GUNS.

♪ ♪ >> ERIC: AS WE DISCUSSED AT THE TOP OF THE HOUR, WE'RE NOW MORE THAN A WEEK INTO A FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN WITH NO END IN SIGHT.

NEITHER PARTY SEEMS TO BE BUDGING, WHICH IS ALSO THE SITUATION HERE IN MINNESOTA OVER GUN CONTROL, THAT LED GOVERNOR WALZ TO SOFTEN HIS CALLS FOR A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

PLENTY OF GRIST FOR THE MILL TONIGHT, SO LET'S DIVE IN WITH OUR PANEL.

DEMOCRATS UP FIRST.

KARLA BIGHAM IS A FORMER STATE LAWMAKER WHO HAS SERVED IN BOTH LEGISLATIVE CHAMBERS, SHE'S NOW A WASHINGTON COUNTY COMMISSIONER.

WITH HER IS SARA LOPEZ, PARTY ACTIVIST AND POLICY DIRECTOR AT UNIDOS MINNESOTA.

REPUBLICANS JOINING THEM, ANNETTE MEEKS IS A FORMER CONGRESSIONAL STAFFER AND LT.

GOVERNOR CANDIDATE WHO NOW HEADS THE FREEDOM FOUNDATION OF MINNESOTA.

AND LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, BRIAN MCDANIEL IS A FORMER LEGISLATIVE STAFFER TURNED LOBBYIST AND STANDUP COMEDIAN.

COMMISSIONER, I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU, HAVING SERVED IN BOTH CHAMBERS.

>> SURE.

>> Eric: IS IT MUCH OF A SURPRISE THAT THERE REALLY CAN'T BE A SPECIAL SESSION WITHOUT A PRIOR AGREEMENT?

>> THAT'S THE STANDARD.

I MEAN, IT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO DO TO JUST HAVE THE AGREEMENT TO MAKE IT GO SMOOTH.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK IT'S AS MUCH A SURPRISE BUT, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT -- ONE, IT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S STILL NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

I'M GOING TO SAY THAT.

BUT I ALSO WILL SAY THAT THE CONVERSATION STILL IS HAPPENING, THE PRESSURE'S STILL THERE, YOU'RE SEEING THE CONVERSATION ALL OVER THE CITIES AND THE STATE AND THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT WANT TO HAVE ACTION TAKEN BECAUSE MINNESOTANS EXPECT ACTION TO HAPPEN.

>> Cathy: AND, BRIAN -- >> YEAH.

>> Cathy: -- THE GOVERNOR NOW SAYS HE WANTS TO HAVE TOWN HALL MEETINGS TO PUT PRESSURE ON THOSE REPUBLICANS AND THOSE DEMOCRATS WHO WOULD NOT VOTE FOR GUN CONTROL.

SO I WONDER, HOW EFFECTIVE WOULD THAT BE TO PUT PRESSURE, TO KEEP THAT PRESSURE ON?

>> PROBABLY NOT VERY EFFECTIVE.

I MEAN, THIS SHOWS HOW FAR OUT IN FRONT OF EVEN DEMOCRATS THE GOVERNOR GOT ON THIS.

HE DIDN'T TALK TO LEGISLATIVE LEADERS IN EITHER PARTY OR IN EITHER BODY.

AND THE DANGER OF CALLING A SPECIAL SESSION IS THAT THE GOVERNOR CAN CALL A SPECIAL SESSION, HE CAN'T END IT.

SO I THINK THAT PRESS CONFERENCES OR TOWN HALL MEETINGS IS WHAT HE SHOULD HAVE DONE FROM THE BEGINNING BECAUSE HE CAN CONTROL THAT.

HE CAN'T CONTROL THE LEGISLATURE.

AND HE SHOULDN'T TRY.

>> Eric: SARA, DOES THE GUN ISSUE HAVE ENOUGH ENERGY TO BE A FACTOR WHEN LEGISLATORS ARE UP ON THE BOLT IN 2026?

>> I MEAN, I'M A NEW MOM, YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT I HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT FOR MY CHILD IS NCREDIBLY DIFFICULT.

SO, ACTION HAS TO BE TAKEN.

I'M REALLY GLAD THAT THERE'S AN ORGANIZING EFFORT BEHIND IT.

