A break down of post-Labor Day politics: From polls to debates

[00:00:15] [SPEAKER_01]: Welcome to The Break Down with Brodkorb and Becky, a weekly podcast that breaks down politics,

[00:00:19] [SPEAKER_01]: policy and current affairs.

[00:00:21] [SPEAKER_01]: I'm Becky Scherr.

[00:00:22] [SPEAKER_00]: And I'm Michael Brodkorb.

[00:00:23] [SPEAKER_01]: We are back after the long Labor Day weekend ready to make the mad dash towards November.

[00:00:27] [SPEAKER_01]: Today we are going to start by breaking down the first joint interview with Kamala Harris

[00:00:31] [SPEAKER_01]: and Tim Walls.

[00:00:32] [SPEAKER_01]: We will get into the recent poll results from right here in Minnesota where we will

[00:00:36] [SPEAKER_01]: get the first glimpse into what things look like with Walls as the VP choice in post-DNC

[00:00:41] [SPEAKER_01]: convention.

[00:00:42] [SPEAKER_01]: We will also hit on the results in the U.S. Senate race and what issues matter most to

[00:00:46] [SPEAKER_01]: Minnesotans.

[00:00:47] [SPEAKER_01]: We will preview next week's presidential debate between former President Donald Trump and

[00:00:51] [SPEAKER_01]: Vice President Kamala Harris, and we will briefly look, we will briefly break down

[00:00:55] [SPEAKER_01]: a piece in the Wall Street Journal titled, The Minnesota Progressive Who Worries Republicans

[00:00:59] [SPEAKER_01]: More Than Walls, and What the Future May Look Like If Walls is Elected VP.

[00:01:04] [SPEAKER_01]: Then we have some fun stuff to plug at the end.

[00:01:06] [SPEAKER_01]: Thanks for joining us and enjoy the show.

[00:01:08] [SPEAKER_01]: So Michael, we just came back from Labor Day weekend.

[00:01:11] [SPEAKER_01]: You stay in town.

[00:01:12] [SPEAKER_01]: What did you do?

[00:01:13] [SPEAKER_01]: Anything fun?

[00:01:14] [SPEAKER_00]: I had a couple things.

[00:01:15] [SPEAKER_00]: I had a, I'm married, but I had a family member that had a wedding on Friday night.

[00:01:19] [SPEAKER_00]: It was just lovely in Wisconsin.

[00:01:22] [SPEAKER_00]: Disappointed it was in Wisconsin because of Packers and stuff, but it was a lovely

[00:01:25] [SPEAKER_00]: wedding.

[00:01:26] [SPEAKER_00]: And I wanted to just say at the onset, just congratulations to the bride and groom,

[00:01:30] [SPEAKER_00]: but I had a lot of great conversations with people.

[00:01:33] [SPEAKER_00]: And boy, oh boy, I'm really happy.

[00:01:35] [SPEAKER_00]: First, really happy with all those conversations went.

[00:01:39] [SPEAKER_00]: A lot of good listeners of the breakdown with Rod Corbyn, Becky, a lot of people

[00:01:42] [SPEAKER_00]: like the last episode we did with Will Davis and Crayon thought you did a great

[00:01:47] [SPEAKER_00]: job. And the universal opinion was amongst a lot of people that they liked

[00:01:50] [SPEAKER_00]: the episodes where I speak the least.

[00:01:52] [SPEAKER_01]: I'm on time.

[00:01:53] [SPEAKER_00]: So no, a lot of great discussions, a lot of great conversations about politics,

[00:01:57] [SPEAKER_00]: life. It was a really good weekend.

[00:01:59] [SPEAKER_00]: And then, then I went to the state fair.

[00:02:01] [SPEAKER_00]: And I stayed fair.

[00:02:04] [SPEAKER_01]: I love the state fair and eat all the deets.

[00:02:05] [SPEAKER_01]: I didn't make it this year.

[00:02:07] [SPEAKER_00]: You didn't make it.

[00:02:08] [SPEAKER_01]: I didn't make it.

[00:02:09] [SPEAKER_00]: That's good because you have terrible food takes.

[00:02:11] [SPEAKER_00]: I had a lot of there was a lot of deep fried stuff this year,

[00:02:13] [SPEAKER_00]: and there was a lot of ranch this year.

[00:02:15] [SPEAKER_00]: Do you do the deep fried ranch?

[00:02:16] [SPEAKER_00]: I did the deep fried ranch.

[00:02:18] [SPEAKER_00]: My son and I stood in line, probably the longest I've ever stood in line

[00:02:21] [SPEAKER_00]: for anything. Did it live up?

[00:02:23] [SPEAKER_00]: It was good. It was so good. Oh man, it was good to deep fried that.

[00:02:27] [SPEAKER_00]: And then it was hot and it was a lot of people there.

[00:02:30] [SPEAKER_00]: And so I wasn't out there as long as I could, but I did do a lot of eating

[00:02:33] [SPEAKER_00]: and it was good.

[00:02:35] [SPEAKER_00]: The one thing I'd like to make a pitch for,

[00:02:37] [SPEAKER_00]: I know this will be controversial is

[00:02:40] [SPEAKER_00]: state fair needs to last longer because we need.

[00:02:44] [SPEAKER_00]: Yes, there's just, it was way too busy.

[00:02:46] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:02:47] [SPEAKER_00]: It was way too busy and it was too busy all the time.

[00:02:50] [SPEAKER_00]: And we need more state fair.

[00:02:52] [SPEAKER_00]: I think you could go a couple weeks more than I think it could go at least three weeks.

[00:02:56] [SPEAKER_00]: The only thing is would people go probably twice?

[00:02:59] [SPEAKER_00]: I would probably go at least twice then because I love to eat,

[00:03:02] [SPEAKER_00]: but it was just jam packed and it was hot.

[00:03:06] [SPEAKER_00]: And I just think we as Minnesotans need to start having that conversation

[00:03:10] [SPEAKER_00]: about what we need to do to make the state fair just maybe spread out some of the days.

[00:03:15] [SPEAKER_00]: But I did a lot of damage to myself in a short amount of time on a time,

[00:03:20] [SPEAKER_00]: even with there being not even with me being there a short amount of time

[00:03:24] [SPEAKER_00]: and with so many people.

[00:03:26] [SPEAKER_00]: State fair was great every year I loved to go

[00:03:28] [SPEAKER_00]: and food was fantastic.

[00:03:30] [SPEAKER_01]: And walls made it when the last episode we were debating whether walls was going to get there

[00:03:34] [SPEAKER_01]: or not.

[00:03:34] [SPEAKER_01]: He did show up.

[00:03:35] [SPEAKER_01]: It looked like it was a good time for him.

[00:03:37] [SPEAKER_00]: He did make the state fair grounds, which is great.

[00:03:40] [SPEAKER_00]: And I like that.

[00:03:40] [SPEAKER_00]: I like when politicians go to the state fair both sides.

[00:03:43] [SPEAKER_00]: I think it's the great Minnesota get together.

[00:03:44] [SPEAKER_00]: I think it makes it unique.

[00:03:45] [SPEAKER_00]: It's a very Minnesotan thing to do.

[00:03:47] [SPEAKER_00]: It was great that he went.

[00:03:49] [SPEAKER_00]: You did not go to the fair though, but you, what else?

[00:03:51] [SPEAKER_00]: Did you have a nice weekend?

[00:03:52] [SPEAKER_01]: I did.

[00:03:53] [SPEAKER_01]: I was over in the middle of nowhere, Wisconsin.

[00:03:55] [SPEAKER_01]: We rented an Airbnb with four of my girlfriends from college and along the way.

[00:04:00] [SPEAKER_01]: It was a great time.

[00:04:01] [SPEAKER_01]: We had bonfires, we sat outside, we had lots of good deep conversations about life.

[00:04:07] [SPEAKER_01]: One of my girlfriends that lives out in New Hampshire was in town for it.

[00:04:10] [SPEAKER_01]: It was great.

[00:04:11] [SPEAKER_01]: It was a nice weekend.

[00:04:12] [SPEAKER_01]: I had three nights of uninterrupted sleep and I even slept till 9 a.m. one morning.

[00:04:17] [SPEAKER_01]: Imagine what you can do without a toddler around to bother you.

[00:04:20] [SPEAKER_00]: You didn't get arrested?

[00:04:22] [SPEAKER_01]: Did not get arrested.

[00:04:23] [SPEAKER_01]: No.

[00:04:24] [SPEAKER_01]: No cops were called.

[00:04:26] [SPEAKER_00]: That we know of.

[00:04:27] [SPEAKER_01]: That we know of.

[00:04:28] [SPEAKER_01]: I did, we did hit up a local bar that had, as I counted, 20 deer heads on the wall.

[00:04:37] [SPEAKER_00]: Wow.

[00:04:37] [SPEAKER_00]: Yes.

[00:04:38] [SPEAKER_00]: That's impressive.

[00:04:39] [SPEAKER_01]: And a bear and some walleye and raccoons.

[00:04:41] [SPEAKER_01]: It was Wisconsin life, man.

[00:04:43] [SPEAKER_00]: That's great.

[00:04:44] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm redoing my office.

[00:04:46] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to have a very specific breakdown with Broadcorp and Becky addition to the

[00:04:51] [SPEAKER_00]: wall coming soon.

[00:04:52] [SPEAKER_00]: But I might need to get a deer head or

[00:04:53] [SPEAKER_00]: animal or 20 or 20.

[00:04:57] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, that's great.

[00:04:58] [SPEAKER_00]: I just want to say again, the political conversation I have with great and people really do appreciate

[00:05:02] [SPEAKER_00]: the tenor and tone of the podcast.

[00:05:04] [SPEAKER_00]: And I think that's really wonderful.

[00:05:06] [SPEAKER_00]: And I will say again, our conversations there is, did you ever see the karate kid?

[00:05:11] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh yeah.

[00:05:12] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[00:05:12] [SPEAKER_00]: So when I'm not talking the remake, but I'm talking the real one where Ralph

[00:05:16] [SPEAKER_00]: Machio and Mr. Daniel and Mr. Miyagi and Daniel doesn't think

[00:05:21] [SPEAKER_00]: Ralph Machio doesn't think that he's being trained in any way.

[00:05:25] [SPEAKER_00]: And then Mr. Miyagi shows him that he is.

[00:05:27] [SPEAKER_00]: I have to say that this podcast has really upped my ability to have conversations with people

[00:05:33] [SPEAKER_00]: and listen to them.

[00:05:35] [SPEAKER_00]: And it's really been helpful.

[00:05:37] [SPEAKER_00]: And I was just a whole range of conversations.

[00:05:41] [SPEAKER_00]: I had a couple of people approach me at the wedding and say,

[00:05:43] [SPEAKER_00]: Hey, can I talk to you about why you did this?

[00:05:45] [SPEAKER_00]: And I think you're completely wrong.

[00:05:47] [SPEAKER_00]: I'd just say, I think you're right.

[00:05:48] [SPEAKER_00]: And it was just really, I was really impressed by that.

[00:05:52] [SPEAKER_00]: And I know that my ability to have those conversations has improved because of this podcast.

[00:05:56] [SPEAKER_00]: So my compliments to you.

