"ALMANAC" IS A PRODUCTION OF TWIN CITIES PBS FOR THE STATIONS OF MINNESOTA PUBLIC TELEVISION ASSOCIATION.

>> ERIC: IN THE NEXT HOUR, MICHAEL OSTERHOLM JOINS US LIVE TO PUT THE OMICRON VARIANT INTO PERSPECTIVE.

WE'LL PREVIEW THE TRIAL OF KIMBERLY POTTER, AND WE'LL HEAR ABOUT AN AMBITIOUS NEW PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE IN MINNEAPOLIS.

THAT'S ALL NEXT ON "ALMANAC."

♪ >> ERIC: IN A FEW MINUTES, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE START OF THE KIMBERLY POTTER TRIAL AND TODAY'S BIG JOBS REPORT, BUT FIRST UP IN THE HOUR, THE ONGOING BATTLE WITH COVID.

>> CATHY: TEN DAYS AGO, OMICRON WAS AN OBSCURE LETTER IN THE GREEK ALPHABET THAT FEW WERE SURE HOW TO PRONOUNCE.

NOW IT'S A COVID VARIANT SWEEPING THE GLOBE, CAUSING CONCERN TO NERVOUS MARKETS AND STRAINED HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS.

BACK FOR HIS MONTHLY PANDEMIC VISIT, MICHAEL OSTERHOLM, HEAD OF THE U OF M'S CENTER FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASE RESEARCH AND POLICY.

SO THIS IS A REAL CHALLENGE.

ON TOP OF I WOULD, THERE ARE MUTATIONS THAT REALLY MAKE IT MUCH MORE TRANSMISSIBLE.

KIND OF THE KING OF THE VIRUS HILL UP UNTIL NOW BECAUSE OF ITS HIGH TRANSMISSIBILITY.

SO THAT'S OF GRAVE KEVIN.

WHAT WE'RE REALLY UP AGAINST, THOUGH, IS UNDERSTANDING WHAT KIND OF ILLNESS IT CAUSES.

IS IT SEVERE, MODERATE ILLNESS.

WE KNOW ALREADY WE'RE SEEING IN SOUTH AFRICA A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN INFECTED NOW GETTING IT AGAIN AND WHAT I'M PERSONALLY WAITING FOR IS THE DATA TO GIVE US A BETTER SENSE OF JUST HOW SEVERE ARE THE ILLNESSES IN THESE PEOPLE.

>> Eric: I READ SOMETHING THIS WEEK THAT SAID THE DEATH RATE FOR THOSE WHO ARE VACCINATED UNDER 50 IS VIRTUALLY ZERO.

DOES THIS NEW DEVELOPMENT CHANGE THAT EQUATION AT ALL?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, THOSE DATA ARE REALLY UNRELIABLE AT THIS POINT BECAUSE BOTH ILLNESS, HOSPITALIZATIONS AND AND OF COURSE DEATH ARE ALL WE CALL LAGGING INDICATORS, MEANING THAT THEY OFTEN DON'T OCCUR UNTIL TWO TO FOUR WEEKS AFTER THE CASES THEMSELVES OCCUR.

WHAT E'VE SEEN SO FAR HAS REALLY BEEN AN EXPLOSION OF CASES JUST IN THE LAST EIGHT TO TEN DAYS.

IF YOU LOOK AT OVER 16,000 CASES TO HE, JUST A WEEK AGO, IT WAS ONLY 200 CASES A DAY IN SOUTH AFRICA.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A BETTER SENSE OF IT IN A WEEK TO TEN DAYS FROM NOW BUT RIGHT NOW, WE ALSO DO CLEARLY HAVE RAPIDLY GROWING HOSPITALIZATION RATES IN SOUTH AFRICA WHICH WOULD PORTEND THAT THIS ISN'T NECESSARILY GOOD NEWS FOR THE REST OF US AND IT'S CLEAR THIS VIRUS IS HIGHLY INFECTIOUS.

AS I POINTED OUT, IT IS NOW AROUND THE WORLD.

I SAID LAST SUNDAY IN MEDIA THAT IT WOULDN'T EXPIRATION ME IF WITHIN A WEEK, THIS WAS IN MORE THAN 50 COUNTRIES.

WELL, IT'S DONE THAT NOW, IT'S CLEARLY BEEN CONFIRMED IN MORE THAN 50 COUNTRIES.

I THINK IT'S PROBABLY IN MOST STATES IN THE UNITED STATES ALREADY.

>> Cathy: DO YOU THINK, THEN, WE'RE AT THE BEGINNING OF ANOTHER WAVE?

>> YES, AND -- WHICH IS REALLY A CHALLENGE BECAUSE I THINK WE GOT TO REMEMBER TONIGHT ON THIS SHOW, FOR EVERYONE HERE IN MINNESOTA, WE'RE GETTING HIT HARD BY DELTA YET.

TODAY WE STILL -- WE REPORTED OVER 5600 CASES, 62 MORE DEATHS HERE.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE CONTINUED THIS EXTENDED WAVE THAT STARTED IN SEPTEMBER AND HAS BEEN ONGOING IN THE UPPER MIDWEST FROM THE FOUR CORNERS AREA AND NOW, AS YOU'RE SEEING, IT'S EXTENDED REALLY FAR DEEP INTO THE NORTHEAST.

YESTERDAY THE ENTIRE METROPOLITAN AREA OF BOSTON HAD NO ICU BEDS LEFT AVAILABLE, AND SO DELTA ITSELF IS REALLY EXTRACTING A MAJOR PRICE IN THIS COUNTRY AND WHAT WE'RE NOT QUITE CERTAIN, IF OMICRON COMES ALONG AND KNOCKS THAT OFF THE HILL, WHAT WILL HAPPEN?

WILL IT BE WORSE, THE SAME, LESS, WE DON'T KNOW.

BUT WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE ONE TOOL WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, AND I SAY THIS MONTH AFTER MONTH AFTER MONTH ON HERE, PLEASE GET VACCINATED.

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN VACCINATED, AND RE DUE FOR THEIR BOOSTERS AT SIX MONTHS FOLLOWING THE VACCINATION, IF THEY'VE RECEIVED ONE OF MRNA VACCINES, PFIZER OR MODERNA AND IF YOU'VE GOTTEN THE JERK AND J VACCINE, PLEASE WITHIN TWO MONTHS OF THE J AND J, MAKE SURE YOU GET A BOOSTER, THIS CAN GO A LONG WAYS.

>> Cathy: YOU MENTIONED DR. OSTERHOLM THAT THERE'S RESEARCH COMING OUT OF SOUTH AFRICA THAT THIS VARIANT IS THREE TIMES MORE INFECTIOUS THAN PREVIOUS STRAINS.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR FOLKS WHO MIGHT BE RECEIPT SENT FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T BEEN VACCINATED, IF I GET SICK, I'LL HAVE NATURAL IMMUNITY.

>> YOU DON'T WANT TO GET I CAN; THE OPTIONS THERE ARE YOU MAY DO OKAY, YOU MAY NOT.

WE'RE SEEING 62 TO 100 DIETZ A DAY HERE IN MINNESOTA AND TODAY WE HAD A TEENAGER WHO DIED.

SO, PLEASE, DON'T DO THAT.

THE SECOND THING S, OUR HOSPITALS ARE OVERRUN RIGHT NOW.

THERE'S PLACES IN MINNESOTA, AS WELL AS MANY PLACES AROUND THE COUNTRY, WHERE YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE A HEART ATTACK, A STROKE OR AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THE HEALTH CARE RESOURCES ARE STRETCHED SO THIN AND SO DON'T GAMBLE WITH YOUR LIFE WITH THIS, GET VACCINATED.

AND EVEN THE DISCUSSION YOU'RE GOING TO KEEP HEARING ABOUT, WILL THIS IMMUNE INVASION FROM THE NEW VARIANT HAPPEN TO OCCUR, WE HAVE DATA FROM THE STUDIES THAT WERE DONE EARLIER THIS YEAR WHEN BY AKE AND GAMMA, TWO OTHER VARIANTS THAT DID HAVE IMMUNE EVASION, THEY DIDN'T END UP BEING THAT INFECTIOUS SO THEY LOST OUT BUT WE DID VACCINE STUDIES IN SOUTH AFRICA AND SOUTH AMERICA AND FOUND OUT WHILE THE VACCINES DIDN'T PREVENT INFECTION THAT OFTEN, IT HAD A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON PREVENTING SERIOUS ILLNESS, HOSPITALIZATIONS AND DEATHS.

SO GET VACCINATED NOW AND THAT WILL BE YOUR BEST WEAPON AGAINST OMICRON.

>> Eric: DO TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS HELP?

>> YOU KNOW, INITIALLY, THEY ARE IMPORTANT JUST TO LOCK THINGS DOWN TO BASICALLY GET A LAY OF THE LAND, WHAT'S HAPPENING.

YOU KNOW, MUCH LIKE A CRIME SCENE, BUT, YOU KNOW BE, WE DON'T KEEP CRIME SCENES CLOSED FOR WEEKS AND MONTHS AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE U.S. GOVERNMENT IS CLEARLY LOOKING RIGHT NOW TO RELAX THESE TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS.

I MEAN, PRETTY SOON THE WHOLE WORLD WILL BE PROHIBITED FROM TRAVELING ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD BECAUSE EVERY COUNTRY WILL VIRTUALLY HAVE THIS.

