♪♪ >> ERIC: REPUBLICANS CALLING FOR SPECIAL SESSION, GOVERNOR WALZ IN IOWA STUMPING FOR PRESIDENT BIDEN AND TOUTING MINNESOTA NATIONALLY, AND A SURPRISINGLY LOPSIDED PRIMARY IN THE DULUTH MAYOR'S RACE, JUST THREE OF THE TOPICS WE'LL COVER WITH TONIGHT'S VERSION OF THE POLITICAL PANEL.

REPUBLICANS UP FIRST.

FRITZ KNAAK IS HERE.

HE'S AN ATTORNEY AND FORMER STATE SENATOR.

FORMER STATE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER IS A TITLE YOU CAN GIVE AMY KOCH.

DFLERS ON THE COUCH TONIGHT, JAVIER MORILLO IS A LONGTIME PARTY ACTIVIST AND FORMER NATIONAL COMMITTEE MAN.

ABOU AMARA, FORMER LEGISLATIVE STAFFER, NOW ATTORNEY.

I LISTENED TO YOUR PODCAST THIS WEEK.

YOU WERE REALLY TOUGH ON THE PARTY ABOUT WOMEN'S ISSUES AND WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION.

WHAT'S GOING ON THERE?

>> WELL, I MEAN, WE'RE HEMORRHAGING WOMEN, RIGHT?

AND THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE -- WE ARE NOT GOING TO GET TO SAFE MAJORITIES IN THE STATE, WHICH IS WHAT I WANT, I WANT TO SEE -- I WANT TO SEE A REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR IN THIS STATE.

I WANT TO SEE A REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT AT THE HELM.

AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO GET THERE WITH THE MESSAGING AND HOW WE'VE BEEN DEALING -- RECRUITING, TALKING ABOUT, MESSAGING WOMEN IN ANY KIND OF WAY.

I MEAN, EVERYTHING FROM THE BARBIE MOVIE, WHICH PPARENTLY REPUBLICANS CANNOT ALLOW THAT KIND OF JOY, TO THE STORY THAT CAME OUT ABOUT LAZ ARROW THIS WEEK, AND THE 21 YEARS, BUT IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE THAT HE GOT.

LAZARO.

IT'S JUST A CONSTANT, LIKE, WOMEN JUST WALKING AWAY.

LIKE REPUBLICAN WOMEN WALKING AWAY FROM THE PARTY, THAT'S A PROBLEM FOR US.

>> Eric: WHY IS THE GOVERNOR AND DEMOCRATS TAKING CREDIT FOR THIS NURSING HOME STUFF WHEN IT WAS REPUBLICANS WHO CREATED THAT COMPROMISE AT THE END?

>> WELL, FIRST, ON TWO FRONTS, FIRST, THAT'S JUST NOT TRUE.

DEMOCRATS CONTINUOUSLY SUPPORT SENIORS.

WE'RE HAVING AN INSIDE THE BASEBALL CONVERSATION ABOUT WHERE YOU STARTED HERE, WHERE YOU MOVE HERE.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE GOVERNOR SIGNED THE BILL, THE LEGISLATURE PASSED IT, THE GOVERNOR'S GOING TO GET THE CREDIT, AS HE SHOULD.

AND HE'S GOING AROUND THE STATE REMINDING MINNESOTANS, THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE DEMOCRATS WERE ELECTED TO CONTROL ALL OF STATE GOVERNMENT.

>> Cathy: HE REALLY DIDN'T TALK ABOUT IT, THOUGH, DURING SESSION.

HE FOCUSED ON KIDS AND FAMILIES.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> Cathy: DIDN'T REALLY BRING IT UP AT ALL.

>> LIKE ANY AGENDA, YOU HAVE ANAN AGENDA, BUT ALSO THINGS COME ALONG THE WAY THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT, AS WE HEARD IN THE PIECE.

THE GOVERNOR IS STILL PROPOSING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO GO INTO SENIOR CENTERS, IT'S NOT AS IF HE WAS ZEROING IT OUT.

THIS CAME UP, HEY, THIS IS A GOOD IDEA, LET'S INVEST IN IT.

>> Eric: CAN I GIVE ANOTHER ITEM ON THE PODCAST, YOUR ROUND ABOUT EVERYTHING PODCAST.

MAYOR LARSON UP IN DULUTH GOT PASTED IN HE PRIMARY.

>> YUP.

>> Eric: SHE GOES ON TO THE GENERAL.

ROGER REINERT, A MODERATE, IS THE OTHER SURVIVOR.

BUT YOU SAID IT'S, WHAT, A SHOT ACROSS THE BOW FOR PROGRESSIVES, I THINK YOU SAID.

>> YEAH, I MEAN, INK ITS IMPORTANT -- I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT THING FOR PROGRESSIVES.

