♪ ♪ >> ERIC: THIS WEEK'S POLITICAL NEWS INCLUDES A FLURRY OF U.S.

SUPREME COURT RULINGS, PRIMARY RESULTS AROUND THE COUNTRY, AND A POTENTIAL LEGISLATIVE LOGJAM IN THE NATION'S CAPITOL.

JUST THREE OF THE TOPICS OUR TRIO OF POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSORS WILL TACKLE TONIGHT.

MICHAEL MINTA TEACHES POLITICAL SCIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA.

LARRY JACOBS HEADS UP THE CENTER FOR POLITICS AND GOVERNANCE AT THE U OF M'S HUMPHREY SCHOOL.

CINDY RUGELEY HEADS UP THE POLI-SCI DEPARTMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, DULUTH.

ALL RIGHT, WHAT DO THESE ALL HAVE IN COMMON, PROFESSOR RUGELEY?

THE S.A.V.E.

ACT, F.I.S.A., AND HOUSING.

>> NOT MUCH.

[ Laughter ] >> Eric: I MEAN, WHAT IS -- SORT T OUT FOR US.

>> I MEAN, ONE OF THEM HAS ACTUALLY PASSED.

[ Laughter ] >> Eric: THAT'S THE HOUSING.

>> THE HOUSING ONE HAS PASSED AND IT'S BEING HELD UP.

AND, YOU KNOW, THE PRESIDENT DOESN'T HAVE TO SIGN IT.

IF THEY SEND IT TO HIM FOR IT TO BECOME LAW.

SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT AT ALL.

THE S.A.V.E.

ACT IS SOMETHING THAT THE SENATE JUST DOESN'T WANT.

AND I MEAN, I THINK IT'S BIPARTISAN THAT THEY DON'T WANT IT.

F.I.S.A., I -- THAT'S ALMOST ONE -- I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE HOLDING IT HOSTAGE OR WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT ONE.

I MEAN, IT'S JUST GOING INTO -- DYSFUNCTION RIGHT NOW.

IN WASHINGTON.

>> Eric: SO IT'S -- THE PROCESS IS NOT WORKING THE WAY IT WAS INTENDED, APPARENTLY?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, THE S.A.V.E.

ACT, I SAW A QUOTE THAT THE PRESIDENT PUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA SAYING THAT HE MIGHT BE THE LAST REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT IF THE S.A.V.E.

ACT ISN'T PASSED.

THIS HIGH STANDARD OF NOT JUST A PHOTO I.D., BUT ALSO A PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP.

AND SO THAT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT.

I MEAN, IMAGINE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TRYING TO GO IN, AND THEN YOU GOT TO PRODUCE YOUR BIRTH CERTIFICATE OR MAYBE YOU HAVE A PASSPORT.

SO IT'S A BAR WHERE MANY DEMOCRATS ARE SAYING IT OBVIOUSLY IS A BARRIER TO GETTING PEOPLE TO VOTE.

AND I ALSO THINK T WOULD PROBABLY HAVE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES ALSO FOR REPUBLICAN VOTERS ALSO TO HAVE TO TRY TO COME UP WITH THAT DOCUMENTATION.

>> HERE'S THE SIMILARITY ACROSS THOSE THREE PIECES OF LEGISLATION.

THE RUPTURE.

REPUBLICAN PARTY IS NOW RUPTURED.

YOU USED TO HAVE A TRIFECTA AS S OF A YEAR AGO.

REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT, REPUBLICAN CONGRESS.

IT DOESN'T WORK ANYMORE.

YOU'VE GOT A PRESIDENT WHO IS JUST FIRED UP AND MAD.

AND YOU WOULD THINK THAT THE REPUBLICANS WERE HIS ENEMY.

I THOUGHT ONE OF THE MOST TELLING QUOTES OF THIS WEEK WAS A REPUBLICAN LEADER IN THE SENATE SAYING, WILL THE PRESIDENT HELP US SURVIVE?

SO, US BEING THE SENATE REPUBLICANS.