BUT WHAT WE DO NEED IS A MUCH MORE COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM FOR TESTING PASSENGERS TO BE SURE THEY'RE NOT INFECTED WHEN THEY GET ON THE PLANE, WHEN THEY GET OFF THE PLANE AND A DAY LATER TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE PEOPLE VACCINATED AND THAT WE'VE REALLY BEEN LAX AT THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AND, IN FACT, JUST LAST WEEKEND, IT WAS A REALLY VERY UNFORTUNATE SITUATION WHERE TWO FLIGHTS FROM SOUTH AFRICA, KLM FLIGHTS ARRIVED IN AMSTERDAM AND IN THAT SITUATION, THEY HAD TO SIT ON THE TARMAC FOR MORE THAN SIX HOURS WHERE THEY TRIED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO.

MEANWHILE, EXPOSING EACH OTHER IN THE PLANES.

THEN THEY TOOK THEM OFF THE PLANE AND THEY HAD TO SIT IN A LARGE ROOM ALL TOGETHER FOR ANOTHER SIX TO EIGHT HOURS BEFORE THEY FIGURED OUT THAT 60 OF THE PEOPLE ON THE FLIGHTS WERE INFECTED.

IMAGINE BEING N THAT PLANE OR IN THE ROOMS.

THAT'S NOT THE WAY WE SHOULD BE BRINGING IN TRAVELERS OR HOW WE SHOULD FOLLOW UP WITH THEM.

SO WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO THERE BUT THE -- A TRAVEL BAN ITSELF IS LIKE TRYING TO CONTAIN THE WIND.

IT ISN'T GOING TO MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.

>> Eric: JUST TODAY, GOVERNOR WALZ SAID HE SECURED A MILLION AT-HOME RAPID TEST KITS FOR CHILDREN AND THEN THE BOOSTER SHOTS WILL BE AVAILABLE IN SCHOOLS FOR CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS.

HOW ABOUT THOSE STEPS?

>> I THINK ALL THOSE STEPS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.

THE MORE TESTING WE CAN DO, THE BETTER, PARTICULARLY AS WE GET INTO THE HOLIDAY SEASON AND PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE DOING MORE SOCIALIZING.

YOU KNOW, LET'S JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING MINNESOTA, IS DONE WITH THIS PANDEMIC.

GO LOOK T WHAT'S HAPPENING OUTSIDE.

GO LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR STORES AND RESTAURANTS AND BASICALLY WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE THIS HEAVY PRICE THAT WE'RE PAYING.

SO THE NEXT BEST THING IS MAKING SURE YOU'RE FULLY VACCINATED, TEST YOURSELF BEFORE YOU GO TO A SOCIAL EVENT.

I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH TOO MANY SITUATIONS WHERE A CUTE YOUNG GRANDCHILD UNKNOWINGLY WAS INFECTED, BROUGHT TO A FAMILY EVENT AND GRANDPA AND GRANDMA GOT SERIOUSLY ILL AND IN SOME CASES IED BECAUSE OF THAT EXPOSURE TO THAT CUTE GRANDCHILD.

YOU DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN.

SO, YEAH, TESTING CAN BE REALLY IMPORTANT BEFORE YOU GO TO THESE EVENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON'T BRING THE VIRUS INTO THE HOUSE.

>> Cathy: AND WEAR YOUR MASK.

>> AND WEAR YOUR MASK.

AND WEAR A HIGH-QUALITY MASK, WEAR AN MPAAT RESPIRATOR BECAUSE THAT'S THE EFFECTIVE MASK TO WEAR.

A FACE CLOTHE COVERING PROVIDES MUCH, MUCH LESS LIMITED SUPPORT IN TERMS OF PREVENTING TRANSMISSION.

>> Cathy: ALL RIGHT.

Dr. OSTERHOLM, THANKS AGAIN.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Eric: THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.

>> THANKS.

>> ERIC: JURY SELECTION FINISHED TODAY IN A HENNEPIN COUNTY COURTOOM IN THE TRIAL OF FORMER BROOKLYN CENTER POLICE OFFICER KIMBERLY POTTER.

SHE FACES FIRST- AND SECOND-DEGREE MANSLAUGHTER CHARGES IN THE KILLING LAST SPRING OF DAUNTE WRIGHT DURING A TRAFFIC STOP.

RACHEL MORAN HAS BEEN FOLLOWING THE TRIAL CLOSELY.

SHE'S A PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS SCHOOL OF LAW.

POLICE ACCOUNTABLITY IS ONE OF HER SPECIALITIES.

PROFESSOR, WHAT PROMPTED THE QUICK JURY SELECTION?

>> I THINK THE LAWYERS HAD LITTLE TROUBLE FINDING PEOPLE WHO WERE TAKING THEIR JOB VERY SERIOUSLY, AND WHO PERHAPS BECAUSE OF THE PREVIOUS TRIAL OF DEREK CHAUVIN, IF THEY HAD WATCHED IT, REALIZED THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS OBLIGATION AND THEY NEEDED TO BE AVAILABLE.

>> Cathy: THE JURY MAKE-UP IS LESS DIVERSE THAN THE CHAUVIN JURY, 11 WHITES, 2 ASIAN FOLKS AND AONE BLACK INDIVIDUAL.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT?

>> IT'S SIGNIFICANTLY LESS DIVERSE AND IT DOES NOT REFLECT THE DIVERSITY OF HENNEPIN COUNTY AND THAT'S AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE WAY WE SELECT JURIES IN HENNEPIN COUNTY.

SO IT'S UNFORTUNATE.

>> Eric: IS IT LESS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE PROSECUTION IS NOT MARKETING THIS AS A RACIALLY MOTIVATED INCIDENT OR... >> I DON'T WANT TO DIMINISH THE IMPORTANCE, I ALSO DON'T WANT TO PREDICT HOW THE JURY IS GOING TO ACT SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THEIR RACE, THAT WOULDN'T BE FAIR, BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO -- THERE ARE REASONS TO SAY THIS CASE HAS RACE INVOLVED AND WE DON'T THINK THE PROSECUTION IS GOING TO FOCUS ON THAT.

>> Cathy: HAT DID YOU MAKE OF EARL GRAY WHO IS SAY VETERAN DEFENSE ATTORNEY KIND OF SLIPPING COUPLE TIMES AND MENTIONING THE NAME OF A PROSPECTIVE JUROR AND, YOU KNOW, YOU WORRY ABOUT THE ANONYMITY OF THE JUROR, ESPECIALLY IN THIS TRIAL?

>> IT WAS SURPRISING, HE DID IT RIGHT AWAY AND HE DID IT AGAIN, HE GAVE AWAY A LITTLE BIT OF ADDITIONAL PERSONAL INFORMATION ABOUT JURORS.

I CERTAINLY DON'T THINK IT WAS ON ON PURPOSE BUT IT WAS NOT AS CAREFUL AS HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN AND WE KNOW THAT AT LEAST ONE JUROR WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.

>> Eric: IS IT SIGNIFICANT AT ALL THAT ONE OF THE DEFENSE ATTORNEYS TOLD A PROSPECTIVE YEAROR THAT FORMER OFFICER POTTER IS GOING TO TESTIFY?

IS THERE SOME STRATEGY BEHIND THAT OR JUST SOMETHING IN THE COURSE OF REVIEWING A JUROR OR -- >> IT'S DEFINITELY STRATEGIC.

MOST TEMPTS ATTORNEYS DON'T REVEAL THAT INFORMATION UNTIL MUCH DEEPER INTO THE TIME WHEN THE CLIENT HAS TO MAKE THE DECISION WHETHER TO TESTIFY.

I THINK IT FITS WITH THE DEFERENCE STRATEGY, THEY'VE BEEN VERY AGGRESSIVE IN THIS CASE.

THEY ARE -- THEIR OSITION IS THAT THEIR CLIENT MADE A HORRIBLE MISTAKE BUT IT WAS A MISTAKE AND THEY WANT TO PLANT THAT SEED IN THE JURY FROM THE MOMENT THEY WERE EACH STARTING WITH JURY SELECTION, SO I DON'T THINK THAT WAS A SLIP OF THE TONGUE.

I THINK THAT WAS ON PURPOSE.

>> Cathy: IF SHE DECIDES SHE DOESN'T WANT TO TESTIFY, SHE CAN DO THAT, RIGHT?

>> SHE CAN.

>> Cathy: AT ANY TIME.

>> AT ANY TIME.

>> Eric: I SUPPOSE THE -- HER DEFENSE ATTORNEYS ARE GOING TO SAY, SHE SHOULDN'T GO TO PRISON FOR AKING A MISTAKE BUT THE STATE IS GOING TO SAY, WHAT, OVERLY RECKLESS, IS THAT KIND OF THEIR APPROACH OR -- >> YES, THE STATE'S -- BOTH OF THE CHARGES HINGE ESSENTIALLY ON THE STATE PROVING THAT SHE ACTED IMPROPERLY, OR THAT SHE TOOK A RISK OR DISREGARDED A RISK.

THEY'RE GOING TO SAY THIS IS NOT JUST A MISTAKE, OFFICERS HAVE TASTERS AND GUNS ON THEIR BUILT ALL THE TIME AND THIS IS NOT A COMMON MISTAKE AND SHE HAD TRAINING, SHE HAD BEEN AN OFFICER FOR 26 YEARS.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT THEY WILL HARP ON THE MOST.

>> Eric: IS THERE ANY RESEARCH THAT SAYS THAT BECAUSE SHE'S A FEMALE POLICE OFFICER THAT MIGHT MATTER IN THE EYES OF THE JURY?

>> I THINK THAT THERE'S ALL SORTS OF GENDER RESEARCH SUGGESTING HAT JURORS MAY FIND THAT SYMPATHETIC OR UNSYMPATHETIC BUT THERE'S NOTHING SPECIFICALLY INDICATING THAT I KNOW OF, AT LEAST, THAT SOMEONE'S MORE LIKELY TO BE AQUITED BECAUSE THEY'RE A FEMALE OFFICER.

