Barry Soper: Senior Political Correspondent on NYT calling Trump as likely winner of US election and Waitangi Tribunal leaking details of schedule change for Treaty Principles Bill introduction to Parliament

The New York Times is calling Donald Trump as the likely winner of the US election, projecting 297 Electoral College seats. 

Only one President in history has returned to the White House after a break, rather than serving consecutive terms.  

Senior Political Correspondent Barry Soper reminds Heather du Plessis-Allan the Democrat vote often comes in late – and there are lots of votes still to be counted. 

Plus, the Waitangi Tribunal are being accused of leaking the change in schedule to the Treaty Principles Bill’s introduction to Parliament. The Bill will now be introduced on Thursday, more than a week earlier than originally planned. 

Soper says the Waitangi Tribunal needs to reflect on its position within the backlash that has since ensued. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Barry Soper, Senior political correspondence with US.

Speaker 2 (00:02):
Now, Barry, good afternoon, and what a wonderful afternoon it is. Look,
Donald Trump is such a wonderful man. The Americans have
a lot of faith in them. Clearly, the New York
Times is now saying that he'll be likely the likely
winner eighty five percent from the New York Times, and

(00:22):
that would give him two hundred and ninety seven electoral
College seats. He only needs two hundred and seventy. So look, so.

Speaker 1 (00:30):
We're going to find out tonight, aren't we.

Speaker 2 (00:33):
I would imagine if this trend continues. But don't forget
there's still a lot of counting to be done, and
you know the Democrat count always comes in late. So
this is certainly a reflection that Donald Trump's got a
pretty strong So.

Speaker 1 (00:50):
Just explain to me, Barry, how big is the rip
in your ninety right now? How much do you hate this?
And are you going to accept that you are firmly
part of the political elite? Aren't you?

Speaker 3 (01:04):
No?

Speaker 2 (01:04):
I wouldn't think so at all.

Speaker 1 (01:05):
Lost so obvious it's going to happen.

Speaker 2 (01:09):
It wasn't deep analysis, as I said to you at
the start. It was I still can't believe that more
than half the population in America would go out and
vote for a man like Donald Trump. But you've got
to give it to Trump. He's extraordinary when you think
about his survivability. And I remember when I was there

(01:30):
in twenty sixteen, on the night, we're at the Clinton
headquarters because Trump canceled our invitation to his headquarters in
New York, so we went to Clinton. Yeah, and at
about three in the morning, John Podesta, her campaign chairman,
came out told about four or five thousand people who
had been gathered all night, had worked for her tirelessly

(01:53):
in the camp campaign, that she wasn't going to concede defeat,
and so they said filing out. I talked to a
number of them. They were very disappointed, and to me,
it just goes to show the sort of person that
Hillary Clinton was the wrong Democrat to be put up
same then, on the way back to my hotel in
the cab, what did you do? She conceded defeat And

(02:16):
I thought it was despicable behavior. But Kamala Harris would,
of course she would. She's nothing like Hillary Clinton, and
in a way, she was thrust into the job. You'd
have to say because of Joe Biden and.

Speaker 1 (02:29):
His didn't want it.

Speaker 2 (02:31):
No, no, you can't do that. But you know, the
idea of going out and getting another Democratic nominee in
the time that was available to them was pretty So.

Speaker 1 (02:41):
What was the bean? Did you agree to the three
thousand dollar bet with me on?

Speaker 2 (02:45):
Well? No, I've agreed to a number of bets, Heather,
and I might be losing quite a lot of them.
But look, it's interesting if Donald Trump does win. I
just look at the looked at the history books. There
was a chap called Grover Cleveland. Now he lost the
White House in eighteen eighty two. Yes, then he was

(03:09):
the only president in history to come back four years later.

Speaker 1 (03:13):
So take a four year break and then down then
win again. He won the Trump now.

Speaker 2 (03:16):
Who won three subsequent elections. Who is there for another
twelve years? I don't think Donald Trump's going to pull
that one off. But nevertheless, he will become the first
of more than one hundred years.

Speaker 1 (03:27):
To I don't think you're in any position to be
making any predictions today.

Speaker 2 (03:31):
Well, who knows.

Speaker 1 (03:33):
Maybe Donald Trump does. Hey, Barry, just back home quickly.
What do you make of the the white Tonguy tribunal
leaking the fact that the Treaty Principal's Bill is going
to Parliament.

Speaker 2 (03:41):
Well, look, I think the White Tongy tribunalist it hardly
comes as anything new that they are quite political. And
I've got to say in Parliament this afternoon it was
as though the bill had already been introduced, meaning that
the Prime Minister was in the hot seat fielding questions
from the Maldi Party co leader Rivalry Waite to tea

(04:02):
with Chris lux And saying the government will govern for
all New Zealanders. Any pretense though that the wait Tangi
tribunalism't political has been removed by its actions on the bill.
But Luxon was adamant about national and the government's position
when being questioned by YT.

Speaker 1 (04:19):
They've got a government that's here to advance outcomes for
Mary and non Marty.

Speaker 3 (04:24):
How can you sleep at night knowing that the violence
of the treaty principles built is going to have a discriminatory,
intergenerational impact on our mob.

Speaker 2 (04:34):
Winner I disagree with the characterization of that question.

Speaker 3 (04:37):
How many apologies as a state willing to make while
they continue to inflict violence and abuse on our people
whilst continuously breaching to tidity or waiting again.

Speaker 1 (04:47):
I disagree with the characterization of that statement.

Speaker 3 (04:49):
How can you stand in his house and support a
bill which the Way Tangy Tribunal has described as quote
the worst did me emphasize the worst, most comprehensive breach
of the Treaty to Trinity and modern time end quote?
We're not supporting the.

Speaker 1 (05:05):
Bill in second reading.

Speaker 2 (05:06):
He was sort of being worn down by the questions.
I think, and you know, it's a difficult situation for
the National Party to be in this note out about that,
But the Way Tangy Tribunal, I think should reflect on
the position that it's played in all of this.

Speaker 1 (05:22):
Verry, thanks very much, Enjoy your evening. Enjoy your evening,
very sober, senior political correspondent.

Speaker 2 (05:30):
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