THE RACE NOW WILL BE VERY INTERESTING, ROGER REINERT VERY MUCH HAS, LIKE HE WAS PUSHING HIMSELF AS A MODERATE, AND DULUTH ELECTORATE HAS BECOME ORE AND MORE PROGRESSIVE.

SO, IT'S UP TO NOW FOR DEMOCRATS, YOU KNOW, AND PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS, TO GET OFF THEIR -- YOU KNOW, GET OFF THEIR BEHINDS AND WORK.

I THINK THERE WAS A LOT OF COMPLAISESSANCY AND -- COMPLACENCY.

HE ALSO, OF COURSE, HAS HIGH NAME I.D., AND THERE ARE OTHER FACTORS.

BUT, YEAH, IT'S CERTAINLY A WAKE-UP CALL.

WE TAKE NOTHING FOR GRANTED.

>> Cathy: WE SHOULD SAY, IT IS REALLY REALLY HARD TO WIN A THIRD TERM, RIGHT?

NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE.

>> THAT'S TRUE.

BUT I DO THINK THAT REPUBLICANS ARE WATCHING THIS VERY VERY CLOSELY BECAUSE, AGAIN, THE DYNAMIC OF WHAT'S GOING ON OUTSTATE GENERALLY MATTERS.

AND IF THERE SEEMS TO BE ANY KIND OF WEAKENING ON THE PART OF THE DFL, WHICH STRONGLY SUPPORTED THE INCUMBENT, REPUBLICANS CAN TAKE HEART IN THAT AND ALSO THINK, OKAY, WHAT KIND OF THINGS WORKED FOR A MODERATE DEMOCRAT THAT WE MIGHT, IN TURN, BE ABLE TO USE, PRIMARILY OUTSTATE, BUT -- SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S PART OF IT.

I KNOW, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY WANTS TO SAY, OH, THERE'S NO WEAKNESS HERE, WE'RE ALL DEMOCRATS, WE ALL LOVE EACH OTHER.

>> I ACTUALLY THINK IT'S FASCINATING, ANOTHER REPUBLICAN MADE THE EXACT SAME ARGUMENT ON THE PODCAST.

I WOULD BOTTLE UP WHAT YOU SAID AND HE SAID AND BLAST IT OUT TO DEMOCRATS IN DULUTH TO SAY, REPUBLICANS ARE SEEING THIS RACE AS THE PROXY BEING ROGER REINERT.

LIKE THAT'S NOT GOING TO BODE WELL FOR HIM.

>> WE'RE CIRCLING THE WATERS, THAT'S PUT IT THAT WAY.

>> Eric: WAS A SPECIAL SESSION ON CANNABIS NEEDED?

>> NO.

I MEAN, THERE ARE DEFINITELY FIX THAT IS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO HAPPEN TO THAT BILL.

I DON'T THINK A SPECIAL SESSION IS REQUIRED.

THEY'LL COME BACK IN FEBRUARY, FIXES NEED TO BE MADE, DISPENSARIES WON'T OPEN UNTIL 2025, THERE IS TIME TO WORK ON THIS.

THAT BILL WAS RUSHED THROUGH.

AND I THINK IT'S NOT THE ONLY BILL THAT'S GOING TO NEED FIXING FROM THIS LAST SESSION.

BUT I THINK IT'S OKAY TO COME BACK IN FEBRUARY.

>> LOOK, I THINK IT WILL E FIXED, YOU'RE ALWAYS GOING TO BE CONTINUALLY FIXING THIS, BUT LET'S REMEMBER, THIS HAD BEEN VETTED FOR NEARLY A DECADE.

THERE WAS PENT-UP DEMAND TO DO STUFF ON MARIJUANA, THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY I CAN TELL YOU THAT WAS TRUE WHEN I WAS AT THE CAPITOL.

ALTHOUGH THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME FIXES, THE FUNDAMENTALS ARE IN PLACE.

AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE CAN MAKE RESPONSIBLE CHANGES.

BUT THE FOUNDATION'S THERE FOR THIS TO WORK IN MINNESOTA.

>> WELL, LOTS OF FIXES IS WHAT I WOULD SAY.

AND I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, A SPECIAL SESSION ON IT ISN'T A BAD IDEA ON THIS AND ANY NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS.

BUT NOT FOR THE REASONS THAT THEY'RE GIVING.

YOU KNOW, THE FACT IS, YOU'VE GOT CITIES OUT THERE TRYING TO RESPONSIBLY GET THIS LEGISLATION IN PLACE THAT THEY NEED TO PASS, NOT AT ALL CLEAR DESPITE THE ADVOCATES FOR THE BILL SAYING, OH, IT'S ALL IN THE BILL, T'S ALL QUITE SIMPLE, I'VE BEEN THROUGH IT ANY NUMBER OF TIMES WITH OTHER CITY ATTORNEYS AND OTHERS THAT ADVISE CITIES, IT'S A MESS.

