Quick Hits: Volume CXLII

- I consider myself a civil guy. However, it takes a little extra effort to maintain a steady demeanor in today's bitterly partisan America.

This headline from a USA Today opinion piece made me, for lack of a better phrase, lose my sh*t.

Tom Brady has some explaining to do on Donald Trump

I took a deep breath and then proceeded to read Nancy Armour's rationale for Brady needing to divulge details about a personal relationship.

Tom Brady no longer gets a pass on his friendship with Donald Trump.

That first sentence alone was enough to make my blood boil. What basis do you have that Brady and Trump have a "friendship?" Are they regularly spotted having a night on the town? Does Brady make regular trips to Trump Tower?

Isn't amazing that these impudent asses in the media write crap like this when few (if any) of them were the least bit curious of the relationship professed domestic terrorist Bill Ayers had with then presidential candidate Barack Obama? So an NFL player no longer "gets a pass"regarding his questionable associations but someone who was looking to be leader of the free world wasn't made to explain his interactions with Ayers or Jeremiah "G-d damn America" Wright?

Anyhow, back to the subject. Brady "doesn't get a pass" on his "friendship" with Trump?

Not after this weekend, when the country boiled over in rage and indignation at Trump’s decision to turn America’s back on refugees. Not after this season, when Colin Kaepernick was pilloried from coast to coast for trying to draw attention to the shortcomings of our country.

And not when he’s about to command the NFL’s biggest stage.

Ms. Armour is going to have to provide the handbook which indicates that a professional athlete is obligated to comment on political and/or social issues just because he is on a world stage. And, I'm sorry, but Kaepernick choosing to speak out on said "shortcomings" was of his own accord. He knew darn well what the fallout would be, so his being "pilloried" is a consequence he accepted.

But in refusing to publicly disavow Trump's actions, Brady is giving tacit endorsement to both Trump and the chaos he has created.

No. He's not. Brady is about to play in the most important NFL game of the season, and perhaps his career given he could be the first quarterback to win five Super Bowls. The only obligation he has this week is to his team, which entails being as mentally and physically prepared as possible. Answering questions about his personal relationships doesn't quite fit the criteria.

Rather ironic that people like Ms. Armour accuse President Trump of having fascist tendencies.


- I would really like to see a Venn diagram of folks who believe that it's perfectly fine to deny an American citizen his/her 2nd Amendment rights for appearing on a "watch list" and those who claim the President's temporary immigration ban is wrong.


- When Independent Journal Review Creative Director Benny Johnson was with BuzzFeed, he and the other writers were told specifically to be "non-partisan" and "objective."

Well, if people haven't been able to ascertain BuzzFeed's leftist slant by merely reading their content lately, news of a recent hire ought to clear up that mystery.

BuzzFeed has hired Matt Mittenthal, who was most recently a spokesman in Hillary Clinton’s Brooklyn campaign headquarters, as senior director of communications for the website’s news division.

In all seriousness, it's good BuzzFeed is not even trying to hide it anymore. I'd much prefer a news outlet be up front about its biases as opposed to claiming objectivity when there is clear evidence to the contrary.

--------------------------------

Miss Universe 2017

Since I've become involved in the Miss Minnesota Scholarship Pageant as their emcee over the past few years, I'll usually indulge in national and worldwide pageant broadcasts. Sunday evening was no exception, as a new Miss Universe was crowned.

Of the three Miss Universe finalists — Miss France Iris Mittenaere, Miss Haiti Raquel Pelissier and Miss Colombia Andrea Tovar — only one could take home the crown.

The honors went to Miss France, with Pelissier named the competition's first runner-up and Tovar the second-runner-up.

To be honest, I was ambivalent about whom would win once Miss USA was eliminated when the competition was pared down to the Top 6. Nevertheless, I was interested to hear how the remaining young ladies would answer their respective on-stage question. Given this past weekend's hysteria over the handling of border security and admission of refugees, I paid rapt attention to Miss France's retort to a question regarding that subject matter.

....Mittenaere praised France's open borders and refugee population. "In France, we want to have the most globalization that we can, we want to have the biggest exchange of people that we can," she told the judges.

Eighty Six people who attended Bastille Day activities in Nice, France this past July were unavailable for comment.

------------------------------------------

You lit the fuse, I stand accused.....

One week down, 207 more to go in the first term of President Donald Trump. In good times and in bad, we here at the Northern Alliance Radio Network will provide insight and nuance into all that takes place during the Trump presidency. So tune in to today's edition of The Closer, as I will be on the air from 2:00 until 3:00 PM Central Time.

I'll take the first couple of segments to discuss the hysteria over Trump's temporary ban on immigrants from seven specific countries. I also hope to cover the impending Senate battle over the President's nominee to replace the late Antonin Scalia on the U.S. Supreme Court.

At 2:30 I will joined by MN state representative Nick Zerwas (R-Elk River). In the first few weeks of the legislative session, Rep. Zerwas has generated a lot of discussion over his bill to seek restitution from those participating in illegal protests (i.e. blocking freeways, camping out on private property, etc.).


So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics I plan on addressing. You can also text comments/questions to (651) 243-0390.

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 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. If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

Even though I have a face for radio, there is a UStream channel where you can watch the broadcast if you so desire. Check it out here.

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

Until then.....

------------------------------------------------------------

Get a life

Whenever conservative commentator Michelle Malkin blogs/tweets/speaks, she is subject to some of the most vile, unhinged rhetoric the political left has to offer.

Leftists also lose their collective minds when the pro-life cause is touted as far more virtuous than abortion (See any lefty social media posts related to Friday's #MarchForLife).

And when you co-opt one the progressive left's many virtue-signaling slogans? Fuhgeddaboudit.

