>> ERIC: THIS MORNING, HOUSE REPUBLICANS FAILED TO ELECT A U.S. HOUSE SPEAKER IN THEIR THIRD ATTEMPT THIS WEEK.

AT DAY'S END, THE CAUCUS WAS WITHOUT EVEN A SPEAKER NOMINEE.

MEMBERS WENT HOME FOR THE WEEKEND AND ANNOUNCED PLANS FOR A POTENTIAL VOTE ON TUESDAY.

SEVERAL MEMBERS ARE EXPLORING A RUN FOR SPEAKER, INCLUDING MINNESOTA'S SIXTH DISTRICT CONGRESSMAN TOM EMMER.

MAJORITY WHIP EMMER CURRENTLY HOLDS THE THIRD HIGHEST LEADERSHIP POSITION IN THE HOUSE.

LET'S CHECK IN WITH OUR COUCH FULL OF PROFESSORS ON TODAY'S D.C. NEWS.

KATHRYN PEARSON TEACHES POLITICAL SCIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA.

THE U OF M IS WHERE LARRY JACOBS HEADS UP THE HUMPHREY SCHOOL'S CENTER FOR POLITICS AND GOVERNANCE.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST, CINDY RUGELEY KINDLY MADE THE DRIVE DOWN I-35 TO JOIN US TONIGHT.

SHE LEADS THE POLITICAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT AT UMD.

SHORT-TERM YOU LITERALLY WROTE THE BOOK ON DISCIPLINE IN THE HOUSE.

[ Laughter ] >> PARTY DISCIPLINE IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

WELL.

>> Eric: WHAT HAPPENED TO PARTY DISCIPLINE IN THE HOUSE.

>> WE DON'T HAVE MUCH F IT RIGHT NOW.

IT IS REALLY STUNNING, THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND CONGRESS IS IN CHAOS.

I MEAN, WE'VE NEVER HAD SOMETHING LIKE THIS BEFORE.

YOU KNOW, TRADITIONALLY, THERE'S INTRA-PARTY COMPETITION.

IT'S WORKED OUT IN THE COCAINES.

WHOEVER WINS THE MOST VOTES, THEN GOES TO THE FLOOR.

AND GETS ALL OF THE VOTES OR NEARLY ALL OF THE VOTES OF THE MAJORITY PARTY MEMBERS.

AND REPUBLICANS JUST CAN'T COALESCE AROUND SOMEONE TO GET THEM TO THAT 218 OR 217 VOTES THAT THEY NEED.

BUT IT IS STUNNING THAT THIS IS HAPPENING IN THE CONTEXT OF A SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS REQUEST FROM THE PRESIDENT LAST NIGHT FOR $100 BILLION WITH TWO WARS GOING ON.

A CONTINUING RESOLUTION THAT EXPIRES ON NOVEMBER 17TH.

STUNNING.

>> Eric: WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ADD TO THE MAY HEM HERE?

>> I MEAN, TO ME, IT IS JUST SHOCKING.

EMMER WOULD PROBABLY BE AS IS ATTRACTIVE AS ANY CANDIDATE.

HE SEEMS TO GET ALONG EVERYONE.

BUT I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THEY CAN'T COME TOGETHER AND DO THIS.

I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THEY CAN'T EVEN PASS A RESOLUTION GIVING THE SPEAKER PRO TEM A LITTLE BIT OF POWER AT LEAST TO MOVE THINGS OFF THE DIME.

IT'S AMAZING TO ME.

>> Cathy: SO, LARRY JACOBS, TOM EMMER SAYS HE'S GOING TO SEEK THE NOMINATION.

HE DOES HAVE SOME ADVANTAGES, RIGHT?

HE'S IN LEADERSHIP ALREADY.

BUT I JUST NOTICED THAT THE FAR RIGHT ON TWITTER OR WHATEVER IT'S CALLED NOW WAS -- THERE'S SOME FAR RIGHT FOLKS SAYING TOM EMMER IS NANCY PE LOS YI IN A SUIT.

