THROUGH THIS WEEK'S BIG POLITICAL NEWS WITH A PANEL OF PUNDITS.

WE'LL START WITH THE REPUBLICANS.

ANDY BREHM IS A LAWYER WHO SERVED AS U.S.

SENATOR IN NORM COLEMAN'S PRESS SECRETARY.

ANNETTE MEEKS IS A FORMER CONGRESSIONAL STAFFER WHO NOW HEADS THE FREEDOM FOUNDATION OF MINNESOTA.

ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE WE HAVE KARLA BIGHAM, A FORMER STATE REPRESENTATIVE WHO IS NOW A WASHINGTON COUNTY COMMISSIONER.

AND JANAE BATES, A MINISTER AND ORGANIZER WHO WORKS ON SOCIAL JUSTICE AND ECONOMIC ISSUES.

ANDY, HOW MUCH IS THIS GEORGE FLOYD AFTERMATH STUFF GOING TO PLAY IN THE CAMPAIGN GOING FORWARD?

IS IT JUST A TEMPORARY ISSUE OR DO YOU SEE THAT AS A LONGSTANDING ONE GOING FORWARD?

>> WELL, I THINK IT'S A MAJOR LIABILITY.

MOSTLY BECAUSE IT'S ACTUALLY BEING COVERED BY THE NATIONAL MEDIA, WHICH HAS A LITTLE BIT MORE SCRUTINY THAN THE LOCAL MEDIA HERE.

I MEAN, THE FAWNING OVER GOVERNOR WALZ HAS ALWAYS BEEN PRETTY HEAVY, BUT LATELY IT'S UNLIKE ANYTHING WE'VE SEEN.

YEAH, YOU HAVE DAYS OF DELAY.

I LIVED IN DOWNTOWN MINNEAPOLIS AT THE TIME.

YOU I REMEMBER WHAT -- I REMEMBER WHAT THAT WAS LIKE.

HE REALLY WAS JUST ABSENT.

I REMEMBER SAYING NEWS ANCHORS SAYING, WHERE IS THE GOVERNOR?

I THINK AS MORE AND MORE PEOPLE SEE THAT, IT'S PART OF HIS RECORD, IT IS WHAT IT IS.

BUT IT HAD CATASTROPHIC CONSEQUENCES THAT LIVE ON TODAY.

I MEAN, TAKE A WALK IN DOWNTOWN MINNEAPOLIS, IT IS NOT THE SAME CITY.

AND I THINK NOT ONLY WAS THAT, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY IN DEALING WITH IT IN THE WAY HE DID, YOU KNOW, ALLOWED THE RIOTS TO GO ON FOR FAR LONGER THAN THEY SHOULD HAVE, BUT IT ALSO SENT A MESSAGE TO PEOPLE IN THE TWIN CITIES THAT, HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT, DO WHATEVER YOU WANT.

AND, SO, THE LAWLESSNESS, I THINK IN A LOT OF WAYS CAME FROM THAT.

>> YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT MINNEAPOLIS WAS GROUND ZERO FOR WHAT OCCURRED, THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD.

BUT THE AFTERMATH OF THAT AND THE HEALING AFTER THE RACIAL RECKONING, TIM WALZ WAS -- BROUGHT PEOPLE TOGETHER.

HE BROUGHT JUSTICE LEADERS, RELIGIOUS LEADERS, SOCIAL LEADERS TOGETHER TO HEAL.

AND THAT REALLY TRANSCENDED ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO START CONVERSATIONS.

AND I THINK THAT THE COUNTRY SEES THAT, WHAT YOU'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW GOVERNOR WALZ THAT HAS LEAPT INTO THE NATIONAL NEWS, YOU'RE SEEING HAT IN HIS CHARACTER, THAT WE HAVE SEEN HERE IN MINNESOTA, THE CARING, THE COMPASSIONATE TIM WALZ IS WHAT WAS SEEN DURING THAT IME AS WELL.

>> YEAH, I WOULD AGREE.

I MEAN, I THINK WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS THE TIM WALZ WHO IS REALLY ABOUT BEING WITH PEOPLE ON THE GROUND, AND WHAT WE'RE ALSO SEEING IS THAT THE CRITICISMS THAT ARE COMING UP ACTUALLY TEND TO HAPPEN FROM BOTH SIDES IN THE SAME WAY THAT THE APPLAUSE IS HAPPENING FROM BOTH SIDES.

AND, SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S, FRANKLY, NOT SURPRISING THAT THERE'S RECORDINGS OF TRUMP CONGRATULATING HIM AND ALSO LEADERS ON THE GROUND WHO ARE VERY GRATEFUL THAT HE MADE SURE THAT KEITH ELLISON TOOK THE CASE.