[00:05:58] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

[00:05:59] [SPEAKER_01]: No, I agree.

[00:05:59] [SPEAKER_01]: I think that a lot of times it takes away just some of that maybe people that want to

[00:06:03] [SPEAKER_01]: put us in this Republican bubble that ties in with all of the good, bad, and ugly that is

[00:06:10] [SPEAKER_01]: Donald Trump in the mega side of the world sometimes.

[00:06:13] [SPEAKER_01]: And I agree.

[00:06:14] [SPEAKER_01]: Your side.

[00:06:14] [SPEAKER_01]: I think that my peeps apparently.

[00:06:16] [SPEAKER_01]: But no, I agree.

[00:06:17] [SPEAKER_01]: It has opened the doors to some good conversations outside of the podcast as well.

[00:06:22] [SPEAKER_01]: So speaking of good conversations, we had our first joint interview with Kamala Harris and Tim

[00:06:30] [SPEAKER_01]: Wells as CNN down in bash last week.

[00:06:33] [SPEAKER_01]: I'll kick it to you for your initial thoughts.

[00:06:36] [SPEAKER_00]: I thought it was honestly, I thought it was dry.

[00:06:41] [SPEAKER_00]: I was surprised how normal it was.

[00:06:44] [SPEAKER_00]: And one of the things I mean by that is when I mean dry is just it wasn't filled

[00:06:49] [SPEAKER_00]: with the chaos and drama that entails a Donald Trump like interview.

[00:06:54] [SPEAKER_00]: It was a very, it was, I thought it was on policy.

[00:06:58] [SPEAKER_00]: We can, there can be a disagreement on message on what was said, but it wasn't chaos.

[00:07:04] [SPEAKER_00]: It wasn't chaotic.

[00:07:05] [SPEAKER_00]: It was, you could follow along and it reminded me of, it reminded me of what politics used to

[00:07:12] [SPEAKER_00]: be like, which was this, and I'm just talking about the message of it.

[00:07:15] [SPEAKER_00]: It wasn't like there was all this chaos and all this confusion and people were challenging the

[00:07:20] [SPEAKER_00]: basis of questions and things like that.

[00:07:22] [SPEAKER_00]: In terms of what a Trump press conference is like or a Trump media appearance is like,

[00:07:28] [SPEAKER_00]: it was very just very stable, not chaotic.

[00:07:33] [SPEAKER_00]: And it was interesting to follow.

[00:07:35] [SPEAKER_00]: And so when you're comparing the two, I thought it was, I thought it was a great

[00:07:39] [SPEAKER_00]: press conference.

[00:07:39] [SPEAKER_00]: I think I'm curious about here's the thing.

[00:07:43] [SPEAKER_00]: I think there was a, and I like to get your take on this.

[00:07:45] [SPEAKER_00]: I think that there was a kind of a goal line established or a benchmark that was established

[00:07:49] [SPEAKER_00]: that the vice president needed to have this interview and she did.

[00:07:55] [SPEAKER_00]: And I don't think, and now that it's over with, and I think it, I don't think it

[00:08:03] [SPEAKER_00]: was as chaotic or as problematic as I think the Trump side was wanting it to be.

[00:08:07] [SPEAKER_00]: I think it was very interesting, but in comparison to that kind of Trump kind of

[00:08:13] [SPEAKER_00]: chaos didn't compare us to that.

[00:08:15] [SPEAKER_00]: And it hearkens back to what I think politics can be, which is policy discussions

[00:08:20] [SPEAKER_00]: and policy disagreements and policy analysis.

[00:08:23] [SPEAKER_00]: Your take.

[00:08:24] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I sit on the fence a little bit about the overall sentiment of it.

[00:08:29] [SPEAKER_01]: I wish it would have been.

[00:08:30] [SPEAKER_01]: Did you watch it?

[00:08:31] [SPEAKER_01]: I did.

[00:08:32] [SPEAKER_00]: Did you watch it at Trump?

[00:08:33] [SPEAKER_00]: Did you watch it at Trump headquarters?

[00:08:33] [SPEAKER_00]: I didn't watch it live.

[00:08:34] [SPEAKER_01]: I watched it after the fact.

[00:08:36] [SPEAKER_01]: It was right during bad times.

[00:08:37] [SPEAKER_00]: And you didn't watch it at Trump headquarters?

[00:08:39] [SPEAKER_01]: Nope.

[00:08:39] [SPEAKER_01]: I'm not allowed in there, but I do wish there was an individual interview

[00:08:43] [SPEAKER_01]: versus walls aside from a little nod and here and there in general.

[00:08:47] [SPEAKER_01]: Hello from walls at the beginning.

[00:08:48] [SPEAKER_01]: We really didn't hear from walls for the first like 17 minutes of it.

[00:08:51] [SPEAKER_01]: So I felt like he was just like a security blanket there,

[00:08:54] [SPEAKER_01]: but I don't think Donna Bash held back.

[00:08:57] [SPEAKER_01]: I do think that she did ask some probing questions.

[00:08:59] [SPEAKER_01]: I do think that she followed up when Harris did not answer some of her questions.

[00:09:04] [SPEAKER_01]: So while I do on the front end Republicans were all up in arms of the joint interview,

[00:09:09] [SPEAKER_01]: not an individual interview, I don't necessarily think it would have changed a ton other than maybe

[00:09:14] [SPEAKER_01]: it was just made her feel a little bit more comfortable on the front end having walls there.

[00:09:18] [SPEAKER_01]: And it didn't get into some walls questions as well.

[00:09:21] [SPEAKER_01]: That doesn't bother me a ton.

[00:09:22] [SPEAKER_01]: I do think that she needs to do more of them.

[00:09:24] [SPEAKER_01]: I do think it's still 45 days and we haven't had a major press conference from her

[00:09:28] [SPEAKER_01]: on her economic plan or anything else.

[00:09:30] [SPEAKER_01]: So I do think that we need to see a little bit more from her all in all.

[00:09:33] [SPEAKER_01]: I do like you said it was she answered questions.

[00:09:36] [SPEAKER_01]: There were significant policy questions.

[00:09:39] [SPEAKER_01]: I think she had some really good, good hits on there.

[00:09:42] [SPEAKER_01]: I think starting one of her lines right at the beginning was a top priority is to support

[00:09:46] [SPEAKER_01]: and strengthen the middle class.

[00:09:48] [SPEAKER_01]: This is what we've been talking about time and time again

[00:09:51] [SPEAKER_01]: is what is really going to move the needle and what people are going to be voting for.

[00:09:56] [SPEAKER_01]: And it's the middle class.

[00:09:57] [SPEAKER_01]: This is largely who is going to need to be showing up and making their decisions at the polls.

[00:10:02] [SPEAKER_01]: And she talked about her opportunity economy, which we can come back to another day about some of the

[00:10:08] [SPEAKER_01]: issues economists have with that.

[00:10:10] [SPEAKER_01]: But she talked about investing in small business in the childcare tax credit

[00:10:14] [SPEAKER_01]: and tax credits for first time home buyers.

[00:10:17] [SPEAKER_01]: She talked a lot about those kitchen table issues, which I do think are really significant.

[00:10:21] [SPEAKER_01]: And she sounded presidential, right?

[00:10:24] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think she sounded as presidential as a lot of other candidates we've seen in the past.

[00:10:29] [SPEAKER_01]: She's not, wasn't an Obama or a Romney, but she did not stumble.

[00:10:33] [SPEAKER_01]: She did not have major gaps.

[00:10:34] [SPEAKER_01]: I think she did what she needed to do and she did okay.

[00:10:38] [SPEAKER_01]: I think that there were a couple of moments that I rolled my eyes about.

[00:10:41] [SPEAKER_01]: She talked about why she hadn't, none of this has been done in the last three and a half years.

[00:10:46] [SPEAKER_01]: And she would do it on day one.

[00:10:47] [SPEAKER_01]: And she talked about needing to recover from the Trump administration

[00:10:51] [SPEAKER_01]: and basically blamed all of COVID, the failure of the economy,

[00:10:55] [SPEAKER_01]: the millions of job loss, the millions of deaths on Trump, which was a little, okay,

[00:11:00] [SPEAKER_01]: you can disagree with how Trump handled things, but I felt like that was a little far.

[00:11:04] [SPEAKER_01]: And then I do appreciate Dana pushing her on like the banning of fracking.

[00:11:08] [SPEAKER_01]: This is something that we've seen a lot of questions about how she said that she wanted

[00:11:12] [SPEAKER_01]: to ban fracking.

[00:11:13] [SPEAKER_01]: And then she didn't say and then she says that her morals and values have never changed.

[00:11:17] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think we got a ton out of her on that,

[00:11:19] [SPEAKER_01]: but the question was asked and answered and I can appreciate that.

[00:11:23] [SPEAKER_01]: I just wanted to go back.

[00:11:25] [SPEAKER_01]: One thing I also did appreciate, we talked about the comments when

[00:11:29] [SPEAKER_01]: former president Trump talked about is she black?

[00:11:33] [SPEAKER_01]: Is she Asian?

[00:11:34] [SPEAKER_01]: Getting into all of the questions that he had about it and how ridiculous and poorly he

[00:11:40] [SPEAKER_01]: talked about her and her race and her gender.

[00:11:43] [SPEAKER_01]: Dana Bash asked about that and Kamala said same old playbook.

[00:11:47] [SPEAKER_01]: Next question, please.

[00:11:48] [SPEAKER_01]: She didn't choose to waste time in this precious interview on that and I think that was commendable.

[00:11:56] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[00:11:58] [SPEAKER_01]: Lastly, Walls, he did fine on his part.

[00:12:01] [SPEAKER_01]: I did think he had an interesting pivot at the front.

[00:12:04] [SPEAKER_01]: We talked a lot about the controversies about his missteps and his,

[00:12:08] [SPEAKER_01]: as he would say at his poor grammar, which is a weird thing.

[00:12:12] [SPEAKER_01]: He had some pivots, but again, she pushed back.

[00:12:14] [SPEAKER_01]: She pulled back.

[00:12:16] [SPEAKER_01]: He asked, it was asked, it was answered.

[00:12:18] [SPEAKER_01]: I think that they did just fine.

[00:12:20] [SPEAKER_01]: And then she ended by speaking very highly of president Biden and I think all in all,

[00:12:26] [SPEAKER_01]: I think it did what the Harris team wanted it to do.

[00:12:29] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think it caused any harm.

[00:12:30] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think it was, there were any fireworks missteps, gas.

[00:12:34] [SPEAKER_01]: It was boring, but it's over and done with and we can move on and hopefully hear more from her

[00:12:38] [SPEAKER_01]: in interviews and press conferences down the line.

[00:12:41] [SPEAKER_00]: I wanted to ask you on your analysis,

[00:12:44] [SPEAKER_00]: do you and this is, I know the answer and I know what a whole I answer,

[00:12:48] [SPEAKER_00]: but this isn't a trick question.

[00:12:50] [SPEAKER_00]: Do you judge Trump by a different standard on press conferences than you did to Harris?

[00:12:56] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I would say, yeah, I do.

