WELCOME TO A POST-ELECTION EDITION OF ALMANAC... I'M GLAD TO BE BACK THIS WEEK -- MARY LAHAMMER'S FILLING IN FOR CATHY.

WE ARE PACKED WITH POLITICS TONIGHT SO LET'S DIVE RIGHT IN AND WELCOME GOVERNOR-ELECT AMY KLOBUCHAR BACK TO THE SHOW... THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANKS, ERIC, THANKS MARY.

GREAT TO BE HERE.

ERIC: I'M WATCHING YOUR INTERVIEW AND THE FIRST TEN MINUTES COULD HAVE BEEN DELIVERED TO THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

>> I WANT TO MAKE CLEAR THAT'S NOT QUITE TRUE.

I'M NOT SURE THEY WILL AGREE WITH EVERYTHING I'M GOING TO DO BUT I BELIEVE IT IS IMPORTANT TO BRING PEOPLE WITH US RIGHT NOW.

WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH, YOU JOKE ABOUT THE NEGATIVE AD SHOWS, PEOPLE WANT TO THE MOVE ON FROM DIVIDES.

WE HAD A CATACLYSMIC EVENT HAPPEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

PEOPLE SAYING WE'RE TIRED OF THE CONSTRUCTION, COST, AND OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE.

THAT CAMS FROM SOUTH CAROLINA TO TEXAS TO KANSAS TO IOWA AND RIGHT HERE TO MINNESOTA.

BUT I HAVE A DIFFERENT JOB.

AND THAT IS THAT PEOPLE IN MINNESOTA, WHILE THEY'RE SICK OF TRUMP AND DON'T WANT TO RUBBER STAMP TRUMP, THEY WANT US TO MOVE FORWARD, NOT LEFT OR RIGHT.

THEY WANT A STATE GOVERNMENT WORTHY OF THEIR DRIVE AND AMBITION.

THEY'RE MAD ABOUT THE FRAUD.

THEY WANT US TO ROOT OUT THE FRAUD, CUT THROUGH THE RED TAPE, AND ACTUAL GROW TO THE FOCUS, WHICH I THINK ON A GROWTH AGENDA, K THROUGH 12 ACHIEVEMENT UP, AND SOME PRETTY BASIC THINGS.

SO, THAT'S ALL I TALKED ABOUT AND I ALSO SAID PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T VOTE FOR ME, I'M GOING TO BE REPRESENTING YOU AS WELL.

SO, IT WAS KIND OF A -- IT WASN'T REALLY OFF TRACK FOR WHERE I THINK THE PEOPLE OF MINNESOTA ARE.

>> DO YOU HAVE A MANDATE TO CLEAN OUT?

DO YOU EXPECT TO KEEP ANY COMMISSIONERS?

A BIRDIE TELLS ME MAYBE TOMMY PETERSON IS STICKING AROUND.

>> I THINK EVERYONE CAN APPLY FOR THESE JOBS, WE'RE OBVIOUSLY GOING TO BRING IN A NEW TEAM AND I SAID THAT FROM THE BEGINNING.

>> NO HOLD OVERS.

>> PEOPLE CAN APPLY, SO MAYBE -- >> SO NOT A YES OR NO.

WHAT ABOUT ANYONE FROM THE TRANSITION TEAM?

ANY CANDIDATES ON THAT LIST?

>> I LOVE OUR TRANSITION TEAM.

IT REALLY REPRESENTS ALL OF MINNESOTA.

A NUMBER OF THEM ARE ALL VOLUNTEERS, HONESTLY.

AND SO I'M THINKING SOME OF THEM ARE HELPING OUT FOR THIS TIME PERIOD AND WE'LL SEE IF ANY OF THEM WILL WANT TO STAY INVOLVED AFTER THAT.

BUT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ME TO GET ADVICE FROM A NUMBER OF EOPLE ABOUT PUTTING IN THIS NEW TEAM RIGHT NOW ERIC: A STOP TO BOTTOM AUDIT OF STATE GOVERNMENT, WILL THE RESULTS BE AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST BUDGET OR THE 2028 SESSION.

