♪♪♪ >> Cathy: HOW MANY DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE CAN SAY THAT POLITICS, ESPECIALLY THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE IS DOMINATING THE NEWS EACH AND EVERY WEEK?

WE'RE GOING TO SKIP THAT EXERCISE AND JUMP RIGHT INTO THIS WEEK'S PANEL BECAUSE IT'S POLITIC, IT'S IMPORTANT.

DEMOCRATS UP FIRST TONIGHT.

ABOU AMARA IS A DFL LOYALIST, FORMER LEGISLATIVE STAFFER TURNED ATTORNEY.

THE LEGISLATURE IS WHERE REPRESENTATIVE JAMIE BECKER-FINN CALLS HOME, AT LEAST UNTIL HER RETIREMENT IN JANUARY.

REPUBLICANS WITH US ONIGHT, AMY KOCH IS A FORMER STATE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER AND JEN DE JURE NET IS BACK, SHE'S A LONGTIME POLITICAL OPERATIVE AND VETERAN OF MANY A CAMPAIGN.

JEN, THAT PIECE, MARY FOCUSED IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CANDIDATES THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH HEARING AT THE DOORS?

>> WELL, I HEAR THAT CANDIDATES ARE OUT AND THEIR BASE IS REALLY FIRED UP.

I MEAN, THERE'S BEEN SOME EARLY WORK BY MANY ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE RETURN THEIR BALLOTS EARLY AND UNDERSTAND THE POWER OF THAT, BASICALLY A HURRICANE'S COMING, GET OUT OF THE WAY, CLEAR THE LANE SO THAT PEOPLE CAN REALLY HIT THAT LAST BIT REALLY HARD.

AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THE ECONOMY.

TO BE HONEST, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE VOTE THEIR POCKETBOOKS.

AND ALL YOUR CHOICES ARE MADE FOR YOU IF YOU DON'T HAVE MONEY IN YOUR POCKETBOOK.

AND I THINK PEOPLE ARE REALLY FEELING THE IMPACTS OF THAT.

SO, FROM WHAT I HEAR, THERE'S BEEN SOME GOOD RECEPTION AT THE DOORS.

EVERYONE'S GOING TO RUN AND WORK REALLY HARD THROUGH THE LAST FEW WEEKS OF THE ELECTION.

AND I THINK I'M CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC.

>> Eric: YOU SAID ON THE PODCAST, YOU CAN TELL MORE BY DOOR KNOCKING THAN YOU CAN BY A POLL.

WHAT DO YOU HEAR?

>> 100%.

I'M ALSO HEARING THE SAME THING.

I'M HEARING THAT, NOT AS MUCH ABOUT THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE, WHICH SURPRISED ME, BECAUSE THAT HAS BEEN AT THE TOP FOR SO MANY PEOPLE.

A LOT ABOUT THE ECONOMY.

AND I THINK THAT WHILE EVERYONE THOUGH 2022 WAS GOING TO BE THAT, OF COURSE, WE KNOW IT WASN'T, IT WAS ABOUT THE DECISION, THE DECISION ON ABORTION, I THINK THIS YEAR COULD BE HE YEAR WHERE THE ECONOMY IS PLAYING, YOU KNOW, INFLATION IS JUST THROUGH THE ROOF.

>> YEAH, IT'S LIKE A SHIFT, I MADE SOME CALLS.

I'M HEARING TWO CALLS, MAINLY, ONE OF THEM IS ABORTION, ABORTION IS STILL A TOP ISSUE, PARTICULARLY IN THE SUBURBS WHERE DEMOCRATS NEED TO DO WELL, AND THE SECOND IS ACTUALLY AN EXCITEMENT AROUND THE DEMOCRATS MAKING A CHANGE WITH BIDEN.

SO I THINK THAT'S AN ENTRY POINT FOR A LOT OF MIDDLE OF THE VOTERS WHO ARE SAYING, THE DEMOCRATS ARE GOING TO GO WITH BIDEN, THEY DIDN'T LIKE THAT, THEY CHANGED, I LIKE THAT.

>> Eric: REPRESENTATIVE?

>> THAT'S ABSOLUTELY WHAT I'M HEARING, THE SAME THING.

ESPECIALLY IN THE SUBURBS.

I'M IN ROSEVILLE AREA, AND I THINK, ABSOLUTELY, I MADE A COUPLE PHONE CALLS TODAY TO CHECK IN WITH FOLKS WHO ARE SPENDING A LITTLE MORE TIME ON THE DOORS THAN ME THIS TIME AROUND.

ABORTION IS STILL TOP OF MIND FOR A LOT OF FOLKS.

>> Cathy: HEY, I HEAR THERE'S THIS BIG DEBATE NEXT WEEK.

WE MIGHT WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT.

I BET YOU'RE GOING TO WATCH.