[00:12:58] [SPEAKER_01]: I think mainly because he does them,

[00:13:01] [SPEAKER_01]: I think that there is a difference what we're seeing.

[00:13:03] [SPEAKER_01]: This is my just general frustration right now.

[00:13:05] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't, I think it's a fair question because I do think we do, right?

[00:13:09] [SPEAKER_01]: Trump is so out there.

[00:13:11] [SPEAKER_01]: He's in front of the press all the time.

[00:13:12] [SPEAKER_01]: What did I saw a stat today that him and Vance have done some like 35 interviews

[00:13:16] [SPEAKER_01]: since this one that Harris and walls have done,

[00:13:19] [SPEAKER_01]: but the substance and the actual being able to have a conversation is night and day.

[00:13:23] [SPEAKER_01]: I just think it's completely different.

[00:13:25] [SPEAKER_01]: And I think with Trump,

[00:13:29] [SPEAKER_01]: yeah, I think one of my frustrations in general with this right now is that like

[00:13:33] [SPEAKER_01]: just before this, we are seeing that walls is out doing his first solo event.

[00:13:38] [SPEAKER_01]: And they said, no questions.

[00:13:40] [SPEAKER_01]: You can't even put your mic up by him.

[00:13:42] [SPEAKER_01]: To me, there is some questions of the lack of transparency that we're seeing

[00:13:46] [SPEAKER_01]: from the walls Harris campaign right now that why aren't we,

[00:13:49] [SPEAKER_01]: why are you having these events and you can't even do a five minute press from at the end?

[00:13:55] [SPEAKER_01]: Why are we doing these things and you don't even get to it?

[00:13:58] [SPEAKER_01]: Are there fears?

[00:13:59] [SPEAKER_01]: Is there something going on that they're fearful of a hot mic?

[00:14:02] [SPEAKER_01]: They're fearful of some vulnerabilities.

[00:14:04] [SPEAKER_01]: They're fearful of some missteps that's going to derail them

[00:14:07] [SPEAKER_01]: because I think that if we look at the other side in the Trump fans,

[00:14:11] [SPEAKER_01]: we've seen those missteps and those situations really bite them in the butt a lot of times.

[00:14:15] [SPEAKER_01]: But there's certainly a difference when we look at the transparency

[00:14:18] [SPEAKER_01]: and level of access between the two campaigns.

[00:14:21] [SPEAKER_01]: I think that is something that we have the least amount of time to get to know this ticket

[00:14:26] [SPEAKER_01]: and we're not really getting there.

[00:14:28] [SPEAKER_01]: We're 61 days from the election and we have had our first interview.

[00:14:33] [SPEAKER_01]: The American people deserve to know them more and deserve to have more access.

[00:14:37] [SPEAKER_00]: I can see your point in that.

[00:14:39] [SPEAKER_00]: I judged, I would again having not voted for Trump in 16 or 20

[00:14:46] [SPEAKER_00]: and now fully supporting Harrison Walls,

[00:14:48] [SPEAKER_00]: I have a higher expectation on them in terms of answering questions

[00:14:53] [SPEAKER_00]: because I fundamentally believe that Harrison Walls have a better grasp of the issues

[00:14:58] [SPEAKER_00]: and are much more of a responsible messenger than Trump is.

[00:15:03] [SPEAKER_00]: Because just look at over the last, in the last week,

[00:15:06] [SPEAKER_00]: Donald Trump can have all the press conferences he wants,

[00:15:08] [SPEAKER_00]: but the problem is when he speaks, he flip-flops and he's inconsistent.

[00:15:11] [SPEAKER_00]: Look at what he just did on abortion in the last week.

[00:15:14] [SPEAKER_00]: He has found a way to tick off everyone on that issue from his misstatements.

[00:15:17] [SPEAKER_00]: And so I would prefer to have a candidate speak

[00:15:20] [SPEAKER_00]: and be accessible and answer questions and have them stick to those positions

[00:15:24] [SPEAKER_00]: rather than having a press conference every single day

[00:15:27] [SPEAKER_00]: where they're giving a different answer and then future press conferences have to be

[00:15:31] [SPEAKER_00]: spent following up and figuring out what the real answer is.

[00:15:34] [SPEAKER_00]: And that's the issue.

[00:15:37] [SPEAKER_01]: And that's fair. I'm not saying every day, we're at 45 days in.

[00:15:41] [SPEAKER_01]: Like I just think that there is 45 days into the Harris campaign

[00:15:45] [SPEAKER_01]: and not a single press conference.

[00:15:47] [SPEAKER_01]: It just, I feel like there's a fear and a worry on that side

[00:15:50] [SPEAKER_01]: of what could happen.

[00:15:52] [SPEAKER_01]: This interview should calm some of that,

[00:15:55] [SPEAKER_01]: but it just leads me to question why there isn't that access.

[00:15:59] [SPEAKER_01]: Why isn't there, you've been on campaigns, I've been on campaigns,

[00:16:03] [SPEAKER_01]: usually primary to general election,

[00:16:05] [SPEAKER_01]: you have a theme of the week and you're doing a press conference of the week

[00:16:08] [SPEAKER_01]: and doing media interviews to do that.

[00:16:10] [SPEAKER_01]: You're doing economy one week, you're doing immigration one week,

[00:16:13] [SPEAKER_01]: you're doing abortion one week.

[00:16:14] [SPEAKER_01]: There's, we aren't getting that aside from surrogates.

[00:16:18] [SPEAKER_01]: And that to me, it might work out and it might prove them well

[00:16:23] [SPEAKER_01]: and Harris might get elected because of it.

[00:16:25] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think it's serving the people as best as possible

[00:16:29] [SPEAKER_01]: in having access to these candidates

[00:16:32] [SPEAKER_01]: that we know the least of any presidential candidate at this point.

[00:16:36] [SPEAKER_00]: Your argument is that we know the least about these two candidates

[00:16:39] [SPEAKER_00]: and any other.

[00:16:41] [SPEAKER_00]: That's your argument?

[00:16:42] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay. So she's the vice president

[00:16:44] [SPEAKER_00]: and he's the sitting governor of the state of Minnesota.

[00:16:47] [SPEAKER_00]: And so I think the challenge is that I think,

[00:16:51] [SPEAKER_00]: I don't mean that's your position.

[00:16:52] [SPEAKER_00]: That's fine.

[00:16:53] [SPEAKER_00]: I would not in any way say that we know the least about them.

[00:16:57] [SPEAKER_00]: I think that there's always an opportunity to facilitate more discussion.

[00:17:00] [SPEAKER_00]: But let's look for instance at Trump on abortion.

[00:17:04] [SPEAKER_00]: Trump made a, Trump in 24 hours,

[00:17:06] [SPEAKER_00]: Trump around 24 to 36 hours

[00:17:09] [SPEAKER_00]: made two completely inconsistent positions on abortion.

[00:17:12] [SPEAKER_00]: And then it's had to redial it back.

[00:17:15] [SPEAKER_00]: I still don't know what,

[00:17:16] [SPEAKER_00]: so Donald Trump has been running since he served four years as president.

[00:17:21] [SPEAKER_00]: His position on abortion is still,

[00:17:25] [SPEAKER_00]: and so my point is, I think that there's an intellectual,

[00:17:29] [SPEAKER_00]: I think that people, I think campaigns are scripted.

[00:17:33] [SPEAKER_00]: I think one of the challenges,

[00:17:34] [SPEAKER_00]: and we talked about this with John Riloh,

[00:17:36] [SPEAKER_00]: and we talked to this but with John Riloh

[00:17:38] [SPEAKER_00]: and with Kip and with former Senator Benson

[00:17:41] [SPEAKER_00]: about kind of the scripted nature of things.

[00:17:43] [SPEAKER_00]: And we did an entire show talking about the Republican message

[00:17:46] [SPEAKER_00]: that should be against this and offering suggestions.

[00:17:50] [SPEAKER_00]: You and John and Senator Benson,

[00:17:51] [SPEAKER_00]: I think offered the best message to date

[00:17:54] [SPEAKER_00]: on what the Republican should be focused on.

[00:17:57] [SPEAKER_00]: And so I think the problem is that

[00:17:58] [SPEAKER_00]: when Trump is speaking,

[00:18:00] [SPEAKER_00]: and Vance are speaking,

[00:18:01] [SPEAKER_00]: and they're having this press conference,

[00:18:02] [SPEAKER_00]: I don't think they're being consistent on their message.

[00:18:06] [SPEAKER_00]: And the Harrison Walls campaign,

[00:18:09] [SPEAKER_00]: I think may be more scripted,

[00:18:11] [SPEAKER_00]: but I think the message is more uniform.

[00:18:14] [SPEAKER_00]: And I think that's, I think the give and take

[00:18:16] [SPEAKER_00]: is how do you have accessibility

[00:18:17] [SPEAKER_00]: and answer those questions?

[00:18:20] [SPEAKER_00]: Because I honestly don't see how

[00:18:23] [SPEAKER_00]: Donald Trump having a press conference,

[00:18:25] [SPEAKER_00]: and let's just talk about abortion for a second.

[00:18:26] [SPEAKER_00]: I don't see how him having a press conference,

[00:18:29] [SPEAKER_00]: the monet times that he did,

[00:18:31] [SPEAKER_00]: his position on abortion is as clear as mud.

[00:18:34] [SPEAKER_00]: And that's because he's unscripted,

[00:18:36] [SPEAKER_00]: he's doing these press events just for the sake of doing them,

[00:18:39] [SPEAKER_00]: and he's not driving a message.

[00:18:41] [SPEAKER_00]: And so I think on both sides,

[00:18:43] [SPEAKER_00]: in my perspective would be,

[00:18:45] [SPEAKER_00]: I think there needs to be,

[00:18:46] [SPEAKER_00]: I think the Trump campaign maybe needs,

[00:18:49] [SPEAKER_00]: and I'm just speaking from an information standpoint,

[00:18:52] [SPEAKER_00]: maybe the Harris Walls campaign could do

[00:18:54] [SPEAKER_00]: a little bit more to offer some meat to the bones

[00:18:58] [SPEAKER_00]: and do more of those types of policy discussions.

[00:19:01] [SPEAKER_00]: And Trump should maybe do a little bit less

[00:19:03] [SPEAKER_00]: because he's muddying the Walker.

[00:19:04] [SPEAKER_00]: If we're trying to get,

[00:19:06] [SPEAKER_00]: that's maybe the place I would say.

[00:19:07] [SPEAKER_01]: And I don't disagree.

[00:19:09] [SPEAKER_01]: I think that a happy medium would be good.

[00:19:11] [SPEAKER_01]: And I do expect I could be completely wrong,

[00:19:15] [SPEAKER_01]: but I do expect that in the next 60 days

[00:19:17] [SPEAKER_01]: we will be seeing more on the campaign trail.

[00:19:20] [SPEAKER_01]: I think we do as much as I don't love

[00:19:23] [SPEAKER_01]: to always give grace to Democrats,

[00:19:25] [SPEAKER_01]: but they have had to do a lot of inner work, right?

[00:19:28] [SPEAKER_01]: Like they've had to study up,

[00:19:30] [SPEAKER_01]: they've had to have conversations,

[00:19:31] [SPEAKER_01]: they've had to build out their infrastructure.

