>> CATHY: WE'RE GOING TO SPEND THE REST OF OUR TIME TOGETHER LOOKING BACK AT THE LEGACY OF SPEAKER EMERITA MELISSA HORTMAN WITH A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO KNEW HER VERY WELL.

FORMER LEGISLATIVE LEADERS.

DEMOCRATS UP FIRST.

FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER MARGARET ANDERSON KELLIHER WAS THE SECOND WOMAN TO FILL THAT ROLE IN MINNESOTA.

RYAN WINKLER, FORMER DFL HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER DURING SPEAKER HORTMAN'S TENURE.

REPUBLICANS HERE... AMY FREDERIKSEN IS A FORMER SENATE MAJORITY LEADER, THE FIRST WOMAN TO FILL THAT ROLE IN MINNESOTA.

KURT ZELLERS, FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER WHO SERVED DURING HORTMAN'S LEADERSHIP YEARS IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU ALL HERE.

WE WERE WATCHING, ERIC AND I, OFF AIR TO ALL OF YOU WATCHING MARY'S PIECE AND YOU WERE NODDING YOUR HEADS.

PAT MURPHY SAID A LOT OF REALLY SPOT-ON THINGS ABOUT THE SPEAKER.

SPEAKER ANDERSON KELLIHER, I WANT TO START WITH YOU AND YOU ALL CAN CHIME IN HERE.

GOSH, IT DOESN'T SEEM POSSIBLE IT'S BEEN ONE YEAR ON SUNDAY.

WHAT'S ON YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW?

>> THE FAMILY'S ON MY HEART.

THE KIDS.

MELISSA'S PARENTS, MARK'S DAD, WHO I'VE MET AND TALKED WITH.

WHAT WE'VE LOST IN THESE MOMENTS.

AND WHAT WE'VE GAINED.

SO, I THINK OUT OF EVERY TRAGEDY, THERE ARE THINGS THAT COME ABOUT, AND THERE IS AN AWARENESS OF MAYBE HOW WE NEED TO ROCEED.

WE'RE NOT ALWAYS GETTING IT QUITE RIGHT YET, I DON'T THINK.

BUT PEOPLE ARE MUCH MORE AWARE OF THEIR LANGUAGE, HOW THEY'RE BEHAVING, WHAT IS GOING ON.

AND THAT IS A VERY GOOD THING AND SOMETHING THAT WAS JUST UNTHINKABLE.

>> Cathy: SPEAKER ZELLERS, WHAT'S ON YOUR HEART AS YOU LOOK BACK?

>> IT MAKES ME SAD STILL.

YOU KNOW, I THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NEVER ABOUT THE FIGHTS ON THE FLOOR OR, YOU KNOW, WHO VOTES WHAT ON WHAT BILL, IT'S ALWAYS WHAT'S IN THE RETIRING ROOM, IT'S ALWAYS, HILE YOU'RE NEGOTIATING, THERE'S THAT FIVE OR TEN MINUTES WHILE YOU'RE WAITING FOR THE GOVERNOR OR SOMEBODY ELSE TO COME IN AND, HEY, HOW ARE THE KIDS DOING, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO THIS SUMMER, AND THAT'S WHAT I MISSED THE MOST ABOUT MELISSA, SHE SWORE AS MUCH AS I DO SO I LOVE THAT SHIT.

>> FOR ME, THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS HAVE BEEN ESPECIALLY HARD.

AT THE HEARING YESTERDAY, NEW DETAILS EMERGING ABOUT THE LAST FEW MINUTES OF MY FRIEND'S LIFE.

IT'S JUST HARD TO IMAGINE AND IT'S JUST VERY PERSONAL.

>> Eric: SENATOR.

>> SO I'M LWAYS STRUCK, FIRST OF ALL, BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED THE FAMILY.

AND AN ANNIVERSARY IS A TIME FOR FOLKS -- HEARING A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOKING BACK, RIGHT?