SO THE KNIVES ARE ALREADY OUT FOR HIM TOO.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WELL, TOM EMMER WOULD NOT ENDORSE DONALD TRUMP.

SO THAT'S A STICKING POINT.

THERE'S A LOT OF DISAPPOINTMENT WITH HIS COLLEAGUES IN IN THE HOUSE BECAUSE HE WAS EXPECTED TO DO REALLY WELL IN 2022.

IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A BIG REPUBLICAN YEAR.

NOT SO MUCH.

WHEN WE WON THE HOUSE MAJORITY WHIP, IT WAS BY ONE VOTE.

SO THERE IS DEFINITELY SOME CHALLENGES.

ON THE OTHER HAND, HERE'S A GUY WHO HAS MADE IT A REAL PRIORITY TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS.

I THINK IF PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO GET OFF THEIR FIRST CHOICE, AND THINK ABOUT OTHER OPTIONS, HE COULD BE SECOND CHOICE.

MY HUNCH IS ALL THE PHONE CALLS THAT HE'S BEEN DOING TODAY AND I'M HEARING THERE ARE A WHOLE LOT, HE'S TELLING PEOPLE LOOK, I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO SUPPORT SO AND SO FOR THE FIRST OUND, BUT THINK OF ME FOR THE SECOND ROUND BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO O ON AND N. >> Eric: I WANT TO ASK ABOUT PETE STAUBER.

STARTED OUT AS A JORDAN GUY.

AND THEN WENT FOR -- WHAT WAS HIS NAME?

SOME GUY FROM RKANSAS.

>> I THINK HE WAS ONE OF THEM THAT GAVE JORDAN HIS VOTE ON THE FIRST ROUND.

>> Eric: WHAT'S STAUBER UP TO?

>> HE'LL BE AN EMMER GUY.

I SUSPECT IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH SCALISE.

AND HIS ON IMPORTANT REALLY AFTER HIM FOR SUPPORTING JORDAN.

SO MAYBE HE JUST THOUGHT I DON'T NEED IT THIS TIME.

>> RIGHT, IT IS EXTREMELY HARD TO IMAGINE SOME OF THESE SUB-GROUPS WITHIN THE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS AGREEING WITH ONE ANOTHER.

AND IT ONLY TAKES A HANDFUL OF VOTES TO SINK A CANDIDACY.

I MEAN, WE KNOW IT'S THE EIGHT MEMBERS WHO SUNK MCCARTHY.

>> Eric: HE CALLED THEM THE CRAZY EIGHTS.

>> WELL, I MEAN, THEY'RE LOOKING CRAZIER AND CRAZIER, FRANKLY.

BUT WITH JORDAN, IT WAS A COMBINATION OF MODERATES WHO WERE CONCERNED ABOUT VOTING FOR HIM AND WHAT THAT WOULD DO TO THEIR EREELECTION AND SOME VERY CONSERVATIVE APPROPRIATORS WHO JUST COULDN'T SUPPORT A CANDIDATE WHO DOESN'T SUPPORT APPROPRIATION BILLS.

TO SOMEONE WHO HAVE TO NEGOTIATE THE APPROPRIATIONS BILLS, THE CONTINUING RESOLUTION SYMPTOMATIC JUST LESS THAN A MONTH.

>> Cathy: HOW DOES THIS DAMAGE THE HOUSE AS AN INSTITUTION?

>> OH, IT'S PRETTY BAD.

I MEAN, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IS JUST BY NATURE OF 435 MEMBERS, IT'S ON THE PRECIPICE OF CHAOS.

AND SO YOU HAVE LEADERSHIP POSITIONS.

YOU'VE GOT STRUCTURE.

ALL THAT IS TO CREATE SOME LEVEL OF ORDER.

AND NOW LIKE GRAVITY'S BEEN PULLED EA AND AWAY A.M. PEOPLE ARE FLOPPING JUST EVERY WHICH WAY.

THE MAIN GRAVITATIONAL FORCE NOW IS THE CONSERVATIVE PART OF THE PARTY.

AND THERE ARE MEMBERS WHO JUST TERRIFIED OF BEING PRIMARIED ARE FACING THE WRATH OF DONALD TRUMP OR ONE OF THE OTHER ARCH CONSERVATIVES.