[00:19:33] [SPEAKER_01]: They've also had to do a lot of the work

[00:19:36] [SPEAKER_01]: in the last 40 days that most campaigns

[00:19:39] [SPEAKER_01]: have had done for the last year.

[00:19:41] [SPEAKER_01]: So there's a lot going on there.

[00:19:43] [SPEAKER_01]: We have a debate coming up,

[00:19:44] [SPEAKER_01]: which we'll talk about in a little bit.

[00:19:46] [SPEAKER_01]: And I do think we'll certainly start seeing

[00:19:48] [SPEAKER_01]: a little bit more from the Harris Walls campaign

[00:19:49] [SPEAKER_01]: as we go.

[00:19:51] [SPEAKER_00]: Great points, great points.

[00:19:53] [SPEAKER_00]: As always, great points, Becky.

[00:19:54] [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you.

[00:19:57] [SPEAKER_01]: I want to move on.

[00:19:58] [SPEAKER_01]: So KSDP Survey USA poll just came out.

[00:20:01] [SPEAKER_01]: They conducted it August 27th through August 29th.

[00:20:05] [SPEAKER_01]: First big poll, post-DNC convention,

[00:20:07] [SPEAKER_01]: post-Wall's pick here.

[00:20:08] [SPEAKER_01]: The crosstabs, that was 40% Democrats,

[00:20:11] [SPEAKER_01]: 35% Republicans, 22% Independence,

[00:20:14] [SPEAKER_01]: self-identified on the calls.

[00:20:16] [SPEAKER_01]: Presidential poll has Harris up by five.

[00:20:19] [SPEAKER_01]: This does cut the Harris lead in half.

[00:20:21] [SPEAKER_01]: The first poll post-Harris joining or being

[00:20:24] [SPEAKER_01]: the becoming the nominee was she was up 5040 to Trump

[00:20:28] [SPEAKER_01]: and now it's 4843 over Trump.

[00:20:31] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think that is entirely surprising.

[00:20:34] [SPEAKER_01]: I think a big bounce after that nominee

[00:20:36] [SPEAKER_01]: switch was expected, evening out a little bit.

[00:20:40] [SPEAKER_01]: One thing that I did see notable

[00:20:42] [SPEAKER_01]: and happy to hear from you what was notable for you,

[00:20:44] [SPEAKER_01]: but the split among women.

[00:20:47] [SPEAKER_01]: Harris is leading by 18% among women,

[00:20:49] [SPEAKER_01]: which is massive.

[00:20:51] [SPEAKER_01]: Trump is up six points among men,

[00:20:54] [SPEAKER_01]: but 18 points among women is a lot.

[00:20:59] [SPEAKER_00]: What's your take on that?

[00:21:01] [SPEAKER_01]: It's not surprising to me.

[00:21:02] [SPEAKER_01]: It continues to go into what we've been saying all along is,

[00:21:06] [SPEAKER_01]: obviously I think there is something to be said

[00:21:08] [SPEAKER_01]: about a woman being the top of the ticket

[00:21:10] [SPEAKER_01]: and bringing some women along,

[00:21:11] [SPEAKER_01]: but I think it's less that and more women

[00:21:15] [SPEAKER_01]: in how they view President Trump.

[00:21:18] [SPEAKER_01]: And I don't think he gives the warm and fuzzies

[00:21:20] [SPEAKER_01]: that we like to see from a presidential candidate.

[00:21:22] [SPEAKER_01]: I think there's a lot of questionable things

[00:21:24] [SPEAKER_01]: that he says.

[00:21:25] [SPEAKER_01]: Obviously abortion is one notable thing of these days,

[00:21:29] [SPEAKER_01]: but he has a lot of, he says he's pretty crass.

[00:21:32] [SPEAKER_01]: He said some really inappropriate things in the past.

[00:21:35] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't, it's not surprising to me,

[00:21:36] [SPEAKER_01]: but I think it is notable.

[00:21:38] [SPEAKER_00]: I would say this.

[00:21:39] [SPEAKER_00]: I think that it's not surprising to me

[00:21:41] [SPEAKER_00]: and on a couple of points I'll raise to you.

[00:21:44] [SPEAKER_00]: I've had a number of conversations with Republicans.

[00:21:47] [SPEAKER_00]: I would consider to be Republican.

[00:21:49] [SPEAKER_00]: And again, just to be fair, I didn't really,

[00:21:51] [SPEAKER_00]: and as I said before,

[00:21:52] [SPEAKER_00]: I didn't really travel in a pro-Trump circle.

[00:21:54] [SPEAKER_00]: But since I came out and announced

[00:21:55] [SPEAKER_00]: that I was supporting, reporting Harrison Walls,

[00:21:58] [SPEAKER_00]: I've had a number of conversations with Republicans.

[00:22:01] [SPEAKER_00]: People that who, whether they're identified Republicans

[00:22:03] [SPEAKER_00]: in a vote consistently, Ben Party activists,

[00:22:06] [SPEAKER_00]: are just people that I'm just generally talking with.

[00:22:08] [SPEAKER_00]: I am surprised on the number of conversations

[00:22:11] [SPEAKER_00]: that I have with men, how many of them

[00:22:13] [SPEAKER_00]: are focusing on abortion.

[00:22:16] [SPEAKER_00]: And they're viewing it from the standpoint

[00:22:17] [SPEAKER_00]: of healthcare and access.

[00:22:19] [SPEAKER_00]: And they're concerned about it.

[00:22:20] [SPEAKER_00]: And so I think that there is, and I was surprised by that.

[00:22:26] [SPEAKER_00]: I was surprised by the number of men

[00:22:28] [SPEAKER_00]: that I've been speaking with.

[00:22:29] [SPEAKER_00]: And that's their issue that they talk about

[00:22:31] [SPEAKER_00]: is what they're concerned about.

[00:22:32] [SPEAKER_00]: And if men are talking about it,

[00:22:34] [SPEAKER_00]: I have to believe that it's an issue

[00:22:36] [SPEAKER_00]: that women are following and addressing.

[00:22:38] [SPEAKER_00]: And it's not just, I think, Trump's approach.

[00:22:41] [SPEAKER_00]: I think what's also going to be interesting

[00:22:43] [SPEAKER_00]: in this election cycle, and this is what's curious,

[00:22:45] [SPEAKER_00]: is I was talking to a reporter just today

[00:22:47] [SPEAKER_00]: about the vice presidential picks.

[00:22:49] [SPEAKER_00]: And I turned 50 last year, I was born in 73.

[00:22:53] [SPEAKER_00]: The first real election I remember is the 84 race.

[00:22:57] [SPEAKER_00]: And I didn't have any idea who,

[00:23:00] [SPEAKER_00]: I didn't have any real understanding of the policies,

[00:23:03] [SPEAKER_00]: but I remember the election.

[00:23:05] [SPEAKER_00]: But I remember 88 and 92.

[00:23:07] [SPEAKER_00]: 92 was the first election I voted in.

[00:23:09] [SPEAKER_00]: I don't remember there being a big discussion

[00:23:11] [SPEAKER_00]: or me having a ton of information on Dan Cuell

[00:23:15] [SPEAKER_00]: versus who was the incumbent versus Al Gore,

[00:23:18] [SPEAKER_00]: who was the Democratic nominee.

[00:23:21] [SPEAKER_00]: What I think is happening now is,

[00:23:23] [SPEAKER_00]: as more and more information is coming out,

[00:23:25] [SPEAKER_00]: and it's in our pockets, it's on our smartphones,

[00:23:27] [SPEAKER_00]: it's we're consuming it in a much different way,

[00:23:30] [SPEAKER_00]: I think we're getting more depth to these races.

[00:23:32] [SPEAKER_00]: And I think people are getting an idea much more.

[00:23:36] [SPEAKER_00]: My kids know who the vice presidential running mates are.

[00:23:40] [SPEAKER_00]: And I think that information is not just because they're my kids,

[00:23:44] [SPEAKER_00]: but I think a lot of people know that.

[00:23:45] [SPEAKER_00]: I think there's a lot more attention

[00:23:46] [SPEAKER_00]: on who the running mates are.

[00:23:48] [SPEAKER_00]: And so I think where Trump is going to have an issue,

[00:23:51] [SPEAKER_00]: Trump, Vance, are going to have an issue,

[00:23:53] [SPEAKER_00]: is because of Vance in some ways too.

[00:23:55] [SPEAKER_00]: Because I think his comments about women

[00:23:57] [SPEAKER_00]: that continue to drip out and continue to spill out

[00:24:02] [SPEAKER_00]: are problematic.

[00:24:04] [SPEAKER_00]: And I think that's the issue.

[00:24:06] [SPEAKER_00]: I think that I think as a lot of people that I speak would say,

[00:24:09] [SPEAKER_00]: the cake has caked on Trump.

[00:24:11] [SPEAKER_00]: People know what he is and they know what he's about.

[00:24:13] [SPEAKER_00]: And so I think they were looking to Vance.

[00:24:16] [SPEAKER_00]: And I still stand by my position that Vance was a bad pick in retrospect.

[00:24:21] [SPEAKER_00]: He could have picked someone that could have softened Trump's image,

[00:24:24] [SPEAKER_00]: that could have had more outreach and appeal.

[00:24:26] [SPEAKER_00]: I don't see the value added.

[00:24:28] [SPEAKER_00]: I don't see how Vance is value adding the ticket.

[00:24:31] [SPEAKER_00]: And particularly to our conversation, Becky,

[00:24:33] [SPEAKER_00]: about outreach to women and suburban voters,

[00:24:36] [SPEAKER_00]: both men and women, I don't see how Vance helps.

[00:24:39] [SPEAKER_00]: And I think that's reflected in some of these poll numbers.

[00:24:41] [SPEAKER_00]: I just don't think it's Trump.

[00:24:43] [SPEAKER_01]: I completely agree.

[00:24:45] [SPEAKER_01]: The poll also did ask likely voters that they were talking to

[00:24:49] [SPEAKER_01]: about the walls versus Vance pick.

[00:24:51] [SPEAKER_01]: 52% view walls as a great excellent or good choice.

[00:24:56] [SPEAKER_01]: Only 38% view Vance as an excellent or good choice.

[00:24:59] [SPEAKER_01]: That's pretty significant.

[00:25:02] [SPEAKER_01]: And I think we have talked and had conversations about

[00:25:06] [SPEAKER_01]: whether a VP choice can benefit or drag down a ticket.

[00:25:11] [SPEAKER_01]: And largely I didn't necessarily think it would have much impact.

[00:25:16] [SPEAKER_01]: I think that we're seeing a lot of things that show that,

[00:25:20] [SPEAKER_01]: to your exact point, that Vance has real potential

[00:25:24] [SPEAKER_01]: to drag down this ticket, especially when it comes.

[00:25:26] [SPEAKER_01]: Trump has his own problems with women,

[00:25:28] [SPEAKER_01]: but Vance does not make it any better.