Now just imagine those three components wrapped up in one tweet.

#marchforlife Here's a beautiful #COEXIST sticker I proudly endorse ==>https://t.co/Ta31gYwZmC pic.twitter.com/xxTCcQrVnL

— Michelle Malkin (@michellemalkin) January 27, 2017

How do you think this was received by maniacal proggies? Twitchy was able to capture some of the reactions.

----------------------------------------------

Another hill worth dying on

When U.S. Supreme Court justice Antonin Scalia passed away early last year, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) stated within hours of the news that the next President would fill the sudden vacancy. McConnell held firm on that as then President Barack Obama's nominee Merrick Garland never received a hearing, a move which infuriated leftists.

Punting on Obama's SCOTUS nominee was a risk McConnell and Senate Republicans were willing to take despite it being far from a guarantee that a GOP President would be elected the following November or that their party would maintain control of the U.S. Senate. I said at the time that it was a hill worth dying on, in that it could be one issue to mobilize reluctant conservatives behind a potential Donald Trump candidacy (which, of course, came to fruition).

McConnell's gamble did indeed pay off, as Trump was elected President and the GOP, despite losing two Senate seats, maintained a majority in the upper chamber.

Earlier this week, President Trump indicated he will put forth his Supreme Court nominee next week Thursday. The rumored short list consists of strict constructionists in the motif of Scalia. Unless there are 8 Democrats willing to join all 52 Republicans to form the 60-vote threshold to end a filibuster, it's possible the Dems will block any attempts for the Senate to hold an "up or down" vote for Trump's nominee. Even though the Dem majority in 2013 went with the nuclear option (forming a rule where only a simple majority is required to end a filibuster) for lower court nominees, the Supreme Court confirmation process still requires 60 votes to end debate.

So will the GOP Senate go "nuclear" for Supreme Court nominees if the Dems balk? It would appear so.

The Senate's No. 3 Republican told reporters at a GOP retreat Wednesday the Senate will fill the Supreme Court vacancy even if Democrats threaten to mount a filibuster, and suggested the GOP may be ready to invoke another "nuclear option" if needed.

"We hope there are Democrats who are available to work with us and work constructively," Senate Republican Conference Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., said, adding that there will likely be "additional opportunities" for both parties to consult with President Trump on the nominee. "We will fill that seat."

The tone struck by Sen. Thune sounds very similar to that of McConnell's on this past weekend's Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace.

MCCONNELL: Well, let me just say, I’m confident we’ll get a Supreme Court nominees confirmed. I expect an outstanding nominee sometime soon. I think it’s noteworthy to look at how the Republican minority handled Bill Clinton the first — in his first administration. Both — both of his first two nominees, Ginsburg and Breyer, no filibuster. Obama, in his first term, to go, no filibuster. We think our nominee ought to be treated the same way. If he is not treated that way, then, under the current Senate rule, we would have to get cloture. That is, we’d have to get 60 votes. We had to do that when the Democrats objecting to Justice Alito 10 years ago, but cloture was invoked. Sorry for the long answer. I think the short answer is, the nominee will be confirmed.

WALLACE: But would you consider extending the nuclear option and saying, even for Supreme Court justices, just a simple majority?

MCCONNELL: The nominee will be confirmed.

WALLACE: One thing I’ve learned with you, Senator McConnell, is once you’ve given an answer, you’re going to stick with that.

I wholeheartedly agree that Senate Republicans should invoke the nuke option if there are not 60 votes to end a filibuster. As of today, it doesn't appear nearly as big a political risk given that Trump will remain President at least until 2020 and the Senate Democrats (including the 2 Independents who caucus with the Dems) have 25 seats up for election in 2018 (the GOP has only 9). Of those 25 states where a Democrat is up in '18, Trump prevailed in ten of them this past November. As such, it's conceivable that the GOP will increase their Senate majority and thus have an opportunity to fill multiple Supreme Court seats between now and the next Presidential election in '20.

Even if the GOP were to get wiped out in 2020, at least they can say they protected the SCOTUS for another generation.

------------------------------------

About the Women's Protest.....

I have yet to write anything in this space regarding the Women's Protest which took place Saturday. To me, it was little more than one big virtue-signaling echo chamber.

The largest crowds appeared in Washington, D.C., Chicago, Minneapolis, Boston, New York City and Los Angeles.......all cities which voted overwhelmingly for Hillary Clinton. And unless more than 10% of that crowd did not vote for Mrs. Clinton, this protest was little more than a giant lamentation of their candidate not being elected President.

If I may, I'd like to answer some of the concerns addressed:

- Sexual assault is illegal and will remain against the law.

-If Planned Parenthood is de-funded, there will still be enough money in private donations for killing babies abortions. The tax dollars normally earmarked for PP will then be awarded to clinics which perform the same medical services for women, provided said clinics don't offer abortion as part of "family planning."

- Women do earn as much money as men provided you're doing an "apples to apples" comparison. Comparing the salary of a male electrical engineer to that of a female women's studies adjunct professor is downright silly.

- President Donald Trump is not looking to undermine LGBT "rights" (i.e. same-sex marriage). In fact, Trump is the only President in the history of the United States to support such a union the very first day he assumed the Oval Office.

- The idea that a President of the United States can unilaterally gut civil rights is utterly delusional. But, to be fair, the previous president spoke of using his pen and phone to make or revise legislation, so it's easy to understand why these protesters are under the impression our Commander in Chief has such purview.

But perhaps the thing which grated on my nerves most was that if any woman declined to engage in this grandstanding, they were essentially labeled as anti-women. Sorry, ladies, but there are some who looked at this protest as mere symbolism over substance. You want an example of "substance?" I introduce you to Cara Schulz of the Libertarian Party of Minnesota.