FOR A FAMILY, IF YOU KNOW, I'VE LOST MY MOM AND MY DADDING MY DAD THIS YEAR, YOU DON'T NEED AN ANNIVERSARY TO REMIND YOU, SO THIS IS REALLY MORE NOT FOR THE FAMILY AND LOVED ONES, THIS IS FOR MINNESOTA.

AND WHAT I WOULD SAY IS, EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID, I FEEL LIKE HER LEGACY, EVEN PERMEATED THIS SESSION, THIS WAS A SESSION THAT SHOULD HAVE NOT ANYTHING GOTTEN DONE, IT WAS THE 67-67 SPLIT, IT'S AN ELECTION YEAR, THERE'S NO MONEY.

THE EXPECTATIONS WERE VERY VERY ROCK-BOTTOM LOW.

AND, ACTUALLY, A LOT OF THINGS GOT DONE.

AND I DO, I THINK, STILL CREDIT, I DON'T KNOW, THE SPIRIT, THE IDEA, THE PRINCIPLES THAT SHE SPOUSED BECAUSE THERE WAS ACTUALLY A FAIRLY PRODUCTIVE SESSION.

AND I THINK THAT WAS, IN PART, HER BEING STILL IN THE CHAMBER.

>> Eric: THIS WAS A PANEL OF LEGISLATIVE ALL-STARS, LAWMAKER ALL-STARS, WHAT WAS HER SECRET SAUCE, STRATEGIES, TECHNIQUE, STYLE, NEGOTIATING ABILITY, WHAT WAS IT?

>> HOMEWORK.

I WAS LOOKING THROUGH TEXTS LAST NIGHT.

I DID GO TO THE HEARING AND IT WAS PRETTY JARRING.

AND, SO, I THOUGHT, I NEED TO CONNECT TO MY FRIEND, MELISSA.

SO I LOOKED BACK THROUGH MY TEXTS.

AND HER ABILITY TO DO THE HOMEWORK AND THEN BE ABLE TO TRANSLATE IT TO THE PUBLIC, TO HER COLLEAGUES WAS INCREDIBLE.

I SAW THAT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.

AND SHE COULD DO THAT.

YOU KNOW, OUR ERY FIRST BIG TRANSPORTATION BILL, I ACTUALLY ASKED HER TO BE THE LEAD ON THAT BILL BECAUSE SHE COULD DO THAT TRANSLATION, BOTH THE DEBATE ON THE FLOOR, BUT ALSO THE TRANSLATION TO THE PUBLIC OF WHAT SOMETHING MEANT.

AND THAT'S HOMEWORK.

SHE WAS AMAZING AT HER HOMEWORK.

>> Eric: HER STYLE.

>> IMPATIENT.

YOU WOULDN'T NECESSARILY SEE THAT -- [ OVERLAPPING CONVERSATION ] -- BUT SHE HAD NO PATIENCE FOR THE BUILDUP TO THE DEAL, THE STAMPING OF THE FEET, THE DUALING PRESS -- DUELING PRESS CONFERENCES, ALL THE STUFF THAT GETS IN THE WAY, WHAT SHE KNEW WOULD BE THE OUTLINE FROM THE BEGINNING, SHE WAS IMPATIENT FOR, SHE WOULD HAVE A MOMENT WHERE SHE WOULD BASICALLY SAY, ARE WE DONE?

CAN WE GET ON TO THE BUSINESS OF LEGISLATING AND GETTING THIS DONE?

AND SHE WOULD USUALLY DO IT WITH A LITTLE SALTINESS, A LITTLE EARTHINESS, AND I THINK THAT GAVE HER A POWER IN A ROOM FILLED WITH POLITICIANS WHO VERY OFTEN LIKE TO HEAR THE SOUND OF THEIR OWN VOICE, SHE WAS NOT THAT PERSON.

>> Eric: HOW DID SHE HANDLE THE MINORITY, THE REPUBLICANS?

>> ACTUALLY, MY EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, TO AMY'S POINT, YOU KNOW, WE WORKED ON THE MAPLE GROVE HOSPITAL TOGETHER.