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO BE WATCHING FOR?

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK I EXPECT THE GOVERNOR TO BE HIMSELF.

HE ALWAYS BRINGS HIMSELF AND IS WHO HE IS.

AND I THINK THAT'S WORKING FOR HIM, TO BE HONEST.

I'VE HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS FROM PEOPLE, LIKE, OH, YOU MOST KNOW THE GOVERNOR, IS HE REALLY LIKE THAT?

AND HE REALLY IS THAT GUY.

>> YET, I BET J.D.

VANCE IS GOING TO HIT HARD EARLY, IF YOU GET UNDER THE GOVERNOR'S SKIN, HE CAN GET A LITTLE PRICKLY.

>> A COUPLE THINGS.

WALZ IS GOING TO BRING THE FOLKSCY ENERGY, RIGHT, THAT PEOPLE HAVE REALLY RESPONDED TO.

BUT HE'S GOT TO WATCH HIS FACTS.

HE'S GOT TO WATCH GETTING A LITTLE HOT UNDER THE COLLAR.

J.D.

VANCE, HE'LL HAVE ALL THE FACTS AND ALL THE POLICY BUT HE'S GOT TO BE REAL.

HE HAS GOT TO BRING HIMSELF BECAUSE ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, HE HAS BEEN -- I DON'T KNOW WHO HE'S BEEN, BUT T'S BEEN AWKWARD AND IT'S NOT BEEN FRIENDLY.

>> YEAH, TO ME, THIS IS A BEER VERSUS WINE ELECTION.

WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS, YOU WANT TO MAKE J.D.

VANCE BOTH SEEM EXTREME BUT ALSO OUT OF TOUCH.

RIGHT?

AND I THINK TIM WALZ IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE TO MIDDLE-CLASS AMERICANS SAY, HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU KNOW THAT WORK AT HEDGE FUNDS, MAKE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, SPEAKING TO MIDDLE CLASS OF AMERICANS, PROVIDING AN ENTRY POINT.

>> I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE WINE THING CAME FROM.

HE CAME FROM A DRUG-ADDICTED HOUSEHOLD WITH NO MONEY, TOTALLY BROKE.

SURE, HE WENT TO COLLEGE ON SCHOLARSHIP, AND MADE SOMETHING OF HIMSELF.

WHY ARE WE MAKING PUTTING HAT DOWN IN AMERICA TODAY?

THAT'S RIDICULOUS.

YOU KNOW, IN AMERICA, WE WORK HARD AND IF YOU COME FROM NOTHING, YOU CAN BE SOMETHING.

I CAN SAY THAT FOR MYSELF AND MANY OTHER PEOPLE I KNOW.

WHY ARE THE DEMOCRATS MAKING FUN OF THAT?

>> I DON'T HEAR IT MAKING FUN OF IT.

I HEAR PEOPLE POINTING OUT THE DIFFERENCE IN THE TYPE OF PERSON AND WHAT THEY BRING TO THE RACE AND WHAT THEY BRING TO POLITICS.

YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE GET INTO POLITICS BECAUSE THEY LOVE ATTENTION.

AND SOME PEOPLE GET INTO POLITICS BECAUSE THEY LOVE THE POLICY AND THEY WANT TO DO THE RIGHT THING FOR PEOPLE.

AND I THINK THERE REALLY IS A JUXTAPOSITION, CLEARLY, THERE'S A MAN WHO REALLY LIKES ATTENTION, AND THEN THERE'S MAN WHO'S BEEN IN PUBLIC SERVICE HIS WHOLE LIFE.

POINTING OUT THE DIFFERENCE ISN'T UNFAIR.

>> Cathy: WHERE DOES J.D.

VANCE START, IN TERMS OF, I ASKED THAT TO DANA, TOO, THE MINNESOTA-CENTRIC TYPE TOPICS THAT HE COULD HIT WALZ ON?

>> I THINK HE'S GOING TO HIT THE OVERALL CAMPAIGN ON MINING, FRACKING, SORT OF JOBS, JOBS, JOBS, PARTICULARLY IN THOSE MICHIGAN, PENNSYLVANIA, KIND OF THE RUST BELT PART OF THE COUNTRY.

I THINK HE'S GOING TO HIT ON IMMIGRATION.

TRUMP VERY MUCH SCREWED UP THAT QUESTION IN THE DEBATE.

AND J.D.

'S GOING TO HAVE TO COME WITH A REALLY STRONG ANSWER.

AND HE'S ALSO GOING TO HIT ON THE ECONOMY.

HOW CAN YOU IGNORE INFLATION?

HOW CAN OU IGNORE THE NUMBERS OUT THERE?

PEOPLE ARE REALLY HURTING.

HE'S GOING TO COME IN STRONG WITH THOSE.

>> Eric: FEEDING OUR FUTURE, GEORGE FLOYD, MILITARY RECORD.