So I had 3 long time friends block me because I wasn't at the women's march. I chose, instead, to learn more about how to be a city councilperson. They told me, because I didn't march, that was the same as supporting Trump and wasn't showing a commitment to women’s rights, civil rights, and political activism.

Why do you think I was on the executive committee for the LPMN?

Why do you think I've Chaired the LPMN State Convention?

Why do you think I take part in numerous protests and volunteer to help others?

Why do you think I've directed a Presidential campaign (state level) twice?

Why do you think I ran for city council, lost....then ran again and won?

And you wore a hat and marched in a protest.

Bitch, please.

If I had to place bets on who has a better chance to move the proverbial political needle, I'd put money on Ms. Schulz as opposed to a gal who walks around aimlessly while wearing a crocheted vagina atop her head.

-----------------------------------

Scary stuff

My thoughts and prayers are with Gov. Mark Dayton, as he collapsed Monday evening while giving the State of the State address in the Minnesota House chamber.

The scary incident occurred with about 2:10 remaining in the Fox 9 video:

I've made no secret of my political differences with Gov. Dayton, but I gladly cast all that aside in hopes that he is fine. I received an email from House Speaker Kurt Daudt indicating that the governor was able to walk out of the chamber on his own. Definitely some good news in what was a disturbing looking fall.

--------------------------------------

That feeling when.....

....you're going to a record-setting 7th Super Bowl as a player.




via GIPHY



Super Bowl 51 will pit the top scoring offense of 2016 in the Atlanta Falcons against the New England Patriots, who happen to have this season's stingiest scoring defense. 

Personally, I am rooting for the Pats to get their fifth Super Bowl title in franchise history, if for no other reason that it would force Commissioner Roger Goodell to have to hand the Vince Lombardi trophy to Patriots owner Robert Kraft. After dinging the Pats for a $1 million fine, a 1st round draft pick in 2016, a fourth rounder in 2017 and suspending QB Tom Brady four games for what was little more than an equipment violation two years ago, the awkwardness would be palpable.

Let's get it on!

-------------------------------------------------

And I should've been gone after all your words of steel....

It's my first live broadcast during the Donald Trump presidency. As such, I will keep tabs on breaking news of the mass deportations beginning as well as nukes flying. Yes, when a Republican is president, the hyperbole flies, so we'll examine that further on today's edition of The Closer. The one-hour broadcast kicks off at 2:00 PM Central Time.

I'll obviously discuss the inauguration of President Trump and the subsequent freak out by leftists. Yes, suddenly attacking a President's pre-adult children is the hip thing to do. Also, what exactly was yesterday's "Women's March" supposed to accomplish?


So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics I plan on addressing. You can also text comments/questions to (651) 243-0390.

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 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. If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

Even though I have a face for radio, there is a UStream channel where you can watch the broadcast if you so desire. Check it out here.

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

Until then.....

------------------------------------------------------------

2016 NFL Playoffs: Conference Championship games

Green Bay Packers (+5-1/2) at Atlanta Falcons: It's scary how evenly matched these two teams appear to be. Both have great quarterbacks, both have average defenses and both have clutch kickers. Also, the last two games between these two teams have been shoot outs. The Falcons edged the Pack 33-32 in a Week 8 game in Atlanta this season while Green Bay prevailed 43-37 in a 2014 regular season matchup.

In this postseason, the Packers have averaged 36 points per game whereas the Falcons dropped 36 on a tough Seattle Seahawks defense last week. With all that in mind, I fully expect this game to come down to who has the ball last. It's pretty much a flip of the coin at this point.
Green Bay 31 Atlanta 30


Pittsburgh Steelers (+6) at New England Patriots: Good news for the Steelers is they appeared to move the ball at will in last week's playoff win in Kansas City. The bad news? They scored nary a touchdown against an average Chiefs defense, settling for 6 field goals in an 18-16 win. That formula won't get it done against Tom Brady & Co. in Foxboro.

Despite Brady looking like a mere mortal against the top ranked Houston Texans defense last week, you never got a sense that the Pats were in trouble in their 34-16 win. However, Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger ain't no Brock Osweiler. Big Ben has some potent offensive weapons at his disposal in RB Le'Veon Bell and WR Antonio Brown, so the Pats defense (which allowed an NFL low 250 points in the 2016 regular season) will be severely tested.

While I think Pittsburgh will hang tough, I just can't bring myself to bet against Bill Belichick and Brady at home in an AFC title game.
New England 31 Pittsburgh 24



Postseason Record:
Against the Spread: 7-1
Straight Up: 8-0

--------------------------------------------

President Donald J. Trump

I first became familiar with Donald Trump in 1983 when he purchased the New Jersey Generals franchise of the United States Football League (yes, I was such a sports rube that I actually followed the USFL its first couple of seasons).

When the USFL folded after the 1986 season, Trump remained a newsworthy figure. Despite entertainment outlets like TMZ and Perez Hilton not being around, Trump was a fixture in tabloid magazines (and the gossip pages of NYC's most prominent newspapers) due in large part to a massive real estate fortune with an ego to match. It also didn't hurt his tabloid cred that he was quite a ladies' man once it was revealed his marriage to first wife Ivana started to go south.

It was late 1987 (my freshman year of college) when I came across this edition of People magazine at my university's library.

This was the first time I had ever heard Trump's name in relation to running for President. Despite my being pretty much apolitical at that time in my life, my initial thought was "That guy for President?!?! Come on!"

