Thank you, buddy. I'm 6 minutes and I'll pass 12:00 programming on Minnesota Public Radio is supported by the Baha Tori Tortilla grill, the next generation of Mexican food located in uptown Miracle Mile and parmar malls. And good afternoon. I'm Gary I can welcome back to mid-day here on Minnesota Public Radio. Today. We're broadcasting live from the dfl party State convention being held at the National Hockey Center in St. Cloud. Delegates will be trying to decide who to endorse for governor or trying to write a party platform and in general get ready for the November Gillette general election against the Republicans joining us this our Minnesota Public Radio Portugal Alice Democrats Bob making Sarah States Republicans Tom Horner and Sarah janecek will also be getting reports this hour from the floor of the convention reporters marks. It act like Karen Louise booth and Martin Koski are here. We'll be talking with some of the candidates seeking Party Support at this convention. And we also this hour invite you to join our conversation. We're talking politics as we kick off Minnesota Public Radio News live convention coverage. If you have a question or comment if you just like to join the conversation, give us a call or Twin City area number is 227-6002. 276 Thousand Oaks on the twins. Raise one 800-242-2828. We begin this hour with the Minnesota attorney general. Skip Humphrey who first of all Welcome to our little broadcast Mecca here. This is so you really got an eye on the convention or you can kind of watch everything that's happened. I suspect there are some candidates who would like this kind of a view of the floor of the of the convention typical media thing. We're we're controlling things, you know carrying this live. I think that's very important for the public to hear what the deliberations are. It's wonderful. All right. Now who's your running made? Well stay tuned. I'm going to be letting the people of Minnesota know in the convention delegates snowing a little bit less than an hour. I can just tell you that the individual I've chosen. I think it will be well received and is a person of High-quality Integrity understands the business and understands the interest of the people and understands that their priorities in or education and reducing crime and making sure that there are some tax cuts for Working Families. That's that's the key thing and I I just tell you you're going to be I think very pleased with that decision are reports that there the the lieutenant governor candidates going to be a senate majority leader Rodger morrow at those reports. Close but let me just say this. You know what I asked Joan grow to head up a selection committee. I was I was so honored with the number of people that were highly qualified women and men who really joined together and said I'm interested in serving and obviously there are quite a few people putting up a senator mold that were reviewed and I can just tell you you're going to enjoy the person you're going to respect the person. I'm sure they have been chosen. Do you think I'm going to be able to win endorsement here or had an opportunity for more than four years to really be a soliciting and working these delegates for this convention. So it's always been an uphill. But I said that I would always says seek the endorsement and but I'm also going to be in that in that primary and I I believe it's still an uphill battle, but I think we have an opportunity and we're just have to say this is really up to the convention delegates that I got to tell you in my conversations with the uncommitted. I've had at least to uncover the delegates 8, you know, it's absolute marble as being an uncommitted elegant people call you all the time off for everything when those uncommitted delegates asking. Mr. Humphrey say well J Mike Freeman. We like him a lot. I would like some of the other candidates alive. They like you a lot if they ask use sir. What why why are you a better choice? You must Humphrey then say Mike Freeman as I've always said that Mike is a good friend. And I think we have quality capable people that are seeking the office. I believe my candidacy represents a knot on. Play the goals and the agenda of the dfl. But it it is also based upon a very broad support and understanding of where the people are and we need is this party needs to convey its message to the broadest base of Voters. And I believe that my candidacy offers that opportunity. And when I visit about that bringing about in a sense of marriage of the values and the agenda of the dfl to the broad base in the voting public many delegates say you're right. That is the kind of leadership we need and so we'll just have to see what just have to see you. As I said done. I've had some other things that I've had to do. I have responsibilities and job one is attorney general that has kept me pretty busy. And now we have an opportunity to come together with many good friends from all over this state to represent the the great party the dfl. Great. This is a lot of fun. This is what if you're involved in politics at all convention politics are a unique part of the whole process of decision-making and I have found going to conventions as delicate as a working with other candidates and now is a candidate myself. It's one of the more exciting times but you know, what else is fun? And what is really in so I won't be as busy with people all across the state. I stopped off this morning over at one of the stops along the way coming up here to st. Cloud. And as I went in to buy some my water the water bottle one fellow said you and I said, yes, and I'm hope I can grab thanks so much for coming by and good