A break down on Walz for VP and the energized Democratic Party

[00:00:00] Welcome to The Break Down with Brodkorb and Becky, a weekly podcast that breaks down politics, policy and current affairs. I'm Becky Scherr. And I'm Michael Brodkorb. We are continuing on with our coverage of the ever-revolving presidential campaign. This

[00:00:24] week we are going to stay on the left side of the aisle as we break down all things Kamala Harris and her pending running. We are going to kick off the show with Will Davis to discuss the chatter around Minnesota governance involved being on the shortlist. Will is

[00:00:36] a political consultant with ARC initiatives, a firm based in Washington, D.C., that satisfies his ability to manage and organize public affairs and political campaigns with deep knowledge of the issue and with the know-how to how to bend it steeply as possible to achieve results.

[00:00:51] Will previously served as the research director for the Minnesota DFL and joined the podcast when we did a crossover episode with the DFL debrief in early 2023. We are excited to chat with Will to break down Walz's chances in the beepsticks. We will get into what

[00:01:05] makes Walz attractive to the Harris campaign and how a former teacher from Minnesota could play on the national stage. And then you're in for a treat. Today's show brings a rare double interview. After we chat with Will about Will's, we will be joined by Senator

[00:01:19] Aaron McQuade who represents Senate District 56. The senator joined us just a little over a year ago and we are excited to have her back as well. With Senator Aaron McQuade, we will discuss the overall enthusiasm search within the Democratic Party. We will

[00:01:33] break down the musical chairs. The nominee has already invigorated the party and what that may mean up in the mood line. We will be back this week to get into Translator to Minnesota over the weekend on some of the camps we are seeing. Thanks

[00:01:46] for joining us and enjoy the show. We are excited to welcome Will Davis back to the episode. And today, we are focused on all things Governor Walz. Now, Will you spent a good number of years just short of a decade with the Minnesota DFL?

[00:02:01] You've seen Governor Walz went from congressman Walz to governor Walz. We are now hearing and speculated on the short list and potentially a short list of five or maybe even a short list of three potential running mates for Kamala Harris and the Democratic ticket. Tell us

[00:02:18] your take on this. What are you hearing? What are you feeling? You love Governor Walz, right? Are we excited about this prospect? Of course. And this is actually something I've been making the case for around the DFL bubble anyway. Actually, if you go back

[00:02:33] about a week and a half, Bavata had gambling odds for who would be the VP. At that point, Walz was plus 500. And I would say within a week that has shot up to he was one number one

[00:02:48] or two on that list with the best odds. And I was telling people back then that you should put money on that. That's actually a very good bet. Because I think when

[00:02:58] you break it down, even one by one with the other candidates, I think he offers the best argument across the board on all the different box checks that they're looking for. I really think

[00:03:10] he's really a great candidate for this. And so we see a lot, we were talking on their last week's episode about how some of these other names that are being floated around. We have Pennsylvania,

[00:03:23] we have Arizona, we have Michigan, although we know that she's now chairing the campaign. So we know that those are in top battleground states that bring something to the political map that Minnesota doesn't necessarily, though the Trump campaign has said that Minnesota is

[00:03:40] you know, in their top tiered states this time around. What would you say to those saying that Governor Wells doesn't bring enough to the table when it comes to an electoral college benefit as somebody like Shapiro or Kelly does?

[00:03:53] Sure. I think you can look at it as there's seven different pieces and one of those pieces is what they bring to the table, as far as the electoral college. And Mark Kelly being in Arizona

[00:04:05] obviously is a selling point, but also Mark Kelly represents a very difficult Democrat one Senate seat. And while we would have it for two more years, I don't think anyone has the

[00:04:17] interest in fighting that fight all over again. We got lucky, we went up against Kerry Lake and that was tough enough. And I think Mark Kelly's done a great job and is a great candidate.

[00:04:27] He's an astronaut, but I think that is just and if you remember when Joe Biden became president, he US senators in the cabinet was off the tape, not an option. And that is,

[00:04:39] I think that's going to be the working case again. It's just a really difficult fight to make. I think Shapiro, I think is the only other one in regards to walls and it makes that argument.

[00:04:50] Obviously Pennsylvania is a big place, but I don't think I think Minnesota is obviously we've been dominating for the last decade. But I think Minnesota is a lot more purple than I think people realize. And I think that's not because of the Republicans and the Republicans

[00:05:06] really think that they're making inroads. But as far as I see it, Donald Trump has not made any improvements upon Republican candidates in the past where he almost won in 16 was due to third party.

[00:05:18] I think the presidential election in Minnesota goes with how Democrats feel about the put that top of the ticket. Obviously there was a real enthusiasm gap in 16 for us and the third party candidates got a record number of votes. And I will say the last few months have

[00:05:36] been pretty dark around DFL bubble. I think we all saw what happened election or on the debate. And I think just generally, we just were not seeing a lot of enthusiasm rightly or wrongly.

[00:05:48] I don't think that's an indictment on Joe Biden. I think people picked him in the first place because they thought he could beat Trump. And I think they were not going with Biden

[00:05:59] because they didn't think it. I think Kamala Harris is someone that they are fired up about. And I think Tim Walz does nothing to hurt that. And I think he brings with him a story of Minnesota

[00:06:11] that will be a huge weapon on the campaign trail. Will give make the case from your perspective, going through bullets, going through your points, why you think Walz is hands down the best pick

[00:06:24] for VP? George Soros sent me some talking points here. So let me go through them. Oh, I'm absolutely sure he did. That was on mute, but I got a good. That was fantastic. No, but for real. Okay. So I'm going to go through the seven biggest considerations,

[00:06:38] I think, and I'll tell you why he checks all these boxes that are these seven points less than the 13 keys of the presidency because I've been reading the 13 keys that I've been reading that for years, but I just keep going. Your seven points. Go ahead.

[00:06:51] My seven points obviously has a lot more sway in mind than that book. But I think, obviously you could just start off male versus female. All female tickets just not going to happen right now. I think rightly or wrongly, I don't think the public is ready for that.

[00:07:05] We have a hard, we had a hard enough time because Hillary was a woman in 16, quite frankly. I think there was a lot of attention on things that were irrelevant when it comes to her looks

[00:07:16] and those kinds of things. And having that, I just think that's going to be a tough sell. And I just think politically that they just don't want to have to fight that fight. I think Midwest versus coast. So when we talk about Gavin Newsom and we talk about

[00:07:31] some of these folks on the East Coast, I just, I think they want to have a balanced ticket. And I actually, Roy Cooper is another one. And while you don't think of North Carolina as a

[00:07:41] coast, it also isn't very Midwest. And there's so many, so much in the Midwest that we need to hold on to. And I think Tim Walsh is better at that than almost any of those folks.

[00:07:51] You talk about experience, he's got congressional and executive experience. He knows how to navigate in DC. He knows how to help run a state. I think Mark Kelly doesn't have that, should appear as

[00:08:01] a hat. There's a, that's kind of a unique one amongst the list of folks. I think story in background is a big one. I think whether you like it or not, he's got a great

[00:08:11] bio. He's from small town America. He is a teacher, a high school teacher, a high school football coach. We all know all of it, National Guard, all that stuff. And it's a great story.

[00:08:22] And I think that's very sellable. The other part about experience is, or the story is what isn't in his story. There's very little oppo as you folks know, and this last election,

[00:08:37] there wasn't a whole lot to pull out. He doesn't have skeletons in the closet. There's no bad stuff. There's no issues with unions, with labor. There's no issues in the environment. It's just

[00:08:49] very, all of it is very, he handles it all well. There's no deep dark oppo stuff. It just doesn't exist. He's just is who he is. How they do on TV obviously is a big thing. You can go

[00:08:59] on TV and have take a couple sips of your water at weird times or whatever. Bobby Jindal did back in the day and ruin it. We've all seen this last weekend. He goes on TV and he crushes it.