Over the next several years, Trump remained in the public's consciousness for myriad reasons, whether it was his marriage to (and eventual divorce from) Marla Maples, bankruptcies, authoring of books, beginning his TV show The Apprentice, a third marriage, etc. Despite all that, I was 100% indifferent towards the man. If I were to go back in my blog archives, I could probably count on one hand (and still have a few fingers remaining) the number of blog posts I even mentioned Trump's name before July 2015.

But that all changed when Trump declared he was running for President as a Republican.

The only reason I paid the slightest attention to Trump's candidacy was due to the fact he was vying for the nomination of the party which always (at least since 1992) receives my vote for President. Other than that, I viewed his presence in the 2016 race as little more than a sideshow in the motif of Rev. Al Sharpton running as a Democrat POTUS candidate in 2004.

I don't need to rehash all that has occurred in the past year-and-a-half, as I've written plenty in that time frame. Suffice to say, January 20, 2017 has to be one of the more surreal days in my nearly 48 years on this planet. Yes, today is the day one Donald John Trump was inaugurated as our 45th President of the United States. I utter that phrase with sheer astonishment.

I've said many times that I am skeptical Trump will be an effective President. Nevertheless, I have taken a responsibility as a Christian patriot to pray fervently for all members of our three branches of government.

Godspeed, President Trump.

-------------------------------------------

Want Obama to stay? CNN has the blueprint.

As Barack Obama's tenure as President was coming to a close, many media outlets engaged in borderline swooning in bidding him adieu. As Obama himself went out on campaign stops before Election Day and speaking circuits after November 8, many in the various crowds chanted the fantasy plea of "Four More Years!!!"

I don't think it's a stretch to say that if there are any "loopholes" which would allow the Obama administration to stay in power, certain people would like to be privy to such scenarios. 

Leave it to CNN to conjure up such an implausible event. 

In an odd news segment aired Wednesday, CNN correspondent Brian Todd described the complicated situation that would arise should the president, vice president, speaker of the House, and president pro tempore of the Senate become incapacitated during Friday’s inauguration, asking who would be the “designated survivor” to take over the presidency.

Todd explained that after the first four aforementioned options are exhausted, the presidency would go to the secretary of state, but should he be incapacitated as well, then it would fall on the other Cabinet positions.

However, by noon on Friday, there will be no Trump administration Cabinet positions sworn in, which, as Breitbart reported Thursday, allowed CNN to note that the Obama administration could possibly remain in power.

“On the day of the inauguration, as a precaution, a Cabinet secretary called the designated presidential successor will not attend the inauguration, ready to step in if something happens,” Todd said. “But, it won’t be a Trump Cabinet secretary, since none of them have been confirmed yet. It will be an Obama appointee.”

Emphasis was mine.

Say, does anyone recall the "reporting" done by media outlets in the aftermath of the Tucson, AZ shooting in January 2011? When Congresswoman Gabby Giffords (D-AZ) was seriously wounded by a deranged gun man, several mainstream media sources (CNN included) implied that it was due to the inflammatory rhetoric of Sarah Palin and the Tea Party movement. Apparently the Tea Party's commitment to fiscal restraint was so outlandish that it prompted Jared Loughner (who we later learned was largely apolitical) to attempt take out a Democrat member of Congress. That's asinine logic to be sure, but it was a handy little verbal cudgel used in an attempt to stifle dissent.

So if we're going to apply media standards here, CNN should absolutely be held responsible if Donald Trump, Mike Pence and Paul Ryan are somehow rendered incapacitated before any of Trump's Cabinet members are confirmed. After all, Mr. Todd's "reporting" basically gives a blueprint of how proggie fan boys & girls can extend Obama's tenure in the White House.

Again, it's your rules, media. Show us your renewed commitment to being beacons of integrity by living up to 'em yourselves.

----------------------------------------

Obama's lawless legacy

If we learned one thing about Barack "I have a pen and I have a phone" Obama's tenure as President of the United States, the ends often justify the means, even if said means involves skirting the law.

Some prime examples:

-Despite White House declarations of "It's. The. Law." regarding the Affordable Care Act, Obama would unilaterally make revisions to the ACA when it was politically expedient to do so.

- Occasional illegal protests of the Dakota Access Pipeline (a project under Federal purview) drew zero response from the Feds, other than an ultimatum that protestors disperse by December 5. When such a toothless demand was not met, the project was shut down indefinitely, essentially rewarding the protestors' lawlessness.

- But a mere four days before he leaves the Oval Office for good, Obama saved this doozy for his final act of proverbially thumbing his nose at law and order.

President Obama on Tuesday commuted the prison sentence of former Army soldier Chelsea Manning, according to the White House.

Manning was convicted in 2013 of leaking classified information about U.S. national security activities that were later disclosed by WikiLeaks.

The 35-year sentence Manning received was the longest ever imposed for a leak conviction. Manning has already served seven years of her sentence and will now be released on May 17, 2017.

She was originally set to be released be released in 2045.

A senior administration official said the president believes Manning has expressed remorse and that her time already served is “sufficient punishment for the serious crimes she committed."

Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR), who served in Afghanistan, was, to put it mildly, not with the President on this decision.

When I was leading soldiers in Afghanistan, Private Manning was undermining us by leaking hundreds of thousands of classified documents to WikiLeaks. I don't understand why the president would feel special compassion for someone who endangered the lives of our troops, diplomats, intelligence officers, and allies. We ought not treat a traitor like a martyr.

Manning (who served in the military as a male named Bradley) is a transgender, so that demographic of our citizenry seems to be given extra special protections these days. I wonder how long it is before Sen. Cotton is declared a bigot for such a harsh assessment of Bradley Chelsea. 

Regardless of how you feel about incoming President Donald Trump, he gives the vibe of being a no-nonsense, law & order type. I can't wait to hear all the proggie shrieks of how Trump woefully lacks any compassion simply because he follows the letter of the law.