32 TRIPS TO CHINA.

IS THERE A BROAD RANGE OF THINGS THAT VANCE COULD GO AFTER?

>> LOOK, THOSE ARGUMENTS ARE GOING TO BE MADE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE POLLING, THOSE ARGUMENTS ARE NOT WORKING.

RIGHT NOW IF YOU LOOK AT HE POLLING, TIM WALZ HAS A PLUS 7 FAVORABILITY.

WHERE'S, VANCE HAS NEGATIVE 15 DISFAVORRABLE.

WHAT THAT TELLS YOU, THESE ARGUMENTS ARE BEING LITIGATED.

J.D.

VANCE'S ARGUMENT IS NOT WORKING AND TIM WALZ'S IS.

>> IN TIM WALZ'S OWN STATE, 6%, AND TODAY A POLL CAME OUT 3%.

>> LAST TIME I CHECKED, THAT'S STILL INNING.

>> THAT'S WITHIN THE MARGIN OF ERROR.

>> NO, IT'S NOT.

>> A LITTLE HUSTLE AT THE END MAKES A DIFFERENCE.

HERE'S THE THING.

WHY ISN'T ANYONE IN GOVERNOR WALZ'S ADMINISTRATION EVER HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR FRAUD OTTER THINGS THAT HAPPEN?

NOBODY'S FIRED AT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR THE FAILURE OF EDUCATION POLICY.

NOBODY'S FIRED OVER FEEDING OUR FUTURE AND ALL THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT WERE SPENT.

NO ONE'S EVER ACCOUNTABLE.

THOSE ARE FAIR POINTS.

AND SOMEONE NEEDS O ANSWER.

BUT NOBODY MAKES A DECISION ON THE PRESIDENCY BASED ON THE VICE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE.

THAT'S THE TRUTH.

>> Eric: IS THE HOUSE UP FOR GRABS OR WHAT'S YOUR SENSE OF PUTTING ON YOUR ANALYST HAT?

>> I DON'T THINK SO.

I THINK PRE THE SHIFT TO HARRIS, I THINK THAT WAS A VALID FEAR, BUT I THINK THERE IS A HUGE SHIFT.

I KNOW IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT I SPEND TIME IN, ESPECIALLY IN THE SUBURBS, EVEN, HONESTLY, DRIVING ACROSS THE STATE TO VISIT FAMILY, THE AMOUNT OF -- THE NUMBER OF HARRIS/WALZ SIGNS AND THE PALPABLE EXCITEMENT, I HAVEN'T SEEN HANDMADE SIGNS LIKE THIS SINCE THE FIRST OBAMA ELECTION, AND I THINK FOR A LOT OF FOLKS THAT REAL TRUE EXCITEMENT IS THERE AND IT'S CATCHING ON.

>> Cathy: SO, AMY KLOBUCHAR'S GOING TO DEBATE ROYCE WHITE ON WCCO RADIO.

DOES THAT SURPRISE YOU?

>> IT'S SO LATE IN THE GAME.

I MEAN, IN SOME PARTS OF THE SUBURBAN METRO, 70% OF THAT VOTE WILL BE IN WAY BEFORE THAT DEBATE.

SO, IT'S OCTOBER 27th, IT'S IN THE WANING DAYS.

I'M SURE EVERYONE WILL POP POPCORN BECAUSE WHO KNOWS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AT THAT DEBATE.

AND THAT RACE WILL COME TO AN END AND WE ALL KNOW WHERE ITS CONCLUSION WILL E. >> Eric: I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT I'M ONLY HALF SERIOUS ABOUT, UT I THINK IT COULD BE IMPORTANT.

HOW MUCH FUN IS SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE GOING TO HAVE WITH WALZ?

I MEAN, WITH HIS GESTURES.

I GUESS -- IT HELP SARAH PALIN BACK IN THE DAY?

>> NO, WELL, IT ACTUALLY HARMED SARAH PALIN, RIGHT?

THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE CONFUSING SARAH PALIN'S QUOTES WITH TINA FEY'S QUOTES.

I'M VERY SERIOUS, TOO.

THEY ACTUALLY DO SORT OF START TO HAVE A MOVEMENT ON THE ELECTORATE, FOR SURE.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE'LL SEE.

I HAVEN'T HEARD WHO'S PLAYING J.D.

VANCE, AND I HAVEN'T HEARD WHO'S PLAYING WALZ.

IT'S GOING TO BE ALMOST AS FUN TO WATCH THE DEBATE AS THE "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE" AFTERWARDS.

>> Eric: DO YOU THINK IT'S GOING TO BE FEATURED IN THE COLD OPEN WHEN "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE" OR WILL IT BE MORE OF -- >> I THINK IT WILL BE -- >> I THINK IT WILL BE A COLD OPEN.

