>> CATHY: THE POLITICAL WORLD HAS BEEN BUSY SINCE THANKSGIVING BREAK.
THIRD DISTRICT CONGRESSMAN AND PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE DEAN PHILLIPS ANNOUNCED HE WON’T BE SEEKING RE-ELECTION TO CONGRESS.
DFLERS IN THE MINNESOTA SENATE ARE AT ODDS OVER THE WAR BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS.
AND THE STATE REPUBLICAN PARTY’S FINANCIAL TROUBLES CONTINUE WITH SOME MEMBERS OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE CALLING FOR A NEW PARTY CHAIR.
PLENTY FOR OUR POLITICOS TO PONDER TONIGHT.
REPUBLICANS ON THE COUCH, BRIAN MCCLUNG, FORMER TIM PAWLENTY SPOKESMAN, NOW A P.R.
PROFESSIONAL.
JEN DEJOURNETT IS A POLITICAL OPERATIVE AND VETERAN OF CAMPAIGNS.
DFLERS HERE TONIGHT, FORMER STATE SENATE MINORITY LEADER SUSAN KENT, AND WE WELCOME BACK FORMER HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER RYAN WINKLER.
SENATOR KENT, LET’S TALK ABOUT THIS SCHISM AMONG SOME SENATE DFLers.
HOW WOULD YOU NAVIGATE THIS GULF, IF YOU WERE LEADER?
>> YEAH.
THIS ONE IS JUST HARD, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A TERRIBLE TIME FOR SO MANY PEOPLE.
IT’S HARD.
IT’S DEEPLY PERSONAL AND DEEPLY HISTORIC FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, I JUST — AND, YOU KNOW, I’VE HAD SOME OF THESE CONVERSATIONS.
I THINK EVERYBODY NEEDS TO STAY FOCUSED.
THIS IS THE THING THAT HAS SORT OF HIT ME THE MOST AS I’VE LISTENED AND READ OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS.
WE JUST NEED TO REMEMBER THAT EVERYBODY INVOLVED IN THIS IS A HUMAN BEING.
AND WE HAVE TO DO WHAT WE CAN, AND FOR THOSE WHO HAVE A PLATFORM AND A MICROPHONE TO KEEP REMINDING EVERYBODY TO NOT IN ANY WAY BE DEHUMANIZING HERE, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THE TRAGEDY AND NOT TREAT IT LIKE A POLITICAL FOOTBALL AND TRY TO ELEVATE ANY OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND FIND PEACE.
AND THAT IS WHAT I WOULD SAY TO ANYONE WHO WANTS TO TALK ABOUT IT.
>> Eric: REPRESENTATIVE, YOU HAD SOME EXPERIENCE WITH THE LIBERAL VERSUS THE PROGRESSIVE ELEMENTS WHEN YOU RAN, LOOKING FOR THE ENDORSEMENT, FOR INSTANCE, FOR COUNTY ATTORNEY.
>> UM-HUM.
>> Eric: IS THIS JUST ANOTHER CHAPTER IN THAT ONGOING PROBLEM BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS OR IS THIS SOMETHING MORE AT PLAY OR LESS?
>> I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
I THINK FOR A LONG TIME WE’VE DISREGARDED THE DANGER OF ANTI-SEMITISM IN OUR SOCIETY, AND I THINK THAT THERE IS A CERTAIN MORAL BLINDNESS WE’RE SEEING AMONGST SOME PEOPLE WHEN THEY LOOK AT THIS CONFLICT.
AND I THINK WE’RE TALKING ABOUT ISSUES OF IDENTITY AND VICTIMHOOD WITHOUT THE CONTEXT, DEEP HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE THAT IT TAKES TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT’S GOING ON IN ISRAEL AND IN GAZA RIGHT NOW, I THINK IT’S EASY FOR PEOPLE TO JUMP INTO BROAD GENERALIZATIONS, AND I THINK THAT IS THE REALLY BAD PART ABOUT THIS DEBATE.
PEOPLE ARE NOT TAKING TIME TO UNDERSTAND AND TO TRY TO MAKE SENSE OF IT AND UNDERSTAND THE NUANCES, THEY ARE TRYING TO PUT ON THIS A VERY SIMPLE LENS THAT I DON’T THINK THE SITUATION IS GOOD FOR.
