>> ERIC: THE FIRST BIG PRIMARY CONTESTS IN THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE ARE FIRMLY IN THE REAR-VIEW MIRROR.

AND WITH SUPER TUESDAY ON THE HORIZON, PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN AND FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP HAVE A FIRM HOLD ON THEIR PARTY'S NOMINATIONS.

BUT THEIR CHALLENGERS HAVE NOT GONE AWAY QUIETLY, AND MANY AMERICANS DON'T SEEM EXCITED ABOUT A REMATCH OF THE 2020 ELECTION.

PLENTY TO TALK ABOUT WITH OUR TRIO OF PROFESSORS.

MICHAEL MINTA TEACHES POLITICAL SCIENCE STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA.

THE U OF M IS ALSO THE ACADEMIC HOME OF KATHRYN PEARSON.

ROUNDING OUT THE GROUP, THE PROFESSOR WHO DROVE THE FARTHEST TO THE STUDIO TONIGHT, CINDY RUGELEY HEADS UP THE POLITICAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT AT UMD.

I JUST WANT TO RUN DOWN THE WEEK THAT DEAN PHILLIPS HAS HAD.

A CONSULTANT THAT HE HIRED APPARENTLY DID A FAKE ROBO-CALL IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.

HE TOLD CHAD HARTMANN ON CCO THAT THE FACT THAT AMY KLOBUCHAR IS RUNNING FOR ANOTHER TERM IS ABSURD.

AND THEN HE OFFERED HIMSELF UP AS A RUNNING MEAT FOR NICKI HALEY.

WHAT THE?

>> YEAH, WOW.

PEOPLE ARE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT EAN PHILLIPS, WHAT'S HIS AIM, WHAT'S HE'S TRYING TO DO?

OBVIOUSLY HIS ARGUMENT HAS BEEN LONG THAT HE DOESN'T WANT TRUMP REELECTED.

HE DOESN'T THINK BIDEN CAN DO THE JOB.

BUT I THINK MANY DEMOCRATS ARE REALLY JUST SCRATCHING THEIR HEAD AND THE MORE HE SAYS, I MEAN, HE SAYS CONTRADICTORY THINGS.

LIKE HE SAID HE WOULD NEVER RUN ON A NO LABELS TYPE PARTY BECAUSE HE SAID IT WOULD TAKE AWAY FROM JOE BIDEN.

OH, HE WOULD CONSIDER RUNNING WITH NICKI HALEY.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH DEAN FILL WRIPS.

PHILLIPS.

>> HERE HE IS CREATING PROBLEMS FOR HIMSELF, POTENTIALLY FOR DEMOCRATS BUT REALLY AT THIS POINT IT SEEMS FOR HIMSELF AND HITZ STAFF.

>> Eric: HOW ABOUT AN INDEPENDENT RUN FOR GOVERNOR IN '26.

>> HE IS KIND OF A LESTON IN SELF-DESTRUCTION, BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE TALKING ABOUT HIM BEING THE GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE.

AND SELF-DEDESTRUCTION'S AN UGLY EVENT.

>> Cathy: YOU GOT THE SOUTH CAROLINA PRIMARY TOMORROW, SATURDAY.

NIKKI HALEY'S COMING INTO TOWN ON MONDAY, AHEAD OF SUPER TUESDAY.

SO IT SOUNDS LIKE SHE'S STILL IN HE RACE AT LEAST FOR A LITTLE WHILE.

>> AND SHE'S INDICATED HE WANTS TO LET EVERYONE VOTE.

BUT ABOUT A THIRD OF THE DELEGATES IN BOTH PARTIES ARE UP IN THE SUPER TUESDAY CONTEST.

SO CERTAINLY SHE'LL STAY IN THROUGH THERE EVEN IF SOUTH CAROLINA AND MICHIGAN DON'T GO WELL IN THE INTERIM.

BUT I THINK SHE'S SINCERE ABOUT WANTING TO GIVE VOTERS A CHANCE, AND SHE HAS ENOUGH MONEY, BUT SHE'S NOT DOING WELL IN THE POLLS, WITH THE ENDORSEMENTS, WITH THE THE POLLS THAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS THE PARTY OF TRUMP.