>> IF I WERE ADVISING THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN, WHICH I AM NOT, BUT IF I WERE THEM, THAT'S ALL I'D RUN ADS ABOUT, WOULD BE, WE HAVE A VERY LITTLE BIT OF HEALING THAT HAS OCCURRED SINCE THE RIOTS OF 2020 IN MINNEAPOLIS AND St. PAUL.

AND IF I WERE THEM, THAT'S ALL I WOULD TALK ABOUT.

I WOULD TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT WALZ WAS NOT IN ACTION, OUR MAYOR WAS ON MSNBC NOT IN ACTION, WHILE OUR CITY BURNED AND DID INCREDIBLE DAMAGE, NOT ONLY TO THE BUILDINGS BUT TO THE PSYCHE OF THE CITY AND, FRANKLY, THE STATE.

BUT I WOULD ALSO ALK ABOUT KAMALA HARRIS' ROLE OF BAILING THEM OUT, ONCE THEY CAUGHT THESE PEOPLE.

SHE WAS THERE ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO BAIL THEM OUT, PEOPLE WHO ALMOST DESTROYED OUR CITY.

AND I THINK THAT'S UNCONSCIONABLE, AND IF I WERE THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN, THAT'S ALL I'D TALK ABOUT.

>> Cathy: GENERAL IDEA.

>> YEAH, I MEAN -- JENEA, THE THING WE HAVE TO REMEMBER IS THE UPRISING HAPPENED BECAUSE OF A LONG HISTORY OF WHAT WE'VE SEEN ABOUT POLICE VIOLENCE AGAINST BLACK PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY WITH ONE PARTICULAR POLICE DEPARTMENT.

TO CALL IT A RIOT I THINK IS UNFAIR.

IT WAS ABSOLUTELY AN UPRISING, IT WAS A CRY FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE.

AND THERE HAS ABSOLUTELY BEEN A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE TO START TO HEAL PEOPLE AFTER THAT HAPPENED.

AND, SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK WE CAN UNDERMINE OR DISREGARD A LOT OF THE WORK THAT HAS GONE IN, YOU KNOW, WITH OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, INCLUDING GOVERNOR WALZ.

AND THOSE WHO ARE THE CLOSEST TO THE PAIN.

>> Cathy: ANDY, I'M WONDERING, WHEN THE GOVERNOR WAS IN CONGRESS, HE WAS KIND OF A MODERATE BLUE DOG DEMOCRAT, RIGHT?

AND, GOSH, EVEN FIVE YEARS AGO, WHEN WE WERE TALKING TO HIM, HE CALLED HIMSELF A PROGRESSIVE.

AND -- HE CALLS HIMSELF A PROGRESSIVE RIGHT NOW.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ENT INTO TRA TRANSFORMATION AND DO YOU THINK SOME OF THE MORE MODERATE VOTERS WILL BUY THIS?

>> WELL, I REMEMBER WELL WHEN HE WAS IN CONGRESS, AND I WAS SOMEWHAT OF A FAN OF HIS, I THOUGHT HE WAS A VOICE OF MODERATION AND REASON.

AND WHEN HE BECAME GOVERNOR, I EXPECTED A LOT OF THAT.

SO I WASN'T TERRIBLY ALARMED.

WHEN HE BECAME GOVERNOR.

BUT IT'S NOT REALLY A TALKING POINT.

I MEAN, HE'S A PROGRESSIVE IS REALLY PUTTING IT LIGHTLY.

HE'S ONE OF THE MOST FAR LEFT GOVERNORS IN THE COUNTRY.

AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE MY WORD FOR T. JUST LOOK AT THE LAWS THAT HE SIGNED INTO LAW JUST LESS THAN TWO YEARS AGO.

I MEAN, YOU'RE TALKING BOUT SPENDING AN ENTIRE SURPLUS, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT COLLEGE TUITION FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT RADICAL ABORTION POLICIES, UP UNTIL BIRTH, I MEAN, THERE'S JUST ABSOLUTELY NO MODERATION WHATSOEVER.

WHY HE DID THAT, I DON'T KNOW.

I'LL TAKE HIM AT HIS WORD THAT HE'S JUST A LEGITIMATE -- THAT HE BELIEVES THIS STUFF.

I ACTUALLY THINK HE DOES AND I THINK IF HE WERE ELECTED, HE WOULD PUSH THAT.

I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY KAMALA HARRIS WANTED HIM.

SHE IS ALSO FAR LEFT.

AND WANTS SOMEONE THERE TO DO THAT.

SO WE'LL SEE IF THE COUNTRY'S IN THE MOOD FOR THAT.