[00:25:32] [SPEAKER_00]: Do you see my point about, aside from the negativity,

[00:25:36] [SPEAKER_00]: but the information, do you think that voters today,

[00:25:38] [SPEAKER_00]: people that are voting for the first time in 2024,

[00:25:42] [SPEAKER_00]: do you think that they have more information at their fingertips

[00:25:47] [SPEAKER_00]: about who the VP picks are and maybe what they had four years ago

[00:25:50] [SPEAKER_00]: or certainly eight years ago?

[00:25:52] [SPEAKER_01]: Absolutely.

[00:25:53] [SPEAKER_00]: And one of the things that we've talked about on the podcast,

[00:25:57] [SPEAKER_00]: and I'm going to glean in on other polling is,

[00:26:00] [SPEAKER_00]: I don't think if you're talking to much smarter people than me,

[00:26:03] [SPEAKER_00]: what you'll hear them, and we've discussed this,

[00:26:05] [SPEAKER_00]: is that I don't think there's a lot of polling that shows.

[00:26:08] [SPEAKER_00]: That the VP pick helps, meaning people aren't voting based on who the VP,

[00:26:13] [SPEAKER_00]: there is a net benefit, particularly and sometimes in the home state,

[00:26:17] [SPEAKER_00]: of the VP pick.

[00:26:19] [SPEAKER_00]: But in this particular instance, and I think what is changing,

[00:26:22] [SPEAKER_00]: it's not just because of Vance and Walls.

[00:26:25] [SPEAKER_00]: I think it's because people are learning more about this race

[00:26:29] [SPEAKER_00]: and they're learning more about their positions

[00:26:31] [SPEAKER_00]: and it's coming up because of social media,

[00:26:33] [SPEAKER_00]: because of the way information is going.

[00:26:35] [SPEAKER_00]: I think the electorate is becoming more informed about who the VP is

[00:26:40] [SPEAKER_00]: and that could be shaping it.

[00:26:42] [SPEAKER_00]: And that's why I think the selection of Vance, aside from policy,

[00:26:49] [SPEAKER_00]: I don't believe one of the things I'll be very interested in after this election cycle,

[00:26:54] [SPEAKER_00]: whoever wins or loses, is the discussion on the VP pick

[00:26:57] [SPEAKER_00]: and to what degree that impacted the decision.

[00:27:01] [SPEAKER_00]: Because I think the polling is pretty clear based on John King and other people that I watch on CNN

[00:27:06] [SPEAKER_00]: across all the networks, that there's not any type of polling data

[00:27:10] [SPEAKER_00]: that shows that people vote on the VP.

[00:27:12] [SPEAKER_00]: I do wonder if this election cycle, that may change a bit

[00:27:15] [SPEAKER_00]: because people have much more information at their fingertips.

[00:27:19] [SPEAKER_01]: Hey, and if we learned anything in the last time around having

[00:27:24] [SPEAKER_01]: a solid VP pick can certainly make a difference on days like January 6th.

[00:27:28] [SPEAKER_01]: Kudos, Mike Pence.

[00:27:29] [SPEAKER_01]: I agree.

[00:27:31] [SPEAKER_01]: I wouldn't be surprised if we see more on it because I think that

[00:27:36] [SPEAKER_01]: we've seen a lot more from these two.

[00:27:38] [SPEAKER_01]: We will continue to see a lot more from these two.

[00:27:42] [SPEAKER_01]: And it has the makings for Vance to certainly even one or two points is one or two points,

[00:27:48] [SPEAKER_01]: right?

[00:27:48] [SPEAKER_01]: That's a make or break deal here.

[00:27:50] [SPEAKER_01]: I want to hit on a couple other results in this.

[00:27:53] [SPEAKER_01]: I want to jump down actually two issues.

[00:27:55] [SPEAKER_01]: They pulled on the most important issues and economy is the top issue by far with 30% of voters

[00:28:02] [SPEAKER_01]: naming that the top priority.

[00:28:04] [SPEAKER_01]: Abortion though did jump into number two in June.

[00:28:08] [SPEAKER_01]: It was pulled in three.

[00:28:11] [SPEAKER_01]: It is now in second at 15% of people naming that more.

[00:28:15] [SPEAKER_01]: Most important, so it has jumped ahead of immigration, which sits at 14%.

[00:28:19] [SPEAKER_01]: And I think we've been talking about this for a year or two now.

[00:28:23] [SPEAKER_01]: And I, it is a significant thing.

[00:28:27] [SPEAKER_01]: I think that I don't think it's just like you said, it's not just women worried about their future.

[00:28:34] [SPEAKER_01]: I think it is men.

[00:28:35] [SPEAKER_01]: I think it is people worried about what the next generation, what it means for them.

[00:28:40] [SPEAKER_01]: And I think largely it is because of the stories that we are hearing and because of

[00:28:44] [SPEAKER_01]: people being brave to come out and share that this is not again, just we're not talking

[00:28:49] [SPEAKER_01]: abortion as a method of birth control here.

[00:28:51] [SPEAKER_01]: We are talking about life saving measures.

[00:28:53] [SPEAKER_01]: We're talking about recovering from trauma, to rape or incest.

[00:28:57] [SPEAKER_01]: We are talking about all of these different measures that require this procedure that

[00:29:03] [SPEAKER_01]: so often the woman or parents involved do not want to have to turn to and they have to turn to.

[00:29:10] [SPEAKER_01]: And I think because of these stories being told and really incredible women

[00:29:14] [SPEAKER_01]: and sometimes men also sharing the stories of their family, but women being willing to share

[00:29:20] [SPEAKER_01]: those stories, I think is changing the dynamic when it comes to abortion and really opening

[00:29:26] [SPEAKER_01]: people's eyes that again, it's not we're not just solely looking at abortion at any time

[00:29:33] [SPEAKER_01]: for any reason whenever it is, which again, that can be a conversation for another day.

[00:29:39] [SPEAKER_01]: But I think having the storytelling of why this impact, why this is impactful for healthcare,

[00:29:45] [SPEAKER_01]: why this is so important for so many reasons is really moving the needle here.

[00:29:50] [SPEAKER_01]: And I think it's going to be a tough spot for Republicans up and down the ticket.

[00:29:55] [SPEAKER_00]: What do you attribute the change specifically because it went up on an issue?

[00:30:01] [SPEAKER_00]: So there hasn't been a legal development, correct, on anything that's happened since

[00:30:07] [SPEAKER_00]: the last time that the polls.

[00:30:09] [SPEAKER_00]: So it hasn't, there hasn't been a legal development, meaning there hasn't been a

[00:30:13] [SPEAKER_00]: change, at least in Minnesota, on access to abortion.

[00:30:17] [SPEAKER_00]: Why do you think, very specifically, why do you think it's gone up in terms of interest

[00:30:22] [SPEAKER_00]: and do you think it's going to continue to rise?

[00:30:24] [SPEAKER_01]: I think as November gets closer and the potential of a Republican presidency gets

[00:30:31] [SPEAKER_01]: closer, I think there is potentially just a fear growing of what that might mean

[00:30:36] [SPEAKER_01]: if a national ban would be in the books.

[00:30:40] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know.

[00:30:41] [SPEAKER_01]: I haven't seen anything that I can really point to, but I do think that it would make

[00:30:47] [SPEAKER_01]: sense that there is just an enhanced fear as we look at getting closer to potentially

[00:30:54] [SPEAKER_01]: Trump presidency.

[00:30:56] [SPEAKER_00]: Got it.

[00:30:56] [SPEAKER_01]: Do you have any take on that?

[00:30:59] [SPEAKER_00]: The only thing that I can think of is that there has been a number of stories that

[00:31:04] [SPEAKER_00]: in the last time since KSTP did this poll, there's been the presidential race

[00:31:08] [SPEAKER_00]: has heated up.

[00:31:09] [SPEAKER_00]: It's become much more of a messaging contrast point.

[00:31:12] [SPEAKER_00]: And so it's bringing more awareness to the issue.

[00:31:15] [SPEAKER_00]: And that's all I can think of is that because I think the contrast is going

[00:31:20] [SPEAKER_00]: to be very clear in this election.

[00:31:21] [SPEAKER_00]: And I think if the more that, and that's the only thing that I can think of

[00:31:25] [SPEAKER_00]: is that the discussion, it's in the aftermath of the Democratic National

[00:31:29] [SPEAKER_00]: Convention, just in general, since Harris has become the nominee and Wallace has

[00:31:35] [SPEAKER_00]: joined the ticket.

[00:31:36] [SPEAKER_00]: There's been a strong messaging focus on that issue.

[00:31:41] [SPEAKER_00]: And coupled with some of, I think the statements from Vance and the Republican

[00:31:45] [SPEAKER_00]: message, it's a ground that is going to, it's going to, where this election

[00:31:48] [SPEAKER_00]: is going to be fought on.

[00:31:50] [SPEAKER_00]: And I don't see how Republicans, until they get a good message on it,

[00:31:55] [SPEAKER_00]: I don't see how they're going to win on that issue.

[00:31:58] [SPEAKER_01]: Agreed.

[00:32:00] [SPEAKER_01]: Don't disagree there.

[00:32:01] [SPEAKER_01]: Jumping back up a little bit, they did some polling in the U.S.

[00:32:05] [SPEAKER_01]: Senate race has Klobuchar up by 14.

[00:32:07] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think that's a shocker there.

[00:32:09] [SPEAKER_01]: The article that I was reading about these results also mentioned the last FAC report,

[00:32:14] [SPEAKER_01]: which let's just hit on real quick.

[00:32:16] [SPEAKER_01]: As of the end of July, Roy Swight had $53,000 cash on hand.

[00:32:21] [SPEAKER_01]: Amy Klobuchar had $6.5 million cash on hand.

[00:32:26] [SPEAKER_01]: There's just nothing to this, right?

[00:32:28] [SPEAKER_01]: It's the numbers aren't there.

[00:32:30] [SPEAKER_01]: The money is not there.

[00:32:31] [SPEAKER_01]: The support's not there.

[00:32:33] [SPEAKER_01]: White does have 80% of support among Republicans.

[00:32:36] [SPEAKER_01]: Klobuchar has an almost 90% of support among Democrats.

[00:32:40] [SPEAKER_01]: And Klobuchar is up 12% when it comes to independent voters.

[00:32:45] [SPEAKER_00]: I think it's fair to say that people are not coming for Roy Swight.

[00:32:48] [SPEAKER_00]: And number two, I will also make this a prediction that on election night,

[00:32:52] [SPEAKER_00]: the first U.S. Senate race to be called will be Klobuchar's.

[00:32:56] [SPEAKER_00]: If it makes it to 805, I'll be surprised.

[00:33:00] [SPEAKER_00]: It'll probably be, it'll be a very rapid

[00:33:02] [SPEAKER_00]: that race will be called very quickly.

[00:33:05] [SPEAKER_01]: I just had a little PTSD moment of the 2014 campaign when I was working for

[00:33:10] [SPEAKER_01]: the McFadden campaign and I, it was called within three minutes

[00:33:14] [SPEAKER_01]: in the tough time for campaigns.

[00:33:17] [SPEAKER_01]: Let me tell you.

[00:33:17] [SPEAKER_00]: I worked on Bachelors this race in 96

[00:33:19] [SPEAKER_00]: and I think it was called around 801, 802.