luck to you know, a general. Skip Humphrey one of the two leading contenders for the dfl. Party's endorsement all the polls indicate that the chip on free right now is way ahead in the public opinion polls both among the likely dfl primary vote. These are the people who will actually Select A party's nominee in September and for that matter in the general election as well joining us this our our political analysts. Sarah stays and Bob meet the Democrats Time Warner and Sarah janecek will be joining us Republicans. And again, we invite you to join our conversation this hour as we talk politics here on mid day is first day of the dfl State Convention or Twin City area number is 227-6000 or outside the Twin Cities one 800-242-2828 will get to get to your phone calls. But right now we're going down to the floor Karen Louise Booth to standing by with another of the dfl candidates for Governor one who frankly doesn't have much Hopper much chance. Play to win endorsement here. But as you heard earlier from our analyst has a real chance to win the primary Karen. Go ahead please. Here on the floor with Senator Doug Johnson. Probably one of the most powerful men and its state government is tariff tax Smitty want to talk to you a little bit about the weekend. It's it's being it's being seen as as a Freeman Humphrey contest. If you will, what are your plans given the prediction that Freeman could actually walk out of this with a party endorsement like most things. I wish I were in my fishing boat instead of here this weekend. I think my cream and I will be endorsed. I think he deserves the doors open at this convention. He's worked for this for four or five years. I've made no effort. I've made no calls. My convention is going to be on September 15th in the primer and going directly to that. I'm not seeking any boats at this convention and and let more minnesotans decide who should be the next governor. Letter for Humphrey delegates often referred to as closet delegates if you will hit and if you will on the floor don't have quite the same operation. What is your strategy for the weekend as you meet and greet delegates and mix on the floor while I respect the delegates, even though I'm not going through the endorsement process. I'm going to speak to the convention and when I when the primary I want to bring this partying and many other parts of Minnesota that aren't actively in this party to support me for governor. So I'm here out of respect to those I participate in this process but in the back of my mind knowing that 99% of the people of Minnesota don't go to these conventions at work caucus is and that's really my convention the people I'll be speaking to let me get your take on this in about an hour Humphrey is going to have a press conference. He's expected to announce his lieutenant governor on the ticket is expected to be Rodger mower of Erskine again Northern. Minnesota how does that enter play with your appeal on the Range and in northern Minnesota? Well, it is going to be this morning and I don't think it's going to change my campaign at all. I think I'm free made a good choice. There should be at least one qualified candidate on a ticket someone who knows state governments and all that take a does have someone with knowledge of state government and Minnesota doesn't change my campaign. My campaign is a people's campaign. I'm running against sons of a lot of famous people. Well a department store are my dad drove a truck and I'm more like, minnesotans. I've got common sense. I taught school for over 30 years. I've been in public service for over 30 years and I think Minnesota is ready for someone with common sense a guy whose dad drove a truck. The policies if you will between Freeman and Humphrey, how do you set yourself apart while the policies of both criminal and Humphrey are very much more liberal and to the left and then I am in Doug Johnson is I'm a mainstream Democrat. I'd like to broaden the base of this party. I've seen tens of thousands of of minnesotans. I leave the Democratic party. They think the organized Democratic party is too extreme to the lap just like tens of thousands of minnesotans think that the Republican party has moved too far to the right and I think they're looking for some Vision some common sense and common person who will Who will identify with the needs of them and their families and bring Minnesota a back to the main street where the real people are and I think I'm going to songs with you and me as the real person candidate for governor better than anyone that a lot of politics is process and one of these He proposed rule changes would be to change the drop rule where by after 3 ballots candidates who don't have 10% of the support among delegates would still remain in the balloting process. Is that process important to you at all this weekend for Doug for Doug Johnson for my campaign. It's a totally irrelevant. I'm not shaking the endorsement. The irony is all the convention. I almost felt uncomfortable coming in here. I did you a right guy this morning and I know they've got some rule about you can't wear perfume on the convention floor and you can't have any noise makers or any a bright lights. I hope I'm not throwing up because I did you was right guard this morning. You left your funny hat at home though. I left my bunny had at home. But I mean, it's just kind of as far as state government to other so many rules and regulations and Goofy laws that people are frustrated about and and I think they want us to go back to the middle back to that to the mainstream and and minnesotans are just kind of sick of this. Left-wing and right-wing a politics that's going