Officer, I'd like to report a beatdown

"The Democrats come shake my hand and tell me they're gonna give me a 'One Minnesota.' I haven't seen a 'One Minnesota.' Tim Walz lied!"
Rev. Tim Christopher from this past Tuesday's gun control hearing in Hibbing


About 10+ months ago, I posted a video of Rev. Tim Christopher testifying before the MN House Judiciary Committee. Rev. Christopher's testimony had to do with the Democrats' insistence on passing "gun control" legislation which would do little to nothing in curbing gun violence.

Fast forward to this past Tuesday in Hibbing.

Even though the Minnesota Legislature is not in session, the Senate Judiciary Committee chose to hold a hearing regarding the same "gun control" proposals. Once again, Rev. Christopher showed up, making the 3+ hour trek up from the Twin Cities. If you thought the Rev's testimony last year in St. Paul was lit, definitely check out the entire 10+ minute diatribe from Tuesday's gathering in Hibbing.




One final thing: Rev. Christopher is a lifelong Democrat, but has felt abandoned by his party. And he's far from the only African American to convey that sentiment. If Minnesota Republicans had any means of effective outreach, there are potentially some votes in the urban areas to be had. That would go a long way to thwarting a 12-year losing streak in statewide elections.

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Quick Hits: Volume CCX

- The only thing fatally wounded at a highly anticipated pro gun rally was leftist media narratives.

Tens of thousands gathered in Richmond, Va., on Monday to oppose new gun-control measures being pushed by Democrats in the state legislature.

The event’s peaceful procession marked a stark contrast to mainstream media portrayals of a rally filled with white nationalists and others prepared to do violence. The day’s rally concluded without a single incidence of mayhem or civil unrest.

Music, shared food, and chants of "USA!" made for a festive, fraternal atmosphere as marchers displayed their support for Second Amendment rights in Virginia. The march has been put on annually by the Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL), a pro-gun-rights group that has been at the center of the controversy around new gun-control legislation. Monday's protest, however, was by far the largest turnout, as gun-owning Virginians gathered from across the Commonwealth to advocate for their rights.

Of all the activity on social media which discussed this rally, this was perhaps my favorite recap.

I love how the left will call law abiding citizens who want to preserve their constitutional rights, "White supremacists"

But the guy that dressed up in black face to mock my skin color and my ancestors is a "respectable governor"

#VirginiaRally

— Patty (@PattyPolitic) January 20, 2020

I would be willing to bet that, as a percentage, there were more black people among Monday's Richmond rally goers than any "March for Our Lives" gathering or Bloomberg affiliated gun-grabber groups.

Thoughts and prayers to those whose narratives were killed in this incident.


- The New York Times announced it's presidential endorsement on Monday. And it was.....odd.

Both the radical and the realist models warrant serious consideration. If there were ever a time to be open to new ideas, it is now. If there were ever a time to seek stability, now is it.

That’s why we’re endorsing the most effective advocates for each approach. They are Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar.

The leftist-leaning fish wrap is probably so embarrassed by the lily white makeup of the Dem candidates at last week's debate that they wanted to have at least one check mark on the intersectionality scorecard. I guess they chose "female" instead of "gay" (Sorry, Mayor Pete).


- Twin Cities church essentially says "Move on, boomer."

A prayer for survival rose from the back of the church last Sunday.

“I pray for this church, getting through this age-discrimination thing,” said William Gackstetter, as the gray-haired heads around him nodded in agreement.

Gackstetter and other members of the Grove United Methodist Church in Cottage Grove are upset enough that their church is closing in June. What makes it worse is that their church is reopening in November — pretty much without them.

The church wants to attract more young families. The present members, most of them over 60 years old, will be invited to worship somewhere else. A memo recommends that they stay away for two years, then consult the pastor about reapplying.

If you're approaching the running of a church as a business venture as opposed to serving the Lord and helping congregants develop a more personal relationship with Jesus Christ, you're doing it wrong.

Since this is a Methodist church, here is the Venn diagram I'd love to see among the decision makers of this particular congregation: Those who believe it's OK to discriminate based on age and those who endorse gay marriage & abortion.

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I scratch a living, it ain't easy......

Another Sunday, yet another edition of The Closer. The 2-hour festivities get started at 1:00 Pm Central Time.