---------------------------------------------

Quick Hits: Volume CXLI

- It was wrong for Congressman John Lewis (D-GA) to say Donald Trump's election as President is "illegitimate." Trump firing back at Lewis by essentially saying he's all talk, no action was also wrong if not downright petty. But this idea that Lewis is above criticism because of his exemplary work as a young man in the civil rights struggle of the 1960s? Beyond asinine. Besides, Dems are never shy about taking faux outrages and turning them into fundraising opportunities.

But I digress.

By the way, does anyone else find it somewhat ironic that while Lewis was a champion for civil rights he is also a staunch advocate for denying certain citizens from exercising their second amendment rights due to their appearing on some vague "watch list" without due process?


- It's the final week of the Barack Obama presidency!!!!

I could literally compile a Top 100 list of things I will absolutely not miss about Obama's tenure. Easily within the Top 5 though? It has to be the utterly stupefying lack of self-awareness.

🤔 pic.twitter.com/ThBZ0YYx6U

— Jason C. (@CounterMoonbat) January 16, 2017

- Speaking of Obama's final days, his successor, Donald Trump, will officially be inaugurated this Friday.

I really don't pay much attention to Inauguration festivities outside of the actual transfer of power, but apparently there are multiple balls/parties which take place to celebrate the new White House occupant.

Much has been made of the fact that certain performers have declined to appear at any of the events surrounding Trump's inauguration, whether it's exercising their personal conscience (which is back en vogue I guess) or being shamed by poo-flinging, thumb-sucking lefties "Social Justice Warriors." As such, many proggies are chiding the incoming administration for not being able draw in the star-studded talent that, say, the Obamas always seemed to attract at events.

That people are now judging a presidential administration by their appeal within the entertainment clique has pretty much clinched the fact that America has gone full Idiocracy.

------------------------------------------------

And every time I think I can sleep, some fool has got to call....

It's the final Sunday in the Barack Obama administration, so we'll spend much of today's edition of The Closer discussing the left "mourning" this loss. The one-hour broadcast kicks off at 2:00 PM Central Time.

The usual lefty suspects (i.e Hollywood and media) debased themselves more than usual this past week as Obama gave his farewell address Tuesday. One of those media outlets, Buzzfeed, also further denigrated itself with its "reporting" on potentially damaging (and unsubstantiated) information about President-elect Donald Trump.

Another thing I noticed about the media's fawning over Obama? The false chanting point that his administration was "scandal free." Apparently "journalists" believe if they downplay or flat out ignore certain incidents (eg. Benghazi, Dept. of Justice spying, IRS suppressing political speech opposing Obama, etc.) it means they didn't occur.


So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics I plan on addressing. You can also text comments/questions to (651) 243-0390.

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 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. If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

Even though I have a face for radio, there is a UStream channel where you can watch the broadcast if you so desire. Check it out here.

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

Until then.....

------------------------------------------------------------

2016 NFL Playoffs: Divisional Round

Seattle Seahawks (+4-1/2) at Atlanta Falcons: This will be a fun one to watch as the NFL's top scoring offense in Atlanta looks to overcome the Seattle D, ranked 3rd in the NFL in fewest points allowed.

While everyone is eagerly anticipating a Julio Jones-Richard Sherman matchup (Jones had 7 catches, 139 yards and 1 TD in the Week 6 loss at Seattle), look for the Falcons to gash the Seahawks defense with a lot of underneath stuff. This is where Seattle will really feel the loss of stud FS Earl Thomas, who is out with a broken tibia.

While Atlanta's offense can put up points, they also have difficulty slowing teams down. Russell Wilson & Co. will get theirs but I don't believe it will be enough to overcome the Falcons' firepower.
Atlanta 34 Seattle 27



Houston Texans (+16) at New England Patriots: The Texans were shut out 27-0 in Week 3 at Foxboro despite the Pats starting third string quarterback Jacoby Brissett. Not much has changed for Texans since that game as their starting QB, Brock Osweiler, continued to underwhelm while the Houston defense attempted to shoulder that burden. The good news? The Texans' D allowed the fewest yards in the NFL. Bad news? The Houston offense generated the fourth fewest.

As long as Pats' Hall of Fame QB Tom Brady is healthy (and he is), this should be little more than a speed bump on the way to New England's 11th AFC Championship Game appearance over the past 16 seasons.
New England 35 Houston 14



Green Bay Packers (+4-1/2) at Dallas Cowboys: Despite utilizing a rookie quarterback and running back all year, the Cowboys proved they were legit contenders when they whipped the Packers 30-16 in a Week 6 matchup at Lambeau Field. Since that game, Dallas has stayed strong finishing the season 13-3 and earning the top seed in the NFC. Their reward? The white hot Aaron Rodgers.

I could list all sorts of legitimate reasons why Dallas should win, but their top priority needs to be limiting the number of snaps Rodgers & Co. take on offense. That can be accomplished with stud RB Ezekiel Elliott, who ran over Green Bay with 157 yards rushing in the regular season meeting.

The Cowboys have all the components for a Super Bowl contender right now, given their play at the skill positions (QB, RB and WR) as well as having the best offensive line in football.

On the other side of the ledger, I can only give you one reason why the Packers can win this game: Aaron Rodgers.
Green Bay 34 Dallas 31


Pittsburgh Steelers (+1-1/2) at Kansas City Chiefs: In looking at this Chiefs team, I still have no idea how they finished 12-4 and earned a first round bye. They don't even rank in the Top 10 of total yardage for offense or defense and aren't exactly loaded with superstars at skill positions. But KC coach Andy Reid has a solid reputation of having his teams ready to play in the postseason when coming off a bye.