up on a nurse state senator. Thank you for dropping by the Minnesota public radio ad hoc Studio here on the floor today back to Gary. Thank you so much Karen Louise both the checking in from the Florida State Convention speaking with another of the six candidates for Governor in the dfl party state. Senator, Doug Johnson who says he's not going to be seeking the actual endorsement just here to to talk with delegates a little bit. He will be moving on to the Denver primary Bob Mika dfl analysts are predicting earlier this morning, or did you not Bob that the sinner Johnson's going to win the primary did you say or just had a good decent chance? I think he's clearly the likely winner of a six-person contest for he is the only pro-life the only candidate from Brainerd Minnesota to the candidate from the heart of of the dfl vote. In the 8th District, but more than that in his remarks. He is a DSi a common coch but he's trying to develop that is very much like that switch Rudy perpich used to great success and basically Doug Johnson learned is politic send booty perfect is basement as an early supporter of Perpetual was Dennis Senator Sol Duc. Johnson politician. He has one of the strongest campaign teams already put together. He has Paul wellstone Zaid Meister rebuild hillsman. He has a superb field organizer. He has a wonderful opportunity. To exploit the fact that five Metropolitan males are going to be on the pro-choice side-splitting that vote in the dfl primary. He's going to be there alone pro-life person and it looks like Republicans. Of course assuming Norm Coleman is there endorsed candidate and is the sole candidate in their primary will be free to cross over and cast their votes for Doug Johnson if he's not necessarily a general election winner, but he's got a real strong primary been cherished days missing subtext of the contest here between Doug Johnson and Skip Humphrey in the primary is the way that the tobacco issue plays out because as everybody else but obviously skip has been a very strong opponent of the tobacco industry on the other hand Doug Johnson has been closely linked to the tobacco industry and is being supported by Some strong tobacco interest in the states, so it'll be interesting to see how this issue plays out as a primary issue Sarah. Janecek. And again, if you'd like to join our conversation, give us a call Twin City area number 227-6002 276 thousand outside the Twin Cities one 802-422-8828 were talking politics this hour broadcasting live from the dfl party State Convention in St. Cloud Tom Sarah where you will stop at the door where you able to sneak through My empty are credentials on it was stopped three times. I think time and I are the only Republicans in the convention hall really floored by the cool keyboard. Humphrey has a Russia mower plow. Why is it? Why do you see that is such a big deal? it has been for a State Legislature, we had a number of different speakers and as the majority leader leadership post, he's held longer than anybody else in the history of Minnesota state government less powerful position, if indeed. Humphrey Mo ticket as much weed in November, but you also have to be careful that you don't get caught up in the convention hoopla. The fact of the matter is Lieutenant gubernatorial in the tenant governor candidates have appeal to delegates and don't make much of a difference. Once you get outside of the convention appalled. I'm not sure that Rodger mole brings with him and he built his constituency that is is going to help in a primary against by electron candidates are in a general election against a very strong Republican team from a republican Viewpoint. Do you see the dfl endorsement is carrying much much. Wait here. Does it matter much? Where are the other two a republican who gets indoors? Comments like the senator Deb Johnson's just before we came on Democrats themselves are really disown their endorsement process this year. Whereas on the other hand will Cooper the chair of the Republican party has made that all import that Republican endorsement means everything for all of the Constitutional officers. So in a year like this, when not a lot of people are are paying attention to politics or politicians people are are pretty apathetic about all the races including the gubernatorial race is one of the concerns for the Democrats and I think it holds true for the Republicans also coming out of their convention in two weeks is that that that the convention in the post-convention stories are one of the few times between now and right before the primary election in September the people might actually pay attention and in the concern isn't so much Really what kind of positive spin you get coming out of a convention, but what is the convention do to define the candidates the party that the people who are carrying the banners as both parties moved to the extreme ends of the spectrum Democrats have to worry that this convention to find their candidates as too far to the left in the same way that Republicans have to worry that the first 48 Hours of media stories coming out of their convention Define. Their candidate is too far to the right or broadcasting live from the dfl party State Convention in St. Cloud being held this year at the National Hockey Center big hockey arena the Saint Cloud State Division 1 team the Big Ten team plays here. nice facility a little crowded though for political convention purposes and also fairly chili lot of people have noted that it's chilly but has a Well, is there a ball to Ben comments snide comments made but given the given the perfume roll that that might not be all bad as the has the convention moves along