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK WHY YOU'RE SEEING SUCH LARGE CROWDS AT THE HARRIS/WALZ EVENTS IS BECAUSE AMERICA WANTS THE HOPE AND THE POSITIVITY THAT ISN'T HAPPENING.

AND I THINK WHEN, YOU KNOW, THE NEGATIVITY THAT HAS HAPPENED AND THE MESSAGING FROM DONALD TRUMP HAS REALLY IMPACTED THE PSYCHE OF THE COUNTRY.

SO, IF YOU'RE CALLING WALZ A PROGRESSIVE AND THAT MEANT FEEDING CHILDREN AT SCHOOL, CHILD CARE, MAKING THAT MORE AFFORDABLE, INVESTING IN BROADBAND, INVESTING IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR SCHOOLS ARE FUNDED ND MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HAVING A MORE PROGRESSIVE TAX SYSTEM, YOU KNOW, HEN HE'S GOING TO GO TALK ABOUT ALL THAT STUFF ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

BUT RIGHT NOW MINNESOTA SHOULD BE PROUD THAT THIS COUNTRY IS KNOWING THE HARD WORK THAT HE AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR FLANAGAN HAVE PUT IN WITH THE HELP OF AND THE INPUT OF MINNESOTANS.

>> I'M WILLING TO MAKE A GUESS HERE TONIGHT THAT CALIFORNIA IS GOING TO GO FOR THAT TICKET.

THEY ALREADY WERE.

SO THAT'S WHERE I LOOK AT WALZ, NOT BRINGING ANYTHING TO THE TICKET.

SOMEBODY LIKE GOVERNOR JOSH SHAPIRO OF PENNSYLVANIA, WHO'S VIEWED AS A MUCH MORE MODERATE, JEWISH CONSERVATIVE DEMOCRAT IN MANY WAYS, HE'S FOR SCHOOL CHOICE, THINGS LIKE THAT, HE WOULD HAVE BEEN A MUCH MORE INTERESTING CHOICE AND BROUGHT SOMEBODY TO THE DANCE, IF YOU WILL, THAT SHE ISN'T GOING TO GET.

AND, SO, I THINK PENNSYLVANIA WILL BE THE TELLING STATE FOR ME ON ELECTION NIGHT, WHICH SHE DOESN'T CARRY IT, THE ELECTION WILL BE OVER, IT WILL GO TO DONALD TRUMP BECAUSE SHE PICKED WALZ WHO DELIVERS NO STATE.

>> YEAH, NO, I STRONGLY DISAGREE.

I THINK WHAT WE SAW WITH HER CHOOSING GOVERNOR WALZ WAS ACTUALLY WANTING TO CHOOSE THE ONE WHO IS JUST LIKE MOST PEOPLE.

I MEAN, WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN, LIKE, THE DIGGING THAT FOLKS ARE TRYING TO FIND OUT ABOUT HIM, FINDING OUT THAT, OH, HE HAPPENS TO BE A VETERAN, H, HE WAS A TEACHER, OH, HE DOESN'T OWN A BUNCH OF PROPERTIES AND STOCKS, HE -- HE HAS PROBABLY THE NET INCOME -- YOU KNOW, OF WHAT MOST OF US HAVE.

AND, SO, THEY ACTUALLY WANTED SOMEONE WHO IS REAL AND THEY WANT SOMEONE WHO'S GOING TO CREATE A FUTURE FOR THIS COUNTRY THAT'S GOING TO LOOK FAR BETTER THAN THE DOOM AND GLOOM THAT HAS BEEN PAINTED FOR US.

>> THE PROBLEM WITH THAT, THOUGH, A LOT OF THAT IS SUPERFICIAL STUFF.

IT'S LIKE, WELL, HE WEARS CAMO.

AND, YOU KNOW, HE HAS A CERTAIN WAY ABOUT HIM.

I AGREE, ALL THAT'S CHARMING, HE'S A VERY ENGAGING GUY.

BUT I THINK YOU'RE UNDERESTIMATING VOTERS.

I MEAN, WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE THEIR DECISION ON IS WHAT THE TICKET IS GOING TO DO.

AND PEOPLE SEE THIS COUNTRY IN PEARL -- PERIL, THEY SEE THEM PAYING MORE AT THE SUPERMARKET.

I DON'T HAVE TO GO ON ABOUT THE HUGE PROBLEMS OUR COUNTRY HAS.

THEY KNOW IF THEY'RE GOING TO ELECT THIS TICKET, IT'S GOING TO BE A CONTINUATION OF THAT.

I THINK ALL THE SUPERFICIAL STUFF THAT THE MINNESOTA MEDIA IS IN LOVE WITH, I THINK HE AVERAGE VOTER DOESN'T CARE.