YOU MIGHT NOT THINK THAT IT'S EFFECTIVE, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT ORGANIZING AND HAVING THE CONVERSATION, PUTTING A LOT OF PRESSURE MIGHT BE ABLE TO PUSH THE ISSUE FORWARD, SIMPLY BECAUSE WE OWE IT FOR OUR CHILDREN.

>> I DON'T THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE A SPECIAL SESSION, AND I THINK THE GOVERNOR REALLY BLEW IT FROM THE START.

AS BRIAN SAID, HE DIDN'T CONSULT WITH THE LEGISLATIVE LEADERS, STRIKE ONE.

STRIKE TWO WAS, THERE IS NO PROPOSAL FOR LEGISLATIVE LEADERS TO TAKE TO THEIR CAUCUSES AND SAY, HERE'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON IN A POTENTIAL SPECIAL SESSION.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

WHAT CAN WE DO TO IMPROVE THIS?

IS THIS A GOOD OPTION?

WILL THIS SOLVE THE PROBLEM?

AND STRIKE THREE HAS BEEN, HE'S JUST -- HE THROWS THIS STUFF OUT THERE AND THEN HE DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING FOR WEEKS ON END.

WE'VE BEEN ALKING ABOUT A SPECIAL SESSION FOR OVER A MONTH.

AND THERE'S STILL NO ACTION.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE ONE.

I THINK IT'S JUST SOME SORT OF KABUKI THEATER THAT WE KEEP GOING THROUGH BECAUSE WE ALL FEEL SO AWFUL.

>> YOU JUST DON'T WANT -- THE VOTERS DO NOT WANT THEIR KIDS THINKING ABOUT THIS IN SCHOOL, WORRYING ABOUT THIS IN SCHOOL, AND THE TRAGEDIES THAT HAVE HAPPENED THIS SUMMER ARE GOING TO HAVE AN IMPACT BECAUSE PEOPLE WANT ACTION.

MINNESOTANS WANT ACTION.

THIS HAS GOT TO STOP.

THIS IS NOT A PARTISAN ISSUE.

WE HAVE TO TAKE ACTION ON IT.

AND I DO BELIEVE IT WILL HAVE AN IMPACT.

AND BE A DISCUSSION NEXT YEAR.

>> SIMPLY PUT, WHEN THERE'S A WILL, THERE'S A WAY.

>> YES.

>> ND THERE'S NO WAY, BECAUSE THERE'S NO WILL IN THIS SITUATION.

>> WERE YOU WE'RE -- BUT WE'RE HEARING, WE WANT ACTION, AND AS ANNETTE SAID, ACTION ON WHAT?

MY WIFE IS A TEACHER, I STILL HAVE A DAUGHTER THAT'S IN HIGH SCHOOL.

I HAVE SKIN IN THE GAME ON THIS, TOO.

THERE'S NOTHING TO TALK ABOUT YET EXCEPT THE NEED TO DO SOMETHING.

THE DFL HAD A TRIFECTA A YEAR AGO AND THEY COULDN'T PASS A LOT OF THESE THINGS THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW.

IF THEY HAVE THE VOTES NOW, WELL, THEY'LL HAVE THE VOTES IN FEBRUARY, JUST AS MUCH AS THEY'D HAVE THEM RIGHT NOW.

>> Cathy: THANKS FOR BRINGING UP FEBRUARY.

WHAT DO YOU THINK COULD POTENTIALLY COME UP NEXT SESSION THAT COULD PASS?

HARDENING OF SCHOOLS?

I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW, HAVING OFFICERS IN SCHOOLS?

I HAVE NO IDEA.

>> I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY REALLY BLEW IT TWO YEARS AGO IS THEY DEPRIVED THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS OF ANY FUNDING OR SCHOOL SAFETY.

SO WE'VE LEFT THOSE KIDS COMPLETELY VULNERABLE, WHICH IS JUST HORRIFIC, ALL CHILDREN MATTER.

AND ALL CHILDREN SHOULD FEEL SAFE IN THEIR SCHOOLS.

SO TO NOT PROVIDE THAT FUNDING WHEN THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, THEY SHOULD HAVE.

SO, I THINK SOMETHING LIKE THAT IS LIKELY TO COME UP.

I THINK THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF AGREEMENT, PROBABLY EVEN AMONGST ALL OF US, THAT WE DO HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEM IN THIS COUNTRY THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.

IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE A DRACONIAN THING, BUT WE NEED TO SET ABOUT SYSTEMATICALLY, WHAT ARE WE GOING O DO WITH FOLKS WHO DESPERATELY NEED HELP?

>> I ALSO THINK YOU SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO POP OFF 113 WOUNDS IN -- ROUNDS IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

I THINK THERE'S AN AGREEMENT ABOUT THAT, TOO.

I THINK THERE'S MORE AGREEMENT THAN PEOPLE WANT TO PROBABLY TALK ABOUT RIGHT NOW.

AND IN FEBRUARY, I THINK ALL THINGS ARE ON THE TABLE, TO BE HONEST.

>>ITY DFL LEGISLATORS WHO VERY MUCH STRONGLY OPPOSED GOING BACK TO SPECIAL SESSION FOR LOTS OF DIFFERENT REASONS.

ONE, THERE IS NO AGREEMENT.

THAT TAKES THEM AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILIES, IT TAKES THEM AWAY FROM THEIR JOBS.

TWO, THEY HAVE SAFETY CONCERNS.

YOU KNOW, WE LEARNED IN THE WORST WAY POSSIBLE THAT WE CANNOT PROTECT LEGISLATORS, AND IF YOU BRING THEM ALL TO THE CAPITOL FOR CERTAINLY SOMETHING AS KIND OF HOT BUTTON AS THIS, THERE'S A DANGER THERE.

AND REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS FEEL THAT.

WE NEED TO HAVE A LOT MORE DISCUSSION BEFORE THIS BECOMES SOMETHING VIABLE.

THIS IS SOMETHING WHERE THE GOVERNOR MIGHT HAVE HAD HIS HEART IN THE RIGHT SPOT, BUT HE DID NOT DO THE HOMEWORK THAT HE NEEDED TO MAKE THIS SUCCESSFUL.

>> FEAR SHOULDN'T DIRECT US -- >> THEY HAVE THE VOTES, IT DOESN'T MATTER HY.

>> Eric: THERE WAS A NORTH STAR SUMMIT THAT WAS ORGANIZED BY THE "STAR TRIBUNE."

AND THE GOVERNOR, WITH THE GOVERNOR PRITZKER FROM ILLINOIS, THE GOVERNOR SAID HE EXPECTS TO BE ARRESTED.

BY I.C.E.

>> I WAS THERE.

>> Eric: OH, YOU WERE ONE OF THE EGG HEADS WHO WAS THERE.

>> I WAS THERE.

I WAS ABOUT TEN FEET FROM WALZ AND PRITZKER.

AND, YOU KNOW, THAT QUESTION CAME UP AND WHEN THEY ANSWERED IT, I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE A BIG EAL.

IN THE ROOM, IT WASN'T THAT HYSTERICAL.

THE QUESTION WAS, WAS A LOT MORE NUANCED THAN THAT.

BUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN ILLINOIS, MY HOME STATE, GIVES ME AS A RENEE LOT OF CONCERN -- GIVES ME AS A REPUBLICAN A LOT OF CONCERN.

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE PARTY OF STATE RIGHTS?

IF WE'RE ALL OF A SUDDEN TAKING TEXAS NATIONAL GUARDSMEN WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN TO ILLINOIS AND SAY, HERE, DON'T COORDINATE WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT BUT GO CLEAN UP THE STREETS.

THAT'S NOT GOOD.

I WAS JUST IN CHICAGO ABOUT A WEEK AGO.

I CAN TELL YA, WRIGLEYVILLE IS FINE.

>> GO CUBS.

>> WHAT HAPPENED TO FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY?

$1.6 MILLION PER DAY.

AND THE COMPLETE DERELICTION OF THE FOURTH AMENDMENT, RIGHT?

SO IT'S INCREDIBLY SCARY.

AND IT'S AN OVERREACH F GOVERNMENT.

>> YOU KNOW WHAT'S INCREDIBLY SCARY?

THOSE OF US WHO USED TO LIVE DOWNTOWN MINNEAPOLIS, THAT'S REALLY SCARY.

THE CRIME AND THE RAMPANT SHOOTING, THE VIDEO THAT WE SAW, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU WATCHED "A PRECARIOUS STATE" LAST WEEK, BUT IT IS DOWNRIGHT SCARY WHEN YOU SEE PEOPLE WALKING DOWN THE STREET AND REALIZING, THAT GUY HAS A GUN.