that it's a little little chillier here than it otherwise would be our audience would you may have right now is that a dfl convention has a very different feel that a republican convention Padilla, what sets up tables and it's in his kind of that feeling that they're going to roll up their sleeves and do some work. Where is in our conventions? You're packed in like sardines sitting in a chair. if you'd like to join our conversation, give us a call cuz it be listening this hour join her coverage daughter conversation to 276 thousand 2276 thousand outside the Twin Cities one 802-442-2828 will be hearing from some more delegates candidates and just a while and matter fact marks exactly is standing by on the floor of the convention now with another one of those folks who who really make this convention and all conventions the delegates to the convention mark Turn down on the floor with Mary Jonas was a first-time delegate to this convention and you came uncommitted social studies teacher did some substitute teaching in Burnsville in Eden Prairie and is all I have always talked about getting involved and now you're finally getting involved. Why did you make the decision those things that are important? And this is what I always said what's important? So now I'm doing what I Believe In You Came as uncommitted to and you are now decked out with Freeman for governor stickers and dab hands why so I will talk to both mr. Humphrey and mr. Freeman and mr. Humphrey seem to keep saying that he is the electable one. Mr. Freeman was the gentleman who was talking about the issues that I found important crime prevention education, which is of course very close to my heart issues. So I went with what I was thinking and that is the issues and I support Fremont because I believe he's the guy who's going to come. Play the November and web. What do you make of this whole setup? I you have the campaign's running around with walkie-talkies. That's all I'd rather organize. I have to say I'm really amazed myself. Existed the fact that their walkie-talkies the amount of organization people with different color coded armbands. I turning consolino the people at the table and asking what are we doing now? I'm really glad I'm not running this you think this is something you'll do in the future. Definitely. I think it's always great once you get your feet wet and see what it's like and this is a real positive experience for me that yeah, I'll be coming back. Thank you very much. That's delegate Mary Jonas who is here for the first time and was convinced to start backing the Freeman Camp up pretty quickly fairly. All right. Thank you Mark sivak, like reporting live from the floor. We have a couple dollars on the line joining our conversation is we Provide live coverage of this dfl State Convention or political analysts are with us making Horner China II States, and if you'd like to join our conversation to do 7 6020 area number 227-6802 for 22828. Can you hear me barely but go ahead like okay, I'm sorry, I D of the demographics of the of the body there any ideas as to the demographic makeup of a sitter? Well, we have a really good viewpoints here in the little rooster are public radio is is broadcasting and I have seen these conventions for 28 years. There is more gray hair at previous convention. I would think that the baby boomers are still well in control of the dfl convention and you have to remember that about every 14-second another baby boomer turns 50 Do or do you have a bunch of young pups because I had noticed that this is my third dfl convention the Nationals how many republican was younger than Republican delegates? They were all over the map. You have to be of voting age to be elected delegates Republican party, but we have a lot of gray hair and Q-Tip heads. Dyno is up a lot of familiar faces from year to year. They didn't carry over in both dfl in the Republican convention tends to be very high with depending on your perspective. I guess is anywhere a strength or a weakness has time is the whiteness of this crowd. I guess I was expecting giving some of the demographic changes in Minnesota to say more racial diversity than we're seeing. It brings up another issue and that is that there are what's accounting the Reform Party. If I remember I'd 4 + 611 major party candidates running for governor this year just one of whom is a woman and a none of whom is a minority. Why is that? So, you know a lot of these guys have been running for a year and a half. State when she decided that she wanted to seek another office in the gubernatorial field is fairly closed the course as a Republican and as a woman and very glad that we have to invent the running on our side. The first major league female candidate is that politics is only recently been opening up for women. And so the traditional political path is to start with lower offices and then gradually work your way up to the higher offices. So women have been advancing over the last number of years that have and perhaps Advanced enough to be able to command a strong presence with coconut oil field does gender or race for that Mater Mater make any difference in terms of the top of the ticket the governor lieutenant governor offices far is it from Mitchell difference when it comes time for voting? I don't think it's really sweet girl. And I'm really excited that skip Humphrey did cheese Rodger know because I have reviewed the tape crafts practice of the last 15 years of choosing a woman to be very much of a token move. So maybe the story this convention is this is a big breakthrough here. We're back to True equality where we're looking at credentials are not necessarily skirts, and