>> Cathy: WE'RE GOING TO DIVE RIGHT INTO OUR FINAL POLITICAL CONVERSATION OF THE HOUR WITH THIS WEEK'S VERSION OF THE POLITICAL PANEL.

DEMOCRATS UP FIRST, SARAH LÓPEZ, POLICY ACTIVIST.

ABOU AMARA, FORMER LEGISLATIVE STAFFER, TURNED ATTORNEY.

REPUBLICANS WITH US TONIGHT, BRIAN MCCLUNG, FORMER GOVERNOR PAWLENTY SPOKESPERSON.

WE WELCOME AUSTIN ALTEN BERG TO THE COUCH, FORMER PRESS SECRETARY FOR FORMER WISCONSIN GOVERNOR SCOTT WALKER AND WISCONSIN U.S.

SENATOR RON JOHNSON.

SAY, BRIAN MCCLUNG, VOTERS KNOW FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP PRETTY WELL.

AFTER THAT DEBATE, WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED ABOUT KAMALA HARRIS?

>> THAT WAS THE MAIN TAKEAWAY, WAS, NEW YORK TIMES SIENNA POLL SHOWED GOING INTO THAT DEBATE MORE THAN A QUARTER OF VOTERS SAID THEY WANTED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS, ONLY ABOUT 9% OF PEOPLE SAID THEY NEEDED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT DONALD TRUMP.

SO THAT WAS, I THINK, WHAT SHE SET OUT TO DO.

AND CLEARLY VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS WAS VERY WELL PREPARED.

AND ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, DONALD TRUMP'S IMPROV STYLE WAS JUST NO MATCH FOR SOMEBODY WHO PUT THE TIME AND EFFORT IN AND AME IN READY TO GO.

AND, SO, SHE BAITED HIM, SHE HAD FACTS, SHE HAD INFORMATION.

I THINK THAT PRESIDENT HAD HIS S BEST MOMENT AT THE VERY END OF THAT DEBATE WHEN HE SAID, IF YOU WANTED TO DO ALL OF THESE THINGS, WHY HAVEN'T YOU DONE IT?

YOU KNOW, YOU'VE BEEN VICE PRESIDENT FOR ALMOST FOUR YEARS.

YOU SHOULD HAVE DONE THOSE THINGS.

BUT HIS ERROR WAS IN NOT LEADING WITH THAT KIND OF MESSAGE.

AND WAITING UNTIL PROBABLY A LOT OF PEOPLE TUNED OUT.

>> Eric: SARAH, ARE DEMOCRATS SAD THAT THERE WON'T BE ANOTHER DEBATE, APPARENTLY?

>> I DON'T THINK SO.

I THINK WE DID GREAT ON THE FIRST ONE.

WE SHOWED IN 90 MINUTES THAT WE HAVE A PERSON, A PRESIDENTIAL ANDIDATE, THAT IS READY TO SERVE, WHEN SHE WALKED INTO THE ROOM, STEPPING INTO POWER, SHAKING HIS HAND, I THINK WE WERE ABLE TO DEFINE IN THOSE 90 MINUTES WHAT THE POLITICAL PROJECT FOR THE COUNTRY IS.

SO I'M ACTUALLY REALLY EXCITED.

I DON'T THINK WE NEED MORE.

>> Eric: WHAT DOES TRUMP HAVE TO DO GOING FORWARD?

>> I THINK HE HAS TO DRIVE THE KEY MESSAGES HOME THAT HE FAILED TO DO SO IN THE DEBATE.

HE HAS TO TALK ABOUT ECONOMY, HIS NUMBERS INCREASED AFTER THE DEBATE ON WHO DID BETTER ON THE ECONOMY.

HE HAS TO DRIVE HOME IMMIGRATION.

THAT IS HIS BREAD AND BUTTER, IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN.

THERE'S CLEARLY PROBLEMS OUT THERE ON IMMIGRATION THAT HE CAN PEAK TO THAT RESONATE WITH PEOPLE.

SO IF HE DRIVES THOSE TWO MESSAGES HOME, I THINK HE'S IN A STRONG POSITION.

>> REALLY, WHAT YOU'RE SAILING, IF DONALD TRUMP WAS A DIFFERENT PERSON, HE'D MAKE AN EFFECTIVE MESSAGE.

HERE'S THE REALITY.

HE'S TALKING ABOUT CATS AND DOGS BEING EATEN.