[00:09:09] He's always on message. He's funny. He's charming. And he looks in the eye and he tells you what he thinks. I think, like I was saying earlier, the victories he's had here in Minnesota. School lunches, all the stuff we talk about, gun control efforts, I think paid family,

[00:09:23] medical leave. He signed all these bills that to a person if you just talk, pull on those issues one by one and not label them as Democrat or Republican. All that stuff pulls great.

[00:09:34] And it's all stuff that our party, our voters of our party have been wanting for years but find largely sometimes they find Democrats, they don't come through with stuff that they promise

[00:09:46] Tim Wall has. And he also I will say he'll be the first to tell you he didn't do it by himself. Obviously the less legislature played a huge role. But again, that shows how he's

[00:09:56] able to work with them and to get navigate those waters. And I think, and again what we talked about as far as states, I think having Minnesota is not, it's not like he's from California. California

[00:10:06] is not really a huge pickup, right? That's where Kamala might be lacking. She's from California. It's not going to be a battleground state. And while Minnesota isn't a huge battleground state, it's also it's not off the table either. Trump's been here for a reason.

[00:10:20] So Becky, well you, you got to respond. I love to play. I got to poke a little bit, right? I got to play devil's advocate a little bit. I'm sitting back. I'm sitting back begging.

[00:10:30] Don't you can feel free to defend. I know this is your gubernatorial candidate of choice as well. Feel free to jump in if you need to. There was an article over the weekend that did say it was

[00:10:39] National Reviews so take it for what it's worth but it did say Harris VP shortlist or come with loaded with baggage and it does go into some of Wall's maybe being more liberal in the

[00:10:48] government mansion than he was on the campaign trail or in Congress. It talks about the feeding the future scandal and some other things that we've seen under the walls of administration now. I even as a diehard Republican, I sometimes like to be know that while the buck

[00:11:02] stops at walls it's not ultimately walls in all of this but what do you say to some of those? I know I was also just seeing a representative Harry Niska did a big tweet over the weekend

[00:11:12] that got a lot of response saying he is claiming to be for freedom while he sees more and more government control came to be for one Minnesota while he divides and insults.

[00:11:22] What do you say to some of those folks? Maybe some of those folks in the middle who are we talk a lot about the double haters who don't really like Biden, don't really like Trump now

[00:11:31] maybe are going to be over. Do you think that Wall's helps with some of those folks that are maybe a little bit skeptical of Kamala Harris and what do you think about some of these

[00:11:41] articles or elected officials claiming that he is not all he's cracked up to be and does have more baggage than on its face? Yeah, I think when they for instance when they say he's too liberal

[00:11:54] he's plenty of there's a lot of absurd accusations out there as far as that goes but I think that goes back to what I was saying about his the victories here. If they're calling them too liberal it's because of the bills that were passed and

[00:12:08] those are popular. Those are all popular bills whether some folks like to admit it or not, paid family leave is popular. Yes, you can that can be called socialism which I find absurd it's

[00:12:19] taking care of people but when people are going to jump on that school lunches all that stuff if that is well I think he said it if that makes him a monster and too liberal then go ahead and

[00:12:28] call it because those things are actually popular I think amongst the population. I think people get fed up when they expect something like that and it doesn't come through and it's the same old

[00:12:38] politics and Minnesota has just changed. Minnesota and Michigan quite frankly have been the two most progressive states and both have been popular so as far as that goes I don't I really I think

[00:12:49] he'd welcome that fight. I think back to Mark Dayton when he ran on a platform of raising taxes and then he did raise taxes and he won and if people know it's going to the right

[00:13:01] things and the things they want they generally agree with it and they're okay with it. As far as some of the other stuff everyone has there's going to be attacks on every single candidate

[00:13:12] fair or not I think like you said the feeder our future stuff the all of that stuff that is going to come with the territory with being an executive of a state I think that's you can't and okay

[00:13:25] what I hate is folks in my position and I'm watching right now and they come on and they give really canned responses and it's always a few things that's bad look at the other guy

[00:13:36] but I will say when you're looking at talking about a presidential ticket that's really all it comes down to. Folks are going to sit there and they're going to look at Donald Trump and

[00:13:45] JD Vance and they're going to look at Tim Walls and Kamala Harris and they're going to say what feels better what feels safer and maybe there were things that aren't perfect in Minnesota

[00:13:54] but I think by and large people aren't going to blame our governor for all of those things as and I think the stuff that comes with him is stuff that's very popular. I hate to sound like

[00:14:06] a canned talking point live but I really believe that I just think when it he's let it it's safer it's what people want and I think voters by and large they want the government to just run

[00:14:17] without having to worry about it and I think here in Minnesota that's happened and people are happy with it. I think with Donald Trump it's chaos every other day and people get sick

[00:14:27] that I got dance around it good enough okay. No, I thought you did a great in responding to Becky's attacks. I thought you did a great job in responding to her attacks and I'm really sorry

[00:14:37] that happened. I'm really sorry that happened. I knew that she was loaded for bear and I'm really sorry that happened. And so if I can I will say and this is this conversation

[00:14:49] I've been so excited for a couple reasons number one because of the conversations I've had with Becky on this. Becky has been I she has prepped I've been more prepped for this because of the podcast

[00:15:00] than I ever had before because she's been very consistent about this and we've had really good discussions about this. Becky correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think you can. We

[00:15:09] discussed the possibility of this well over a year ago and I made the case that walls would be a good VP pick. So I've been on this long before will decided to join this band fan wagon.

[00:15:21] I've been talking about this for quite some time a couple and let me give you my take why I think he's like why he thinks I think he's a good fit. I fundamentally believe he's the

[00:15:30] perfect pick. I love astronauts I've come to that realization I may have a little bit of a crush on anyone who's ever been an astronaut. I mean that in the most respectful and

[00:15:40] platonic way but astronauts I think I just would always love to be an astronaut. So my initial reaction was to say astronaut he's got to be to the front of the list but the more I look at this

[00:15:52] the more I think walls is a great pick and a couple reasons why. I'll talk just about me for a second. I consider myself to be a homeless Republican someone who doesn't have really have

[00:16:04] a who's more predisposed to vote Republican and I certainly have over the years much more voted for Republicans and Democrats but I voted split ticket and I think what makes walls look reasonable what's made walls look so reasonable has been in some ways the Republican candidates that

[00:16:20] he's faced and the opposition that he's faced. He's been able to stake out I think a couple things I think he's staked out he went first of all walls is a winner. He's won every time

[00:16:31] he's ran for office he's been successful very successful at that. He obviously politics is about timing he challenged in a common congressman in the first congressional district was able to win in that race in very tough circumstances when he faced reelection and other opportunities. He

[00:16:49] won a district that Republicans had won for president over the years so walls has an ability to win. Now let me say a couple things I do not believe that there's any evidence that shows

[00:17:04] that people directly vote for president based on who the VP is. I do believe that it plays us that it helps complete the picture. Let me give you a perfect example. I think the reason why Dick

[00:17:16] Cheney was picked in 2000 was to help out George W. Bush. I think that there was a belief that he was that George W. Bush was a little was there was a credibility gap and I think

[00:17:29] that one of the advantages of having Cheney on the ticket was that he that there was an essence it communicated that there was at least an adult in the room in some ways and I say that as someone

[00:17:41] who's a big fan of 43 and if Dick Cheney were to announce he would running for president I would quit all my jobs and I would door knock for till my knuckles bled because I'm such a

[00:17:52] fan of Dick Cheney but I think he stabilized I'm sorry your mic is muted but I wasn't going to let you speak up anyways and so Cheney is I think a good example of how the VP can

[00:18:02] compliment the ticket and how it can help support the ticket in some way. So what do I think walls walls does? I think walls helps stabilize some concerns about some about issues that people might have with common with excuse me with the vice president Harris

[00:18:19] on some of her issues on some of where she stands I think she compliments the ticket and I think it brings there's I think gender balance is important. I do wish

