We’re joined by Peter Loge, who was a senior advisor within the Obama administration and is now a professor of media and public affairs at George Washington College.
Matt Frei: We’re all the time advised in America to comply with the cash. The cash appears to be pouring in for Kamala Harris to the tune of $1 billion since she was introduced, and Trump has acquired $330 million. So how come they’re neck and neck within the polls?
Peter Loge: I believe as a result of the voters of America are cut up. Lots of people know Donald Trump. They know him properly, they’ve acquired sturdy opinions and lots of of these opinions are in favour of him. In some ways, Vice President Harris and definitely Governor Walz are nonetheless introducing themselves to the American individuals. A number of that cash is ‘come meet me’ cash that the Harris-Walz marketing campaign is spending.
Matt Frei: I ponder if one of many large conundrums that Kamala Harris faces is that she’s each making an attempt to be an agent of change, she’s a girl of color, they’ve by no means had a president like that earlier than. However she’s additionally a part of the incumbent staff and that’s the circle that she can’t sq..
Peter Loge: That’s completely a problem for Harris and for Walz. It’s additionally a problem for Trump, proper? He’s already been president as soon as. You’ve gotten an incumbent president, who skipped a time period, operating towards an incumbent vice chairman, each making an attempt to run as outsiders who’re new to Washington. It’s an odd, odd state of affairs.
Matt Frei: What about these Latino voters that had been featured in Siobhan’s piece? Should you take a look at the elections, ever because the flip of the century, they began off as Democrats, they had been firmly within the Democrat camp. And with each election, they’re transferring in the direction of the Republicans and that could be a problem for Kamala Harris. Why do you assume that’s?
Peter Loge: I believe there are a few causes. The very first thing to notice is Latin People come from a variety of nations throughout the south of America. Central America, Mexico, Latin America. There’s one thing like 665 million individuals who stay in Latin America, which isn’t that distant from how many individuals stay in Europe. To say there’s a ‘Latin American vote’ is like saying that individuals from France, Germany and Spain are the identical they usually’re clearly not. The second factor to notice is that Latin American voters, like most voters in America, care rather a lot concerning the worth of gasoline and groceries. They’re frightened about inflation. They’re frightened about crime. They’re frightened about well being care prices. They’re frightened about the identical issues the remainder of us are. And even in all of that, Harris continues to be successful the Latino vote near 2 to 1. So her assist is down a smidge from Biden 4 years in the past, based on present polling. However she’s nonetheless actually outpacing Trump there.
Matt Frei: However they’re additionally, socially, fairly conservative, aren’t they? A lot of them.
Peter Loge: Many, yeah. Once more, to say ‘they’ throughout Latin America is like saying ‘they’ throughout Europeans. However yeah, plenty of Latin People come from Catholic nations which are strongly socially conservative. Many are professional legislation and order. And lots of stay in neighbourhoods which are ravaged by crime. Individuals who stay in areas ravaged by crime are inclined to assist legislation enforcement. They’re all on the lookout for jobs they usually’ve all acquired to purchase gasoline and groceries identical to the remainder of us.
Matt Frei: And there’s so many people who find themselves frightened concerning the election outcomes, whoever wins, as a result of it is perhaps contested. Do you share these fears?
Peter Loge: Completely. There are already lawsuits occurring now. They anticipate many extra lawsuits. I totally count on Donald Trump to declare victory on election evening, no matter what the outcomes say and whether or not or not all of the votes have been counted. And by that time, all of the votes most definitely gained’t have been counted. And once more, no matter what election officers say, one can think about, Donald Trump will sue. The fits will possible fail, as they’ve up to now. However when the voting stops, the litigation begins.
Matt Frei: And will there be bother on the streets?
Peter Loge: I think about there is perhaps, proper? Donald Trump is as soon as once more establishing a scene for violence. He’s already saying the election is rigged. Trump by no means admits defeat. And if he loses, he’s already advised individuals it’s as a result of it’s rigged and we’ve to grab the nation. He’s actually seeding a very disagreeable and harmful atmosphere.