>> Cathy: WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR -- YOU'RE I A POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY EXPERT, WHEN IT COMES TO THE TRAINING PART OF THIS EQUATION?

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO BE WATCHING AND LISTENING FOR?

>> WELL, I THINK WHAT I'LL BE LISTENING FOR BUT WHAT THE JURY WILL, AS WELL, IS HOW WAS KIM POTTER TRAINED TO KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TASER AND A HAND GUN BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE ENTRUSTED AS AN OFFICER WITH TWO SERIOUS TYPES OF WEAPONS, THE PUBLIC BETTER BE ABLE TO EXPECT THAT YOU KNOW HOW TO USE THEM.

>> Eric: IS THERE A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS TRIAL AND THE CHAUVIN TRIAL?

>> I THINK THAT THERE IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN THE SENSE THAT THIS CASE IS -- THE DEFENSE IS GOING TO TRY TO MAKE THIS CASE ABOUT A MISTAKE THAT WAS REALLY NOT AN ISSUE.

THE DEFERENCE WAS TRYING TO MAKE THIS CASE ABOUT A HEAT OF THE MOMENT ACTION THAT WAS REALLY NOT WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE CHAUVIN TRIAL.

THERE ARE ALSO SOME SIMILARITIES, BOTH OF THESE TRIALS EXPOSE THE DEEP AIN OF COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND THE WAY THEY HAVE SUFFERED AT THE HANDS OF THE POLICE, AND THAT CROSSES BOTH TRIALS.

>> Cathy: SO HOW LONG DO YOU THINK THIS TRIAL IS GOING TO LAST?

>> WELL, PROBABLY NOT NEARLY AS LONG AS THE CHAUVIN TRIAL.

THERE WEREN'T THAT MANY EYEWITNESSES TO IT.

THERE WILL BE SOME EXPERTS FOR BOTH SIDES BUT JUDGE CHU WAS TALKING ABOUT TELLING THE JURORS, DON'T WORRY IF IT GOES PAST CHRISTMAS.

I PERSONALLY WOULD BE SURPRISED IF THAT WERE THE CASE.

>> Eric: HOPE WE CAN CHECK WITH YOU AGAIN DURING THE TRIAL.

GOOD TUFF TO PREVIEW IT FOR US.

THANKS.

>> Cathy: GOOD TO HAVE.

>> Cathy: GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

THANKS.

>> THANKS.

CLEAR [MUSIC ♪N >> CATHY: THIS FALL, THE PUBLIC SAFETY CHARTER AMENDMENT IN MINNEAPOLIS WAS DEFEATED AT THE POLLS.

THAT RAISED QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT CHANGES MIGHT BE IN STORE FOR THE MINNEAPOLIS POLICE DEPARTMENT.

THURSDAY, MAYOR JACOB FREY ANNOUNCED A 35-MEMBER COMMITTEE TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE POLICING IN THE MILL CITY.

JOINING US IS ONE OF THE CO-CHAIRS OF THE COMMITTEE, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY AND ACTIVIST NEKIMA LEVY ARMSTRONG.

SHE RAN AGAINST FREY FOUR YEARS AGO WHEN HE WAS FIRST ELECTED MAYOR.

ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> Cathy: MAYOR FREY WAS SAYING THIS WAS LIKE A TEAM OF RIVALS, ACTUALLY IT'S A WHO'S THIS COMMITTEE, INCLUDING YOURSELF.

BUT, BOY, 35 PEOPLE, WHAT DO YOU THINK CAN REALLY BE ONE?

>> I THINK A LOT CAN BE DONE.

I HAVE TRUST OF COURSE IN MY OWN LEADERSHIP AS WELL AS MY CO-CHAIR, REVEREND Dr. DUANE DAVIS.

WE ARE BOTH VERY EXPERIENCED IN TERMS OF LEADING GROUPS AND FOCUSING ON PUBLIC POLICY, AND ALSO DIVING INTO CONTENTIOUS MATTERS.

>> Cathy: AND YOU SAID -- I'M SORRY.

YOU SAID, YOU GOT THE PHONE CALL OR MAYBE AN EMAIL FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND YOU SAID WHAT?

>> I SAID, YES.

SO I HAD ACTUALLY SPOKEN WITH JACOB FRY SHORTLY AFTER HIS REELECTION, WASN'T SURE WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH ALL THE TURMOIL THAT WAS GOING ON AND I TALKED TO HIM ABOUT THE NEED FOR A MORE SERIOUS FOCUS ON TRANSFORMING THE POLICE, AND I SAID THAT I WAS OPEN TO BEING INVOLVED IN WHATEVER THAT LOOKED LIKE.

AND SO I DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING FOR A OUPLE WEEKS AND THEN HE CALLED ME EARLIER THIS WEEK TO OFFER ME THE CO-CHAIR POSITION.

AND WHEN HE SHARED WITH ME HIS VISION FOR THE GROUP AS WELL AS MY OTHER CO-CHAIR, I SAID, YES, I'M ILLING TO TAKE THIS ON AND DO THE BEST THAT I CAN TO HELP LEAD THIS GROUP.

>> Eric: THE REIMAGINING POLICE AMENDMENT THAT WAS ON THE CHARTER COMMISSION BALLOT IN THE ELECTION IN NOVEMBER, YOU VOTED AGAINST IT.

IT WENT DOWN TO DEFEAT.

AGAINST THAT BACKGROUND, HOW DOES THAT INFLUENCE WHAT MIGHT COME OUT OF YOUR COMMISSION?

>> WELL, MY HOPE IS IN LIGHT OF EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED IN THE LAST 18 MONTHS SINCE GEORGE FLOYD WAS KILLED, THAT WE CAN REACH COMMON GROUND IN TERMS OF HOW TO TRANSFORM THE MINNEAPOLIS POLICE DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS ADDRESS MATTERS OF COMMUNITY SAFETY.

AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN GUN VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL AS YOUNG CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN SHOT AND KILLED, AND SO OUR COMMUNITY IS REALLY ON EDGE AND WE ARE READY TO FIND SOLUTIONS.

ALL OF THAT INFLUENCED MY DECISION TO GET INVOLVED.

>> Cathy: THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THIS COMMITTEE BUT WHO'S NOT AT THE TABLE THAT SHOULD BE?

>> I WOULD LOAF TO SEE MORE YOUNG PEOPLE AT THE TABLE, PARTICULARLY YOUNG AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN.

THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE IMPACTED BY POLICE VIOLENCE AS WELL AS COMMUNITY VIOLENCE.

THEIR VOICES NEED TO BE HEARD.

WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THEIR EXPERIENCES, AS WELL AS THE SOLUTIONS.

>> Eric: WILL YOU TAKE TESTIMONY AS A OMMISSION?

>> YES, E WILL, SO WE WILL HAVE QUITE A BIT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, WHICH WAS MISSING OVER THE LAST 18 MONTHS, UNFORTUNATELY.

>> Eric: DO YOU HAVE AN INKLING OR KNOWLEDGE WHETHER CHIEF ARRADONDO IS GOING TO RE-UP OR NOT?

>> YOU KNOW, YOUR GUESS IS AS GOOD AS MINE.

WE'RE ALL WAITING TO HEAR -- >> Eric: AND HOW IMPORTANT THAT?

>> IT'S IMPORTANT IN MY OPINION TO FINISH THE WORK THAT HE'S BEEN ABLE TO START.

HE HAS QUITE A BIT OF SUPPORT IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY IN PARTICULAR AND I THINK A LOT OF FOLKS TRUST IN HIS LEADERSHIP.

AT THE SAME TIME, I MEAN, WE CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT THE LAST 18 MONTHS AND BEYOND HAS BEEN LIKE FOR HIM AS THE CHIEF AND BEING THE FIRST BLACK CHIEF IN THE HISTORY OF THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS.

SOME OF THAT, I FEEL, HAS CONTRIBUTED TO A LOT OF THE TURMOIL WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, SOME UNSPOKEN RACIALIZED ELEMENTS BUT MY HOPE IS THAT HE WILL DECIDE TO STAY.

>> Cathy: I SEE HE'S ON THE COMMISSION, OR AT LEAST HIS NAME IS PART OF THIS.

WHAT ARE YOU HOPING -- WHAT DO YOU HOPE HIS ROLE WILL BE?

>> I THINK THAT HIS ROLE WILL BE TO INFORM US ABOUT THE INNER WORKINGS OF THE DEPARTMENT, THE STATE OF THE DEPARTMENT RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE HAD QUITE A BIT OF ATTRITION OVER THE LAST 18 MONTHS.

THEY'RE ALSO FACING A LAWSUIT THAT REQUIRES THEM TO ADD TO THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS TO BE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE IN THE CHARTER AMENDMENT.

WE ALSO WANT TO KNOW WHAT SPECIFIC POLICY CHANGES THAT HE HAS IMPLEMENTED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, AND WHAT ELSE IS ON HIS TABLE IN TERMS OF WHAT HE PLANS TO DO.

>> Eric: RACIAL BIAS REPORTS, SOCIAL JUSTICE REPORTS, ROUTINELY GET MADE WITH BIG BALI HOO AND THEN THEY END UP ON A SHELF SOMEWHERE.

>> UH-HUH.