[00:18:30] I think it's I agree with you and I think we've discussed this before I do wish we were at a point in this country where it wouldn't be an issue if there were two women running on the

[00:18:41] ticket but it's just the reality of where we're at I think and I think there'd be pluses and minuses in adding Gretchen Whitmer or another female as a running mate but I'm a big

[00:18:53] advocate of there being balance on the ticket I think it's a mistake that the Trump campaign made in picking JD Vance who I'm now calling just disastrous Vance as what JD stands for. I've

[00:19:05] also been using DJ Vance is on the flip side but I'm going to start going with just disastrous to refer to Vance and so I think walls brings that in. I think walls also has

[00:19:16] an ability to communicate issues in a way that connects with people and I think he has the story that's been told the narrative of walls' background I think is a compelling narrative

[00:19:31] that I think brings a lot of energy and enthusiasm. He also I think is aided by the fact and this I think is very interesting and this is where I think Democrats do a better job than

[00:19:43] Republicans. When Tim Palenti ran for governor and ran for president in 2012 he was challenged by Michelle Bachman. There were two Minnesotans running at the same time. Republicans I don't think did a good job of supporting Tim Palenti when he ran for president and what's so amazing I think

[00:20:00] is how unified the Democratic Party is in this state to walls in essence being the VP pick. The Democrats I think do such a better job of supporting their candidates boosting their candidates and supporting them in this discussion and I think as someone who was talking

[00:20:17] about this hypothetical scenario a year or so ago if not longer about the credibility as walls as a nation as a ticket as someone who could be on a national ticket I the more I see an

[00:20:29] Allison just in discussion the more I think walls is near that should be near the top of the list if not the top pick that should be considered right now. I think he's that strong

[00:20:40] of a candidate to do this and I think one of the undervalued reasons is he has both executive experience and legislative experience working in Congress. Now the vice president does she served in the Senate but there is a lot of executive and legislative experience between the both of

[00:20:58] them and I think that makes for a real powerful ticket. If I can add one more thing that I add to that and something I said earlier all of those legislative wins were with a one seat

[00:21:09] Senate majority. Think about all the difficulty we've had passing laws because of one seat in the Senate or two seats in the Senate. The Joe Mansions of the world are the Kirsten Sinema's right. Tim Walls has also navigated those waters and has come out successfully. I think

[00:21:26] that's a huge selling point. So I completely agree on it. No I agree on a lot of things. Take out that completely. I do believe that for this ticket having a strong stable voice somebody

[00:21:38] who people can look at and think that this is going to be that this presidency under a Harris ticket would have some more stability to it. I do think that she's in the show.

[00:21:51] Let's end the show right there. Thank you guys both for coming on. It was great to have you on and the breakdown with Rebecca. I personally think that person though

[00:22:00] is Senator Kelly from Arizona. I do think he brings a little bit more to the electoral map or to the electoral calculation on the Harris side. I think that he has a lot of the similar makings of

[00:22:11] the governor walls and he has that ability to come in and give people a little reassurance that they might be feeling a little skeptical about a president Kamala Harris. And so I do I understand

[00:22:23] I what you guys are saying I just needed on the record that I do think that Senator Kelly is the top pick and that I expect to see it go down. Michael you and then I have a question.

[00:22:34] I was going to ask you about the discussion and I think we've had it before about Harris picking a female. Can I get your perspective because we've touched on that

[00:22:44] before Becky your take on that. Yeah I think I tend to agree with you. I think it's a lot. I think there are still a lot of people in the world both sides of the aisle

[00:22:55] of a variety of genders who don't believe that two women that it's the strongest ticket that it's the strongest maybe emotionally stable. I think there's a lot of people that still look at women

[00:23:06] in elected office and have all sorts of preconceived notions of what it means for one to leave if they're able to do so without crying if they're able to do so at certain times of the month.

[00:23:16] That's crazy what really comes into conversation when we're looking at women leaders in this world that all you know in corporate America and political America and everything in between and I just really truly don't see it. I think that there are some folks in this world that

[00:23:34] Democrats in this case that would maybe be hesitant and casting their ballot to call on Harris. I do think it's less than then maybe the press and folks want us to believe. I do think

[00:23:44] we're ready for a woman president. I do think that is capable of that women are capable of having that and men and women alike are capable of casting their ballots to have the most amount of votes

[00:23:55] go towards a woman. So I don't think that means a woman at the top of the ticket by any means says we're going to have millions of folks stay home not cast their ballot because it's a woman.

[00:24:05] But I do think I like balance on every ticket. I like a man-woman ticket. I like different rural city. I like if we can have different diversities of religion or ethnicity. I think

[00:24:16] that all sorts of diverse just in this is something we're striving for in corporate boardrooms. We should think that this is having somebody on these tickets that folks of different backgrounds

[00:24:27] can relate to is the top key. Right. So like you guys have talked about we have West Coast. We have Minnesota. We have a prosecutor. We have a teacher. I mean having that balance and having

[00:24:37] something that voters can really pick out from one of the candidates that they relate to or something of that I think is is instrumental. To be perfectly honest while I do think that Trump

[00:24:47] still in my mind we can chat about another time I do think Trump still comes out on top. It is disappointing to me that I don't feel like we have that diversity on the ticket

[00:24:57] for the Republicans. Yeah. Trump and JD Vance that anyone opposing them is going to be in a slug fight. It's going to be a personal attacks. It's going to be vicious. Actually by the way do

[00:25:13] you both think Vance is going to get through this or Trump is going to drop on pick somebody. I think that's on the table by the way. We were just talking about that at lunch. I don't know that

[00:25:22] Trump has. I don't know that his ego would allow him to admit that he was wrong about this choice. I think that at the end of the day again not being the biggest Trump supporter here

[00:25:33] I think that he's always willing to fall back on the election was stolen from me if he loses versus saying I made a mistake. This isn't the heir apparent to the MAGA future and

[00:25:43] I can't see him changing his mind. I don't think he changes but I do think there's a lot of substantive buyer's remorse. I think there's a lot of substantive buyer's remorse.

[00:25:53] Again I'm not a Trump supporter and I've gone on the record stating that I'm not a fan of JD Vance. I think Becky's summed it up that I think that only because he would allow but I think

[00:26:04] just looking at the numbers he's potentially the worst pick since Ryan Leaf. That's a good one. Also what does Ohio bring the Republican Party? If you're looking at that calculation what what a pick brings to the ticket as far as electorally Ohio doesn't really do

[00:26:22] a whole lot. I think Ohio is more red than Minnesota is blue in a lot of ways. Yes and I have to say I feel really bad for saying that about Ryan Leaf now that I said that I feel

[00:26:33] really bad about saying that because he doesn't deserve that. JD Vance does but not Ryan Leaf. Ryan Leaf does. Check out his one. I do think we're going to go into later this week.

[00:26:43] Tune back in I think we'll get into the I think Michael and I both are a little fired up as millions of folks across the country about the childless cat ladies comments in

[00:26:52] particular and so we got lots to say there for sure. That's so strange. I think the other thing is he was talking about taxing. Yeah it's weird. That's a great term that that gut walls use.

[00:27:05] That's doing opposition research on some of your folks for eight years. Weird is a really good way to describe it. I think the landscape has changed so much and what is allowed now and what

[00:27:18] isn't allowed has changed so much in just eight years and I think JD Vance and Donald Trump exemplify that in every single way. They are I remember in 2016 or I guess it was 2018 when Jeff Johnson

[00:27:34] was running for governor. I remember we used a hit Jeff Johnson was related was affiliated with the tea party. That was like that was one of the hits that the tea party was so extreme that it scared people

[00:27:47] away like the tea party he made break that's nothing that is not even on the scope of what is extreme anymore in the Republican Party and now you just look at those guys it's just it's

[00:27:58] bizarre it's crazy and it's chaos and I just don't think people want it and on top of that they're vicious and Kamala Harris vice president Harris is going to need someone who can handle those punches and Tim Walz has shown last governor's race was a vicious fight too

[00:28:16] and he handled it great and it's going to be that kind of thing all over again. Yeah so a little context for anybody not aware governor walls over the weekend and an interview

[00:28:28] with Jake Tapper commented on the Trump ban stick it being weird something that then the DGA pushed out and the Harris campaign started using as well and it does seem to be playing and pretty well

[00:28:39] but it's something that governor walls was a little bit of a leader on this weekend and getting some recognition for that. I do want one wrapping up here shortly but as we talked about the

[00:28:47] electoral map and we know some of these key states that are in play and the blue wall up here right so do you think that while it's not an Arizona and an impact in the state itself

[00:28:58] could Minnesota help take change over or help impact Wisconsin Michigan could you do see that walls really plays in some of these other Midwestern states and can pull those over the finish line?