>> THAT IS A ROLLING TOP TO BOTTOM AUDIT STARTING OF COURSE ON DAY ONE AND HAT IS ABOUT ROOTING OUT FRAUD AND POTENTIAL FOR FRAUD.

BUT IT IS ALSO ABOUT FINDING THINGS THAT AREN'T WORKING AND EITHER FIXING THEM OR GETTING RID OF THEM.

ERIC: THEY LL HAVE CONSTITUENCIES AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE HARD TO GIVE UP.

>> I'M WELL AWARE.

AS SAID N ELECTION NIGHT, I THINK IT IS FAIR TO SAY AND I BROUGHT IN MODERATES, INDEPENDENTS, THE HIGHEST MARGIN SINCE ERNIE CARLSON.

I SAID TO THAT ROOM OF DEMOCRATS, I SAID SPOILER ALERT, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO LIKE EVERYTHING THAT I DO.

I'M GOING TO LOOK OUT FOR THE PEOPLE OF MINNESOTA.

AND HAT MEANS MAKING SURE THAT WE BRING DOWN COSTS AND TAKING ON HEALTH CARE PREMIUMS, AND BUILDING MORE HOUSING AND I'VE ALREADY TALKED TO OUR LEGISLATIVE LEADERS ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE, OF COURSE, EVERYONE MURPHY, AND ZACH STEPHENSON WHO HAVE HAD A LOT OF WORK AND THEY'RE COMING IN OFF OF VICTORIES ON ELECTION NIGHT AND THEY HAVE SOME OF THEIR OWN IDEAS.

I HAVE ALSO TALKED TO HARRY NISKA.

I ALSO TALKED TO OUR NEW LEADER, LEADER RASMUSSON, IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE.

SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT TO GET EVERYONE'S IDEAS AND BRING EVERYONE WITH US.

>> I KNOW YOU REACHED OUT EVEN BEYOND THAT TO MORE REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS, ARE YOU ANTICIPATING YOU'RE GOING TO NEED THEIR HELP WITH ALL OF THE PROGRESSIVES COMING IN, MIGHT YOU NEED THEIR HELP US SPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO A BUDGET?

THIS IS FAST YOU HAVE TO GET THAT BUDGET TOGETHER AND GET IT PASSED.

>> WE HAVE TO GET THE BUDGET NUMBERS, OF COURSE.

>> BUT THERE'S A BIG APPETITE FOR TAX INCREASES AND YOU'VE BEEN VERY DIRECT THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT MIGHT YOU NEED REPUBLICAN VOTES TO GET YOUR BUDGET THROUGH.

>> THIS IS WAY AHEAD OF US HERE.

I HAVE VERY GOOD MEETINGS WITH LEADER EVERYONE MURPHY AND WITH ZACH STEPHENSON, AND THEY KNOW WHERE I'M COMING FROM.

I HAVE BEEN CONSISTENT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TOWN ACCURACY TAXES.

AND THAT'S -- >> BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE PREPARED TO WORK WITH REPUBLICANS IF YOU NEED T.

>> LET'S SEE WHAT WE CAN DO AS DEMOCRATS WORKING WITH REPUBLICANS.

IF YOU LOOK AT MY PLANS, AT THE END OF EVERY SINGLE PLAN THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF BILLS.

SOME DEMOCRATIC, A LOT BIPARTISAN, AND THAT'S ON THE HOUSING PLAN, CONSERVATION, MAKING SURE WE HAVE A PATH FORWARD ON THE LEGACY AMENDMENT.

ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT ARE PRETTY IMPORTANT TO MINNESOTA RIGHT NOW AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME THINGS THAT ARE DEMOCRATIC.

THE GUN SAFETY BILL, MAYBE WE'LL GET REPUBLICAN VOTES, I WOULD OVE THAT, THEN THERE WILL BE OTHER THINGS HAT I THINK WILL BE STRONGLY BIPARTISAN.

