A president botches a key debate. His rival survives an assassination attempt. A vice president steps in to replace the incumbent. Hasn’t Election 2024 already brought us enough political upheavals?
Like it or not, with one month to go in the contest between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, there’s still the possibility of another surprise — an “October surprise” — that could sway undecided voters.
In this episode, host Richard Galant chats with Princeton historian Julian Zelizer on the origin of the October surprise concept, the history of late-breaking election developments and the chances this month’s events could sway the Harris-Trump election. You’ll learn who coined the phrase “October surprise” and how it played a role in the 1980 race between Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter.
This is Episode 1 of the “Now It’s History” podcast. We’ll be exploring the dividing line between the present and the past, speaking with people who have deeply studied history and have thoughts on how it shapes our world today.
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