[00:29:11] Yeah I do I think if you look at Minnesota I think those other states reflect what we see here what I was saying earlier if we are offering something that people want they are going to show

[00:29:22] up. I have one thing I've learned at the DFL is that we have to offer them something and if they don't if they don't feel like we're offering anything they're not going to show up if we do

[00:29:34] they will and I think he is I was I tweeted about this I think he has he's going to have this huge mallet of this is what we do when you give us control of trifecta more or less the Gov

[00:29:48] House the Senate and when we have this power we can do these good things for you and I think Wisconsin is going to look at that and I think Michigan they're experiencing the same thing over

[00:29:57] in Michigan there's been a lot of progressive policy paths and I think he will bring that even if he doesn't if you don't know who he is he can talk about it with the best of them

[00:30:08] and promote it and I think that is going to win voters over in all those states and he knows how to talk to talk to it talk about it to people that live in the almost states and to that point

[00:30:19] that's where I think that even though walls is not an astronaut and as I've discussed my affinity for astronauts I do think regionally I think walls going to those blue walls states might give

[00:30:32] him an advantage being that he's a part of Minnesota he's the governor of Minnesota where I think something that a Kelly may not be able to I think that might be given advantage to walls

[00:30:43] I don't want to say it's necessarily a knock against Kelly because astronauts can speak all around the world but I think that walls might have some advantages just being a governor from that area yeah yeah we've received a ton of attention nationwide for what we've done

[00:30:58] and I think it's I think people know about it yeah thank you Michael I'm number one we we've received a ton of attention people know what's going on here and they want I think people

[00:31:09] are gonna want to have a taste of that um yeah and we're less weird also and just to close things up so we there's only a finite number of days before the DNC convention we know there's still some

[00:31:24] questionability between the august 7th deadline in Ohio and for ballot access and what that looks like if you were a betting man when do you expect that we would see or hear who the ultimate choice

[00:31:37] is for to join the Harris ticket I think it's gotta be in the next couple weeks if I had money I would put it on in the next couple weeks I think people are already starting to take off of

[00:31:48] consideration right I think there was a report that it's basically down to three folks now I think it was Shapiro Kelly and Walls and I think that is that says something right they're narrowing

[00:32:01] the field and they're gonna give whoever the two the opportunity to drop out on their own accord before they pick somebody over them and I think that's gonna they gotta give them a little bit

[00:32:11] of time to do those things and I think it's gonna happen shortly we appreciate you being with us today I have one question I want to ask in closing non-political the Olympics are on

[00:32:21] are you watching and what's yours what is your sport before you answer I'm gonna guess it's modern pentathlon that's the sport I think you're watching probably the most but do you watch the

[00:32:32] Olympics no I don't I'm gonna watch basketball just doesn't do it for me and that's coming from a two-time DFL Olympic winner right here all around champions so obviously I'm a peak athlete

[00:32:43] what gold medal is that that's DFL Olympics DFL office Olympics I have two time winner now they're gonna have a final new champion this time I have I won a gold medal for what I won a book

[00:32:54] award so I am technically a gold medalist winner so just like Michael Jordan and others Carl Lewis I'm a gold medal winner Becky are you watching I want to ask this a both our guests but I'm

[00:33:06] curious are you watching the Olympics of course America yeah swimming I love swimming obviously gymnastics but yeah swimming I grew up in competitive swimming and it's fun always from the watch I didn't know that Will thank you for joining us today yeah absolutely and one thing I wanted

[00:33:25] to mention is Becky I don't know if you know this but Michael and I go way back to doing radio together at least 10 years if not more before I was at the DFL I was at the flamethrower

[00:33:36] am 950 radio the progressive talk and this is a you'll enjoy this we once I hosted I co-hosted I filled in for the morning show for a whole week myself and Aaron Rupar who you all might know

[00:33:48] from Twitter yep Michael joined us for an entire episode and we roasted him for the whole morning it was great it was a lot of fun wow he's always like to go into the belly of the beast good job

[00:33:59] Michael that's right our boss hated it when we had him on to this I wasn't gonna bring that up but I was hoping you'd add that for flavor I have a distinct memory of hearing her march across

[00:34:11] the floor like very aggressively to come yell at him yeah that happens a lot wherever I go yeah but you've been a great friend Michael I appreciate it I appreciate you being on thanks

[00:34:22] for doing this Becky we just spoke with Will Davis to talk about why Tim Walls would make a fantastic VP pick your take Willem battled it out a little bit over the last decade or so

[00:34:36] in our respective position but he's a great interview it was really great to get his take from all of his experience working at the DFL working obviously with and on behalf of the Walls campaign at different various levels whether for commerce or governor and obviously supporting

[00:34:51] his efforts in the governor's office so great to get his insight love hearing from him in his new position and yeah I think for all purposes of what we're seeing in reading the Walls is

[00:35:03] certainly in the mix like you said he should certainly be in that tap-free spot I was a little skeptical when we did our interview last week I thought he was probably more down the five

[00:35:13] six seven on that list but it does appear that he's certainly really in the running for being one of the three maybe picks for this position while I didn't express that I do believe it's going to be

[00:35:24] coming with a choice and I know Kelly from Arizona I do see the perks you guys stop for the Harris campaign not that it's going to win me over and get me to vote

[00:35:34] for a Harris Walls ticket but there is certainly you know his background teacher veteran he's got the congressional and the executive experience what we the democrats have some issues up here along the blue wall we see all of these different things that walls and his candidacy

[00:35:52] could bring along with it certainly balances out on Kamala Harris but I do think Walls has some baggage I do think there is a little bit more to him that he doesn't necessarily maybe

[00:36:03] get dinged on as much and he's had some troubles in his few years here as governor with both with some scandals but also with the trifecta and some of these more liberal policies that they pushed

[00:36:15] around and if he is the choice and republicans can capitalize on some of that I don't know that he would be able to pull over a Wisconsin and Michigan to be blue states for them

[00:36:25] but he's certainly like you've expressed and well as well he's got a good resume and a good story to be in the mix for sure I think you're making good points for you for your side

[00:36:36] I would also say to you that I think one of the things I would say to you the what I have seen out of walls since Harris has ascended to being the nominee

[00:36:49] I think is another advantage that Walls has right now I think that he has been out there on national tv communicating on behalf of Harris and the entire effort right now

[00:37:04] that I think he has really showed that he could handle the press scrutiny and that he can handle national interviews and communicating and speaking on behalf of Harris democrats in general

[00:37:18] so he's shown that he's value added that he would be a value added addition and one of the things independent of walls that I will say is that what has happened in now that Biden has receded

[00:37:32] and Harris has become the presumptive nominee now of the party is that it has really shown I think the depth of the bench that the democrats have there's been a number of this process that

[00:37:45] Harris is going through in terms of selecting her VP the benefit of it that it's giving to the party I think is that the people that are in the running that names that are being mentioned

[00:37:57] are out there on national tv making a very aggressive case for why Harris and the democratic party should where voters should be at and they've really I think landed some punches on Trump and

[00:38:11] vans and I stand by my position that if Trump could do it over again that he would have picked somebody else I know others disagree with that but I think that where they are right now is not