AND PEOPLE ARE IN KIND OF -- I WOULDN'T SAY A PANIC MODE, BUT THEY'RE REALLY CONCERNED.

AND, SO, IT WOULDN'T HURT.

>> I THINK THIS IS ACTUALLY QUITE HILARIOUS.

THE CHICKEN LITTLES -- OH, AUGUST 1st -- OH, LEGALIZATION, YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED?

LIKE, AUGUST 1st, WAS EXACTLY LIKE JULY 31st, NOTHING HAPPENED.

THERE WERE PEOPLE ALREADY SMOKING AND USING CANNABIS ALL OVER THE STATE OF MINNESOTA.

THEY CONTINUED TO.

IT'S NOT BEEN -- IT'S NOT THIS HUGE THING.

YES, LIKE THERE ARE FIXES HAT NEED TO HAPPEN.

BUT, LIKE, BUT THIS IS -- NOTHING HAS CHANGED.

RIGHT NOW.

NOTHING.

>> ELL, THAT'S BECAUSE IMPLEMENTATION IS LATER.

THERE'S WILL LICENSING TO BE DONE.

BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT WHERE YOU CAN SMOKE PUBLICLY.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> THERE ARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT ARE THE CITIES' ROLE IN WHAT THEY CAN -- I'M JUST SAYING, THOSE HAVE TO BE ANSWERED.

I'M NOT SAYING THIS THEY CAN'T BE ANSWERED IN THE NEXT SESSION.

I SAY THAT THEY CAN.

BUT THERE WERE A LOT OF -- TO PRETEND LIKE THIS BILL, I UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE'S BEEN AROUND, BUT THIS BILL MOVED QUICKLY THROUGH AN INCREDIBLY BUSY SESSION, AND DID NOT RECEIVE THE FULL VETTING AND THE FULL INPUT OF ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS.

IT SIMPLY DIDN'T.

>> I THINK THAT'S VERY TRUE.

I DON'T HINK YOU CAN REALLY DENY THAT.

>> HERE'S THE DEAL.

>> IT WAS A CRAZY SESSION.

>> THAT BILL EMPOWERS MUNICIPALITIES ALL ACROSS THE STATE TO PUT FORTH REGULATIONS THAT THEY SEE FIT.

AND THAT'S WHO PEOPLE SHOULD BE TALKING TO.

NOW THAT WE HAVE THE LEGISLATION IN PLACE, GO TALK TALK TO YOUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBER.

>> AND THEY ARE.

AND THE CITY COUNCILS ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.

>> THAT'S WHERE THE ANSWERS ARE GOING TO LIE.

>> THEY'LL DO IT, SURE, EVENTUALLY, OF COURSE.

>> Cathy: WHAT DO YOU THINK OF CONGRESSMAN DEAN PHILLIPS EVIDENTLY HAS NOT MADE A DECISION YET ON CHALLENGING PRESIDENT BIDEN.

I WONDER WHAT SENATOR KLOBUCHAR THINKS OF THIS.

I ASKED HIM IF HE'S TALKED TO HER AND HE SAID HE HASN'T.

I WONDER WHAT SHE THINKS.

>> I HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT HER ABOUT THIS EITHER.

>> Cathy: WHAT DO YOU THINK SHE THINKS?

>> I THINK THIS IS AN INSURANCE POLICY.

EASEL VATING HIS PROFILE.

-- HE'S ELEVATING HIS PROFILE.

HE REPRESENTS THE PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY THINKING THROUGH THE POLICIES.

I THINK OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT BIDEN WILL BE THE CANDIDATE.

NOW IF HE'S.

>> Eric: 89% OF DEMOCRATS NATIONWIDE APPROVE OF JOE BIDEN.

>> LISTEN, DEAN PHILLIPS IS JUST EMBARRASSING HIMSELF HONESTLY.

LET'S GO BACK TO HOW THIS STARTED.

A HANDFUL OF RICH PEEL IN NEW YORK INVITED HIM FOR A CONVERSATION -- RICH PEOPLE.

THERE ARE NO BASE DEMANDING THIS.

THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE CLAMORING FOR THIS.

THIS IS AN EGO TRIP.

AND THIS IS SOMEONE WHO, YOU KNOW, LET'S REMEMBER, HIS DISTRICT WAS ED AND THEN PURPLE.

AND NOW IT'S PRETTY SOLIDLY BLUE.

HE WON BY 20 POINTS.

THIS IS CAUSING A LOT OF DISCONTENT.

HE SHOULD BE WORRIED ABOUT A PRIMARY CHALLENGE.

