Letter from America by Alistair Cooke: From Nixon to Carter (1969-1980)
Arts & Culture Podcasts
From America’s great hope after Nixon’s election victory, to disillusionment after Watergate through to President Carter’s election. A fascinating social, cultural and political history of American life, through the words of British-American journalist and broadcaster, Alastair Cooke (1908 – 2004).
Location:
United States
Genres:
Arts & Culture Podcasts
Description:
From America’s great hope after Nixon’s election victory, to disillusionment after Watergate through to President Carter’s election. A fascinating social, cultural and political history of American life, through the words of British-American journalist and broadcaster, Alastair Cooke (1908 – 2004).
Language:
English
Episodes
The My Lai massacre revealed, 1969
4/9/2024
The American reaction to hearing of the horror of the Son My massacre (My Lai) in Vietnam, and parallels with Hiroshima and the Allied devastation of Dresden.
Duration:00:14:02
Chrysler financial crisis deepens
12/26/1980
Auto workers call on Reagan's help as jobs are threatened by Chrysler cash crisis.
This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.
Duration:00:14:19
Haig joins Cabinet
12/19/1980
Nixon's top aide is offered senior post - but the hearings on his fitness to serve could be damaging. The sound quality on this recording is variable/poor.
This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.
Duration:00:14:37
John Lennon’s assassination
12/12/1980
The shooting of John Lennon on the 8th December 1980 sparks a debate over the need for national gun control law in America.
Duration:00:13:51
The waiting game
12/5/1980
Hostages and the growing Polish crisis will prove to be among Reagan's first presidential headaches.
This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.
Duration:00:13:45
Reagan's charm offensive
11/28/1980
President-elect Reagan wins over Washington with his charm offensive. The sound quality on this recording is variable/poor.
This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.
Duration:00:14:20
Reagan's political honeymoon
11/21/1980
President-elect Reagan turns his honeymoon period into a Washington courtship ritual.
This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.
Duration:00:13:52
Why the pollsters got it wrong
11/14/1980
Humiliation for pollsters who made completely wrong call on the presidential election.
This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.
Duration:00:13:50
Ronald Reagan’s victory, 1980
11/7/1980
As Ronald Reagan wins the 1980 US presidential election, Alistair Cooke reflects on the causes of Jimmy Carter's downfall.
Duration:00:13:53
The World Series gets the vote, 1980
10/17/1980
The World Series gets the popular vote while the presidential candidates get mean with each other.
This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.
Duration:00:14:16
The book-selling business
10/10/1980
How the book-selling business creates a bestseller from a book which isn't selling.
This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.
Duration:00:13:56
Independents switch to Reagan
10/3/1980
Campaign sees Carter's support slipping as independent voters switch to Reagan.
This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.
Duration:00:14:24
Candidates claim victory in TV debate
9/26/1980
Polls will chart Carter's performance in TV debate while the other two candidates both claim victory.
This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.
Duration:00:14:30
Small car sales boom
9/19/1980
US car makers to concentrate on making smaller cars as sale of thrifty foreign imports boom.
This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.
Duration:00:14:29
Candidates consider TV debate
9/12/1980
Three-way TV debate for presidential candidates could leave Carter at a disadvantage.
This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.
Duration:00:13:59
American know-how
9/5/1980
America's lead in the technological revolution has been lost during the past thirty years as Europe and the Far East steam ahead.
This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.
Duration:00:14:06
Energy assistance bill
8/29/1980
Surprise swing of Republican voting in favour of the cold north over energy assistance bill.
This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.
Duration:00:14:12
America's Electoral College
8/22/1980
Why size matters when it comes to vote-counting by the US Electoral College.
This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.
Duration:00:14:17
Jimmy Carter is nominated for re-election
8/15/1980
Edward Kennedy makes the best speech of his career at the Democratic Party conference, after losing his challenge for the party's nomination to incumbent President Jimmy Carter.
Duration:00:14:00
Covering the 1980 presidential campaign
8/8/1980
Cooke looks back at his own coverage of previous Democratic nomination campaigns including Truman and Dewey in 1948; and the current battle between Jimmy Carter and Edward Kennedy.
Duration:00:13:50