[00:38:25] where I think the Trump campaign the Trump van campaign needs to be I was telling some family yesterday that if the election were held today I still think the advantage goes to Trump but I

[00:38:38] think the Trump vans campaign needs the election to happen as soon as possible and the farther we get the farther we get away from today is giving I think democrats more inertia that they

[00:38:50] are going to make this I think a close race we already knew it was going to be a close race but there were certainly some advantages that the Trump campaign had over the previous month or so

[00:39:00] we'll see where we're at but right now there's a lot of inertia motion and enthusiasm on the democratic side which we're going to talk about with our next guest soon. We are excited to

[00:39:13] welcome back Senator Erin May Quaid for her second stuff at the podcast. Senator Weed we're just speaking with Will Davis about walsas the potential VP pick on the shortlist maybe amongst the final three in the running there obviously you've spent a lot of time working with Governor Wals

[00:39:29] with your time at the legislature what's your take with him being in that shortlist and in the running and do you think we should potentially see Vice President Wals? Listen

[00:39:40] he would be the third Vice President from the state of Minnesota so I think we are well equipped to send a Vice President to the White House and I think a lot of times we talk about Vice Presidents

[00:39:51] as balancing a ticket or providing certain things and I think with less than 100 days to the election the person we need is somebody who can communicate about the future that we have in

[00:40:01] front of us and I think that's Tim Wals. So I hope that he's on that shortlist I hope he's the pick and I've signed at least three letters saying as such to go to the Harris campaign so.

[00:40:12] We've seen a lot of evolution when it comes to the presidential ticket on both sides for over the last couple of weeks with Republican JD Vance being chosen to join Trump's ticket which

[00:40:23] we won't get into today but I'm sure you have some thoughts on that as do we but on the Democratic side obviously we've seen just in the last week or two the top of the ticket being

[00:40:34] changed and so with Harris coming over we're seeing I've been reading a couple articles over the weekend about the Harris honey moorow we have seen that enthusiasm gap that was certainly a problem

[00:40:44] with Biden at the top of the ticket essentially be closed or eliminated what is your take what are you hearing and feeling from voters in your district and friends and family across the state

[00:40:55] or across the country with that enthusiasm gap and how Harris being at the top of the ticket is doing for you guys I'll tell you in 2008 I graduated from college and I left Minnesota

[00:41:07] go to Colorado to open a field office for then Senator Barack Obama in Colorado and this today feels like what 2008 felt like I've had so the Sunday that it happened after President Biden endorsed Kamala Harris I had friends that are not political right they're not really political

[00:41:27] people text me like pictures of their donation right they're like putting on old t-shirts and sweatshirts like anything that has to do with something that Kamala Harris touched I have a constituent in this district he's a teacher he like went to a training at Howard many years ago

[00:41:41] he like put on a Howard t-shirt he's a white guy because she like he was just representing HBCUs I have never felt energy like this I was 22 the last time I could come close and even

[00:41:52] now I'm seeing people get involved and get activated in ways I just haven't seen in a long time so that enthusiasm gap has I don't even know if it's a honeymoon so much as it is a reinvigoration

[00:42:02] and participatory democracy that we desperately need in this country and I'm so glad it's happening right now what do you attribute that enthusiasm to just give us from the perspective of the race changed the dynamics change describe where the what the source is and the energy what

[00:42:23] describe where that energy enthusiasm what is that about from a perspective of a democrat I think it's twofold I think the first is that knowing that our current president president Biden loves this country so much that he would give up power it is really affirming

[00:42:42] right as a dem to say we won't follow dear leader off of a cliff but that we have leaders who recognize realities in front of us and make the right decision that is incredibly heartwarming the second

[00:42:57] is that 2016 the day after the election there were a lot of people who are very shocked right and upset and even people who voted for Trump didn't think he was going to win so they thought

[00:43:07] they were registering displeasure and the ensuing four years were just horrific and so I think a little bit of what the last month has felt like is we were before an election but we felt like it

[00:43:19] was after an election and it felt like we'd already lost and so like really internalizing what could be I think brought us to this moment where we have a positive vision for our future and a

[00:43:32] candidate who can go out and prosecute the case if you will energetically and clearly and wonderfully to the country it just is that we get to fix it before it actually happened and I think that

[00:43:45] is where a lot of this joy is coming from whereas before we might get mired down and there's not 100% issue fidelity right for every candidate you're never going to find somebody you agree with 100% of the time I don't even agree with myself 100% of the time right I'm

[00:43:58] my own state center and we are we don't have to go through that we actually get to say look this person is saying this is what we can be this is what we're fighting for right we're fighting for our

[00:44:09] freedoms and our rights we're fighting for a solid middle class and we're fighting for the freedoms of all people that is a message we can get on board with and the details yes we'll probably argue over them the democratic party is a very big tent it's stretching

[00:44:22] but that vision is when we can get on board with and that's what's bringing the enthusiasm I will say that I think part of President Biden's pitch to America was look at all the things that

[00:44:30] I've done how could you not want me to be back here to do more things that I'll tell you later whereas Vice President Harris I think is really detailing here's what I want to do and that's

[00:44:40] a little bit of a different message as well that people find it easier to be on board with and the polls are certainly showing we've seen now the first round of polling since Harris has been the nominee she is outperforming Biden with nine points with independence eight

[00:44:54] points among voters of color six points among voters 35 and younger she's pulling better with women there are certainly a lot of things we are seeing by the numbers of folks really embracing and being supportive of Harris as the top of the ticket as the presidential nominee

[00:45:12] they're obviously like you said are about 100 days between now and the election do you think that enthusiasm and energy that we're seeing right now following the switch here is that sustainable for the next 100 days yes it is and it's buildable right this is actually

[00:45:28] probably not the ceiling it might even be the floor because we have our VP pick so America gets to meet a whole new person who has a record and a vision for our country that's going to be

[00:45:39] so similar to Vice President Harris that he or she right there's one woman that's been in the poll but he or she joins the ticket but it's also going to be unique it's going to be

[00:45:46] regionally specific it's going to be life experience specific too so we get to experience that through one new person that we have the convention we're going to get to you always get a little bit of a

[00:45:55] convention bump it's all about what we want to do and what we're good at and then there's state fairs and this is my other pitch for Tim Walls like nobody does a stake fair better than Minnesota

[00:46:04] which means our governor is going to be the best state fair guy but then you got state fairs and the end of the summer is a little bit of a it's a little bit of a love fest and then

[00:46:12] we go and then voting starts right like I think it's 60 some days till to early voting starts I really do think that this is like the right length for a campaign I just want to go on record

[00:46:20] saying we should shorten the campaign down to 100 days like this feels right but I do think it is sustainable because it's not just about it's not just relief it's exciting right there would have

[00:46:31] been relief if it had been somebody else but what Kamala Harris is bringing is literally like what we need in this moment it's not just a different person it's an actual vision and the ability to talk about that she's actually what we needed and that's where that joy

[00:46:46] and that excitement is coming from how have Democrats been able to do this because and let me just say in the interest of disclosure I've never voted for Trump I didn't vote from 16 I didn't vote for him

[00:47:01] in 20 we had a discussion group of I consider myself to be a homeless Republican but we had a discussion and all of us were saying the process is tough for Biden to get out and he got out a week

[00:47:15] later how have the Democrats been able to do this how have they been able to organize coalesce behind Harris and and keep the party together and move with this level of enthusiasm it's simply

[00:47:28] astounding I think a lot of it is there was not a lot of disagreement about the decision and so from constituency up to leadership right so you had constituents calling their members of Congress calling their senators say look I'm really concerned I think Biden should step aside

[00:47:47] then you started having members including my own member of Congress Angie Craig was one of the first members who really come out and say that she thought that President Biden couldn't win and so you started seeing that representation people were trying to have conversations but

[00:48:00] what I really think it was you know for President Biden it seems like maybe COVID in time to sit down and get additional information that was coming out into the public more and