>> ric: WHEN I FIRST STARTED, A REPORTER TOLD ME, THE LEGISLATURE HAS NO FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.
AND I WONDER IF THIS IS A PROPER PLACE FOR THESE LEGISLATORS TO BE WEIGHING IN?
>> YOU KNOW, I THINK PEOPLE NEED TO STAY FOCUSED ON THEIR OWN LOCAL AREA AND NOT GET INTO FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
THERE ARE VERY SERIOUS PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING TO TRY TO BRING ALL THE HOSTAGES HOME.
I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE USED RAPE AS A WEAPON OF WAR, AND THERE ARE HOSTAGES OF ISRAEL AND CHILDREN WHO ARE STUCK OVER THERE THAT NEED TO COME HOME, THERE ARE EVEN PALESTINIANS WHO, TO BE HONEST, THEY’RE HOSTAGES, TOO, OF RADICAL HAMAS THAT IS VICTIMIZING THEM AS WELL AND THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN REAL GRAVE DANGER.
AND THE MINNEAPOLIS TEACHERS UNION AND EVERYBODY JUMPING IN ON SUCH A SERIOUS, IMPORTANT TOPIC IS JUST NOT APPROPRIATE.
FOCUS ON YOUR OWN STUFF.
LET THE PEOPLE WHO ARE FOCUSED ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE DIGNITY TO HANDLE THAT SO THAT THE PEOPLE CAN COME HOME.
>> I WANT TO SECOND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT RYAN SAID, WHICH IS THAT I THINK ANTI-SEMITISM HAS BEEN GLOSSED OVER TOO MUCH.
AND I THINK IT TAKES NON-JEWISH PEOPLE STANDING UP AND SAYING THAT AND RECOGNIZING THAT AS A REAL PROBLEM, IT’S BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM IN THIS COUNTRY EXAMINE WE SEE IT HIGHLIGHTED NOW.
AND IN THE PAWLENTY YEARS, WE SAW THIS BOYCOTT, SANCTION MOVEMENT COME FORWARD THEN AND WE PUSHED BACK ON THAT.
THAT’S WHAT HAPPENED AT THE STATE BOARD OF INVESTMENT THIS WEEK.
AND THE TRUTH IS, IS THAT MANY ELEMENTS OF THAT BDS MOVEMENT ARE ROOTED IN ANTI-SEMITISM AND WE JUST HAVE TO RAISE RECOGNIZE THAT.
LOOK, IF YOU WANT TO BOYCOTT, DIVEST OR SANCTION SOMEBODY, YOU SHOULD BOYCOTT IRAN.
THEY ARE THE NUMBER ONE STATE SPONSOR OF TERRORISM.
AND, SO, THE IDEA THAT PEOPLE ARE COMING FORWARD AND TRYING TO GET THE STATE TO TAKE INVESTMENT OUT OF COMPANIES THAT DO BUSINESS WITH ISRAEL, IT’S JUST NOT RIGHT.
AND, SO, I THINK THERE IS A PLACE WHERE WE DO SOMETIMES HAVE TO STAND UP AND SAY, LOOK, WE KNOW WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.
WE NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT THIS.
WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS A TERRIBLE SITUATION THAT’S HAPPENING IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
THERE’S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
BUT THESE ANTI-SEMITIC ELEMENTS NEED TO BE CALLED OUT AND THEY NEED TO BE STOPPED.
>> Eric: I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE STATE SENATE.
IF KELLY MORRISON HAPPENED TO BECOME A MEMBER OF THE CONGRESS IN THE THIRD DISTRICT, YOU’D HAVE 33-33, DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS.
IS THAT CAUSING ANY — IS HER SENATE DISTRICT SO DFL THAT IT WOULDN’T MATTER IN A SPECIAL ELECTION?
>> YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I THINK PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW THESE DIFFERENT THINGS PLAY OUT, SORT OF GAMING OUT A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT SCENARIOS.
BUT, YEAH, THAT’S A PRETTY GOOD SOLID BLUE DISTRICT AND I IMAGINE THAT AS PEOPLE THINK THIS THROUGH, YOU KNOW, WE’LL HAVE A PLAN, THERE WILL BE A PLAN IN PLACE.
