>> Eric: NATIONAL MEDIA AGAIN FEATURED MINNESOTA GOVERNOR TIM WALZ TO TALK ABOUT THE 2024 ELECTION THIS WEEK.

MARY LAHAMMER IS BACK TO PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT ON WHAT A HIGHER PROFILE NATIONALLY COULD MEAN FOR THIS GOVERNOR.

>> GOVERNOR TIM WALZ, WELCOME.

WITH YOUR NATIONAL PROFILE I KIND OF WANTED TO DIG IN A LITTLE BIT.

>> THE WASHINGTON POST CALLED MINNESOTA GOVERNOR TIM WALZ A KEY PLAYER IN A LIVE ELECTION EVENT.

>> WOULD YOU CONSIDER RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT YOURSELF?

>> IT JUST SEEMS A BIT OVERWHELMING TO THINK ABOUT.

WHEN SOMEONE TELLS YOU THEY WANT TO BE THE PRESIDENT AND WHATEVER THAT ALWAYS KIND OF SCARES ME.

>> THANKS FOR SITTING DOWN WITH NEWS WEEK MAGAZINE.

>> YOU CAN WIN AN ELECTION BY BURNING THE HOUSE DOWN BUT CAN YOU GOVERN?

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SEA ME CAMPAIGN ON CALLING SOMEONE A NAME BUT I'M GOING TO CALL THEM OUT HAT THEY'RE AGAINST DEMOCRACY.

>> WELL, I REMEMBER SOME OF THESE THINGS FROM MY PAST LIFE.

AND I'VE NEVER MET A GOVERNOR WHO DIDN'T IN THE BACK OF THEIR MIND THINK ABOUT RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT.

PRETTY MUCH ANY GOVERNOR WHO DOES THAT JOB AT LEAST INTO A SECOND TERM STARTS THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, I'M PRETTY GOOD AT RUNNING MY TATE.

I WONDER IF I COULD DO THE NEXT THING.

>> MCCLUNG MANAGED COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE LAST MINNESOTA GOVERNOR WE'VE SEEN DO THIS MUCH NATIONAL MEDIA.

LOCAL PRESS, NATIONAL PRESS, HOW DO YOU LEAVE THAT WITHOUT HACKING OFF TOO MUCH AND SAYING, OH, HE'S FORGETTING ABOUT HIS HOME STATE BUT ALSO DO THE NATIONAL?

WHAT'S THAT BALANCE?

>> IT'S ALMOST AN IMPOSSIBLE BALANCE.

BY DEFAULT WHEN YOU'RE DOING THOSE THINGS YOU GET CONSUMED BY THE WASHINGTON, D.C., NEW YORK CITY BASED COMMITTEA.

AND THE LOCAL MEDIA FOLLOWING YOU SINCE YOU WERE A CUB, MEMBER OF CONGRESS, THEY THINK, OH, NOW YOU'D RATHER TALK TO THESE GUYS.

IT IS A REALLY TOUGH BALANCING ACT.

>> THAT'S THE WORRY.

THAT PICTURE WENT EVERYWHERE.

>> IT'S ON YOUTUBE.

>> IT GOT ON YOUTUBE, DIDN'T IT?

>> SO THERE ARE SOME CONSISTENT SIGNS TO LOOK OUT FOR WHEN A GOVERNOR IS INCREASING THEIR NATIONAL PRO.

HERE'S A FEW OF THOSE SIGNALS.

>> WE AT THE DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION ARE REMINDING PEOPLE IN MINNESOTA BY THE END OF THIS YEAR I WILL HAVE APPOINTED FOUR OF THE SEVEN SUPREME COURT JUSTICES, PEOPLE WHO WILL WORK WITH THE RULE OF LAW.

>> A SIGN?

BECOME HEAD OF ONE OF THE NATIONAL OVERNORS ASSOCIATIONS.

>> WHEN II WORKED FOR GOVERNOR PAWLENTY HE WAS VICE CHAIR AND THEN CHAIR OF THE NATIONAL GOVERNOR'S ASSOCIATIONS.

THAT TENDED TO BE A REAL HIGH PROFILE POSITION.

BILL CLINTON FOR EXAMPLE HAD BEEN THE CHAIR OF THE NATIONAL GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION BEFORE HE RAN FOR PRESIDENT.