[00:48:11] more if you think of the pod save guys it sounds like Nancy Pelosi was doing a lot in the background you had some senators doing it and so I really think it was it wasn't about we don't think

[00:48:19] we're going to win it was like the consequences of not winning are so high and it's so palpable like we've already been through four years about Trump presidency they wrote out project 2025 for

[00:48:31] all of us to read we just cannot continue forward in this way and I think seeing the difference and President Biden just in the last six months is that's not the debate guys not who we got at the

[00:48:39] state of the union and even myself I was really surprised and I think we all were thinking this is the perfect guy to finish out this term not trying to take on another four more years

[00:48:51] we chatted a little bit about on with will about a woman being at the top of the ticket and I think that one of the things that I we talked about it in the context of what if it

[00:49:03] could two women could a woman president and a woman vice president be a ticket I said that felt like I'm maybe not going to be something that we have quite yet however I do think that personally

[00:49:16] I believe that the press and the general public saying that sometimes discounting women candidates saying that we're not ready for a woman candidate or it's not going to happen I don't think that's the case I think that we're pregnant ready for a woman candidate whether that's

[00:49:29] Kamala Harris or somebody else but as somebody you're yourself obviously a woman elected official you're a mom to a daughter what does this mean for you to see your party nominee be a woman

[00:49:41] being this close to the finish line and and how do you what does that mean to you everything there was there were these t-shirts that used to sit that existed that said my vp looks like

[00:49:52] me right and about Kamala Harris and when I was a kid I used to say oh mom I'm going to be the first female president and she would like she'd say I really hope not like not that you won't be president

[00:50:03] but I really hope you're not the first woman you've a long time between now and 35 or 36 and so I just I feel like we are so behind there's so many countries that have had female leaders

[00:50:13] so many and the fact that I'm married to a woman so I could just say every mom needs a wife but women are keeping all the other stuff running like why can't we run this country so I'm

[00:50:23] we're just ready and I think that Hillary Clinton came with her own unique baggage but there was some really good deconstructing of the inherent misogyny and sexism that went into some of the

[00:50:33] things that I think people have had time to sit with we've had the me too movements subsequently we've seen the elevation of somebody who openly bragged about sexual harassment and assault I think we deconstructed enough plus we have a whole generation of young people who become

[00:50:47] voters too and I think that's the part that polls aren't going to be able to catch is just as many people didn't vote in 2020 as did and so we talk a lot about swing voters and moving people from

[00:50:57] here to here moving non-voters to voters I think is the largest opportunity that we have in the selection and I but something that Trump did in 2016 that people didn't see coming and I think

[00:51:07] that is the piece that we might not be catching in the numbers right now is how many people are joining in for the first time they're not going to be called and asked about voting because

[00:51:15] they've never voted before I think that's a really interesting take and I completely agree it is wild that we haven't gotten there yet and I do think I'm the same age as you I think in the last 10

[00:51:25] years in particular we've really seen this kind of evolution of women giving being given a little bit closer to the credit that they deserve in leadership positions as CEOs as good vocal advocates as that we can lead and we can be smart and intelligent and not cry in

[00:51:41] corporate meetings I think that folks have just come around to a different way of looking at women a little bit more equally and it's sad that I to even say but I really do think the last 10

[00:51:51] 12 years has really been instrumental I really been telling in that viewing of women and I don't necessarily know that I'm going to be casting my ballot for commonly here is I do think it's

[00:52:02] it is something that should be commended and applauded and it what at what point it happened it's about time and I think we can't underestimate and underthink credit girl wagan america frera because I think the barbie movie they had that perfect like little monologue

[00:52:17] in there that women were sobbing in that movie because they were like that's it that's the thing that's what it feels like and again like we've just we've been able to articulate it and say

[00:52:27] it out loud and and talk about how infuriating it can be and that's why I am not one to say two women can't win I think if someone's going to vote for one woman I don't think

[00:52:36] two they've already crossed the barrier right so I'm not one to say she shouldn't Kamala Harris shouldn't pick Gretchen Widmer because I think two women can win is she the best person for Kamala I don't know but I don't think she shouldn't pick her because

[00:52:48] two women can't win I think two women can win I think one woman can win we've proven men can win I think I think we're ready I do I definitely think we're ready one of the things that

[00:52:57] is so interesting right now that's going on is this I think there's it's this enthusiasm for Kamala Harris is real I think that what this what started as a honeymoon phase is certainly going on much longer I think than a honeymoon phase it's real I think it's difficult

[00:53:20] and I think it's challenging right now for Republicans I do think as someone of a homeless Republican I would say that I think there's a lot of envy right now by a number of Republicans

[00:53:31] because I think that I stand by the position that I think a number of Republicans wanted there to be someone else other than Donald Trump although he did a great job in winning the

[00:53:41] nomination again I'm not a Trump voter and I'm not voting for him this time around but it seems that the Democrats have tapped into something which a lot of Americans believed in is that they wanted a different option they didn't want it to be a binary choice

[00:53:55] between Biden and Trump and I think what the introduction I think what Democrats are benefiting from right now is that they made a change for whatever the reason it was there a change

[00:54:06] and the benefit that I think they're going to be able to Democrats are going to be able to say is they listen they listen to where people were and I think that's going to be an advantage

[00:54:16] and that's when I think part of what's happening right now I think as Becky described it correctly there's always a honeymoon phase when a candidate gets nominated a VP pick

[00:54:25] but what I think is and I'd like to get your perspective on that because what I think is fueling some of this what's prolonging this enthusiasm gap is that I think she has the potential

[00:54:35] to tap into people some of those double haters is what they would call them as people who didn't like either candidates I think Harris and the Democrats making this decision is the positive is it's going to give it's going to give another opportunity for voters to look at

[00:54:50] as her as a candidate yeah I think about people who might lean left or be in the center but maybe have voted for Biden don't like Trump but are staring down the same choice that they had in 2020

[00:55:03] and thinking really this again I don't like this and all of a sudden you see one of those parties respond to that how listened do you feel like okay not only was that taken into account what are the

[00:55:14] other possibilities and so I think it really I would imagine for homeless Republicans too I hope it gives hope about because I really do I know a lot of homeless Republicans like you

[00:55:24] Michael I know I think of the Mitt Romney's of the world right they're good people who we might disagree on tax policy or whatever but we're not trying to hang our political opponents right

[00:55:34] and so I think thank you for that thank you I appreciate absolutely of course and I think it's really I think there are a lot of folks like you but I do feel for you all because it must be very

[00:55:47] difficult and I hope that it's invigorating to say there is a way right there is organizing that can be done I do think that you all can organize your way through this and I'm hoping

[00:55:57] that a resounding wasp can help rebirth the Republican Party and I do think some of the folks that you brought in there's some economic messages that can be adapted and maybe we can get

[00:56:08] some like more labor on both sides I don't think it's all negative but it will have to be a whole process and it will require folks like you to to be there and to figure out what is at the root

[00:56:17] of the we want to hang our political opponents stuff to figure out how can we actually address that through policies that solve the problems in people's lives through a way that doesn't feel like it needs to be violence whether it's like literal physical violence or economic violence

[00:56:29] or cultural violence right we can we can solve those problems through policy and then community organizing together they have to happen together but I do want people to get to a place where they feel

[00:56:39] like the democratic process is the way to solve those problems obviously here in Minnesota we have down ballot tickets that are also up for grabs in the house how do you are you hearing anything

[00:56:51] either from your constituents or your colleagues um in the house about what this Harris and whether it's walls or Shapiro or whoever joins her on the ticket about how that's going to affect

[00:57:02] down ballots is there excitement around that or what's the overall vibe there vibe shift is real I like so I've been out door knocking I have colleagues who've been out door knocking for

[00:57:12] their house candidates and it really is not only on the doors but at the door knocks so we launched your door knock yesterday and we all just went around and said like why are we here