>> Eric: I'M WONDERING, YOU MUST BE FAIRLY CERTAIN THAT SOMETHING WILL COME OF THIS AND DO YOU KNOW OF THE NEW COUNCIL AND THEIR ATTITUDE TOWARD THIS AND WITH THE STRONG MAYOR AMENDMENT NOW, HOW MUCH WILL THE COUNCIL EVEN HAVE TO INPUT INTO THIS THING?

>> WELL, THE STRONG MAYOR AMENDMENT, THAT'S A HUGE SHIFT FROM WHERE WE WERE BEFORE BECAUSE EVEN WHEN I RAN FOR MAYOR IN 2017, I KNEW IF I HAD WON, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A WEAK MAYORAL SYSTEM.

SO AT THIS POINT, A LOT OF POWER IS IN THE HANDS OF JACOB FREY AND THIS WILL BE A TEST AS TO HIS LEADERSHIP WITH NO ONE STANDING IN THE WAY, NO BARRIERS, THAT I CAN SEE, THAT WOULD PREVENT HIM FROM HELPING TO OVERHAUL AND TRANSFORM THE MINNEAPOLIS POLICE DEPARTMENT.

>> Cathy: HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT?

>> WELL, AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, AS I SAID AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE A COUPLE DAYS AGO, I DIDN'T VOTE FOR JACOB FREY FOR MAYOR.

YOU KNOW, I HAD SOME CONCERNS ABOUT A LOT OF THE DISPARITIES THAT WE'RE FACING AS WELL AS WHAT'S HAPPENING IN POLICING.

AT THE SAME TIME, I HAVE A CORDIAL WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MAYOR AND THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN.

THAT IS WHO THEY CHOSE AS THEIR LEADER AND IF WE WANT TO TRANSFORM PUBLIC SAFETY IN THE CITY IT'S INCUMBENTS UPON US TO GET BEHIND OUR LEADER.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, MYSELF ALONG WITH MANY OTHER FOLKS WHO MAY HAVE BEEN RIVALS OR WHO HAVE -- WHO MAY HAVE STOOD OUTSIDE CITY HALL PUSHING FOR CHANGE ARE NOW WILLING TO COME INSIDE AND TRY TO OLLABORATE AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO EFFECT CHANGE ON BEHALF OF RESIDENTS OF THIS CITY.

I THINK THE TIMES CALL FOR IT.

>> Cathy: ANY SENSE OF WHEN RECOMMENDATIONS MIGHT COME OUT?

>> SOMETIME IN THE SPRING.

>> Cathy: IN THE SPRING.

THAT'S A LOT OF WORK.

>> SO WE'LL BE WORKING FOR THREE TO FOUR MONTHS, PRETTY AGGRESSIVELY, WE'RE ALL VOLUNTEERS WORKING ALONGSIDE CITY STAFF BUT WE'RE COMMITTED TO THIS WORK.

>> ric: A LOT OF ATTENTION WILL BE DRAWN TO THIS SO ALL THE BEST.

>> THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> Cathy: WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.

>>> DURING THANKSGIVING WEEK, POET ROBERT BLY DIED AT AGE 94.

THE NATIVE OF LAC QUI PARLE COUNTY EARNED A NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR HIS OWN WRITING AND WAS KNOWN AROUND THE GLOBE FOR HIS TRANSLATIONS OF THE WORK OF MODERN INTERNATIONAL POETS, INTRODUCING MANY OF THEM FOR THE FIRST TIME TO AN ENGLISH-SPEAKING AUDIENCE.

KNOWN FOR HIS DRAMATIC PUBLIC READINGS, A FEW YEARS AGO, BLY APPEARED ON THE TWIN CITIES PBS PROGRAM "MINNESOTA ORIGINAL" AND READ HIS POEM "I HAVE DAUGHTERS AND I HAVE SONS."

HERE'S AN EXCERPT FROM THAT READING.

>> I HAVE DAUGHTERS AND I HAVE SONS.

WHO'S OUT THERE AT 6 AUTISM?

THE MAN THROWING NEWSPAPERS UNDER THE PORCH AND THE ROAMING SOULS SUDDENLY DRAWN DOWN INTO THEIR SLEEPING BODIES.

WILD WORDS OF [INDISCERNIBLE] GO ON PRAISING THE HUMAN BODY BUT HEAVY WORDS OF THE HE IS THEY HAD PARTICULARS SWAY IN THE FALL GALES.

DO I HAVE A RIGHT TO MY POEMS, TO MY JOKES, TO MY LOVES?

OH, FOOLISH MAN, KNOWING NOTHING LESS THAN NOTHING ABOUT DESIRE.

I HAVE DAUGHTERS AND I HAVE SONS.

WHEN ONE OF THEM LAYS A HAND ON MY SHOULDER, SHINING FISH TURN SUDDENLY IN THE DEEP SEA.

♪♪ >> ERIC: THE BIG TOBACCO SETTLEMENT OF 1998 CREATED $200 MILLION TO BE USED IN MINNESOTA FOR ANTI-SMOKING CAMPAIGNS.

THE NON-PROFIT CLEARWAY MINNESOTA WAS SET UP TO DO THAT WORK.

THE GROUP QUICKLY GAINED ATTENTION BY ITS HARD-HITTING PUBLIC MESSAGING.

>> THERE YOU GO.

OH, YOU'RE DOING SO GOOD.

>> OH, THERE HE IS.

COME TO GRANDPA.

COME ON.

THAT'S A GOOD BOY.

>> DOING SO WELL.

I WISH GRANDPA COULD SEE YOU.

>> WE CAN HELP.

CALL OR VISIT QUITPLAN.COM.

>> ERIC: THE MONEY FROM THE TOBACCO SETTLMENT HAS NOW RUN OUT AND CLEARWAY WILL BE SHUTTING DOWN AT THE END OF THE MONTH.

HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE WORK ACHIEVEMENT, AND WORK YET TO DO, DAVID WILLOUGHBY, LONGTIME CEO OF CLEARWAY.

AND MOLLY MOILANEN, CLEARWAY VICE PRESIDENT AND CO-CHAIR OF THE GROUP MINNESOTANS FOR A SMOKE-FREE GENERATION.

WELL, Mr. WILWILL LOUGHBY, OF WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD?

>> I'M MOST PROUD OF THE FACT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DELIVER ON THE VISION THAT THE FOUNDERS HAD.

WE WERE CREATED AS YOU JUST SAID BY THE 1998 SETTLEMENT AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, WE BECAME A COMPREHENSIVE ORGANIZATION THAT REALLY WORKED AND HAS NOW REDUCED THE HARM THAT TOBACCO CAUSED THE PEOPLE OF MINNESOTA.

WE HAVE THE LOWEST SMOKING RATES IN HISTORY HERE IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA, RIGHT NOW.

AND ALSO WE ARE THRILLED THAT, YOU KNOW, LIVES ARE SAVED, PEOPLE LIVE BETTER QUALITY LIVES, ESPECIALLY LIKE AROUND SECONDHAND SMOKE.

WE JUST DON'T HAVE IT ANYMORE LIKE WE USED TO HAVE IT IN BARS AND RESTAURANTS.

AND LASTLY, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE LIVE LONGER, THEY LIVE HEALTHIER LIVES AND E'RE THRILLED THAT WE'VE EEN ABLE TO DELIVER ON THAT VISION THAT THE FOUNDERS HAD.

>> Cathy: AND WE SHOULD SAY THAT YOU ALWAYS KNEW YOU WERE GOING TO BE SUNSETTED UNDER TERMS OF THE LEGISLATION AND HOW THIS WAS FORMED.

YOU ONLY HAD 25 YEARS.

>> THAT IS CORRECT.

YES.

>> Cathy: MOLLY, I'M CURIOUS.

YOU LOOKED AT THE BUDGET, YOU OBJECT HAD $200 MILLION OUT OF A SECRE $6 BILLION SETTLEMENT.

THAT WASN'T A LOT OF MONEY, REALLY.

>> BECAUSE OF THE SHORT TIME WE HAD, 25 YEARS, WE WERE ABLE TO MAXIMIZE THOSE RESOURCES AND MAKE A BIG IMPACT IN THE TIME WITH THOSE DOLLARS THAT WE HAD.

AND IT'S GOOD TO KNOW, TOO, THAT OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SECURE FUTURE UNDING FOR TOBACCO PREVENTION AND CESSATION, SO EVEN THOUGH WE'LL NO LONGER BE HERE, WE'LL SUNSET, THE WORK WILL CONTINUE.

>> Eric: THE PRIORITY OF A LEGISLATURE AND A GOVERNOR CAN OFTEN GET IN THE WAY OF GOOD WORK.

A LOT OF THE MONEY, WAS IT 800, 900 MILLION, WAS USED DURING THE PAWLENTY YEARS FOR BUDGET BALANCING BUT YOU SEEMED TO OVERCOME THOSE TYPES OF INTRUSIONS AND WOULD YOU CALLING IT A GROUP EFFORT OR WAS IT CONTROVERSIAL, SOME OF THE BATTLES WITH THE BARS AND RESTAURANTS, FOR INSTANCE?

HOW DID THAT ALL PLAY OUT?

>> SO, IN TERMS OF PUBLIC POLICY AND CHANGE, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE FOCUSED ON A LOT OVER OUR YEARS BECAUSE POLICY IS THE BIGGEST LEVER WE HAVE TO REDUCE SMOKING AND AT A POPULATION LEVEL, SO SMOKE-FREE BARS AND RESTAURANTS, PROTECTING ALL WORKERS FROM THE DANGERS OF SECONDHAND SMOKE AS WELL AS INCREASING THE PRICES OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS BECAUSE IT'S THE NUMBER ONE WAY WE PREVENT KIDS FROM EVER STARTING TO SMOKE.