I completely agree with Sarah with respect to the tokenism question. It's been a difficult is somewhat bitter Pill by Pink for women to swallow to always have to take that conceived in the gubernatorial contest on the other hand important things to remember for general election versus is that women are very important swing voters particularly armor bourbon women and so it's not just the gender of the Cannabis pen style women's issues are framed with in the general election that will make a very significant difference to who wins the contest Liked it at some of the media polls this week that they think the appeal of candidates in his face much more on any illogical lines than it is on the time Gunter line to make I think the electorate is becoming more sophisticated in evaluating candidates on on and issues Beyond gender and race them and some of those kinds of qualifiers to 276 thousand. If you'd like to join our conversation, if you live in the Twin City area were talking politics this hours we broadcast live from the dfl state convention in St. Cloud to 276 thousand Twin City area number outside the Twin Cities 1 800 to +422-828-227-6000 or one 800-242-2828 or gang of four is with us. They'll be here all weekend are political analysts from my rightly have Tom Horner and Sarah. Janecek Republicans over here on the left where they should be Aerospace. Bob me to 276 thousand or one 802-4228 to it. It is a very poor sign up for Party politics in Minnesota both on the Democratic and Republican side that you do not have women as the likely nominees for either party and I'll leave Jesse The Body Ventura and the Reform Party to it to their own. I think Democrats are are are going to hurt because the the people who elect Bill Clinton the people who elect Paul wellstone are Women Voters that that just happens to be the truth and overtime. I think that the the Democratic party particularly has to recruit more women run in Senior positions and I think that that is that's almost at a given for the Democrats. I'm I'm proud of the effort that joint invention is making in the Republican party and I am disappointed not to see women making a similar in road on the Democratic side women are present in every other of the races this year. So yes, the gubernatorial contest is somewhat of an anomaly and it is probably because these guys got a star quite a long time ago. They've been running for a number of years now, but several of them have been at least two thousands of people that are all getting ready to run against trigrams again, nothing but a bunch of white males on the list, it is not reflective of who elects them. And and I think that it does make a difference to have women on the ticket and I I say that knowing that the long has a good chances of being elected as secretary of state to succeed. Jongro and you have Judy Dutcher and Joanne Benson in office, but I think there is a point when Democrats are going to need women contesting actively for the Senate and for governor, but thought I would hope that I would hope that we don't get to a point where we have quotas a candidate when I think back is both parties have to do a better job of getting qualified candidates in general to run for office. What what disturbs me is is when I talk to women in business primarily and in corporate Community about just how Negative they see the environment in politics and an idiot, I think has elements are still a very much a a closed game where both chair has had mentioned women are flying to consider for lieutenant governor candidates it it's like an adornment on on the ticket. I think it will take it will take a more serious discussion of Children and Families and education the central issues in order to make women more. The primary candidates back of the phone. So I got some callers on the line wanting to join our conversation here, and if you would like to join those collars, and I talked with our political analysts 2276 thousand or one 800-242-2828 Derek go ahead place. Trappin out the Democrat side before the primary. Do you see any candidates drop in a recession? The Democrats side of question are all the section for the for the duration here. Her down and ready for the long haul all six of them. I haven't heard from you. I haven't seen any indication that one single one of them is going to get out of the race, which I think is very unfortunate for the Democratic Party. Text Mike Freeman doesn't get the endorsement then presumably he would drop out. So I mean Mike Mike Freeman's campaign is a friend brought by that rumor and putting them in a corrupt report on the channel 9 this week that said he would drop out and become of all things a radio talk show host if he doesn't get the indoor stair what's really up to? What's really interesting about if they all stay in and I think you guys are right that they all will is you know, where wealthy States but not that wealthy interns efl donors. And so some of them are going to naturally be the beneficiaries have to take CFL money in town others. Their campaign coffers are going to dry up. So it'll be really interesting to watch over the summer how those candidates that are getting any campaign contributions are going to fare. Well, it will mean that they will have to look outside of the state of Minnesota for much of their support financially. You may be wondering what in the world is all that noise in the background while I forced those are the delegates doing their delegates thing and I haven't been paying is closer to attention to the podium activities as I should but I believe at this point, they're boarding on the change in the rules. What should I pack the endorsement voting process? This is the vote on whether to happy a Closing of the ballotine after 10 ballot and that's just a guess. I haven't followed everything but I I saw Vance Opperman who is the maker of that proposal go to the podium and this is pretty much a test. They don't expect to win on this $10 limit, but what we'll do is we'll give a pretty solid pound as to how many votes the Humphrey people have the number of votes. They get in favor of a 10 valid app will tell you about how well Hubert Humphrey is going to fair in the stomach. But the hungry campaign wants this rule is because they believe that it could take many many ballots in order to get Mike Freeman and doors. 