[00:57:21] and one guy came he's like 70s like I haven't been door knocking since 2008 I'm just so excited I'm ready to talk to my neighbors and the conversations on the doors are very exciting

[00:57:33] very enthusiastic people are like asking for lawnsides people are like I've never had a lawn sign can I get a sign it's just like it's those little things but it's happening all over the state I've had

[00:57:42] colleagues on the range tell me that they were out they were walking at the grocery store and some woman like stopped her van in the parking lot was like I'm ready to get involved senator

[00:57:52] it's just people are like calling out things my neighbor across the street texted me and was like this is so great and I just met him like two months ago it really is it's a really exciting time

[00:58:03] my take in and please correct me if both of you please correct me if you think I'm wrong here on this but but my take is that if the I have said for the last few weeks that if the election

[00:58:14] were held to like literally held today I'd give a little advantage to Trump I think the I think Trump vans need the election to happen today the longer we get the longer the election is

[00:58:24] away I think this inertia that the democrats are building is helping them out and I think that the fact that the election is 99 days away I think though any kind of electoral analysis

[00:58:35] it's premature now but I do think that this I think the democrats have a number of built-in points they have the convention coming up I'm sorry they have the VP pick coming up which will be an enthusiasm generator they have the the national convention coming up

[00:58:51] and then I think what is going to be significant is these debates and I think right now the energy in that dynamic has shifted to where I think that this is a real foot race now for the presidency

[00:59:04] do you agree disagree I so I feel like yes I feel like right now it is a close race I still feel like Kamala Harris was maybe the underdog you're right I think if the election were

[00:59:14] today I think Trump would have the advantage I think the 99 days ahead it really is about building enthusiasm you can't overlook money helps right like 200 million dollars in a week is not nothing and for mostly small donors and first-time donors so that just demonstrates

[00:59:29] enthusiasm on the ground I also think that any political analysis and I would love to see Steve see Steve Kornacki get up there and talk about this about what what states might be unlocked that we haven't been thinking of and what constituencies might be unlocked that we

[00:59:42] haven't been thinking of I also think that JD Vance was a really weird pick it was the pick of a really confident candidate right and so I do think I know you're going to do maybe a

[00:59:51] different episode about JD Vance but I think he's a really undynamic speaker who doesn't have really anything to tout as an accomplishment right he's been a senator for like about the same amount

[01:00:02] of time that I've been a senator I passed more bills than him though so I just don't know what that brings the ticket and at the current moment it's really drawing it down and

[01:00:13] so I just yeah I'm not really sure where those next points of enthusiasm are going to come from also JD Vance like way underperformed the Republicans in his state right like he won by six points and

[01:00:24] that's his opponent was Democratic opponent was really great but I think the governor won by 20 points so I just don't know I'm not really sure like what the calculus was there but it was weird

[01:00:34] one yeah we love that word weird coming back up we talked about how walls with a trail laser using that but I don't think we disagree with that and Michael can speak for himself but

[01:00:46] it's been an interesting foray into it it's not who I thought was going to be chosen I was hoping for somebody to pull me over the finish line I was hoping for a rubio hailey burgum kind of style

[01:01:00] someone like the walls Kelly that we were talking about previously a more stable guiding hand in the race somebody that you can look to and have a little bit more of that comfort and faith that

[01:01:10] I think governor walls or senator Kelly would bring to the Harris ticket as well and as you guys both have articulated I think that the enthusiasm bounce here with the Biden announcement coming so close on the heels of the Republican convention planned or not stepped on on some

[01:01:27] of the enthusiasm coming out and and the energy from the Republican side of their convention and now like you guys have said we are now waiting for the beat stakes and then we have the

[01:01:36] convention and we're going to have this like in person energy that we're seeing in other places we're seeing in the polls we're seeing on the morning shows we're seeing across the board

[01:01:46] on the democrat side and we're going to get to the end of august before we potentially feel another real bounce on the republican side for some of that enthusiasm and I don't want to be

[01:01:56] a complete pessimist but right now I feel like it's just going to be a drip of some apple coming out on bands and some continued issues with some statements and more apologies to cats and and not women who are arguably one of the most important voting blocks here

[01:02:13] that that republicans and democrats alike are fighting for and it's I think we all are agreements that right now trump has the advantage I think that is something that I do think that

[01:02:24] I see that staying but I think if it's possible that day after day for in the next 100 days harris and her vp pic can chip away and some more unforced errors by vance and trump could

[01:02:37] really erode that lead who anything can happen crazier things have happened and who knows what is going on in the world anymore oh my gosh yes we live in uh very odd times right a week feels

[01:02:49] like a month and but I the thing I will say is that donald trump is very old right like he's an old candidate and so in the minds of voters I have to assume they're looking at jd vance not

[01:02:58] as like a balance out the ticket but like a real person who could step in should something happen and something almost did happen which is horrifying but I just mean like regular

[01:03:08] old people stuff happening and I think yeah I think that pic lost voters who didn't bring in voters I think you're right like a rubio a yonkin a bergum a haley definitely could have been like okay but

[01:03:19] at least there when you think about mike pence like there's lots of things I think about Mike pence but the thing I think about is that he did his job on january 6 they tried to kill him for

[01:03:26] it but he he was the bulwark there and I'm pretty sure jd vance was chosen to be not that and I think what would have helped a lot of people saying like I'm going to vote for trump but I know that the

[01:03:38] number two guy the other guy who is in the room in the situation room who is a more steady hand and that's at least some comfort for me it's not for me but I could imagine that it would be

[01:03:48] that for some people and now the reason why people generally wait to run for higher office when they're new senators is because yeah you have a bunch of weird stuff you've done in your life get

[01:03:57] in office and represent your community for a while and say more normal things and not the more times he focuses on people with or without children the more times it draws attention to how much he

[01:04:05] wants to force people to give birth right there's just some calculations you make as an elected official about what you do and don't say and where you do and don't say it that he's just

[01:04:14] not distanced enough from my last political question is what do you think the harris nomination independent of what happens on the VP pick what does that do for the presidential race in

[01:04:28] minnesota I think it I mean I don't I think minnesota was statistically tied beforehand I think we can put minnesota back and with a lot of grassroots organizing and work and the continued work from the harris campaign certainly but klobuchar and our congressional candidates are our house caucus

[01:04:45] and our senate seat that's up to keep minnesota the longest voting blue state in the nation I think will retain that record by a pretty healthy margin in 2024 I think what that also means if we send

[01:04:57] another vice president to the white house or not what I think that means for minnesotans is that should kamala harris win the things that we have done in our state to protect minnesotans

[01:05:07] rights remain and I think that's the concern I hear about a lot is people will say I'm an independent or I'm not like I don't always vote this party but this set of issues gun violence

[01:05:18] reproductive rights I'm really concerned about that and I know that I can't just say oh I'm concerned about that and then vote for Royce white or I don't know who's running in cd2 Michael you'll

[01:05:28] have to dissect this for me I'm so confidant it's it's Joe terab and he's running still and then it's Angie Craig it's those two will be the will hopefully will be the likely to okay because

[01:05:41] there's a tyler that I see his lawn signs everywhere it's such a mess right now okay yeah I'll listen to the podcast and see if I can get an explanation but yes yes I'm not going to vote for

[01:05:54] I can't not vote for an Angie Craig because if the congress stays in republican hands and they flip the senate then we could see a national abortion ban and all that voting that I did

[01:06:02] for protrusions candidates in the state it wouldn't matter right and so we're seeing more of that happen here I do think that there I do think that people and I'm in a suburb right like I'm an

[01:06:11] Apple Valley I represent a suburban community yes it's a blue suburb but it's purple right people here vote both ways always and and really it can shift and swing and I want to be really cognizant

[01:06:22] of the fact that most people don't overly identify with a party and they don't overly identify with a party politics and so being really responsive to people that is going to be what

[01:06:32] remains the important thing and I think that's what a Harris presidency can do is really show people what responsiveness looks like what actual focusing on the needs of people and not on controlling people and taking power away from people what that feels like and what that looks like