>> Eric: PHILLIPS WON RATHER HANDILY, THE DISTRICT HAS CHANGED FROM THE DAYS OF ERIK PAULSEN, DO THE REPUBLICANS HAVE A CHANCE, IF THAT HAPPENED?
>> YOU KNOW, NY TIME THERE’S AN OPEN SEAT, IT’S FAIR GAME.
RIGHT?
IN A DISTRICT LIKE THAT, IT IS WITHIN THE RANGE OF COMPETITIVENESS.
SO EVEN NOW I THINK THAT YOU WOULD HOPE SO.
BUT, FRANKLY, WE’RE NOT SEEING REPUBLICANS JUMPING AT THE OPPORTUNITY TO RUN, RIGHT?
I MEAN, RECRUITMENT EFFORTS ARE UNDERWAY AND YOU DON’T HAVE A-LIST CANDIDATES WHO ARE READY TO SAY, I WANT TO JUMP INTO THAT RACE.
SO THAT’S — YOU KNOW, THAT’S TOO BAD FROM THAT PERSPECTIVEMENT BUT I DO THINK, YOU KNOW, A CANDIDATE LIKE KELLY MORRISON IS A REALLY STRONG CANDIDATE FOR THE EMOCRATS.
SHE’S A PRAGMATIC PERSON, SHE’S A DOCTOR, SHE’S VERY WELL SPOKEN, SHE’S ACCOMPLISHED AT THE LEGISLATURE.
SO, I MEAN, EVEN SEEING SOMEBODY LIKE THAT ON THE DFL SIDE MIGHT CAUTION SOME REPUBLICANS.
>> Eric: THE THIRD DISTRICT WOULD BE AN OPEN SEAT THEN.
>> THE THIRD DISTRICT IS AN OPEN SEAT.
>> Eric: HOW ARE YOU DOING FINDING SOMEBODY?
>> I KNOW THAT THERE ARE CONVERSATIONS HAPPENING WITH PEOPLE, AND THERE ARE REALLY A LOT OF GOOD CANDIDATES THAT ARE CHOOSING NOT TO RUN THIS CYCLE.
>> THEY’RE ALL GOING TO RUN AGAINST KLOBUCHAR, RIGHT?
>> THEY’RE ALL GOING TO RUN AGAINST KLOBUCHAR.
NO, I THINK THERE’S A LOT OF CONSIDERATION.
THAT’S A 20-POINT DISTRICT.
I MEAN, IT’S DEFINITELY A MULTIYEAR RUN, I MEAN, PROBABLY CAN’T BE TOPPLED IN THE FIRST ONE, IF ‘M BEING HONEST.
BUT I THINK HOPEFULLY SOMEONE WILL STEP FORWARD.
I’M SURE SOMEBODY WILL.
AND I THINK THERE’S A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS, I THINK FIRST THING THAT HAS TO HAPPEN IS PEOPLE NEED TO RECONNECT WITH THE VOTERS OF THE THIRD.
REALLY TAKE TIME TO LISTEN AND FIGURE OUT WHY THAT VOTERS THAT HAD BEEN WITH US WITH PAULSEN AND WITH US WITH RAMSTAD HAVE REALLY LEFT AND HOW TO EARN THEIR TRUST AND GET BACK, BECAUSE IF YOU DON’T HAVE THE TRUST OF A VOTER FIRST, YOU’RE DEFINITELY NOT GOING TO EARN THEIR VOTE.
AND YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THE BIFURCATION HAPPENS AND HOW YOU WORK HARD AND YOU LEAD SO THAT YOU CAN BE TRUSTED TO LEAD.
>> Cathy: ANOTHER TOPIC HERE.
A VERY EXPENSIVE RENOVATION OF THE STATE OFFICE BUILDING WILL START TO TAKE PLACE.
AND I’M WONDERING HOW BIG OF A CAMPAIGN ISSUE MIGHT HAT BE, REPRESENTATIVE WINKLER?
>> WELL, I THINK THAT MOST CAMPAIGNS FOR STATE LEGISLATURE RE TRACKING PRETTY CLOSELY TO NATIONAL TRENDS.