AND IT'S HORRIFIC WHAT'S HAPPENED TO OUR DOWNTOWNS, AND TO SOME OF OUR COMMUNITIES THAT ARE VERY UNSAFE.

SPEAKING OF CHICAGO, AS SOMEBODY WHO GREW UP IN ILLINOIS AS WELL, THERE ARE AREAS THERE THAT ARE JUST DOWNRIGHT KILLING SCONES ON -- ZONES ON WEEKENDS.

>> Cathy: CRIME RATES ARE DOWN NOW.

>> I DRIVE THROUGH DOWNTOWN MINNEAPOLIS WITH MY 3-MONTH-OLD ALL THE TIME, AND I CAN ASSURE YOU, WE ARE NOT AT WAR.

>> Eric: TRAMPLING ON STATE'S RIGHTS, SOME OF THE DEMOCRATS HAVE AID.

>> I THINK WHAT'S HAPPENING, WE HAVE CITIES THAT ARE OUT OF CONTROL.

AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED IN WASHINGTON, D.C., AGAIN, I LIVED THERE FOR 14 YEARS, IT'S OUTRAGEOUS HOW BAD CRIME HAD GOTTEN THERE AND NOBODY WOULD DO ANYTHING.

>> WELL, GIVE THEM MONEY.

GIVE THEM THE FUNDING TO DO IT.

>> EXACTLY.

>> DON'T IMPEDE ON STATE RIGHTS.

>> YEAH.

>> I MEAN, IT ISN'T A LAUGHING MATTER WHEN THIS PRESIDENT IS GOING AFTER FORMER ATTORNEY GENERALS IN NEW YORK AND JAMES COMEY.

I MEAN, IT IS RETRIBUTION.

AND, SO, IT ISN'T A JOKE.

IT'S REAL.

AND IT WAS A FAIR QUESTION TO ASK.

>> Cathy: I'M WONDERING ABOUT THE FEDERAL SHUTDOWN.

HOW LONG DO YOU THINK THIS IS GOING TO LAST?

>> 11th DAY?

>> I THINK IT'S GOING TO GO MAYBE -- MAYBE NOT NEXT WEEK, BUT THE WEEK AFTER.

YOU KNOW, THE HOUSE HAS PASSED A CONTINUING RESOLUTION.

WE'RE WAITING ON THE SENATE.

WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT THAT THE REPUBLICANS ARE IN CHARGE OF ALL THREE BRANCHES, THAT'S ONLY KIND OF TRUE BECAUSE YOU NEED 60 VOTES IN THE SENATE AND THE REPUBLICANS DON'T HAVE 60 VOTES IN THE SENATE.

SO WHEN THE REPUBLICANS SAY, WELL, IT'S CHUCK SCHUMER'S FAULT, TO A CERTAIN EXTENT IT IS.

AND HE IS, YOU KNOW, NOT PROVIDING THE VOTES, HE'S NOT REQUIRED TO.

BUT THAT IS WHY, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE ARE CLOSER THAN WE THINK TO GETTING SOMETHING THAT MAYBE AT LEAST GETS US TO THE END OF THE YEAR.

>> Eric: REAL QUICK, WALZ'S RUNNING MATE, YOU WANT TO MENTION A NAME OR TWO?

>> NO.

>> BIGHAM.

>> THE SHUTDOWN WILL AST UNTIL THE REPUBLICANS START NEGOTIATING WITH THE DEMOCRATS ON AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE FOR OUR FARMERS, FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESS FOLKS, WORKING FOLKS, IT'S A REAL ISSUE, AND THE DEMOCRATS AREN'T GOING TO BACK DOWN.

>> AND I'VE GOT THE SOLUTION TO THAT.

WE SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN RID OF OBAMACARE WHEN WE HAD THE CHANCE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S DRIVING THE PRICES, AND THAT'S WHAT'S DRIVING THE SHUTDOWN.

>> Eric: THE GUN WENT OFF.

>> Cathy: SIT DOWN.

WAIT, WHERE ARE YOU GOING?

>> Eric: OH, YOU'RE ON.

>> Cathy: I'M ON.

SIT DOWN.

THANK YOU.