FOR GOVERNOR WALZ HE'S HEAD OF THE DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION, THAT HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN A REALLY IMPORTANT PLACE FOR GOVERNORS TO BUILD UP POLITICAL CHOPS.

>> THE REPUBLICAN PARTY LAST TIME THEY FILED HAD $52 OUT HERE AND THERE'S NO OFFICES FOR TRUMP.

>> NEXT, DO LOTS OF NATIONAL NEWS.

>> ONCE YOU BECOME A REGULAR BOOKERS ON CABLE NETWORKS SEE THAT AND THINK, OH, THIS GUY'S GOT AN INTERESTING ANGLE OR SOMETHING TO SAY.

IT REALLY BUILDS ON ITS OWN AT THAT POINT.

>> 12-YEAR MEMBER OF THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS, SERVED ON ARMED SERVICES.

LIVED AS A YOUNG MAN IN ASIA AND A GLOBAL GEOGRAPHY TEACHER.

GLOBAL ISSUES MATTER EEPLY TO ME.

>> GOVERNORS HAVE TO PROVE THEIR INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE.

>> THAT CAN BE AN AREA OF WEAKNESS FOR GOVERNORS, THEY'RE VERY DOMESTICALLY FOCUSED OBVIOUSLY.

WHEN GOVERNORS START TO LOOK AT THE NATIONAL STAGE YOU SEE THEM START TO TALK ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE THEY'VE HAD -- >> I THINK THE PRESIDENT'S DOING ALL HE CAN AND THIS IS WHERE FOLKS LIKE MYSELF CAN HELP.

MINNESOTA HAS HISTORICALLY LOW UNEMPLOYMENT RATES.

>> FINALLY, BECOME A SURROGATE AND ADVOCATE FOR A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE.

>> HOW ABOUT BEING A SURROGATE FOR A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE?

>> BIG-TIME AND THAT IS ABSOLUTELY ONE OF THE KEY ROLES THAT A GOVERNOR CAN KIND THEMSELVES IN OTHER STATES SPEAKING OUT IN SUPPORT OF YOUR PARTY'S NOMINEE FOR PRESIDENT.

FOR SURE GOVERNOR PAWLENTY DID SOME OF THAT BACK IN THE DAY AND NOW YOU SEE GOVERNOR WALZ GOING TO OTHER STATES AND TALKING ON BEHALF OF PRESIDENT BIDEN.

BUT IT PUTS YOU IN STATES LIKE IOWA AND NEW HAMPSHIRE.

>> FUNNY HOW THAT WORKS.

>> AND NOW YOU'RE IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND NEVADA, THESE STATES THAT ARE EARLY ON IN THE PROCESS.

>> NOMINEE JOHN MCCAIN HAD PAWLENTY COUNTER OBAMA MAKING HISTORY AT THE NATIONAL CONVENTION WHILE HE MADE A CASE FOR HIMSELF.

>> I HAVE BEEN GOVERNOR FOR SIX YEARS, COMMANDER IN CHIEF FOR MINNESOTA NATIONAL GUARD FOR SIX YEARS AND BEFORE THAT LEADER OF THE MINNESOTA LEGISLATURE.

>> PAWLENTY WAS PASSED OVER FOR ALASKA GOVERNOR SARAH PALIN.

>> WILL YOU TAKE A POSITION IN THE CABINET OF A BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IF HE OFFERS IT TO YOU?

>> A DEAR FRIEND OF MINE ALWAYS TOLD ME DON'T EVER TURN DOWN A JOB YOU HAVEN'T BEEN OFFERED.

MY GOAL AS A 24-YEAR VETERAN, I'LL SERVE WHERE I'M ASKED TO, I BELIEVE IN SERVANT LEADERSHIP.

>> WHEN YOU LOOK AT GOVERNOR WALZ'S OPPORTUNITIES ONE THAT POPS UP IS IS SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

HE HAS THAT EXPERIENCE AS A GUARD MEMBER, HIGH RANKING POSITION IN THE NATIONAL GUARD.

WHEN HE WAS IN CONGRESS I HINK ONE OF THE ONLY OFFICERS ENLISTED IN CONGRESS.