Going wayyyyyy old school.
Philadelphia Athletics at Cleveland Indians - August 24, 1919.
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Indians starting pitcher Ray Caldwell was on the mound in the top of the 9th inning with two outs and his team leading 2-1.
You won't believe what happened next.
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The last Sunday in August means summer is nearing an end, but we'll still bring plenty of heat today. My 2-hour radio show The Closer will get started at 1:00 PM Central Time.
In the first hour, I'll weigh in on former MNGOP chair Jennifer Carnahan still perpetuating victimhood. Also, does Salem Media Group radio personality Larry Elder have a legit shot to become the next Governor of California?
At 2:00, Ricochet.com Editor in Chief Jon Gabriel will join the broadcast to give his perspective on the harrowing situation in Afghanistan.
So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics we plan on addressing.
The title of this post can refer to multiple things, whether it's the harrowing situation in Afghanistan, the limited capacity of President Joe Biden being able to show competent leadership, etc.
Events of Thursday morning underscored the former, which resulted in a real time look into the latter.
A suicide bomb attack Thursday outside the Abbey Gate at Kabul's airport in Afghanistan killed 13 U.S. service members and injured at least 18 more, U.S. officials said – making it the deadliest day for U.S. troops in 10 years.
Officials told Fox News that those killed included 12 Marines and a Navy corpsman.
The suicide bomb attack was followed up by a firefight by Islamic State gunmen at the gate, where the night before there had been 5,000 Afghans and potentially some Americans seeking access to the airport to flee. Crowds had gathered for days seeking to escape the country, and there had been multiple warnings of a terror threat to the area – particularly from the Islamic State.
Statement on this morning's attack at #HKIA: pic.twitter.com/Qb1DIAJQJU
— John Kirby (@PentagonPresSec) August 26, 2021
When Biden finally got around to making an official statement, even his most ardent allies (as well as a usually complicit media) couldn't hide the fact how degraded he's become. But since the President's past three pressers ended with his walking out of the room while media members shouted questions at him, Biden's handlers decided he would stay for inquiries.....but from specified members.
Biden to reporters: “They gave me a list here, the first person I was instructed to call on” pic.twitter.com/1AuaDO0QJy
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) August 26, 2021
In the end, this absolute debacle is what happens when you engage in symbolism over substance. Biden wanted the optics of being completely withdrawn from Afghanistan on the 20-year anniversary of the 9/11/2001 terrorist attacks on U.S. soil when last May would have been more opportune given the Taliban was otherwise occupied. Also, Biden might be encouraged to resign the presidency and allow his Vice President to step in if only he had selected a running mate with basic competence and seasoned political skills. But since his Veep selection was based on identity politics first, Biden stepping down is, amazingly enough, not the most viable option at this point.
Privately or publicly, an awful lot of staunch Democrats (or committed anti-Trump folks) are conveying a semblance of this statement.
Publicly eating these words... syllable by syllable. https://t.co/BMs81sumXB
— Sam Harris (@SamHarrisOrg) August 26, 2021
I guess Biden calling a lid by late morning most days of the 2020 campaign shouldn't have been met with the proverbial "hand wave," eh?
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- I've said it many times in this space and on my radio show, but it bears repeating. The most hateful, bigoted commentary occurs in situations where "progressives" talk about non-white or LGBTQ+ conservatives.
Salem Media Group talk show host Larry Elder (a black conservative) is running in the California recall election looking to oust Gov. Gavin Newsom. Here is a screenshot of a headline run in the Los Angeles Times recently:
Cuomo had been given the International Emmy Founders Award "for effective communication and leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic," the International Academy announced last year.
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) August 24, 2021
I'm thinking they oughta give it to Fox News meteorologist Janice Dean, who had been on an 18-month crusade to expose this fraud Cuomo. Such a gesture would be the equivalent of Ron Goldman's family being awarded O.J. Simpson's Heisman trophy.
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St. Louis Cardinals at Atlanta Braves - April 8, 2016.
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The Cardinals hit three pinch hit home runs this game, which is a single game MLB record.
