♪♪♪ >> CATHY: WE'VE GOT A LOT OF POLITICS TO COVER.

I CAN'T EVEN BELIEVE THAT.

D.N.C.

IN CHICAGO NEXT WEEK.

WALZ CAMPAIGNING SOLO THIS WEEK.

AND WE HAVEN'T EVEN MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS A PRIMARY ELECTION IN MINNESOTA ON TUESDAY.

IT'S TIME FOR THIS WEEK'S VERSION OF THE POLITICAL PANEL.

DEMOCRATS UP FIRST THIS WEEK.

JAVIER MORILLO IS A FORMER NATIONAL COMMITTEE MEMBER AND LONGTIME UNION AND PARTY ACTIVIST.

WE WELCOME BACK WINTANA MELEKIN, PARTY ACTIVIST FRESH OFF OF THE PRIMARY CAMPAIGN STAFF OF REPRESENTATIVE ILHAN OMAR.

REPUBLICANS WITH US TONIGHT: AMY KOCH IS A FORMER SENATE MAJORITY LEADER, NOW LOBBYIST.

ROUNDING OUT TONIGHT'S GROUP, FRITZ KNAAK IS A FORMER STATE SENATOR AND ATTORNEY.

SENATOR KOCH, AND REPUBLICANS DID WELL ON TUESDAY.

SO WHAT DID YOU TALK AWAY?

I DIDN'T SEE ANY PATTERNS, DID YOU YOU?

>> NOT REALLY ANY PATTERNS.

FRANKLY, A LOT OF THE STATE REP REPUBLICANS THAT HAD CHALLENGERS THAT IN THE PAST HAVE BEEN PROBLEMATIC REALLY WERE EASILY DEFEATED.

THERE WAS JUST ONE STATE REP AND I DON'T REALLY THINK -- IT HAD MORE TO DO WITH THAT SPECIFIC RACE.

BUT CONGRESSWOMAN MICHELLE FISCHBACH HAD SUPPOSEDLY A TIGHT RACE AND EASILY BEAT THE CHALLENGER THERE.

SO I THINK THAT GIVES SOME STRENGTH TO THOSE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES AS THEY MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE WE REALLY GOT OUR CANDIDATES OVER THE LINE.

>> Eric: CONGRESSWOMAN OMAR IS NOW A MEMBER OF THE ESTABLISHMENT, RIGHT?

I MEAN -- [ Laughter ] WHO OULD HAVE THUNK IT.

SHE WON SOMETHING LIKE 56%, SOMETHING LIKE THAT?

>> YEAH, I THINK SHE HAD RECORD BREAKING NUMBERS.

SHE WON 199 OUT OF -- OR INCREASED TURNOUT IN 199 PRECINCTS OF OUT OF 217.

SHE FLIPPED 27 PRECINCTS, NEIGHBORHOODS, THAT HAD FORMERLY SUPPORTED THE CONSERVATIVE CHALLENGER AND THIS TIME JOINED HER.

INCREASED TURNOUT IN PLACES LIKE WARD 7 AND WARD 11 AND REALLY JUST DID AN ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL JOB.

>> Cathy: SO IT LOOKS LIKE THE G.O.P.

ENDORSEMENT WORKED FOR ROYCE WHITE FOR THE U.S. SENATE?

>> YES IT DID.

>> WHAT YOU WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY ABOUT ROYCE WHITE AS A CANDIDATE.

>> HE CERTAINLY CALLS ATTENTION TO THE RACE.

AND I THINK THAT HE'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING.

IT'LL BZ INTERESTING TO SEE.

I THINK TRUTHFULLY, AMY KLOBUCHAR GOT A PASS.

ON THIS ELECTION.

AS A PRACTICAL MATTER.

EVEN IF HE WEREN'T, YOU KNOW, WITH THE EXPERIENCE AND REPUTATION THAT HE HAS, EVEN IF WE WEREN'T DEALING WITH THAT, HE'S NOT VERY WELL KNOWN.

THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY GOOD YEAR.

YOU NEVER FIGURE THESE THINGS OUT SOMETIMES UNTIL AFTER THE FACT, THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY GOOD YEAR FOR SOMEBODY STRONGER TO REALLY GO AFTER HER.

BUT THINGS HAPPEN.

AND THIS IS A STRANGE ELECTION.

MONTH AND A HALF AGO WHO WOULD HAVE EVER PREDICTED WE ARE WHERE WE ARE.

TWO MONTHS FROM NOW, WE'RE BE SEEING MORE EXCITING THINGS HAPPENING.

>> Eric: ON THE PRINTED PRINTED BALLOT, IT'LL BE HARRIS-WALZ, AND THEN KLOBUCHAR, WHITE.

>> WEIRD HAS ENTERED THE VERNACULAR AND ROYCE WHITE SAID HOLD MY BEER.

HE'S THE MAJOR PARTY NOMINEE.

THERE WILL BE TWO PEOPLE WHO WILL BE IN DEBATES AND AND THIS PERSON WHO IS SO FAR RIGHT THAT, LIKE, YOU KNOW, OUR FRIENDS HERE WON'T EVEN MENTION HIM, AND I DON'T BLAME YOU, IS BECAUSE, IS BANANAS BUT THAT IS WHAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY HAS BECOME.