THEM BEING THE WHITE HOUSE AND DONALD TRUMP.

AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENED.

THAT'S WHAT THESE THREE HAVE IN COMMON.

AND IT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY SITUATION.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MICHAEL MENTIONED IS ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT SENATOR THUNE HAD WHEN HE SAID THIS IS GOING TO HURT REPUBLICANS A LOT, YOU NOW, AS FAR AS VOTER TURNOUT.

AND I MEAN, IT IS THE REGISTRATION AND ALL, BUT IT'S ALSO DOING AWAY WITH THINGS LIKE VOTE BY MAIL WHICH HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE DIRT.

AND SO I MEAN, IT'S JUST -- IT KIND OF -- IT'S JUST GOING TOO FAR.

AND I -- I DON'T THINK HE'S GOING TO GET IT.

BUT WHO KNOWS.

>> THE HOUSING ACT WAS ONE OF THESE BIPARTISAN BILLS.

LARGE ILL DOING A LOT.

I MEAN, YOU HAD SENATOR ELIZABETH WARREN FROM THE PROGRESSIVE SIDE PLAYING AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN TERMS OF LIMITING THE ROLE OF INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS.

YOU KNOW, YOU WANT WALL STREET INVOLVED IN HOUSING.

AND THEN IT GOT BOGGED DOWN.

WHY?

BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT DIDN'T WANT TO SIGN IT.

IT PASSED.

IT WENT TO HIS DESK.

THEY HAD THE, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE THING SET UP FOR HIM TO SIT DOWN AND REPUBLICANS WERE GOING TO LAUNCH A WHOLE CAMPAIGN ABOUT HOW THEY'RE FIGHTING FOR AFFORDABILITY, AND HE PULLS IT JUST TO BE VINDICTIVE.

>> Cathy: WHAT DID YOU SAY, PROFESSOR RUGELEY ABOUT MAIL IN VOTING, OLD AS DIRT?

OKAY.

WHAT DID YOU MAKE OF THE APPEALS JUDGE BLOCKING THE EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT WOULD LIMIT MAIL BALLOTS?

DID I MISS THAT?

I MEAN -- THAT WAS -- THERE WAS THAT RULING?

>> YEAH, THERE WAS ONE, AND I MEAN, BLOCKED IT, AND AGAIN, HE ISSUED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER, AND THEY SAID NO, YOU CAN'T DO THAT, BECAUSE YOU'RE INTERFERING WITH STATE -- WHAT IS IT?

STATE PREROGATIVE.

AND FUNDAMENTALLY, I THINK THAT'S TRUE.

I DON'T THINK IT'LL BE IN EFFECT FOR THE MIDTERMS.

>> Cathy: ARE WE DONE THEN NOW, DO YOU THINK WITH ANY OTHER CHALLENGES TO HOW WE MIGHT VOTE IN NOVEMBER?

FROM THE ADMINISTRATION?

OR SOMETHING ELSE MIGHT POP UP?

>> NO.

>> E'RE JUST WARMING UP.

THERE'S GOING TO BE ALL SORTS OF, YOU KNOW, EFFORTS BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE COUNTER-MOBILIZATION BY VOTING RIGHTS GROUPS TO TRY TO MOBILIZE PEOPLE OR PROTECT, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE, YOU KNOW, STRAP IN.

THERE'S GOING TO BE A REAL BATTLE.

>> AND I THINK THERE ARE GOING TO BE -- I THINK THERE STILL WILL BE SOME TYPE OF LEGISLATIVE OR LEGAL CHALLENGES, BUT THERE'S ALSO FEAR THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH MIGHT USE IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS, BRINGING THEM OUT TO THE POLLS.

I MEAN, SIMILAR, REALLY, TO THE '60s, OF FORMS OF INTIMIDATION, RIGHT?

SO JUST THE THREAT OF MAYBE HAVING I.C.E.

OFFICIALS AT THE POLLS MAY DETER SOMEBODY -- PEOPLE WHO ARE CITIZENS WHO ARE ALLOWED TO VOTE MAY NOT EVEN SHOW UP.