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Another crazy news week, but we'll do our best to cover it on today's edition of The Closer. The 2-hour broadcast gets started at 1:00 PM Central Time.
Right at 1:00, longtime MNGOP activists Nancy LaRoche and Kelly Gunderson will join the broadcast to discuss the aftermath of Republican Party of MN Chair Jennifer Carnahan resigning.
At 2:00 I will be joined by Nate Banks, a U.S. Navy vet who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and is now Community Engagement Director in New Mexico for Concerned Veterans for America. Nate will weigh in on the U.S. withdrawing operations from Afghanistan this past week.
Republican Party of Minnesota Chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan resigned Thursday evening.
Her official statement:
"It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as Chairwoman for the Republican Party of Minnesota. I never imagined my life would move from being abandoned as a baby next to the garbage dumpster on the back doorstep of a rural hospital in South Korea on the day I was born to serving as Chairwoman of the Republican Party of Minnesota.
"Our party has faced difficult circumstances this past week with the indictment of one of our party's major donors for the heinous acts of sex trafficking and obstruction of justice. I want to be very clear in unequivocally stating I had no knowledge or involvement in those activities. I trust that justice will be served, and he will spend the rest of his life in prison.
"In the past few days, numerous allegations have been swirling regarding sexual harassment claims and allegations of which I had no knowledge. It is unfortunate that the mob mentality has come out in this way to defame, tarnish and attempt to ruin my personal and professional reputation. I am confident a full investigation will uncover the facts and prove my innocence.
"However, I signed up for this party to help us elect Republicans and I want to ensure we can continue to do that. At this point, it's in the best interest of the party and my mental health to resign from my position as Chairwoman, effective upon the conclusion of tonight's Executive Committee meeting, and step away from the party.
"I will be forever grateful and thankful for everything we've accomplished together in the past four years. From paying off our legacy debt to flipping Congressional seats to turning out a record number of votes for Republicans, we have much to be proud of.
"Thank you for all you've done to make my experience a positive one. With great love, respect, and appreciation."
Clueless until the end. And the unwillingness to accept even a shred of responsibility for the hollowed out husk the MNGOP turned into during her tenure is even more appalling.
When it became obvious with each passing day that she had no path forward to remain party Chair, Carnahan sought an "exit package" in order for her to resign. Sadly this came to fruition as only 7 of the 15 member of the Executive Committee (a 2/3rds majority of 10 was needed for her ouster) were committed to forcing her out. Ultimately a motion to vote on a three-month severance of $38,000 occurred. The vote came down 7-7 with Carnahan being the final one to weigh in. She of course voted in the affirmative, breaking the deadlock.
While I find it despicable that someone as corrupt as Carnahan was given so much as a nickel to go away, the settlement itself is legally dubious per attorney extraordinaire (and personal friend of mine) Harry Niska.
Anyone processing such payments should consult a lawyer about their fiduciary duties.
— Harry Niska (@HarryNiska) August 20, 2021
It certainly leaves open the possibility that a delegate could sue to have this potentially illegal agreement thrown out. And if indeed the deal is declared null and void, that opens the possibility that Carnahan will claim her resignation was made under false pretenses given it was contingent upon her receiving severance. As such, it wouldn't be beneath her to file her own lawsuit. I mean, what's one more out of control trash fire for this moribund organization?
There actually was one dignified gesture the party made Thursday evening, but it didn't last long. This was published from the MNGOP's official Twitter account but deleted soon after.
As the United States earlier this week was winding down its presence in Afghanistan in what had been nearly a 20-year war, there are a pair of lasting images which may well have an impact as profound as a U.S. helicopter departing Saigon and a naked girl running in horror through the streets after a South Vietnamese napalm attack.
The desperation is complete. Afghans don’t want to be left behind as US evacuates. pic.twitter.com/efZgNcyzpU
— Richard Engel (@RichardEngel) August 16, 2021
Some Afghanis were so desperate to flee their country that they made ill fated attempts to clutch the tires of U.S. aircraft as they took flight. The result was horrifyingly predictable.