>> NO NEW STATE TAXES IS ONE OF YOUR PLEDGES.

NOW YOU DO KNOW THAT THE TWO CHAIRS OF TAXES IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE ARE PRETTY MUCH VERY ENTRENCHED LIBERAL PROGRESSIVE LAWMAKERS.

>> I DO.

>> ARE WE HEADING FOR A SHOWDOWN?

>> I REALLY THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER.

WHEN I TALK ABOUT THIS GROWTH AGENDA, IT'S REALLY ABOUT LOOKING AT THE AGENCIES AND FIGURING OUT HOW CAN E SAVE MONEY IN CERTAIN WAYS.

I ALSO THINK THAT WHILE WE HAVE BEEN LAGGING IN GROWTH IN MINNESOTA FOR THE LAST DECADE, I THINK THAT WE HAVE BEEN AT LIKE 1.6% PER YEAR NATIONAL AVERAGE 2.4.

THIS YEAR NOW IT'S THE FIRST TWO QUARTERS BUT WE CAME IN AT 3 WHICH WAS NUMBER IX IN THE COUNTRY.

I'M NOT ROSY ABOUT THE FORECAST HERE IF WE DON'T MAKE SOME CHANGES AND WHICH WE HAVE TO DO SO WE CAN EXPAND 3 BUSINESS AND BRING MORE BUSINESSES IN, BUT WE MAY BE IN A BETTER PLACE THAN WE THOUGHT WE WERE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.

>> I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN DOING A LOT OF GROUND WORK AND TALKING TO BUSINESSES NOT JUST SINCE YOU WERE ELECTED BUT WEEKS AND MONTHS.

PAID FAMILY LEAVE IS A HUGE CONCERN.

ARE YOU OPEN TO MAKING SOME CHANGES AND SOME REFORMS ON THAT.

>> I WAS REALLY CLEAR ABOUT THIS AT THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE DEBATE A MONTH AGO.

I MY POINT IS THIS IS A VERY GOOD IDEA.

I'M GLAD MINNESOTA DID IT.

IF YOU ARE RAISING A FAMILY YOU SHOULD NEED TO BE ABLE TO TAKE LEAVE -- >> BUSINESSES SAY IT'S HURTING.

>> WHAT I SAID THERE I MEAN.

IT HAS TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE, IT HAS TO WORK, AND WE ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT A NUMBER OF THINGS THE CHAMBER HAS TALKED ABOUT.

OBVIOUSLY MAKING IT FRAUD PROOF, BUT YOU HAVE SHIFTS, PEOPLE THAT HAVE TO FILL IN, THERE HAS TO BE TRAINING.

SO, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO LOOKING AT THAT PROGRAM WHEN I GET IN TO SEE IF THERE IS IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE CAN MAKE.

IT HAS ONLY BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR A YEAR.

THAT'S A TIME WHEN YOU STEP BACK AND YOU LOOK AT IT.

>> YOU'RE ATTEMPTING A CULTURE CHANGE AT THE STATE CAPITOL.

>> YES.

>> YOU MUST KNOW HOW HARD THAT'S GOING TO BE.

>> I'M WELL AWARE.

>> HOW WILL YOU NAVIGATE THE SPECIAL INTERESTS, THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEE UNIONS, THIS SOUNDS LIKE IT'S GOOD IN CONCEPT, BUT WHEN YOU WORK THROUGH IT'S GOING TO GENERATE A LOT OF DUST, ISN'T IT?

>> I'M SOMEONE THAT, ONE, LIKES TO TAKE ON THE STATUS QUO WHEN IT'S GOOD FOR MINNESOTA.

BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE TO WORK WITH.

I HAVE BEEN NUMBER ONE FOR BIPARTISAN BILLS IN THE U.S.

SENATE.

NUMBER 3 OR GETTING BILLS PASSED INTO LAW.