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been in a walking boot most of the week but will absolutely play in this game. With treacherous weather conditions expected, the Steelers will rely on a heavy dose of All Pro RB Le'Veon Bell. Granted that's always a good strategy, but especially here in a matchup against a Chiefs defense allowing 4.4 yards per carry.
Pittsburgh 21 Kansas City 20



Postseason Record:
Against the Spread: 3-1
Straight Up: 4-0
--------------------------------------------

Jesse KO'd

While Jesse Ventura may not have been physically knocked out by Chris Kyle some years ago, his attempts to prove the contrary may have received its death blow.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday said it won’t hear arguments brought on behalf of former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura against the estate of slain Navy SEAL and “American Sniper” author Chris Kyle, leaving a lower court’s dismissal of a $1.8 million defamation verdict.

Mr. Ventura, a pro wrestler-turned-politician, sued his fellow former SEAL in 2012 after a section in Kyle’s best-selling book contained an excerpt concerning an altercation said to have happened six years earlier inside a California bar.

In the book, Kyle claimed to have assaulted an individual during a veterans’ meet-up because the person said the SEALs “deserved to lose a few” in Iraq. Though unnamed, Kyle indicated in interviews afterwards that the person he punched was none other than the former governor of Minnesota.

Mr. Ventura, 65, said the incident never occurred and alleged that his reputation within the SEAL community was damaged as a direct result of Kyle’s accusation. In 2014, a jury trial concluded with Mr. Ventura being awarded $500,000 for defamation and $1.35 million for unjust enrichment.

Last June, however, a three-judge panel of the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals outright reversed the unjust enrichment verdict and vacated and remanded the defamation judgment after agreeing that Mr. Ventura’s legal team damaged the defendant’s chance of a fair trial by telling jurors an insurance policy would cover the cost of damages awarded in court.

The appeals panel’s ruling will now remain intact as a result of the high court’s decision this week, meaning Mr. Ventura may pursue the defamation allegations in District Court again.

Given that Ventura has always come across as a thin-skinned bully, I absolutely expect him to file another legal challenge. After all, suing a dead guy's estate and dragging his widow into court will certainly restore whatever esteemed reputation Ventura had prior to Kyle's book being released.

------------------------------------

It's early, but......

.....the 2017 Tweet of the Year already has a top contender, courtesy of Senator Tim Scott (R-SC).

------------------------------------

BYE, BYE, BYE.....

via GIPHY


President Barack Obama gave his farewell address Tuesday evening. Here's the transcript in case you missed it.

The incessant fawning I witnessed in my social media feed was downright gag-worthy. The idea that the officeholder of President of the United States is so revered that people are mourning Obama's departure as some sort of death shows how he's little more than a cult of personality. I guess such sorrow should be a natural reaction when people base their well-being on who occupies the Oval Office.

Oh, and speaking of social media reactions: If Buzzfeed ever wonders why people look at their outfit as little more than another leftist media arm? Well......

same pic.twitter.com/LBMBVqfGJV

— BuzzFeed (@BuzzFeed) January 11, 2017

Gosh @BuzzFeedBen where would anyone get the idea your editorial standards might be biased & compromised https://t.co/ABAfmQQu9U

— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) January 11, 2017

I'm starting to understand why BuzzFeed knowingly published a report that is unverified and likely inaccurate to destroy Trump tonight. pic.twitter.com/P1KhhuBbmE

— Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) January 11, 2017

-----------------------------------------

The Trump 2020 re-election ads begin in earnest

For those who claim to vehemently oppose Donald Trump as President of the United States, you might wanna consider that some of things you say may actually enhance his 2020 re-election prospects.

For example:

Holy shit, people are losing their minds. pic.twitter.com/OMkgKT9Tsi

— Jason C. (@CounterMoonbat) January 8, 2017

But, as always, the coup de grace of absurdity takes place at smug, self-congratulatory Hollywood award shows. In this case, it was Sunday's broadcast of the Golden Globes.

My favorite moment is perhaps when Meryl Streep called for a "principled press" to call out Trump for any outrageous behavior he might display as President. Apparently one such entity wasn't necessary during the Barack Obama years as there were never similar pleas during previous years' awards shows. Come to think of it, a "principled press" may have come in handy to draw attention to Obama violating Separation of Powers, unilaterally changing laws, using the IRS and Justice Dept. to suppress opposing political speech, etc.

All I can say is I hope there was someone in attendance at the Golden Globes with proper knowledge of the Heimlich Maneuver given that Streep, Hugh Laurie et al were in danger of choking on their own sanctimony.

----------------------------------------------

Everyone's watching to see what you will do.....

Another Sunday, another edition of the Northern Alliance Radio Network program The Closer. The one-hour broadcast will begin at 2:00 PM Central Time.

For the entire hour, Alpha News Chief Reporter (and friend of the show) Julia Erynn will join me in studio. The MN Legislature began session this past Tuesday, so we'll get an update on what the new all-Republican majority (ahhh, that's so awesome to write) has in mind for its agenda. We'll also delve into any other big news stories AN has been covering lately. 

So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics I plan on addressing. You can also text comments/questions to (651) 243-0390.

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 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. If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

Even though I have a face for radio, there is a UStream channel where you can watch the broadcast if you so desire. Check it out here.

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

Until then.....

------------------------------------------------------------

2016 NFL Playoffs: Wildcard

Oakland Raiders (+3-1/2) at Houston Texans: The Raiders will start rookie Connor Cook at quarterback and the Texans will go back to Brock Osweiler in what will be perhaps one of the worst QB matchups in recent NFL postseason history.

The Raiders were a high octane offense with QB Derek Carr at the helm, but he's out for the postseason with a broken fibula. Without Carr, the Raiders will have to put up a stout defensive effort, which isn't exactly their strong suit. The good news though is its more a possibility with Osweiler as the Texans QB.