I DO THINK ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING DEVELOPMENTS JUST IN THE LAST 24 HOURS IS WHAT KATHRYN'S TALKING ABOUT.

WE HEAR SO MUCH WITH THE CONSERVATION, THE HASHED RIGHT, CONTROLLING -- THE HARD RIGHT, CONTROLLING HE HOUSE, BUT HERE WE HAVE HE MORE PRAGMATIC COALITION THAT'S FORMED AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S REALLY WORTH STUDYING AND TRACKING TO SEE, OKAY, MAYBE IT'S NOT JUST THE HARD RIGHT.

MAYBE IN THIS KIND OF FACTIONAL POLITICS, THE PRAGMATICS HAVE A ROLE TOO.

>> THEY ABSOLUTELY DO.

BUT THEY'RE NOT SO PRAGMATIC THAT THEY ARE YET WILLING TO WORK WITH DEMOCRATS AND THAT'S WHERE THE EXTREME PARTISAN POLARIZATION IS AT PLAY AND ALSO PREVENTING SOMETHING FROM EMERGING.

>> Eric: WHAT IF WE WIND THE BLOCK BACK TO WHEN MCCARTHY GOT OUSTED.

WHY DIDN'T THE DEMOCRATS THROW A FEW VOTES HIS WAY TO SAVE THEM?

>> WELL, BECAUSE, ONE THING, HE DIDN'T ASK THEM TOO.

SECONDLY, I MEAN, I'M SURE THE DEMOCRATS ARE LOOKING AT IT IT'S THEIR MESS, THEY GOT TO CLEAN UP.

AND I THINK THAT'S THE REASON WHY.

AND I AM, REALLY, WAS MCCARTHY SO IS ATTRACTIVE TO THE DEMOCRATS?

AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD THAT A LOT.

IT'S NOT THE DEMOCRATS' JOB TO DO IT.

IT'S THE REPUBLICANS' JOB TO IN THE PICK THEIR LEADERSHIP.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

IT BY TRADITION ABSOLUTELY IS.

THE SPEAKERSHIP IS NOT A BIPARTISAN AGREEMENT.

IT NEVER HAS BEEN.

THOUGH WHO KNOWS WHAT MAY HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.

WE MIGHT COME TO A PLACE WHERE A BIPARTISAN COALITION AGREES THAT THE SPEAKER PRO TEM NEEDS LEAK OF POWER -- LEAK OF POWER, BUT WE'RE A LONG WAY OFF FROM THAT.

>> THEY COULD HAVE HAD A BUNCH OF PEOPLE SIT AT HOME AND NOT VOTE AT ALL.

BUT I DON'T THINK MCCARTHY HAS BEEN PARTICULARLY KIND TO THE DEMOCRATS.

I DON'T THINK THEY WOULD GET ANYTHING OUT OF IT AT ALL.

>> AND HE DIDN'T VOTE TO CERTIFY THE ELECTION.

THAT'S A BIG DEAL.

>> >> Cathy: SO THE WEEK FROM TODAY IS THE DEADLINE TO FILE TO SIGN UP FOR THE NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY.

AND D.F.L.

REPRESENTATIVE DEAN PHILLIPS, IF HE'S SERIOUS, I WOULD PRESUME WOULD SIGN UP, RIGHT?

AT THAT POINT?

>> YEAH, I MEAN, WE'VE ALL BEEN K50EU7BD OF WAITING.

WE HEAR THE TALKING POINTS AND THE INTERVIEWS AND HE'S REALLY BEEN GOING AFTER JOE BIDEN AND ENCOURAGING COMPETITION.

AND SO FAR THERE ARE NOT ANY OTHER DEMOCRATS JUMPING IN.

HE'S REATED SUCH A WRATH OF BACKLASH THAT HE'S HAD TO STEP DOWN FROM A LEADERSHIP POSITION AND WHAT WAS ONCE A VERY PROMISING CAREER IS NOW, YOU KNOW, I THINK HAS GOT A LITTLE BIT OF A LIMP TO.