AND THEN MOST RECENTLY, TOBACCO 21 INCREASING THE TOBACCO AGE ACROSS THE STATE TO 21 AND SECURING THOSE DOLLARS.

THAT WORK WAS DONE WITH A STRONG BIPARTISAN COALITION OF ORGANIZATIONS AND ADVOCATES WILLING TO STEP UP AND BE A PART OF THIS MOVEMENT.

>> Cathy: DO YOU WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT THAT?

>> NO, I THINK MOLLY JUST COVERED IT, RIGHT.

>> Eric: I THINK THESE ADS WERE SO POWERFUL AND- >> Cathy: REALLY CREATIVE.

>> Eric: AND VISIBLE EXAMPLES OF YOUR WORK.

LET'S LOOK AT ANOTHER ONE.

>> BIG TOBACCO, HIS IS THE MONEY TRAIN.

THEY MAKE BILLIONS.

BUT SMOKING KILLS OVER HALF ITS LOYAL CUSTOMERS.

SO THEY NEED TO FIND REPLACEMENTS.

AND SINCE ALMOST ALL SMOKERS START BY AGE 18, THEY KNOW THEY HAVE TO HOOK THEM YOUNG.

THERE ARE STILL TOO MANY MINNESOTA KIDS SMOKING BUT IF KIDS DON'T TART, IT'S THE END OF THE LINE FOR TOBACCO.

LEARN HOW TO HELP AT STOP THE START MN.COM.

>> Cathy: I HAVE TO SAY, THOSE ADS OVER ALL THESE YEARS WERE REALLY VERY INTERESTING AND REALLY CREATIVE.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE TALKING TO THE AGENCY?

I MEAN, WHEN YOU WERE MEETING WITH THE AGENCIES FOR THIS AD CAMPAIGN, THE VARIOUS AD CAMPAIGNS, WHAT WERE YOUR INSTRUCTIONS?

>> WE WANTED SOME CAMPAIGNS THAT WOULD REALLY BE BOLD, WOULD BE HARD-HITTING, THAT WOULD HELP MINNESOTANS REALIZE THE DANGERS AND HARMS OF SMOKING BUT WE ALSO THEN HAD ADS THAT REMI DROVE PEOPLE TO OUR EQUITYPLAN SERVICES SO WE ALSO DID A GOOD BIT OF RESEARCH TO HELP FIND OUT WHAT SMOKERS ARE REALLY LOOKING FOR, AND IF YOU'LL REMEMBER, WE DID HAVE ADS AROUND NO JUDGMENTS, YOU KNOW, JUST HELP.

AND SO WE REALLY WORKED WITH THE AD AGENCIES TO DO RESEARCH AMONG SMOKERS, ALSO TO TRY TO FIND A HARD-HITTING AD THAT WOULD MAKE A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE AND HELP MINNESOTANS REALIZE THE DANGERS OF SECONDHAND SMOKE, THE DANGERS OF SMOKING AND REALLY HOW TO QUIT WHEN THEY NEEDED IT.

>> Cathy: DID YOU REACH THOSE METRICS?

DO YOU THINK YOU HIT THE BAR?

>> YES, WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE METRICS HAT WE HAVE SEEN.

AS I SAID, MINNESOTA -- THE SMOKING IN MINNESOTA IS AT ITS LOWEST IN HISTORICAL RATES AND SO YOUTH RIGHT NOW ARE SMOKING AT AROUND 3%.

>> Cathy: BUT THEY ARE VAPING.

DO YOU WORRY ABOUT THAT?

>> VAPING IS A BIG ISSUE AND I THINK HAT'S -- THAT'S AN ISSUE WE REALLY NEED TO ADDRESS VERY HARD-HITTING, CORRECT.

>> Eric: HOW ABOUT FIGHTING THE TOBACCO LOBBY?

MORE STORIES?

[Laughter] >> Cathy: I LIKE THE WAY YOU LAUGH THERE, DAVID.

[Laughter] >> YEAH, I MEAN, AT THE CAPITOL, PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT THERE ARE INDEED TOBACCO LOBBYISTS STILL WORKING EVERY DAY TO UNDERMINE OUR PROGRESS AND OUR GOALS, AND THAT IS REALLY CONCERNING.

FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THE YOUTH E-CIGARETTE EPIDEMIC THAT WE WERE JUST TALKING BOUT, YOU KNOW, EARLIER BRANDS LIKE JEWELL AND NOW PUFF BAR ARE FLOODING THE MARKET WITH HIGHLY ADDICTIVE FLAVORED PRODUCTS THAT COME IN ALL SORTS OF KID-FRIENDLY FLAVORS.

AND SO WE KNOW THAT FLAVORS HOOK KIDS.

AND IF WE WANT TO BE SERIOUS ABOUT TAKING ON THE YOUTH E-CIGARETTE EPIDEMIC, WE NEED TO TAKE THESE FLAVOR BANS STATEWIDE.

>> Eric: IS VAPING, THOUGH, A GOOD STEP FOR SMOKERS TO WEAN THEMSELVES OFF OF CIGARETTES?

THAT'S ONE OF THE INDUSTRY'S CONTENTIONS, I THINK.

>> YOU HAVE TO BALANCE THAT.

SO AS THE CDC SAID, IF YOU'RE NON-PREGNANT PERSON, YES, VAPING CAN BE LESS HARMFUL THAN SMOKING.

BUT WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT ALL THE KIDS OUT THERE, THE GENERATION THAT IS BECOMING ADDICTED FOR THE FIRST TIME.

SO WE NEED TO BALANCE THAT AND TAKE ON THESE FLAVOR PRODUCTS BECAUSE, AGAIN, FLAVORS HOOK KIDS.

>> Cathy: AS I SAID, INTERESTING YOUR CHUCKLE THERE.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE FIGHTING BIG TOBACCO?

DID YOU EVER THINK THIS IS TOO BIG OF A FIGHT?

>> WE NEVER HOUGHT IT WAS TOO BIG OF A FIGHT BUT WE KNEW IT WAS A BIG FIGHT.

THEY'RE ALWAYS MORE -- THEY'RE BETTER FUNDED, THEY ARE SPENDING OVER $100 MILLION ADVERTISING A YEAR HERE IN MINNESOTA, STILL.

AND WE WERE RUNNING AD CAMPAIGNS, YES, BUT WE WERE ONLY SPENDING MAYBE, YOU KNOW, FOUR, $5 MILLION COMPARED TO THEIR $100 MILLION.

AS MOLLY TALKED ABOUT, WE'VE SEEN THE TOBACCO LOBBYISTS BOTH AT THE STATE CAPITOL, WE'VE SEEN THEM IN COMMUNITIES WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO PASS LOCAL, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY ORDINANCES, AND SO THERE WAS -- WE ALWAYS KNEW WE WERE UP AGAINST -- WE CALLED THEM OUR GOLIATH BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT WE WERE VERY SUCCESSFUL.

>> Eric: THANKS FOR YOUR SERVES TO THE STATE.

>> THANK YOU.

AND WE JUST REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THIS WITH YOUR VIEWERS BECAUSE WE REALLY BELIEVE THAT WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO AND THE SUCCESS WE'VE HAD IS SOMETHING THAT MINNESOTANS SHOULD ALL BE PROUD OF.

>> Cathy: THANK YOU.

>> Eric: ONWARD AND UPWARD.

THANKS.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Eric: YOU BET.

♪♪ >> CATHY: ADJECTIVES ATTACHED TO TODAY'S NATONAL JOBS REPORT INCLUE FEEBLE, WEIRD, AND DISAPPOINTING.

YOU CAN ALSO ADD "UNEXPECTED" TO THAT LIST.

HERE WITH SOME CONTEXT, LOUIS JOHNSTON IS A PROFESSOR OF ECONOMICS AT THE COLLEGE OF ST. BENEDICT AND ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY.

THAT'S IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA.

ALL RIGHT.

HOPE US OUT HERE.

SO THE SURVEY OF EMPLOYERS HAD 210,000 JOBS.

>> RIGHTS.

>> Cathy: THE SURVEY OF HOUSEHOLDS, 1.3 MILLION.

>> ONE.13 MILLION.

>> Cathy: I'M TERRIBLY SORRY.

>> THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

>> Cathy: WHAT THE HECK, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

>> WELL, ONE OF HE BIG DIFFERENCES IS THE EMPLOYER SURVEY SAYS HERE ARE THE PEOPLE WE HIRED.

THE HOUSEHOLD SURVEY SAYS I HAD A JOB FOR PAY, SO THAT COULD INCLUDE SELF-EMPLOYMENT, THAT COULD INCLUDE PEOPLE WHO ARE INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS WHO AREN'T COUNTED AS EMPLOYERS -- AS EMPLOYEES.

THEY'RE ALSO TAKEN AT DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE MONTH SO ONE SURVEY IS NEAR THE BEGINNING, ONE IS NEAR THE END SO IT COULD BE ANY OF THESE THINGS THAT'S GOING ON.

I THINK THE HOUSEHOLD SURVEY, THAT, REALLY IS MUCH MORE ACCURATE IN THIS CASE.

>> Eric: THE JOBLESS RATE NATION-WIDE 4.2%.

>> RIGHT.

>> Eric: HOW DOES THAT NUMBER FIT INTO KIND OF WHAT THE FED DECIDES ABOUT INFLATION AND INTEREST RATES AND ALL THAT SORT OF STUFF?

>> IF THEY TAKE KIND OF A TRADITIONAL POINT OF VIEW, THAT FALLING UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS A BAD SIGN FOR INTEREST RATES IN THE SENSE THAT MEANS THE ECONOMY IS RECOVERING O THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING TO RAISE INTEREST RATES.

I DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD TAKE THAT ATTITUDE UT THAT'S WHAT I'M AFRAID THEY'RE GOING TO DO.

>> Eric: DIDN'T POWELL, THE FED SAY HE'S REMOVED THE WORD "TEMPORARY" FROM HIS DESCRIPTION -- >> HE HAS REMOVED "TRANSITORY" WHICH I DON'T AGREE WITH.

I THINK THIS IS STILL TRANS STORY INFLATION BUT I THINK HE'S GETTING A LOT OF PRESSURE BOTH FROM HIS OWN ECONOMIST WITHIN THE FED AND FROM THE OUTSIDE ECONOMICS COMMUNITY TO SAY, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT TO SHOW HOW TOUGH YOU ARE.

YOU CAN'T LET THIS SLIP AND THE SOONER THAT YOU RAISE INTEREST RATES, THE SOONER THAT YOU WILL SHOW THAT YOU ARE TOUGH ON INFLATION AND STOP IT -- AND YOU WILL STOP IT IN ITS TRACKS.

I DON'T THINK HE NEEDS TO DO THAT BUT THAT SEEMS TO BE THE ADVICE THAT HE'S GETTING.

>> athy: SAY, ABOUT THE WORKERS HERE, RECORD NUMBER OF JOB OPENINGS.

WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WORKER SHORTAGES.

HOW DO YOU GET PEOPLE OFF THE SIDELINES?

>> WELL, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SHOWED UP IN THE JOB REPORT IS THAT PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO COME OFF THE SIDELINES SO ONE OF THE REASONS THE HOUSEHOLD SURVEY HAD SO MANY PEOPLE GETTING PAID EMPLOYMENT WAS THERE WAS A BIG INCREASE IN THE LABOR FORCE -- IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE PARTICIPATING IN THE LABOR FORCE AND A TICK UP IN SOMETHING WE CALL THE LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION RATE.

THAT'S BASICALLY BEEN FLAT FOR THE LAST YEAR.

IT'S STARTING TO TICK UP A LITTLE BIT, WHICH IS -- SEEMS LIKE THEY'RE STARTING TO COME OUT.

TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, INCREASED WAGES OBVIOUSLY HELP, BETTER CHILD CARE, MORE FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGEMENTS AND THEN SOME CERTAINTY -- Dr. OSTERHOLM ALKED ABOUT THIS NEW VARIANT, ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO IN THE WAY WE ARE THINKING ABOUT DOING THEM SIX MONTHS FROM NOW?

IF WE HAVE A LITTLE CERTAINTY LIKE THAT, I THINK THAT WOULD HELP A LOT.

>> Cathy: DOES IT ALSO MEAN PEOPLE ARE COMING OFF THE SIDELINE BECAUSE THE COLLECTION PEOPLE WERE GETTING, THEY'RE GONE?

>> THEY'RE GONE BUT I DON'T THINK THAT WAS A REALLY BIG FACTOR.

I DON'T THINK THAT AS A BIG FACTOR.

>> Eric: NOW, THE IMPACT OF COVID ON THE ECONOMY AND THE STOCK MARKET, I READ THIS WEEK THAT THERE'S SOME NEW PHENOMENON ABOUT PEOPLE HOARDING CASH IN ORDER TO -- AS A BUFFER AGAINST WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN?

>> WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS THE STIMULUS COLLECTION WAS PEOPLE PUT A LOT OF THAT MONEY ASIDE, EVEN THOUGH THE IDEA WAS FOR THEM TO KEEP SPENDING, OUR SAVING RATES WENT WAY UP AND SO PEOPLE SEEM TO BE VERY CAUTIOUS RIGHT NOW.

THEY DON'T WANT TO ET CAUGHT IN A NEW WAVE AND SO THEY'RE TRYING TO BE VERY CAREFUL AND, AS YOU SAID, HOARD CASH, KEEP THINGS IN THEIR CHECKING ACCOUNTS, KEEP, TO USE OUR TERM, LIQUIDITY, THEY WANT TO KEEP IT HIGH.

>> Eric: HOW IS THAT MACHINE CONSUMER CONFIDENCE ARE LOOKING?

>> THAT WAS DISTURBING TO ME THAT IT WASN'T AS HIGH AS I HAD HOPED, IT HAD GONE DOWN A LITTLE BIT BUT I THINK, AGAIN, THAT'S PART OF THE VIRUS, THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON PLUS THE GAS PRICE SPIKE.

I THINK THAT HURT A LOT, TOO.

>> Cathy: OW IS THE MINNESOTA ECONOMY DOING AGAINST THE NATIONAL ECONOMY?

>> THE MINNESOTA ECONOMY IS DOING VERY WELL, OUR UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS LOWER, WE'RE GROWING AT ABOUT THE SAME RATE, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT FASTER.

THE ONE THING THAT'S KIND OF STRANGE ABOUT THE MINNESOTA PARTICIPATION RATE THAT WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER IS THAT IT HASN'T TICKED UP AS MUCH AS NATIONAL AND SO I'M WONDERING WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON THERE AND I DON'T QUITE KNOW YET.

>> Eric: MARKET OVERVALUED?

>> YOU KNOW, WHO KNOWS WHETHER' IT'S OVERVALUED -- >> Eric: I SAW THE GUY FROM BERKELEY HATHAWAY SAY THAT THIS MORNING.

>> THERE S A SINCE THAT INTEREST RATES WILL BE GOING UP AND THAT'S GOING TO MAKE THE MARKET LOOK OVERVALUED, IT'S GOING TO BE MORE ATTRACTIVE TO -- ATTRACTIVE TO PUT YOUR MONEY NTO SAFER THINGS BECAUSE THE I HAVE NOT RATES WILL BE HIGHER, SO WHY TAKE THE RISK, LET'S PULL OUR MONEY OUT OF THERE, PUT IT IN SOMETHING SAFER.

>> Cathy: ONCE THE INTEREST RATES GOES UP, EVEN IF IT'S NOT IMMEDIATELY, WHAT WILL THAT DO TO THE HOUSING MARKET?

>> IT WILL RAISE MORTGAGE RATES, MAKE IT MORE EXPENSIVE TO BORROW.

ON THE OTHER HAND, EVEN IF THEY RAISE THEM, WE STILL HAVE HISTORICALLY LOW RATES SO IT'S VERY -- IT'S STILL VERY AFFORDABLE.

>> Eric: COME BACK AND SEE US AGAIN HAVE *, PROFESSOR.

THANK YOU.

>> Cathy: YEAH, HAPPY HOLIDAYS, BY THE WAY.

>> THANK YOU.

♪♪ >> ERIC: CONGRESS WORKED OUT A DEAL LAST NIGHT TO AVOID A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN.

BUT DEADLINES STILL LOOM THIS MONTH FOR RAISING THE DEBT CEILING, AND TAKING A VOTE ON PRESIDENT BIDEN'S MASSIVE BUILD BACK BETTER BILL.

ALSO AWAITING POSSIBLE ACTION, POSSIBLE DISCIPLINE AGAINST REPRESENTATIVE LAUREN BOEBERT AFTER ANTI-MUSLIM COMMENTS SHE MADE AGAINST REPRESENTATIVE ILHAN OMAR.

WE HAVE A TRIO OF ANALYSTS JOINING US TONIGHT.

KATHRYN PEARSON IS A POLITICAL SCIENTIST AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA.

SAME INSTITUTION AND SAME DEPARTMENT WHERE YOU WILL FIND MICHAEL MINTA.

JOINING US FROM HIS DINING ROOM, STEVEN SCHIER, PROFESSOR EMERITUS AT CARLETON COLLEGE.

>> NO, NO, NO, IT'S MY OFFICE.

>> Eric: I TOOK A SHOT, WHAT THE HECK.

PROFESSOR PEARSON, IS THERE SO MUCH CONTENTION IN THE HOUSE NOW THAT IT'S BOGGING DOWN LAWMAKING?

THIS BOEBERT-OMAR THING IS A PICTURE OF QUITE A BIT OF ACRIMONY BACK AND FORTH.

>> THAT'S RIGHT, AND POLARIZATION, THE DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TWO PARTIES AND THE FEARS COMPETITION BETWEEN THE TWO PARTIES, THAT'S BEEN GROWING FOR YEARS AND REALLY DECADES BUT IT'S WORSE THAN EVER IN THIS CONGRESS.

SOME OF THAT STEMS FROM JANUARY 6th AND JUST A LOT OF RESENT.

AMONG SOME MEMBERS WHO FEEL LIKE OTHER MEMBERS DIDN'T KEEP THEM SAFE AND THEN, YES, ABSOLUTELY, THE REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP SORT OF NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THE RACIST ANTI-MUSLIM COMMENTS FROM REPRESENTATIVE BOEBERT.

COMPARE THIS TO 2019 WHEN REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP DID ACTUALLY TAKE COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS AWAY FROM IOWA REPUBLICAN STEVEN KING FOR RACIST REMARKS, AND THEY'RE UNWILLING TO DO THAT IN THIS CONGRESS AND SO IT'S NOT JUST POLICY DISAGREEMENT BUT IT'S BECOME INTENSELY PERSONAL AND IT MAKES IT HARD TO GET COOPERATION WITHIN THE PARTIES AND THEN ACROSS THE PARTIES.

>> Cathy: PROFESSOR MINTA.