>> Eric: THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS HAD A BIG NIGHT ON PRIMARY WEEK THIS WEEK.

THOSE ARE DEEP BLUE STRICTS AND DOES IT STRANS AND DOES IT STRA TRANSLATE INTO GENERAL ELECTION WINS?

>> I THINK IT'D BE INTERESTING.

I THINK THERE'S A BIG MOVE FOR CHANGE.

I THINK PEOPLE JUST WANT SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

>> I AGREE.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHETHER YOU'RE A DEMOCRATIC OR REPUBLICAN PARTY, THIS IS THE NAME OF THE GAME IS CHANGE.

AND A PUSH BACK AGAINST THE LEADERSHIP.

BUT, YOU KNOW, MAMDANI, SWEEPING THE CANDIDATES THAT HE HAD ENDORSED IN PRIMARIES IN NEW YORK CITY, THAT WAS A -- THAT WAS A CONFIRMATION OF A PROGRESSIVE STRATEGY, OF MOBILIZATION, STAKE OUT AN POPULIST MESSAGE AND IT'S GOING TO EXCITE VOTERS, NON-VOTERS AND YOUTH.

BUT THERE'S THE OTHER SIDE OF IT FOR CANDIDATES REINING IN MORE MODERATE COMPETITIVE DISTRICTS AND STATES, AND THERE YOU'VE GOT TO PERSUADE THEM.

YOU'VE GOT TO PERSUADE THE SINGLE, YOU KNOW, THE SWING VOTER, SO I DON'T THINK IT HAS AS BROAD AN IMPACT AS MAYBE THE MEDIA COVERAGE IS SUGGESTING.

>> Eric: IS THERE DATA ON HOW THE IRAN WAR IS AFFECTING POLITICS?

I SEE WITH THE U.S.

STRUCK SOME TARGETS IN IRAN AFTER IRAN DRONED A CARGO SHIP.

SO I WONDER IF THERE'S A POLITICAL IMPACT HERE.

>> I MEAN, I THINK THAT YOU'VE SEEN POLLS WHERE IT'S -- THE STRONG REPUBLICANS, M.A.G.A., THEY'RE FOR IT.

BUT I THINK THE INDEPENDENTS AND DEMOCRATS ARE AGAINST THE IRANIAN IN TERMS OF THAT WAR.

AND SO IN TERMS F HOW IT WILL DRIVE TURNOUT, I DON'T KNOW.

I MEAN, WARS AREN'T GOOD FOR INCUMBENT ADMINISTRATIONS, BUT IT COULD PLAY A ROLE IN TERMS OF REPRESSING THE REPUBLICANS THAT COME OUT.

ALONG WITH ALL THE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS THAT ARE DRIVING -- >> I THINK THAT'S A TOUGH THING WITH THE WAR AND WITH EVERYTHING ELSE IS THAT IT'S JUST BAKED INTO TRUMP.

AND I MEAN, I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S JUST ONE THING WITH TRUMP THAT'S CAUSING HIS NUMBERS TO FALL SO QUICKLY.

I JUST THINK IT'S EVERYTHING.

>> Eric: IMMIGRATION AND THE COURTS?

>> WELL, CERTAINLY, IMMIGRATION USED TO BE A GOOD ISSUE FOR DONALD TRUMP.

>> RIGHT.

>> NOT SO MUCH.

I MEAN, THE ISSUE HERE, AND THIS IS A CONSTANT, WHICH IS THE PRESIDENT TENDS TO DRIVE THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS, AND THE PRESIDENT'S PARTY TENDS TO LOSE.

THIS TIME WE'VE GOT A PRESIDENT WHO'S APPROVAL RATING IS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IN THE 30s OVERALL.

BUT THEN YOU KIND OF LOOK AT THE INDEPENDENTS, IT'S ACTUALLY IN THE 20s.

AND YOU LOOK ON ECONOMIC ISSUES, AND IT'S ALSO TERRIBLE.