276 lb like to join our conversation will get back to tomorrow phone calls, but right now we're going back to the Florida convention Karen Louise Booth standing by with another of the dfl gubernatorial candidates, John Marti. Thank you, Jerry. I am on the floor here with us. Senator. Marty was just greeted by a delegate. Thank you for joining us. How does it feel to be here this year, Nation? You want it to hurt when you announce for your last gubernatorial bed in 1993. You one support from the from the delegates you went on and and squeaked right on through the primary. But of course lost to Arne Carlson, how are things feeling? How are things different? What are the similarities this year? This again is I said because this time I said, I was going to bring my campaign to the primary. I don't have signs your I'm not campaigning hear. What I'm doing here is speaking both to our own delegates and also to the broader delegates a lot of good people here and I want to raise the issues that we're going to be talking about in the September campaign the issues that I believe are important the Minnesotan. You said our important that that is important to many voters including obviously Minnesota voters is the process of politics and campaign and you have done a lot to reform campaign financing. Is that a resonating with your supporters? Yes. I think it very much does this year? They see the way this all works out. They see that money talks so much on all the issues that people care about, you know, if you take a whole whether it's on anything from hockey or baseball stadium financing whether it's on corporate welfare, whether it's on Environmental Protection, the public is pretty clear. He hit the political process isn't responsive to that. I think the public realizes it's cuz money talks and big money talk big can you know, that's one of the reasons I sought the endorsement work for it last time. Because I think this process should be available to help candidates without the big money to take on the big money. But is it works out this year? It's actually working opposite that any endorsed candidates coming out. If you're as likely to be one who does take the big money running in somebody like me who is not accepting any of the special at this money towards a moderate metal. It's you've always had a strong appeal among the more Progressive than the party. How do you move yourself toward the middle of the political process best is when we do the best we can to stand for what we believe in you have a good Dynamic debate and you know, one of the problems that I have one of the problems I have with the political process is when people try to put you in a box, you're a conservative or a liberal or a disorder that you know, the time people don't box himself. That way they look at each issue on its merits and when you look at how ordinary citizens feel about things I've been reading the series in the Star Tribune and public TV's been a citizen panels and you listen to what they say on education on crime prevention on all of those issues and it almost looks like my platform. I mean what the results of these citizen panels come out there not unanimous but overwhelming support for positions that I've had and I think if you're going to measure it that way they're very reasonable moderate position sensor and I'm proud of that you're not here really putting a full court press on the floor here. I don't know if that's the right term for this quarter and a hockey arena but this the current debate is to change the What's called the drop rule and that is candidates. You don't get a certain percentage of the delegates vote after the three first three ballot are dropped out. Is that relevant to what you're doing this weekend? Well, I'm certainly not suggesting they ought to drop us out of the race against their will and so on but but that's going to be their choice. I'm not speaking to this. I think it is reasonable for them. However to let candidate stay in a little bit longer this crap off who or where they're going to drop all of the candidates at once except the top two. I don't think that's the best way to go. But again, I'm not putting my campaign efforts are resources into doing this today is the day Humphreys. Lieutenant governor running mate. How does that affect your campaign at? All? Okay. Well, first of all, I've worked with Rodger in the past decade because we both been in the Senate. He's been our majority leader and we've disagreed many many many times is a very fine person and I think it's so hard to go toys for skip to do. I'm not sure if Dane's him a lot of boats either here at the convention or in Primary or with the general election voters. They're very he's very well respected dignified person again. I'm not sure that that's what the voters are looking for. But I certainly have high respect for him. Okay Senator. Thank you for stopping by today broadcasting live from the dfl State Convention before we get back to the collars quick