AND BEING FROM NORTH DAKOTA, WHY WOULD YOU HAVE TO PASS A LAW TO BUILD A HOSPITAL IN THE FASTEST-GROWING SUBURB IN THE STATE AND IN THE MIDWEST, IN MAPLE GROVE?

AND SHE AND I SAT DOWN, WHAT THE HELL'S WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE?

SHE GOES, THERE'S MORE PEOPLE IN MAPLE GROVE AND PLYMOUTH, WHY WON'T THEY JUST SAY YES?

YOU HAVE TO CONVINCE 201, OR AT LEAST 68-34 TO BE ON YOUR SIDE.

I KNEW WE WERE GOOD FRIENDS THEN, I HAD THE SAME IMPATIENCE.

WHAT DO YOU GUYS CARE ABOUT OUR PART OF THE CITY?

EVERY TIME I DRIVE BY THE MAPLE GROVE HOSPITAL OR TAKE 610, IT'S A DAILY REMINDER OF MELISSA BECAUSE WE WORKED REALLY HARD ON BOTH OF THOSE, AND THE SAME IMPATIENCE ON, THIS MAKES SENSE, WHY CAN'T WE JUST DO IT?

>> I LIKE HER AUTHENTIC, QUIET STRENGTH.

BECAUSE SHE WAS BEHIND THE SCENES, SHE WAS IN A INDUSTRY THAT JUST EVER INCREASINGLY, IT'S NOISE, AND THAT'S WHO GETS THE ATTENTION, SHE WASN'T.

AND SHE DID, SHE BUILT A LOT OF STUFF, SHE BUILT HOSPITALS, SHE BUILT THE STATE OFFICE BUILDING THAT'S GOING TO BEAR HER NAME, SHE BUILT COMMUNITY SOLAR GARDENS AND BUILT THINGS THROUGH THE BONDING BILL.

BUT THE MAIN THING SHE BUILT WAS CONSENSUS AND SHE DID THAT BY JUST, LIKE, AUTHENTIC, QUIET STRENGTH.

AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY -- WE OULD USE SO MUCH MORE OF THAT.

>> Cathy: WE WERE WONDERING, RIGHT AFTER HER PASSING, WHETHER THIS WOULD TURN PEOPLE OFF FROM LAWMAKING, THAT PEOPLE WOULDN'T WANT TO RUN FOR OFFICE.

BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, AS WAS POINTED OUT HERE BY THE PARTY CHAIR, DFL PARTY CHAIR, THE DFL'S PUTTING UP A CANDIDATE IN VERY SEAT OF THE LEGISLATURE.

AND NOT SO MUCH, YOU KNOW, REPUBLICANS IN TERMS OF THEIR -- REPUBLICANS DON'T HAVE CANDIDATES FOR EVERY SEAT.

SO I WONDER, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> I THINK PEOPLE ARE INSPIRED STILL TO THIS DAY AND THEY WILL BE FOR A LONG TIME.

I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, SHE BELIEVED IN GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGNING, SHE HAD TO RUN THREE TIMES.

WHEN PEOPLE HEAR THAT STORY, WHICH THEY'VE HEARD MANY TIMES DURING THIS PERIOD OF TIME, YOU KIND OF THINK, I GOTTA STEP UP AND DO SOMETHING.

I OWE IT TO MY COMMUNITY AND SHE WAS ABOUT COMMUNITY.

I MEAN, THAT'S THE THER PART OF THIS, SHE WANTED TO SERVE HER COMMUNITY.

AND, SO, I THINK THAT'S BEEN AN INSPIRATION TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.

>> Eric: WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK OF THE INCREASED SECURITY, EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS FOR JUDGES AND LAWMAKERS, ENHANCED SECURITY AT THE CAPITOL?

>> ATS LAST.

IT'S BEEN OVERDUE FOR A -- AT LAST.

IT'S BEEN OVERDUE FOR A LONG TIME.