WHEN YOU LEAD WITH THAT AS YOUR MESSAGE, NOBODY CARES WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ON IMMIGRATION, ON THE ECONOMY, THERE'S A THRESHOLD QUESTION OF SIDE BY SIDE, WHICH ONE OF THESE TWO PEOPLE IS PRESIDENTIAL, WHO CAN I SEE GETTING THE CALL AT 3:00 A.M. AND IN THAT DEBATE KAMALA HARRIS WON THAT, NO QUESTION.

>> Eric: IS MINNESOTA BEING PORTRAYED CORRECTLY?

IT'S COME UNDER KIND OF A MICROSCOPE WITH THE MEDIA, SO FORTH, BECAUSE WE'VE GOT WALZ ON THE TICKET.

ARE THEY GETTING A TRUE PICTURE OF MINNESOTA?

>> WELL, IT DEPENDS ON WHERE THEY'RE GETTING THEIR PICTURE FROM.

RIGHT?

I MEAN, IF YOU'RE GETTING YOUR PICTURE ON TRUTH SOCIAL, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY NOT.

IF YOU'RE TAKING A BROADER LOOK AT MINNESOTA, HOPEFULLY YOU ARE.

I DO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP AND JD VANCE HAVE KIND OF GOTTEN DISTRACTED BY THIS IDEA OF WANTING TO ATTACK TIM WALZ AND WANTING TO ATTACK WHAT HE'S DONE IN MINNESOTA.

I MEAN, FIRST OF ALL, ALMOST NO ONE IS VOTING FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL TICKET BASED ON WHO THE NUMBER TWO IS.

SO, -- BUT THEY ARE SO TEMPTED BY WANTING TO TELL THE STORY OF MINNEAPOLIS IS ON FIRE THAT THEY ARE DRAWN TO IT LIKE MOTHS TO A FLAME.

AND, FRANKLY, EVERY MINUTE THAT THEY SPEND TRYING TO TELL THAT STORY IS A MINUTE THEY'VE LOST, LIKE AUSTIN SAID, WHERE THEY'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE ECONOMY AND IMMIGRATION AND ISSUES THAT ACTUALLY WORK FOR THEM.

>> Eric: SARAH, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> I THINK THAT, FIRST OF ALL, WE ALL BELIEVE IN THIS ROOM THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO BE TREATED WITH DIGNITY, RIGHT?

AND I THINK THAT ESPECIALLY DURING THE DEBATE, PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO SEE, RIGHT, AND ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THESE ARE THE FOLKS THAT ARE CURTAILING YOUR FREEDOMS WHILE SCAPEGOATING COMMUNITIES, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, IMMIGRANTS, THE TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY, AND MAKING SURE THAT WOMEN DON'T GET THEIR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS.

SO I FEEL THAT FOR MINNESOTA VOTERS IN THE TATE, PEOPLE CAN SEE RIGHT THROUGH THAT.

AND THE MORE THE SENIOR CITIZEN ROLE GOES UP, IT'S ALSO LIKE A REFLECTION THAT FOLKS ARE MOVING TOWARDS COMPETENT LEADERSHIP, WHICH IS THE HARRIS/WALZ TICKET.

VITRIOL.

>> I THINK ONE THING WE LEARNED, TIM WALZ IS SO REPRESENTATIVE OF THE BATTLEGROUND STATES OVERALL.

HIS ABILITY TO GO INTO VFW HALLS, AIRLINE HANGARS AND TALK TO THE VARIOUS CONSTITUENCIES OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY HAS SHOWN TO BE EFFECTIVE.

JUST EARLIER TODAY HE WAS IN LANSING, MICHIGAN, TALKING TO SUBURBAN MOMS.

HIS ABILITY TO SELL A PROGRESSIVE MESSAGE TO A BROAD SWATH OF THE COALITION IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK KAMALA HARRIS AND THEIR TEAM UNDERESTIMATED.

>> Cathy: WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE POLLING SO FAR?

AND DO YOU THINK -- THE NEEDLE MOVED TOWARD HARRIS MORE SINCE THIS DEBATE OR WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IN TERMS OF NUMBERS SO FAR?

>> I THINK WE'RE OMING OFF OF A QUITE UNIQUE EXPERIENCE IN THE LAST DEBATE, WHERE IT OBVIOUSLY MOVED THINGS SIGNIFICANTLY.