People are reportedly falling from the US military transport plane near #Kabul airport. They were hanging on the plane tires. pic.twitter.com/SzGQ67YK7f
— Ali Özkök (@Ozkok_A) August 16, 2021
When seeing that image, it conjured up the picture of a person free falling from one of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center on 9/11/2001.
Kansas City Royals at Minnesota Twins - September 18, 1975.
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After spending the first 21 seasons of his Hall of Fame career with the Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins franchise, slugger Harmon Killebrew played his 22nd (and final) season with the Kansas City Royals. The last of Killer's 573 home runs occurred in that September '75 game against the franchise he played for from 1954 through 1974.
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Wow. What a week, huh?
A lot to get to on this week's edition of my radio show The Closer. The 2-hour broadcast begins at 1:00 PM Central Time.
In the 1:00 hour I will cover the resignation of Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-NY). While this seems like a case of "the mighty have fallen," we'll look back at all the elitist outfits who worked hard to prop up this fraud.
Then in the 2:00 hour I will weigh in on the scandal surrounding the Republican Party of Minnesota, specifically big time donor Anton Lazzaro being charged with multiple counts of sex trafficking of underage girls. It's a horrible look for current chair Jennifer Carnahan, who became close friends with Lazzaro. So close that he attended her wedding to Congressman Jim Hagedorn.
So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics we plan on addressing.
Anton Lazzaro, a young Republican strategist and former congressional campaign manager in Minnesota, was arrested on underage sex trafficking charges Thursday morning, according to federal law enforcement.
Lazzaro, an occasional Fox News guest who flaunted his wealthy lifestyle on social media, was indicted on five counts of sex trafficking of a minor, one count of attempting to do so, and three counts of obstruction of justice. The FBI confirmed its agents had arrested Lazzaro in Minneapolis this morning. And the indictment was unsealed in federal court Thursday afternoon during his initial appearance in federal court in St. Paul, Minnesota, which took place over a video conference.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Becky R. Thorson ordered that Lazzaro remain jailed until a court hearing next week, after prosecutors claimed six victims had asked for additional protection from Lazzaro.
“It’s their strong wish that the United States proceed with a recommendation of detention,” Thorson said of the alleged victims.
The indictment accuses Lazzaro of having “recruited” at least five underage victims for paid sex between May and December last year, and trying to entice a sixth. It also says he “knowingly and intentionally interfered” with the investigation as it closed in on him.
The feds have yet to arrest a second person under investigation, who is mentioned as a co-conspirator in the indictment but not identified.
The FBI raided Lazzaro’s luxury condo in mid-December last year, and agents had sought evidence concerning whom he had brought home into the Hotel Ivy residences in downtown Minneapolis, according to three sources who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Law enforcement served the condo building’s management company with a search warrant seeking Lazzaro’s bank records and video surveillance footage a week before the raid, according to a person with direct knowledge. The search warrant appears in federal court records but remains sealed. The prosecutors working on this case did not return phone calls seeking further detail.
Today, following GOP strategist Anton Lazzaro's arrest for child trafficking, we are calling on Minnesota Republican officials, candidates, and organizations to donate the over $150,000 they received from Lazzaro to anti-trafficking organizations.https://t.co/y1NXggo1hz
— Minnesota DFL Party (@MinnesotaDFL) August 12, 2021
Kudos to elected GOP officials like Congressman Tom Emmer and State Senators Karin Housley & Mary Kiffmeyer for essentially taking those very steps.
MNGOP Chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan and her husband Congressman Jim Hagedorn are very closely associated with Anton Lazzaro.
— Rebecca Brannon (@RebsBrannon) August 12, 2021
Lazzaro funded her first run for chair and reelections. pic.twitter.com/jHYxH3sR44
About 12+ hours after this story broke, Carnahan finally got around to making an official statement. Let's just say it was found wanting.
"If the allegations against Mr. Anton Lazzaro are true, this is an abhorrent act that we condemn in the highest possible terms.