I WORK WITH PEOPLE LIKE TED CRUZ, JOSH HOLLY, I WORKED WITH ERNIE SANDERS, I WORKED WITH ELIZABETH WARREN.

IF YOU ASKED THEM THEY'RE SUPPORTIVE OF A YOU REMEMBER 3 IN OF THINGS I'VE DONE.

I GET HOW HARD IT IS.

I UNDERSTAND THAT.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THIS ISN'T THE MOMENT.

IT IS THE MOMENT TO STEP BACK AND SAY OKAY, WHAT CAN WE DO BETTER HERE?

THIS ISN'T ALWAYS ABOUT MINNESOTA HAS THE ANSWER TO EVERYTHING.

WE CAN LOOK AT WHAT OTHER STATES HAVE DONE.

PENNSYLVANIA, FOR CERTAIN PERMITS, YOU MAKE A DECISION AT A TIME PERIOD AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER UP OR DOWN YOU GET YOUR MONEY BACK LIKE DOMINOS.

ONE SMALL THING THAT I PROPOSED THAT'S KIND OF FUN IS IN MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES, WHEN SIXTH GRADERS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YEAR IT IS, BUT WHEN THEY LEARN MINNESOTA HISTORY IN MINNESOTA, IT'S SIXTH GRADE.

VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY.

GIVE THEM A FREE PASS TO OUR PARKS AND MUSEUMS WITH FAMILIES SO THEY CAN LOVE THE MINNESOTA THAT WE LOVE.

THERE'S SO MANY IDEAS CHALK FULL ANY MY PLANS, THEY DON'T COST MUCH, SOME ARE REFORMS.

BRINGING DOWN PREMIUMS.

IF THEY DON'T CHANGE THAT TAX CREDIT ON THE INDIVIDUAL MARKET I'M GOING TO DO IT IN MINNESOTA AND I THINK THE CHANGE IN CONGRESS WILL HELP US AS WELL.

>> YOU ROAD IN A LIMB MOE WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP.

>> AND PRESIDENT BIDEN.

>> YOU WERE THE HEAD OF THE SENATE RECEPTION COMMITTEE.

>> I WAS THE HEAD OF THE RULES COMMITTEE WHICH MEANT THAT I CHAIRED THAT INAUGURAL NO MATTER WHO WON.

AND O I SPENT A LOT OF TIME THAT DAY WITH VARIOUS LEADERS IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, BUT I DID SPEND 20 MINUTES IN THE CAR WITH THEM.

I WILL TELL YOU I USE MY MOMENTS WELL.

AT THE LUNCH I TALKED ABOUT THE "TAKE IT DOWN ACT" THE ONLY AI BILL THAT HAS SINCE PASSED BECAUSE OF THAT MOMENT I HAD WITH THE PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT AND FIRST LADY AT THAT LUNCH.

I ALSO SAID OMETHING THAT I THINK IS REALLY RELEVANT FOR THE BIGGER PICTURE OF WHAT JUST HAPPENED THIS WEEK.

I HAD MY FOUR MINUTES AND I SAID THAT THE POWER IN THAT ROTUNDA, THE POWER OF THE PRESIDENT AND ALL OF THE ELECT PRESIDENT AND ALL OF THE ELE ELECTIVES HAD DID NOT COME FROM THE TECH BROS STANDING BEHIND US.

I DIDN'T USE THAT WORD, BUT I SAID IT DIDN'T COME FROM WITHIN THE ROTUNDA.

THE POWER CAME FROM OUTSIDE.

WE HAVE OUR INAUGURATIONS AT THE CAPITOL, THE PEOPLE'S HOTS AND NOT A GUILDED PALACE.

THAT OUR DEMOCRACY WAS A SHELTER FROM THE STORM.

THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED ON TUESDAY NIGHT.