SO I THINK THERE IS AN OVERESTIMATE OF HOW MUCH ISSUES LIKE SPENDING ON A BUILDING WILL AFFECT ANY ONE ELECTION.
>> Cathy: INTERESTING YOU BRING THAT UP.
THERE WAS A DFLer ON THE COUCH RECENTLY WHO WANTED TO REMIND OTHER DFLers THAT IT WAS A CAMPAIGN ISSUE AND THEY THOUGHT THE LOST THE SENATE ON THAT ISSUE.
>> I NEVER BELIEVED THAT.
THAT WAS ALSO A SECOND MIDTERM OF A EMOCRATIC PRESIDENT.
SO THOSE BIGGER TRENDS CERTAINLY WERE A BIG FACTOR.
AND THE OTHER FACT OF THE MATTER IS, THE FEAR OF ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES IS WHY BUILDINGS GET SO BAD AND GET SO DELAPIDATED.
SO AT SOME POINT, THE JOB HAS TO BE DONE.
>> BUT THEY BUILT THE SENATE BUILDING FOR $90 MILLION.
AND NOW WE’RE TALKING ABOUT RENOVATING THE STATE OFFICE BUILDING FOR $700 MILLION.
>> THAT IS NOT AN APPLES TO APPLES COMPARISON.
>> THAT IS A BIG DIFFERENCE.
[ OVERLAPPING CONVERSATION ] >> Eric: WHAT’S THE APPLES TO APPLES, FIRST OF ALL?
>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THE BUILDING ISN’T DONE.
SO, THE FINAL BUDGET ISN’T IN.
IT WILL BE WELL UNDER $500 MILLION.
>> Eric: THE INTEREST ON THE BONDS WOULD JACK IT UP.
>> SURE.
WHEN YOU GO AND BUY A HOUSE, DO YOU TELL HOW MUCH YOU’RE GOING TO PAY IN INTEREST AND ADD THAT TO THE PRICE OF THE BUILDING AND SAY THAT’S HOW MUCH I PAID FOR MY HOUSE?
NO, THAT’S JUST TALKING POINTS.
>> I’LL PUT IT ON A PIECE OF CAMPAIGN LITERATURE.
>> THAT DOESN’T MAKE IT TRUE.
>> IT’S A TALKER, IT’S A TALKER ISSUE.
IN ANY GIVEN ELECTION CYCLE, THERE ARE ONLY TWO OR THREE THINGS THAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY REMEMBER OR THINK ABOUT, AND THIS IS A TALKER.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING AT THANKSGIVING THAT PEOPLE WERE SAYING, LIKE, DID YOU HEAR THEY’RE GOING TO SPEND $700 MILLION BUCKS TO RENOVATE THAT BUILDING THAT THEY USE FOR FIVE MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR?
>> Eric: LET’S HEAR FROM SOMEBODY WHO’S BEEN IN THE BUILDING.
>> I REMEMBER ALL TOO WELL WHEN KURT DAUDT, THEN SPEAKER DAUDT’S OFFICE FLOODED, AND THERE WAS, WHAT, $250 MILLION PRICE TAG JUST TO FIX EVERYTHING.
AND HE SAID, I DON’T THINK WE CAN DO THAT BECAUSE THERE’S BUILDING FATIGUE.
AND I JUST REMEMBERED THE 2014 CAMPAIGN, I WAS LIKE, I WONDER WHY THERE MIGHT BE BUILDING FATIGUE.
>> WELL, NOT JUST FATIGUE.
THERE’S MOLD.
THERE IS DELAPIDATED.
>> RIGHT, SECURITY.
>> SECURITY.
IT’S A TERRIBLE BUILDING RIGHT NOW.
>> Cathy: SPEAKING OF FINANCES, REPUBLICANS, YOUR PARTY’S IN A FINANCIAL ESS.
>> YES.
>> Cathy: AND THERE ARE PEOPLE CALLING FOR THE CHAIR TO BE REMOVED.
I MEAN, WHAT’S GOING ON HERE?
>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I THINK THERE’S SOME — I MEAN, WHENEVER YOU’RE AT THE BOTTOM END OF A TRIFECTA AND YOU CAME OFF A HEARTBREAKING SET OF LOSSES FOR THE AST ELECTION, OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE UPSET.