"The Republican Party of Minnesota will be donating the contributions that Mr. Lazzaro has given our organization to charity.
"Sex trafficking is a heinous act that preys on victims of all ages, races, and backgrounds, and warrants severe punishment by our judicial system. A full investigation is necessary to ensure due process is provided to all parties involved."
Some have estimated that Lazzaro's financial contributions to the state party and various local units totaled nearly $200,000. Given the latest financial outlook of the MNGOP, it's highly unlikely they'd be able to scare up that kind of cash. Not mentioned in Carnahan's statement is the money she raked in from Lazzaro in her three different campaigns for state chair.
While I'd be hard pressed to believe Carnahan et al had intimate knowledge of Lazzaro's activities, it's not a stretch to believe they'd be blinded to what many sensed was a general creepiness given the financial clout he had to help the party.
- Chairwoman Carnahan needs to resign her position, posthaste.
If she honestly believes Minnesota is better off having more Republicans elected, Carnahan's presence inhibits what was already a formidable task for statewide GOP candidates in 2022 (i.e. breaking a 16-year losing streak). That's just a fact. And with the MN State Fair starting in two weeks, how awkward will it be for GOP officials to be visiting the party's booth with Carnahan hanging around? I know the midterm elections aren't until next year but a scandal of this magnitude isn't going down the memory hole.
You know a saga like this is perilous when some activists are actually pining for the days of a Chairman Tony Sutton.
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From Devin Hogan, chair of the Minneapolis DFL, regarding the unrest in his city in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd:
Like it or not, setting the Third Precinct on fire was a genuine revolutionary moment. An act of pure righteousness to open new worlds of understanding. The people declared themselves ungovernable and unilaterally took their power back. The largest international human rights movement in modern history had begun. The youth of Minneapolis carried all of this. The cops started it.
This is the kind of crazy, unhinged s**t that progs can get away with in a city like Minneapolis. And given the DFL has a stranglehold on the entire state of Minnesota, state party chair Ken Martin can easily dismiss this for what it is, which is fringe lunacy.
I condemn Hogan’s dangerous, violent and inflammatory rhetoric. Let me be clear: these comments reflect the views of one person, Devin Hogan. They do not reflect the views of the Minnesota DFL Party or the Minneapolis DFL Party (Minnesota DFL? Maybe. But Minneapolis??? I wouldn't be so sure- ed.), and they certainly do not reflect the views of any elected officials in our party with whom I have spoken.
My former NARN colleague Ed Morrissey asked a key question here.
We should also ask what side the Star Tribune will take. Despite using Hogan as a go-to source for comment in DFL matters in the past year, they have yet to report on Hogan’s cheerleading for the riots and the “revolution.” Shouldn’t the main print news outlet in a city cover that kind of development?
Well......technically they did, but only from the standpoint of how key figures in both parties reacted to the news.
This saga brings ample opportunity for the Editorial Board to take a stan.....BWHAHAHAHAHA!!! Dang it! I almost got that out with a straight face.
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- I firmly believed that, despite his scandal ridden third term as Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo would pull a Ralph Northam by putting his head down and ignoring all calls to resign.
However, the "Luv Guv" apparently felt the walls were closing in on him faster than the trash compactor on the Death Star.
A new real estate terminology is emerging during a time of racial reckoning as many agents drop terms like "master suite" and "his-and-hers closets." https://t.co/VQ8j8VbKZ6
— Star Tribune (@StarTribune) August 9, 2021
Not sure whom the mastermind was in thinking this was an issue, but whomever it was certainly didn't master the concept of common sense. However, they probably have a Master's degree from some leftist institution.
- You ever get the feeling there are wokescolds out there perusing every bit of social media they can in an effort to locate just a hint of nefarious behavior, all in the name of "social justice?"
I'm guessing that's what happened when a video clip surfaced from this past Sunday's Miami Marlins-Colorado Rockies matchup. With Marlins batter Lewis Brinson, a black man, at the plate, some ascertained they heard a Rockies fan yelling the N-word. As that story gained traction, the pitchforks and torches crowd lit up the internet demanding the fan not only be identified but also banned from all MLB ballparks, driven from polite society and maybe even drawn & quartered for good measure.