SO, WHILE I AM SO EXCITED TO GET TO WORK WITH OUR LEGISLATURE AND DO ALL OF THIS WORK IN MINNESOTA, WHICH IS WHY I RAN FOR THIS JOB, I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THIS WAS A MAJOR EVENT, WHAT HAPPENED ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

AMERICA STOOD UP AND SAID NO, ENOUGH.

PATRIOTS STOOD UP.

PEOPLE WHO WERE REPUBLICANS, PEOPLE WHO WERE INDEPENDENTS, AND THEY'RE SICK AND TIRED OF WHAT THE PRESIDENT IS DOING RIGHT NOW.

SO, THAT'S GOING TO BE PART OF THE ELEMENT.

WE WANT A GOVERNOR THAT CAN STAND UP AND WE KNOW THE PEOPLE OF MINNESOTA WANT US TO GET STUFF DONE AND I'M ALL ABOUT RESULTS AND NOT EXCUSES.

>> WHAT'S INTERESTING, BRIAN McCLUNG WHO DID COMMUNICATIONS FOR GOVERNOR TIM PAWLENTY, AND HE SAID AMY KLOBUCHAR REMINDS OF TIM PAWLENTY, HOW DOE YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT COMPARISON?

>> I KNOW TIM QUITE WELL, I APPRECIATE THE WORK, HE IS WORKING WITH SOLAR RIGHT NOW AND I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME MAJOR INVESTMENTS IN RENEWABLES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND HE IS IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME.

AND I THINK I WAS READING HE WROTE A PIECE FOR THE STRIBE, AND I THOUGHT HIS 5D VICE WAS SPECIFIC YOU HAVE TO BE READY FOR CRISIS.

THINGS THAT YOU DON'T EXPECT TO HAPPEN AS GOVERNOR WILL HAPPEN.

MANAGEMENT, A TEAM, GETTING THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN PLACE, UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU CAN SAY ALL YOU WANT IN DEBATES AND CAMPAIGN BUT WHAT MATTERS IS GETTING RESULTS.

I'M SURE I HAVE TALKED TO HIM BEFORE, I GOT ELECTED THIS WEEK, AND I WILL TALK TO HIM IN THE FUTURE AS WELL AS THE OTHER GOVERNORS, ALL OF WHOM HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH ME.

>> APPRECIATE YOU COMING BY AT THE END OF A BUSY WEEK.

>> I WANT TO THE GET ONE MORE QUESTION.

WE CAN'T LET YOU GO WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT THE SENATE PICK.

I KNOW YOU DON'T -- >> WHY DID I -- >> WE GAVE YOU AN OUT.

>> IT'S A TIMING QUESTION.

YOU KNOW HOW MUCH SENIORITY MATTERS IN WASHINGTON DC.

IS IT POSSIBLE THAT YOU WORK WITH GOVERN WALZ TO TRY TO GET SENIORITY FOR YOUR REPLACEMENT AND HIM APPOINT?

>> INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH THEY CHANGED SOME OF THESE RULES.

I'M NOT GOING TO GET INTO THE BORING NATURE OF IT BUT WHAT MATTERS IS HAVING SOMEONE IN PLACE ON THE SWEARING IN DAY.

WE CHECKED INTO SOME OF THIS.

SO, THAT IS WHAT WILL DETERMINE WHAT HATCHES AND I'M GOING TO FINISH MY LEGISLATIVE BUSINESS AND I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT I PICK SOMEONE FOR THIS INTERIM SEAT THAT WILL MAKE MINNESOTA PROUD AND WILL DO THE JOB WELL AND IS QUALIFIED.

>> QUICKLY THAT MEANS YOU WILL NOT RESIGN EARLY THEN FOR THAT APPOINTMENT.

>> THAT'S NOT IN THE CARDS RIGHT NOW, IT COULD BE A MATTER OF DAYS OR WHATEVER IT IS TO MAKE IT WORK, BECAUSE THE SENATE SWEARING IN IS ON JAN 3rd, AND THE GOVERNOR SWEARING IN IS ON JANUARY