BUT IN THE PAST DEBATES HAVEN'T MOVED THE NUMBERS THAT MUCH.

SO, I THINK THAT THIS DEBATE IS GOING TO BE A REFLECTION OF THAT.

WE HAVE TWO MONTHS LEFT, TWO MONTHS IS AN ETERNITY IN POLITICS.

A LOT CAN CHANGE.

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER DEBATE.

SO IT'S GOING TO BE ABOUT DRIVING THOSE MESSAGES HOME.

THERE'S A MILLION WAYS THEY CAN DO THAT, YOU KNOW.

SPEAKING IS ONE WAY.

BUT SOCIAL MEDIA IS A WHOLE OTHER WAY THAT HAS JUST EXPLODED SINCE THE DEBATE.

AND SOME OF IT'S IN REPUBLICANS' FAVOR.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SPRINGFIELD, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THESE PLACES THAT WE WEREN'T TALKING ABOUT BEFORE.

GRANTED, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT CATS AND DOGS.

>> CATS AND DOGS IN SPRINGFIELD.

>> YES, WHICH IS CERTAINLY WILD.

BUT WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT THE PROBLEMS THAT SOME OF THESE COMMUNITIES ARE EXPERIENCING.

SPRINGFIELD, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS SEEN A MASSIVE INCREASE IN ITS POPULATION OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.

AND THAT, FOR THE COMMUNITY, I THINK THE MAYOR WAS JUST ON, HAS MENTIONED HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS TO THEM AND IT'S A PROBLEM THAT THEY'RE STILL STRUGGLING WITH.

>> CATHY, YOU YOU TALK ABOUT THE POLLING, THE THING ABOUT THE POLLING IS, THIS IS STILL DONALD TRUMP'S RACE TO LOSE.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE POLLS, BOTH NATIONALLY AND IN THE BATTLEGROUND STATES, ESPECIALLY, IT IS NECK IN NECK, AND PROBABLY WITH A SLIGHT DVANTAGE TO TRUMP.

AND, SO, OF COURSE, I SAY IT'S DONALD TRUMP'S RACE TO LOSE.

HE CERTAINLY COULD VERY WELL DO THAT.

BUT JUST LOOKING AT T, ESPECIALLY THE WAY THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE LINES UP, HE IS STILL IN A VERY STRONG POSITION.

SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS BEAT HIM IN THAT DEBATE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THESE WILD AND BIZARRE THINGS HE'S BEEN SAYING, BUT, NEVERTHELESS, WE SHOULD NOT DISCOUNT THE FACT THAT HE IS STILL IN A STRONG POSITION WITH VOTERS.

>> I ALSO WANT TO ADD THAT VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS DID SUCH AN AMAZING JOB ARTICULATING WHAT'S AT STAKE IN TERMS OF REPRODUCTIVE RATES RIGHTS THAT AT LEAST I'VE BEEN TALKING TO SOME OF MY PEERS AND FOLKS THAT A LOFT WOMEN FEEL WAY MORE COMPELLED TO MOVE TOWARDS MORE, WHAT I WILL CALL, JUST COMPETENT LEADERSHIP, RIGHT?

AND JUST FINALLY, IF YOU'RE A PERSON WHO LIKES TO DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH, I WILL RECOMMEND EVERYBODY TO GO LOOK UP PROJECT 2025 TO SEE WHAT'S AT STAKE.

>> HERE'S THE REALITY.

HE IS TALKING ABOUT POLLING IN THE ABSTRACT.

IF YOU ACTUALLY LOOK AT SOME OF THE BATTLE GROUND STATES, I'D CALL THE TIER TWO BATTLEGROUND STATES, KAMALA HARRIS IS ABLE TO HOLD THOSE STATES IN PLAY, NORTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA, ARIZONA, NEVADA.

WHY ARE THOSE STATES STILL IN PLAY?

BECAUSE OF THE RESURGENCE OF THE DEMOCRATIC COALITION.

KAMALA HARRIS IS UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO WIN STATES LIKE NORTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA THAT JOE BIDEN NEVER COULD HAVE WON.

>> Eric: WISCONSIN IS A SWING STATE, WHERE IT'S HEADED?

>> MARQUETTE POLL JUST CAME OUT, THAT'S THE INSTITUTIONAL POLL IN THE STATE, IT SHOWED VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS UP BY ABOUT FOUR POINTS.