[00:33:23] [SPEAKER_01]: I will say I wasn't even in the war room.

[00:33:25] [SPEAKER_01]: We were like still getting our act together, getting down there.

[00:33:28] [SPEAKER_01]: So we'll do our war stories.

[00:33:30] [SPEAKER_01]: Maybe post-November we'll do some campaign war stories

[00:33:32] [SPEAKER_01]: because it really just brings you back sometimes.

[00:33:35] [SPEAKER_00]: Yes.

[00:33:35] [SPEAKER_01]: The last ones I wanted to hit on is they did talk to voters about

[00:33:39] [SPEAKER_01]: house races, Minnesota house races.

[00:33:41] [SPEAKER_01]: They asked likely voters who they are generally more inclined to vote for

[00:33:45] [SPEAKER_01]: in the 2024 House elections.

[00:33:47] [SPEAKER_01]: 48% said Democrats, 43% said Republicans, 8% undecided.

[00:33:52] [SPEAKER_01]: And again, this cuts the lead in half for Democrats down from 10 points

[00:33:56] [SPEAKER_01]: just to five points here in the presidential race and in the house races.

[00:33:59] [SPEAKER_01]: I think it's definitely a toss-up.

[00:34:01] [SPEAKER_01]: A lot can change between now and November.

[00:34:03] [SPEAKER_01]: We got a little over two months left and I'm anxious for those Republicans

[00:34:07] [SPEAKER_01]: to take back that house.

[00:34:09] [SPEAKER_00]: Do you think Minnesota is the swing state for the presidential race?

[00:34:12] [SPEAKER_00]: No.

[00:34:14] [SPEAKER_01]: I do it and this is something, while I think it's tight,

[00:34:17] [SPEAKER_01]: especially when you look at how the folks identify themselves,

[00:34:21] [SPEAKER_01]: Republican Democrat in this poll,

[00:34:23] [SPEAKER_01]: I think that this could be a prime example where folks go

[00:34:27] [SPEAKER_01]: and we take back the Republican House and while Harris win.

[00:34:31] [SPEAKER_01]: It's Minnesota voters like to bounce back and forth on their ticket.

[00:34:35] [SPEAKER_01]: They like to try to have some balance there.

[00:34:37] [SPEAKER_01]: And I think we are prime for that here in 2024.

[00:34:41] [SPEAKER_00]: Last question.

[00:34:42] [SPEAKER_00]: Were you surprised by the closeness of the race for president?

[00:34:47] [SPEAKER_01]: Here in Minnesota.

[00:34:48] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:34:49] [SPEAKER_01]: A little bit.

[00:34:50] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think, I think five points seems about right.

[00:34:55] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't expect it to be a blowout.

[00:34:57] [SPEAKER_01]: I would argue, I think that it might feel closer than five points in the House races.

[00:35:03] [SPEAKER_01]: I could see it being five, six points that Harris-Wales win on,

[00:35:07] [SPEAKER_01]: win by here in the state.

[00:35:09] [SPEAKER_01]: We just haven't seen anything.

[00:35:10] [SPEAKER_01]: We don't, with a Trump campaign, I haven't seen any investment here.

[00:35:13] [SPEAKER_01]: We're not seeing anything, really any big movements with mail or digital

[00:35:18] [SPEAKER_01]: or anything from Republican presidential side of the world.

[00:35:22] [SPEAKER_01]: That could certainly change.

[00:35:23] [SPEAKER_01]: We're really getting into that season, but I don't know.

[00:35:27] [SPEAKER_01]: What about you?

[00:35:28] [SPEAKER_00]: I was surprised.

[00:35:29] [SPEAKER_00]: Is that a contact close?

[00:35:30] [SPEAKER_00]: Yep.

[00:35:31] [SPEAKER_00]: I was surprised.

[00:35:32] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm not ever going to be asked, yeah, I was surprised.

[00:35:34] [SPEAKER_00]: I will on football and other stuff, but not on politics.

[00:35:36] [SPEAKER_00]: No.

[00:35:36] [SPEAKER_00]: I was surprised.

[00:35:37] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm like, oh, that's interesting.

[00:35:38] [SPEAKER_00]: And I was very interested by it.

[00:35:40] [SPEAKER_00]: I think Republicans need, for Republicans,

[00:35:44] [SPEAKER_00]: I think the best thing for Republicans in this state and again,

[00:35:46] [SPEAKER_00]: as someone who wants there to be a vibrant two-party system,

[00:35:50] [SPEAKER_00]: Republicans need to keep the race for president as close as they can to five points.

[00:35:53] [SPEAKER_00]: You get a lot, you get much past five points and it becomes a challenge.

[00:35:58] [SPEAKER_00]: And so if they can keep it competitive in this state,

[00:36:01] [SPEAKER_00]: I think that's good for the Republican effort.

[00:36:03] [SPEAKER_00]: And so I also think there's now a possibility with it that close.

[00:36:07] [SPEAKER_00]: I think there's a possibility Trump comes back.

[00:36:10] [SPEAKER_00]: If he comes back, he is going to just torch this place.

[00:36:14] [SPEAKER_01]: I think it's fair though, to your surprise note, that

[00:36:18] [SPEAKER_01]: it was 10 points when Pramila Harris was initially announced as the nominee,

[00:36:25] [SPEAKER_01]: but Walls wasn't a part of the ticket then.

[00:36:27] [SPEAKER_01]: So that is a little interesting that since Walls jumps on board,

[00:36:31] [SPEAKER_01]: that end post-DNC is that momentum sustainable.

[00:36:34] [SPEAKER_01]: We've had some of those conversations.

[00:36:35] [SPEAKER_01]: I do think that is interesting,

[00:36:37] [SPEAKER_01]: but I also think it goes back to our earlier conversations we had recently

[00:36:41] [SPEAKER_01]: about the fact that while Walls energizes the Democrats,

[00:36:47] [SPEAKER_01]: he energizes Republicans too.

[00:36:49] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I'm sure we'll probably...

[00:36:51] [SPEAKER_00]: Go ahead.

[00:36:52] [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, I was just gonna say, I'm hopeful we'll see another poll between now and November,

[00:36:56] [SPEAKER_01]: but it's certainly interesting.

[00:36:59] [SPEAKER_00]: I attribute that poll number to Republicans being energized about Walls.

[00:37:04] [SPEAKER_00]: And that's what I attributed it to, and that was very interesting to see.

[00:37:09] [SPEAKER_00]: Good job.

[00:37:10] [SPEAKER_01]: Thanks.

[00:37:11] [SPEAKER_01]: Moving on.

[00:37:12] [SPEAKER_01]: Next week, we are going to have our first presidential debate

[00:37:15] [SPEAKER_01]: between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.

[00:37:18] [SPEAKER_01]: It is going to be on September 10th on ABC News,

[00:37:22] [SPEAKER_01]: moderated by Lindsay Davis and David Muir,

[00:37:24] [SPEAKER_01]: 55 days out from the election.

[00:37:26] [SPEAKER_01]: So that is going to be a year.

[00:37:28] [SPEAKER_01]: Crenshty man.

[00:37:29] [SPEAKER_01]: One thing that came up on the recent interview,

[00:37:31] [SPEAKER_01]: Dana brought up that Harris and Trump have never directly interacted.

[00:37:36] [SPEAKER_01]: So this is gonna be a whole new ballgame for both of them.

[00:37:40] [SPEAKER_00]: I was stunned by that.

[00:37:43] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

[00:37:43] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm stunned by that.

[00:37:43] [SPEAKER_00]: So just to say it again, Trump and Harris have never met.

[00:37:49] [SPEAKER_01]: Never.

[00:37:50] [SPEAKER_00]: That is surprising.

[00:37:52] [SPEAKER_00]: And that's what happens when you're a part of an insurrection

[00:37:54] [SPEAKER_00]: and your vice, your former vice president is almost hanged,

[00:37:57] [SPEAKER_00]: and you don't show up to the swear against ceremony.

[00:38:00] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:38:01] [SPEAKER_00]: They didn't have that peaceful transfer of power.

[00:38:04] [SPEAKER_00]: I thought that was really weird.

[00:38:05] [SPEAKER_00]: You think they would have just crossed paths at some point?

[00:38:07] [SPEAKER_01]: At some point, shaking hands and said,

[00:38:09] [SPEAKER_01]: hey, I mean, that there's been none of that.

[00:38:11] [SPEAKER_01]: I think there's gonna be some tension in the air.

[00:38:14] [SPEAKER_01]: I think it just leads itself to being a little tense,

[00:38:19] [SPEAKER_01]: maybe a little awkward on the front end.

[00:38:21] [SPEAKER_01]: We're still, I don't know that unless you have any inside scoop

[00:38:24] [SPEAKER_01]: from your law's world,

[00:38:26] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know that we've settled on mics on or muted yet.

[00:38:30] [SPEAKER_01]: Still a little up for debate there.

[00:38:32] [SPEAKER_01]: But again, it's going to be in Philadelphia, no live audience.

[00:38:35] [SPEAKER_01]: Sorry, I should introduce Chuck, my dog,

[00:38:37] [SPEAKER_01]: if you're watching this is behind me.

[00:38:39] [SPEAKER_01]: But I think it's going to be really exciting.

[00:38:41] [SPEAKER_01]: So there's going to be the two commercial breaks,

[00:38:43] [SPEAKER_01]: same rules as the last time Sands debating whether those mics,

[00:38:47] [SPEAKER_01]: how that works out.

[00:38:49] [SPEAKER_01]: The top issues are likely to mirror, I would say,

[00:38:51] [SPEAKER_01]: the top issues that we're just talking about in that poll.

[00:38:53] [SPEAKER_01]: I think economy, immigration and abortion

[00:38:55] [SPEAKER_01]: are going to be three of the top substantial,

[00:38:59] [SPEAKER_01]: where we get the most substantial time spent.

[00:39:02] [SPEAKER_01]: Foreign policy, I bet you is likely going to be up there as well.

[00:39:05] [SPEAKER_01]: Anything wild and crazy issues that you expect to hear or see?

[00:39:09] [SPEAKER_00]: I think the entire bait is going to be wild and crazy.

[00:39:12] [SPEAKER_00]: I think it's going to be,

[00:39:13] [SPEAKER_00]: I think that the fact that they haven't met,

[00:39:17] [SPEAKER_00]: coupled with what I think is,

[00:39:20] [SPEAKER_00]: and please push back as always if you disagree,

[00:39:22] [SPEAKER_00]: but his clear sexism and bigotry

[00:39:25] [SPEAKER_00]: that he's exhibited towards Harris,

[00:39:28] [SPEAKER_00]: particularly how he spoke about her

[00:39:29] [SPEAKER_00]: at the National Association of Black Journalists event,

[00:39:32] [SPEAKER_00]: I think you're going to be able to cut the tension

[00:39:34] [SPEAKER_00]: with a knife in that room.

[00:39:37] [SPEAKER_00]: I think that Trump is going to come in swinging,

[00:39:40] [SPEAKER_00]: and I think it's going to be very difficult for him to hold back.

