycle
PUBLISHED AT: 08/11/2024 at 8:53 a.m.
BYLINE: Tina Trinh
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: New York
VIDEOGRAPHER:
VIDEO EDITOR: Tina Trinh
ASSIGNING EDITOR: Stearns
SCRIPT EDITORS: Mia Bush, David Jones (bal), Holly Franko
VIDEO SOURCE (S): Reuters, MS Teams,
PLATFORMS: WEB __ TV _x_ RADIO _x_
TRT: 3:03
VID APPROVED BY: Reifenrath
TYPE: TV
EDITOR NOTES:))
((INTRO))
[[Will the youth vote send Harris or Trump to the White House? Organizers on both sides have seen a swell of voter enthusiasm and support, particularly among young voters. But the younger demographic has had a historically low turnout at the polls. VOA’s Tina Trinh explores whether that could change come November.]]
((NARRATOR))
A growing share of U.S. voters are young people who could play a pivotal role in the general election this November, perhaps even helping to elect the first woman president in U.S. history … that is, if they turn out to vote.
[[Radio cue: Rudy Garrett is vice president of capacity building at the Alliance for Youth Action, a national network of organizations promoting youth civic engagement.]]
((Rudy Garrett, Alliance for Youth Action))
“The reasons why young people are a little bit more dubious about showing up this election cycle is directly tied to their frustration with how our current government is working. // Young people are experiencing a lot of frustration because they’re not seeing change happen at the speed in which they would like to see it happen in their communities.”
((NARRATOR))
But since Vice President Kamala Harris became the Democratic presidential nominee, there’s been a notable shift in terms of excitement.
((Radio cue: Nick Ahamed (“ah-HA-med”) is deputy executive director at Priorities USA, a Democratic political action committee))
((Nick Ahamed, Priorities USA)) “The numbers with young voters in particular were great, on enthusiasm especially, we saw a 5-percentage-point increase in young voters’ intent to vote, basically overnight.”
((NARRATOR))
19-year-old Celeste Galvez is one of those who’s feeling energized by the change.
((Celeste Galvez, Young Voter)) “I was not really planning on even voting in the first place. But now that he’s [[President Joe Biden has] dropped out and Kamala’s running, I’m more excited for stepping into a new world where we can have a woman as a president. I’m actually excited about politics now.”
((NARRATOR))
The excitement has translated to a spike in new voter registrations. ((Mandatory CG: Facebook / Vote.org)) Vote.org reported over 100,000 people registering to vote in the seven days after Joe Biden announced he was stepping down, ((end courtesy)) with voters ages 18 to 34 making up nearly 85% of those new registrations.
But the presidential race remains close, and there are equal numbers of young voters, particularly young men, who favor former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee.
((Nick Ahamed, Priorities USA))
“A lot of them don’t find that the U.S. economy as a whole works for them. So when Democrats talk about, you know, record job growth, huge number of jobs that President Biden has created, they don’t see themselves in that framework.”
((NARRATOR))
26-year-old Frankie Russell is one of them.
((Frankie Russell, Young Voter))
“The way to get my age is that you got to talk to my age group. You can’t be running the same, ‘Low taxes,’ the claim of like, ‘We just lowered taxes,’ guns and faith. That’s not enough, we need other stuff. We need America-first policy in general, you know, no new wars, no sending our money overseas, but keeping it at home.”
((Rudy Garrett, Alliance for Youth Action)) ((Source: MS Teams))
“Frustration does not equal apathy. Young people actually understand what’s happening in politics. They care about what’s going on. They’re just not seeing the change that they want to see be actuated through engaging in the electoral process. But I think that the switch-up that has happened over the last couple of weeks has definitely created a new trajectory.”
((NARRATOR))
Whether that trajectory will extend to the ballot box remains to be seen, but it’s clear that young voters should not be discounted come November.
((Tina Trinh, VOA News, New York))
ELIZABETH LEE:
Since 2020, no group of eligible voters has grown faster in the United States than Asian Americans. This, according to the Pew Research Center. Just two years ago, California had the highest number of eligible voters in the U.S., followed by New York and the Lone Star State, Texas. I recently visited one community in the most populated city in Texas, Houston. Here’s that report.
((PLAYBOOK SLUG: E24 0827 Asian American Voters
HEADLINE: Asian American voters diverse in culture, political views
TEASER: One of the fastest growing ethnic groups in the U.S. may also be the hardest to reach
PUBLISHED AT: (DATE & TIME)
BYLINE: Elizabeth Lee
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Houston
VIDEOGRAPHER: Elizabeth Lee
VIDEO EDITOR: Elizabeth Lee
ASSIGNING EDITOR:
SCRIPT EDITORS: Bill Ide, Reifenrath
VIDEO SOURCE (S):
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO _X_
TRT:
VID APPROVED BY:
TYPE:
EDITOR NOTES: Please put in HFR when copy-edit is complete. Release date TBA. After DNC, Scott Sterns will decide.))
[[INTRO: Since 2020, Asians Americans have been the fastest-growing group of eligible voters in the U.S., according to Pew Research Center. In 2022, California had the most eligible Asian American voters in the U.S., followed by New York and Texas. From Houston, Texas, Elizabeth Lee has more on the potential and challenges of the Asian American vote.]]