In the first hour I'll discuss the bizarre feud between progs Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, and how it spilled over into last Tuesday's debate. Also, the articles of impeachment against President Trump were finally sent to the U.S. Senate. Now what?

In the 2:00 pm hour, I will weigh in on the Houston Astros cheating scandal and the punishment that was handed down. Sticking with a baseball theme, my favorite MLB club made a signature move in free agency.


So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics we plan on addressing.

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 or, if you're near downtown Minneapolis/West Metro area, 107.5 FM on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link, or check us out via iheart radio as well as Amazon Alexa (just say "Alexa, play The Patriot Minneapolis"). If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #NARNShow or "Like" our Facebook page.

Until then.....

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2019 NFL Playoffs: Conference Championship games

Tennessee Titans (+7) at Kansas City Chiefs: This is a rematch of a Week 10 regular season game where the Titans prevailed at home 35-32. In that contest, Titans RB Derrick Henry rushed for 188 yards and 2 touchdowns. He will need a similar performance in Kansas City if his club has any chance to win. Henry has averaged 32 carries per game over the past three weeks while posting more than 6 yards per rush. How much does he have left in the tank? The Chiefs' defense allows almost five yards per carry, so the opportunities should there.

After falling behind the Houston Texans 24-0 early in the second quarter last week, the Chiefs responded by scoring a TD on seven consecutive possessions. Since that Week 10 loss to the Titans, Patrick Mahomes and Co. have not lost a game. It's almost as if that loss served as a wake-up call.

Tennessee might be able to hang for a half, maybe even into the third quarter. However, KC will prevail and thus go to the Super Bowl fifty years after their last appearance in Super Bowl IV.
Kansas City 45 Tennessee 28


Green Bay Packers (+7-1/2) at San Francisco 49ers: Like the AFC matchup, this is also a rematch from the 2019 regular year. In that game, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers had his worst performance of the season (maybe even his entire career) in a 37-8 loss. It's pretty much assured that when Rodgers & Co. take on a defense with a player named "Bosa," they won't fare very well.

I believe this game will be the first where Niners QB Jimmy Garoppolo is thoroughly tested. Last week in his first career playoff game, Garoppolo was mediocre. However, his defense completely shut down my Vikings, so he didn't have to do much. I suspect he'll need to make more plays this week.

Home field will be the difference in this one.
San Francisco 31 Green Bay 21



My 2019 Postseason Record:
Against the Spread: 2-5-1
Straight Up: 4-4

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Just a "heads up."

In the event there was any doubt which of the septuagenarian "progressives" Big Media would support in the Bernie Sanders-Elizabeth Warren "he said, she said" saga, let's get rid of any wiggle room.

You know one clear way to demonstrate that you believe a woman can and should be president? Don’t try to defeat a woman running for President.

— Matthew Dowd (@matthewjdowd) January 14, 2020

CNN: “Sen. Sanders, I do want to be clear here, you’re saying that you never told senator Warren that a woman could not win the election?"
SANDERS: "That is correct."
CNN: “Sen. Warren, what did you think when senator Sanders told you a woman could not win the election?" pic.twitter.com/BZ1NajmQE9

— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) January 15, 2020

Why is the automatic assumption that her version is wrong? Just curious. https://t.co/Ra8qZVLfoJ

— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) January 16, 2020

They are all in. pic.twitter.com/DKic3KgIdM

— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) January 16, 2020

I could be wrong, but Fauxcahontas Warren leaking audio of Tuesday's post-debate discussion with Sanders seems to be the culmination of something which was premeditated.

CNN airs the audio between Warren and Sanders after the debate:

W: "I think you called me a liar on national TV."

S: "What?"

W: "I think you called me a liar on national TV."

S: "You know, let's not do it right now... pic.twitter.com/3ksXkALtZb

— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) January 16, 2020

And the winner of the Democrat presidential debate for the ump-teenth consecutive time: President Donald Trump.

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Makin' it rain

So this move by my favorite baseball club is upending a lot of narratives.

Third baseman Josh Donaldson has agreed to a four-year deal with the Minnesota Twins, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan.

It will pay him $84 million over the first four years and includes a $16 million club option with an $8 million buyout. In total, the deal includes $92 million in guaranteed money, with a chance to increase to $104 million in value if Donaldson hits escalators on the option.