>> WELL, I -- IT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THIS STRATEGY AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE ABOUT THE REPUBLICANS AND WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO DO AND I READ AN INTERESTING ARTICLE SAYING THAT BOEBERT, TAYLOR GREENE, THAT ESSENTIALLY THE APPEALS AND THE REMARKS THAT THEY'RE MAKING ARE APPEALING TO THEIR BASE AND SO, LIKE, YOU KNOW, MOST OF US, WE LIKE TO THINK, OKAY, THAT'S NOT THE REPUBLICAN BASE BUT IF YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT DONALD TRUMP DID IN 2016, SOME REPUBLICANS ARE CLEARLY THINKING, THIS IS A WINNING STRATEGY TO MAKE THESE REMARKS ABOUT ILHAN OMAR AND NOT APOLOGIZE.

AT FIRST THERE WAS AN APOLOGY BUT IT WAS LIKE WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO APOLOGIZE FOR THESE COMMENTS BECAUSE MANY OF OUR CONSTITUENTS BELIEVE THAT.

SO IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF THIS IS STRATEGY THAT THE REPUBLICANS CAN KEEP USING TO WIN ELECTIONS IN THE FUTURE.

>> Eric: I WANT TO TALK ABOUT MITCH MC COMING THE MINORITY LEADER IN THE SENATE.

TO A DONOR'S MEETING, HE SAID THE GORP HAS NO AGENDA EXCEPT TO CRITICIZE THE DEMOCRATS IN ADVANCE OF THE MID-TERM ELECTIONS.

IS THAT EFFECTIVE?

>> WELL, THE MID-TERM ELECTIONS STRUCTURALLY GIVE THE REPUBLICANS A HUGE ADVANTAGE.

IT'S ALMOST ALL BUT GUARANTEED THAT REPUBLICANS WILL TAKE MAJORITY PARTY CONTROL OF THE HOUSE BECAUSE TYPICALLY THE PARTIES OF THE PRESIDENT LOSES SEATS AND REPUBLICANS HAVE ONLY -- THEY ONLY NEED TO GAIN THREE OR FOUR TO WIN THE MAJORITY IN THE HOUSE.

THE SENATE IS EVENLY DIVIDED SO, REALLY, THE REPUBLICANS DON'T HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE LEGISLATIVE STRATEGY BUT TO CRITICIZE THE PRESIDENT AND TO CRITICIZE DEMOCRATS COULD BE A WINNING STRATEGY.

>> Eric: STEVEN SCHIER, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> I THINK THAT'S LARGELY CORRECT.

IF THE ELECTION WERE HELD TODAY, REPUBLICANS WOULD EASILY TAKE CONTROL OF THE U.S. HOUSE BUT, OF COURSE, THE ELECTION IS NOT BEING HELD TODAY.

I THINK WHAT DEMOCRATS IN THE HOUSE HAVE TO HOPE FOR IS THAT COVID GETS UNDER CONTROL AND FADES AS AN ISSUE AND INFLATION FADES AS AN ISSUE.

NOW, OF COURSE, INCUMBENTS IN THE HOUSE DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER THOSE ISSUES, REALLY, IN THE SHORT TERM, AND SO I THINK THEY HAVE TO HOPE FOR SOME LUCK.

>> Cathy: WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE ABORTION ISSUE IN THE MID-TERM ELECTIONS, IN TERMS OF THE ARGUMENTS BEFORE THE U.S. SUPREME COURT?

HOW DOES THAT WORK INTO THIS?

STEVEN SCHIER?

>> WELL, I THINK IT WORKS MAINLY AT THE ELITE LEVEL IN TERMS OF VOLUNTEERS AND MONEY THAT CAN ENERGIZE EITHER SIDE.

TRADITIONALLY IT'S OFTEN HELPED THE REPUBLICAN PARTY BUT IT LOOKS AS IF THE SUPREME COURT MAY VOID PARTS OR ALL OF ROE V. WADE AND THAT COULD OCCUR IN JUNE OF NEXT YEAR, WHICH WOULD PUT IT AS A TOP ISSUE IN THE FALL ELECTIONS, AND MIGHT ENERGIZE DEMOCRATS.

>> Eric: HAS THIS SPARKED ANY NEW ENTHUSIASM AMONG DEMOCRATS FOR TERM LIMITS FOR JUSTICES OR PACKING THE COURT?

>> WELL, T'S CONTINUED THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WERE ALREADY OCCURRING ABOUT EXPANDING THE COURT BUT I THINK IT WILL ALSO -- IT WILL CONTINUE THOSE CONVERSATIONS INTO THE ELECTION BUT IT WILL ALSO DRAMATICALLY AFFECT STATE LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS AND GUBERNATORIAL ELECTIONS, SO, OF COURSE, THIS WILL BE AN ISSUE IN ALL LIKELIHOOD WHERE THERE WILL BE TREMENDOUS VARIATION ACROSS THE STATES AND OF COURSE BOTH PARTIES SORT OF COOL LESSED ON ONE SIDE OR THE -- COAL LESSED WITHIN ONE PARTY, THERE USED TO BE HETERO GEE ANY TEE WITHIN THE PARTIES BUT NOT NOW.

IT WILL BE A BIG ISSUE IN FEDERAL ELECTION ATTENTION AS WELL AS LOCAL ELECTIONS.

>> I THINK IT CAN ENERGIZE DEMOCRATS IN TERMS OF THEIR FUND-RAISING EFFORTS.

IT'S BEEN HARD TO GET MOVEMENT SEE -- IT SEEMS LIKE THE- SUPREME COURT WILL EIGH IN AND PROBABLY DO SOME TYPE OF RESTRICTIONS ON ABORTION AND SO I THINK IT WILL BE A BIG FUNDRAISER.

I THINK YOU'LL SEE MORE CANDIDATES RUNNING TALKING ABOUT THIS ISSUE.

I THINK YOU'LL SEE MORE OF A PUSH FOR THESE STATE LEGISLATIVE STATES, FOR SOME OF THESE STATES WHERE YOU HAVE TO ELECT JUDGES.

I THINK IT WILL BE AN ISSUE, MOST OF THESE RACES ARE KIND OF LIKE NON-PARTISAN SLEEPERS BUT NOW WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING AND IF THE COURT GIVES THE POWER BACK TO THE STATE, I THINK YOU'LL SEE MORE OF THAT HAPPENING.

>> Cathy: SO PRESIDENT BIDEN WAS IN MINNESOTA THIS WEEK TOUTING THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL AND THERE IS A LOT OF ATTENTION AROUND THAT, OBVIOUSLY, BUT IT'S SO FAR OUT IN THE FUTURE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, A LOT OF WHAT VOTERS -- IT'S JUST NOT IN FRONT OF YOU, RIGHT, AND THERE IS A SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES AND WORKER SHORTAGES, I MEAN, REALLY, IT'S A BIG DEAL BUT FOR VOTERS, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> WELL, I THINK THAT'S WHY DEMOCRATS ARE DOING SO MUCH TOUTING OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL, TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT'S COMING AHEAD BECAUSE THEY MIGHT NOT SEE THE TANGIBLE BENEFITS BEFORE THE MID-TERMS OR IN THE SHORT TERM.

AND THEN OF COURSE HE STRATEGICALLY CHOOSE CONGRESSWOMAN ANGIE CRAIG'S DISTRICT WHO'S THE MOST VULNERABLE DEMOCRAT IN MINNESOTA AND WAS A SUPPORTER OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL.

>> Cathy: DAVID SCHIER?

DO YOU WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT THIS?

>> I THINK KATHRYN IS RIGHT, IT'S VERY TELLING THAT THE PRESIDENT CHOSE TO COME TO THE SECOND DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA BECAUSE THAT IS ONE OF THE MOST AT-RISK INCUMBENT DEMOCRATIC HOUSE SEATS CURRENTLY UP FOR ELECTION.

I THINK ALSO YOU HAVE TO NOTE THAT ANGIE CRAIG WON SURPRISINGLY BY A NARROW MARGIN IN A DEMOCRATIC YEAR IN MINNESOTA IN 2020, AND TOM EMMER, WHO IS CHAIR OF THE HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE FOR THE COUNTRY ALLOWED THAT TO HAPPEN UNDER HIS NOSE, NARROW LOSS AND I'M CERTAIN THAT WILL BE A TOP TARGET FOR EMMER AND REPUBLICANS.

IT WILL BE ONE OF THE BIG BATTLES NATION-WIDE FOR THE U.S. HOUSE.

>> Eric: DAVID AXELROD WHO WAS AN ARCHITECT OF DONALD TRUMP'S CAREER, HE SAID BIDEN PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ELECTED WITHOUT THE VIRUS BUT NOW HE'S DEALING WITH THE DIFFICULTIES THE VIRUS BRINGS.

FAIR ASSESSMENT OR -- >> I THINK THAT'S PART OF IT.

I THINK THE VIRUS AND ALSO THE PRESIDENT -- THE FORMER PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, I THINK THAT THAT'S ONE OF THE PROBLEMS I THINK HAT DEMOCRATS ARE HAVING IS THAT TRUMP'S NOT ON THE BALLOT.

THEY'RE TRYING TO PUT HIM ON THE BALLOT BUT HE'S JUST NOT, SO LIKE YOU SAID, THE VIRUS IS THERE, WE'VE MADE SOME PROGRESS BUT THERE IS STILL A LOT OF -- PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT STEPPING -- GOING BACK TO SOME OF THE MITIGATION EFFORTS AND BIDEN HAS ALREADY SAID HE'S NOT GOING TO DO THAT BUT I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT, THAT'S PART OF WHAT HE'S STILL CONTENDING WITH SOME OF THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT TRUMP DEALT WITH.