THERE'S ONLY A QUARTER OF AMERICANS WHO THINK THAT THE WAR IN IRAN WAS WORTH THE COST.

SO THIS IS LIKE A -- JUST A CURSE.

AND REPUBLICANS ARE PUSHING INTO A WIND.

THAT IS A REAL DRAG.

>> Cathy: YOU KNOW, YOU ALL ARE PROBABLY HISTORIANS TO A CERTAIN EXTENT IN TERMS OF POLITICAL HISTORY, ALSO PROBABLY EXCITES YOU AND YOU'RE INTERESTED IN IT AS POLITICAL SCIENTISTS.

I WONDER WHAT YOU'VE MADE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT COMPARING THE PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT TRUMP TO FORMER PRESIDENT NIXON IN TERMS OF BOTH HE MAINTAINS WERE VICTIMS OF THE DEEP STATE.

HE ALSO THOUGHT THAT WAREGATE WOULDN'T BE A SCANDAL NOWADAYS.

WHAT DID YOU MAKE OF THAT?

>> WELL, FOR ONE THING, HE WAS AT THE NIXON FOUNDATION, AND IF J.D.

VANCE IS GOOD AT ANYTHING, IT'S KISSING UP.

I COULDN'T BELIEVE HE SAID IT.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT'S A THREE.

DIFFERENT THING BECAUSE THE REASON THAT RICHARD NIXON RESIGNED IS BECAUSE REPUBLICANS WENT TO HIM AND SAID IT'S NOT LOOKING GOOD FOR YOU DOWN AT THE HOMETOWN.

AND SO WHAT HE SAID ABOUT DEEP STATE AND ALL THAT, IT JUST WASN'T TRUE.

AND SO COMPARING TRUMP TO NIXON, THERE'S PROBABLY BETTER PEOPLE THAT I'D WANT TO BE COMPARED TO, BUT I MEAN -- >> WHY NOT RONALD REAGAN?

>> THAT'S IT.

>> THERE'S SOMEONE WHO ENJOYS POPULARITY.

OBVIOUSLY AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

BUT, YOU KNOW, AMONG MANY AMERICANS FOR SOME OF THE THINGS HE DID.

NIXON, THE PROBLEM FOR NIXON IS, HE SAID BAD THINGS ON TAPES, AND JUDGE WAS RELEASING THE TAPES.

AND YOU HAD A UNANIMOUS DIVISION DIVISIDECISION BY THE SUPREME CT TO RELEASE THOSE TAPES AND GAME UP.

AND I THINK THAT WOULD HAPPEN.

>> Eric: WELL, HE DIDN'T HAVE THE VOTES IN CONGRESS.

SO YOU CAN TALK ALL YOU WANT, BUT IF YOU AIN'T GOT THE VOTES, YOU AIN'T GOT THE VOTES.

>> AND IT'S THE REPUBLICANS THAT WERE TELLING HIM, IT'S JUST NOT THERE FOR YOU.

AND SO THAT'S THE REASON HE RESIGNED.

>> Eric: ARE WE GETTING A LITTLE OF D.S.A.

AND TRADITIONAL DEMOCRATS IN THE MINNESOTA D.F.L.

SENATE PRIMARY, FLANAGAN AND ANGIE CRAIG?

>> OH, IT'S A GREAT RACE.

I TELL YOU, IF YOU LIKE POLITICS, THIS IS A TERRIFIC RACE BECAUSE YOU'VE SEEN PEGGY FLANAGAN MOBILIZE THE PROGRESSIVES.

IT'S THE MAMDANI STRATEGY.

ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU'VE GOT ANNIE CRAIG, SHE'S GOT A LOT OF MONEY AND THOSE INDEPENDENT GROUPS ARE DOING SOME OF THE DIRTY WORK OF ACCUSING ANGIE CRAIG OF TAKING P.A.C.

MONEY.

>> Cathy: AND IT WAS QUITE A DISCUSSION WE HAD HAD ON THE COUNTY LAST WEEK WITH THOSE