update March the deck like has been zeroed in here on that to Podium debate or the floor today and I should say on the rule. What was that all about Mark about this drop-off situation? Here's what's happening. Mike Freeman and his Camp wants it to be the case that after the third ballot all candidates with less than 10% of delegates support our off of the balloting process there after what the Humphrey Camp would like to see happen is after the 5th ballot candidates with the smallest percentage of delegate. Tell if my ballot one at a time drop off the system this obviously would drag things out here probably a bit longer and they presumably think that that would make it look as though delegates were not maybe it's behind Freeman as a as a unified group as as it might otherwise, look if several balance down the line, they're still going over and over and over earlier. There was a move to move the Attorney General endorsement from Saturday to Sunday delegates thinking that they will have their hands full with the gubernatorial endorsement on Saturday that was rejected. So the Attorney General endorsement will happen as planned on Saturday after the gubernatorial and lieutenant governor endorsements. So that's what's going on in the background so loudly here we could be here a while back to the phone the scholars on the line with questions for our political analyst Dennis Quaid, please Mike Nelson, where are you? Well, we're having a little problem. Dennis online. So let us how about this time your endorsement process and you suppose anybody other than the people here and maybe a handful of people who are Party activists would care what ballot anybody got endorse done. Longhorn organic as as the stories come out after the convention is some indication of strength or weakness in and how the candidate fared. I think one of the interesting stories really though and mbob Macon and Thursday to talk about this is why Humphrey is still here fighting for the endorsement. Why didn't he drop out some time ago instead of coming to a convention where he even with the rule changes of that goes forward. He's likely to lose the endorsement and and again in that first 48 Hours of news media coverage. Give Freeman a victory. Why not just have have conceded it long ago make the case that he's been busy on the tobacco trials congratulate the delegates for for their hard work and sincerity and go on to the primary. I think that to about make you to answer to 10% free is constitutionally unable to turn his back on the party that his father helped found. I just don't think that personally he would he would feel comfortable eliminating citizen-based process. Even if it is working perfectly. Over him if he had pulled the plug which I do think is The Logical I agree. It's a logical thing for him to have done. It would have really dealt a blow I think to this whole party process and as much as anything else, I think he just honoring tradition. The reason that the number of ballots that it takes to get a candidate endorsed a significant this because it indicates the extent to which the party will be unified around that Canada Post endorsements. So if it takes 12 or 15 or 20 ballots to endorse a candidate it is less likely that the party faithful will be out doing the hard work that's necessary to make sure the people actually turned out into the garden sport that handle Janis secure. You know, when you have for those of us are not familiar with this process and it happens in both parties. When you have a number of different ballots going on there wild movements in increments of the different candidates get someone will keep gaining. Someone will keep losing $5 and do it the whole thing to the switch. So the number of ballots is very very important to people because things happened so fast on the floor, especially in a in a contest like this for governor, Yes, Gary. Eric there we go. Can you hear me? Thanks for joining us for the technical problems getting you on thanks for taking my call. My question has to do with this issue of the willingness of the major parties to look for the woman candidate at the top of the ticket. Tickly this year in the Republican party where you have lieutenant governor Joanne Benson with impeccable resume for being Governor being apparently rejected by the Republican party in favor of a man who was Democrat and hasn't worked to elect any Republican to office. Janice I care I'm going to be kind of Neanderthal to the right here. And I think what's what's important here is we have to look at people's credentials and I didn't get my two cents in on the gender discuss and a half an hour ago and I'll put my two cents in now part of the problem we have with women running for the big offices is that it is a huge time commitment most women in the in the age where they will be running for office or busy holding jobs with children and it's easier for a man. They have a support network with their married to do it to the collar dentist. I wouldn't as a woman I would be mortified if the only criteria we are selecting people to run for office is gender. That's not what equality is about. We got to look at the full plate gender is just something that's like the color of one's here is the Sarasota on the other hand. I must say that Republicans are in a rather enviable position because Norm Coleman would emerge is a very strong candidate granted on the other hand. The party also has the option to not Play Joanne Benson and putting a woman against the any dfl candidate would be a very Savvy move on the part of the Republican party. But I think to do a better job of attracting qualified candidates of both genders