THAT'S GOOD FOR HER.

BUT WE ALL KNOW THAT TRUMP CHRONICALLY UNDERPOLLS ACROSS THE BOARD.

SO WE SAW THIS EXACTLY THE SAME THING OF IN 2020 AND PRESIDENT BIDEN ON THAT STATE BY LESS A PERCENTAGE POINT.

SO, IF, YOU KNOW, F YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS RIGHT NOW, I THINK IT'S A DEAD HEAT.

IN NORTHWEST WISCONSIN, THERE ARE ACTUALLY -- THEY'RE ACTUALLY SEEING SOME OPPORTUNITIES, THE REPUBLICANS ARE, SOME WEAKNESS FROM WHAT THEY'VE SEEN BEFORE, WHICH IS A BIT CURIOUS.

BUT IT'S ALSO A PLACE FOR OPPORTUNITY.

IF THEY CAN BUMP THEIR NUMBERS UP, THEY CAN IMPROVE THEIR POLL NUMBERS, AND IT CAN BE COULD BE EVEN MORE.

>> HAT'S WHY I THINK YOU SEE TIM WALZ GOING TO SUPERIOR TOMORROW.

>> YUP.

JD VANCE IS ACTUALLY IN EAU CLAIRE.

>> Cathy: THAT'S RIGHT, AGAIN.

I'M WONDERING ABOUT THE BIG MONEY RAISED BY DEMOCRATS, I MEAN A LOT OF MONEY.

HOW IS THAT -- HOW MIGHT THAT FILTER DOWNBALLOT?

>> YEAH, WE'VE SEEN ALREADY THAT VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS HAS COMMITTED $25 MILLION FROM THE JOINT FUND FOR DOWNTICKET RACES.

THIS IS IMPORTANT, WHEN YOU'RE COMING INTO A NEW CAMPAIGN, THERE'S A LOT OF EXCITEMENT, A LOT OF ENERGY, SHE COULD HAVE HARNESSED THAT ALL FOR HERSELF, BUT WHAT SHE DID WAS, SHE SAID, WE'RE GOING TO USE THIS ALONG WITH THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY, TO ENSURE AT THE STATE LEGISLATIVE LEVEL, THE CONGRESSIONAL LEVEL THAT THERE'S RESOURCES FOR EVERYBODY INVOLVED, ULTIMATELY, THAT'S GOING TO TRICKLE UP, NOT JUST DOWN.

>> IT'S A CONCERN IN MINNESOTA, BECAUSE THE TOP OF THE TICKET HERE IS ROYCE WHITE AND HE'S GOING TO RAISE ALMOST NO MONEY.

RELATIVE TO AMY KLOBUCHAR, WHO'S, YOU KNOW, SITTING ON, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE MILLIONS.

AND, SO, WHEN REPUBLICANS HERE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE ALL IN ON WINNING BACK THE MINNESOTA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

REPUBLICANS NEED TO WIN FOUR SEATS TO DO THAT.

THAT IS ENTIRELY DOABLE UNDER THE IGHT CIRCUMSTANCES.

BUT A CONCERN IS THAT ALL OF THAT EXTRA CASH, YOU KNOW, PRESIDENTIAL, ATIONAL, U.S. SENATE, CAN THEN FILTER DOWN IF THOSE RACES ARE NOT AS COMPETITIVE HERE.

AND THAT'S A PROBLEM.

>> AND I KNOW THAT IS SUPER TEMPTING TO TALK ABOUT MONEY, BUT I WILL NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE TEN YEARS OF RELATIONAL ORGANIZING THAT HAS BEEN TAKING PLACE IN MINNESOTA.

I THINK THAT THAT'S SUPER IMPORTANT TO MENTION.

AND I THINK THAT THAT'S JUST GOING TO SEAL THE DEAL FOR US THIS 2024.

>> Eric: TAYLOR SWIFT?

>> YEAH, SO NORMALLY ENDORSEMENTS DON'T MATTER.

THIS ENDORSEMENT MATTERS.

THERE'S DATA, I WAS WATCHING CBS EARLIER, THERE'S DATA TO SUGGEST, THERE'S SOMETHING LIKE 300, 400,000 PEOPLE WHO CLICKED THE LINK AND REGISTERED TO VOTE BECAUSE OF TAYLOR SWIFT, SHE CAN MAKE AN IMPACT.

>> Eric: THANK YOU,