>> THANKS, FITZY.

♪♪ >> Cathy: WE'VE HAVE THE CEOS OF SANFORD AND FAIRVIEW HEALTH ON THE SHOW TO TALK ABOUT THEIR POTENTIAL MERGER.

THIS WEEK TWO FORMER GOVERNORS MADE HISTORY BY SPEAKING TOGETHER AT THE APITOL DURING A HEARING AS THE PROJECT RELATES TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA.

MARY LAHAMMER PLANS.

>> THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA HAS HISTORICALLY HAD STRONG CONNECTIONS TO MINNESOTA GOVERNORS.

IT WAS GOVERNOR PILLSBURY WHO INTERVENED IN THE 1800S TO SAVE THE STATE'S LAND GRANT UNIVERSITY.

>> I'M DELIGHTED TO APPEAR TONIGHT WITH GOVERNOR PAWLENTY.

THIS IS THE IRST TIME HE AND I HAVE SPOKEN TOGETHER PUBLICLY.

WHICH UNDERSCORES THE GREAT IMPORTANCE WE ATTACH TO THESE CRITICAL MATTERS.

>> NOW TWO FORMER GOVERNORS FROM DIFFERENT POLITICAL PARTIES AND ALMA MATERS CAME TOGETHER ON A UNITED MISSION FOR THE U.

>> I ALSO WANT TO THANK GOVERNOR DAYTON FOR HIS PARTNERSHIP ON THIS TOPIC.

HE AND I HAVE WILDLY DIFFERENT POLITICAL BACKGROUNDS, BUT WE'VE ALWAYS GOTTEN ALONG PERSONALLY.

>> THE PROPOSED MERGER IS COMPLICATED WITH SOUTH DAKOTA'S SANFORD HEALTH AND FAIRVIEW UNIVERSITY.

>> THE PROSPECTS AND GOVERNANCE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA'S ACADEMIC HEALTH CENTER COULD SHIFT TO A SOUTH DAKOTA BASED ENTERPRISE IS ALARMING AND SHOULD NEVER BE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN.

>> THERE IS NO PRECEDENT.

THERE IS NO PRECEDENT FOR AN OUT OF STATE ENTITY OWNING OR CONTROLLING A STATE'S FLAGSHIP MEDICAL ACADEMIC HOSPITAL OR ACADEMIC MEDICAL CENTER.

>> IT SEEMS TO BE SORT OF THE YEAR OF THE GOVERNOR RETURNING TO THE STATE CAPITOL, WITH FORMER GOVERNOR JESSE VENTURA TESTIFYING IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE ALSO ON HEALTH CARE AS IT RELATES TO THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA, WHICH HE SAYS STOPPED HIS WIFE'S SEIZURES.

>> MY WIFE TOOK THE IRST THREE DROPS UNDER THE TONGUE AND HAS NOT HAD A SEIZURE SINCE, NONE.

MARIJUANA CANNABIS STOPPED THE SEIZURES.

>> ALL THE GOVERNORS BROUGHT THEIR UNIQUE PERFORMANCE QUALITIES.

>> I AM A WALKING POSTERBOARD FOR THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT.

[ LAUGHTER ] I'M LOOKING FOR WORK THESE DAYS.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> SKI-U-MAH AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> THANK YOU, GOVERNOR.

>> I WAS THERE 7 YEARS, I DID GET TWO DEGREES IN 7 YEARS SO I WASN'T JUST GOOFING OFF THE WHOLE TIME.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> THE COMMITTEE CHAIR SAYS HAVING FORMER GOVERNORS APPEAR SHOWS JUST HOW MUCH MINNESOTANS CARE ABOUT ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE.

>> IT'S A LAND GRANT INSTITUTION THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA AND ALL OF ITS ASSETS ARE OBLIGATED BOTH LEGALLY AND MORALLY TO BE USED FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR STATE AND OUR CITIZENS.

>> OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM AND THE QUALITY OF HEALTH CARE IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA IS UNDENIABLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT STRATEGIC ASSET THAT'S WE HAVE AND IT HELPS MINNESOTANS GREATLY.

>> AS A RESULT OF THE MERGER THERE WILL NOT BE A CHANGE TO