I THINK IT WILL BE A LEAD.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, HERE'S WHY.

TIM WALZ IS STILL LARGELY UNKNOWN TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

IT'S MOMENTS LIKE THAT CAN INTRODUCE THE FIGURE THAT IS TIM WALZ TO THOSE VOTERS.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT ON A POLITICAL LEVEL.

>> Cathy: SPEAKING OF WALZ TO VOTERS, I HEAR HE'S GOING TO BE AT THE GOPHER/MICHIGAN FOOTBALL GAME THIS WEEKEND.

PRESIDENT TRUMP IS REALLY MAKING A PLAY FOR YOUNGER MALE VOTERS, RIGHT?

SO WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE GOVERNOR AT THE FOOTBALL GAME?

MAKES ACCEPTS, OF COURSE -- MAKES SENSE, OF COURSE.

>> HE'S A FOOTBALL GAME, SPORTS GUY.

>> Cathy: YOUNGER DEMOGRAPHIC ON A COLLEGE CAMPUS.

>> YEAH, I MEAN, I DON'T THINK THAT, LIKE, ATTENDING A SPORTING EVENT ALONE IS GOING TO DO MUCH OF ANYTHING.

BUT I THINK, AGAIN, THE GOVERNOR S WHO HE IS.

AND E'S THE KIND OF GUY WHO GOES TO FOOTBALL GAMES.

SO I THINK HE'S GOING TO GO TO SOME FOOTBALL GAMES.

I'VE PERSONALLY GONE TOY AMINNESOTA UNITED GAME WITH HIM BEFORE.

HE ACTUALLY IS THAT GUY WHO LOVES SPORTS.

AND LOVES THE COMPETITION.

>> Eric: HOW ARE THE REPUBLICANS DOING AT PEELING OFF SOME OF THE TRADITIONAL DEMOCRATIC PARTS OF THE CONSTITUENCY GROUPS?

>> YOU KNOW, THOUSANDS OF CALLS HAVE BEEN MADE, AND I'VE GOTTEN TO HEAR SOME F THEM ON HOW THEY'VE GONE.

OUT IN RURAL MINNESOTA, GREATER MINNESOTA, I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE A ROAR, LIKE NO ONE'S EVER SEEN BEFORE.

AND THOSE, I FEEL PRETTY GOOD ABOUT.

NOW, WHEN YOU GET PAST, LET'S SAY, ROGERS AND GET A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO THE METRO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF WORK THAT STILL NEEDS TO BE DONE IN THAT FIRST AND SECOND-TIER SUBURBAN RING.

ONCE YOU GET OUT A LITTLE BIT INTO WRIGHT COUNTY, FURTHER OUT, I'VE DRIVEN THIS STATE, 38,000 MILES BACK AND FORTH, LISTENED TO THOUSANDS OF CALLS, I THINK THAT OUT THERE PEOPLE WANT TO MAKE THEIR VOICE HEARD AND THEY'RE GOING TO DO IT VERY VERY LOUDLY.

>> MAYBE VISIT SOME RESERVATIONS, TOO.

>> Eric: YEAH.

>> I THINK SO.

>> Eric: THE MONTH THAT IS LEFT, ARE MINDS GOING TO BE CHANGED?

OR ARE WE STATIC FOR THE NEXT MONTH?

WHAT'S THE STATE OF THE RACE?

>> TO ME, THIS IS REALLY AN INTENSITY RACE NOW.

AT THIS STAGE OF THE CAMPAIGN, YOU'RE STILL TRYING TO KEEP STATES ON THE MAP, NORTH CAROLINA, ARIZONA.

BUT YOU'RE LSO GOING TO THE MIDDLE TO LOW PROPENSITY VOTERS, WHO VOTED IN MAYBE ONE OF THE LAST FOUR ELECTIONS, KNOCKING ON DOORS, DRAGGING THEM TO THE POLLS, THE CLOSER YOU GOAT ELECTION DAY, THE MORE YOU WANT TO MOVE UP THE SCALE ON THE PROPENSITY OF THE VOTERS.

>> THE OTHER THINGS THAT'S INTERESTING, THE REPUBLICANS ARE NOW FOCUSED ON ABSENTEE BALLOT, WHICH THEY HAD NOT IN 2020, 2022.

IN FACT, IN 2020, VERY MISTAKENLY TALKED DOWN THE ABSENTEE BALLOT.

>> Eric: IS PRESIDENT TRUMP HELPING THAT, THOUGH?

>> YEAH, HE HAS.

[ OVERLAPPING CONVERSATION ] >> WHOLE THING ACROSS THE STATE ON THAT.

>> AND THAT'S A FACTOR THAT HAS NOT BEEN IN THE LAST TWO CYCLES AND WILL HAVE AN IMPACT.

>> Eric: I'M GETTING THE HOOK FROM ACROSS THE HALL.