In the end, it had been determined that a racial slur wasn't uttered at all.
Here's the video by the way. I've highlighted both the fan and Dinger in the the first clip, then zoomed in on the fan in the second clip. And Dinger in the third. pic.twitter.com/ul14jQjavx
— Steve Staeger (@SteveStaeger) August 9, 2021
An update from the Colorado Rockies regarding the incident at the end of yesterday's game: pic.twitter.com/4cCS8peKnU
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) August 9, 2021
This reminds me of an incident four years ago at the Atlanta Braves' home stadium when fans were tallying the number of strikeouts the starting pitcher was racking up (i.e. posting the letter "K" on the facade of the stands for every "punchout"). So when the pitcher reached three strikeouts, a woman in the ballpark noticed "KKK" posted, thinking it was some fans showing solidarity with the Ku Klux Klan.
Stupid times, indeed.
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Anaheim Angels at Baltimore Orioles - July 25, 1999.
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With one out and a runner on first in the bottom of the 11th inning, Orioles slugger Albert Belle was hit by a pitch.......but initially refused to go to first base.
He eventually did take his base and his club ultimately emerged victorious.
I missed my August 2021 debut last week, so let's try this again. Today's 2-hour edition of my radio show The Closer gets started at 1:00 PM Central Time.
A lotta COVID-19 talk, particularly talks of implementing vaccine passports, re-upping mask mandates, etc. Is this fear mongering or necessary steps to combat the Delta variant?
At 2:00 Matt Audette, who is running for school board in the Anoka-Hennepin district, will join the broadcast to tout his candidacy.
.......if all Republican candidates for Congress don't play this clip on a heavy rotation between now and November 2022.
Cori Bush: I’m going to make sure I have private security but defunding the police needs to happen. pic.twitter.com/6jbv4HLlGs
— Mike Berg (@MikeKBerg) August 5, 2021
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- You knew it was a matter of time before COVID vaccine passports were implemented. Is it any shock that NYC was the first to implement such a program?
BREAKING: NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio announces first-in-the-nation policy requiring COVID vaccination for indoor activities like restaurants, fitness and entertainment. It will be phased in through August and enforcement officially begins September 13 https://t.co/Nj065CIsxp pic.twitter.com/SHPeIPFLT5
— CBS News (@CBSNews) August 3, 2021
In NYC, the majority of Black and Hispanic citizens are not vaccinated. For all the....uh...."crowing" about GOP state legislatures passing laws addressing voter irregularities, a big city mayor issuing a mandate discriminating against Blacks and Hispanics is much more reminiscent of Jim Crow, no?
- Speaking of totalitarian COVID measures, the CDC is once again recommending people wear masks in many indoor areas, even if you're fully vaccinated.
Conservative talker Erick Erickson explains how this could be a winning issue for the political right.
At this point, it's all about how much risk a citizen wants to engage in. Right now less than one-tenth of one percent of fully vaccinated Americans have contracted COVID (and most of those cases consist of mild symptoms). So if someone remains unvaccinated, they are now incurring the more significant risk than someone who has received the jab.
While it is not wise for someone to be so vulnerable to the virus by declining the vaccine, fully vaccinated people should be under no obligation to protect those people from themselves.
- They told me if I voted to reelect Donald Trump as President that the Executive Branch would run roughshod over constitutional norms.
CONFIRMED: President Biden is expected to announce a new federal eviction moratorium to replace the one that expired on Saturday — targeting counties with elevated rates of coronavirus infections, according to WH and Hill sources. It's expected to cover 90% of renters population.
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) August 3, 2021
And they were right.
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Detroit Tigers at Kansas City Athletics - July 23, 1961.
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In a game against my Minnesota Twins last week, the Detroit Tigers scored 17 runs with nary a home run. The last time the franchise accomplished that feat was that July 1961 game against the KC Athletics.
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