[00:39:46] [SPEAKER_00]: And I think what I mean by holding back

[00:39:48] [SPEAKER_00]: is I think there is some deep seated bigotry,

[00:39:52] [SPEAKER_00]: sexism, sadly, and some other things

[00:39:55] [SPEAKER_00]: because it's come out consistently.

[00:39:57] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm wondering how he's going to handle that on the debate stage.

[00:40:02] [SPEAKER_01]: It's a little behind the scenes fact here.

[00:40:04] [SPEAKER_01]: I always put together the script and send it over,

[00:40:07] [SPEAKER_01]: and then I go back in and type in some questions or comments

[00:40:10] [SPEAKER_01]: for my side of things.

[00:40:11] [SPEAKER_01]: And I did have that question,

[00:40:13] [SPEAKER_01]: do you think gender and race is going to play a role in this?

[00:40:16] [SPEAKER_01]: And in particular, does he come off too harsh,

[00:40:20] [SPEAKER_01]: even aside from sexist remarks,

[00:40:24] [SPEAKER_01]: the interaction is just different, right?

[00:40:26] [SPEAKER_01]: I think this is something when I've worked with candidates

[00:40:28] [SPEAKER_01]: doing debate prep, there's just a different way

[00:40:31] [SPEAKER_01]: I feel like the audience perceives how you interact

[00:40:35] [SPEAKER_01]: with a female moderator or a female candidate on the other side.

[00:40:39] [SPEAKER_01]: And I just don't know that Trump is made out for that.

[00:40:43] [SPEAKER_01]: And I think just his way of speaking,

[00:40:45] [SPEAKER_01]: because he always already speaks so much

[00:40:48] [SPEAKER_01]: in a derogatory term or with some rudeness isn't the right word,

[00:40:53] [SPEAKER_01]: but some disdain in his voice and how he says things.

[00:40:56] [SPEAKER_01]: When it's aimed at a woman,

[00:40:58] [SPEAKER_01]: I think it's perceived differently by the audience.

[00:41:01] [SPEAKER_01]: And I'm interested to see how they take his attacks and his slings

[00:41:05] [SPEAKER_01]: because he's going to try to elbow her.

[00:41:08] [SPEAKER_01]: And I will say what this is obviously a part of the debate prep

[00:41:12] [SPEAKER_01]: that we're seeing.

[00:41:12] [SPEAKER_01]: It's some reports came out that Tulsi Gabbard

[00:41:15] [SPEAKER_01]: is helping Trump in his debate prep.

[00:41:17] [SPEAKER_01]: She famously had an attack with Harris during the 2019 debates

[00:41:22] [SPEAKER_01]: and got Harris off her game a little bit.

[00:41:24] [SPEAKER_01]: And reports are saying that she's helping the Trump team

[00:41:27] [SPEAKER_01]: trying to figure out where they can sling those attacks,

[00:41:30] [SPEAKER_01]: where they can hit her on the policies

[00:41:31] [SPEAKER_01]: and where they can try to get her to stumble

[00:41:34] [SPEAKER_01]: and have some sort of stumbling response

[00:41:38] [SPEAKER_01]: or just not be able to respond properly.

[00:41:41] [SPEAKER_01]: Where the reports say that Harris's team

[00:41:43] [SPEAKER_01]: are focusing on how she can get under Trump's skin

[00:41:45] [SPEAKER_01]: and remain calm when those attacks come her way.

[00:41:49] [SPEAKER_01]: I am really excited for this debate.

[00:41:52] [SPEAKER_00]: I think it's going to be,

[00:41:53] [SPEAKER_00]: it has, I think it has the potential

[00:41:55] [SPEAKER_00]: to be the most significant presidential debate,

[00:41:57] [SPEAKER_00]: which I said before,

[00:41:58] [SPEAKER_00]: we said that about the previous debate with Biden.

[00:42:01] [SPEAKER_00]: Which was pretty significant.

[00:42:02] [SPEAKER_00]: We said it was likely, and I think this will be that.

[00:42:05] [SPEAKER_00]: I think it's going to be, first of all,

[00:42:09] [SPEAKER_00]: I don't think, I don't, it's very difficult for me

[00:42:13] [SPEAKER_00]: putting to put myself in Donald Trump's shoes.

[00:42:16] [SPEAKER_00]: But I do believe based on the consistency

[00:42:19] [SPEAKER_00]: and the volume and the repetitiveness of the attacks

[00:42:23] [SPEAKER_00]: there is he has an element of sexism and bigotry.

[00:42:27] [SPEAKER_00]: That it is a part of him.

[00:42:29] [SPEAKER_00]: And I don't know how he doesn't,

[00:42:31] [SPEAKER_00]: how he doesn't show that on stage.

[00:42:33] [SPEAKER_00]: I think the existence of Harris on that stage

[00:42:37] [SPEAKER_00]: has been upsetting to him.

[00:42:38] [SPEAKER_00]: There's been a number of media stories talking about how

[00:42:41] [SPEAKER_00]: frustrated he is about that she's the candidate now.

[00:42:44] [SPEAKER_00]: And he has done everything he can in this race

[00:42:47] [SPEAKER_00]: to diminish her standing as vice president,

[00:42:51] [SPEAKER_00]: as a human being, as a woman,

[00:42:53] [SPEAKER_00]: as her racial and ethnic background,

[00:42:57] [SPEAKER_00]: all throughout since she's become the nominee.

[00:43:00] [SPEAKER_00]: Nothing is off limits to Trump.

[00:43:02] [SPEAKER_00]: And so I think to, I have every expectation

[00:43:05] [SPEAKER_00]: it's going to get ugly.

[00:43:06] [SPEAKER_00]: And the question is how does she respond?

[00:43:08] [SPEAKER_00]: I think she's done a very good job responding

[00:43:12] [SPEAKER_00]: so far and saying, say it to my face,

[00:43:15] [SPEAKER_00]: move on, not address it, same old playbook.

[00:43:19] [SPEAKER_00]: And I think that's working and it continues to work.

[00:43:23] [SPEAKER_00]: And I want to, but she's also a human being.

[00:43:26] [SPEAKER_00]: And the question is being confronted with someone

[00:43:29] [SPEAKER_00]: who has spoken about her in such disrespectful, dishonest,

[00:43:35] [SPEAKER_00]: and disingenuous ways.

[00:43:37] [SPEAKER_00]: I think the debate could get pretty ugly.

[00:43:38] [SPEAKER_00]: And I think it's going to be a leadership test.

[00:43:41] [SPEAKER_00]: I have every confidence, I would not want to be debating her.

[00:43:45] [SPEAKER_00]: I think she's wicked smart.

[00:43:48] [SPEAKER_00]: And I think that she has, I think,

[00:43:51] [SPEAKER_00]: aside from her understanding and grasp of the issues,

[00:43:54] [SPEAKER_00]: I think she has a much more of an emotional intelligence

[00:43:57] [SPEAKER_00]: than Donald Trump.

[00:43:58] [SPEAKER_00]: And I think she can run circles around in that way.

[00:44:00] [SPEAKER_00]: And so I think that's going to be frustrating to him.

[00:44:02] [SPEAKER_00]: I also will say one last point.

[00:44:05] [SPEAKER_00]: He is the oldest candidate that a major political party

[00:44:07] [SPEAKER_00]: has nominated now.

[00:44:09] [SPEAKER_00]: And I want to be consistent.

[00:44:11] [SPEAKER_00]: And one of the points I made to you before was

[00:44:13] [SPEAKER_00]: when it was just Biden and Trump,

[00:44:15] [SPEAKER_00]: I said, if this is an election about age

[00:44:18] [SPEAKER_00]: and vigor and competency, Trump is going to look better than Biden.

[00:44:23] [SPEAKER_00]: Ain't no way Trump's going to look better than Harris on stage.

[00:44:26] [SPEAKER_01]: That's fair.

[00:44:28] [SPEAKER_01]: I am very excited.

[00:44:29] [SPEAKER_01]: We are just a couple of days away,

[00:44:31] [SPEAKER_01]: and we'll be back to recap all the goods,

[00:44:34] [SPEAKER_01]: bad and ugly that comes from that debate for sure.

[00:44:40] [SPEAKER_01]: That's right.

[00:44:41] [SPEAKER_01]: Two last things here before we wrap up.

[00:44:43] [SPEAKER_01]: Not a lot to say on this matter,

[00:44:45] [SPEAKER_01]: but I just thought it was an interesting article

[00:44:46] [SPEAKER_01]: that came across my plate.

[00:44:48] [SPEAKER_01]: Wall Street Journal piece came out this week that says,

[00:44:51] [SPEAKER_01]: titled The Minnesota Progressive Who Worries Republicans More Than Walls,

[00:44:55] [SPEAKER_01]: all about Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan,

[00:44:58] [SPEAKER_01]: who is obviously in line to take over as governor

[00:45:01] [SPEAKER_01]: if Governor Walls is elected as the vice president.

[00:45:04] [SPEAKER_01]: People call her a progressive whisperer for Walls.

[00:45:07] [SPEAKER_01]: She did famously train Walls at Camp Wallstone back in 2005

[00:45:11] [SPEAKER_01]: before he ran for Congress.

[00:45:14] [SPEAKER_01]: And there's not a whole lot of meat to this article,

[00:45:16] [SPEAKER_01]: but any thoughts?

[00:45:17] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know that I know you were supportive of Governor Walls.

[00:45:21] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know we haven't gotten real into your thoughts and take on Peggy Flanagan,

[00:45:25] [SPEAKER_01]: but do you think there is something to the progressive whisperer

[00:45:29] [SPEAKER_01]: and her progressive leanings

[00:45:31] [SPEAKER_01]: when it comes to being potentially the next governor of Minnesota?

[00:45:34] [SPEAKER_00]: There's no question that,

[00:45:35] [SPEAKER_00]: and I've said this on the podcast,

[00:45:37] [SPEAKER_00]: that I think Flanagan has helped Walls have progressive bona fides

[00:45:42] [SPEAKER_00]: because they did challenge the endorsed candidate

[00:45:44] [SPEAKER_00]: in Senator Aaron Murphy and then State Rep Aaron Mayquaid.

[00:45:49] [SPEAKER_00]: It was State Rep Murphy and State Rep.

[00:45:51] [SPEAKER_00]: Two former legislators now both currently State Senators

[00:45:54] [SPEAKER_00]: were the Democratic endorsed candidates

[00:45:57] [SPEAKER_00]: for Governor and Lieutenant Governor in 18

[00:45:58] [SPEAKER_00]: and Walls and Flanagan beat them in the primary.

[00:46:01] [SPEAKER_00]: I think that Lieutenant Governor Flanagan

[00:46:04] [SPEAKER_00]: helped Walls' progressive credentials,

[00:46:08] [SPEAKER_00]: helped build some of Walls' progressive credentials.

[00:46:11] [SPEAKER_00]: And in the first term, they were a different team

[00:46:14] [SPEAKER_00]: than they were in the second term.

[00:46:16] [SPEAKER_00]: And it's one of the things that we've discussed in the podcast

[00:46:18] [SPEAKER_00]: is that Walls did only very limitedly,

[00:46:23] [SPEAKER_00]: maybe vetoed one piece of legislation,

[00:46:25] [SPEAKER_00]: but there's been no evidence that Flanagan has,

[00:46:29] [SPEAKER_00]: that his position, he's done nothing to really slow

[00:46:32] [SPEAKER_00]: the progressive agenda in Minnesota.