AND I THINK SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT PEOPLE WANTED TO HAVE, THEY WANT TO HAVE.
NOW, DO I THINK THAT CHAIRMAN HANN’S GOING TO BE REMOVED?
NO.
I THINK THAT THE 9th IS GOING TO BE A TOUGH MEETING, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THINGS THEY WANT TO SAY.
>> Eric: REPUBLICAN STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEE.
>> I THINK IT’S GOING TO BE A TOUGH MEETING.
BUT THE TRUTH IS, IS THAT I WOULD SAY TO REPUBLICANS THAT HAVE STAYED ON THE SIDELINES, IT’S TIME TO COME HOME AND HELP US.
YOU KNOW?
COME HELP US REBUILD, HELP US FIX THE PARTY, HELP US RAISE MONEY SO THAT THEY CAN HIRE STAFF AND THEY CAN DO THINGS AND PUT US BACK ON THE TRACK THAT IT NEEDS TO BE ON.
THAT’S REALLY WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
RIGHT NOW THEY’RE FUNCTIONING BARELY.
AND THAT’S NOT — WE ALL KNOW THAT’S NOT GOING TO BE GOOD ENOUGH.
>> Cathy: TIME TO COME HOME, BRIAN?
>> HERE’S THE THING, I MEAN, I AM A REPUBLICAN.
I HAVE NEVER SHIED AWAY FROM THE FACT THAT I’M A REPUBLICAN.
I’M A PRAGMATIC REPUBLICAN.
AND, FRANKLY, I’M NOT WELCOMED BY MOST OF THE DELEGATES WHO ARE NOW ACTIVE IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
SO, I’M HAPPY TO HELP AND I DO HELP, A NUMBER OF CANDIDATES AND ELECTED OFFICIALS AND GIVE ADVICE ON MESSAGING, A SMALL PORTION OF WHICH THEY LISTEN TO.
BUT THE THING IS, THE PROCESS BY WHICH WE HAVE BEEN SELECTING REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES IS BROKEN.
THAT’S WHY WE HAVEN’T WON A STATEWIDE RACE IN 16 YEARS.
AND, SO, YES, YOU NEED TO HAVE A BETTER FUNCTIONING PARTY.
IT’S HELPFUL IN THE LONG RUN.
BUT, NEVERTHELESS, I THINK WE HAVE TO GET AWAY FROM RELYING ON THE CAUCUS SYSTEM AND THOSE ENDORSEMENTS, AND OPEN IT UP TO PRIMARIES, THAT’S WHAT DEMOCRATS HAVE DONE, THEY’VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL, I THINK WE JUST HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT THAT’S THE REALITY OF THE WAY POLITICS WORK.
>> I THINK IT’S A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT, THAN THE REASON THAT WE HAVEN’T WON STATEWIDE IN 20 YEARS.
THE TRUTH IS, MANY OF OUR CANDIDATES HAVE BEEN UNDERFUNDED.
WHAT HAPPENS IS, THE PREFERRED CANDIDATE DOESN’T GET ENDORSED AND THEN THE LARGE DOLLAR DONORS STOP SHOWING UP, THEY DON’T FUND A CERTAIN SITUATION OPERATION.
>> WHY SHOULD THEY FUND — [ OVERLAPPING CONVERSATION ] >> THERE’S NO REASON TO — >> WHY SHOULD I WRITE A CHECK TO THESE — >> NO, I KNOW THAT.
>> — FRINGE CANDIDATES?
>> ONE THING FEEDS ON TO THE OTHER.
AND THE TRUTH IS THAT THERE’S SOME OTHER STRUCTURAL ISSUES THAT WE CAN ALL FIX IF WE ALL WORK TOGETHER AND GET THE CANDIDATES THAT I THINK EVERYONE COULD BE HAPPY WITH THAT FIT MINNESOTA.
BUT IT’S NOT GOOD TO HAVE A STATE WHERE ONE SIDE HAS GOT THE RURAL SIDE AND ONE SIDE HAS THE METRO BECAUSE WE FAILED TO WORK TOGETHER AS A STATE.
>> Eric: GOOD STUFF.