Expect the Texans to go with a heavy dose of RB Lamar Miller, who returns after being out two games with a bum ankle.
Houston 17 Oakland 10


Detroit Lions (+8) at Seattle Seahawks: The Lions have not won a playoff game since 1991. They haven't won a road postseason contest since 1957. The Lions are also limping into this game having lost their final three contests due in large part to QB Matthew Stafford suffering from a finger injury on his throwing hand. The run offense won't be of much help as they are 30th in the NFL in rush yardage and 27th in yards per carry.

The Seahawks meanwhile are still a top 5 defensive unit and have not lost a home postseason game since 2004. They also scored close to 30 points per game at home in the regular season. Ain't no way the Lions will approach that total.
Seattle 27 Detroit 13


Miami Dolphins (+10) at Pittsburgh Steelers: This a rematch of a Week 6 contest where the Dolphins prevailed 30-15 in Miami. However, that result has little meaning this week given conditions in Pittsburgh in January are vastly different than those on an October day in Miami. In addition, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger tore his meniscus early in the Week 6 game and thus was ineffective the vast majority of it.

This will be the first postseason game where the Steelers will have all three of their highly formidable offensive "triplets" (Roethlisberger, RB Le'Veon Bell and WR Antonio Brown) ready to go. Miami's best bet is to keep that trio off the field with a heavy dose of RB Jay Ajayi, who shredded the Steelers for 204 yards rushing and 2 TDs in October. That will be an effective strategy if the Dolphins can keep it close. But without starting QB Ryan Tannehill and the 29th ranked defense in yards allowed, Miami will likely be playing "catch up" all game.
Pittsburgh 31 Miami 17


NY Giants (+4-1/2) at Green Bay Packers: After three weeks of the 2014 season, the Packers were 1-2 and looked downright pedestrian on offense. All-Pro quarterback Aaron Rodgers urged panicked Packer Backers to "R-E-L-A-X." The Pack then went on to win 11 of their final 13 regular season games and came within a botched onside kick recovery of going to the Super Bowl. Then this season, after back-to-back blowout losses to Tennessee and Washington, the Pack stood at 4-6. Many NFL "pundits" and even some Packers faithful left them for dead. Nevertheless, Rodgers, with a straight face, insisted Green Bay could "run the table" in their final six games. And run the table they did, finishing 10-6 and winning the NFC North division.

Another intriguing story line for this game is the fact that Giants QB Eli Manning has as many postseason wins in Lambeau Field (two) as Aaron Rodgers. Both Giants victories occurred the same postseasons (2007 and 2011) where Manning & Co. went on to defeat the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.

This game is also a rematch of a regular season contest, a 23-16 Green Bay win in Week 5 at Lambeau. However, it was arguably Rodgers' worst performance of the season, as he registered season lows in yards per pass (5.76), completion percentage (51.1) and QB rating (65.0) as well as tying his 2016 single game high with two interceptions.

With the Packers' lackluster defense attempting to overcome injuries in their secondary, this should open up the passing game for Manning (provided WRs Odell Beckham, Jr., Victor Cruz and Sterling Shepard aren't feeling ill effects of their off day partying in Miami this past Tuesday). It'll be interesting to hear the fallout if the Giants lose, particularly if their top 3 WRs have sub par games. No doubt their Miami excursion will become even more scrutinized. Personally, I believe it's the Packers' Hall of Fame QB who will be the deciding factor.
Green Bay 27 NY Giants 24
 
------------------------------------------------

Just the facts.....or not

From the Associated Press:

CHICAGO — Chicago police say they are investigating a video circulating on social media that shows several people beating a man at a residence.

Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said at a news conference Wednesday that four suspects are in custody. Formal charges have not been filed.

Johnson says the victim, who has "mental health challenges," is recovering.

Johnson calls the video "sickening," and Police Cmdr. Kevin Duffin says the suspects made "stupid decisions."

Officers were called to a residence on the city's West Side Tuesday evening where they found signs of a struggle and damaged property.

Videos of the alleged incident were posted on social media. Police say it is too soon to make a determination if the attack was racially motivated.

Compare that to Fox News's reporting of the same incident:

Chicago police were questioning four African-Americans Wednesday evening over a Facebook Live video that showed a mentally disabled white man being tied up and tortured while someone yelled "F--- white people!" and "F--- Donald Trump!"

The video was shot by a young African-American woman, who posted it on her Facebook account, Fox 32 Chicago reported. Investigators said they were made aware of the footage Tuesday afternoon.

"The video is reprehensible," Chicago Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said Wednesday.

Hmmm. The same story reported on by two different outlets, yet some key facts were omitted by the Associated Press post. Why ever would the AP do such a thing??? I'm sure it has nothing to do with protecting a fragile narrative about an increase in "hate crimes" towards minorities since Donald Trump was elected President, does it? C'mon, the mainstream media (a/k/a the beacons of integrity) engaging in hypocrisy and double standards? Perish the thought!

These two stories from today, one from PA, one from CHI, demonstrate the obvious double standard with regard to racially-motivated crimes. pic.twitter.com/cd40D6IZ9A

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) January 5, 2017

Huh. Maybe someone has some keen insights on the matter.

-------------------------------------------

Quick Hits: Volume CXL

- The University of Minnesota football program has long been an untapped resource in terms of competing with the upper echelon teams in the Big 10 conference. Tuesday's announcement regarding its coaching staff doesn't exactly instill confidence that may change anytime soon.

The University of Minnesota fired Gophers football coach Tracy Claeys and nearly all of his assistants on Tuesday in what athletic director Mark Coyle called a “very difficult decision.”