>> Eric: WHERE IS WALZ MOST VULNERABLE.

IS IT THE AFTERMATH OF GEORGE FLOYD OR "FEEDING OUR FUTURE" OR MILITARY SERVICE?

OR DOES IT MATTER HOW MUCH TROUBLE VANCE OR WALZ GET INTO?

>> I THINK HE'S MOST VULNERABLE ON THE HANDLING OF THE AFTERMATH OF THE RIOTS IN MINNEAPOLIS AND THEN "FEEDING OUR FUTURE," SORT OF THE EXECUTIVE OVERSIGHT I CALL IT.

I'M TOUCHING ON THE MILITARY SERVICE.

>> Eric: YOU HAVE SOME.

>> I DO.

SO -- AND I SERVED AS A RUSSIAN LINGUIST AT THE NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY WITH THE AIR FORCE.

AND HE SERVED 24 YEARS.

I WAS ALSO -- THE DEMOCRATS WENT AFTER TYLER KISTNER ABOUT HIS MILITARY CLAIMS.

HERE'S THE DEAL.

AND HE SERVED FOUR DEPLOYMENTS.

BUT HE ALSO HAD SAID SOME THINGS LIKE, I HAVE BEEN ON THE WRONG END OF A LOADED WEAPON.

AND HE HAD NOT SERVED IN COMBAT.

HE HAD GONE TO OTHER STATIONS.

THE SAME THING WITH TIM WALZ SAYING I CARRIED A WEAPON OF WAR IN WAR.

AND SO WHAT I WOULD SAY IS, I AM GRATEFUL FOR TYLER KISTNER'S SERVICE.

I'M GRATEFUL FOR TIM WALZ'S SERVICE.

I'M PROUD OF MY SERVICE.

BUT CANDIDATES ALSO NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL AT HOW THEY SPEAK ABOUT THEIR SERVICE, AND IF THEY MISSPEAK, THEY NEED TO APOLOGIZE AND MOVE FORWARD AND DO BETTER, BECAUSE THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT DID FOUR COMBAT MISSIONS.

THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT WERE ON THE -- THAT CARRIED A WEAPON OF WAR IN WAR.

AND THOSE PEOPLE, MANY OF THEM HAVE DIED, BEEN INJURED R HAVE SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS.

AND SO I THINK IT'S BOTH, RIGHT?

CAN BE BOTH.

AND THAT'S WHY IT'S SUCH A -- IT'S A TERRIBLE ISSUE.

>> Eric: THE PROGRESSIVE AND LIBERAL PARTS OF THE DFL COMMUNITY UNTIL THE 5TH DISTRICT UNITED OR IS THERE SOME HARD FEELINGS THERE OR WHAT'S THE AFTERMATH OF ALL THAT?

>> WELL, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE PERSON THAT THEY'RE UP AGAINST IS J.D.

VANCE AND DONALD TRUMP.

THEY ARE TRUE EMBARRASSMENTS TO THIS COUNTRY.

THEY'RE NOT JUST INTERESTING OR WEIRD.

THEY'RE ACTUAL EMBARRASSMENTS, AND THEY'RE FRAUDS AND THEY HAVE NO PLACE IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

THEY HAVE NO PLACE ANYWHERE NEAR DYED C., AND I THINK, YES, THERE ARE CONFLICTING OPINIONS IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

THERE'S A BROAD COALITION.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE END GOAL IS TO PROTECT DEMOCRACY, FEED CHILDREN AND PROTECT THE WORKING CLASS AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S WHAT HARRIS AND WALZ WANT AND THAT'S NOT WHAT DONALD TRUMP WANTS.

>> WOW!

AND WE'RE GOING TO GET A LOT OF THAT BETWEEN NOW AND THE ELECTION.

AND I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE LOT OF EFFORT TO MISDIRECT WHAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT WHICH OF COURSE IS KAMALA HARRIS'S RECORD AND WHAT SHE DID AND WHY SHE WAS THE LEAST POPULAR VICE PRESIDENT AND WHAT WE'RE GETTING INSTEAD RIGHT NOW IS, AND MAYBE I'M, YOU KNOW, GIVING UP MY GENERATION, BUT IN A WAY, I KEEP THINKING OF THE "WIZARD OF OZ," THAT FAMOUS SCENE WHERE YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO SEE WHO'S BEHIND THE CURTAIN.

WHO IS BEHIND THE CURTAIN HERE IS THAT KAMALA HARRIS AND WHAT'S BEING CREATED FOR US NOW IS AN IMAGE.

>> Cathy: SO DO OU THINK IT'S RELEASED TRANT -- >> DO YOU THINK IT'S RELEVANT THAT YOUR PARTY CANDIDATE LED AN NSURRECTION?

I MEAN, IT'S -- THIS S NOT THE REGULAR -- YOUR REGULAR REPUBLICAN PARTY.

IT'S NOT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY THAT YOU'VE EVER REPRESENTED.

YOU DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S AN EXTREME?