((NARRATOR)) ((nat / video sound of cooking, beauty shot of houston))
For flavors from Asia, Houston, Texas is a one-stop-shop. The foods found here reflect the melting pot of Asian cultures living in the counties that make up the Greater Houston region.
((NAT SOUND POP of CAR ZOOMING BY)) ((Map of three county Houston, JJ setup shot))
One of them is suburban Fort Bend County, where Asians make up more than 21% of the population. (( https://www.understandinghouston.org/topic/community-context/population-and-diversity/#race_and_ethnicity )) It’s also where Chinese American immigrant JJ Clemence lives.
((JJ Clemence, Chinese American (female, English))) ((00:16:01:03 – 00:16:09:09))
“I think for either party, they really cannot, cannot afford to ignore the Asian community.”
((NARRATOR)) ((Asians grocery shopping, ballot box, generic feed trump video))
Asian Americans are among the fastest-growing ethnic groups in the U.S., according to Census data. Voter turnout among this group has also seen record increases in the past two presidential elections. (( https://aapidata.com/featured/2024-asian-american-voter-survey/ ))
More Asian Americans call themselves Democrat than Republican. One reason: More than half of Asian American voters are immigrants, and some of them disagree with former President Donald Trump’s stance on immigration.
((Radio: Korean American Becky Kim is a first-time voter))
((Becky Kim, Korean American)) ((Female)) ((In Korean))
“I think Trump’s policies hurt minorities a lot.”
[[FOR RADIO: Richard Murray is Senior Research Fellow at the University of Houston]]
((Richard Murray, University of Houston Senior Research Fellow)) ((00:01:35:07 – 00:01:45:10))
“A lot of his policies not only took aim at illegal immigrants from Mexico or South America, but also restricted legal immigration.”
((NARRATOR)) ((generic feed video of Trump, China branch border video))
The Trump administration reduced the number of refugees allowed into the U.S. and created more rules to access immigrant visas. (( https://www.migrationpolicy.org/sites/default/files/publications/mpi-trump-at-4-report-final.pdf ))
Still, a 2024 survey of Asian American voters found that 22% identify as Republicans. Many of them say a more secure border and other Republican values resonate with them.
[[FOR RADIO: That includes Chinese American, Daniel Wong]]
((Daniel Wong, Chinese American))
“Less government is what Asians want. You know, more freedom and less tax, you know, individual freedom.”
((NARRATOR)) ((generic Asian shots, Asians at grocery store))
The survey also found 31 percent of Asian American voters identify as independents. (( https://apiavote.org/policy-and-research/asian-american-voter-survey/ ))
But 42% of Asian American voters surveyed say they have not been contacted by political candidates or a political party. (( https://apiavote.org/policy-and-research/asian-american-voter-survey/ ))
[[FOR RADIO: Debbie Chen is the executive vice president of the organization OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates]]
((Debbie Chen, OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates)) ((00:10:49:07 – 00:10:57:02))
“Neither party actually does a really great job of reaching out to the AAPI community.”
((NARRATOR)) ((Setup of Daniel))
Daniel Wong, who had served in local elected office, says Asian American voters are partly responsible.
((Daniel Wong, Chinese American))
00:05:39:13 – 00:05:53:00
“We are not organized; we don’t understand the American political system. That’s why we don’t know how we’re going to energize to put our energy together to shoot for whatever common goal which we don’t have.”
((NARRATOR)) ((Asian Grocery store video, senior center video, grassroots meeting video))
The projected 15 million Asian Americans eligible to vote (( https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/01/10/key-facts-about-asian-american-eligible-voters-in-2024/ )) have roots in countries as different as China, India, Vietnam, and Korea. Unifying Asian voters is a difficult task, often resting on Asian grassroots organizations.
((nat pop of phone banking, shot of typing of keyboard, wong setup))
Getting Asians to donate to campaigns also has been a challenge. Something Wong saw up close while running for a city council seat.
((Daniel Wong, Chinese American)) ((00:07:41:15 – 00:07:52:11))
“Asians, they are not used to donate to a political means. They don’t understand how it works. They will say, you know — usually they figured “I donate to you. I need to get something back.”
((NARRATOR)) ((Clemence setup))
Clemence had also run for local office.
((JJ Clemence, Chinese American))
“Asian, society, I don’t think (is) like a Christian community. They (Christians) have a habit to give. So you have to educate them (Asians) and you need to, outreach to them.”
((NARRATOR))
During the last presidential election, close to 60% of Asian Americans voted. (( https://aapidata.com/featured/2024-asian-american-voter-survey/ )) Political activists say forming relationships with new Asian-American citizens and educating them about the political process will mobilize them to get involved.
ELIZABETH LEE:
That’s all for now. Thanks for watching.
For the latest news you can log on to VOA news dot com. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook at VOA News.
Also, you can catch up on past episodes of The Inside Story at our free streaming service, VOA Plus.
I’m Elizabeth Lee. We will see you next week, for The Inside Story.
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