>> Eric: WITH ALL THE SIDE ISSUES SURROUNDING TRUMP AND BIDEN, IS THERE ANY POSSIBLE WAY THROUGH THE NATIONAL CONVENTION OR OTHERWISE THAT THESE GUYS DON'T END UP AS THE NOMINEES?

>> NO, I DON'T THINK SO.

AND I'M ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT SAID, WELL, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A RESPONSIBILITY THAT SOMEBODY ELSE, BUT I JUST DIDN'T THINK THE PARTY STRUCTURE IS IN PLACE ANYMORE TO MAKE A CHANGE AT THE CONVENTIONS.

>> Eric: COULD BIDE WREN AGREE TO RELEASE HIS DELEGATES AT THE CONVENTION?

>> I CAN'T SEE THAT.

>> Eric: OKAY.

>> I DON'T SEE THAT HAPPENING.

>> Eric: I'M LOOKING -- >> I DID WANT TO COMMENT ON NIK KIKI HALEY.

AND THAT'S FROM MY FORMER HOME STATE AND GETTING SOME OF THE LOCAL CHATTER AND I THINK SHE IS RUNNING, BECAUSE SHE SEES TRUMP, YOU KNOW, THEY WANT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY TO TURN THE PAGE ON DONALD TRUMP.

AND SO SHE WANTS TO BE THERE IN CASE ANYTHING GOES -- NOW, HE HAS SO MANY INVESTIGATIONS, LAWSUITS, SO THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE HE MIGHT GET CONVICTED, AND HEY, WHO SELLS THERE?

NIKKI HALEY THERE TO SAVE THE DAY.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'LL HAPPEN BEFORE THE ELECTION.

>> THERE'S ANOTHER POINT ON THAT.

IT YOU'D TO BE, THEY'D RUN OUT OF MONEY AND THELDZ THEY'D GETF THE RACE.

THEY DON'T RUN OUT OF MONEY.

>> BUT THE PROBLEM FOR HER IS THAT, YOU KNOW, SHE AND TRUMP OBVIOUSLY AT THIS POINT TRUMP IS ANGRY THAT SHE'S STILL RUNNING, AND SO HIS SUPPORTERS WON'T NECESSARILY BE THAT PLEASED IF SHE'S THE ONE LEFT STANDING IF SOMETHING HAPPENS.

>> Cathy: ERIC MENTIONED THAT THE PHILLIPS CAMPAIGN HIRED THIS MAGICIAN.

AS POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSORS, HOW MUCH DO YOU ALL WORRY ABOUT THE USE OF A.I.

AND DEEP FAKES AS WE HEAD >> A GREAT DEAL.N?- I REMEMBER AFTER BIDEN, WHEN HE CAME TO SUPERIOR, THERE WAS THESE VIDEOS GOING AROUND OF HIM TALKING SLOW AND SLURRING HIS SPEECH.

AND THAT JUST WASN'T WHAT HAPPENED.

THEY WERE GENERATED.

THEY WERE ALTERED AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO I THINK IT'S GOING TO HAVE A TREMENDOUS EFFECT AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE DEALT WITH AND I DON'T KNOW HOW.

>> AND THEY WORK BECAUSE WE KNOW FROM THE RESEARCH, MOST AMERICANS DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT POLITICS.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE MAY FOLLOW IT AND WE LOVE IT, BUT MOST AMERICANS DON'T KNOW, AND SO WHEN THEY HEAR THIS INFORMATION AND YOU DON'T HAVE A CREDIBLE SOURCE TO DISPUTE IT, THEN ... HEY, THEY MIGHT BELIEVE IT.

SO THAT'S REAL ISSUE.

>> Eric: IN VITRO FERTILIZATION, THE ALABAMA COURT SAYS EMBRYOS ARE PEOPLE.

YOU KNOW, THE ABORTION ISSUE SEEMED TO BE HELPING THE DEMOCRATS.

DOES THIS ADD TO IT?

>> TO THE EXTENT TO WHICH IT PUTS THE ABORTION ISSUE BACK FRONT AND CENTER, YES, THAT HELPS DEMOCRATS.

BUT WHAT WE'VE EEN IN THE LAST COWL OF DAYS ARE REPUBLICANS SORT OF COMING OUT AND SAYING WE OPPOSE THIS DECISION AS WELL, PARTICULARLY REPUBLICAN WOMEN.

