Sunrise host Natalie Barr was stunned when she learned that presidential candidates were still personally calling potential voters on Election Day.
With polls about to close in eastern states, Barr, reporting from Washington, DC, asked former Obama aide Peter Loge about what the candidates were doing.
“What is happening in each of the fields right now?” Barr asked.
To his surprise, Loge said, “From all indications, the vice president (Kamala Harris) is still making calls and reaching out to people.”
Almost incredulous that a presidential candidate would do that, Barr asked, “Who are you calling?”
“Unlikely voters, those who would not normally vote,” Mr Loge replied. “Vice President Harris is trying to mobilize as many voters as possible, perhaps reaching out to people at the statehouse.”
“Still surprised by what she was hearing, Barr asked, ‘Do candidates usually call people directly?’
“Yes, he’s going through the list,” Mr. Loge said.
The Sunrise veteran responded, “I didn’t know they did that.”
Sunrise host Natalie Barr (left) was surprised to interview Peter Loge (right), who served under former President Barack Obama.
Sunrise presenter Natalie Barr leads Channel Seven’s coverage of the US election.
Loge said the time between polls closing and when results start coming in is “a strange time to be at campaign headquarters.”
‘If you’re a senior member of staff, you’ve done everything you can do, maybe make phone calls, order pizza.
‘Now you’re just waiting. If there are calls to make, you make them. But above all you wait for the results. “It’s a strange feeling,” he said.
Barr asked if it was “stressful.”
“Yes, you’re running on adrenaline and pizza,” Mr. Loge responded. “There’s nothing else you can do but wait.”
He said Republican candidate Donald Trump “is apparently waiting, watching TV, eating something, probably what I would be doing.”
Having worked for a previous president, Barr asked: “Did Obama do that?” Do they make last minute calls themselves?
‘I wouldn’t be surprised. “You don’t want to lose by one vote and then regret not making that extra call,” Mr. Loge said.
Since the outcome is likely to depend on which candidate seven so-called swing states vote for, he said: “As the polls start to close around 7, 8 or 9 Eastern (US time), If we see big numbers in states like Georgia, where more than 5.5 million people are expected to vote, then it could favor Harris and we could have an early night.
“But if it’s close on the East Coast, we might have to wait longer, especially since states like Arizona and Nevada will arrive later.”
Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris is pictured making last-minute phone calls to voters on Election Day, Nov. 5, 2024.
When Trump suggested that if he loses it will be because he cheated through “great volatility” of votes, Loge explained what the former president meant.
“It refers to inner-city areas where the poll numbers tend to favor Democrats,” he said.
‘When these results come in all at once, it may seem like an increase, but it is just a recount of votes. Once the polls close, there are no more votes.
“They just tell what’s already molded.”
Finally, Barr asked Mr. Loge for a prediction on who will win.
“I think it’s going to be a big win for Harris or a long counting period,” he said.
‘I don’t see that Trump has a path to sweep (the elections). “Many polling models could be underestimating female voters, which could tip the scales decisively in Harris’ favor.”