It was a reversal for Coyle, who indicated in late-November that Claeys and his staff would be back for next season. At the heart of Coyle’s change was Claeys’ handling of a sexual assault allegation that hung over his team all season but reached a boiling point when his players staged a two-day boycott of the team after 10 players were suspended following a school investigation. Claeys supported his players’ stance.

After the Gophers upset Washington State in last week’s Holiday Bowl, Coyle said in a statement that he and Claeys would “take this opportunity to reflect on this past season before sitting down together to talk about the future and my expectations for our football program.”

I guess Claeys didn't meet whatever "expectations" Coyle set for the program. I actually watched the entire press conference Coyle conducted with the Twin Cities media on Tuesday evening. What surprised me most was Coyle's statement indicating that Claeys defying the U of M administration by publicly supporting the 10 suspended players merely underscored multiple issues. Apparently there were a litany of problems, ones which Coyle didn't care to (or couldn't) address specifically.

While there seems to be a significant amount of outrage from some players and a good number of Gophers fans, they can be placated with a solid replacement.

Speculation is sure to start immediately on who will replace Claeys, with Western Michigan coach P.J. Fleck, former LSU coach Les Miles and Boise State coach Bryan Harsin (a Coyle hire when he worked at Boise State) among the names expected to get tossed around. Coyle said Tuesday evening that the school will “move quickly” in its national search.

“I have received phone calls from people,” Coyle said. “But again, we will move as quickly as we can to find the best fit for Minnesota.”

Despite a prolonged streak of mediocrity on the field/court/ice, Gophers mens' athletics sure know how to make headlines away from their respective arenas.


- So it would appear Bill & Hillary Clinton will be making an appearance at the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump later this month.

In an effort to show that bygones are truly bygones, I say the Clintons and Trump create an updated version of this 2005 photo:

Of course now that the lucrative speaking circuits may be drying up for Bill and Hil, they could be just trying to reestablish some relevance.


- So this is just a tad disconcerting.

Officials with U.S. Bank Stadium said Tuesday a group of protesters at Sunday’s Vikings game had tickets and concealed equipment for their protest under winter clothing.

Three people were arrested Sunday after two of them, Sen Holiday and Karl Zimmermann, rappelled from stadium rafters next to a banner that read “U.S. Bank, DIVEST #NoDAPL.” The incident started in the second quarter of the Vikings victory over the Bears, and they remained there for the rest of the game.

Authorities at the scene had them stay there due to safety reasons and to avoid confrontation with other fans after the game. Other Vikings fans in seats below were evacuated by stadium workers due to safety concerns.

SMG, a managing partner of U.S. Bank Stadium, said in a statement Tuesday that Holiday and Zimmermann entered the stadium as ticketed guests. They brought in nylon rope, a number of carabiners and the banner under their winter clothing. The items were distributed among the protesters, and went undetected by stadium security workers.

Terrific.

I mean, it's not like many of us didn't already know that these "security checks" were little more than a charade in an attempt to provide us a sense of safety in this post-9/11/2001 world. But to see first hand how easy it is to smuggle in bulky items has to give us pause to consider what else could fly under the proverbial radar. And if indeed this is a catalyst to TSA style security checks for Vikings games, you may wanna show up to U.S. Bank Stadium by 6:00 am for a Noon kickoff.

-------------------------------------------------

2017 MN Legislative session starts today

For only the third session since 1972, Minnesota Republicans will be in the majority in both the House and Senate. The last time such a scenario occurred (2011-12), there was a government shutdown, a stadium bill passed and a sex scandal involving the Senate Majority Leader & Communications Director. I'd like to think it's a pretty low bar for Republicans to be more effective the next two years. We'll find out.

A few things I'd like to see:

- Remember the graphic in 2013 to promote legalizing same-sex marriage in Minnesota?

If there are any more of these pics remaining, just replace the heart with alcohol bottles to promote Sunday liquor sales. Last I checked, free markets are still a thing in the U.S., so it would just make sense to allow private business owners in this state an opportunity to conduct commerce on a Sunday if they so choose. And open liquor stores on Sundays would also be a nice option to have after enduring hideous Vikings games. 

- It's a budget year. I would request that House Republicans not start with their "take or leave it" budget number like they did in 2011. At least begin with a budget which has some significant cuts and work from there. Little Lord Fauntleroy Gov. Mark Dayton already appears to be gearing up for a confrontation since, shortly after Election Day 2016, he reminded Minnesotans that government shut down the last time the GOP controlled the Legislature. Republicans need to hit back by continually shining a proverbial light on his erratic behavior. 

- It's well past time to gas MNsure. Even Gov. Dayton, in an accidental moment of coherence, admitted the ACA is no longer affordable. Republicans have been offering viable alternatives for at least the past 3 years. Now that the GOP has a majority, they can actually turn one of those good ideas into passed legislation and dare the governor to veto it. 

- Let's not wait until 5 minutes before end of session to debate multiple pieces of critical legislation, m'kay? 

--------------------------------------------

I ain't never been on welfare, that's one place I won't be.....

I am honored to be hosting the first live show of 2017 on AM 1280 The Patriot. Yes, after a one week hiatus I will back in my regular time slot for today's edition of The Closer. The one-hour bonanza begins at 2:00 PM Central Time.

Given that we just closed out 2016, I will be looking back at the big stories in national and local politics. Whether it was elections, contentious debates, leftist lunacy, etc., I'll do my best to get to it within an hour.

So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics I plan on addressing. You can also text comments/questions to (651) 243-0390.

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 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. If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

Even though I have a face for radio, there is a UStream channel where you can watch the broadcast if you so desire. Check it out here.

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

Until then.....

------------------------------------------------------------