THAT DECISION WILL BE LEFT UP
TO A SCHOOL SAFETY TASK FORCE
HEADED BY BETSY DAY VOSS.
THE ELECTION FOR THE
MINNESOTA SENATE SEAT VACATED
BY AL FRANKEN MAY BE THE MOST
UNPREDICTABLE IN THE COUNTRY.
A PROMINENT REPUBLICAN CRITIC
OF PRESIDENT TRUMP IS
CONSIDERING RUNNING IN A MOVE
THAT COULD MAKE THE OUTCOME OF
THE NOVEMBER ELECTION
UNCERTAIN.
PROFESSOR RICHARD PAINTER
SERVED AS AN ETHICS LAWYER IN
THE ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT
GEORGE W. BUSH.
IS A STAPLE ON NATIONAL TALK
SHOWS.
SPEAKING ON WCCO SUNDAY
MORNING, PAINTER SAYS HE IS NOT
SURE IF HE WOULD RUN AS A
REPUBLICAN, DEMOCRAT OR
INDEPENDENT.
20 YEARS AGO, THE WAY THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY WAS, I WOULD
ENTER A REPUBLICAN PRIMARY.
I HAD BEEN IN THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY 30 YEARS.
I HAVE SEEN THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY MOVE DRAMATICALLY TO THE
RIGHT, PARTICULARLY ON SOCIAL
ISSUES AND FAIL TO CONTAIN
SPENDING.
GOVERNOR DAYTON NOMINATED
TINA SMITH TO FILL THE VACANCY.
SMITH WILL RUN FOR THE
NOMINATION.
KAREN HOUSLEY HAS JUMPED IN THE
RACE.
AMY KLOBUCHAR FACES A
CHALLENGE.
CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER
PAT KESSLER JOINS US NOW.
A LOT OF FOCUS ON THE ELECTION.
FRANKEN'S SEAT WILL BE KEY.
THIS IS AN UNUSUAL YEAR.
WE HAVE TWO U.S. SENATE SEATS
UP FOR GRABS.
THAT RARELY HAPPENS IN ANY
STATE IN THE COUNTRY.
AMY KLOBUCHAR AND TINA SMITH.
THIS IS DIFFERENT SINCE FRANKEN
RAN OR KLOBUCHAR.
PAINTER HASN'T DECIDED ON THE
PARTY BUT IT COULD SHAKE IT UP
IN A NUMBER OF WAYS.
ONE THING TO REMEMBER,
PRESIDENT TRUMP RAN STRONGLY
HERE IN MINNESOTA, PARTICULARLY
IN AREAS OUTSIDE MINNEAPOLIS-
ST. PAUL METRO AREA.
SO, HE LOST MINNESOTA BY A
POINT OR TWO, 1.7 PERCENTAGE
POINTS BUT HE IS STRONG OUTSIDE
THE TWIN CITIES AREA.
THAT COULD BE A BIG FACTOR.
SO, THAT IS REALLY AN OPEN
QUESTION HOW THAT SENATE SEAT
WILL GO.
YOU ARE RIGHT, A LOT OF
NATIONAL ATTENTION ON THIS
PARTICULAR SEAT.
LET'S GO BACK TO THE TRUMP
GUN PLAN.
ARE YOU SURPRISED THAT THE AGE
RESTRICTION WAS LEFT OUT?
YOU KNOW, NOT SURPRISED.
LET'S SAY THIS OUT LOUD.
THE PRESIDENT JUST A COUPLE OF
WEEKS AGO, WE REMEMBER THESE
REMARKABLE OPEN MEETINGS HE HAS
BEEN HAVING IN THE WHITE HOUSE
WITH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS.
IT HAS BEEN FASCINATING TO
WATCH.
HE GETS A LOT OF CREDIT FOR
DOING THAT.
AT THE LAST MEETING ON GUNS
AFTER THE SHOOTING, HE TAUNTED
REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS
SAYING THEY WERE AFRAID OF THE
NRA AND THAT HE WAS NOT AFRAID
AND YET HE PULLS THIS OUT, THE
ONE THING THAT THE NRA DID NOT
WANT, RAISING THE AGE LIMIT TO
21 FOR SOME OF THESE SERIOUS
RIFLES AND WEAPONS.
NOW, THERE IS OTHER REALLY
IMPORTANT THINGS IN THERE AS
YOU POINT OUT.
BACKGROUND CHECKS, MENTAL
HEALTH, THE RED FLAG WARNINGS
FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE MENTALLY ILL
AND YOU WANT TO TAKE THEIR GUNS
AWAY.
SO, THERE ARE REALLY IMPORTANT
THINGS IN HERE, BUT IT REALLY
SHOULDN'T BE A SURPRISE BECAUSE
WE HAVE COME TO EXPECT THE
PRESIDENT SAYS ONE THING BUT A
WEEK LATER HAS A DIFFERENT
VIEW.
WE KNOW THIS MORNING AT THE
MINNESOTA STATE CAPITAL, A
GROUP OF LAWMAKERS, REPUBLICANS
AND DEMOCRATS ARE INTRODUCING
TWO BILLS TO REDUCE GUN
VIOLENCE.
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THOSE?
THIS IS IMPORTANT.
A NUMBER OF BILLS ARE BEING
INTRODUCED AT THE CAPITAL.
IT'S A SHARP FOCUS LIKE IT IS
NATIONALLY, THESE BILLS THAT
ARE COMING NOW.
THEY RANGE FROM RAISING THE AGE
LIMIT ON ASSAULT RIFLES TO
ASSAULT WEAPONS BANS TOLL
FORTIFYING SCHOOLS.
A NUMBER OF BILLS.
THESE WILL BE THROWN IN THE
MIX.
THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF BILLS
WITH BIPARTISAN SMART.
IN FACT, NO BILL HAS ACTUALLY
BEEN HEARD AND VOTED ON YET.
THE SESSION IS STARTING TO GET
SHORTER.
WE HAVE TO SEE WHERE THESE GO.