HE'S ALREADY MISSED SOME DEADLINES.

SO IT WAS NEVER CLEAR WHAT HE WAS UP TO.

THE BASICS OF A PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN, THIS IS LIKE A CHECK LIST SORT OF THING.

FUNDRAISING, BUILDING A STAFF.

AND FILING, YOU KNOW, THE LEGAL PAPERWORK YOU NEED TO GET TO THE BALLOTS.

HE HASN'T DONE ANY OF THAT.

IT'S REALLY JUST A -- FRANKLY, IT'S A YSTERY.

>> Eric: PRESIDENT TRUMP, A COUPLE OF HIS LAWYERS HAVE JUMPED AND TAKEN A PLEA BARGAIN AND APPARENTLY ARE GOING TO HELP THE PROSECUTION IN THE GEORGIA CASE.

THOUGHTS?

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK HE SHOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT IT.

YOU KNOW, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IF ONE OF THEM, I EAN, SYDNEY POWELL, FOR EXAMPLE, HE PROBABLY COULD HAVE SURVIVED THAT ONE, BUT GETTING TWO OF THEM, IF THEY'VE GOT -- THE THING IS, IT RAISES THE QUESTION OF, ARE THEY GOING TO SAY EVERYBODY KNEW HE LOST THE ELECTION?

EVERYBODY KNEW HAT THIS WASN'T GOING TO HAPPEN.

AND IT MAY NOT CONVICT HIM, BUT I MEAN, T JUST SAYS, EVERYBODY KNEW.

>> Eric: BUT HIS VOTERS DON'T SEEM TO -- >> NO, THEY DON'T.

AND THEY WON'T.

>> LET'S WATCH THAT.

I'VE BEEN TALKING TO SOME OF THE REPUBLICAN CONSULTANTS.

FOR THE CANDIDATES.

SEVERAL CANDIDATES.

AND THEY SAY THEY THINK TRUMP'S SUPPORT IS SOFT.

THAT THEY'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, KIND OF DOING A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF SURVEYS AND FOCUS GROUPS.

AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THINGS HAPPENING HERE.

AND IT'S NOT JUST THE LEGAL SYSTEM PICKING ON DONALD TRUMP.

THEY'RE INCREASINGLY GOING TO BE REPUBLICANS COMING FORWARD, AND FORMER LOYALISTS AND I THINK WHEN THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT MONEY, OR JUST FLAT-OUT TRYING TO STEAL AN ELECTION, MAYBE IT'S DIFFERENT.

MAYBE HE BEGINS TO LOSE SOME SUPPORT.

BUT HONESTLY, THAT DOESN'T SEEM LIKELY AT THIS POINT.

BUT I THINK IT'S POSSIBLE.

>> GO AHEAD.

>> WELL, THE NEXT FEW MONTHS WILL BE VERY TELLING WITH ENDORSEMENTS AND POLLING IN SOME OF THE EARLY STATES.

RIGHT NOW, IT LOOKS LIKE TRUMP HAS A BIG LEAD IN EVERY EARLY STATE.

BUT THAT COULD CHANGE.

BUT I THINK IT'S WORTH BOTH LOOKING AT THE FUNDRAISING POLLS AND WHERE THE PARTY ENDORSEMENTS ARE.

AND SO FAR REPUBLICANS ARE WRL NOT WILLING TO DESERT TRUMP.

>> AND I'D AGREE ON THAT BUT I HAVE TO AGREE WITH LARRY.

EVERYTHING YOU HEAR IS THAT HIS SUPPORT ISN'T AS DEEP AS PEOPLE SEEM TO THINK IT IS.

I MEAN, HE'S GOT A CERTAIN GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT WILL NEVER ABANDON HIM.

BUT I THINK IT'S WORTH WATCHING.

IDENTIFICATION IT'S WORTH KEEPING AN EYE ON.

GLI >> Eric: WHO WOULD BE HIS RUNNING MATE?

>> NICK YI HALEY.

>> Eric: OOH, INTERESTING.

THE PLOT THICKENS.

THANKS FOR SHA