MSNBC "The Beat with Ari Melber" - Transcript: Interview with Sen. Amy Klobuchar

Interview

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WILLIAMS: Welcome back as we cover the live votes coming from this Midterm  Election night 2018. And we are joined by a Democratic incumbent in the  U.S. Senate Amy Klobuchar of the State of Minnesota. Senator, for most  generalist viewers -- thank you for joining us first off -- they are seeing  you for the first time perhaps since the Kavanaugh hearings, and before we  talk about the politics of tonight, I`m curious have you been surprised to  see how much traction the other party has gotten out of the Kavanaugh  hearings, every night rally after rally we hear the President`s talking  point that a good man was mistreated?

SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR (D), MINNESOTA: Well, rallies are one thing, Brian, but  votes are another. And it is true that they have been trying to play this  issue out, but what I hear from Minnesotans is they want to talk about  people getting kicked off their insurance for pre-existing conditions or  the price of prescription drugs. And as you`ve seen over time, the people  of America has realized whether they agreed or not, he got on the court.  And for them to keep using this as an issue I think you`re seeing with  Independent voters especially in a lot of our Congressional District votes  in Minnesota, this issue is not determinative. You could see it in your  own exit polls.

WILLIAMS: Senator, it`s what struck me a couple weeks ago was how the  Midwest is really in play this time. States like Pennsylvania, Wisconsin,  Michigan voted very narrowly for a total of like 70,000 votes in total for  President Trump. This time around it seems like the Midwest is moving into  the Democratic column right across the board for governor, senator, and  probably House as well.

KLOBUCHAR: Well, we don`t want to take anything for granted but I am  wearing my purple dress for a reason besides prince and the Vikings and  that this is the moment where the Midwest and a lot of our states that as  you recognized either voted for Trump or in Minnesota barely did Hillary  win. It`s a change these governor races. I talked to our candidate Fred  Hubbell down in Iowa and it is -- he`s feeling good down there. You look  at in Illinois, you look at how well Tammy Baldwin is doing. I talked to  her this morning over in Wisconsin and then these incredible congressional  races in the suburbs where I think we`re going to take back two seats in  two congressional races in Minnesota both currently held by Republicans was  we look at I think our projections may be that two-thirds of eligible  voters may be voting in a Midterm in Minnesota despite flurries of snow.

CHRIS MATTHEWS, MSNBC HOST: You know, I think this whole campaign tonight  we`re going to be covering here is in a Republican territory. It`s an  offensive for the Democrats because I can`t think of -- or you can tell me  this. Do you know a single Democratic incumbent in the Senate or the House  that`s worried about reelection?

KLOBUCHAR: You`ll have to talk to them but I think what -- you know those  numbers where we have 35 Senate seats up and I think 22 of them are  Democrats that are running. I mean, those are extraordinarily difficult  odds and we know that going into it. But we have such great candidates  like Claire McCaskill still fighting it out. Heidi, I just talked to her.  Remember last time, she held up the paper that`s at her opponent one and  she won. So I think we got to give these guys tonight and also we`ve got the House and then these Governor`s races and it is really all about turning out but it`s also about independent voters and what they think of the President`s behavior over the last year.

WILLIAMS: From the Twin Cities tonight, our thanks to Democratic Senator  Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota. Thank you very much for making time to talk  with us.

KLOBUCHAR: It`s great to be here.

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