>> SEXUAL HARASSMENTMENT CHARGES.

THE LIST IS NEVER ENDING.

>> I WILL DISAGREE.

AND THE ONE THING I WILL SAY IS, WHATEVER ELSE YOU CAN SAY ABOUT DONALD TRUMP THERE ARE A LOT OF ABOUT SECRETS ABOUT WHERE HE'S OMING FROM NOW, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REAPS YOU'RE FINDING THE MODERATES IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND I HAD PEOPLE TELLING, OH.

MODERATES ARE GOING TO GO TO THE DEMOCRATS THIS YEAR.

THEY'RE ACTUALLY QUITE COMFORTABLE WITH DONALD TRUMP THIS YEAR.

>> I THINK THAT'S MORE A SIGN OF WHAT THE PARTY HAS BECOME, AND THERE ARE VERY FEW MODERATES LEFT.

THERE WERE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF REPUBLICANS FOR MOIRS ON A CALL THE OTHER NIGHT BECAUSE PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTUALLY SENSIBLE REPUBLICANS ARE LEAVING THE PARTY.

>> Eric: REPUBLICANS NEED FOUR VOTES TO TAKE OVER THE HOUSE.

THEY NEED ONE VOTE IN THE SENATE.

HOW DO WE HAND CAP WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN NOVEMBER IN THE LEGISLATIVE RACES?

>> RIGHT, I MEAN, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE.

ANYBODY WHO'S CLAIMING THEY KNOW WHO'S GOING TO HOLD, THE SENATE SEAT, IT'S ONLY ONE SEAT OFF.

THEY'D HAVE TO RUN THE TABLE.

THE HOUSE REPUBLICANS THEY HAVE A LOT MORE GAME TO PLAY.

THEY NEED FOUR, WHICH IS A VERY SMALL AMOUNT.

BUT -- AND THEY HAVE A LARGER FIELD OF PLAY.

ONE THING'S FOR SURE, IF YOU'RE IN THOSE SWING DISTRICTS YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF MONEY SPENT AND A LOT OF EFFORT SPENT ON THESE HOUSE RACES AND THAT ONE SENATE RACE.

AND INTERESTING WRINKLE WOULD BE, IF HOISH HARRIS AND WALZ WI, THEN OBVIOUSLY WE TALK TO LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, SHE WOULD STEP UP TO THE GOVERNOR, AND BOBBY JOE CHAMPION, THE SENATE PRESIDENT, WOULD BE THE L.G., WHICH COULD TAKE THE SENATE BACK TO A VERY CRITICAL TIME IN JANUARY TO 33-33 AND SESSION STARTS JANUARY 13TH.

>> Cathy: SO WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT SENATE RACE, BY THE WAY?

>> YEAH, I THINK IT'S AN INTERESTING DISTRICT.

BUT IT'S SHOWING THAT THEY'RE EXCITED TO ELECT A PROGRESSIVE.

ANN STEWARD JOHNSON IS VERY POPULAR.

SHE HAD ALREADY HELD A PORTION OF THE SEAT AND I THINK SHE WILL BE EASILY REELECTED THIS NOVEMBER WITHOUT QUESTION.

>> Eric: DID A LOT OF THE STUFF THAT KAMALA HARRIS LAID OUT TODAY KIND OF LOOK LIKE THE MINNESOTA PLAY BOOK LEGISLATIVELY FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS?

>> YEAH, I MEAN A LOT OF IT, AND I'LL SAY IT'S A POPULAR AGENDA.

AND -- >> Eric: A LOT OF SPENDING.

>> I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO BE POPULAR WITH YOU.

BUT BE POPULAR WITH THE PUBLIC.

PEOPLE EXPECT GOVERNMENT TO WORK FOR THEM.

SO, LIKE, THE QUESTION IN PEOPLE'S MINDS IS, LIKE, IS IF I NOT GETTING SOMETHING OUT OF IT?

AND I WILL TELL YOU, YOU PAIR UP, LIKE, THE SCHOOL LUNCHES FOR ALL KIDS, AGAINST A WHOLE HOST OF OTHER ISSUES ACROSS MINNESOTA AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND IT IS POPULAR LIKE THROUGH THE ROOF.

>> THEN WHY DIDN'T YOU DO IT THREE YEARS AGO?

YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE PROBLEM.

>> WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

WE DID IT NOW AND IT'S DONE.

>> NOW YOU'RE SAYING THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.

SHE'S BEEN IN OFFICE FOR THREE AND A HALF YEARS -- >> I'M TALKING ABOUT SCHOOL LUNCHES THAT JUST HAPPENED.

>> SHE WASN'T THE CANDIDATE.

AND NOW SHE IS THE VICE PRESIDENT AND NOW THE NOMINEE.

AND SHE'S TALKING ABOUT THE NEW TOPICS THAT ARE VERY, VERY E CORRECT THAT.

THE POLLING, THE INFORMATION IS TELLING US IT'S SUCCESSFUL.

WE'VE SEEN IT IN MINNESOTA.

WE'RE GOING TO KEEP A HOUSE MAJORITY OFF OF THESE