[00:46:34] [SPEAKER_00]: And so I think Flanagan, if Harrison Walls win,

[00:46:39] [SPEAKER_00]: and she becomes the governor, I fully expect her to be more

[00:46:43] [SPEAKER_00]: progressive than Governor Walls was.

[00:46:46] [SPEAKER_00]: I also will say to you that I do believe

[00:46:48] [SPEAKER_00]: he will be challenged potentially by a Democrat,

[00:46:51] [SPEAKER_00]: or if not, and when she's up for re-elect,

[00:46:53] [SPEAKER_00]: and she'll be up for re-election then in 2026,

[00:46:56] [SPEAKER_00]: if she chooses to run on her own,

[00:46:58] [SPEAKER_00]: I think she'll be challenged in the DFL side.

[00:47:00] [SPEAKER_00]: And I think an entire slew of Republicans

[00:47:02] [SPEAKER_00]: are going to run for on the Republican side

[00:47:05] [SPEAKER_00]: to run against her.

[00:47:06] [SPEAKER_01]: And just to clarify, so she would fulfill the remainder

[00:47:09] [SPEAKER_01]: of Walls's term.

[00:47:11] [SPEAKER_01]: There wouldn't be a special election in there.

[00:47:12] [SPEAKER_00]: There would not be a special election.

[00:47:14] [SPEAKER_00]: She would fulfill the term.

[00:47:16] [SPEAKER_00]: And then, so then the Lieutenant Governor spot us open

[00:47:19] [SPEAKER_00]: and then Bobby Joe Champion,

[00:47:20] [SPEAKER_00]: who's the president of the Senate,

[00:47:21] [SPEAKER_00]: will become the Lieutenant Governor.

[00:47:23] [SPEAKER_01]: Got it.

[00:47:24] [SPEAKER_00]: But I think that race, then she then finishes the term.

[00:47:27] [SPEAKER_00]: Don't think there wouldn't be a special election

[00:47:29] [SPEAKER_00]: because of the succession.

[00:47:31] [SPEAKER_00]: And so what that would be though is,

[00:47:33] [SPEAKER_00]: there would be then, if she chooses to run on her own in 2026,

[00:47:37] [SPEAKER_00]: that's going to be just an absolute street fight

[00:47:39] [SPEAKER_00]: of the U.S. Senate of a race for governor.

[00:47:41] [SPEAKER_01]: I agree.

[00:47:42] [SPEAKER_01]: Absolutely.

[00:47:42] [SPEAKER_01]: I think there would be

[00:47:43] [SPEAKER_01]: Democrat up against her.

[00:47:45] [SPEAKER_01]: I think some strong Republicans would come out.

[00:47:46] [SPEAKER_01]: It will be fun to watch.

[00:47:48] [SPEAKER_01]: And once we know what happens in November

[00:47:49] [SPEAKER_01]: on the presidential level,

[00:47:51] [SPEAKER_01]: we'll certainly have more conversations

[00:47:53] [SPEAKER_01]: about what this looks like for Minnesota's governor.

[00:47:56] [SPEAKER_00]: Yes.

[00:47:57] [SPEAKER_00]: And by the way, I just will say this

[00:47:59] [SPEAKER_00]: on the presidential race and closing.

[00:48:01] [SPEAKER_00]: Everyone keeps asking me my take

[00:48:02] [SPEAKER_00]: and I've been saying this every day.

[00:48:05] [SPEAKER_00]: It's a flip of a coin.

[00:48:06] [SPEAKER_00]: I don't think it's going to change until then.

[00:48:09] [SPEAKER_00]: I think there may be a day where someone's up a few,

[00:48:11] [SPEAKER_00]: but I'm going to just keep telling people

[00:48:12] [SPEAKER_00]: it's a flip of a coin until election day.

[00:48:15] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't disagree.

[00:48:16] [SPEAKER_01]: And we, as we see polls come out in all the battleground

[00:48:20] [SPEAKER_01]: states, we see them back and forth.

[00:48:22] [SPEAKER_01]: Harris is up in two, Trump's up in two,

[00:48:24] [SPEAKER_01]: they're tied into you.

[00:48:25] [SPEAKER_01]: And then it flips.

[00:48:28] [SPEAKER_01]: The only thing really is this debate,

[00:48:30] [SPEAKER_01]: if there's going to be any significant impact

[00:48:33] [SPEAKER_01]: that the debate has in years past, it doesn't.

[00:48:36] [SPEAKER_01]: But we've seen wild and crazy things come out of debates

[00:48:39] [SPEAKER_01]: for moments that can make or break campaigns.

[00:48:42] [SPEAKER_00]: I have something on that, but we will discuss it after.

[00:48:45] [SPEAKER_01]: All right.

[00:48:46] [SPEAKER_01]: Interesting.

[00:48:47] [SPEAKER_01]: Before we wrap up, Michael, football season starts on Thursday.

[00:48:50] [SPEAKER_00]: Yes.

[00:48:52] [SPEAKER_00]: Have you joined the right league?

[00:48:53] [SPEAKER_01]: I joined the right league.

[00:48:55] [SPEAKER_01]: I made all of my 16 picks.

[00:48:56] [SPEAKER_01]: I did not only pick six.

[00:48:58] [SPEAKER_01]: I am ready to come in.

[00:48:59] [SPEAKER_01]: What?

[00:49:01] [SPEAKER_00]: You only had to pick eight.

[00:49:02] [SPEAKER_01]: I'm rolling me off here.

[00:49:04] [SPEAKER_01]: I picked all of them.

[00:49:06] [SPEAKER_01]: And we are inviting listeners to join our Pickham's League as well.

[00:49:10] [SPEAKER_00]: Yes.

[00:49:11] [SPEAKER_00]: So the breakdown with Brock Rambic,

[00:49:13] [SPEAKER_00]: I sent it out on social media, you have a Pickham League.

[00:49:15] [SPEAKER_00]: You have to pick 16 teams, 16 teams each week.

[00:49:18] [SPEAKER_00]: Everyone can join according to my sources, based on a check.

[00:49:22] [SPEAKER_00]: A member of my house just joined the league.

[00:49:24] [SPEAKER_00]: And so we'll see, let me just confirm that it's still there.

[00:49:28] [SPEAKER_00]: I believe that it's still up.

[00:49:30] [SPEAKER_00]: Yes, I believe a member of my family did join the Pickham.

[00:49:36] [SPEAKER_00]: And let me just confirm.

[00:49:39] [SPEAKER_01]: You can visit BB Breakpod on Twitter or on Find Our,

[00:49:44] [SPEAKER_01]: find this link to go sign up and join us

[00:49:46] [SPEAKER_01]: and have breaking points and help me take down Michael Brogdkorp.

[00:49:51] [SPEAKER_00]: Can you, do you see what her name is?

[00:49:53] [SPEAKER_01]: Oh no, I'm not looking at it right now.

[00:49:55] [SPEAKER_00]: My wife joined the league.

[00:49:56] [SPEAKER_00]: Do you know what the name of her team is?

[00:49:57] [SPEAKER_01]: No, what is it?

[00:49:59] [SPEAKER_00]: Beano.

[00:50:00] [SPEAKER_00]: Broadcorp and name only.

[00:50:02] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, come on.

[00:50:04] [SPEAKER_01]: That's fantastic.

[00:50:06] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh my goodness.

[00:50:07] [SPEAKER_01]: That's so good.

[00:50:08] [SPEAKER_01]: That's so good.

[00:50:09] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, come on.

[00:50:11] [SPEAKER_01]: So proud of her.

[00:50:11] [SPEAKER_00]: That's a troll because what do people call Republicans like me?

[00:50:16] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

[00:50:17] [SPEAKER_00]: Republicans and name.

[00:50:18] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I know.

[00:50:18] [SPEAKER_00]: That's so again, it's a Pickham League every week.

[00:50:21] [SPEAKER_00]: Just pick the teams.

[00:50:23] [SPEAKER_00]: And Becky, I'm a little confused on the archives.

[00:50:25] [SPEAKER_00]: Who won last year?

[00:50:27] [SPEAKER_01]: Yes, you won.

[00:50:28] [SPEAKER_01]: And for full disclosure, it's because the first week,

[00:50:31] [SPEAKER_01]: it only allowed me to pick six of the 16.

[00:50:34] [SPEAKER_01]: So trial, nickel error.

[00:50:36] [SPEAKER_00]: Yes.

[00:50:37] [SPEAKER_00]: Guess what?

[00:50:37] [SPEAKER_00]: When you show up to a football game,

[00:50:39] [SPEAKER_00]: when you show up to a football game and you don't tie your laces,

[00:50:41] [SPEAKER_00]: you don't get a do-over, okay?

[00:50:43] [SPEAKER_00]: I won.

[00:50:43] [SPEAKER_00]: All right.

[00:50:43] [SPEAKER_01]: All right.

[00:50:44] [SPEAKER_01]: Well, I'm coming for it this year.

[00:50:48] [SPEAKER_01]: Also a fun upcoming thing we have.

[00:50:50] [SPEAKER_01]: MinPost Festival again, break down with Broadcorp and Becky

[00:50:53] [SPEAKER_01]: are going to be doing a live in-person podcast episode on Saturday, September 28th.

[00:51:00] [SPEAKER_01]: We are excited to be joined by former Senator Michelle Benson and John Rubo.

[00:51:05] [SPEAKER_01]: We are our title is Turning the Tide,

[00:51:08] [SPEAKER_01]: Reviving the Republican Vision in Minnesota.

[00:51:10] [SPEAKER_01]: So we are going to have a great conversation.

[00:51:13] [SPEAKER_01]: You can visit minpost.com slash festival and use a promo code that is better,

[00:51:18] [SPEAKER_01]: a better deal than what we pitched the last two weeks.

[00:51:21] [SPEAKER_01]: Use the word breakdown one word.

[00:51:23] [SPEAKER_01]: And you can get your passes for $30, which is a 40% discount.

[00:51:27] [SPEAKER_01]: So be again, minpost.com slash festival, promo code breakdown.

[00:51:32] [SPEAKER_01]: We will put it on our socials and we hope to see you there.

[00:51:35] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm so excited.

[00:51:36] [SPEAKER_00]: Becky, thanks for doing this and good luck in the football league this week.

[00:51:40] [SPEAKER_00]: I'll do my best.

[00:51:41] [SPEAKER_00]: Just give me a call.

[00:51:42] [SPEAKER_00]: I want to thank everyone for listening to the Breakdown with Broadcorp and Becky

[00:51:45] [SPEAKER_00]: before we go show some love for your favorite podcast

[00:51:47] [SPEAKER_00]: by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or the platform where you listen.

[00:51:52] [SPEAKER_00]: You can also give us a shout out across all social media platforms

[00:51:56] [SPEAKER_00]: and our website at BB Breakpod.

[00:51:59] [SPEAKER_00]: The Breakdown with Broadcorp and Becky will return next week.

[00:52:03] [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you so much for joining us.

[00:52:04] [SPEAKER_01]: Bye.