meme. It's exciting that at the top of a boat ticket. You have very competitive battles with qualified people in the Republican Party buying for the gubernatorial endorsement same the Democratic party, but the field of candidates windows down pretty quickly parties have to become more relevant more meaningful. And one of the ways they're going to do that is by finding ways to encourage good candidates regardless of their gender or color to run for office and then supporting them as candidates for meaningful mean being more inclusive of a broader group of people at least one more before we need to wrap up. You're not why thank you. Thanks for taking my call. My question. I was wondering how the delegates to these conventions are chosen question. I am a fairly lengthy and somewhat complex caucus system in which delegates show up on a Tuesday night in February run for election to their Senate District or county unit conventions, which occurs sometime in early April the at that point. They had a chance to meet with other Senate District accounting unit convention delegates discussed the issues and put forth their own set of philosophical principles on which they think the Democratic platform ought to be based on their elected from there to the State Convention fair to say that these delegates represent the cross section of the dfl party and the conversely the Republic Delegates who will represent a cross-section of the Republican party or is it more true? But you often hear? Well, these people are are to the extremes of think one is that the delegates represent people who show up and who are committed or more engage more involved care more about particular issues that the caucus system is one of the great Democratic small D Democratic process. He's in this country. It is open to everybody. It is an opportunity for everybody to come in and talk about issues for all the criticism of party in politics people who don't get involved will I could be criticized but but but secondly there is a comfort level that the people who do participate know the process know each other and MC do tend to see the same faces coming through the process every year and yes as reflected in the two kinds of platforms that they vote for and the kinds of candy States that they have endorsed particularly in the last couple of conventions both Republican and the Democratic delegate do tend to be more to the extreme to their parties and I would visit Sarah says I would agree with Tom but that is not necessarily a reflection of the process or the people that are here. It's not necessarily their fault it is because they are the ones that come and they are the ones that participate in the process and this convention and the Republican convention could look very different if more people came to their caucuses and decided upon his big of the Grassroots level. If you don't like the issues you need to participate you need to show up. Yes. It's a commitment of a couple hours of a Winter's evening and then going through the process but weighed against what is at stake in in these election a small token. It is not enough for people just to criticize and to complain if you're not going to get involved, but I'm either participate or we have a lot Live coverage plan through the weekend, but the friends before we wrap up this hour a CliffsNotes version for folks who I won't be able to catch all the live coverage. Let's get to the to the bottom line here who's going to end up with the party's endorsement for governor. Mike Freeman will be the endorsed candidate if there is an endorsed candidate. Will there be an endorsed candidate Bob? I would think the likelihood is that these delegates will endorse they always have I know I Republican bredrin decided to pass a couple years ago in their Senate contest, but as the signs have been brought into the Florida handmade signs just recently said, you know, we're here for one reason we endorse if we don't we don't exist there's days I agree there will probably be an endorsement but I will say that these are two very strong very credible candidates and both of them have put their political features on the line here this Really kind of a political demolition derby in a sense for both of them to our Republican predictions her quickly as I can get the endorsement for attorney general campaign that starts to fade into the primary. Well needless to say we will keep you posted here on Minnesota Public Radio. We're going to have extensive coverage through the afternoon and during her and you can catch up on all the latest news to our newscast will have information on a Humphrey announcement regarding a tenant governor candidate most likely trying to Georgia later Rodger light will have a couple of special reports during all things considered this afternoon later this afternoon, and then we'll be back on with more live coverage extended live coverage of the endorsement process and our special broadcast begins at 9 tomorrow morning. Programming a Minnesota Public Radio supported by Valleyfair family amusement park where season passes are now available. It's entertainment for the whole family Gary I can hear thanks for tuning in and stay tuned. on the next all things considered the lifestyle and fashion of the great hambino the pig the official mascot of the Saint Paul Saints All Things Considered begins at 3 on Minnesota Public Radio Kano W FM 91.1 Minnesota Public Radio River partly cloudy Sky now 58 degrees at Kennedy FM 91.1 Minneapolis and st. Paul cloudy to partly cloudy through the afternoon and it could warm up another tree 4 degrees body tonight with aloe 4245 cloudy tomorrow with a high in the low 60s. Which one