WE STATED ENDLESSLY THAT SOMETHING BAD WILL HAVE TO HAPPEN BEFORE PEOPLE TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY.

OF OURSE, IT DIDN'T HAPPEN THE WAY ANYBODY THOUGHT IT WOULD, AND IT WAS MUCH MORE AWFUL THAN ANY OF US REALLY COULD HAVE CONCEIVED OF.

BUT IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING.

AND IT WILL TAKE SOME ADJUSTMENT TO FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAY TO MANAGE THE OPENNESS OF THE LEGISLATURE WITH THE SECURITY NEEDS, BUT IT IS FINALLY HAPPENING.

>> Eric: HOW WAS SHE IN THOSE PRIVATE MEETINGS WITH THE GOVERNOR AND THE SENATE?

WAS IT TAKE CHARGE?

DEVELOP SET GLOVE OVER AN IRON FIST?

>> I MEAN, I THINK SHE -- AND WE BOTH HAD TIME IN THE MINORITY BEFORE WE WERE SPEAKER, THE ONE THING I LEARNED, I KNOW MELISSA DID, WE TALKED A LOT APPROXIMATE IT, YOU'VE GOT TO FIND THE WIN FOR THE OTHER SIDE, IT CAN'T JUST BE WHAT YOU WANT, WHAT YOU WANT IN THE BILL.

WHAT'S THE WIN THAT'S MARGARET'S GOING TO GET THAT SHE'S GOING TO TAKE BACK TO HER CAUCUS, ALL RIGHT, WE DIDN'T GET EVERYTHING WE WANT, BUT HERE'S THE THINGS WE GOT.

NOWADAYS IT'S REALLY REALLY HARD FOR SOME FOLKS TO SEE THE WIN FOR THE OTHER SIDE OR FOR THEIR POLITICAL OPPONENTS.

IT'S ALL ABOUT, WHAT AM I GOING TO DO FOR THE BASE?

AND THAT'S A SAD COMMENTARY.

>> YEAH.

>> Eric: HOW IS THAT TRANSFORMING LAWMAKING OR AFFECTING LAWMAKING, IF THERE'S COMPROMISES IN THE GAME?

>> ELL, I MEAN, THAT IS THE NATURE OF THE GAME, WHETHER PEOPLE WANT IT TO BE OR NOT OR WE JUST GET STUCK AND WE DO NOTHING.

AND THAT HELPS NOBODY, NOT IN GREATER MINNESOTA, NOT IN THE METRO, NOT IN, YOU KNOW, WABASHA AND NOT IN MINNEAPOLIS.

AND I THINK WHAT I'M HOPING IS THAT THIS ORT OF CONVERSATION WILL CONTINUE TO GO ON BECAUSE THE VIOLENCE THAT WAS VISITED ON HER AND SENATOR JOHN HOFFMAN CAME OUT OF A POLITICAL RHETORIC THAT IS HYPER, HYPER PARTISAN, TO THE POINT WHERE YOU "OTHER" THE OTHER PERSON, THE OTHER PARTY AND THEY BECOME INHUMAN AND THEY BECOME AN ENEMY.

SO SHE IS EXACTLY THE ANTIDOTE, VERY IRONICALLY TO WHAT KILLED HER.

>> SHE ALSO USED HUMOR IN A LOT OF SITUATIONS.

AND I WANT TO -- SO SHE ONCE SAID ABOUT PAT MURPHY THAT SHE HAD A CRUSH ON HIM LIKE SHE HAD A CRUSH ON HER OBSTETRICIAN.

[ Laughter ] A PERSON WHO GOT HER OUT OF AN IMPOSSIBLE SITUATION AND SHE COULD NOT DO WITHOUT HIM.

>> I NEVER HEARD THAT, THAT'S AWESOME, THAT IS RIGHT ON BRAND.

>> Cathy: I'M GLAD WE COULD REMEMBER ER THIS WAY.

ECDZ WE COULD TALK ALL -- >> Eric: WE COULD TALK ALL NIGHT.

YOU GUYS REALLY DID