♪ SOLEDAD: WELCOME BACK TO MATTER OF FACT FROM PHILADELPHIA. PRESIDENT TRUMP MAY HAVE WON PENNSYLVANIA BACK IN 2016, BUT A RECENT QUINNIPIAC POLL SHOWS THE PRESIDENT STRUGGLING WITH VOTERS HERE. ED RENDELL SERVED AS THE DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR OF PENNSYLVANIA FROM 2003 TO 2011. HE WAS ALSO THE MAYOR OF PHILADELPHIA, AND HE’S THE AUTHOR OF "A NATION OF WUSSES: HOW AMERICA’S LEADERS LOST THE GUTS TO MAKE US GREAT.” GOVERNOR RENDELL, THANK YOU FOR SITTING DOWN AND TALKING WITH ME. GIVE ME THE LAY OF THE LAND OF THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA. POLITICALLY SPEAKING. GOV. RENDELL: WELL. PENNSYLVANIA IS DECIDEDLY PURPLE STATE. WE HAVE A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR ELECTED TWICE BUT WE HAVE REPUBLICAN CONTROL OF THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE. STATE HOUSE AND STATE SENATE. WE HAVE ONE DEMOCRATIC U.S. SENATOR ONE REPUBLICAN U.S. SENATOR. SO IT’S A DECIDEDLY PURPLE STATE. SOLEDAD: THE COUNTIES. I MEAN OBVIOUSLY PHILADELPHIA WHERE WE ARE IS BLUE. ERIE, NORTHAMPTON, LUCERNE, THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT FLIPPED FOR TRUMP IN 2016. WHAT MESSAGES DO YOU THINK ARE COMING FROM DONALD TRUMP THAT RESONATE WITH PEOPLE IN THOSE COUNTIES OR DO YOU THINK THINGS HAVE CHANGED DRAMATICALLY. GOV. RENDELL: WHEN YOU ASSESS DONALD TRUMP’S CHANCES. HE HAS A TOUGHER ROAD TO HOE IN PENNSYLVANIA. BUT UNDERSTAND HE HAS TWO ADVANTAGES. HE’S AN INCUMBENT PRESIDENT PRESIDING OVER A GOOD ECONOMY. NOW THAT INCUMBENT WITH A GOOD ECONOMY HAS NEVER LOST IN THE HISTORY OF U.S. ELECTIONS. IT DOESN’T SEEM TO HELP HIM IN THE POLLS BUT IT’S STILL AN ASSET. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO DON’T WANT TO ADMIT THEY’RE VOTING FOR DONALD TRUMP BUT THEY LIKE SOME OF THE THINGS HE’S DONE. SOLEDAD: SOME OF THE CANDIDATES ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE OBVIOUSLY ARE VERY PROGRESSIVE. IS THAT GOING TO BE PROBLEMATIC IN THIS STATE, WHICH AS YOU KNOW IS PURPLE BASICALLY? GOV. RENDELL: IT WILL BE PROBLEMS FOR TWO REASONS. SOLEDAD: BERNIE SANDERS, ELIZABETH WARREN. GOV. RENDELL: RIGHT. DONALD TRUMP CANNOT WIN THE 2020 ELECTION. THE DEMOCRATS CAN LOSE IT. AND DONALD TRUMP CAN HELP US LOSE IT. IN HIS STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS, HE ATTACKED DEMOCRATS AND SAID THE DEMOCRATS WERE TRYING TO TURN THE COUNTRY INTO A SOCIALIST COUNTRY. HE’S GOT A LITTLE GUY SOMEWHERE DOWN IN THE BASEMENT OF HIS CAMPAIGN HEADQUARTERS TOTALLING UP ALL THE PROMISES THAT ALL THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT ARE MAKING. FREE COLLEGE, MEDICARE FOR ALL. HE’S TOTALLY NOT WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO COST. HE’S GOING TO COME UP WITH A FAIRLY CREDIBLE FIGURE. IT IS GOING TO MEAN A TAX INCREASE WHICH HAS TO BE BORNE BY EVERYONE. AND IT WILL BE HARD TO DISPUTE THAT. AND OF COURSE IT DOESN’T MATTER WHETHER IT’S TRUE OR NOT. IF YOU ARE A DEMOCRAT, GET READY FOR THE FIGHT OF YOUR LIFE. SOLEDAD: THERE’S LOTS OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT IMPEACHMENT. NANCY PELOSI HAS BEEN CLEAR THAT IS NOT A DIRECTION SHE’S WILLING TO GO. WHERE DO YOU STAND ON THAT? GOV. RENDELL: I’M WITH NANCY. WE CAN NEVER GET DONALD TRUMP OUT OF OFFICE BY IMPEACHMENT. THERE’S ABSOLUTELY NO CHANCE THAT THE SENATE AS IT’S CONSTITUTED NOW WILL VOTE TO CONVICT DONALD TRUMP. SOLEDAD: WHAT IS THE ANALOGY IN A COURT OF LAW, WE ARE NEVER GOING TO WIN THIS CASE, SO WE SHOULDN’T BOTHER TO BRING IT? GOV. RENDELL: THAT IS WHAT MOST U.S. ATTORNEYS DO. THEY DON’T BRING CASES THEY KNOW THEY CAN’T WIN. SO THAT’S NUMBER ONE. YOU CAN’T WIN. NUMBER TWO IS IT’S CLEAR TO ME THAT THE TRUMP BASE IS STILL WITH HIM BUT NOT QUITE AS ENTHUSIASTIC -- STILL ENTHUSIASTIC SOME BUT NOT QUITE AS ENTHUSIASTIC AS IT WAS IN 2016. DO WE WANT TO RILE THEM UP BY -- THERE IS A THEORY THAT DONALD TRUMP WANTS TO BE IMPEACHED BECAUSE HE THINKS IT WOULD