A new Mood of the Nation Poll has Democratic nominee Kamala Harris with a slight edge but, as most polls show, a very close race remains. There are four weeks to go before Election Day. Your quadrennial reminder that the popular vote can go to one candidate while the Electoral College can be won by the other. So keep your eye on those pivotal seven swing states. Read more about that poll here.
Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump both marked the year mark since the Oct. 7 attacks. Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, planted a pomegranate tree outside the vice president's residence. Harris described the Hamas attack, which killed 1,200 people, as “an act of pure evil.” In New York City, Trump visited the gravesite of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, who led the Chabad-Lubavitch movement of Orthodox Judaism from 1951 until his death in 1994.
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz appeared on “60 Minutes” last night. In a wide ranging interview, Harris faced tough questions about her economic policies, border security and how she would confront Russia over its war in Ukraine if she’s elected. Later in the program, Walz acknowledged making false claims about his military record and about being in Hong Kong during the Tiananmen Square protests. He said Harris had encouraged him to choose his words more carefully. “She said, ‘Tim you know, you need to be a little more careful on how you say things,’ whatever it might be,” Walz said. Walz also highlighted Minnesota’s paid family and medical leave program, saying the program was “promoted by the business community.” While some small businesses applauded the law, two of Minnesota’s top business organizations, the Minnesota Business Partnership and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, opposed the bill in 2023 and continue to oppose it now.
Walz also appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! last night . Leaning into his folksy Midwestern Dad persona, Walz reflected on his time as a social studies teacher (and giving a kid the Heimlich maneuver during lunchroom duty), the vice presidential debate and his ascension to the top of the Democratic ticket. He also touted his hot dish recipe and played a game of “Weird or Not Weird” with Kimmel. Kimmel asked the question Minnesota reporters have been trying to get answered since August. “Who’s running Minnesota while you’re gone? Is there a babysitter there?” Kimmel asked. Walz responded, “I stop in there and our team is there. I went back and did some interviews for judges. So we still make it work.” In his monologue, Kimmel went hard at the Midwest dad energy, joking that Walz showed up two hours early to rake leaves at the studio lot.
While in California, Walz also sat for an interview with the hosts of the hugely popular “Smartless” podcast. It’s the stream-of-consciousness chatfest hosted by actors Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes. They’ve previously had other political figures on, including a triple-guest show with Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and Joe Biden. The interview will drop into podcast feeds next week, according to reports. Smartless has an audience in the millions and it just got a big Sunday writeup in the New York Times.
And if you haven’t had enough Walz, PBS Frontline will air its in-depth segments on the VP candidates tonight.“The VP Choice: Walz vs. Vance” debuts tonight at 9 p.m. on TPT. Check your local listing if you have another PBS station.
From the department of official news: Gov. Tim Walz has deployed members of the Minnesota National Guard to help with disaster assistance in Florida. As Florida still digs out from Hurricane Helene, Hurricane Milton — a potentially even more powerful storm — is intensifying and heading towards the state. With a new executive order, the Minnesota National Guard can provide emergency assistance ahead of Milton’s arrival. Florida is asking for help from other states under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, a mutual aid agreement between all 50 states. The order will be in place until November, or as long as it’s needed. Minnesota Guard troops have already been deployed to help with recovery from Helene in North and South Carolina.
Official news, part two: Walz appointed Duluth’s City Attorney to fill the Sixth Judicial District vacancy yesterday. Jessica Fralich will replace Judge David M. Johnson and will be chambered in Duluth in St. Louis County. Minnesota’s Sixth Judicial District encompasses Carlton, Cook, Lake and St. Louis counties. Fralich previously served as a referee for the Sixth Judicial District and a prosecutor for the St. Louis County Attorney’s Office.
It’s been 45 months since the Jan. 6 Capitol uprising, but the process of holding people accountable is still in progress. The Department of Justice released new figures on the arrests and prosecutions to date. Some 1,532 defendants have faced federal charges and 995 have been fully adjudicated, receiving their sentences for crimes ranging from misdemeanors to serious felonies. Some of the cases are under further review because of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last term. The Star Tribune reports that a southern Minnesota man will spend six months in prison and pay $2,000 in restitution for damage he caused at the Capitol that day, under a sentence handed down Monday. He pleaded guilty to civil disorder and aiding and abetting. | 