I USED INI.V.F., AND SO WE'RE SEEING I THINK A LITTLE BIT MORE BIPARTISANSHIP ON THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE, BUT THAT SAID, IT JUST PUTS ABORTION FRONT AND CENTER.

>> ND TRUMP EVEN ISSUED A STATEMENT TODAY ENCOURAGING THE ALABAMA LEGISLATURE TO OVERTURN THE COURT DECISION.

SO I THINK THEY RECOGNIZE THE POTENTIAL OF IT TO BE A HOT ISSUE AND JUST WANT TO PUT IT BEHIND THEM.

>> AND DEMOCRATS AREN'T GOING TO LET IT GO, THOUGH.

AND YOU SEE THE CAMPAIGNS AND THE STRATEGIES AND AT CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS.

THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT ABORTION IS FRONT AND CENTER BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE THAT LAST TIME IT GAVE THEM A LOT OF TRACTION AND HELPED THEM HOLD ONTO NOT THE GAINS IN THE SENATE, EDEN PRAIRIE THAT, AND NOT AS MUCH BLEEDING IN THE HOUSE.

SO I THINK THEY'RE GOING O KEEP RUNNING ON THAT ISSUE.

>> Cathy: LOOKS LIKE WE'RE PREPARING FOR A PARTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN SOME >> WELL, HALF THE STOP GAP BILLS RUN ON MARCH 1ST.

THE OTHER HALF RUN OUT ON MARCH 8TH AND THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE HAVE NOT FINISHES THEIR ANNUAL APPROPRIATIONS BILLS AND THEY'RE STUCK ON THESE POLICY PROVISIONS WHICH ARE NOT SUPPOSED O BE PART OF THE FUNDING BILLS TO BEGIN WITH.

BUT SPEAKER JOHNSON HAS TOLD HIS REPUBLICAN CONFERENCE IN THE HOUSE THAT THESE PROVISIONS AREA GOING TO STAY IN AND THAT'S TO APPEASE THE FREEDOM CAUCUS.

ON THE OTHER HAND, THEY'LL HAVE TO COME OUT IF DEMOCRATS IN THE SENATE AND PRESIDENT BIDEN ARE GOING TO AGREE.

AND NO ONE IS GOING TO BENEFIT FROM A SHUTDOWN.

>> WELL, IT'S A MESS.

>> Eric: BUT THIS KABU KINK THEATER IS KIND OF TYPICAL IN A PRESIDENTIAL YEAR?

OR AM I WRONG THERE?

>> YOU'RE NOT WRONG, BUT THIS IS AN EXTREME CASE.

REPUBLICANS HAVE LOST SIX FLOOR VOTES ON RULES WHICH GIVE THEM CONTROL OF THE AGENDA.

SO IT REALLY IS STRIKING.

>> IT IS.

AND I MEAN, WHEN YOU'VE GOT THIS ONE VOTE AND THE SPEAKER'S OUT, IT MAKES THE THEATER A LITTLE BIT MORE DRAMATIC.

>> YEAH, AND THE SPEAKER, I MEAN, I THINK HE WANTS TO REMAIN SPEAKER, SO HE'S NOT GOING TO TRY TO REPEAT WHAT KEVIN MCCARTHY DID.

SO I DON'T KNOW.

IT'S GOING TO BE VERY INTERESTING TO SEE IF HE -- I MEAN, HE'S GEEING BY THE RULE OF THE MAJORITY OF THE MAJORITY.

AND IF HE STEAKS WITH THAT, I THINK WE ARE HEADED TO A SHUTDOWN.

>> Eric: AND THE IMPACT ON THAT, ON VOTERS ON REGULAR AMERICANS WOULD BE WHAT?

>> IT DEMENDS ON THE DURATION OF THE SHUTDOWN.

WE'VE SEEN SHORTER SHUTDOWNS WHICH VOTERS GENERALLY FORGET ABOUT.

CLEARLY THE ECONOMY IS ALWAYS A FACTOR IN ELECTIONS BUT THIS YEAR WE'RE SEEING THE IMPORTANCE OF IMMIGRATION, FOREIGN POLICY, YOU KNOW, THE AGE OF CANDIDATES.

SO IT'S SHAPING UP TO A STRANGE ELECTION YEAR.

>> Eric: I'M