>> Eric: THERE WAS A FOCUS GROUP DONE IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA AFTER THE GUBERNATORIAL RACE THERE AND THE DEMOCRATIC CONSULTANT SAID THAT VOTERS IN VIRGINIA THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS TOO MUCH SOCIAL ISSUES FROM THE DEMOCRATS AND NOT ENOUGH ECONOMIC TALK, ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE.

>> WELL, AND THESE THINGS ARE CONNECTED IN THE BUILD BACK BETTER ACT, SO OF COURSE THAT IS WHAT DEMOCRATS ARE WORKING VERY HARD ON.

NOW, THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY WHAT VOTERS WILL BE VOTING ON AT THE MID-TERMS, WHETHER OR NOT CONGRESS PASSED IT, BUT I THINK THAT IT IS ONE FACTOR IN HOW DEMOCRATS SEE THEIR ELECTORAL FORTUNES AND SO THE HOUSE, OF COURSE, HAS PASSED ONE VERSION, THE SENATE HAS CLAIMED THAT THEY WILL PASS IT BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS BUT THEY'VE GOT TO GET ALL 50 DEMOCRATS TO AGREE ON A PACKAGE AND THAT IS A TOUGHER CHALLENGE.

>> Eric: STEVEN SCHIER, WILL CRIME STILL BE AN ISSUE FOR THE MID I I TERMS?

>> I THINK IT PROBABLY WILL BUT YOU HAVE TO DISAGGREGATE ALL OF THIS, ERIC, AND LOOK REGION BY REGION AND STATE BY STATE.

IT WILL IN SOME AREAS AND NOT IN OTHERS.

I THINK -- ONE THING TO NOTE ABOUT BUILD BACK BETTER, IS IF YOU LOOK AT JOE MANCHIN, THE SENATOR FROM WEST VIRGINIA WHO IS SORT OF SLOWING EVERYTHING DOWN IN THE U.S. SENATE ABOUT BUILD BACK BETTER, LOOK AT HIS POLICY POSITION, JOE MANCHIN IS BILL CLINTON.

BILL CLINTON'S POLICIES OF 25, 30 YEARS GO ARE JOE MANCHIN'S POLICIES.

THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY HAS MOVED TO THE LEFT AND THE FACT THAT JOE MANCHIN IS SORT OF A SOLITARY FIGURE IN THE SENATE, ALMOST A SOLITARY FIGURE INDICATES THAT SHIFT.

>> Cathy: SAY, BEFORE WE GO, WE SHOULD MENTION THAT A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN WAS AVERTED BUT THEY KIND OF KICKED THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD UNTIL FEBRUARY.

>> OH, THEY KICKED THE CAN UNTIL FEBRUARY 18th BUT THEY HAVEN'T PASSED ONE SINGLE ONE OF THEIR 12 ANNUAL APPROPRIATIONS BILLS THAT WERE DUE ON SEPTEMBER 30th.

OF COURSE, THAT'S NOTHING NEW BUT, SURPRISINGLY, THEY ALSO HAVEN'T ASSED THE DEFINITION AUTHORIZATION BILL WHICH CONGRESS ON A IPARTISAN BASIS DOES PASS.

>> Eric: OU GET UPSET EVERY YEAR ABOUT THE LACK OF ACTION ON THE BILLS.

>> IT'S BEEN 25 YEARS.

>> AND THIS IS JUST A STRATEGY BY THE MINORITY PARTY TO TRY TO GET THINGS THEY WANT INTO THE BILL OR STOP THINGS OR DRAW ATTENTION TO IT SO I DON'T THINK THIS IS GOING TO STOP.

>> Eric: WE'D BE PAYING BIG BUCKS FOR YOUR ANALYSIS ON THE OPEN MARKET SO THANKS FOR >> Cathy: GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> Eric: THANKS, PROFESSOR SCHIER.

>> Cathy: THANKS, PROFESSOR SCHIER.

♪♪ >> ERIC: IT'S MINNESOTA HISTORY TIME.

LET'S SEE HOW YOU DID.

FOR OUR QUESTION, WE VENTURED BACK TO THE 1980S.

WE ASKED ABOUT A FAMED MINNESOTA PRODUCT, PARTICULARLY POPULAR IN THE 1980S.

A BIG REGIONAL HIT, MORE THAN TWO MILLION OF THESE ITEMS WERE CREATED, AND THEY FIGURED PROMINENTLY IN NATIONAL BROADCASTS.

WE TOLD YOU MANY MINNESOTANS CAN STILL FIND THIS ITEM BY ROOTING AROUND THEIR HOUSE.

ONE FINAL HINT.

A NATIONAL PUBLICATION SAID THAT, AT THE HEIGHT OF ITS POPULARITY, THIS PRODUCT HAD BECOME A FAD "NEAR HULA HOOP AND FLAGPOLE-SITTING PROPORTIONS."

WHAT IS THIS FAMED 1980S MINNESOTA PRODUCT?

WE WERE FLOODED WITH GUESSES ON THIS ONE.

MORE THAN 150 OF YOU CALLED IN.

THAT MADE FOR A SPLENDID ARRAY OF WRONG GUESSES.

>> ERIC: BY THE WAY, ALL OF THOSE WERE POPULAR WRONG ANSWERS.

SO, WHO'S RIGHT?

NEARLY ONE OF HUNDRED HAD CORRECT GUESSES, RANGING FROM MARK IN WILLOW RIVER, TOM IN OWATONNA, FRITZ IN SLEEPY EYE, MARSHA IN TWO HARBORS, YVONNE IN MINNETRISTA.

BUT THE PRODUCERS DECIDED TO REWARD THE PERSISTENCE OF RICK FROM JACOBSON.

RICK, THE STAGE IS ALL YOURS.

>> ERIC: WE HAVE FEATURED RICK'S WRONG GUESSES IN NINE SHOWS IN THE PAST YEAR AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME HE'S ENTERED THE "ALMANAC" CALL OF FAME.

CONGRATS.

YES, THE HOMER HANKY WAS THE FAD WE SOUGHT.

EVENT HANKIES, OF COURSE, HAVE BEEN CREATED MANY TIMES SINCE THE ORIGINAL.

WHO CAN FORGET THE 1990 GORBACHIEF??

BUT THE CRAZE BEGAN BACK IN 1987.

DO YOU HAVE A HISTORY QUESTION YOU THINK WE SHOULD ASK?

SHARE YOUR RESEARCH BY GOING TO ALMANAC@TPT.ORG, OR CALLING OUR VOICEMAIL AT 651-229-1430.

FOR SHOW-ENDING MUSIC, OFTEN THIS TIME OF YEAR, WE ARE TREATED TO LIVE HOLIDAY TUNES BY THE STEELES.

WE COULDN'T SQUEEZE IN A VISIT THIS YEAR BUT THE STEELES FAMILY WILL BE TOURING THE STATE IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.

WE HOPE YOU CAN FIND A TICKET.

LET'S GO OUT TONIGHT TO THE TUNE THE STEELES RECORDED IN OUR STUDIO BACK IN 2013.

IT'S A SPLENDID RENDITION OF "LET IT SNOW."

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

AND BE CAREFUL.

♪ THE FIRE IS SO DELIGHTFUL ♪ SINCE WE'VE NO PLACE TO GO, LET IT KNOW LET IT SNOW ♪ ♪ WELL, IT DOESN'T SHOW SIGNS OF STOPPING BUT I'VE BROUGHT SOME CORN FOR POPPING SO TURN THE LIGHTS WAY DOWN LOW ♪ LET IT SNOW, LET T SNOW, LET IT SNOW.

♪ ♪ SNOW.

♪ ♪ WHEN WE FINALLY KISS GOOD NIGHT, HOW WE HATE GOING OUT IN THE STORM ♪ ♪ BUT IF YOU WILL JUST HOLD ME TIGHT ALL THE WAY HOME I'LL BE WARM ♪ ♪ SCATTING ♪ ♪ WELL, THE FIRE IS SLOWLY DYING BUT MY DEAR, WE'RE STILL GOODBYING ♪ AS LONG AS YOU LOVE ME SO ♪ LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW.

♪ ♪ SLEIGH BELLS RING, FROM YOU LISTENING LICENSE IS IN THE LANE, SNOW IS GLISTENING ♪ A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT, WE'RE HAPPY TONIGHT WALKING IN A WINTER WONDERLAND ♪ ♪ GONE AWAY IS A BLUE BIRD ♪ ♪ HERE TO STAY IS A NEW BIRD Captioned by: Paradigm Reporting/Captioning www.paradigmreporting.com ♪ BUT YOU CAN DO THE JOB WHEN YOU'RE IN TOWN ♪ "ALMANAC" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY MEMBERS OF THIS PUBLIC TELEVISION STATION.

SUPPORT IS ALSO PROVIDED BY... GREAT RIVER ENERGY: PROVIDING WHOLESALE POWER TO 28 MINNESOTA ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES.

DELTA DENTAL OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION: IMPROVING ORAL HEALTH WHILE ADVANCING SOCIAL EQUITIES.

DELTADENTALMN.ORG/TPT.

THE SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY: A TRIBAL NATION FOCUSED ON COMMUNITY AND COLLABORATION, ESPECIALLY IN TIMES LIKE TODAY.

ENBRIDGE: CONNECTING MINNESOTANS WITH ENERGY FOR OVER 70 YEARS.

MORE AT ENBRIDGE.COM/LINE3US.

AND EDUCATION MINNESOTA: THE VOICE FOR PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

MORE AT EDUCATIONMINNESOTA.ORG.

"ALMANAC" IS A PRODUCTION OF TWIN CITIES PBS FOR THE STATIONS OF MINNESOTA PUBLIC TELEVISION ASSOCIATION. )