[01:06:48] senator we appreciate you being with us today and you were the perfect guest to talk about the enthusiasm that's going on inside the democratic party before we leave I want to ask you

[01:06:57] about your enthusiasm about the Olympics I'm a big Olympic watcher Becky is to and I'd like to get your what are you watching what are you rooting for okay so I watch it all like I watch I have it on

[01:07:09] I see you have it on the background I have it on the background like in the morning I wake up really early to see if I can follow along on the Washington Post live and then I watched the

[01:07:17] recap at night I am I think I said this earlier basically a bald eagle during the Olympics I I love it I was watching dressage on Saturday okay I was watching it all and as one rule about it

[01:07:29] couldn't tell you but it was very dignified anyway and we didn't do very well as the country in it but so I really love I was a swimmer in high school so I love watching the swimming like

[01:07:39] watch him Simone Manuel and Katie Ledecky and just like these incredible husk and the finish where it was essentially two American swimmers that were like within a breath of each other just amazing I watched the fencing that was so cool and then gymnastics like how can you not

[01:07:54] love watching these incredible gymnasts do things that I am still 100% sure are mathematically impossible if I wasn't seeing it with my own eyes I would not believe you but it's just oh my

[01:08:04] gosh what and I get this like weird pride like I'm everybody's mom too like oh my gosh good for them and they want and they work so hard and and that's true for all the winners there was a

[01:08:15] there's a French swimmer and I'm laying on his name who just won and he like just shattered Michael Phelps's last Olympic record and I'm watching it like crying like I'm his mother and he's not like

[01:08:25] 12 years younger than me I'm just so proud of all of them because it's just such a my gosh what a crazy what a great thing that we do and it makes you want to have more things that we come

[01:08:33] around as a world that promote this kind of sportsmanship and goodwill to each other than the other things we do to each other as the world but that's probably why I love it

[01:08:43] so much yeah why I love that I think it is a really nice all all the chaos of life continues on around us it is a nice kind of break where we all can cheer together for the same thing and it's just fun

[01:08:57] it's all these sports that you have no idea always I was watching the high dive the other day of like how do people get into these things like how do you say I want to dive three stories off and

[01:09:07] do 14 flips before you get the water is insane to me and that their parents allow them to do that because that's not going to be allowed in my household it's wonderful it's exciting

[01:09:18] Hezley Jordan who's 16 I was like okay so my daughter's two and we have this banister and I came around the corner and she was stepping out onto it like over our staircase like a

[01:09:30] like a balance beam and I was like nope we're not doing that and it reminded me that there are gymnasts who like whose parents are like totally for the first time get up on this

[01:09:39] balance beam and do and it just I don't know how they get into it I think I'm gonna avoid finding out based on the experience of her banister but it is I don't know how kids get into it I did read

[01:09:50] the fencer that just won it was two American women that were fencing against each other anyway she's the first black woman to meddle in it individually she got the silver medal

[01:10:00] and she was mentored by the first black man to meddle in it individually I think it was in the 80s he did and he started this foundation to bring more kids into fencing and it was her brother that

[01:10:11] had signed up and then he didn't want to so she stayed in it and that's how she got into fencing and so you like watch on this and that's that's the story like one Olympian decided that he was

[01:10:20] going to help more kids learn how to fence which I think is one of the one of the I think it might be Hasley Jordan's coach is Nastya Lukensdahl right so it is a lot of this

[01:10:31] like mentoring and and finding people like that so that's what you gotta do no one Olympians I absolutely love the Olympics I'm watching them non-stop I'm still convinced that someday I'm gonna participate in them I have no athletic ability I don't know I'm hoping tug of war comes

[01:10:50] back that's what I need to come back if tug of war comes back I might be able to do that but but I don't know we'll see but I absolutely love the Olympics and and the enthusiasm around

[01:11:00] this time every four years I just love it and I'm glad you were able to glad you were a fan of the Olympics because it would have been a we I'm glad we ended on another more enthusiastic note than

[01:11:11] just talking about what's going on inside the Democratic Party thank you so much for joining us today okay we hope to have you back yeah thanks for having me and thanks for the good

[01:11:19] discussion I'll be thinking of you all and into the fall Becky we just spoke with Senator Aramae Quaid on the enthusiasm inside the Democratic Party right now that comes on the heels of our

[01:11:32] interview with Will Davis how are you feeling right now I am feeling good I'm obviously a little envious of having this being part of a party that's able to coalesce and accumulate right now and be so jazzed about the beat stakes and the potential running mate candidates there

[01:11:52] I'm a little envious I'm still really struggling with with the presidential ticket myself but I think that the senator really laid it out really well there is this huge bounce that Kamala Harris and the Democrats have gotten since she became a nominee that is something

[01:12:10] they're going to be able to ride right now for two three maybe four weeks and that gets us into early voting and I really think that Trump and Vance have a lot of work to do to make sure that they

[01:12:21] are not losing ground in these states that they hope to continue to be successful obviously I think that the three of us were in agreement that right now our Republicans and Trump do

[01:12:31] have the advantage and in the upper hand when it comes to what the man looks like and getting to that 270 but Harris is she's definitely surging people are excited people are enthusiastic that

[01:12:46] it's not Biden and that it really does seem to be reinvigorating the base and when we look at some of those numbers and where Harris has some of those surges with independence with women with

[01:12:57] people of color some of those places that Trump has seen the advantage over the last couple of years when Biden was his opponent man it's going to be it might really come down to it what's

[01:13:09] your thought I know that we it was the enthusiasm is real I think the enthusiasm is real and here's where I'm at and I'm as always just speaking for myself I did not vote for Trump in 16 or 20

[01:13:25] I was not planning on voting for him and him again my general approach to voting is something that I've said you before I've described in the podcast before is that I if I can't vote for the

[01:13:35] Republican I believe in a two-party system I will split ticket and I will vote for Democrats and so I'm giving I'm in a very reflective moment right now and really thinking I would not describe myself

[01:13:49] as a double hater although I did express frustration with the state of the race but as I said I wouldn't refer to myself as a double hater of both Biden and Trump because I'm not a hater of people

[01:14:02] but I haven't voted for having voted for Trump I think there is a lot of people like me out there that I think are looking at what's going on right now and saying that we're frustrated with the

[01:14:14] state of the race that it was a Trump and it was Biden that we had candidates of advanced age of different abilities from different political standpoints and so I'm gonna I got a lot of

[01:14:29] soul searching to do happy to discuss it on the race and be transparent about it don't not throwing that expectation on anybody else but I might do a little soul searching as we go over the course

[01:14:39] to this race and have some discussions on it because I'm really struggling with what I'm seeing on the republican side in terms of the messaging and in terms of some of the where this

[01:14:53] party is going in terms of on some issues that I'm just at a point in my life where I feel more comfortable just just declaring how I am and how I'm gonna vote and be out there but the

[01:15:04] enthusiasm from both of our guests I think was real and I think it's I think we have tried to do a really good job on this podcast bringing in voices that we even that we disagree with you and I

[01:15:18] have disagreed over the years we've done this podcast our guests we disagree with our guests it's very challenging for me to for any republican who listens to that who sees that who's gonna hear that enthusiasm that we heard from will and from the senator and not think

[01:15:38] it's real absolutely agree it's gonna be a long but short 100 days or so that we have until a November election early voting is just around the corner or I'm sure we're gonna see more and

[01:15:52] more polls coming out about what this means when it means in the state if this is closing the gap and I know we'll be here to talk about it thank you Becky

[01:16:02] I want to thank you for listening to the breakdown with Broadcore Rebeccae before we go show some love for your favorite podcast by leaving us a review on Apple podcasts or on the platform where

[01:16:14] you're listening you can also review or give us a shout out on our website or across all social media platforms at BB Breakpod the breakdown with Broadcore Rebeccae will return this week with a bonus episode thank you for listening