Donaldson, 34, is a three-time All-Star and the 2015 American League MVP. He rebounded from two straight injury-riddled seasons to hit .259 with 37 homers and 94 RBIs in 155 games for the Atlanta Braves last season.

The largest free agent contract the Twins ever doled out prior to this was 5 years ago when they signed pitcher Ervin Santana to 4-year, $55 million pact (Joe Mauer's $184 million contract was technically an extension). So this offer to Donaldson exceeds that by $37 million.

This move also serves to undermine many narratives among Twins fans who vent frustrations via Twitter. The prevailing sentiments are "Pohlads are too cheap" or "The front office lies when they say they've made offers to big name free agents, they just want to shut the fans up." But perhaps my favorite conspiracy theory? It has to be fans' insistence that the Twins have a public relations guy whose job is to convey that the team's offers were just shy of what a free agent agreed to elsewhere. With the Donaldson signing, all those chanting points are effectively punctured.

Alas, some people aren't completely fulfilled unless they have something to bitch about. As such, the common retort among naysayers was "What happened to the impact starting pitcher they promised?!?!" While it's true that Chief Baseball Officer Derek Falvey flat out said that was their top goal just after being knocked out of the postseason (again) by the New York Yankees, such a move has yet to materialize. And while I don't believe the Twins front office is going to stop considering additional acquisitions, upgrading their infield defense (Donaldson statistically is a much more solid third baseman than Miguel Sano, who will now shift to first base) by default improves the potential performance of the pitching staff.

In watching MLB Network last evening in the aftermath of the Donaldson agreement, I caught an interview with an Atlanta sports talk radio host. He indicated that the Braves desperately wanted Donaldson back in the fold but they just weren't willing to give his a fourth year guaranteed. So there ya have it. The Twins actually outbid someone else.

Speaking of MLB Network, the panelists on the show put together a projected Twins batting order for 2020:

Dang. When's Opening Day at Target Field?!?! 💣💣💣

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Quick Hits: Volume CCIX

- CNN broke a story on Monday indicating that Democrat presidential candidate Bernie Sanders once told fellow Dem contender Fauxcahontas Elizabeth Warren that he did not believe a female candidate could defeat President Trump in 2020. The Sanders camp denies this. However, some unnamed sources vouch for Warren's account.

So whom do you believe?

Personally, I'm just over here munching on popcorn. But if I had to answer, I would just say this. Which of these two individuals has the penchant for peddling falsehoods despite very clear evidence to the contrary? (Hint. Hint.)


- Would this be considered an in-kind contribution to the Trump re-election campaign?

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle may be coming to America — but not until President Trump is out of office, a report said Sunday.

After their Megxit deal gets hashed out, the Daily Mail reported that the couple plan on living in Canada and eventually find a home and business in Los Angeles.

“It’s by no means an immediate thing but there is a long-term plan to end up back in the US with a second home in Canada, where they will also spend a great deal of time,” the source said.

But Markle, 38, has said she won’t move back while Trump is president, according to the Mail, citing her friends.

In the immortal words of Melvin Udall in the movie As Good as It Gets: "Sell crazy someplace else. We're all stocked up here." 


- So the reckoning for the Houston Astros 2017 cheating scandal came down on Monday and...uh.....holy crap.

Major League Baseball released a report outlining its findings on Monday from an investigation into the Houston Astros' sign-stealing scandal. Commissioner Rob Manfred's punishments were printed in the report, and included a $5 million fine, forfeited draft picks, and season-long suspensions for general manager Jeff Luhnow and skipper A.J. Hinch. Luhnow and Hinch have since been fired by the Astros, with bench coach Joe Espada likely taking over as interim manager.

My goodness, how the mighty have fallen. The Astros went from 111 losses in the 2013 season to a playoff team two years later and then a World Series title two years after that. They appeared well stocked for sustained success, so to put that all in jeopardy with their cheating methods just didn't seem worth the risk. Not to mention the fact that teammates would eventually move on to other clubs. Certainly they weren't all going to dummy up.

Next up is the findings on the investigation into the 2018 Boston Red Sox, managed by Alex Cora. Yes, the same Alex Cora who was a bench coach for the 2017 Astros. I imagine his punishment is being announced last given he has to answer for two different scandals. The only word that has leaked thus far is Cora's penalty will be "harsh."

Oh well, Cora will always be in the good graces of proggies for dissing President Trump. So he's got that goin' for him.

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