THE BEST THING THAT COULD COME OUT OF THIS, HE'LL BE THE ANSWER TO A TRIVIA QUESTION ABOUT SELF-INVOLVED DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES LIKE OE LIEBERMAN AND TULSI GABBERT.

>> Eric: YOU HAVE HANDLED ELECTION LAW FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

>> SURE.

>> Eric: WHAT DO YOU MAKE THE ELECTION LAW CHANGES?

>> WELL, I WOULD SAY, SOME OF THEM ARE CERTAINLY VERY USEFUL AND WORTHWHILE.

I, OF COURSE, WAS INVOLVED IN AN ELECTION WHERE I WAS REALLY HOPING THAT SOME OF THOSE ABSENTEE BALLOTS THAT WERE TECHNICALLY EXCLUDED WOULD GET COUNTED.

>> Eric: COLEMAN, FRANKEN?

>> YEAH.

THERE'S A LOT OF THIS THAT I THINK IS WORTHWHILE AND GOOD.

I HAVE SOME REAL QUESTIONS ABOUT AUTOMATICALLY REGISTERING OR PREREGISTERING 16 OR 17-YEAR-OLDS.

NOW QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE IS IF WE'RE REGISTERING THEM WHEN THEY GET THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE, WHAT'S WRONG WITH REQUIRING PEOPLE TO PRODUCE A DRIVER'S LICENSE WHEN THEY GO VOTE?

TO IDENTIFY THEMSELVES FOR I.D.

AMAZED THAT QUESTION DIDN'T GET ASKED, EVEN THOUGH SOMETHING LIKE 67% OF MINNESOTANS STILL LIKE THE IDEA.

>> WELL, THE ANSWER TO THAT IS, YOU HAVE A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO VOTE, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO DRIVE.

THAT'S THE DISTINCTION.

THE DEMOCRACY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN GETTING A DRIVER'S LICENSE.

SO WE MAKE SURE IT'S EASY, ACCESSIBLE AND SECURE.

>> YOU CAN GET AN I.D., YOU KNOW THAT.

>> Eric: THUMB ON THE SCALE FOR DEMOCRATS IN THIS?

SENATOR?

>> THAT'S ALWAYS A CONCERN ANY TIME ELECTION LAW GETS OPENED UP AND IT'S DONE IN A WAY THAT'S VERY PARTISAN.

AND, I MEAN, THIS WAS THE TRIFECTA.

DEMOCRATS GET TO DO WHAT THEY WANT.

BUT THAT'S -- THERE WAS A TIME AT THE CAPITOL WHEN ELECTION BILLS DID NOT MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.

>> RIGHT.

>> THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENED HERE.

I THINK THERE WAS SOME INPUT, BUT IT WAS LARGELY A PARTISAN BILL.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE'LL FIND OUT, WE'LL FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS.

SOME OF THE THINGS, I'M NOT CONCERNED ABOUT.

AND OTHER THINGS I HAVE -- I HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT.

>> LET'S GO TO THE UNDERLYING PREMISE OF EVEN YOUR QUESTION, RIGHT, THAT MAKING VOTING EASY IS PUTTING THE THUMB ON THE SCALES FOR DEMOCRATS.

I MEAN, IF WE -- YEAH, SURE, IF WE BELIEVE THAT VOTING IS A GOOD THING, LIKE IT HAS BECOME PARTISAN BECAUSE REPUBLICANS PUT SO MUCH EFFORT INTO RESTRICTING PEOPLE'S RIGHTS TO VOTE.

IN OHIO, THE REPUBLICAN PARTY JUST GOT EMBARRASSED BECAUSE THEY TRIED TO -- THEY TRIED TO SHUT DOWN THE PEOPLE'S VOIGT.

THE PEOPLE'S VOICE.

AND PEOPLE ARE REALIZING THIS.

>> Eric: TURNOUT WAS AMAZING.

>> THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SUPPRESSING THE VOTE AND WANTING INTEGRITY IN THE VOTE SO THAT EVERYONE'S VOTE MATTERS, RIGHT?

AND THAT SHOULD BE -- THAT IS HOW I FEEL ABOUT VOTING.

I FEEL ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE VOTE IS SAFE AND SECURE.

AND EVERYONE VOTE.

>> YOU RECALL TALKING EARLIER ABOUT THE 89% IN FAVOR, WHAT INTERESTED ME WAS "NEW YORK TIMES" CAME OUT WITH A POLL THAT SHOWED BASICALLY TRUMP AND THE PRESIDENT EVEN.

NOW, THAT'S NOT TRUE IN MINNESOTA.

CERTAINLY.

>> Eric: YEAH.

>> BUT IT MAKES FOR AN INTERESTING -- >> Eric: PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HUNTER BIDEN FOR ANOTHER DAY,