Nat Barr left stunned after making a shock discovery about the US election: 'I didn't know they do that'
Sunrise host Natalie Barr was stunned when she learned that the Presidential candidates were still personally calling prospective voters on election day.
With the polls closing, Barr, who is reporting from Washington DC, asked former Obama aide Peter Loge about what the candidates were doing.
'What's happening in each of the camps right now?' Barr asked.
To her surprise, Mr Loge said: 'By all accounts, the Vice President (Kamala Harris) is still making calls, reaching out to people.'
Almost in disbelief that a presidential candidate would do that, Barr asked, 'Who's she calling?'
'Unlikely voters, those who might not normally vote,' Mr Loge replied.
'Vice President Harris is reaching out to mobilise as many voters as possible, maybe contacting people at state headquarters.'
Still shocked at what she was hearing, Barr asked 'Do candidates usually call people directly?'
Sunrise host Natalie Barr (left) got a shock when interviewing Peter Loge (right) who served under former president Barack Obama
Sunrise host Natalie Barr is leading Channel Seven's coverage of the American election
'Yes, she's going through the list,' Mr Loge said.
The Sunrise veteran replied 'I didn't know they did that'.
Mr Loge said the time between the closing of the polls and when the results start coming in is 'a weird time to be in campaign headquarters'.
'If you're a senior staffer, you've done everything you can do, maybe making phone calls, ordering pizza,' he said.
'Now you're just waiting. If there are calls left to make, you make them. But mostly, you wait for results. It's a strange feeling.'
Barr asked if it was 'stressful'.
'Yes, you're running on adrenaline and pizza,' Mr Loge replied.
'There's nothing more you can do except wait.'
He said that Donald Trump 'is reportedly waiting, watching TV, snacking, probably what I'd 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 one extra call,' Mr Loge said.
With the result likely to hinge on which candidate seven so-called swing states vote for, Mr Loge said 'As polls start closing around 7, 8, or 9 eastern (US time), if we see big numbers in states like Georgia, where over 5.5million people are expected to vote, then it could favor Harris, and we might be in for an early night.
'But if it's close on the east coast, we could be waiting longer, especially with states like Arizona and Nevada coming in later.'
Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris is pictured making last minute phone calls to voters on election day, November 5, 2024
With Trump suggesting that if he loses it will be because of cheating through 'a big dump' of votes, Mr Loge explained what the former president meant.
'He's referring to inner-city areas where polling numbers tend to favour Democrats,' he said.
'When these results come in all at once, it can look like a surge, but it's just vote counting. Once polls close, there's no more voting.
'They simply count what's already been cast.'
Finally, Barr asked Mr Loge for a prediction on who will win.
'I think it'll either be a strong win for Harris or a prolonged counting period,' he said.
'I don't see Trump having a path to sweep (the election). Many polling models might be underestimating female voters, which could swing it decisively for Harris.'