>> I CAN TELL YOU, THAT THE VOTERS DON'T WANT IT BACK O WHAT IT WAS, 14% INFLATION, YOU KNOW, -- >> 14% INFLATION?

>> UNDER TRUMP?

>> WHEN WE -- WHEN WE HAD THAT WITH TRUMP.

>> 2% INFLATION.

>> AND THE DEBT THAT TRUMP PUT ON OUR DEFICIT.

WHAT WE AREN'T GOING BACK TO IS WHAT TRUMP HAD AND THAT'S WHAT AMERICA DOESN'T WANT.

THAT'S WHY YOU'RE SEEING THE CROWDS, THE ENERGY, THE HOPE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THIS TICKET BRINGS BECAUSE OF WHAT WE KNOW WILL HAPPEN IF TRUMP IS ELECTED AGAIN.

>> Cathy: BUT THERE IS POWER, AS YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU'VE DONE CAMPAIGNS BEFORE, THERE'S POWER IN JOY AND ENTHUSIASM.

SO WHEN DO THE QUESTIONS START ABOUT THE HARD TOPICS?

>> THE HARD TOPICS ARE GOING TO START AS SOON AS HE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION IS OVER.

BECAUSE THAT'S ONE THING WALZ HAS GOTTEN, A FREE RIDE FROM THE MINNESOTA MEDIA FOR THE LAST SIX YEARS.

THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THE NATIONAL MEDIA.

THEY'RE GOING TO DIG INTO SOME OF HIS POLICIES, THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK INTO FEEDING THE FUTURE, ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT SCANDALS -- >> Cathy: WHICH WE HAVE ACTUALLY LOOKED INTO, IN THE MEDIA, YES, THANK YOU.

>> WITH ALL DUE RESPECT.

>> Cathy: YES.

>> SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED, I JOKINGLY SAY ABOUT GOVERNOR WALZ, THE BUCK DOESN'T EVEN PAUSE BY HIM.

IT JUST GOES RIGHT BY HIM.

HE DOESN'T FIRE PEOPLE.

HE DOESN'T ANNOUNCE CHANGE IN POLICIES.

IT JUST ONTINUES ON WITH A SMILE AND A NOD AND OFF WE GO.

WASTING MORE TAXPAYER MONEY.

THEY'RE GOING TO DIG INTO SOME OF THIS STUFF AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE PLEASANT.

>> Eric: PALESTINE, AN ISSUE THAT -- DID YOU NOTICE HOW VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS ADDRESSED THAT ISSUE IN ONE OF THE RALLIES?

SHE SAID, I'M TALKING.

IS THAT GOING TO BE A TOUGHER ISSUE NOW FOR DEMOCRATS GOING FORWARD?

>> NO, YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAPPEN IS THAT, AND THIS IS THE BIG THING THAT IS REALLY EXCITING, I THINK, BOTH ABOUT VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS AND ALSO ABOUT GOVERNOR WALZ, IS THAT THEY ARE ACTUALLY BOTH CANDIDATES AND GOVERNING FOLKS WHO MOVE ACCORDING DO WHAT -- TO WHAT PEOPLE NEED AND THEY ARE ACTUALLY LISTENING TO WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING.

AND, SO, I THINK YOU KNOW, WE ARE IN A POSITION WHERE THEY ARE LISTENING TO EVERY FACET, WE'RE IN A PLURALISTIC SOCIETY, WE'RE IN A PLURALISTIC COUNTRY THAT IS MULTIFAITH, MULTIRELIGION, AND MULTI-- JUST MULTIFACETED IN SO MANY WAYS, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO -- THEY'RE ACTUALLY WILLING TO LISTEN, UNLIKE WHAT WE'RE SEEING WITH TRUMP.

>> Eric: 30 UICK SECONDS.

>> I THINK FOREIGN POLICY IS GOING TO BE AN ISSUE.

I'VE HAD PLENTY OF CRITICAL THINGS TO SAY ABOUT PRESIDENT TRUMP, BUT A FORCEFUL, POWERFUL AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY PAID OFF DURING THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.

I THINK MOST PEOPLE THOUGHT THE WORLD WAS A SAFER PLACE.

IT WAS A SAFER PLACE DURING THOSE FOUR YEARS.

>> PEOPLE ARE NOT REALLY GOING TO WANT -- THEY DON'T WANT A DADDY TO COME AND SAVE THEM.

THEY DON'T THIS FORCEFUL CONTROL THAT IS HAPPENING.

THEY ACTUALLY WANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE AGENCY, THEY WANT TO HAVE FREEDOMS AND THEY WANT TO HAVE JOY.

AND THEY GET TO HAVE THAT.

>> ric: THIS IS ALL GOOD BUT WE'RE OUT OF TIME.

>> Cathy: 87 DAYS LEFT,